Congress overwhelmingly approved legislation earlier this month to "raise the cap" on H-1B visas for workers with critical technical skills while "filling the gap" in the U.S. workforce by investing funds in key domestic education and training programs. Among those leading the charge for passage of this important New Economy initiative was Congressman Adam Smith, a member of the New Democrat Coalition and second term member from suburban Seattle. Upon the bill's passage, Adam Smith said, "I believe that American companies should be able to recruit the best and the brightest from around the world to grow our economy, create jobs for American workers, and help us keep our competitive edge in the industries of the future."
Successful passage of this legislation is yet another example of how New Democrats in Congress, with Adam Smith playing an instrumental role, are an increasingly influential force for technological innovation, open trade and other key new economy issues. Representative Smith leads the New Democrat Coalition's communications team, a critical part of the NDC's overall mission to advance a new economy agenda. The H1-B visa cap was a central component of the NDC's recently released "e-genda 2.0," the second edition of their new economy policy agenda.
Earlier in the year, Representative Smith played a key role in successful passage of permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with China. As the son of a union worker, Representative Smith was able to persuasively argue the economic benefits of expanded trade with China while recognizing that we must "expand the winners circle" to ensure that no American is left behind in the New Economy.
A 1987 graduate of Fordham University, Smith worked his way through college loading trucks for United Parcel Service. He went on to law school and received his law degree from the University of Washington in 1990. In that same year, Smith ran for public office for the first time. He was elected to the Washington State Senate at the age of 25, becoming the youngest state senator in the country. Adam met his wife, Sara, in 1992 and the two were married in August of 1993. They have one daughter, Kendall Charlotte Smith.
