Adrian Smith

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 4521, the so-called America COMPETES Act. The trade division of this bill falls squarely within the Ways and Means Committee's jurisdiction, yet the first time we saw these provisions was last week when bill text was released by House Democrats. There was no committee process, no interest in putting together a thoughtfully vetted solution to address China. In fact, House Democrats wouldn't even bring my TPA amendment to the floor for a vote, an amendment that reflected years of bipartisan work and consensus about the importance of a close partnership between Congress and every President to achieve high-standard, enforceable trade agreements that open new markets for American goods and services. Instead, what we have before us today is a bill that fails to address China and fails American small businesses and consumers with provisions that would actually discourage work during a workforce shortage by expanding and delinking Trade Adjustment Assistance from new trade opportunities. It would add more red tape to and narrows eligibility of trade programs like GSP and MTB that small businesses and manufacturers rely on to compete in the global marketplace. It would also exacerbate the supply chain crisis by making unvetted changes to the de minimis rules. That would also do nothing to address the administration's minimal effort to compete with China in the Indo- Pacific and around the world. Clearly, this bill is more about talking points than actual effective and proactive policymaking. President Biden and his party may be content with America sitting on the sidelines as China and our other competitors set global trade standards and divvy up the world's consumers, but I am not. This is a missed opportunity to spur momentum on a proactive trade agenda, protect American innovation, and alleviate some of the supply chain and workforce pressures our Nation is facing. Therefore, I will vote ``no'' on this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4996, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act. I thank Mr. Johnson, Mr. Garamendi, and others for joining me in raising the alarm back in March in a letter to the Federal Maritime Commission about the empty container ships leaving American ports. This bill follows on that effort, offering necessary reforms to Federal regulations overseeing the ocean shipping industry in order to address problems like this that have been discussed. Agricultural exports are critical to not only feeding the world but to the livelihood of the producers I represent in Nebraska. We cannot do that if container ships leave American ports completely empty. This bill prohibits foreign ocean carriers from refusing U.S. exports unreasonably and gives the FMC more tools to ensure these carriers are held accountable and held to a high standard. Trade only works if exports reach their final destination in a reliable and affordable way. This bill is great step toward facilitating exactly that. It is a reasonable bill, and I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, here we are again, late at night, debating last-minute legislation to fix problems the current majority created. When considered alongside the ongoing COVID pandemic, widespread workforce concerns, and the cloud of uncertainty created by unnecessary vaccine mandates, it is clear the combined effects of upcoming Medicare reimbursement cuts represent a critical threat to our healthcare system. While I commend the efforts that have been made over the last few days to draft solutions which address the concerns of our healthcare providers, instead of coming together to pass a bipartisan compromise, we again find the majority attaching controversial, unrelated material to this bill. Tonight, the majority has chosen to jeopardize urgent relief for healthcare providers with political gimmicks relating to the debt ceiling and paygo issues we saw coming from miles away. I am disappointed to see yet another erosion of the rules and precedents of Congress. I urge all members to oppose this bill.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition. It seems the majority has seen everything that the American people are angry about and are doubling down instead of addressing the very problems that need to be addressed. Americans are angry about the proposed million-dollar payments to folks who want to come to our country illegally. This bill makes that worse. Americans are angry they can't get the IRS to answer the telephone. This bill spends $45 billion to further weaponize the IRS. Americans are angry that store shelves are empty and prices are rising because of worker shortages. This bill makes it worse. Americans can't get necessities like cars. In my district, newly manufactured farm equipment sits unfinished and undelivered because of chip shortages. This bill makes it worse. Our economy is hurting. We need to get the American people back to work. This bill is only going to make life harder and more expensive for the very people who some are claiming to try to help. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize former Nebraska State Senator, Jim Jones, on the occasion of his 90th Birthday. I had the honor to serve alongside Senator Jones as a Member of Nebraska's Unicameral Legislature, allowing me to witness his dedication to rural communities. His commitment assured that our farmers, ranchers, and all Sandhills residents had a passionate voice in the Legislature. His family, friends, and community know well his passion for rural life. We are all grateful for his servant leadership. Congratulations again to Jim Jones on his 90th Birthday.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I would like to state for the record the prior remarks shared were inaccurate. The fact of the matter is, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act actually resulted in more revenues to the Treasury. Let's not forget that. And the fact of the matter is, a growing economy will do far more for the American people than new government programs that we can't afford. We are standing here now, and of course, I think we should make good on our debts and make good on our obligations. This bill is not the solution. Instead of focusing on basics of governing, the majority has chosen to spend the past 10 months kind of arguing here and there--a lot actually--first passing their $2 trillion inflation catalyst at the beginning of the year, and now arguing among themselves how to spend another $5 trillion. This bill is clearly not the solution. This bill isn't bipartisan. It was brought to the floor solely by Democrats and reflects their take- it-or-leave-it approach to governing. It does nothing to address our Nation's spending problem. It is a blank check which allows the majority to spend as much as they want in the coming months unrestrained by a true debt limit for the duration of this Congress. Democrats control government and can immediately raise the debt ceiling right now. There is a better way, however, than this particular bill. Madam Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 241.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 120, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 121, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 122, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 123, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 124, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 125, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 126, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 127, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 128, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 129, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 130, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 131, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 132, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 133.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose this massive legislation. We are here supposedly for COVID relief, but the vast majority of this bill, as you have already heard, has nothing to do with defeating this disease. Real COVID relief would prioritize vaccine distribution, reopening small businesses, and getting our children back in classrooms. This bill does not do that. This bill is a litany of longstanding proposals which are detrimental to our small businesses and will actually hurt our efforts to reconnect the unemployed. The extension of the child tax credit and EITC were first introduced long before the pandemic and will disincentivize returning to work. Likewise, the proposed bailout for mismanaged multiemployer pensions predates COVID-19. And now we have learned that bringing this bill to the floor was actually delayed because Democrats were adding a new cash grab, drastically lowering the threshold at which gig workers receive a 1099-K. It is like the majority learned nothing from the debacle they created when they shoehorned new 1099 rules into ObamaCare. Mr. Speaker, I am appalled that we are here tonight continuing to try to address this in such a manner when we owe the American people better than what this legislation delivers. I urge its defeat.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Steve Nelson, a corn and soybean farmer from Axtell, Nebraska, on his retirement as president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau. The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a leading voice for Nebraska agriculture producers because of its hardworking members and leaders like Steve, whose hard work and leadership have made the Third District of Nebraska the top-producing agriculture district in America. Steve has served as president through the completion of two farm bills, ensuring the needs of Nebraska producers are reflected and met throughout the process--no small task. I have appreciated Steve's persistence in the face of many challenges we have faced in Nebraska recently, especially the historic floods, storms, the irrigation tunnel collapse, and certainly other uncertainties. Those affected, though, were always able to turn to the Nebraska Farm Bureau. I would like to thank Steve for his great work, and I wish him well as he continues as a farm producer at home and advocating for our State's farmers and ranchers.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, today I honor nine individuals and businesses from Nebraska's Third District for receiving the Innovation and Adaptation Recognition. Throughout the 75 counties of the Third District, Nebraskans know our communities grow when individuals step up: helping their neighbors, being involved, and creating opportunities for themselves and others. In August, I called for nominations as part of a new initiative to acknowledge the contributions of individuals, organizations, and those who are working every day to improve and help their communities in the current environment. Billy Estes is the Executive Director of the Midwest Theater of Scottsbluff. Midwest Theater's programming, which includes live performances, orchestras, and concerts, makes an important contribution to the cultural and social experiences of Nebraska's panhandle. When the Coronavirus pandemic reached western Nebraska, under the guidance of Mr. Estes, the Midwest Theater partnered with the Legacy of the Plains Museum to create the Skyview Drive-in Movie Theater. As the pandemic progressed, this venture proved so popular they outgrew their location and had to move to larger accommodations. Thanks to the creativity and leadership of Mr. Estes, in spite of the pandemic, the Midwest Theater has continued to thrive throughout 2020. Grand Central Foods of York is owned by the Warren Thomas family. Mr. Thomas prides himself on his commitment to the York community. In ``normal'' times, Warren and the Grand Central Team are the first to ask where they can help with a project or how they can partner on events. The selflessness shown by everyone at Grand Central is a testament to the example of their ownership. Within a few days of the pandemic's arrival to York, Warren purchased a second grocery delivery van and expanded his service to the entire community. Because Warren believes in positive reinforcement, he encouraged his customers to wear a mask while in his store by offering a 5 percent discount on their purchases. He is an active member of many community groups, and his passion and commitment to his community are unmatched. Alyssa Cochnar of Crete is the leader of Gold Star Martial Arts of Crete and Seward. At 26 years old, she is already a 5th-degree black belt, chief instructor, and co-owner of the martial arts facility. When directed health measures forced Gold Star to close in-person training classes, she spearheaded the process of creating online modules for her students to continue their training independently. Before long, she began offering Zoom Classes to provide her students with another safe and flexible option to continue their training and explore expanded experiences to encourage healthy eating habits and socialization while social distancing. I commend her positive attitude and commitment to an enriching educational experience for all her students, regardless of their experience level. Bryce Jensen is the Director of the World Theatre of Kearney. His adaptability, especially during the pandemic, demonstrates his commitment to his community. Though the organization he operates, the World Theatre, was closed due to the pandemic, his outside of the box thinking inspired him to create, through strategic community collaborations, a World Theatre drive-in. Not only did this ensure the World Theatre could still bring respite to many during these trying times, but it restored a drive-in movie experience to the Kearney region, reminding many of the happy memories of their youth. Kirk Zeller grew up in the community of Ravenna, Nebraska. After high school, he attended university and later worked in the medical field in Japan, Europe, and the United States. Eventually, Kirk returned to his hometown of Ravenna to raise his family. Since returning to Ravenna, he has turned the former Carnegie library into an entrepreneurship center, purchased a downtown building and renovated the upper story apartments, and recently directed a movie in Ravenna and Los Angeles which premiered at the Kearney World Theatre's drive-in, all while working on bringing new medical products to the market. He is a great story of returning to rural Nebraska and reinvesting in the community. Dick Cochran of Kearney founded the nonprofit Hot Meals USA in October 2017. By February 2018, he signed a memorandum of understanding with the American Red Cross to call on him for assistance in wildfires, floods, tornadoes, and other disasters. Every time Dick and Hot Meals USA are called upon, no less than 150 volunteers have supported the program. Since their inception, the policy has been to feed anyone, no questions asked. In just over three years, they have provided more than 155,000 meals across the country. John McCoy is the CEO of Orthman Manufacturing of Lexington. He embraced the opportunity to help feed families who come from a poverty background in the Lexington area. When he first brought Hot Meals USA to the community, Orthman Manufacturing partnered with the Lexington Community Foundation and others to provide over 1,000 hot meals weekly to families. He then made feeding the community a priority as he and his employees took the lead to distribute USDA food boxes. When schools reopened in August, John was there for the community again. He donated 3,700 masks to Lexington Public Schools to make sure no student was unprepared for their school experience. John's actions represent his commitment to all members of the Lexington community. Anthony May of Hastings is an entrepreneur. When the pandemic forced the taproom of Steeple Brewery Anthony co-owns to close, he quickly responded. Collaborating with Wave Pizza Company, the brewery's restaurant partner, he developed a community delivery program, which eventually offered their products to 21 communities in south-central Nebraska. This innovative program ensured many Nebraskans, whose communities either do not have a grocery store or now lacked a local place to eat due to the pandemic restrictions, had ready access to an easy to use food delivery program. Matt Dennis and Michael Stepp are more than small-town business owners; they are master storytellers with a dream. What began as two friends making copper mugs in an old shop has turned into an opportunity to reshape the meaning of community. When they purchased the building they now call Handlebend, their goal was to create a community of small businesses under one roof and welcome the community with open arms to come and enjoy a mule, coffee, or gather and with friends and family. Though the Coronavirus pandemic has caused the Handlebend community to adapt their approach, their dream to create an innovative experience for the O'Neill community continues. I am proud to honor these individuals today, and I thank them for their many contributions to Nebraska.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the life of Shawn Farritor. Shawn was born in June 1967 with a birth defect called transposition of the great arteries, meaning the two main arteries leaving his heart were reversed. Shawn overcame these challenges to become an attorney and published author, and it inspired him to spend his life helping others. Shawn received a double lung and heart transplant in December 2019 and spent a year fighting to recover before leaving us in September 2020. He was born and raised in Ravenna, Nebraska, and spent his professional career in Grand Island and Hastings. Spending his professional career providing legal support to those who needed it most, Shawn made a big effort to learn the language and culture of those he served and was known as someone who ``would actually listen.'' He was a literacy council volunteer, United Way professional partner, and served on the Friendship House board of directors as Vice President. He was also an active supporter of survivors of the transposition procedure he underwent. For his contributions to communities in the Third District, Shawn is an honorable mention recipient of the 2020 Innovation and Adaptation Recognition. Shawn is missed by all especially his wife, stepson, and family. He was beloved by all for his big heart and passion for helping others. We are grateful for Shawn and proud of everything he has done for many Nebraskans.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, today I honor nine individuals and businesses from Nebraska's Third District for receiving the Innovation and Adaptation Recognition. Throughout the 75 counties of the Third District, Nebraskans know our communities grow when individuals step up: helping their neighbors, being involved, and creating opportunities for themselves and others. In August, I called for nominations as part of a new initiative to acknowledge the contributions of individuals, organizations, and those who are working every day to improve and help their communities in the current environment. Billy Estes is the Executive Director of the Midwest Theater of Scottsbluff. Midwest Theater's programming, which includes live performances, orchestras, and concerts, makes an important contribution to the cultural and social experiences of Nebraska's panhandle. When the Coronavirus pandemic reached western Nebraska, under the guidance of Mr. Estes, the Midwest Theater partnered with the Legacy of the Plains Museum to create the Skyview Drive-in Movie Theater. As the pandemic progressed, this venture proved so popular they outgrew their location and had to move to larger accommodations. Thanks to the creativity and leadership of Mr. Estes, in spite of the pandemic, the Midwest Theater has continued to thrive throughout 2020. Grand Central Foods of York is owned by the Warren Thomas family. Mr. Thomas prides himself on his commitment to the York community. In ``normal'' times, Warren and the Grand Central Team are the first to ask where they can help with a project or how can they partner on events. The selflessness shown by everyone at Grand Central is a testament to the example of the ownership. Within a few days of the pandemic's arrival to York, Warren purchased a second grocery delivery van, and expanded his service to the entire community. Because Warren believes in positive reinforcement, he encouraged his customers to wear a mask while in his store by offering a 5 percent discount on their purchases. He is an active member of many community groups, and his passion and commitment to his community is unmatched. Alyssa Cochnar of Crete is the leader of Gold Star Martial Arts of Crete and Seward. At 26 years old, she is already a 5th degree black belt, chief instructor, and co-owner of the martial arts facility. When directed health measures forced Gold Star to close in-person training classes, she spearheaded the process of creating online modules for her students to continue their training independently. Before long, she began offering Zoom Classes to provide her students with another safe and flexible option to continue their training and explore expanded experiences to encourage healthy eating habits and socialization while social distancing. I commend her positive attitude and commitment to an enriching educational experience for all her students, regardless of their experience level. Bryce Jensen is the Director of the World Theatre of Kearney, His adaptability, especially during the pandemic, demonstrates his commitment to his community. Though the organization he operates, the World Theatre, was closed due to the pandemic, his outside of the box thinking inspired him to create, through strategic community collaborations, a World Theatre drive-in. Not only would this ensure the World Theatre could still bring respite to many during these trying times, but it restored a drive-in movie experience to the Kearney region, reminding many of the happy memories of their youth. Kirk Zeller grew up in the community of Ravenna, Nebraska. After high school, he attended university and later worked in the medical field in Japan. Kirk returned to the United States, first living in California before returning to his hometown of Ravenna to raise his family. Since returning to Ravenna he has turned the former Carnegie library into an entrepreneurship center, purchased a downtown building and renovated the upper story apartment. He recently directed a movie in Ravenna and Los Angeles which premiered at the Kearney World Theatre's drive-in, all while working on bringing new medical products to the market. He is a great story of returning to small hometown Nebraska and reinvesting in his community. Dick Cochran of Kearney founded the nonprofit Hot Meals USA in October 2017. By February 2018, he signed a memorandum of understanding with the American Red Cross to call on him for assistance in wildfires, floods, tornadoes and other disasters. Every time Dick and Hot Meals USA are called upon, no less than 150 volunteers have supported the program. Since their inception, the policy has been to feed anyone, no questions asked. In just over three years, they have provided more than 155,000 meals across the country. John McCoy is the CEO of Orthman Manufacturing of Lexington. He embraced the opportunity to help feed families that come from a poverty background in the Lexington area. When he first brought in Hot Meals USA to the community, his business, Orthman Manufacturing, partnered with the Lexington Community Foundation and others to provide over 1,000 hot meals on a weekly basis to families. He then made feeding the community a priority as he and his employees took the lead to distribute USDA food boxes. When schools reopened in August, John was there for the community again. He donated 3,700 masks to Lexington Public Schools to make sure no student was unprepared for their school experience. John's actions represent his commitment to all members of the Lexington community. Anthony May of Hastings is an entrepreneur. When the pandemic forced the taproom of Steeple Brewery Anthony co-owns to close, he quickly responded. Collaborating with Wave Pizza Company, the brewery's restaurant partner, he developed a community delivery program, which eventually offered their products to 21 communities in south-central Nebraska. This innovative program ensured many Nebraskans, whose communities either do not have a grocery or now lacked a local place to eat due to the pandemic, had ready access to an easy to use food delivery program. Matt Dennis and Michael Stepp are more than small town business owners; they are master story tellers with a dream. What began as two friends making copper mugs in an old shop has turned into an opportunity to reshape the meaning of community. When they purchased the building they now call Handlebend, their goal was to create a community of small businesses under one roof and welcome the community with open arms to come and enjoy a mule, coffee, or gather and with friends and family. Though the Coronavirus pandemic has caused the Handlebend community to adapt their approach, the dreams of these men to create an innovative experience for the O'Neill community continue. I am proud to honor these individuals today, and I thank them for their many contributions to Nebraska.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the time. Mr. Speaker, much of the debate we have heard today has been about criminal justice and the child safety implications of this bill. But I would like to focus on the troubling aspect of this bill in the tax title. This bill would create a new Federal tax on marijuana, starting at 5 percent in the first year and escalating to 8 percent after 5 years. We always hear about tax parity in this Chamber, yet the treatment of these products compared to tobacco are vastly different--vastly different. Let me say again, though, that this bill taxes marijuana, which has the potential to impact society really in unknown ways or at least in ways that we should all be concerned about, but at less than half the tax rate of a pack of cigarettes. Once these taxes are created, rather than treating them as general revenue where they could actually help defray the costs associated with the Department of the Treasury's newly created obligation to regulate marijuana growers, importers, and retailers, the bill would actually divert tax revenue into four brand-new government programs, including one to create subsidies for businesses. This bill creates new criminal penalties for failure to pay the taxes. So, this isn't criminal justice reform. It is actually creating different types of penalties and criminalization and would likely lead to jail for small-time dealers for tax evasion instead of for selling their product. Mr. Speaker, I don't support the underlying purposes of this bill, the legalization itself nationwide, but even if I did, I can't support the terribly flawed design, in terms of taxation, and the overall form of this bill. Mr. Speaker, we have been waiting for months for Democrats to get serious about COVID relief, focusing on safely reopening our economy and helping folks who need it the most. Yet, here we are today, talking about a legalization bill yet again. This is a bad bill at the wrong time. I urge opposition.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the Water Resources Development Act of 2020. I appreciate the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure bringing us a strong bipartisan product, of which you have heard. This meets the water management needs across our country. The Third District of Nebraska was heavily impacted by unprecedented flooding last year. These floods ravaged farmland, destroyed essential infrastructure, like highways, water treatment plants, and levees that had withstood the test of time for decades. The Army Corps of Engineers has worked within their authority to address these water management issues around our State; however, they have not been able to address every concern. I appreciate the chairman and ranking member working with me to ensure inactive levees have an opportunity to receive assistance from the Army Corps of Engineers if they meet certain criteria. Peru, Nebraska, is one of the many communities that could be helped by this legislative language. Mr. Speaker, again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bipartisan bill.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I do have to say that I am disappointed and, frankly, saddened to stand here today to point out my disappointment that we are debating a bill that I think many would consider to be unrealistic and certainly highly unlikely to become designated as a solution or even achieved to be a solution to the issues we are facing today. Madam Speaker, as my colleague from New York already pointed out, no Republican input was sought on this--zero. Zilch. And it is unfortunate, especially at a time such as this where our country is wanting us to come together to form solutions that are effective and can positively impact our country. We, on the Republican side, stand ready on a bipartisan basis to accomplish our goals of safely reopening schools, safely reopening childcare centers so that our children can learn, grow, develop, and their parents can return to work. We agree. Access to safe, affordable childcare is essential to getting Americans back to work and a strong economic recovery.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, the bill we are considering today is not a path forward. It is a rehash of partisan ideas. We can do better. The American people expect us to do better. Republicans have constructive ideas to offer with demonstrated bipartisan support.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1425. I stand here somewhat surprised that there is celebration of the successes of the so-called Affordable Care Act. Many of my constituents are offended by the mere name of the bill, the Affordable Care Act, because they don't find it affordable. They found it quite unaffordable. I would argue that is why we are here today, with a fairly clever scheme of taking money from here and putting it there, which likely will still drive up the cost of healthcare. It is just a few different people paying for it. Madam Speaker, if we want true healthcare reform, we should do that, but we haven't done that. Let's look for the bipartisan opportunities on drug costs, as mentioned earlier. Those had been advancing, but those were all pushed aside for H.R. 3. H.R. 3 passed the House knowing that it wasn't going to go anywhere. I would argue that some people probably even voted ``yes'' on H.R. 3 because they knew the Senate would not take it up and because they also know that it has major problems. But here we are today, again, with this scheme that I think will fail the American people, just like so much of the so-called Affordable Care Act has failed the American people in its mere cost, not to mention other things. Yes, I remember those comments of, ``If you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it.'' We know that didn't happen. So many other promises were made that were not kept. And the American people want us to work together, especially now. Probably more than in the history of our country, the people want us to work together on bipartisan solutions. Madam Speaker, we need to do that. We can do that. There is even evidence that there is productive work already done in a bipartisan fashion. So let's not do this bill, H.R. 1425, today. Let's go about it in a bipartisan way where we know the American people will benefit more and our system can support that.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I did not come to the U.S. House of Representatives to vote for stimulus packages or bailouts. I didn't come here to spend trillions of dollars or grow the size of government. However, the situation we are in today, in the United States and across the world, is different. We aren't in this situation because we've come to the end of a business cycle. We aren't here because mortgage lenders or Wall Street made bad decisions. We are here because our economy, with the help of regulatory and tax relief, was going strong, and we want to resume that strength when conditions permit. Three million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, not because the fundamentals of our economy changed, but because President Trump, and governors and mayors across our country, asked them to stay home as much as possible for a while, to help protect their families, friends, and neighbors. We should all be proud of how well most Americans have heeded that request. We owe Americans the opportunity to resume their lives, return to their jobs, resume their education, keep their homes, and feed their families just as they were before this pandemic arrived, and this bill addresses many barriers to that happening. Employers don't want to shut down and lay employees off. This bill will help many avoid having to. Americans want to work and support their families. The short-term changes to unemployment help those who don't currently have that choice. This bill also ensures our commercial aviation system, including the contractors who support it, which were strong prior to this pandemic, can resume serving our nation, including its most rural parts, when this pandemic ends. Hospitals want to be there for everyone in their community. Provisions like the enhanced advance-pay assistance will help the 55 critical-access hospitals in Nebraska keep their doors open as they pause addressing less immediate needs, and expanded telehealth availability will benefit rural Americans even after this crisis is over. And provisions such as funding for the Commodity Credit Corporation will help our ag producers get through this difficult time and continue to feed Americans, who more than ever are understanding the complexity and reliability of our food production system, from farm to table. Mr. Speaker, this is not the bill any single one of us would have written on our own, but I will support it today because it is a strong compromise which provides our best available opportunity to help Americans get through this difficult period and return to their jobs, schools, churches, friends, and regular daily lives in the shortest time possible.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, we know that smoking is bad for us. We all agree we don't want kids using tobacco or vaping, which is why we came together on a bipartisan basis last year to make it hard for kids to access these products by raising the legal age to buy them to 21. I cosponsored last year's bill to raise the age. Mr. Suozzi was also a cosponsor of that bill, and I am glad we got that done. The questions we are addressing today from the Committee on Ways and Means' perspective, however, are whether we should tax vaping products and by how much. I am going to vote ``no'' today because we don't have a good answer. I will give the sponsor of this proposal credit. They endeavored to tax liquid nicotine at a per-unit level comparable to the tax-to- nicotine ratio of cigarettes, and they appear to have come very close to that goal. However, tobacco isn't taxed because it contains nicotine. It is taxed because we understand the serious health consequences which come with smoking or chewing tobacco itself, and those health consequences create vast costs for programs like Medicare and Medicaid. If we are going to consider taxing vaped nicotine, we first need to address the underlying issues, such as the value of vaping as a smoking-cessation tool, the relative safety of vaped nicotine versus cigarette smoking and what really caused the spate of vaping-related illnesses we have seen in the past year. I will start with the easiest one first. According to the CDC, the vaping-related illnesses can be tied back to vitamin E acetate, an oil used in THC vaping, not to the ingredients used to vape nicotine. Taxing nicotine does nothing to address vitamin E acetate. Second, how safe is vaping compared to smoking, and what is its value as a smoking-cessation tool? The British Journal of Family Medicine found e-cigarettes are 95 percent safer than traditional smoking, based on the fact most harmful chemicals from smoking are not present, and those which are present pose a limited amount of danger. Another study from Britain's NHS found e-cigarettes were nearly twice as likely as nicotine gum or lozenges to help quit long term. At the same time, a study from the nonpartisan National Bureau of Economic Research found the State of Minnesota's efforts to bring parity to the taxation of cigarettes and e-cigarettes actually flatlined the State's smoking-cessation trend, while other States which didn't raise taxes continued to see smoking decrease. Let me say that again. The State of Minnesota's efforts to bring parity to the taxation of cigarettes and e-cigarettes actually flatlined the State's smoking-cessation trend, while other States which did not raise taxes continued to see smoking decrease. At the same time, JCT's economists tell us increasing the cost of e- cigarettes with taxes will cause some people to choose cigarettes over e-cigarettes. That is not a choice we should be encouraging people to make. These are all factors which we could have considered in a bipartisan fashion before the Ways and Means Committee marked up this bill had we had any hearings whatsoever on vaping or this proposal itself. Madam Speaker, we should be open to a conversation about the best way to ensure the tax code treats tobacco and e-cigarettes appropriately. Rushing this bill through is not the solution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Ferguson).

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Georgia an additional 2 minutes.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Miller).

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Estes).

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record 10 letters in opposition to H.R. 2339. The first letter is from a group of letter-writers that would include the Drug Policy Alliance, the Law Enforcement Action Partnership, the National Action Network, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Association of Social Workers, the Center for Popular Democracy, and the American Civil Liberties Union. Other letters come from the National Taxpayers Union, Freedom Works, R Street Institute, Citizens Against Government Waste, and the National Association of Convenience Stores. Monday, February 24, 2020. Re Coalition Concerns with Blanket Prohibition on Menthol and Other Flavored Tobacco within H.R. 2339, Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act. Hon. Frank Pallone, Chairman, House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington,