House Passes the Secure the Border Act

This week the House passed H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, to address the failures of President Biden’s policies and to gain operational control of our nation’s borders.

This week, President Biden said our nation’s southern border would be “chaotic for a while.” The truth is, the southern border has been in chaos since he took office. There have been over five million illegal crossings since January 2021 and the drug and human trafficking cartels are operating on an unbelievable scale and are profiting billions of dollars.

I have seen firsthand the national security and humanitarian crisis at our southern border. This legislation will increase Border Patrol staffing and provide them with the tools necessary to carry out their mission. Border security is national security, and it is critical that we gain operational control of our nation’s borders.

Legislation to Address Unemployment Fraud Advances

For three years, House Republicans on the Ways and Means Committee have consistently advocated for solutions to limit and recapture taxpayer dollars that were fraudulently claimed and received by fraudsters and cheats.

This week, the House advanced commonsense legislation to recover fraudulent unemployment payments, improve program integrity to prevent future fraud, and give states the tools needed to prosecute the criminals who took advantage of the system in the first place.

In many cases, constituents from our district only learned that they were victims of identity theft when they received 1099 forms in the mail describing unemployment benefits for which they never applied.

Unemployment pandemic fraud is the greatest theft of taxpayer dollars, with some estimates suggesting as much as $400 billion was cheated from taxpayers and those seeking assistance during the pandemic.

This legislation received a bipartisan vote, and I am hopeful that the Senate advances this legislation to help our nation prevent future fraud and bring these criminals to justice. I spoke in favor of the Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act during debate on the House floor. Watch my remarks by clicking below.

Legislation to Increase Access to Primary Care

Earlier this month, I introduced bipartisan legislation to increase access to Direct Primary Care (DPC), which provides high-quality care at lower cost for individuals of all ages and incomes across America.

Direct Primary Care is a model of health care in which you pay a low monthly membership fee for access to care from your doctor, rather than fee-for-service arrangements.

As a former business owner who provided health insurance for over 150 employees, I have seen firsthand that innovation in health care delivery models like Direct Primary Care put patients in charge of their health, improve outcomes, and reduce costs for businesses and employees.

Unfortunately, the Internal Revenue Service’s interpretation of current tax law prevents individuals with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) from accessing DPC, even when their colleagues without HSAs can do so. 

The Primary Care Enhancement Act would clarify provisions of the Internal Revenue Code to remove barriers for individuals with HSAs from accessing DPC. I am proud to introduce this legislation with a bipartisan group of my colleagues on the Ways & Means Committee.

Click here to learn more about the Primary Care Enhancement Act.

Biden Administration Policies Are Limiting Cures

I joined a House Committee on Ways and Means’ Subcommittee on Health hearing this week to discuss how Biden administration policies are making it harder for innovative and potentially life-saving medical treatments to be developed.

The so-called “Inflation Reduction Act” which Democrats advanced last year will have a significant chilling impact on the development of new medical cures. A study from the University of Chicago estimated the bill will result in 342 fewer cures.

Listen to my remarks and questions from the hearing discussing how this will impact constituents in PA-11 and around the nation.  

Do you need a passport? Do not delay, apply today! 

My office has received an increased number of questions recently concerning applying for and renewing passports. Due to increased volume of applications, processing times have increased.

As of Friday, May 13, 2023, routine processing times are between 10-13 weeks and expedited processing times are between 7-9 weeks. Do not delay applying for or renewing your passport if you require it for travel, apply today.

Click here to visit the Department of State’s website for more information.

Visits in the District 

Thanks to Doctors Matt Wiggins and Angela Choe for meeting with me in Washington to discuss federal health care policy and issues impacting radiology.

It was great to meet with Harold of ASC Engineered Solutions of Columbia, PA for traveling to Washington to meet with me to discuss the impact of our nation’s trade policies on manufacturing.

Members of the Organic Trade Association from Pennsylvania met with me in Washington to discuss Congress’s upcoming consideration of the 2023 Farm Bill. Thanks for visiting!

Happy Mother's Day!

I’d like to wish all the mothers in Pennsylvania’s 11th Congressional District a very happy and special Mother’s Day. Thanks for all you do!

Smucker Service Corner 

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.

My office was able to assist Bill from Lancaster receive his passport in time for his travel. Bill shared with my staff: “You are the best. Thanks so much for all your help.”   

My office assisted Steve from Glen Rock with an issue he was experiencing with the Social Security Administration. Steve shared: “I cannot say ‘Thank you enough.’ You gave me back some hope in a system that is so frustrating  to deal with. My appreciation  to all that were involved in getting  this resolved.

My office assisted Beth of Hanover receive her father’s military service records of his time in the armed forces serving during World War II and the Korean War.

Here to Help

Starting Jan. 17, Veterans in suicidal crisis can go to any Veterans Affairs or non-VA health care facility for free emergency health care. Click here to learn more.

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.

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. 

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.

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