News

Press Releases

Rep. Smith Statement on Senate Vote to Acquit Donald J. Trump for Inciting the January 6th Insurrection

February 13, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement today after the Senate voted to acquit former President Donald J. Trump in the impeachment trial for the incitement of the January 6th insurrection.

“The impeachment trial for Donald Trump should have been an open and shut case. Trump and his supporters spent months spreading the Big Lie and propaganda about the election, and on January 6th, the former president incited a violent mob to follow through on his advocacy of political violence. These pro-Trump extremists attempted to stage a coup, overthrow the democratic process, and violently overturn the certification of our free and fair presidential election. His hateful rhetoric the morning of the insurrection was consistent with his repeated refusal to denounce white supremacy and to stand up to racists, bigots, and anti-Semites, many of whom attended his speech and desecrated the Capitol. This heinous domestic terrorist attack on our Capitol should have been the wake-up call Republicans needed to finally stand up for our democracy. 

“There is no question that Trump violated his oath of office. He incited this mob, encouraged his supporters the morning of the attack, and refused to denounce or stop the violence which ultimately led to the death of five Americans, including members of law enforcement. We are forever grateful for the service of the Capitol Hill Police and others who stood tall in the face of danger and of those who lost their lives in defense of our democracy.

“From the very beginning, Trump and his co-conspirators, including many Republicans in Congress, lied about the presidential election in a brazen attempt to hold onto power, even at the cost of lives and our democracy. This crucial vote will almost certainly play a part in how these Senators will be remembered and judged by history. Trump demonstrated he was unfit to serve as President and is unfit to hold any public office in the future. This lack of accountability is antithetical and insulting to our democracy and our Constitution, and it is my hope that other courses of action will be taken to hold all those involved accountable. We must set a precedent for future Presidents to ensure that what occurred on January 6th can never happen again.”

###

Rep. Smith Applauds House Passage of the National Apprenticeships Act

February 5, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement following House passage of the National Apprenticeship Act reauthorization which would invest in increasing access to Registered Apprenticeships (RAs), youth apprenticeships, and pre-apprenticeships during a time of record unemployment left by the wake of the pandemic.

“Our nation faces one of the worst economic downturns since the Great Depression, and the economic hardships and inequities impacting jobless workers and families are continuing to worsen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With over 10 million people out of work, now is the time to invest in the most successful workforce training programs in the country. Registered Apprenticeships provide paid, on-the-job learning opportunities and a pathway to stable, good-paying jobs which in turn will accelerate our economic recovery.

“The National Apprenticeship Act would invest more than $3.5 billion over five years to create nearly 1 million additional apprenticeship opportunities in existing and emerging industry sectors. The bill expands access to apprenticeships making it easier to participate in high-quality programs, strengthening workers’ pathways to lifelong careers. Workers will have more opportunities with the expansion of apprenticeships in new occupations and sectors, ensuring that there are new pathways in emerging in-demand fields. 

“Additionally, I successfully included an amendment co-introduced with my colleague Rep. Langevin, that would enable pre-apprenticeship programs to offer stipends to pre-apprentices to assist with the financial costs of participating in these programs such as housing, childcare, transportation, and more. This financial assistance will remove those barriers so workers can more easily obtain the initial credentials needed to enter an apprenticeship program and will ensure both pre-apprenticeship programs and apprenticeship programs are more widely accessible for individuals with barriers to employment.

“As workers and families continue to struggle with economic hardships amidst the pandemic, we must do all we can to help people obtain the education and skills needed to succeed. In addition to creating pathways to the middle class and beyond, the National Apprenticeship Act reauthorization would invest in this proven workforce system with a paid pathway to high-quality employment opportunities, help struggling workers through this crisis, and build an economic recovery for a better future.”

###

Rep. Smith Cosponsors Bill Introduced to Strengthen Workers’ Right to Organize

February 5, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement following House introduction of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act – a bill he is an original cosponsor on – which would strengthen workers’ power to organize and negotiate for fairer paychecks, better benefits, and safer working conditions.

“Strong unions are paramount for combatting economic inequality and ensuring workers’ rights are protected. The PRO Act would be the most significant upgrade to U.S. labor law in 80 years which would strengthen workers’ power to organize and negotiate for fairer paychecks, better benefits, and safer working conditions.

“As income inequality continues to increase, only ten percent of American workers today are union members which is the lowest rate on record. Wages have not increased at the same pace as the rising costs of education, child care, housing, and other basic necessities, and this legislation is a direct response to the struggle that many hardworking families face, especially in a pandemic. This bill will help strengthen these unions, hold companies and executives accountable for working conditions, and close loopholes that corporations use to undermine the right to organize.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has further shown how vulnerable workers truly are without the ability to collectively bargain and how crucial it is to ensuring workers have better pay, benefits, and safety. After decades of attacks on workers’ rights to organize and profits off of rising income inequality, passing the PRO Act will take a giant step towards restoring a fair and equitable economy that empowers workers to hold companies and executives accountable for working conditions.”

###

Smith: McCarthy’s Failure to Condemn Greene Poses National Security Threat

February 4, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, today issued the following statement after House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Q-Calif.) refused to take action against known conspiracy theorist Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Q-Ga.).

“Rep. Greene’s hateful, contemptuous conspiracy peddling seems to know no bounds. From calling for the murder of Speaker Pelosi and suggesting former President Obama should be lynched, her rhetoric is violent, specific, and dangerous. Rep. Greene isn’t just hateful, she also has proven to be remarkably ignorant. She claims two historic American tragedies – the 9/11 terrorist attack, which is etched into our collective memory, and the Sandy Hook shooting that resulted in the murder of 20 children ages six and seven – simply did not happen because she has been fooled by QAnon. 

“Rep. Greene’s hateful, virulent behavior is simply unacceptable, and she does not deserve the honor of sitting on any House committees.

“While the behavior of one individual is deeply disturbing, her party’s near unanimous capitulation is even more alarming. Senate Minority Leader McConnell was right to call Rep. Greene a ‘cancer to the party.’ Meanwhile, Leader McCarthy has done nothing – seemingly too afraid to lead – hoping he can instead ignore his way out of this problem.

“By pretending he doesn’t know who QAnon is and refusing to acknowledge the credible domestic terrorist threat posed by this group of conspiracy theorists, Leader McCarthy has proven he is not worthy of a position of leadership in the United States Congress. To feign ignorance when it comes to QAnon is equivalent to an elected leader saying they don’t know who Al Qaeda or ISIS is, completely ignoring the threat they pose to our nation. It’s both dumb and dangerous.”

###

Reps. Smith and Langevin Introduce Pre-Apprenticeship Stipend Bill to Help Eliminate Barriers to Credentials and Programs

February 2, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representatives Adam Smith (D-Wash.) and Jim Langevin (D-RI) introduced the Pre-Apprenticeship Wrap-around Support Services Fund Act of 2021 that would allow pre-apprenticeship programs to use grant funds under the legislation to provide stipends for participants to cover certain out-of-pocket costs such as housing, transportation, and childcare.

“Societal inequities are being further exacerbated due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic recession – we must do more to help people obtain the education and skills they need to succeed and build a career to provide for themselves and their families,” said Rep. Adam Smith. “Some of the biggest barriers people face when entering and completing these programs are the costs of living expenses and fees associated with the programs themselves. Rep. Langevin and I developed this proposal after hearing these concerns from pre-apprenticeship programs in our respective districts. The bill would help pre-apprenticeship programs remove cost barriers for students to obtain initial credentials needed to enroll in a Registered Apprenticeship and put them on a pathway to quality, high-paying jobs.”

“One of the best ways we can ensure the success of participants in pre-apprenticeship programs is by providing financial support for out-of-pocket costs that too often pose as an obstacle to completion,” said Rep. Langevin, co-chair of the Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus. “In the wake of the pandemic, it is even more important that we strengthen pipelines to rewarding careers for hard-working Americans and help students recover from lost work-based learning time. I am pleased to once again join Chairman Smith to underscore the importance of ‘earn to learn’ opportunities and bolster pre-apprenticeship programs that will help us meet the growing demand for skilled workers.”

The Pre-Apprenticeship Wrap-around Support Services Fund Act of 2021 would establish a new grant program at the Department of Labor which would provide specific funding for pre-apprenticeship programs to use for direct financial support to pre-apprentices. Unlike most apprenticeship programs, pre-apprenticeship programs are typically unable to provide wages or other income support during the program. By allowing pre-apprenticeship programs to put grant funds towards stipends, it will help ensure equitable access and increased retention and completion of these programs.

To prevent further spread of the virus, many facilities have had to close and thus limited access to hands-on experiences and training. Pre-apprenticeships will help students recover from lost learning, especially those who have not been able to engage in in-person Career Technical Education (CTE) lab time due to the pandemic. Pre-apprenticeships will help bridge the knowledge gap and provide extra support to make up for lost learning time.

Text of the Pre-Apprenticeship Wrap-around Support Services Fund Act of 2021 can be found here.

Statement of Support:

Shoshana Wineburg, MSW, Director of Public Policy & Communications, YouthCare:

“YouthCare is thrilled to support Congressman Smith’s bill to provide stipends for young people engaged in pre-apprenticeship programs. YouthCare is one of the largest organizations in Washington State serving youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. We know that safe housing is key to stability, but access to education and employment are key to maintaining that stability over time. Pre-apprenticeships play a significant role in helping young people build employment skills and create pathways to careers. Unfortunately, those pathways are often derailed because of cost barriers associated with housing, transportation, or childcare—which is exactly why this amendment is so important and why we’re so excited to support it.”

###

 

« First < Prev Next > Last »