Thanks to the new Republican majority, this Congress my committee responsibilities have expanded. Along with serving on the Energy and Commerce Committee, in January I was selected by Speaker Kevin McCarthy as one of eight Republicans to serve on the Committee on House Administration.
While not well known, the House Administration Committee has a significant portfolio.
Part of our job… Read more »
In January, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Army Corps)’s published a final Waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule. This rule is scheduled to take effect on March 20th. It makes significant changes to expand the federal government’s authority to regulate any body of water.
Using sweeping terms to define millions of acres, the rule… Read more »
Several federal issues I am passionate about have been in the news lately.
First, in regards to the safety of unaccompanied minors who have crossed the border. Second, is the debate over whether COVID-19 originated from a bat or from a lab incident.
On the first matter, I visited Fort Bliss, Texas, in May of 2021. Part of my trip included visiting the Office of Refugee Resettlement… Read more »
I have hit the ground running in the new legislative session of Congress and will review a part of my agenda today. Obviously, over the two years of this Congress I will introduce more bills to best represent the people of the 9th Congressional District.
2nd Amendment
Last month, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) finalized a rule to expand the definition of… Read more »
I recently Chaired a joint Energy & Commerce Oversight and Investigations and Health Subcommittee field hearing on the southern border in McAllen, Texas, to examine our crisis there and how it intersects with our country’s fentanyl crisis. I heard from expert witnesses during the hearing who described the dire situation at the southern border and saw U.S. Customs and Border Protection… Read more »
Three years on, our nation continues to reel from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than one million Americans have died as a result of the pandemic. Among those were over 23,000 Virginians, including State Senator Ben Chafin of Lebanon, Virginia, and my friend and former Emory and Henry roommate Wally Nelson. We have all lost friends, loved ones, and acquaintances.… Read more »
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we saw a sharp rise in remote work, or telework. We were living through unprecedented times. Telework became an option for many, allowing workers to do their jobs, to the best of their ability, from home.
That was then. It’s been three years since the start of the pandemic, and it is largely behind us.
Most Americans have returned to work in person as… Read more »
The 118th Congress is underway, and committee assignments for the term are just about finalized. A process that is usually pretty routine, committee assignments have gotten some attention over the past couple of years and especially in the past few days. For some, it’s as it was before. For others, not so straightforward.
While I’m thrilled to share the welcome news of retaining my… Read more »
On January 18th, the Federal Register officially published the Biden Administration’s final Waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule. The rule was immediately met with heavy pushback from Republicans, like me. States and industry groups everywhere who saw the harm this new policy will have on Americans wasted no time filing lawsuits to stop the implementation of the rule. Texas filed a… Read more »
This winter, heating bills across the country are expected to increase by 17% – the highest cost in more than a decade. According to the Energy Information Administration, those who use natural gas to heat their home this winter will see a cost increase of 28%.
As readers know, unfortunately, southwest Virginia has also experienced these rising energy costs. In November of last year,… Read more »
