Ways & Means
With its broad jurisdiction, the Ways and Means Committee impacts our pocketbooks, and in turn, nearly every aspect of our daily lives. The countries where Nebraskans can buy and sell goods, the taxes we pay, and the Social Security benefits some may receive are just a handful of the topics which fall under the committee's influence.
Learn more about how the Committee on Ways and Means impacts you by visiting the links below.
More on Ways & Means
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE), released the following statement after the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) went into effect on July 1, 2020. The USMCA improves upon the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which was signed more than 25 years ago, while the benefits of NAFTA to Nebraska agriculture remain intact for a future generation.
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE), released the following statement after opposing H.R. 1425, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act. H.R. 1425 would expand the so-called Affordable Care Act, implement government mandated drug price controls, and would punish states like Nebraska who followed a Supreme Court ruling and chose not to expand Medicaid.
Exports alone make up more than 12 percent of the United States GDP. Expanding trade markets benefits our economy, relationships with other countries, and consumers. With something so critical as trade, we need to constantly be thinking about ways to improve in this vital area. For this reason, while the ongoing pandemic has disrupted day-to-day life around our nation, the Trump administration has continued its work negotiating and implementing multiple trade agreements with the support of many in Congress.
Much has changed in the four months since President Trump signed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) into law back in December – not the least of which is the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, what has not changed is the importance of this agreement.
Recovering financially from the economic damage caused by the pandemic will require an all-out effort on a nation-wide scale. Thankfully, the American people have demonstrated toughness and resilience throughout our history. We know we will get through this.
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Adrian Smith released the following statement after supporting Phase III of the COVID-19 assistance negotiated by the Trump administration, known as the CARES Act:
Just a few weeks ago, we were in the midst of the strongest economy in years. We now find ourselves with questions about what will happen to our economy due to the COVID-19 outbreak. In contrast with other times of economic uncertainty, this interruption in our economy was not caused by bad decisions or nefarious actors, nor were we nearing the end of a business cycle. It was caused by a viral pandemic: a natural disaster. Though it may be painful, American resolve will bring us through this crisis.
This week the Ways and Means Committee held our annual hearing with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. He discussed the administration's current work on health care, the administration's efforts for combating coronavirus, and answered questions we had on both subjects.
The State of the Union is a time-honored tradition, envisioned by our Founders in the Constitution, which provides an opportunity to review the past year and hear the President's ideas to make America even better in the next one. The State of the Union was traditionally given to Congress in writing only until 1913, when President Woodrow Wilson started the tradition of giving a speech to Congress. Regardless of who is President, it is important for Congress, and our country, to hear directly from the leader of our nation.
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement today after the introduction of his bill, the Strengthening Innovation in Medicare and Medicaid Act, to restore accountability for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) through commonsense guardrails.
When we enacted tax reform in 2017, through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we had two goals – simplify compliance and reduce the tax burden on as many Americans as possible. Despite – or I would argue because of – these rate reductions, a strong economy means U.S. federal tax revenue continues to come in at record levels. The federal government does not have a revenue problem. It has a spending problem.