America Must Stand with Ukraine

The Russian invasion and unprovoked attack on Ukraine at Vladimir Putin’s direction is unacceptable and depraved. Putin is a thug and a war criminal who must be stopped. I was disappointed that President Biden did not offer a vision for stopping Putin’s aggression during his State of the Union address this week.

The world is watching America’s response. China is thinking about its next steps in Taiwan. I believe America can and should do more to support Ukraine.  

We know that authoritarian thugs like Putin will only respond to strength. Ukraine is showing the world how strong they are. Their resilience in the face of all odds is inspiring. America should step up and provide Ukraine with all the military aid they have requested to support their efforts to defend their homeland. America must also ratchet up sanctions to cripple the Russian economy. Right now, Russian energy companies are exempted from sanctions.

America must also stop the importation and purchase of Russian oil and petroleum products, which provide Putin with continued funding to carry out his aggression. We must also make energy independence a national security priority.

I hope you will all join me in praying for the Ukrainian people. America must lead the world in supporting them. On Tuesday I stood shoulder to shoulder with my colleagues in the House to show support for the people of Ukraine.

State of The Union in Crisis

On Tuesday, President Biden delivered his first State of the Union speech before a joint session of Congress.

Over one year into his presidency, thanks to his policies America faces an inflation crisis, an energy crisis, a crisis on our southern border, and a global security crisis.

The American people heard a lot of talk from President Biden, but he was short on solutions to the many challenges our nation faces.

President Biden's 40-year high inflation has caused hardship for the middle-class and seniors. His policies and trillions in spending have contributed to it. I have heard from thousands of individuals from across Lancaster and York counties, including many of you, about how the higher cost of goods has impacted your lives. Yet, Biden’s solution is to double down and spend even more and create greater government dependence.

Biden also only paid lip service to securing our border and has no real plan to solve the crisis.

He told the American people he would take steps to “blunt gas prices.” Yet, here in the Eleventh District gas prices have reached all-time highs, according to AAA. We must reverse his anti-energy policies now! American energy independence is a national security issue.

The American people deserve better than the tired tax-and-spend big government policies that Biden proposed.

I joined Fox 43’s Jackie De Tore on Wednesday morning to share my thoughts about President Biden’s speech. You can watch my interview by clicking the image below.

Important Information for Filing Your Taxes 

This year’s tax season is underway, with a filing deadline of April 18, 2022. Be sure to visit the IRS’s website and the links below for helpful information about filing taxes this year. 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.

Democrats Want a Blank Check 

While Americans are facing 40-year high inflation and the federal debt recently eclipsed $30 trillion, Democrats in Washington are asking for a blank check to borrow and spend trillions more by eliminating the debt ceiling. Watch my remarks on the Democrats’ tone-deaf proposal from a recent hearing of the House Budget Committee by clicking on the image below.

Biden Executive Order to Cost Taxpayers More

The Biden administration continues to cost taxpayers more. This time it’s to give handouts to their political donors through his executive order. Biden required anti-competitive project labor agreements on infrastructure, locking out most of America’s workforce. Watch my comments from a recent meeting of the House Ways & Means Committee by clicking the image below.

Hope You Had a Happy Fasnacht Day!

No matter if you enjoyed them glazed, powdered, or plain, I hope everyone had a great Fasnacht Day earlier this week. The day is celebrated differently across the country, but many in our region enjoy these tasty treats before observing Lent.

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