Adam's record on Health care

Smith invited constituents to town hall meetings on April 22 and May 13, 2000, to discuss issues including the budget, education, health care, and transportation.¹

In a separate release, Smith said methamphetamine labs create an enormous public health risk and that cleanup costs are estimated to be close to $25,000 per site.¹

On October 24, 2001, Smith said he would vote against trade negotiating authority legislation unless Congress first passed a worker assistance package and an economic stimulus package.¹

He said he would not support giving that authority to President Bush "until he reins in the conservative wing of his party and keeps his promise to enact a strong workers' assistance package and a fiscally responsible, balanced stimulus package."¹

On November 28, 2001, Smith announced support, with a group of House New Democrat colleagues, for a stimulus package whose worker relief centerpiece included "extended unemployment, expanded eligibility for unemployment, training, and health care benefits."¹

Smith announced a town hall in Puyallup to discuss health care issues (r1) and later spent "Medicare Day" on May 28 meeting with constituents and healthcare experts, including a press conference with Senator Murray and Representatives Dicks, McDermott, and Baird on legislation concerning Washington seniors' Medicare treatment (r2).²

On May 27, Smith introduced the "MediFAIR" Act, H.R. 4850, with Senator Murray and five co-sponsoring Washington representatives to address Medicare reimbursement rate differences, citing a base reimbursement rate of $465.97 for a Medicare patient in Pierce County compared to $809.90 in Dade County, Florida (r3).¹

On June 27, Smith announced a July 2 forum on the uninsured with speakers from state and health care organizations (r6) and a July 1 schedule of meetings with seniors on Medicare prescription drug costs and reimbursement rates (r7).²

At a forum on July 1, Smith called on Congress to help states address the number of uninsured Americans, saying, "Health care costs continue to rise, and an increasing number of Americans feel unsure about the quality of their health care and whether or not they will have insurance a year from today" (r8).¹

On July 26, 2002, the House passed trade legislation that Smith voted for, which included a new Trade Adjustment Assistance health care benefit for laid-off workers and extended health care eligibility to downstream workers such as suppliers of shuttered factories.¹

On August 12, Smith announced he would join a Democratic Leadership Council forum in Seattle on August 22 that was to discuss biotechnology industry policy questions, including whether health care coverage would provide adequate reimbursements for biotech-based products.¹

In separate press releases on August 21 and August 22, Smith listed health care among the issues he planned to discuss with community leaders in Yelm and Rainier on August 27.²

Also on August 22, Smith announced plans to speak with seniors and health care professionals about declining access to doctors and hospitals for Medicare seniors, rising prescription drug costs, and his MediFair Bill proposal.¹

In an October 9, 2002 press release, Smith said he had voted to instruct House-Senate conferees on the defense authorization bill to accept Senate language providing full concurrent receipt for veterans, which would eliminate the offset between military retired pay and VA disability compensation.¹

He said retirement pay was "a hard-earned benefit for our veterans" and that some of the president's senior advisors had pledged to recommend a veto of the authorization bill if the concurrent receipt provisions were included.¹

In a November 12, 2002 press release, Smith said he supported passage of H.R. 4546, the fiscal year 2003 defense authorization act, which was approved by voice vote and provided about $393 billion including a 4.1 percent military pay raise and increased housing allowances.¹

On November 9, 2002, after receiving a Washington state veterans award, Smith said health care was "one of the biggest challenges facing our veterans and military retirees" and that he was committed to improving access to health care and expanding coverage for those who served.¹

On January 15, 2003, Smith cosponsored H.R. 41, legislation to impose a one-year freeze on the Medicare physician fee schedule and stop a scheduled 4.4 percent cut to physician reimbursements for 2003.¹

On January 16, 2003, Smith said the Department of Veterans Affairs had announced cutbacks in VA health care enrollment and said the VA needed adequate funding and better management.¹

In the same statement, Smith said the administration was "making decisions that are not sustainable and are setting a bad precedent."¹

On February 11, 2003, Smith's office said Milton Reimers would become Legislative Assistant for labor, health care, Social Security and pensions, transportation and veterans.¹

On March 31, 2003, House Centrist Democrats led by Rep. Cal Dooley and Rep. Adam Smith announced plans to unveil a prescription drug plan, the Medicare Rx Now Act of 2003, at a press conference on April 2.¹

On April 1, 2003, Smith joined 17 other moderate Democrats to introduce the Medicare Rx Now Act of 2003, with the group seeking to have it considered as the Democratic substitute to the Republican prescription drug bill.¹

Smith said he was proud to be part of the group introducing the benefit.¹

On April 5, 2003, Smith announced he would visit senior centers in his district on April 24 to discuss the legislation and provide seniors with information on prescription drug discount programs.¹

On May 6, 2003, Smith announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded Auburn a $478,000 grant to support a community development plan that lists health care services among the activities it funds, alongside homeless shelters, childcare, and neighborhood revitalization.¹

On May 21, 2003, Smith introduced the Middle East Trade and Engagement Act of 2003, which would grant duty-free treatment to countries whose economic policies reduce poverty and provide social benefits such as health care and education.¹

On July 29, 2003, Smith and Congressman Norm Dicks sent a letter to VA Secretary Anthony J. Principi opposing instructions given to VISN 20 leadership to resubmit facilities recommendations that could close VA facilities at American Lake.¹

The letter stated that closing the American Lake hospital would restrict and deny health care services to veterans throughout the south Puget Sound area.¹

On August 14, 2003, Smith planned to spend the day with seniors and members of the medical community discussing his bill H.R. 2904, the "MediFAIR Act of 2003," addressing Medicare reimbursement rate inequities, and H.R. 1568, the "Medicare Rx Now Act of 2003," on prescription drug coverage for seniors.¹

Smith said he "strongly believe(s) that we need a long-term solution to our Medicare problem," citing rising health care inflation and an increasing influx of seniors as baby boomers retire.¹

Smith said 45 million Americans, including more than 8 million children, had no health insurance, and that 944,000 people were uninsured in Washington State alone.¹

He said being uninsured means needed medical care goes without, that delays turn minor illnesses into major ones, and that a single significant medical expense can wipe out a family's life savings.¹

Smith said he had cosponsored the Small Business Health Benefits Program (SEHBP) Act of 2005, which he described as giving small business employers access to a large purchasing pool and negotiated rates for private insurance plans, plus tax credits to help cover premiums for low-income workers.¹

On 2005-11-14, Smith and Cathy McMorris introduced the Medicaid Access Project through Information Technology (MAP IT), a demonstration project using health information technology to manage chronic disease for the Medicaid population.¹

On 2005-11-16, Smith voted against the conference report for the FY06 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, saying the bill failed to address needs including improved public health and medical research.¹

On 2005-11-17, Smith voted for the FY2006 Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act conference report, which he said included an additional $1.2 billion to remedy a shortfall in veterans' health care for that year.¹

Smith voted against a budget reconciliation bill on 2005-11-17 that he said would cut an estimated $50 billion over five years from services including Medicaid, and against its conference report on 2005-12-18, which he said would cut an estimated $39.7 billion over five years from the same programs.²

Smith voted for H. Con. Res. 622 honoring Filipino World War II veterans, which passed the House 402-0, and said Filipino veterans "deserve full access to veterans' health care and other benefits."¹

Smith is a cosponsor of H.R. 4574, the Filipino Vets Equity Act, which would extend Department of Veterans Affairs benefits to the 13,000 remaining Filipino veterans residing in the Philippines.¹

Smith announced that H.R. 5631, the fiscal year 2007 Defense Department appropriations conference report, included $2 million for targeted radiation cancer therapy at Madigan Army Hospital to provide prostate cancer treatment for military personnel and veterans.¹

On February 5, 2007, Smith stated that President Bush's fiscal year 2008 budget request would cut funding for Medicare and Medicaid, along with education and environmental protection, to fund tax breaks for multi-millionaires.¹

On February 26, 2007, Smith became an original cosponsor of H.R. 1074, the Reducing the Need for Abortions and Supporting Parents Act, which he said would help prevent unintended pregnancies while protecting a woman's right to choose.¹

According to the release, H.R. 1074 would mandate family planning services under state Medicaid programs, increase Title X family planning funding, cover pregnant women under SCHIP, and eliminate pregnancy as a pre-existing condition for health insurance providers.¹

On April 23, 2007, Smith and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers introduced the Medicaid Access Project through Information Technology (MAP IT), which would create a demonstration project using updated technology to manage chronic disease for Medicaid recipients.¹

Smith said the project would give chronic disease patients and caregivers access to their medical records, provide patients a Personal Health Record to track their health information, and give physicians access to updated treatment information.¹

Smith voted to support the House Armed Services Committee's markup of the fiscal year 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, which he said would increase pay, improve health care, and reduce bureaucratic obstacles for wounded troops.¹

On May 16, 2007, Smith voted for H.R. 1585, the fiscal year 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House 397 to 27 and which he said would improve health care and reduce bureaucratic obstacles for wounded troops.¹

On October 17, 2007, Smith voted to override President Bush's veto of the SCHIP Reauthorization Act, which would have provided health care coverage to more than 10 million low-income children; the override vote failed 273 to 156.¹

Between October 10 and October 30, Smith introduced the TAA Improvement Act and then saw the House pass H.R. 3920, a related bill that extended Trade Adjustment Assistance to service-sector workers and improved their access to health care benefits, by a vote of 264 to 157.²

On November 6, Smith voted for H.R. 3043, a conference report that included the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education appropriations bill funding health care access and research, and a Military Construction-VA bill that his office said included the single largest funding increase for veterans' health care in VA history; the conference report passed 269 to 142.²

On November 7, Smith voted for the Defense Appropriations conference agreement, which he said included improvements in health care and assistance with red tape for wounded veterans and passed the House 400 to 15.¹

On January 14, 2008, Smith voted with a bipartisan House majority for the SCHIP Reauthorization Act, which preserved coverage for 7 million children already enrolled in the program, extended coverage to 4 million more children eligible for but not enrolled in SCHIP or Medicaid, and let Washington state use a larger share of its federal allocation for SCHIP through fiscal year 2013.¹

Smith said the renewal was "a major victory for children in Washington state and across the country."¹

On January 16, 2008, Smith said the President's release of $3.7 billion in additional veterans funding, combined with funds approved in 2007, would total a $6.7 billion increase in 2008 that would strengthen health care for 5.8 million patients, including about 263,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and add 1,800 claims processors to reduce a 400,000-claim backlog of veterans awaiting benefits.¹

Responding to President Bush's State of the Union address on January 27, 2008, Smith said Bush had outlined health care costs among the challenges facing the country but "failed to back policies to move us forward."¹

On April 15, 2008, Smith voted for H.R. 2634, the Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation Act, which the House passed 285-132.¹

On April 22, 2008, Smith voted for H.R. 5613, the Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act, which passed the House 349-62, and said in a statement that the bill would prevent cuts to Medicaid funding tied to proposed federal regulations.¹

On May 1, 2008, Smith and Senator Patty Murray introduced the MediFair Act, which would raise Washington state's Medicare reimbursement rates to the national average.¹

On January 14, 2009, Smith voted with a bipartisan House majority to pass the SCHIP Reauthorization Act, which he said would provide health care coverage to 11 million children.¹

The House approved the final version of the bill by a vote of 290-135 on February 3, 2009, and Smith said it would reduce the number of uninsured children in Washington state by 42%.¹

On February 12, 2009, Smith said he supported the inclusion of an expanded Trade Adjustment Assistance program in the Economic Recovery Package, which he said would extend the program to service industry workers and increase funding for training, health care, and income support.¹

That same day, Smith voted in support of the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act, stating that Americans were losing "their jobs, their health care and their savings."¹

In a July 1, 2009 statement, Smith said the country would engage in a debate over "fixing our healthcare system" among its most pressing problems.¹

On July 24, 2009, Smith voted for the Labor, Health and Education Appropriations Act, which funds grants that allow states to provide health care to more of their uninsured residents.¹

On July 29, 2009, Smith and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers introduced the Medicare and Medicaid Access Project through Information Technology, legislation to create a demonstration project using health information technology to manage chronic disease for Medicare and Medicaid patients.¹

On October 6, 2009, Smith voted for the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform & Transparency Act, saying it would require the President's budget request and VA appropriations bills to fund VA medical accounts for the coming fiscal year and one year in advance.¹

On October 7, 2009, Smith voted for the conference report on the fiscal year 2010 National Defense Authorization Act, saying it strengthens military health care and family support programs.¹

On October 28, 2009, Smith offered an amendment to H.R. 3854, the Small Business Financing and Investment Act, to expand health information technology loan guarantees to home health care agencies, saying it would help improve care delivery and reduce health care costs for seniors.¹

On 2013-03-11, Smith said the Republican budget cuts Medicare benefits and turns the program into a voucher system, and said it raises no revenue.¹

On 2013-03-20, after the House passed the Republican budget, Smith said he voted for the House and Senate Democratic budgets instead, saying they would end sequestration and maintain the benefits and integrity of Medicare and Medicaid.¹

On January 22, 2015, Smith opposed a Republican bill that would have restricted low-income women's access to abortion and family planning services, saying the government should not make health decisions that belong between a woman, her doctor, and her family.¹

He said he cosponsored the Women's Health Protection Act, which he said protects a woman's right to make her own health care decisions no matter where she lives and promotes access to family planning services.¹

In a statement on January 20, 2015 reacting to the President's State of the Union address, he said investments would be made in healthcare, among other areas, to keep good-paying jobs in the United States.¹

In a statement on January 19, 2015 marking Martin Luther King Jr. Day, he said zip codes and incomes too often dictate a person's ability to access affordable healthcare.¹

On June 15, Smith voted for the House Trade Adjustment Assistance bill after Medicare cuts that would have funded it were removed from the bill.¹

On June 25, he voted for a second Trade Adjustment Assistance bill, saying it cut worker-training funding from $575 million to $450 million and did not extend eligibility to public sector workers, while noting the program was no longer funded by cuts to Medicare.¹

Also on June 25, Smith said the Supreme Court's King v. Burwell decision preserved federal tax credits under the Affordable Care Act in every state.¹

He said the Affordable Care Act had been upheld twice by the Supreme Court and said he hoped Republicans and Democrats would work to improve the law rather than continuing to fight to dismantle it.¹

On October 27, 2015, Smith responded to a two-year bipartisan budget agreement, saying it would increase funding equally for defense and non-defense investments but would not eliminate cuts mandated by sequestration.¹

On November 5, 2015, Smith called for federal criminal justice reform, stating that communities of color face disproportionate mandatory minimum sentences and that reforms have resulted in disproportionately high incarceration rates among people of color.¹

On November 16, 2015, Smith said he was pleased that VASH had awarded 11 project-based vouchers to house veterans at the Multi-Service Center Veterans Housing Project in Federal Way, King County.¹

In a statement on Representative Jim McDermott's retirement, Smith said McDermott's advocacy helped the Affordable Care Act give Americans "meaningful access to high-quality health care" for the first time.¹

In a statement supporting the President's executive actions on gun violence, Smith said the actions would increase mental health treatment and the frequency of reporting data to the national background check system.¹

In a statement on the President's State of the Union address, Smith said Washington state had recognized the importance of addressing mental health.¹

On May 12, 2016, Smith said Congress needed to act on the heroin and prescription drug abuse epidemic by investing in prevention, treatment, recovery, and border drug-smuggling enforcement, citing a 137 percent increase in overdose deaths since 2000 and more than 60 deaths a day.¹

He said he was deeply disappointed that the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act and its related bills did not provide the full funding necessary to confront rising overdose deaths and addiction.¹

He said the House Floor debate that week should have been more comprehensive, but that he supported the steps taken and would continue pushing for the resources and funding needed going forward.¹

On January 24, 2017, Smith said President Trump's reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule "undone years of progress" in international family planning programs.¹

On January 25, 2017, Smith said the federal hiring freeze would deny veterans "access to essential care and resources," citing 45,000 VA job openings nationwide and effects on the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System in Seattle.¹

On February 7, 2017, Smith announced that VA Under Secretary nominee Shulkin committed to send a "Tiger Team" of management improvement specialists to the Seattle VA Hospital within 60 days to address hiring, retention, and leadership.¹

On February 10 and 13, 2017, Smith's office delivered valentines made by local elementary school students to veterans at Compass Veterans Center, the VFW of Washington, and Seattle VA Hospital.¹

On March 14, 2017, Smith said he was strongly opposed to the Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, citing Congressional Budget Office estimates that 14 million more people would be uninsured in the plan's first year and 24 million over ten years.¹

He said the plan would cut $170 billion from the Medicare Trust Fund and eliminate the ACA's Medicaid expansion, which he said had extended coverage to over 59,000 constituents of Washington's Ninth Congressional District.¹

On March 24, 2017, Smith's office described that day's Republican attempt to vote on the health care bill as failed, and Smith said repealing the ACA was a mistake.¹

He said the ACA vote he cast in 2010 had supported expanded access to health insurance for over 22 million people.¹

On May 3, 2017, Smith said House Republicans had voted to eliminate essential health benefits and protections for Americans by passing the American Health Care Act (AHCA), and said no one had considered the law's costs or impacts on working Americans, people with pre-existing conditions, and people who rely on Medicare and Medicaid.¹

He said the bill "represents a dangerous leap backwards" and said Republicans made changes that "erode essential protections and high quality care."¹

On May 22, 2017, Smith said President Trump's budget proposal "would up-end healthcare in the United States," alongside effects he described on education, infrastructure, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Institutes of Health.¹

On October 4, 2017, Smith issued a statement opposing the Republican budget and tax plan, saying it would cut Medicare and Medicaid, eliminate nutrition assistance, and reduce veterans' benefits, and said Democratic budget proposals would instead invest in education and affordable health care.¹

On October 6, 2017, Smith said the Trump administration ended the federal requirement that employers cover birth control, and said that requirement had allowed millions to access affordable contraception.¹

He said health care must include access to affordable birth control and reproductive services, and called the administration's decision "a shameful sanctioning of gender discrimination that endangers women's health."¹

In a Veterans Day statement, Smith said members of the military should receive the health care services they deserve.¹

In a statement on the FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act Conference Report, Smith said he ensured critical funding continued for life-saving medical research.¹

Smith opposed the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act and said Congress should work on measures including bolstering mental health care across the country.¹

Smith said the Republican tax bill risked triggering automatic PAYGO cuts to Medicare and other mandatory programs, and after the bill passed as H.R. 1, said it would throw the health care system into chaos.²

In a September 27, 2018 press release, Smith opposed a Republican tax package, saying it would make earlier temporary tax cuts permanent and that Republicans planned to pay for it with cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.¹

On October 5, 2018, Smith introduced the Empowering Individuals to Succeed Through Education and Workforce Training Act, which would create a WIOA grant program funding support services such as child care and transportation for people receiving workforce training and education.¹

On September 28, 2018, Smith and more than 100 House Democrats sent a letter to Secretary of State Pompeo urging the Trump administration to reverse its decision to end funding for UNRWA and reprogram foreign aid supporting food security, health care, education, and water programs in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem.¹

On November 11, Smith said he had worked to ensure veterans receive high-quality care and support and called for continued improvement of health care for current and former service members.¹

On November 15, Smith joined Representative Chris Smith in introducing the Outdoor Recreation Therapy for Veterans Act, bipartisan legislation intended to expand veterans' access to the outdoors for medical care and therapy.¹

Smith said access to the outdoors has a positive impact on mental health and physical wellbeing for veterans and can open avenues of recovery.¹

Ahead of the 2019 State of the Union address, Smith said national priorities "must include affordable health care," along with climate change, housing costs, infrastructure, and education.¹

In a statement supporting the Green New Deal resolution, Smith said the goal was a green economy that gives everyone "a fair chance to earn a decent living, have access to affordable housing, education and health care."¹

On April 2, 2019, Smith voted yes to order the previous question on S.J.Res. 7, a resolution to direct the removal of the United States Armed Forces from hostilities, which passed 231-191 in the U.S. House with all 230 voting Democrats in favor.¹

He then voted yes to agree to the resolution itself, which passed 230-188 in the U.S. House, again with all 230 Democrats voting yes and none opposed.¹

On April 3, 2019, Smith voted yes on H.Res. 271, condemning the Trump Administration's Legal Campaign to Take Away Americans' Health Care, which passed 240-186 in the U.S. House with 232 Democrats voting yes and one voting no.¹

On May 1, 2019, Smith joined in reintroducing H.R. 2435, bipartisan legislation to expand opportunities for veterans to heal and seek treatment through outdoor recreation, citing its potential impact on veterans' mental health and physical wellbeing.¹

On May 17, 2019, Smith voted for H.R. 987, the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act.¹

In a statement, Smith said the bill reduces barriers for lower-priced generic prescription drugs to reach the market earlier, expands access to health insurance, and rescinds a rule he said undermined protections for pre-existing conditions and allowed inadequate health insurance plans.¹

On November 20, 2019, Smith voted yes to order the previous question on a resolution providing for consideration of H.R. 1309, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, which passed 223–194, and then voted yes to adopt the resolution, which passed 209–205.²

On December 9, 2019, Smith voted yes to pass the Synthetic Opioid Exposure Prevention and Training Act, which passed 393–0, and the DHS Opioid Detection Resilience Act, which passed 393–1.²

On December 10, 2019, Smith and Rep. Kim Schrier introduced the Safety Net Health Plan Employee Student Loan Forgiveness Fairness Act, which would codify safety net health plans as qualifying employers under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.¹

On December 12, 2019, Smith voted for passage of H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, saying it would give Medicare the power to negotiate directly and transparently with drug companies.¹

On February 5, 2020, Smith released a statement responding to President Trump's State of the Union address in which he said Trump had misled the American people and lied about critical issues.¹

The next day, Smith voted for ordering the previous question on H.Res. 833, which passed 224-194.¹

He also voted for H.Res. 833, the rule providing for consideration of H.Res. 826, which passed 220-194.¹

Smith then voted for H.Res. 826, a resolution expressing disapproval of Trump administration actions toward Medicaid, which passed 223-190 with House Democrats voting 223 to 1 in favor.¹

On February 28, 2020, after a positive coronavirus test was confirmed in King County, Smith said public health officials described the risk to the community as low but said that could change, and said federal, state, and local public health officials needed to have the resources to do their jobs.¹

On March 4, he said the $8.3 billion emergency supplemental funding bill would support research and development of vaccines and procurement of medical supplies and medicines, and would make funding available to state and local health agencies.¹

On March 13, after the House passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201), he said the bill provided free coronavirus testing regardless of insurance status, increased federal Medicaid funds, and established paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave.¹

On March 27, after the House passed the CARES Act, he said the bill directed funding to hospitals and providers and to state, local, and tribal governments and increased unemployment benefits.¹

Smith released a statement after the House passed the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, saying the bill would provide additional money to hospitals, providers, and medical professionals responding to COVID-19.¹

He issued a statement on U.S. global leadership in the pandemic response, saying outbreaks anywhere in the world threaten transmission in the U.S. and that assistance from the international community is critical.¹

He voted for the Heroes Act, saying it commits $75 billion for testing, contact tracing, and isolation measures and strengthens assistance for hospitals and community health centers.¹

He called President Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization "short-sighted and dangerous."¹

On June 29, 2020, Smith voted no on a motion to recommit H.R. 1425, which failed 187-223, and voted yes on final passage of the bill, which passed 234-179 with all but one Democrat in favor.²

That day he said in a statement that the House had passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act, and that the bill strengthens the Affordable Care Act, increases subsidies for low- and middle-income families, and pushes holdout states to adopt Medicaid expansion.¹

In mid-July, Smith joined four other committee chairs in sending a letter to the Secretaries of Defense and Health and Human Services questioning the administration's use of CARES Act funding to boost production of PPE and testing, and he said the administration had blocked CDC officials from testifying about school reopening plans.²

He also issued statements applauding House passage of an appropriations package he said included emergency COVID-19 relief funding, child care bills he said would help parents return to work during the pandemic, and a second appropriations package he said would prioritize public health.³

After President Trump said he would nominate a replacement for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Smith said the fate of the Affordable Care Act and women's access to health care, among other rights, hung in the balance (r2).¹

After the Senate confirmed Amy Coney Barrett, Smith said her confirmation was "a direct threat to the Affordable Care Act, protections for people with pre-existing conditions, civil rights, election security, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, the environment, and more" (r8).¹

Smith, as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said the Department of Defense had spent three dollars on defense contracts for every dollar it spent acquiring medical supplies from the $1 billion in CARES Act pandemic-relief funds Congress had allocated (r3).¹

He said the House-passed Updated Heroes Act included money for testing, contact tracing, vaccine distribution, and personal protective equipment, and that the COVID-19 relief package passed in December included funding for accelerating vaccine distribution and for local public health departments (r6, r13).²

On 2021-02-17, Smith said he strongly supported the swift passage of President Biden's proposed $1.9 trillion relief package and continued discussions between educators, administrators, and public health officials on safely reopening schools.¹

On 2021-02-26, after the House passed the American Rescue Plan Act, Smith said the legislation would ramp up equitable vaccine distribution, extend unemployment insurance, and resolve inequities in the health care response to the pandemic.¹

On 2021-03-10, after the House passed the American Rescue Plan Act again to send it to President Biden, Smith said the bill included the most significant expansion of affordable health insurance in a decade.¹

On 2021-03-19, after the House passed the Medicare PAYGO Waiver, Smith said the bill would prevent cuts to Medicare and other mandatory spending programs and would support health care providers by suspending scheduled payment cuts.¹

On April 14, 2021, Smith voted yes on two procedural motions ordering the previous question and agreeing to a rule providing for consideration of H.R. 7, the Paycheck Fairness Act, and H.R. 1195, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, both of which passed the House.²

On April 16, 2021, Smith voted yes on passage of H.R. 1195, which passed 254-166, and released a statement on the bill directing OSHA to establish an enforceable workplace violence prevention standard for health care and social service workers.²

Between April 30 and May 24, 2021, Smith submitted Community Project Funding requests for health-related programs in Washington's 9th District, including $766,000 for Health One expansion in Seattle, $350,000 for a health clinic at the Family First Community Center, and $590,600 for the AiPACE Adult Day Center and Clinic, and visited the Seattle Fire Department to discuss the Health One program.⁴

On April 16, 2021, Smith praised House passage of H.R. 1195, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, saying it directs OSHA to establish an enforceable workplace standard requiring violence prevention programs for health care and social service workers.¹

On April 30, 2021, Smith submitted Community Project Funding requests to the House Appropriations Committee for FY2022, including $766,000 for Health One Expansion in Seattle, $350,000 for a health clinic at the Family First Community Center in Renton, and $590,600 for the AiPACE Adult Day Center and Clinic in Seattle.⁴

On May 24, 2021, Smith visited the Seattle Fire Department to discuss the Health One program, which he described as responding to non-emergency medical and behavioral health calls, and said he had submitted a Community Project Funding request to expand it.¹

A Fiscal Year 2022 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies funding bill passed by the House Appropriations Committee at the beginning of July 2021 included increased funding for Urban Indian Health organizations and Tribal Epidemiology Centers, following Smith and Rep. Don Young leading colleagues in urging the Committee to raise funding for both programs.¹

On July 13, 2021, Smith announced $8,148,000 included in FY2022 House appropriations bills for ten community projects in the 9th District, among them $700,000 for the AiPACE Adult Day Center and Clinic and $350,000 for the Family First Community Center - Health Clinic.¹

In a June 19, 2021 statement marking Juneteenth, Smith said the national conversation that day included health care and social services access, alongside police brutality, criminal justice, infrastructure investment, and good governance, in connection with systemic racism.¹

On September 24, 2021, Smith voted to pass H.R. 3755, the Women's Health Protection Act, which would create federal protections against state restrictions on abortion access and abortion care, and said personal decisions about a person's body should be left between the person and their doctor.¹

On September 27, 2021, Smith and Senator Patty Murray led the Washington delegation in sending a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Acting Director of ICE regarding COVID-19 outbreaks at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, citing more than 300 COVID-19 cases at the facility since early June.¹

On September 28, 2021, Smith voted yes on H.R. 4981, which passed the House 410-14, with the chamber's Democratic members voting 217-0 in favor.¹

Smith voted to pass the Build Back Better Act on November 19, 2021, and said in a statement that the bill would improve the health care system for millions of Americans by reducing premiums.¹

On December 7, 2021, Smith voted yes on passage of S. 610, the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, which the House passed 222-212; the next day he voted yes on H.R. 1667, also titled the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, as amended, which the House passed 392-36.²

On December 8, 2021, Smith also voted yes on the Opioid Prescription Verification Act, which the House passed 410-15.¹

On January 12, 2022, Smith joined 48 other House members in a letter to House and Senate appropriators urging funding for alternative crisis response teams to address mental health and substance abuse issues.¹

On December 20, 2021, Smith issued a statement supporting President Biden's intent to appoint Teresita Batayola, president and chief executive officer of International Community Health Services, to the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, describing her as an advocate for "health care access, equity, and addressing social determinants of health."¹

On January 12, 2022, Smith led 48 members of the House, along with Representatives Katie Porter and Cori Bush, in a letter urging House and Senate Appropriations Committee leadership to set aside federal funding for the creation and expansion of alternative crisis response teams to address mental health and substance abuse issues.¹

On February 4, 2022, after the House passed the America COMPETES Act of 2022 by a vote of 222 to 210, Smith said the bill supports critical industries "such as automobiles, health care, and clean energy."¹

Smith said in a statement issued after President Biden signed the government spending package into law that it would provide billions of dollars in funding to bolster public health infrastructure and confront health crises including maternal and child health, mental health, substance use treatment, and the COVID-19 pandemic.¹

Smith's office said the $9 million he secured for ten community projects in the Ninth District covered areas including health care and social services, and local leaders named the AiPACE Adult Day Center and Clinic in Beacon Hill among the funded projects.²

Smith joined HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine for a tour of International Community Health Services in the Ninth District, the first stop on the National Tour to Strengthen Mental Health, and a roundtable discussion on the national mental health crisis.¹

Smith joined HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on a tour of a Seattle crisis center to promote the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and toured a school-based health clinic to promote teen vaccinations.¹

He introduced legislation with Rep. Roybal-Allard to reduce employment barriers for immigrants entering the health care workforce, and led a letter with Rep. Bush requesting $100 million for crisis response teams, a request the House Appropriations Committee later funded at $60 million in the FY2023 bill.³

He voted for H.R. 7666, the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act, which passed 402-20, and for H.R. 5407 on suicide-prevention campus planning, which passed 405-16.²

He also led Washington's congressional delegation in a letter to HHS and the Treasury Department supporting a state waiver that would let uninsured Washington residents currently ineligible due to immigration status purchase coverage through the state marketplace.¹

Smith introduced the GATE Act, which would create a position at the Department of Health and Human Services to help community-based organizations secure federal funding and provide technical assistance (r1), the Expanding Service Coordinators Act, which would fund service coordinators who connect people in federally assisted housing to services including health care (r2), and the Behavioral Health Crisis Care Centers Act, which would fund the building and operation of crisis care centers for people experiencing a mental or behavioral health crisis (r3).³

On September 22, Smith voted yes on the Mental Health Justice Act of 2022, which passed the House 223-206 (r4).¹

On September 28, Smith's office publicized statements of support for the Behavioral Health Crisis Care Centers Act from organizations including the City of Seattle (r7).¹

On September 29, Smith voted yes on the MOBILE Health Care Act, which passed 414-7 (r9), voted yes on the Mental Health Matters Act, which passed 220-205 (r10), and voted no on a motion to recommit the Mental Health Matters Act, which failed 208-220 (r11).³

Smith voted yes on the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act, which passed 389-22, and the Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act, which passed 408-11, then on H.R. 497, the Freedom for Health Care Workers Act, voted yes on a motion to recommit that failed 210-219 before voting no on final passage, which passed 227-203.⁴

He introduced the 911 Community Crisis Responders Act with Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, the Behavioral Health Crisis Care Centers Act, the Grant Assistance and Technical Education Act, and three bills to help immigrants enter the health care workforce.⁴

He led letters requesting Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations funding for the Urban Indian Health Program and Tribal Epidemiology Centers, and, with three colleagues, for $100 million for mental health crisis response teams, and said in a statement marking Mental Health Awareness Month that he had experienced anxiety and used mental health care himself.³

On the one-year anniversary of the Dobbs decision, he said he had signed a discharge petition to bring the Women's Health Protection Act to the floor for a vote.¹

The House of Representatives passed a $1.7 trillion government funding package on December 23, 2022, sending it to President Biden's desk to be signed into law.¹

Smith said the package would expand access to affordable, quality health care and expand mental health care services.¹

Between April and May 2023, Smith introduced the Behavioral Health Crisis Care Centers Act to fund crisis stabilization services, the Grant Assistance and Technical Education Act to help community-based health organizations access federal grant funding, and a package of three bills to help immigrants enter the health care workforce.³

He also co-led a letter with 54 colleagues requesting $100 million for mental health crisis response teams and a separate letter with 22 members requesting increased funding for the Urban Indian Health Program and Tribal Epidemiology Centers, both for the FY 2024 appropriations bill.²

In a statement for Mental Health Awareness Month, he said "I have had my own struggles with mental health" and said mental health care must be made more affordable and accessible.¹

On the one-year anniversary of the Dobbs decision, he said the ruling "stripped millions of their reproductive rights" and said he signed a discharge petition to bring the Women's Health Protection Act to the floor for a vote.¹

On 2023-07-28, Smith voted against the FY2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs appropriations bill, saying it included provisions that would make it harder for veterans to access reproductive health care, including abortion care.¹

On 2023-08-09, Smith introduced the Expanding Service Coordinators Act with Reps. Beatty and Bonamici to increase funding for service coordinators, who connect residents of federally assisted housing to services including health care.¹

On 2023-08-24, Smith hosted HHS Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Dr. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon for a visit to a substance use treatment program in Renton, where they discussed the substance use crisis and behavioral health care workforce needs.¹

On February 6, 2024, Smith voted no on ordering the previous question on the rule for H.Res. 863, impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, which passed 215–207 (r1), and voted no on agreeing to that rule, which passed 216–209 (r2).²

On February 7, 2024, he voted yes on a motion to recommit H.R. 485, the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act, which failed 207–210 with Democrats voting 207–1 in favor (r3), then voted no on passage of the bill, which passed 211–208 (r4).²

On March 6, 2024, the House of Representatives passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, a package of six government funding bills that Smith said included over $17 million for projects he requested for the Ninth District.¹

President Biden signed the package into law, and on March 13, 2024, Smith said the funding would help build affordable housing, expand health care services, and promote education and job training in the district.¹

In a May 2, 2024 statement on Mental Health Awareness Month, Smith said he had spoken publicly about his own struggle with anxiety and depression and said he introduced the Behavioral Health Crisis Care Centers Act to fund behavioral health crisis stabilization and wraparound support services.¹

In the same statement, Smith said mental health care is often unaffordable and inaccessible and said he supports increased funding for mental health care, including Medicare for All.¹

In a July 3, 2024 press release, Smith said he and Senator Patty Murray sent a letter to the executive director of the VA Puget Sound Health Care System about health and safety hazards, including ceiling leaks and mold, in Building 18, and the release stated that maintenance and deadlines for moving operations out of the building had been continuously delayed.¹

From February 2025 to July 2026, Smith's office issued repeated press releases and posts opposing Republican budget and reconciliation bills that he said would cut Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidies and raise health insurance costs, including statements on the House Republican budget, the "Big Ugly Bill," and 2026 premium increases.⁶

On December 17, 2025, he voted no on passage of H.R. 6703, the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, which passed the House 216-211, after voting yes on a Democratic motion to recommit that failed 210-218.²

The next day, he voted no on passage of H.R. 498, the Do No Harm in Medicaid Act, which passed 215-201, after voting yes on a motion to recommit that failed 204-212.²

He also voted no on the Senate deal to reopen the government in November 2025, saying it would let Affordable Care Act subsidies expire, and voted for the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act in June 2025.²