Washington D.C. – Congressman Smith released the following statement in support of the President’s recent decision to ban solitary confinement for juveniles and non-violent offenders:
“A functioning justice system must work to protect the innocent and simultaneously hold accountable and rehabilitate those who commit crimes. The President’s recently announced executive action reforms the federal prison system, following an extensive review by the Justice Department.
“We can no longer perpetuate the problems of a broken criminal justice system that harshly condemns those who have offended and served their sentences to continued failure. The President’s announcement recognizes long-standing structural failures in our corrections system. Incarcerated individuals who are placed in solitary confinement—for months, even years at a time— can experience lasting psychological damage. The consequences of extended isolation are profound on the human psyche, especially when experienced at a young age, and greatly limit prospects for successful reintegration into society. The President’s action came on the same day that the United States Supreme Court recognized the danger and consequences of harsh sentences imposed on our youth. In their January 25, 2016 ruling in Montgomery v. Louisiana, the Supreme Court ruled that juveniles previously sentenced to life without parole must be allowed to appeal for a lesser sentence.
“Comprehensive reforms to our system are long-overdue. While there is no single solution, I have outlined a roadmap of criminal justice reform initiatives at the federal level that begin to address the systemic inequities of our current system. I was an early cosponsor of legislation to study the use of solitary confinement, and determine best practices for federal prisons to follow. I support measures to provide sentencing reform and safety-valve programs, and better assist former inmates as they reenter society. It is critical that we reinforce initiatives such as “banning the box” on job applications to expand employment opportunities, as well as increased funding for low-income individuals to access legal services and help them navigate an incredibly complex judicial system. Washington State was an early advocate for reform, and the data from their reforms at the state level show that those who were placed in solitarily confinement had a 20-25% higher rate of recidivism. Leadership at the federal level is critical to ensure wider enactment of restorative justice programs like those spearheaded by Washington State.
“The President has challenged our nation to seriously reflect on a system that has failed too many Americans. The Justice Department’s recommendations provide a framework for the use of solitary confinement, with the goal of working to provide opportunities for redemption rather than inflict harm. Congress must now join the President by supporting reforms that care for offenders humanely and provide dignity and a second chance to those who are rejoining and contributing to their communities.”
The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act became law seven years ago today, yet women today still face wage discrimination making 79 cents for every dollar a man earns. In order to close this wage gap, I support legislation like the Paycheck Fairness Act that updates and expands upon the Equal Pay Act of 1963 but I know that our work to truly achieve equal pay must be an across the board commitment by ensuring equal pay for equal work and increasing access to education and quality child care. A better future for women is a better future for all.
Washington D.C. – Ranking Member Adam Smith released the following statement on the recent terrorist attack in Burkina Faso and Somalia:
“I strongly condemn the recent terror attacks in both Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and Mogadishu, Somalia. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those injured and killed in the all-too-frequent acts of terror that threaten nations around the world.
“Together with our international partners, the United States must continue to combat extremism and radical terror groups like Al Qaeda in Maghreb and Al Shabaab. The international community has a responsibility to strengthen the coordination of our security and development efforts within Africa in order to effectively combat extremist organizations and foster development to help promote stability throughout the world. The critical work of AMISOM and Kenya’s contributions to that mission illustrate progress that can be built upon in the region.
“I supported the establishment of a U.S. Mission to Somalia in Kenya in September 2015 and encourage the Administration to carefully asses the evolving situation on the ground in Somalia to gauge a time for the Mission to move to Somalia when security conditions allow. I was encouraged to see President Obama nominate Stephen Michael Schwartz as the U.S. Ambassador to Somalia last week, and urge the U.S Senate to swiftly confirm Mr. Schwartz. As Ambassador, Mr. Schwartz can begin the critical work of coordinating with the Somalia government to strengthen our commitment to addressing the causes of extremism.”
Washington D.C. (Link) – Congressman Adam Smith issued the following statement on the recent raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement targeting families from South and Central America:
“I am extremely disturbed by recent accounts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions in several states that are specifically targeting undocumented women and children from South and Central America. It has been reported that these raids have already resulted in the detention of 121 individuals, including in many cases, individuals who were not originally the focus of targeted enforcement actions. Today, I sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson to raise my serious concerns about these activities and to call for additional information to be made public about the agency’s actions.
“I am particularly troubled that in carrying out sweeping new enforcement activity, individuals may not be fully afforded their rights to due process. Many of the families who are the reported targets of ongoing ICE enforcement came to the United States after fleeing extreme violence in their home countries. Many may now be returned to extraordinarily dangerous situations without being afforded all opportunities to seek asylum in the United States. These families, particularly children, are a vulnerable population and must be afforded the guarantee of access to all avenues in our judicial and immigration systems.
“Additionally, I am extremely alarmed and frustrated by the lack of transparency about ICE’s actions and the poor communication between ICE, DHS, and Congress. ICE and DHS have fallen far short of being forthcoming with the public, affected communities, and Congress about the policy objectives and impacts of these enforcement activities, or whether those targeted by the raids have had full access to legal options. American values demand that we afford due process and legal protections in all circumstances.
“These DHS and ICE actions, and the resulting deportations are just the latest example of the very serious need to reform our nation’s immigration system. We cannot afford to wait any longer and I remain committed to and focused on enacting comprehensive immigration reform so that families can remain together and our nation is kept safe.”
Washington D.C. – Congressman Adam Smith released the following statement after President Obama announced a series of steps to address gun safety:
“I support the executive actions taken by the President today that are necessary to address the epidemic of gun violence facing our nation. These changes will help to limit senseless gun violence and keep our communities safe.
“America has been witness to horrific acts of violence that we can no longer continue to ignore. These executive actions support policies and efforts to reduce gun violence in our communities. They will increase the number of critical background checks that are completed prior to an individual purchasing a firearm – keeping guns out of the hands of violent criminals and those seeking to do us harm. Additionally, the President’s actions focus on increasing both mental health treatment and the frequency of reporting data to the national background check system – as well as supporting the future development of gun safety technologies.
“Ultimately, addressing gun violence is both a legal and cultural problem that must be addressed at every level of our society. We must do more to understand the potential causes and threats presented by gun violence in our nation, and engage in conversations with communities and law enforcement. Any changes in federal law will require strong support and action from the American public. As a member of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, I will continue to support legislative and executive branch policy proposals to protect our children and communities.
“These executive actions, alone, are not enough. The President is committed to addressing gun violence. Congress must fulfill its responsibility to protect Americans by enacting commonsense gun safety reforms. Reasonable reforms are attainable; in Washington state, we now require universal background checks for gun purchases. We must have a comprehensive, national plan to fully address the gun violence problem we face and I will work with my colleagues in Congress to address the crisis of gun violence afflicting our nation.”
Originally published in The Hill
Disturbing statements from Republicans running for the White House demand our close attention. They complain that President Obama is not doing enough militarily in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan Libya, and in dealing with the threat from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). They either insist that the president do things he has already been doing, such as bombing ISIS forces and targeting terrorist leaders through drone and other strikes, or they effectively declare war on all Muslims, with dark calls for carpet bombing, making the sand glow, sending tens of thousands of America’s sons and daughters off to war again and banning all Muslims from entering the United States. These latter, reckless proposals will lead to an all-out war with Islam, which is precisely the goal of ISIS and other radicals. It is exactly the wrong approach and gravely threatens our nation’s security.
The Iraq War demonstrated that using our military to impose our worldview on others doesn’t work. It is exactly the wrong approach if we want to make America safer and advance our national security interests. We should have learned this lesson by now (see also Vietnam), and it’s time we smartened up on how to best use our power.
To be clear, our enemy is not Islam. Our American values embrace people of all faiths, as well as those who are not religious. In fact, our enemy is the ideology of a radical Islam exemplified by terrorist groups like al Qaeda and ISIS. The best way to defeat this enemy is by helping Sunni and other moderates, encouraging good and inclusive governance around the world, building civil society, promoting human rights and education and preserving our Constitution.
The Republicans have a different vision. While ideas like carpet bombing might be red meat for some, they are policy disasters that threaten America. They mean the senseless deaths of innocent men, women and children and more ISIS recruits. They will also alienate moderates, who will see America as uncaring, foolish and hell-bent for perpetual war.
The Republican rhetoric sadly serves the ISIS playbook. Republican calls for religious tests, databases to track Muslims, bans on travel and the specter of internment camps help breed new homicidal terrorists, creating the conditions for a clash of civilizations. This is exactly what ISIS wants and is nothing our country needs. With the Republican war cry comes responsibility and questions to which they owe answers.
How does an indiscriminate war against Muslims make us safer? How many of America’s sons and daughters will they send into combat once the carpet bombing fails? Which units will be deployed, for how long and to where in the aftermath of making the sand glow? How do they intend to fight these war(s) around the globe? What is the price tag for these wars and from which countries will they borrow the money to pay for them? And, which Constitutional rights do they intend to limit?
While the ISIS threat requires a military response, the use of force alone will never be enough to defeat this ideology and those who espouse it. We cannot keep sending American troops to address problems that don’t have wholly military solutions. Rather, our approach must be holistic and integrated. We need to send diplomats, development workers, doctors and teachers around the world. We need to help local moderates create economic opportunities and promote the rule of law so that people see a brighter future than that offered by terrorists. We need to properly fund and resource these elements in our national security arsenal and build people-to-people ties that can address the root causes of extremism.
Terrorism is about spreading fear, and we can’t play into it. Let us not get swept up in this irresponsible Republican spin cycle thirsty for war. Instead, let’s preserve our Constitution, be smart about how best to use force and push for sustained policies of engagement. In doing so, we will be best positioned to keep America safe, stay true to our values and build a more just and peaceful world.
Smith has represented Washington’s 9th Congressional District since 1997. He sits on the Armed Services Committee.
Washington D.C. – Ranking Member Smith released the following statement in response to Donald Trump’s recent remarks:
“Our nation’s diversity is our greatest strength. In the strongest possible terms, I condemn Donald Trump’s recent proposal to bar all Muslims from entering the United States. This rhetoric follows earlier absurd statements from Mr. Trump calling for the creation of a database to track Muslims in our communities, under the guise of protecting national security. With these irrational statements, Mr. Trump both misrepresents Americans and puts our national security at risk by doing exactly what ISIS wants. These unintelligent words feed the anti-American narrative and empower ISIS to incorrectly paint the American people as anti-Islamic.
The Unites States is proud to be a nation of immigrants founded on the equal protection of all. I am deeply honored to represent an incredibly diverse district, and I believe in following through on the promise of ensuring the fundamental rights of life, liberty and equal opportunity, for all groups of people.”
Washington D.C. – House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith released the following statement on the announcement that Secretary Carter will allow for all military positions to be open to women:
I applaud Secretary of Defense Ash Carter for taking action on policy guidelines that close certain combat occupations to women. As a result of these changes, anyone, regardless of gender, who can meet operationally relevant standards, will have the opportunity to serve in any position in the Armed Forces of the United States.
Prior to today’s announcement, certain exceptions allowed for women to be barred from various combat roles in the military. This critical step towards allowing women to serve in all levels of our military is a strong move towards achieving full equality in our Armed Forces. Today’s announcement is a response to extensive review by the Department of Defense of policies governing the assignment of women in the Armed Forces. The Department of Defense is opening to women the approximately 213,600 previously closed positions spanning 52 closed military occupational specialties. This announcement follows five years of detailed review of current policies.
As we saw earlier this year, two women made history as the first female soldiers to complete the Army’s Ranger School. Men and woman can, and should, be held to the same standard in the military. I am a committed supporter of equality. I recognize that there is a lot of work that remains to be done to ensure that all Americans are equal under the law, and will continue to advocate for further review of existing policies that ensure equal rights for all service members.
Our number one priority is protecting the United States and the American people from terrorist attacks. In the strongest possible terms, I condemn the cowardly attacks in Paris and send my deepest sympathies to the victims. As we fight terrorism, we must stay true to the values enshrined in our Constitution, remember that we are a nation of immigrants, and not let terrorist groups define or change who we are. The attacks in Paris highlight the continued challenge we face in the fight against terrorist networks.
We must be very clear about what our current standards for refugees are. The United States thoroughly vets all refugees. For most refugee applicants, the process takes between 18-24 months. Applicants for refugee status are held to the highest level of security screening through which we evaluate travelers or immigrants to the United States. If as a result of the security process, U.S. security agencies cannot verify details of a potential refugee’s story, that individual cannot enter the United States.
Of the millions of law-abiding Syrian refugees, less than 1,800 have been resettled in the United States. Refugees are subjected to a stringent, in-depth interagency vetting process that includes health checks, verifications of biometric information to confirm identity, and multiple layers of biographical and background checks, along with in-person interviews by U.S. officials. Members of this interagency team includes the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center, the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, the National Counterterrorism Center, and the Department of Defense. These checks happen before an application is approved and long before a refugee would be able to enter the United States.
We cannot let fear cloud our judgement, drive policy or destroy the fabric of what America stands for. We need to be strong and smart to fight terrorism. Excluding all Muslim refugees feeds the anti-American narrative and empowers ISIS to wrongly paint the American people as anti-Islamic. If we turn our backs on refugees, then we risk making ISIS stronger.
The Republican Syrian Refugee bill that will be debated on the House floor would immediately shut down resettlement of refugees from the Syria and Iraq region. This rash reaction ignores the fact that all of the Paris attackers identified thus far are either French or Belgian and that many terrorist threats are homegrown. It is wrong to deny asylum to refugees on the basis of inaccurate assumptions, fear and prejudice.
We must continue to stand strong as an international community. As we face and address terrorist threats, we need to remember the phrase on the Great Seal of the United States: “E Pluribus Unum”—out of many, one. This means refugees from Syria and Iraq who are fleeing terrible conditions and persecution too. As we move forward, let us unite to use the tools at our disposal – diplomatic, military, intelligence, and development – to defeat extremism and the terrorism it breeds.
Washington D.C. – U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) has awarded $83,860 in project based vouchers for King County Housing Authority and $67,576 for Seattle Housing Authority.
There is an epidemic of homelessness in our community. This crisis is having a terrible impact on our region and combatting it is critical to addressing inequities in our society. Earlier this month, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and King County Executive Dow Constantine proclaimed a state of emergency to address homelessness. Any solution to the increasing plight of the homeless in our community must include a focus on the veterans who have risked their lives to protect our freedoms and keep us safe.
“We have made strides toward ending veterans’ homelessness in Seattle, reducing veterans without permanent housing by two-thirds, but we have more work to do,” said Mayor Ed Murray. “Even one veteran sleeping on our streets is too many. These additional federal supports are welcome aid to those in need.”
“I was extremely pleased to see that VASH has awarded project-based vouchers for our veterans community to ensure that they have access to housing,” said Congressman Adam Smith. “Veterans and their families face a unique set of challenges and Congress must do everything possible to ensure that the men and women who serve our country receive the care and assistance that they earned.”
In King County, these 11 vouchers will be used at the Multi-Service Center (MSC) Veterans Housing Project in Federal Way. MSC broke ground on the project in June 2015 and the building will be ready for occupancy by mid-summer 2016. Vital services will be offered onsite and occupants will receive an array of services linked to the VA Puget Sound Health Care System. Amenities at the Veterans Housing Project will include on-site parking, an exercise room, community rooms, computer labs, and security.
“These vouchers provide important additional support for our efforts to end homelessness among ourveterans in Washington State,” said Stephen Norman, Executive Director of King County Housing Authority. “We very much appreciate Congressman Smith’s unwavering commitment to truly bringing our troops home.”
The award from the HUD – VASH will enable the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) to subsidize an additional 10 studio apartments in the Lake City area as housing for homeless veterans in the. Homeless veterans in urgent need of housing will be identified in partnership with the Veterans Administration for placement in one of the 10 designated VASH project-based voucher apartments at the 75-unit McDermott Place complex, where they will pay no more than 30 percent of their income toward rent and utilities.
In addition to housing, veterans will work with a Sound Mental Health case manager to receive coordinated mental health care and other support services, so they receive the treatment and skills they need for successful independent living. Those veterans who are able to work will also have access to economic self-sufficiency training.
“This HUD – VASH award means that we can get 10 additional homeless men or women who have served our country off the streets of Seattle and into a home that is safe and warm,” said Andrew J. Lofton, Executive Director at the Seattle Housing Authority. “At McDermott Place they will receive respect and will be part of a caring community that offers a unique model of coordinated services to support them on a path to stability.”
Congressman Smith recognizes that it is essential that we tackle the growing problem of housing insecurity and homelessness in our region. Housing and community development are key to citizens’ quality of life and Congressman Smith supports empowerment zones and other incentive-based programs to encourage investment and development in communities in need.
Congressman Smith applauds Senator Patty Murray’s Homeless Veterans Services Protection Act, federal legislation that would ensure access to critical services for homeless former service members. Many who have served in combat zones are impacted by post-traumatic stress – sometimes leading to them being discharged from the military without receiving the critical mental health and rehabilitative care that they so badly need. This bill would prevent the enactment of a Veterans Administration policy that could block homeless veteranson the street from accessing critical resources. Senator Murray’s legislation would also set VA policy that allows essential outreach programs to help the men and women who have sacrificed for our nation. Congress must continue to develop policies that reduce homelessness and create a better future for our veterans and for all Americans.