Smucker Opposes Massive Spending Bill

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) voted against the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2617, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, a massive $1.7 trillion spending bill. Smucker issued the following statement:

“Congress must get our nation’s fiscal house in order. We cannot continue to utilize this broken process which leads to unsustainable spending and a growing national debt. We simply cannot spend more and more year after year without consequences. The 118^th Congress will now be faced with making the difficult decisions necessary to put us on the right financial track. We cannot continue to fail future generations of Americans by relentlessly adding to our already outrageous national debt.”

“While I have significant concerns about the budgetary impact of this legislation, I am thankful that two bipartisan policies which I championed will be signed into law. I want to thank Reps. Gwen Moore and Lucy McBath for joining with me to advance the Savings Access For Escaping and Rebuilding (SAFER) Act to provide survivors of domestic abuse access to tax-free withdrawals from their retirement plans to escape their abuser and find safety. I also want to thank Rep. Kildee for co-leading the State and Local Corrections Officer Retirement Fairness Act of 2022 with me, which will provide additional support to corrections officers across the nation,” said Smucker.

Background:

• The Savings Access For Escaping and Rebuilding (SAFER) Act introduced by Reps. Smucker (R-PA), Moore (D-WI) and McBath (D-GA), would allow penalty-free withdrawals from retirement plans for domestic abuse victims. The bill gives survivors of domestic abuse the ability to access funds to be used to escape their abuser, promote the safety of themselves and their families, and begin the process of rebuilding their lives. Click here for more information about the legislation.
• The State and Local Corrections Officer Retirement Fairness Act of 2022 introduced by Reps. Smucker and Kildee amends the tax code to offer penalty free withdrawals from retirement plans for local and state corrections officers, many of whom retire before the age of 59 and one-half years, which is the minimum age for penalty-free withdrawals. Federal corrections officers already have access to penalty free withdrawals. Click here for bill text.