One Year of Crises Under President Biden 

Last week marked one year since President Biden was sworn in as President of the United States.

And in one year’s time, President Biden and the policies of his administration have the American people facing crisis after crisis.

President Biden has an economic and inflation crisis. Inflation, which is a tax on the middle class, is crushing American families’ budgets in Lancaster and York counties. Inflation is at a 40-year high.

And because individuals are paying more for goods, their pay effectively is going down. Real average hourly earnings have decreased 2.4 percent since December 2020 and have dropped 8 out of the 11 full months President Biden has been in office.

Job creation has failed to meet expectations. In the last jobs report from December 2021, 199,000 jobs were created—less than half of the estimated 400,000 that economists expected. And we’re still millions of jobs short of where the economy was pre-pandemic. Too many people are sitting on the sidelines. Businesses are in dire need of workers. We all see the “we’re hiring” signs everywhere across the district.

President Biden's policies have created an energy crisis, as the price of gasoline continues to skyrocket. The price of gasoline is up nearly 50 percent from December 2020.

President Biden has created a crisis at our southern border, with over 2 million crossings in the last year as a direct result of the policies of this administration. And yet, his administration refuses to take concrete steps to secure the southern border.

President Biden has created a crisis of American leadership on the global stage. Despite saying that we would stay until every American was safely evacuated, President Biden left Americans behind in Afghanistan. Now, other nations are testing the resolve of American leadership.

Despite all their failures, the administration has excuses for them all. The Biden administration has said inflation is only “temporary.” They told the American people not to worry about gas prices, noting that we just need OPEC to raise their production! The president said the surge in illegal immigration happens “every single solitary year.” The State Department notes only “fewer than a dozen” American citizens who are still trying to leave Afghanistan.

One year after taking office, we see what the policies of the Biden administration have done. Higher prices resulting in falling wages, surging illegal immigration, and unsteady leadership. The American people are fed up. It shows in recent polling.

President Biden has a 33 percent approval rating according to a Quinnipiac poll recently released and a majority of Americans now believe President Biden is doing more to divide us than bring our nation together.

There are no amount of excuses this administration can share with the American people to shrug off their policy failures. I will continue to oppose President Biden’s radical policy agenda and will continue to support pro-growth policies that can turn this economy around and strengthen our free enterprise system.

Fighting for Pro-Life Policies  

I’m proud to have earned an A+ rating on Susan B. Anthony List's pro-life scorecard. I will always vote to protect the rights of the unborn and will continue to fight for pro-life policies like the Hyde Amendment to prevent taxpayer dollars from being used to pay for abortions.

Joining the Trade Subcommittee 

In Congress, I’m a member of the oldest committee in the House of Representatives, the Ways & Means Committee, which has broad jurisdiction over federal tax and trade policies. I’m proud to be joining the Trade Subcommittee.

Our congressional district is the top agricultural producing district in the state and is home to a vibrant manufacturing base, both of which power our local economy. Lancaster and York counties are responsible for producing approximately $2.6 billion in goods exports in 2020. I look forward to championing free and fair trade to support our community and nation as a member of the Trade Subcommittee.

Get Ready for Next Year’s Tax Season Today

Earlier this month, the IRS reported that they will begin accepting and processing returns for the 2021 tax year on Monday, January 24, 2022. This year’s tax filing deadline is April 18, 2022.

Please be aware that there may be certain factors impacting the timeliness of your refund.

The IRS states: “Overall, the IRS anticipates most taxpayers will receive their refund within 21 days of when they file electronically if they choose direct deposit and there are no issues with their tax return. The IRS urges taxpayers and tax professionals to file electronically. To avoid delays in processing, people should avoid filing paper returns wherever possible.

By law, the IRS cannot issue a refund involving the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit before mid-February, though eligible people may file their returns beginning on January 24. The law provides this additional time to help the IRS stop fraudulent refunds from being issued.

Some returns, filed electronically or on paper, may need manual review, which delays the processing, if our systems detect a possible error or missing information, or there is suspected identity theft or fraud. Some of these situations require us to correspond with taxpayers, but some do not. This work does require special handling by an IRS employee so, in these instances, it may take the IRS more than the normal 21 days to issue any related refund. In those cases where IRS is able to correct the return without corresponding, the IRS will send an explanation to the taxpayer.”

The IRS is encouraging individuals to start preparing today for this year’s tax season. Visit the IRS website to learn what steps you can take today to be ready. If you did not receive an Economic Impact Payment this year, which you believe you are eligible for, click here to learn more about claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit.

If you received advanced payments of the Advanced Child Care Tax Credit, click here to learn how to reconcile your advanced child care tax credit payments on this year’s tax filing. Familiarize yourself with the IRS’s online tools to help you find important information and read the IRS’s FAQs on expected processing times and refunds.  

Looking for IRS forms? Visit their Forms, Instructions, & Publications Page by clicking here.

Looking for free assistance with preparing your tax return? Visit the IRS website to find an organization that can assist you.

Visiting 2022 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year Mrs. Raff 

It was a privilege to visit 2022 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year Mrs. Raff and her students at Pequea Elementary School earlier this week in the Penn Manor School District. I appreciated visiting the “Spy Lab” Mrs. Raff had created for the students. I was able to present Mrs. Raff with a copy of the official Congressional Record with my remarks honoring her for this incredible achievement. You can watch my comments here. The passion she brings to the classroom is clear to see. Thank you for a great visit, and congratulations!

We Will Never Forget 

January 27, 2022, marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day. We remember and will never forget the atrocities of the Holocaust. We must continue to combat antisemitism and hate. This week, I joined others around the globe in viewing the United Nations Holocaust Memorial Ceremony. I’d like to thank Lancaster County Rabbi Jack Paskoff of Congregation Shaarai Shomayim for joining me. You can watch the ceremony by clicking below.

Here to Help

To any veteran, there is always support available at the Veterans Crisis Line. Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 or text 838255. Visit the Veterans Crisis Line website for more information.

Looking for information on federal grants? Learn more about the grant awarding process and search the federal database of grant programs at www.grants.gov.

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

Stay Connected

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