Our Commitment to America - A Government That's Accountable

The White House must be held accountable and needs to provide the American people with answers for its incompetence at home and abroad. House Republicans will work to bring transparency to this administration.

The American people deserve answers and responses to the many crises which are facing our nation. House Republicans will get answers on how Biden’s spending led to 40-year high inflation. We will hold hearings on the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan and the crisis raging at our southern border.

Another key oversight priority must be the enormous amount of government spending during the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent report from the Inspector General of the Department of Labor revealed that in four states surveyed, an estimated $14 billion of unemployment benefits was paid to fraudsters. We must work to understand the full scope of the fraud and address this national nightmare.

A government that’s accountable is a core pillar of the House Republican’s Commitment to America, a roadmap to getting our nation back on track. Americans can no longer afford total Democrat control in Washington, led by President Biden. Learn more about our proposals here.

It was an honor to stand shoulder to shoulder with House Republican Whip Rep. Steve Scalise and my colleagues in the House Republican Conference last month in Washington to discuss our Commitment to America.

Red Hot Inflation Report, Wrong Energy Policy

Another month passed, and another report of the consumer price index indicated that inflation is still red hot. Prices in September increased 8.2 percent over September of last year, higher than was expected by economists. For months inflation has surged near 40-year highs. This month’s report marks a 40-year high in core inflation, which doesn’t include food or energy prices.

The American people are struggling with the high cost of living. A recent report concluded “60% of Americans were living paycheck to paycheck.” A study conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas stated that over half of all workers have received a nearly 9 percent pay cut thanks to Biden’s inflation. It’s the largest pay cut in 25 years.

Now President Biden has said he doesn’t believe there will be a recession. The facts are that we are already in a recession because our economy contracted for two consecutive quarters. After Biden tried to tell Americans that high inflation was “temporary” last year, how can anyone trust what he is saying about a recession?

We know that President Biden is ignoring the impacts of his policies on inflation. Energy prices continue to be elevated. It was reported this week that President Biden will “re-evaluate” America’s relationship with oil-rich Saudi Arabia after it announced that the OPEC nations were reducing oil production. President Biden also reportedly asked Saudi Arabia to delay the cut in oil production by a month.

Why aren’t we re-evaluating Biden’s failed energy policy instead? We should be doing everything we can to increase the domestic production of energy rather than continuing to rely on foreign nations.

Ballooning Debt and Deficit

Our nation hit a new grim milestone as our national debt has now eclipsed $31,000,000,000,000 ($31 trillion). The Congressional Budget Office reported this week that this fiscal year’s budget deficit was $1.4 trillion.

Under President Biden, projections for spending have increased by $10 trillion, and Biden has added $3.4 trillion to our national debt. There’s nothing fiscally responsible about the Biden administration. Click here to learn more about the cost of one-party Democrat rule in Washington.

Congress must change the trajectory of our nation’s financial future to address this growing crisis.

Supporting Our Farmers

This week we observed National Farmer’s Day. We’re blessed to have a vibrant agricultural community to be stewards of our world-class soil in Pennsylvania’s 11th District. We lead the state and the nation in the production of many agricultural commodities. Our community is known as the Garden Spot of America.

It is an honor to receive the Friend of the Farm Bureau Award from the American Farm Bureau. In Congress, I’ll continue to advocate for policies to support our strong agricultural community in PA-11. Thanks to Dolores Krick and Corey Grove of the York County Farm Bureau for visiting with me in Red Lion!

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The month of October is designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Click here to learn more and find resources for help.

I am proud that the bipartisan legislation I introduced with Reps. Gwen Moore & Lucy McBath, to support survivors of domestic violence, was approved in the House earlier this year. I am hopeful our legislation will be advanced by the Senate, as well.  

Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment Announced for 2023

This week the Social Security Administration announced that Social Security and Supplemental Security (SSI) benefits will increase by 8.7 percent for eligible beneficiaries beginning in 2023. Click here to visit the Social Security Administration’s website to learn more.

As a reminder, in September, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released new information about premiums and deductible costs for Medicare Part A and B. The standard monthly Part B premium will slightly decrease for the coming year. Learn more about the premiums and deductibles here.

Congratulations to 32 of America's Newest Citizens! 

I would like to congratulate and thank 32 of America’s newest naturalized citizens from 17 different nations who participated in last week’s naturalization ceremony in York. It was an honor and privilege to be with you all. I wish you all much success as you live out your American Dream.

Here to Help

Attention veteran small business owners, beginning on January 1, 2023, the verification of veteran-owned small businesses will transfer from the Department of Veterans Affairs to the Small Business Administration. Learn more about the transition process and the deadlines for submission by clicking here.

Many individuals have recently contacted my office looking for assistance with their unemployment compensation claims, which are administered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, not federal agencies. If you’re seeking assistance with your unemployment claim, you can contact your state legislator for assistance. Click here to find your state legislator’s contact information. 

Recently the new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was launched. Individuals who are struggling or in crisis can simply call or text 988 to reach trained counselors. Individuals can also visit https://988lifeline.org/ to chat with a counselor. Click here to learn more about the lifeline from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 

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