Washington, D.C. – Today, House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) will host a press conference unveiling the Fostering Unity Against Russian Aggression Act of 2017. The press conference will occur at 10:45am ET in room 2118 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Ranking Member Smith released the following embargoed statement on the bill, policy summary of the bill, and bill text:
“Today, we are witnessing some of the most fundamental threats to our democratic values and to the cohesion of our alliances since the beginning of the post-World War II era. President Putin’s campaign to erode our institutions poses a genuine threat to our system of government and our way of life.
“It is time for us to recognize that this challenge must become one of the central concerns of U.S. national security strategy, and that if we do not stand up to this menace, we stand to lose much of what we have sacrificed to build and preserve during the life of our country. This threat merits a comprehensive response that will deter Russian aggression, strengthen allied and partner defenses, and boost our cohesion while including measures to reduce the risk of nuclear war and avoiding a reckless plunge into a new nuclear arms race.
“President Trump has only exacerbated this problem, belittling our allies and partners, embracing dictatorships, and calling into question our collective security commitments. In this situation, Congress has a responsibility to do its utmost to push back against these dark trends.
“This bill represents a forceful and responsible counter to Russia’s provocations. It is an attempt to lay the foundations for a new security effort to combat the spread of Putinism and increase the resilience of democratic societies.
“It is only one component of such an effort, but it a step we must take. I hope that Congress will include these proposals in the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2018, and build on them as we seek to preserve democracy and freedom.”
The Fostering Unity Against Russian Aggression Act of 2017
Summary: The Russian Federation has pursued a deliberate campaign to undermine democracies around the world and weaken U.S. alliances and partnerships. The United States government has not developed a comprehensive response to this danger, including efforts to enhance military deterrence, respond to aggression, and punish Russian violations of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, while acting responsibly to reduce the risk of miscalculation and accidental nuclear war. The Fostering Unity Against Russian Aggression Act of 2017 would lay the groundwork for such a response.
o Requires the Secretary of Defense to develop and implement a comprehensive Russia strategy, which would allow for the alignment of U.S. and allied efforts to deter and respond, if necessary, to Russian aggression.
o Mandates a plan to boost stocks and pre-positioning of forward-deployed conventional precision-strike munitions in order to increase conventional deterrence against Russia.
o Supports the U.S. interest in strategic stability by requiring parallel planning to reduce the risks of miscalculation and unintended consequences that could precipitate a nuclear war.
o Requires a plan to impose sanctions on Russia to punish its violations of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
o Mandates an assessment of the impacts, logistical requirements, strategic need, and cost of stationing additional permanent forces in Europe.
o Mandates an assessment of training ranges and facilities in Europe, any capability gaps and requirements for improvements in those facilities, and training requirements for additional permanent or rotational forces in Europe.
o Mandates plans to counter Russia’s military capabilities, including unmanned systems, electronic warfare, and long-range precision strike capabilities, as well as a plan to accelerate programs to improve U.S. military operability in GPS-denied environments.
o Mandates delivery of a whole-of-government strategy to counter Russian unconventional warfare efforts, as required by Section 1097 of the FY 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (Pub. L. No. 114-92).
o Strengthens efforts to counter Russia propaganda aimed at undermining U.S. and allied national security by prioritizing funding for the NATO Strategic Communications Center of Excellence, recognizing the Russian Information Group established by EUCOM, and encouraging greater leveraging of the U.S. Global Engagement Center.
o Strengthens cyber cooperation with NATO partners and regional allies by emphasizing bilateral training, and prioritizing funding and collaboration with the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence.
o Requires an assessment of Naval efforts as a component of the comprehensive Russia strategy, and highlights the need for increased availability of fast-attack submarines as noted in the 2016 Force Structure Assessment (2016).
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“President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement is a disastrous move that undermines the most significant global climate change agreement to date. Either the President does not understand or simply does not care about the devastating impact global climate change will bring about.
“As the world’s second-largest polluter, emitting fifteen percent of global emissions, but with only about five percent of the world’s population, the United States has a moral obligation to reduce carbon emissions. The Administration’s action also shows a disturbing ignorance of our country’s role as an international leader and a complete disregard for the proven science and consequences of a changing climate.
“With sea-levels continuing to rise, global temperatures increasing, and record droughts and fires destroying communities, it is irresponsible to abandon the international community. Across the world, extreme weather events and climate change disproportionately impact people and communities of color and those living in poverty. The United States and the international community have supported advancements in global health, stability, and democracy to combat climate change while making strides in promoting policies focused on expanding environmental justice. I have been heartened to see that combined efforts have created new jobs, increased standards of living, and lifted millions out of poverty. Now is not the time for the United States to turn its back on progress and our international partners.
“The fight to prevent a changing climate does not stop today. In response to the Trump Administration’s failure to lead, we must support the actions of our local leaders as they implement policies that prioritize improvements to public health and investments in programs that mitigate the growing dangers of climate change. I am proud to represent a district that prioritizes a sustainable relationship with nature, and I take my commitment to protecting our environment seriously. I will continue to fight for policies that allow for future generations to lead prosperous and healthy lives.”
Washington, D.C. – Today, House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) made the following statement about the President’s defense budget request:
“President Trump’s budget fails to provide us with a realistic plan for modernizing the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal. Instead, he would continue to pour taxpayer dollars into an unnecessary and impractical $1.2 trillion effort to improve and sustain more than 4,000 nuclear weapons. In this budget, the Department of Energy asks for an additional $1 billion to modernize nuclear weapons activities. That is an 11% increase compared to FY17 and a 46% increase since 2013. The budget also calls for significant spending on a new nuclear cruise missile—$850 million, or an increase of $535 million above FY17 in the Department of Energy and Air Force budgets—and a new ICBM system.
“Many of these requests should have been delayed until the administration completes a Nuclear Posture Review to determine how many and what kind of nuclear weapons we need. With over 4,000 nuclear weapons, enough to destroy the world several times over, it is time to prioritize what we need to keep the country secure and free up funding for more essential defense programs, rather than fueling a dangerous nuclear arms race while spending approximately $30 billion a year on existing and next-generation nuclear weapons.”
Washington D.C. – Congressman Adam Smith released the following statement in response to President Trump’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2018:
“Instead of proposing a budget that makes available the tools Americans and this country need to succeed, the Trump Administration has proposed a disastrous and ideologically-driven budget that demonstrates this President’s complete lack of interest in or understanding of the realities of governing. The President has doubled down on his earlier campaign promises, and makes clear he want to limit the government’s ability to improve the lives of working Americans and diminish our country’s role in the world.
“The budget released today would radically slash investments in programs that seek to expand broad-based economic opportunities and are effective at growing our economy. This proposal would up-end healthcare in the United States, undermine equitable universal education, underinvest in infrastructure, and inflict disastrous cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency and National Institutes of Health, among many other agencies and programs. The proposal would endanger the health, well-being, and success of Americans now and in the future. Furthermore, this proposal supports an isolationist worldview that ignores the importance of diplomacy and development abroad.
“The assumptions underlying the Administration’s budget are also based on budget gimmicks. Tax cuts do not pay for themselves and economic growth cannot be wished into existence. Instead, we must enact sound policy solutions and make strategic investments in the economy. It is telling that Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have already stated that this budget proposal is dead on arrival.
“I fundamentally believe that government can, and should, be a force for good. We can responsibility invest in our future and grow the economy to ensure that America remains strong at home and abroad. I encourage the President and my colleagues in Congress to support a budget that focuses on investing in a better future for everyone.”
Washington, D.C. – Today, House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) made the following statement about the existence of evidence indicating collusion between members of President Trump’s team and the Russian government:
“As we discuss the issue of Russian collusion, it is important for people to keep in mind the following: It is simply not accurate to state that ‘there is no evidence of collusion between President Trump’s team and the Russian government.’
“In fact, there is a mountain of evidence that the public has been aware of for some time. For example, Trump campaign operative Carter Page flew to Moscow on a campaign-approved trip and gave a speech savaging the United States and its allies for opposing corruption and supporting democratic values, then met with Russian Ambassador Kislyak at the Republican convention. A FISA court judge found there was enough evidence to constitute probable cause that he was a foreign agent working on behalf of Russia.
“Trump campaign manager Paul Manfort, who has been a paid consultant for a previous pro-Putin president of Ukraine, also met with Ambassador Kislyak at the convention, as did Trump national security chair Jeff Sessions. Right before the convention, the Republican Party platform was altered so that it did not support lethal defensive weapons for Ukraine, a policy position desired by the Russians, reportedly at the behest of the Trump campaign. All of those campaign officials then denied meeting with Kislyak before admitting having done so.
“Trump campaign operative Roger Stone communicated with both Wikileaks and an online persona controlled by Russian intelligence officials that was involved in the hacking of the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton’s campaign, accurately predicting the release of documents hacked by the Russians and bragging that Clinton campaign chair John Podesta would be next, two days before his emails were released. It was recently reported that Trump campaign officials had at least 18 undisclosed calls and emails with the Russian government in the last seven months of the campaign. This is just the beginning of the information on the public record. It is all evidence of collusion.
“What we do not have right now is conclusive proof that President Trump’s team colluded with the Russian government. But a lack of conclusive proof is not the same thing as a lack of evidence, and we should not confuse the two.
“There is sufficient evidence to justify the appointment of a special prosecutor, there is enough evidence for Congress to continue investigating, and there is enough evidence that the American people should be deeply concerned about the President’s dealings with Russia. We do the truth a disservice when we blur those two questions, and it is important that we make every effort to keep this distinction clear.”
Washington D.C. – Congressman Adam Smith released the following statement in response to the tunnel collapse at the Hanford Nuclear Site managed by the Department of Energy in Richland, Washington:
“This month’s tunnel breach at the Hanford Nuclear Site underscores the importance of policies that prioritize worker health and safety. While the complete collapse of the tunnel was averted, I remain concerned. The Department of Energy (DOE) is relying more on luck than on certainty that all measures have been taken to avoid a potential incident that could release radiation and contamination. Such an incident would cause unacceptable harm, endanger lives and require long-term evacuations of the area and huge remediation costs. There have been too many near-misses across the nuclear complex. In addition to this latest incident, there are on-going concerns about noxious fumes at Hanford. Looking beyond Hanford to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico, in 2014, a drum burst because of an inexcusable typo in drum packing guidance which could have killed or sickened workers at the site had the underground area not been evacuated a week prior due to an unrelated incident. The culture of complacency cannot continue.
“A successful clean-up of Hanford requires rigorous safety rules and regulations, as well as a strong and reliable safety culture that focuses on protecting the men and women conducting the essential, and often dangerous, work at the site. The DOE and its partners must demonstrate that it has met these objectives and use all incentives and coercive measures at its disposal to do so. The health and safety of employees at Hanford must always come before consideration of the bottom line.
“As Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, I will carefully monitor the investigation into the tunnel collapse and efforts to ensure that the risk of another collapse at additional tunnels is as close to zero as possible. I remain committed to ensuring a safe and transparent clean-up at Hanford and I will continue to fight to ensure that the DOE has the well-being of all workers as a top priority and that it has the resources it needs to do so.”
Washington, D.C. – Today, House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) made the following statement about President Trump giving highly classified information to the Russians:
“We need to be clear about the gravity of what President Trump has done here. It is an extremely serious deed to hand sensitive information from our allies over to the Russians. He does not have an ‘absolute right’ to do whatever he wants with this information, because the President of the United States has obligations to security of the American people, to our allies who place their trust in us, and to the people whose lives his reckless acts might endanger. I hope that the he did not compromise the safety of any of our troops or civilians serving overseas, nor give comfort to our adversaries.
“It is clear that President Trump still does not recognize the danger that countries like Russia pose to us, to our values, and to global security. There is no evidence that the Russians have abandoned or even slowed their campaign to prop up dictatorships and undermine representative democracies around the world. We should not be trying to curry favor with them by cavalierly handing over the secrets of our close allies.
“Moreover, it is not appropriate that the administration purposely misrepresented the facts about this matter. It suggests contempt for the public and the free press to label a report categorically false, and then to subsequently admit that President Trump did release highly sensitive information, but claim that his actions were completely justified. Honesty and transparency with the press are essential elements of a functioning republic, and actions like this undermine those values.”
Washington D.C. – Congressman Adam Smith released the following statement regarding the President’s proposed tax plan:
“Our current tax code is overly-complex; there is no question it needs reexamination and overhaul. The tax proposal released today by President Trump would be disastrous. Its almost singular focus on cutting taxes for wealthy people and companies will harm working people and undermine a healthy economy.
“It is deeply hypocritical for Republicans to have claimed for years that responsible budgets and limiting deficits matter, only to now support excessive and unpaid-for tax cuts. If spurring economic growth was as easy as cutting taxes, our economy would have grown considerably more in the past 16 years, following the Bush tax cuts.
“The revenues generated by our tax system directly fund our government and its efforts to care for our fellow Americans, keep our country safe, and invest in the future through education, housing, research, defense, infrastructure, and other priorities. This plan drastically reduces revenues and will devastate government and programs in all areas, explode budget deficits, and risk destroying our economy. I hope that my Republican colleagues in Congress will have the good sense to reject this unwise tax proposal and instead focus on making government work better for everyone.”
“President Trump’s decision to fire FBI director James Comey is deeply disturbing. It comes as Comey is in the midst of an investigation into possible collusion between Trump campaign officials and Russian operatives to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. We know the Russians were behind the hacking of DNC emails and that they did so to try and give Trump an advantage in the election. Furthermore, there is troubling evidence of connections between a number of Trump campaign operatives and the Russians, connections that on more than one occasion those Trump campaign officials were caught lying about.
“FBI Director Comey was in charge of what was the one clearly independent investigation of this unprecedented interference in our elections by a foreign power. Did Trump fire Comey to stop this investigation? There is no way to prove that, but it is a very troubling coincidence. Coupled with President Trump’s refusal to turn over his tax returns and continuing denial of what the Russians clearly did in the election, there is every reason to believe our president is acting to stop any legitimate investigation into those Russian actions.
“We are a nation of laws, not individuals. By firing Director Comey President Trump has shown he does not understand this basic, governing, Constitutional principle of our nation. We must continue to push for a special prosecutor to get to the bottom of what happened in the 2016 election and not let this President sweep it under the rug.”
Washington, D.C. – Today, House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) made the following statement about nominee for Secretary of the Army Mark Green:
“I am deeply offended by the discriminatory comments that Mark Green, the nominee for Secretary of the Army, has expressed and I condemn them. They are not acceptable positions for a service secretary to hold, and he should withdraw his name from contention for this position. All Americans need to feel welcome serving our country, and sentiments like these only undermine our values and harm our national defense.”