We Remember
Six years have passed since tragedy struck the Hokie Nation, and thirty two lives were tragically taken from us, and others were seriously injured. As we reflect, we remember these beautiful souls and pray for comfort for the loved ones of those lost, those injured, the Virginia Tech community, and the Town of Blacksburg.
“Everyday Decisions”
A hearing in… Read more »
The Arms Trade Treaty – An Update
While listening to people from across the district, it is clear the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms is among the most common topics that constituents wish to discuss. In fact, since the beginning of 2013, support for these rights has been the top issue my office receives correspondence on from folks throughout Southwest Virginia,… Read more »
The Bay State Boondoggle – An Update
In early February, I wrote about a provision in the Affordable Care Act that changes Medicare funding formulas to mostly benefit one State – Massachusetts – at the expense of the remaining States.
Urban hospitals in a State cannot get paid less than rural hospitals, which are typically located in lower-income areas. If one hospital in a… Read more »
Budgets and Brackets
The House recently passed its budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2014. This proposal lays out a blueprint that, if followed, will balance the budget in 10 years. We did not develop our spending addiction and trillions in national debt in just a couple of years. In order to make necessary cuts without inflicting unnecessary pain, we must make adjustments over time.… Read more »
The Arms Trade Treaty
Since the beginning of this year, support for Second Amendment rights has been the top issue that my office receives feedback on from residents of the Ninth District of Virginia.
Like many, I am very proud to be a Virginian. One of the reasons that I am proud to be a Virginian is that the Virginians stood up and in essence said “We are not going to… Read more »
Avoiding a Government Shutdown
Recently the House of Representatives passed legislation known as a Continuing Resolution (CR) which would fund the government through September 30 (the end of Fiscal Year 2013), thus avoiding a government shutdown.
This CR, passed three weeks before the deadline, works to curb spending, accepting spending levels consistent with Sequestration - a… Read more »
The Sequester
In August 2011, the President, the House of Representatives, and the Senate reached a deal to raise the debt ceiling and, in exchange for the House agreeing to raise the debt ceiling, there would be cuts to Washington spending. If an agreement to cut Washington spending could not be reached, then there would be automatic, blind, across the board cuts in 2013. … Read more »
Numbers for nerds, and other Americans who care – Part II
Last week in Part I, we outlined America’s spending problem using numbers based on official data collected from the U.S. government. These numbers were provided by David Walker, a former U.S. Comptroller General. He presented the problem as if the U.S. was a household with an annual income of $50,502 (the median income… Read more »
Numbers for nerds, and other Americans who care – Part I
On Friday February 15 in Washington, I attended a policy meeting with guest speaker David Walker, who focused on debt and deficit issues. Mr. Walker served under both a Democrat President and a Republican President as the U.S. Comptroller General, the head of an agency overseeing the payment and receipt of public funds. … Read more »
Religious freedom: from “Obamacare” to peyote
Over the last year or so, you may have heard some criticism from for-profit businesses and not-for-profit religious groups like the Roman Catholic bishops regarding the health care reform law’s mandate that requires employers (including religious hospitals, colleges, charities, and similar institutions) to put faith aside and provide… Read more »
