IMPORTANT UPDATES from CONGRESSMAN SMUCKER

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This week I want to share with you my thoughts on President Biden’s budget proposal, highlight the small businesses I visited this week, and discuss a new piece of legislation I co-introduced.

I enjoy hearing from you and responding to questions from your emails, phone calls, and letters. If you would like to share your concerns or opinions with me, or if you have questions about legislation or specific votes, you can send me an email here.

Biden’s Bloated Budget:
Last week, President Biden released his proposed budget to Congress, totaling over $6 trillion! That’s $6,000,000,000,000. This massive and reckless proposal is the highest sustained level of spending since World War II. President Biden’s budget will hurt future generations by driving our nation further into debt. Biden’s budget never balances despite raising taxes. Instead, they are projecting a decade of $1 trillion budget deficits. Learn more facts here.

This budget will raise taxes on middle class Americans, and everyone will feel the effects firsthand. President Biden pitched his budget to the American people by saying he would only raise taxes on those making more than $400,000. With the introduction of his budget we now know that is simply a lie. His budget would allow the middle-class tax cuts in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to expire, hurting hard working Americans and families. I joined Fox Business last week to discuss my thoughts on President Biden’s budget. 

Washington DC Update:
Last week, I joined Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY-21) in introducing the Family Child Care Networks Act. The legislation would allow states to repurpose child care funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to establish Family Child Care Networks, a proven solution that creates family child care providers in communities where options for working families are non-existent or limited.

As parents are returning to work, the need for reliable, safe, and affordable child care has never been greater. However, pumping tens of billions of dollars into the childcare system, like Congressional Democrats just did in President Biden’s “American Rescue Plan,” won’t solve the shortage long-term. We need to ensure dollars are being directed towards the creation of self-sustaining child care networks that will continue to function effectively after the COVID-19 pandemic. I appreciate Rep. Stefanik’s leadership on this issue and appreciate the opportunity to work with her to create more child care options for families in need.

I discussed this legislation and the need to support long-term solutions to child care availability and affordability during a Ways and Means Worker & Family Support Subcommittee hearing last week.

Recently I spoke on the House floor to honor and pay tribute to a community leader, veteran, and vocal advocate, Frank Fryburg who passed away last month at the age of 94. We wish those who are grieving comfort and give thanks for the opportunity to know Frank who positively impacted so many people during his 94 years.

Around the District: 
This week I visited different businesses and organizations to see how they are recovering from the pandemic. Our small businesses and community organizations had to deal with new challenges throughout this pandemic.

Congratulations Class of 2021:
This has been a challenging year for the Class of 2021. Congratulations to everyone celebrating their graduation! You should all be proud of your accomplishments.

Here to Help:
If you have any questions or issues with a federal agency, please know that my office is here to assist you. You can call our district or Washington, DC offices for assistance or visit my website for any issue with a federal agency or department.

To stay up-to-date on my work in the district and Washington, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can also check out my YouTube page, where there are 100+ videos, many of which are direct responses to your questions.

Sincerely,

Lloyd Smucker
Member of Congress