Today, Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA) introduced the Accountability in Immigration Detention Act, legislation that aims to improve standards and living conditions in detention centers across the country. This comes after detainees in Tacoma went on a nearly two-month hunger strike at the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC) over access to nutritious food, isolation practices, treatment by guards, and other living conditions.
“After visiting the NWDC to speak with detainees on hunger strike, it was clear that more enforceable standards were necessary,” said Rep. Adam Smith. “Many detainees are fathers and mothers who have committed no crime, yet are being held in unacceptable conditions for a prolonged period of time. This legislation is focused on improving living conditions for detainees and increasing oversight and transparency of the treatment of detainees.”
Currently, all standards at detention facilities are created and enforced by ICE. Smith’s legislation would change federal law to ensure that detention center standards are federally regulated and created by a rulemaking committee that includes stakeholders like organizations that advocate for undocumented immigrants, local governments, medical experts, and more.
In a statement, #Not1More said “We applaud Rep. Adam Smith’s response to the peaceful protest by immigrant detainees in Tacoma, WA calling for better treatment at the privately-run facility. His office reached out immediately to us and he visited three of the hunger strikers in late March. During his visit he not only found their demands to be valid, he also promised to introduce legislation to address the demands and the retaliation the hunger strikers faced. Today he delivered on his promise. As part of the campaign to stop deportations and as representatives of those on hunger strike, we thank him for his leadership and courage in creating solutions to these issues.”
The legislation also would require unannounced audits and encourage the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to consider alternatives to detention (ATDs) that provide a more humane alternative for individuals in ICE’s custody. The bill has 7 original cosponsors: Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Jared Polis (D-CO), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Filemon Vela (D-TX), Bill Foster (D-IL), Rick Larsen (D-WA).
“Our state lost a great leader today when Billy Frank Jr. passed away. Billy never stopped fighting for the rights of Washington State’s native people and the health of our natural resources. His life and legacy of work will continue through the ages. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and all of those who were touched by Billy Frank, Jr.”
Congressman Smith released the following statement in recognition of Equal Pay Day:
“Equal Pay Day serves as a reminder of the discrimination that women face in the workplace. Over 50 years ago the Equal Pay Act became law, but women in the United States still face a significant pay gap. Women make up half of the workforce, yet earn only 77 cents for every dollar that men earn. This disparity exists for all levels of education and occupation.
“This is not just a women’s issue. With women’s wages continuing to make up a growing share of family incomes, pay inequality negatively impacts both children and spouses as well.
“As we recognize Equal Pay Day, it is critical that Congress continues to push for the Paycheck Fairness Act that would fight to end gender-based wage discrimination. Additionally, I commend the President on his recent executive actions promoting equal pay in the federal workforce by banning federal contractors from retaliating against employees for discussing compensation and directing the Secretary of Labor to collect data on compensation paid to federal employees. When women are paid equally for equal work, it benefits us all.”
Washington, Dec 24, 2013
Congressman Smith released the following statement on unemployment insurance:
“Despite consecutive months of job growth, our economy is still recovering from one of the worst recessions since the Great Depression. Through no fault of their own, millions of hardworking Americans continue to struggle to find employment. Yet, even with rates of long-term unemployed Americans near historic highs, federal unemployment insurance is set to expire three days after Christmas for 24,400 Washingtonians and for 40,000 more in the first half of 2014 if Congress does not act. That is unacceptable.
“Unemployment insurance benefits provide essential support for individuals and families while they are searching for work. Congress should extend unemployment benefits for hardworking Americans, not stand idly by as they expire.”
“It is critical that Congress pass a bill that allows the United States Government to operate. The consequences of a long-term government shutdown are dramatic and unacceptable. Twice, the Senate has passed a clean funding measure to avoid this shutdown, but House Republican leadership refuses to give House Members an opportunity to vote on it.
“I hope we can end the gamesmanship in the House, open the government, and pass a long-term budget that raises taxes and finds savings in all parts of spending. Until the American people and members of Congress are honest about the choices we face, we cannot have a serious conversation about reducing the deficit and balancing the budget in the long-term.”
Congressman Adam Smith made the following statement after the passage of comprehensive immigration reform in the Senate:
It is time to address our immigration system in a comprehensive way, and the Senate passage of their immigration reform bill is a huge step forward. The legislation represents a bipartisan commitment to attract skilled workers, innovative minds, and dedicated individuals that will help create jobs, grow the American economy, and enrich the country with new perspectives and cultural diversity.
As the debate over immigration reform moves forward to the House of Representatives, we must also look to improve our immigration system so that it creates a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants and keeps families together, while protecting our national priorities. I will continue to work with organizations and communities in my district to ensure that we fix our broken immigration system in a way that builds our economy and reflects our national values.
House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member, Congressman Adam Smith, Republican Congressman Chris Gibson, and Senator Mark Udall, who serves on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Armed Services Committee, introduced legislation to ensure that any individual detained on U.S. soil under the Authorization of Military Force (AUMF) has access to due process. The bills would repeal the provision in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 that requires mandatory military custody of any individual captured on U.S. soil and suspected of terrorism. Their bills aim to prevent the erosion of our civil liberties as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution while strengthening our national security.
Udall and Smith have led the push to undo the military-detention provisions enacted through the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act. The duo introduced similar legislation the previous session of Congress and wrote an op-ed for CNN Opinion about why the law undermines the U.S. Constitution.
House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith released the following statement on the Supreme Court cases reviewing Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act this week:
“No couple should be denied the right to marry and build a life together based on love, commitment, and mutual support. That is why I am a strong supporter of repealing the so-called “Defense Of Marriage Act.” I will continue to fight for the equal treatment and protection of all LGBT people and their families. This February, I introduced the Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act, and I will work with my colleagues to pass this bill that would allow equal standing for same-sex spouses of our servicemembers.
“The progress that has been made toward full marriage equality over the past decade is remarkable, but we have not reached our goal just yet. Marriage equality would be a critical step in recognizing the worth and dignity of our LGBT community. We must also be aware of and protect bullied teens, aggressively prosecute bias-based crimes, and fight against all prejudice whether it be based on a person’s sexual identity or expression of gender, or ethnicity, religion, sex, age or ability. I am committed to moving forward and making sure equality is a reality for all Americans.”
Just one day after House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith’s reintroduction of the Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act (MSET), the legislation has received support from several organizations and 43 Members of Congress. Additionally, today Senator Jeanne Shaheen (NH) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) introduced a companion bill in the Senate, the Charlie Morgan Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act. Below are statements of support for MSET.
Ranking Member Adam Smith Reintroduces the Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act
Smith Bill Builds on Recent Strides by Department of Defense
Washington, Feb 14 –
Today, House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith reintroduced H.R. 683, the Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act of 2013, legislation that is designed to ensure equal benefits for all military spouses and equal standing for all military families.
“Despite the Department of Defense making strides towards equality in the military, there is more that must be done to ensure that the rights of all servicemembers and their spouses are protected, regardless of who they are married to,” said Ranking Member Adam Smith. “This bill would make sure that servicemembers and veterans with same-sex spouses receive the same benefits as their heterosexual counterparts. All spouses of those serving in our Armed Services make tremendous sacrifices for our country, and no one should be prevented from receiving hard-earned benefits simply because they are the same sex as their partner.”
Secretary Panetta’s recent efforts to extend some benefits to the same-sex partners of servicemembers is a significant step forward, but the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs remain very limited in what benefits they provide to same-sex spouses. Some benefits that could not be provided through Secretary Panetta’s regulatory changes include medical and dental care, dependent-rate housing allowances, survivor benefits, cost of living allowances, and protection under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.
The Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act of 2013 fixes this discriminatory practice by changing the definition of “spouse” in the relevant sections in the United States code to read: “an individual shall be considered a ‘spouse’ if the marriage of the individual is valid in the State in which the marriage was entered into or, in the case of a marriage entered into outside any State, if the marriage is valid in the place in which the marriage was entered into and the marriage could have been entered into in a State.”
This change will require the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs to recognize any marriage that has been recognized by a state or the District of Columbia and provide the same benefits to the spouses of all service members.