.png){kind=small}
A Meet & Greet was hosted at the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce for Congressman Adrian Smith on Wednesday, October 17. Congressman Smith, who serves in Washington, D.C., sits on the House Ways and Means Committee.
A few items that were discussed included the state of health care and upcoming changes, the opening of Foreign Markets and the aid that this will provide Nebraska farmers, and NAFTA with regards to how important it is for consumers to speak-up regarding labor concerns.
Trade negotiations with Japan, the EU, and other nations, was highlighted, stressing that China in particular needs to be fair with its trading policies. China has been taking advantage of the U.S. While tariffs are being imposed as a form of retaliation, the American consumer is also being affected most by these tariffs. These tariffs are expected to impact the borrowing of money from China. Smith called for President Trump to meet with China’s Prime Minister to address the issue, hoping that this can soften the impact on American consumers.
Medical fraud and campaign finance: in short, progress is being made regarding medical fraud. Smith said there are few options, many of them being expensive. Moving to campaign finance, Smith explained that this issue is heavily regulated. The more regulated campaign finance becomes, the more expensive it becomes.
Smith was asked about the political tensions in Washington, D.C. His response was that these tensions are on both sides of the political aisle, rising from both major parties. While the current political tensions are not the worst they’ve been in history, they do make it challenging to bring resources and people together.
When asked what he liked best about his job as Congressman, Smith mentioned that he enjoys his interactions with people: welcoming school kids to the Capitol and showing them around is particularly rewarding, and Smith also appreciates the opportunity to meet and greet the nation’s veterans, which he describes as “a very humbling experience.” In particular, Smith remembers that during former President Bush’s State of the Union Address, he was able to introduce a Nebraska veteran to the president.
The Meet & Greet was informative and well-received. For more information on Congressman Adrian Smith, go to https://adriansmith.house.gov, send him an email by filling out his contact form here, or call (308) 384-3900 to reach his Grand Island office.