Editor, Times-Union: In a recent Times-Union guest column, current Third District Congressman Marlin Stutzman stated, “In Congress, we have fought for and successfully ensured the two-year delay on the stifling medical device excise tax.” However, upon further examination, one will find that Congressman Stutzman actually voted against H.R. 2029, the bill which included the medical device tax two-year suspension (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2015/roll705.xml). Moreover, even though the GOP has a 30-seat majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, more Democrats voted to pause the medical device tax than did Republicans. Furthermore, at the state level, while my District 22 opponent claims to be opposed to the medical device tax, during the 2015 legislative session, when he had a chance to substantively soften the tax’s impact on Indiana’s manufacturers, he did nothing. My opponent chose not to co-author or co-sponsor House Bill 1605, a bill authored by Republican Rep. Ben Smaltz. This bipartisan bill was co-authored by Democrats Christina Hale, Terri Jo Austin and Republican Robert Heaton. In essence, this bill would have reimbursed Hoosier medical device companies subject to the federal tax. Although this bill unanimously passed the House Commerce Committee, it did not receive a vote on the House floor. When you cast your ballot this fall, please realize which party is actively trying to eliminate the medical device tax. While Marlin Stutzman is trying to mask his record, and my District 22 opponent won’t say why he didn’t co-author HB 1605, Democratic U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly was instrumental in getting the tax at least paused for the next two years, and is actively seeking full repeal. If you elect me this fall, I pledge to do everything in my power at the Statehouse to mitigate the tax’s impact. If the Indiana GOP won’t stand up for Warsaw, I will. Brian Joseph Smith Candidate for Indiana House of Representatives District 22 Leesburg, via email
