Stopping Foreclosures

Mortgages in delinquency in Oregon rose by nearly 50 percent between 2005 and the end of 2007. Senator Smith has introduced legislation (S. 2517) with Senator John Kerry (D-MA) to help people who are facing foreclosure stay in their homes. The legislation would give people who are at risk of default the option to obtain a safe, fair mortgage

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Under current law, State and local governments are permitted to issue tax-exempt bonds to finance new mortgage loans to first-time homebuyers. Smith’s bill would temporarily expand the use of the program to include refinancing of existing subprime loans. Senators Smith and Kerry are working with their senate colleagues to include their bill in upcoming housing and mortgage legislation.

Many Oregonians are facing the fatal combination of skyrocketing interest rates and falling home values. Creating new refinancing options will help keep working families in their homes.

Cutting Red Tape to Provide Affordable Housing

Senator Smith is teaming up with fellow Northwest Senator Maria Cantwell to introduce legislation to create more affordable and accessible housing for American families. The Affordable Housing Investment Act would eliminate red tape in the tax code that restricts the ability of home developers to build affordable and safe low-income housing units. 

The legislation would simplify the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC). This tax credit encourages investors and home builders to build affordable rental housing for those in need. Smith and Cantwell's bill will create affordable housing to help families weather tough financial times.

Protecting Our Seniors from Mortgage Scams

To prevent the rise of foreclosure scams targeting America’s seniors, Senator Smith recently examined fraudulent activity in the Senate Special Committee on Aging.  The hearing, “Foreclosure Aftermath: Preying on Senior Homeowners,” focused on strategies to help homeowners avoid foreclosure and potential fraud.  



The high rate of homes in default provides a prime target for criminals taking advantage of vulnerable citizens.  It's unfortunate that while facing the challenge of foreclosure, homeowners must also be on the lookout for those who seek financial gain from their hardship.                                                                                                                     Pictured left - Sen. Smith asking a question at the hearing

 While cons are not exclusively aimed at the elderly, older Americans are often under attack because they typically have significant equity built up in their homes and are often on fixed incomes. Senator Smith is fighting to ensure our consumer protection laws are enforced and those perpetrating the crimes are prosecuted. Smith advocated expanding outreach and education initiatives that inform seniors about their options when faced with a home foreclosure, and provide information to protect themselves from fraudulent mortgage schemes.            

Keeping Mortgage Insurance Tax Free

Over 187,000 Oregon homeowners pay mortgage insurance, which can cost a family over $1000 a year. For qualifying residents mortgage insurance is currently tax deductible. The much needed tax break was on the verge of expiring until Senator Smith authored legislation that extended the tax relief. Now, mortgage insurance will remain tax deductible for the vast majority of American homeowners through 2010.

Mortgage insurance is paid by most home buyers when a down payment of less than 20 percent is made. Senator Smith’s legislation, originally enacted in 2006, makes mortgage insurance deductible for those whose incomes do not exceed $106,000 per year – making approximately 90 percent of Oregonians eligible. Over 12 million American homeowners benefited from this deduction in the first year alone.  

This tax relief provides a needed boost to the budget's of millions of families struggling to pay their mortgages. Smith’s legislation will benefit not just those who struggling to pay their mortgages, but also first time home buyers, making homeownership more affordable.  
 

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Bipartisanship Needed for Farm Bill to Blossom

By Senator Gordon H. Smith

To put the American farmer on equal footing, the Farm Bill invests $286 billion in agriculture programs. The Senate's version, which won the support of 79 U.S. Senators, includes a record $2 billion for specialty crops or fruit and vegetable programs, almost five times more than current law. $270 million in mandatory money for a     Specialty Crop Block Grants will go to states like Oregon and a livestock title will be added for the first time in Farm Bill history. The Conservation Security Program, which I created in 2002 with Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), is expanded to enroll over 13.2 million acres a year through 2012. The program is set to reward farmers for making environmentally sound decisions with their land.

Energy security and affordability is also a major concern. The cost of oil has risen to almost $100 a barrel, gasoline to over $3 a gallon. To address America's energy deficit, the Farm Bill develops biofuels and cellulosic ethanol programs to help increase our nation�?Ts energy security with home-grown fuels. Someone will have to grow those fuels, and Oregon has great potential to meet this growing demand. These challenges are great. Yet so are the opportunities. For example, just this month it was announced that Boardman will be the home of the Northwest's first cellulosic ethanol plant. The plant will use excess materials from mills, farms and forests, all from Oregon, to produce clean, renewable energy to fuel our cars and heat our homes.

During the drafting of the Farm Bill, Senator Wyden and I utilized our positions on the Senate Finance Committee to help create a new $5 billion trust fund for agriculture disaster relief. The new program will be more predictable and reliable for Oregon farmers and ranchers. It will include incentives for younger generations to stay involved or to get involved in farming, two new tax credits for taxpayers who take voluntary measures to aid in the recovery of species that are either listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. In addition, it includes various energy tax incentives for cellulosic ethanol production and other rural energy research, and a shortened depreciation period on farm equipment - from the current seven years to five.

This Farm Bill still has many hurdles to clear. The Senate and House Agriculture Committees must reconcile the differences in the two bills and present it to each legislative body for a final vote - all before March 15 when the current bill expires. I am hopeful that the remainder of this process will be more about finding common ground than partisan political fighting. We must work to finish this farm bill soon so that the American consumer can continue to have access to affordable, safe and a bountiful supply of food. More importantly, we must find the common ground so that America's farmers and ranchers can continue to have faith that their government is more about being their partner than about trying to put them out of business.

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News From Senator Smith:  "Washington Update"

We're now less than a year away from Election Day and I wanted to give a quick update of the strength of the campaign and how our supporters are already rallying around our efforts.

First of all, I wanted to thank everyone I've met out on the campaign trail for their kind words and support. We've met with old friends and new supporters alike. Just in the last few months, I have traveled all around the state, from Pendleton to Portland, from Medford to Vernonia, and Klamath Falls to The Dalles with many stops in between.

Along the way, I was honored to earn the endorsement of several important groups, including the Oregon Fire Fighters Association. Our campaign team recently put together a video highlighting the endorsement of the Fire Fighters Association, which can be watched here.

Most importantly, I spent the last few months continuing to work for the people of Oregon and have shared my vision of common-sense leadership for America. Just this week, I proposed critical initiatives that will kick-start our economy and give confidence to consumers. By using smart tax relief, ensuring our most vulnerable citizens are protected even in hard times, and stabilizing rural economies, we can restore American's trust in the economy - and in the smart, conservative policies of their government.

That's why Oregon's Senate race continues to be one of the most watched races in the country. I have quickly become the number one target of the Democrats in Washington, D.C., including the ultra-liberal Senator Chuck Schumer. Schumer and his liberal friends have already begun to attack and distort my record.

The most important thing any of our supporters can do right now to help is to make a contribution to the campaign. By doing so, you can help us stop the unfair distortion of my record. I hope that every one of our supporters takes just one minute to visit our website to make a generous contribution to the campaign.

That money will go directly to fighting back against the liberal campaign dollars flowing into our state and help me share my true record of cutting taxes, eliminating waste, and fighting for Oregon's families.

Thank you to everyone for all the hard work and dedication to the campaign. The Oregon Senate race will soon be the attention of millions across the country. With the continued help of supporters like you from across the state, I know we will be successful in November.

Sincerely,



Gordon Smith
U.S. Senator

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How the Farm Bill Impacts Oregon's Farmers and Ranchers...

2007 Farm Bill Summary

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Dear Fellow American:

First let me thank you for your past support. Thanks to your time and effort, we have achieved a great deal for Oregon. However, I am writing today because I need your help again. With the 2008 elections less than a year away, New York Senator Chuck Schumer and the national Democrats have put me at the top of their list of targets and have pledged to spend millions of dollars to defeat me.

With your continued help we can stop them and keep a voice of strong, principled Oregon leadership in the U.S. Senate. One way you can help me today is to spread the word about our current project to build our campaign team - SmithRoots. I am developing SmithRoots to help regain Republican majorities and counter the millions of dollars from outside Oregon the national Democrats will spend here to defeat me. You can visit my website - www.gordonsmith.com - to learn more about SmithRoots and what you can do to help it grow.

As a member of my campaign team, your support in the past has been vital, and with your help now, we will build SmithRoots into one of the largest grassroots campaign organizations in our state's history and help Republican candidates across the state. That's why I am asking you to invite 6 people to sign up for SmithRoots today! Members of SmithRoots will be the first to know the latest news from the campaign trail and about upcoming opportunities to help the campaign. While the partisan Democrats will work to make this race about pure partisan political gain, SmithRoots will be comprised of people like you from across Oregon that have deep roots in their communities and are united in the common goal of working to make our state a better place for generations to come.

Let me again say how thankful I am for your past support and work on my behalf and I look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail this year. In the meantime, your help in spreading the word about SmithRoots is essential and will allow me to reach out to even more Oregonians. So please visit GordonSmith.com to forward an invitation to 6 friends to join SmithRoots. I am glad to have you on my team and know we will be successful in 2008. Thank you in advance for your support.

Warm regards,



Senator Gordon Smith