Leading from Behind Civilized people are appalled by the barbaric murder of American journalist Jim Foley by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). A week after ISIS distributed video of Foley’s tragic murder, President Obama in a press conference responded to questions about potential plans for action in Syria by saying, “We don’t have a strategy yet.” Hmmmm. Is this the poker face of a man ... Read more »
Back to School Many schools and universities throughout the Ninth District have returned from summer vacation over the past several weeks. As my children prepare to return to school, I can’t help but remember the excitement and anticipation I always felt leading up to a new school year. For me, those feelings became especially heightened when teachers like my mother began heading back to school fo... Read more »
“Please delete this email…” Obamacare continues to have numerous problems and scandals. As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, it is our job to oversee the implementation of Obamacare and what led up to its disastrous launch and its failed promises. Nearly 10 months after the Committee asked on October 10, 2013 for documents relating to the law’s implementation, an August 6, 2014 memo f... Read more »
Visit to Israel Last week, I was part of a bipartisan congressional delegation fortunate enough to participate in an American Israel Educational Foundation (AIEF) fact-finding seminar in Israel. Especially given the recent conflict, this was a rigorous and substantive trip, featuring many high-level briefings with people of major political groups, American, Israeli, and Palestinian officials, and ... Read more »
Protecting Veterans and our Border Veterans On Wednesday, July 30, the House of Representatives passed the Veterans’ Access to Care Through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act (H.R. 3230). Importantly, this bill will require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to allow eligible veterans to receive care outside of the VA system at non-VA facilities if that veteran resides more than 40... Read more »
Honoring M. Caldwell Butler Milestones are important to remember and commemorate. July 27 has long been an important milestone in the Watergate scandal, and is certainly worth commemorating. I appreciate the Roanoke Times for reminding me in an editorial that this was the week that former Congressman M. Caldwell Butler made a stand. I remember the events well, but being only 14 at the time, I had ... Read more »
A Republic, If We Can Keep It Last week at a House Rules Committee hearing entitled “Enforcing the President’s Constitutional Duty to Faithfully Execute the Laws,” Mr. Jonathan Turley, a respected George Washington University law professor who has confirmed that he voted for President Obama, testified, “What we are witnessing today is one of the greatest challenges to our constitutional system in ... Read more »
294 In Detention, In Senate For years, when President Obama has been unable to negotiate a compromise, he blames Congress for inaction. While it may be a convenient excuse for him, I would submit that it is incomplete, incorrect, and tiresome. As an example, our Constitution states, “No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.” There are 12 appropri... Read more »
NSA Surveillance Programs and “Incidental Collection” of Data According to an investigation by the Washington Post, “Ordinary Internet users, American and non-American alike, far outnumber legally targeted foreigners in the communications intercepted by the National Security Agency from U.S. digital networks.” As a part of their investigation, the Washington Post reviewed approximately 160,000 e-... Read more »
History, Western Virginia, Independence Last week, I welcomed Fort Blackmore’s Lexi Hillman, the Ninth District’s Congressional Art Competition first place finisher, and her family to the nation’s capital. They attended the official unveiling of the art exhibit and a ceremony for the students. Her artwork, The Mountains’ Echo, was made using pencil, and depicts historical figures and images from t... Read more »
