Biden’s Budget Balloons our Debt

On Monday, President Biden released his fiscal year 2023 budget proposal. Do not let the headlines fool you, President Biden’s budget is anything but fiscally responsible. Biden’s spending plan would add nearly $15 trillion to our national debt, with over $1 trillion annual deficits for a decade. His proposal would spend $5.8 trillion next year, proposes trillions in new taxes and would grow the size of government.

As the saying goes, an organization’s budget is a statement of its values. We can see clearly that this administration puts wasteful, inflationary spending before all else. While the president preaches fiscal restraint, this budget puts forth policies reaffirming the president’s tax-and-spend march towards socialism. 

While President Biden and congressional Democrats have tried to move on from their months-long public feud on spending, House Republicans are united in our fundamental principles of working to renew fiscal sanity in Washington through a limited government, pro-growth tax policy, and strengthening our free enterprise system to create opportunities for Americans to live the American Dream. We will exercise robust oversight of President Biden’s spending spree to hold this administration accountable. We will continue to fight against wasteful spending ballooning our debt and deficit. House Republicans will work to put America’s fiscal house in order. 

Read my thoughts about President Biden’s budget in my op-ed published in the Hill.

I also had the privilege of joining C-SPAN’s Washington Journal call-in program to discuss Biden’s budget and more. Click here to watch the full show or click the image below to listen to my thoughts on President Biden’s budget.

Bipartisan Legislation to Support Survivors of Domestic Abuse Advances 

Bipartisan legislation, which I introduced with Representatives Lucy McBath of Georgia and Gwen Moore of Wisconsin, called the SAFER Act, was adopted by the House this week with overwhelming support.

Our legislation, which provides support to survivors of domestic abuse was advanced as part of a broader bipartisan bill to support Americans’ retirement security known as the Securing a Strong Retirement Act. This bill would help more Americans save for their retirement. Learn more about this bill here.

Our bill would allow survivors of domestic abuse to access funds in their retirement accounts to escape abusive relationships, support the safety of themselves and their families, and begin the process of rebuilding their lives.

I was proud to introduce this legislation with Representatives McBath and Moore and appreciate my colleagues advancing it as part of the Securing a Strong Retirement Act, which is now headed to the United States Senate and hopefully soon to be signed into law.  

Read more about our legislation here.

40-Year High Inflation & High Gas Prices Impacting Middle-Class & Seniors 

A new inflation reading, favored by the Federal Reserve Board, was released this week which continues to show that inflation remains at 40-year highs. This elevated level of inflation and the high cost of gasoline are having devastating impacts on families across the district. We need to reverse President Biden’s anti-energy policies and once again work to make America energy independent. We must make increasing domestic energy production a national security priority.

Last week I joined the Evening Edit on the Fox Business Network to discuss how Biden’s inflation and energy policies are impacting Americans. Watch my appearance below.

Ways and Means Committee Holds Hearings on Trade Policy & Critical Cures 

This week I participated in a Ways and Means Committee hearing with United States Trade Ambassador Tai to discuss the impact of our nation’s trade policy on our community. Dairy farmers in PA-11 need this administration to fight for them to hold Canada accountable under the USMCA. Watch my comments from the hearing below.

Ways and Means Republicans also recently held a hearing on the Biden administration’s proposal to limit access to certain treatments for individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease or other neurological conditions. As a member of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease, I have long supported research to develop innovative drugs to address this disease. CMS’s decision to restrict access to FDA-approved Alzheimer’s drugs may mean we never find a cure. Listen to my comments by clicking 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.

Certain IRS offices will be open to offer face-to-face assistance with taxpayers on April 9 or May 14. For more information about these available meetings click here.

Thanks for Visiting! 

It was great to meet with Douglas and Jay, two members of the Conoy Township Board of Supervisors in Lancaster County. I appreciated our discussion on issues impacting the township and our economy. 

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