Pennsylvania Representative Lloyd Smucker (R) was first elected to Congress in 2016 and quickly established himself as an effective legislator. Just months into his first term, he successfully passed bipartisan legislation through the House that made it easier for children to be placed in the foster care of relatives. After serving his first term on the House Education and Workforce Committee, Smucker was appointed by Republican leadership to the House Committee on Ways and Means and the House Budget Committee, where he has been a vocal critic of recent federal spending and growing national debt. He has also expressed disappointment with what he says is a lack of genuine bipartisan leadership and outreach from the White House. The Congressman has also been an advocate for immigration reform and has introduced legislation called the “Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act,” creating a new guest-worker visa program. The National Club Association (NCA) wrote a letter of support for the bill in April and has committed to working with him and other allies to pass this needed program. Club Director had a chance to ask Congressman Smucker a few questions so NCA members could get to know him better.
Club Director: At age 17 you purchased a construction business from your brother for $1,000, and in 25 years you built that company up to employ more than 150 people before selling it. How does your experience as a business owner shape your outlook on government?
Rep. Lloyd Smucker: Having built a company over 25 years, I saw first-hand the impact that the federal and state governments can have on small businesses. Burdensome regulations and anti-growth tax policies stop small businesses, the true engine of our economy, from creating additional jobs and opportunities for folks to live their American Dream.
I strongly believe in defending our nation’s free enterprise system, which has created more wealth and opportunity than any other economic system in the history of mankind. I believe that the federal government exists to carry out functions that individuals could not otherwise complete by themselves. Building and maintaining infrastructure and providing for the nation’s defense are two critical examples.
Otherwise, I believe generally, that the federal government should provide maximum freedom for individuals to live their lives and pursue their own American Dream. I have been blessed with the opportunity to live the American Dream, and I will continue to work to make sure it is accessible for future generations of Americans.
CD: You served in local government as a member of the West Lampeter Township planning commission and board of supervisors, at the state level as a member of the State Senate, and now at the federal level as a Representative. What motivated you to get into politics?
LS: As a small business owner, you are constantly facing challenges and complex problems. I previously mentioned that my business was impacted by what I believe to be overly burdensome regulations and tax policy. It felt like policy makers and the agencies that carried out that policy did not understand the real-world impact of their decisions.
My approach to service in municipal, state and the federal government has been about working to address the many challenges we face. Service in municipal government, and it’s true of the state and federal government as well, is about working collaboratively with your neighbors to build a stronger community.
CD: You currently serve on the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Budget Committee. These committees have jurisdiction over tax policy and general spending authority for the federal government. Deficits have become structural certainties and our national debt is accelerating. Ultra-low interest rates have kept debt service at least manageable, but debt payments are taking up ever more of the federal budget every year. How is this sustainable in the long term?
LS: Our ballooning national debt and the cost of debt service are unsustainable over the long term.
Every dollar spent servicing our debt, meaning dollars spent paying the interest on the debt already accrued, are dollars not spent on funding national priorities. Currently, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that we will pay an average of $543 billion per year on just the interest for our nation’s $30 trillion-plus in national debt.
President Biden’s fiscal year 2023 budget only worsens the problem. Under the president’s proposed spending plan, interest payments would jump to an average of $756 billion per year, meaning $2 trillion more in total interest payments over the next 10 years than currently projected.
Our country would be paying over $1 trillion in interest payments to service the debt by 2031. To put that in perspective, by 2031, we would pay 1.5 times our current Medicare outlays and 1.4 times our current defense budget on interest payments.
As the Federal Reserve Board is taking action to rein in 40-year high inflation, interest rates are rising which in turn increases the cost of debt service. The impact of increasing interest rates could substantially increase the cost of debt service. It is long past time for Congress to step up and work to put America’s fiscal house in order.
CD: Clubs, like many small businesses, have been struggling to find workers to fill open jobs. We highlight some of the labor force challenges in this issue and mention your bill, the Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act, which would create a new H-2C visa program for the service and hospitality industry. NCA has sent you a letter of support for your bill, why did you decide to take this issue on?
LS: One of the most common problems that I hear from business owners across my district is that they are having difficulty finding individuals to fill their open positions. Labor shortages hold back businesses from full operations in bad times and from expanding and taking on new opportunities or risks in good times. It is something that I experienced as a small business owner in the construction industry.
While many factors have driven the record-high inflation we’re experiencing today—from reckless spending to global supply chain disruptions—the workforce challenges are also contributing to rising prices. We simply must get our economy moving and growing again. And I believe my legislation aids in this endeavor while also filling the gap in the existing spectrum of visas by providing a category to complement the other categories for high-skilled, agriculture, or seasonal labor.
CD: Nearly every member of the House of Representatives is either a member of the Republican Capitol Hill Club or the National Democratic Club—both are members of the National Club Association. NCA has 20 member clubs in Pennsylvania. What has been your experience with private clubs?
LS: I certainly have enjoyed my time at private clubs, whether the Capitol Hill Club or at the Lancaster Country Club, which is a member of the Association and located in my congressional district. I greatly appreciate the professional and helpful staff at these establishments who make every experience a positive one. There is no question that private clubs have a positive impact on the communities in which they reside.