January 8, 2003

Smith Named to Powerful Senate Finance Committee

Will Play Key Role in Health Care and Economic Policy

Washington, DC – Today, Senator Gordon Smith announced that he has been appointed to the Senate Finance Committee – the key panel charged with improving health care policy, increasing trade opportunities, and deciding tax policy.

Since coming to the Senate, Smith has been at the forefront of issues ranging from providing a prescription drug benefit for seniors to decreasing the tax burden on Oregon's hard working families. In the past, he has teamed up with Committee chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) to introduce legislation helping the nation's uninsured and, more recently, worked closely with Senator Bob Graham (D-FL) to push for prescription drug coverage under Medicare.

In addition, Smith was a key figure in passing an economic stimulus package that provided emergency unemployment benefits to out-of-work Oregonians and started the economy down the road to recovery. As a member of the Finance Committee he will be able to provide Oregonians with an even stronger voice on these important issues.

"I worked very hard to win a spot on the Finance Committee," Smith said. "There isn't any other position where I could better work on the issues that matter most to Oregonians. From health care to economic development, the issues I will be working on are the ones that most directly affect the everyday lives of Oregonians."

As the Finance Committee proceeds with appointments to its five subcommittees, Smith will specifically seek to be appointed to the Subcommittee on Health Care and Subcommittee on International Trade.

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