Congressman Smith Capitol Report

Just Getting Started

December 28, 2017

 

January 20, 2017 marked a new beginning in our country. On that day, President Trump was inaugurated and immediately began working to restore integrity and meaning to our Constitution, to rule of law, and to turning our economy around. With a focus on individual choice, freedoms and the rights upon which this country was founded, over the last 12 months I have worked alongside our President to once again make this country great. ‎As I sat outside the Capitol and watched our new President taking the oath of office last January, I knew it was no longer going to be business as usual in Washington - exactly the type of change which was needed and exactly the change which millions of Americans had rightfully called for.

 

When I look back on the past year, I see a booming economy, millions of new jobs, ISIS on the run, the biggest pay raise for our troops in 8 years, and a record number of conservative pro-life judges appointed to the courts – including Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. We have also seen historic middle income tax cuts with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Obamacare’s individual mandate repealed, and droves of Obama-era regulations removed. In fact, for every new regulation, we have repealed 22 old regulations, saving taxpayers more than 8 billion dollars.

 

Under President Trump’s leadership, we have lowered Missourians’ electric bills by relying on our country’s own natural resources, opening up parts of Alaska to energy exploration, and approving the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines. The EPA is no longer a job-killing factory piling on rules and regulations left and right. President Trump’s EPA has taken my recommendation to get rid of WOTUS, which tried to regulate every drop of water on Missourians’ land. The EPA also adopted my proposal to stop the harmful “sue and settle” practice, a massive loophole that allowed radical groups to sue the government and get taxpayer money through closed-door, out of court agreements.  

 

Despite a total lack of support from obstructionists on both sides of the aisle, President Trump and Congress still managed to overcome historic obstacles to achieve major accomplishments in 2017. Unfortunately, some decided to waste their time and taxpayer dollars to try and tear President Trump down through lies, misinformation and even an embarrassing effort to try and impeach the President that was supported by members of the Democrat Leadership. As we worked to cut taxes, repeal Obamacare and defund sanctuary cities, the left threw up road blocks at every turn. As of mid-December, 477 bills had passed the House of Representatives while 378 of those were stuck in the Senate. Included in those efforts was a full repeal and replacement of the government takeover of healthcare, ‎further proposals to lower energy prices, measures to prevent taxpayer dollars from going to abortion providers, protections for your second amendment rights and legislation to provide for full funding of the children's health program known as S-CHIP - all proposals passed by the House of Representatives, but blocked from reaching President Trump's desk by Senate obstructionism. 

 

Whether we are making our country safer by ending chain migration, defunding sanctuary cities like San Francisco that harbor illegal immigrants, rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, changing our federal welfare system from a hand-out to a hand-up, or creating more healthcare choice and competition by getting the government out of the business of health insurance, there is plenty of work to get done together. As we look to 2018, I hope obstructionists in Congress will learn to work with their colleagues and the Trump Administration so we can continue to improve the lives and freedoms of hardworking folks in Missouri and across the country. ‎ We are just getting started in our efforts to restore this nation to what it was intended to be, and while I am proud of the work thus far, I remain mindful, committed and invigorated to meet the challenges and fights which lie ahead.

This week, President Trump returned to the place where he started his push for historic tax cuts three months ago, right here in Missouri. This time, the President spoke in detail about the proposal which I had recently helped advance through the U.S. House of Representatives known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act - our plan to allow American families, small business owners and farmers to keep more of what they earn and more of what they deserve.

In August, the President was in Springfield, the home of Route 66 and the birthplace of Main Street. While in Springfield, the President told me he had his pen in hand, ready to sign historic tax cuts and he was depending on Congress to deliver. But his speech wasn’t just empty rhetoric for the evening news. With the cameras turned off, the Pres

 

ident got to work. Since that speech I have personally met with both the President and Vice President, with their respective tax teams, with First Daughter Ivanka Trump and had late night phone calls with the President and White House all in regards to providing middle income tax relief for American families. The President wants to unleash the full potential of American ingenuity and entrepreneurism, and he knows the best way to get our economy fully humming is to not only reduce burdensome regulations, but to also allow families, farmers and businesses to keep more of their hard earned money than send it to Washington – to deliver for them true tax relief.

 

With the full support of the White House, the U.S. House of Representatives got the job done, we delivered historic tax cuts to help families and our economy, and on Wednesday in St. Charles Missouri, the President called on the United States Senate to do the same. As President Trump said in his speech, the Senate must pass tax cuts so we can bring Main Street roaring back to life – so that we can help the 97% of businesses in Missouri which are classified as ‘small’ in size, but are the true drivers of our economy. 

 

It’s hard to believe that we have not seen true tax reform since Ronald Reagan was President. Realizing reform was near, earlier this year I held a number of public tax roundtables across southeast and south central Missouri to hear from you directly about how the tax code was impacting your family, farm or business and what you wanted to see changed. As a member of the Ways & Means Committee, the tax writing committee in Congress, I knew that the input I would get from you all I could directly take back to Washington and use to get changes in our tax code which would allow you to keep more of your money. During these meetings, I heard from farmers who wanted to stop being punished for buying equipment they need to work their land. I talked to small business owners who told me how their high tax rates prevent them from hiring folks right here at home. I also heard from moms and dads who were worried about how to save for the future when our tax code literally punishes people for starting a family. It is time for a better deal on taxes, and we are finally making much needed changes to our tax code with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. I completely agree with President Trump, it is not enough for middle-income families to keep getting by, we must create an environment where they can start getting ahead. That’s why, under our plan, if your family of four makes less than $55,000 per year, you will not have to pay ONE SINGLE PENNY in income tax.

The bottom line is this, the government should be taking the least amount of money from you as possible. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will lower tax rates and give folks in southeast and south central Missouri an instant pay raise. I hope we will act quickly to continue move this legislation forward and give all hardworking Americans the tax break they need and deserve.

 

 

The era of strategic patience and capitulation symptomatic of the Obama Administration and their approach to North Korea finally ended this week. President Trump has now formally declared and labeled North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. What does that mean? It’s simple, President Trump is holding North Korea accountable for actions that aim to terrorize and destabilize society - standing up for America and fighting for our interests across the globe.

 

When President Trump announced his decision to put North Korea on the state sponsor of terrorism list, my thoughts immediately went to the family of American student Otto Warmbier. Otto was on a study abroad trip with his university in 2016 when he was imprisoned and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for allegedly stealing a propaganda poster from his hotel as a keepsake. Even though his parents pleaded, the Obama Administration insisted that it was best to do nothing and wait patiently for North Korea to comply with our appeals to send Otto home. By the time he was returned to his parents in America, the damage done was irreversible. Otto was tortured mentally and physically by the cruel and inhumane North Korean regime. He came back on his death bed, and weeks later, we watched Otto Warmbier’s parents grieve the loss of their son at the hands of North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-un.

 

Sadly, the loss of Otto is just one of many tragic examples of an innocent person who was tortured and killed at the hands of this brutal dictatorship. In Otto’s memory, I worked with my colleagues in the House of Representatives to pass the Otto Warmbier North Korea Nuclear Sanctions Act. This bill tightens the reins on North Korea’s rogue regime and blocks their access to markets that finance weapons programs. In addition to cutting off North Korea’s access to funding, Congress is shoring up the United States’ critical missile defense system. This year, with the support of President Trump, we approved the National Defense Authorization Act, to invest in our military’s ability to prevent a nuclear weapon from ever reaching our shores by increasing the overall number of ground-based interceptors to counter the growing threat from North Korea’s ballistic missile program.

 

We simply cannot allow North Korea to threaten and intimidate innocent civilian populations with an arsenal of nuclear weapons. Between the actions of Congress and the Trump Administration, we are sending a strong message to North Korea. In the words of President Trump, “Do not try us.”

 

President Trump has shown time and again that the United States takes it seriously when other countries cheat on deals. Whether renegotiating failed trade agreements or decertifying Obama’s Iran Nuclear “Deal” to move forward with a new, strong strategy, which no longer puts American families at risk, President Trump is putting the security and safety of our nation first. 

 

Until North Korea ceases all support for international terrorism, recognizes basic human rights and stops their rhetoric of “wiping America off the face of the earth,” we will wage a maximum pressure campaign to isolate and financially starve this murderous regime. In the coming weeks, additional sanctions from the Trump Administration will be rolled out to further isolate North Korea, and President Trump will continue to work and form strategic alliances in Asia to isolate and financially cut off North Korea. Just last month, President Trump was able to convince China to remove and suspend all banking support for North Korea for the first time ever. We are resolved in our commitment to punish Kim Jong-un and his rogue regime with sanctions and, with the support of President Trump, will exhaust all options until we see North Korea cease their aggressive actions towards the United States and our allies and take steps toward lasting stability and peace.

 

Giving thanks, saying grace, blessing the food. Whatever your household calls it, praying before a meal is something I grew up doing with my family and still do today. In my family, we call it “saying the blessing.” This is a time of fellowship that provides me with reflection, restoration, and gives me hope for the future.

 

In a few days, folks across Missouri and America will join with their families and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving.  As I have done every year since childhood, I will spend this time with my family and loved ones. Our family Thanksgiving was first hosted by my grandmother, and then eventually, by my aunt and mother. For me, Thanksgiving has always been a day filled with eating way too much, playing board games, and simply enjoying the company of family and the sounds of laughter at old stories told throughout the night. If up for it, we may even venture out to the Walmart off Hwy 32 for a few early shopping deals.   

 

This holiday is often seen as the precursor to Christmas, but I hope you will take the time to truly give thanks before the next holiday season takes over. As Americans, we have so much to be thankful for. Our nation is founded on freedom and is full of generosity. For every bad thing we hear or read about happening here at home and around the world, there is so much good going on around us that we often overlook. Shared Blessings Transitional Housing Shelter in Bonne Terre has recruited volunteers to cook and deliver meals from Thanksgiving Day through the weekend that follows. In Farmington, the Help the Hungry Bake Sale will bring in money to assist two food pantries to help those in need in the months to come. These are just a few of the examples of the good nature of folks happening right here. As I see all of the food drives and neighbors finding ways to help neighbors during the holiday season, I am thankful for and humbled by generosity and genuine concern Missourians have for one another.  

 

As we join our families to give thanks for our blessings this year, let us not forget the men and women who are overseas serving our country and away from their families. When you sit down to say grace before Thanksgiving dinner, remember to say a prayer for the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who are celebrating the holiday at their military base in Afghanistan, South Korea, Japan or elsewhere away from home. They are putting their lives on the line to protect the freedoms we enjoy every day. 

 

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and give thanks. I am grateful to God for his grace and my salvation. I feel blessed to be born in the land of the free and the home of the brave.  I am especially thankful for the members of our military who fight so valiantly to preserve our way of life. I also feel fortunate to be from Salem Missouri and honored to represent before the United States Congress the generous and kind Missouri communities that we all call home.

 

Whether you’re going to hunt in Missouri’s great outdoors, playing flag football in the backyard with your family, volunteering your time and energy to help others, or hosting your whole family for dinner, I pray your day is filled with thanks giving for our multitude of blessings.