A recent award ceremony including a Southwest Virginian at the Library of Congress reminded me of our region’s rich musical heritage. The course of American music was shaped by traditions, people, and places found within the borders of Virginia’s Ninth District.
The Southwest Virginian honored in Washington is Eddie Bond of Fries, among the foremost practitioners of old-time fiddling. In… Read more »
Our part of Virginia understands the damage that can be inflicted by excessive regulation. The War on Coal was largely waged in this manner, as the Obama Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) imposed layers of rules providing no benefit to the environment but imposing massive new costs on the coal industry.
The coal industry is not the only subject of overzealous… Read more »
Bipartisan Health Care Legislation
Health care policy touches on some of the most important and personal decisions people make. From my vantage point on the Health Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I continue to look for ways to improve health care in the Ninth District.
Health care policy revolves around quality, availability, and affordability. All three of these… Read more »
An Open Letter to the Social Media/Tech Industry
Social media occupies a prominent place in modern America. Remarkably prominent, given how novel the medium is.
Facebook and Twitter were both founded this century. These companies pioneered new avenues for people to interact with each other, and a recent study found that 67% of Americans get at least some news on social media. The… Read more »
Thoughts on Labor Day and Grant Workshops Announcement
We dedicate Labor Day each year to the social and economic contributions American workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.
While the first Labor Day was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, it would not become a nationally recognized holiday until 1894. On June 28, 1894,… Read more »
Recently, I’ve participated in the announcement of five projects that will repurpose old coal mine lands for a variety of uses, from economic development to recreation. Securing federal money for these projects has been a priority of mine in the House of Representatives, and it has been a multi-year process.
Money for abandoned mine land (AML) reclamation for Kentucky, West Virginia,… Read more »
I recently enjoyed a stop at the Virginia State Peach Festival, held in Stuart on August 16. For 31 years, the festival has been celebrating peaches and all their uses, from eating them on their own to enjoying them in a homemade cobbler.
Celebrating peaches is fun, but a lot of work goes into getting them to our tables, our lunchboxes, or even our festivals based around them. Producing… Read more »
On August 7, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announced a $500,000 grant to the Health Wagon for construction of a health care clinic in Clintwood.
Some people think Obamacare is the only thing that matters when it comes to health care, but as this recent good news from ARC reminds us, there is plenty of activity occurring elsewhere in federal health policy.
Other federal… Read more »
Help for Veterans
Although the Veterans Administration was formally organized during the Herbert Hoover presidency, benefits for veterans can trace their roots to near the nation’s birth. Veterans deserve the thanks and support of all Americans for the sacrifices they made on our behalf. Thus, veterans are promised benefits in recognition of their service.
For too many veterans, these… Read more »
The 115th Congress has been working to improve the lives of average Americans. From taking on the opioid crisis to cutting taxes for the great majority of Americans, the House of Representatives has pushed for solutions. I believe the results make Americans better off.
Economy
Constituents frequently ask about jobs and economic development when I talk to them while traveling around the… Read more »
