Smith is important ally for Trump White House

President Donald Trump may have no better friend in Congress than U.S. Rep. Jason Smith.

The 39-year-old congressman who represents Missouri's Eighth District plays a key legislative role, serving on the seven-member House GOP leadership team as Republican Conference secretary. A member of the Ways and Means Committee, one of the more powerful congressional assignments, Smith said tax reform and trade have been priorities.

He pointed to December 2017 tax reform as a major GOP accomplishment.

"I worked with the president to make sure there were provisions that helped middle income families, and doubling the child tax credit is what Ivanka (Trump), myself and Sen. (Marco) Rubio escorted all the way through the bill -- which has a lasting impact on our people," Smith told me Wednesday afternoon. "The Main Street Certainty tax provision, which helps small businesses with a 20% deduction on pass throughs, that is a drastic benefit to our small businesses -- which makes up 90-some percent of the businesses in Southeast Missouri. Those two provisions alone I think changed the economic aspect, along with the regulatory aspect."

He said the president regularly asks him about the district and how he can make a bigger difference. He said before Trump was elected he gave him a list of 17 regulations from the previous administration he wanted to see reversed. So far, the president has rescinded or amended more than half.

On trade, Smith said the president's efforts to negotiate better deals will pay dividends for Missouri farmers. He pointed to USMCA, a replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), as well as new deals or renewed trade discussions with Japan, China, European Union, United Kingdom, several Southeast Asia countries and South Korea. The president will visit India this week as part of new trade negotiations.

Smith said the Canadian ambassador told him over dinner the new USMCA deal would not have happened without President Trump's efforts.

While some may not understand or appreciate the president's style, Smith said he's very intentional on trade and was encouraged, while the two were traveling in the presidential motorcade two years ago, to choose his words wisely.

"The president told me in the car, 'Jason, so many of the politicians and so many people you serve with play checkers or connect the dots. You need to play chess. Everything that you all say has consequences of your actions. The Chinese and everyone in the world are watching every statement you say. You should never broadcast what you're concerned with,'" Smith recalled the president saying.

Smith said if Phase 1 of the country's new trade deal with China goes through it will mean a $40 billion agriculture benefit to American farmers. He said the most ever was $20 billion in a year and prior to the recent agreement they were under $10 billion. It's especially important for corn, soybean and rice farmers, he said. Meanwhile, USMCA would have a dramatic benefit for the struggling dairy farmers.

Health care

Prescription drug relief has been a priority for the president, Smith said. H.R.3, according to Smith, was a "strictly partisan bill" and while it had a few good things in it the overall legislation is "toxic" for medical innovation. Meanwhile, he pointed to H.R.19, of which he is a sponsor, as a bipartisan piece of legislation that would drive down prescription drug prices.

"We could take up and pass that and cause some real, real prescription drug relief that would make the drug companies drive down prices that would help -- which has never been contentious," he said. But he pointed to House leadership preoccupation with impeachment as the reason it hasn't yet moved to a full vote.

Democrats move left

Smith said he believes impeachment is not something Speaker Nancy Pelosi would have pursued, but a growing radical majority in her party forced her hand.

"Under a Nancy Pelosi that was not controlled by AOC, Talib, Omar and the liberal squad, she would have never done that," he said. "But I don't believe Nancy Pelosi controls the speakership. I believe she could be ousted by the radical left that is the majority of her party right now. The majority of her party is too extreme for anyone in Southeast Missouri."

He pointed to several county officeholders in Southeast Missouri who plan to switch their party affiliation from the Democratic Party because of the leftward trend.

In short, Smith is actively engaged in important discussions and has the ear of the White House. If the president's new trade efforts move in the direction Smith believes they are, it could spell good news for Southeast Missouri farmers.

And there are opportunities for wins on health care, infrastructure and more. In these, Smith will be an important ally for the White House.

Lucas Presson is assistant publisher of the Southeast Missourian.