Morgan Griffith

A Win for Religious Freedom On June 26, the Supreme Court ruled in Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Comer, Director, Missouri Department of Natural Resources that religious institutions cannot be prevented from receiving funds solely because they are a religious organization. The case originated in Missouri, where a church applied for funding from the state to replace a pea gravel playground surface with a safer material made from recycled tires. Although the church placed high enoug... Read more

Congress Takes Back Our Founding Fathers deliberately set up three equal branches of government, in order to establish a separation of powers to protect American citizens. Over the years, the legislative branch has slowly handed some of its powers to the executive branch, increasing the ever-growing powers of the presidency and its bureaucracy. Since taking office in January, the 115th Congress has reined in some of the executive branch powers utilizing the Congressional Review Act (CRA). As you... Read more

Today, the United States Senate is expected to vote to confirm Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. To get past the Democrats’ obstructionism and allow a vote on Gorsuch, the Senate invoked the so-called “nuclear option.” This eliminated the modern filibuster/cloture rule for Supreme Court nominations and allowed a simple majority to confirm him. While it was not a surprise, the nuclear option was met with handwringing about the decline of the Republic. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) lamented the “per... Read more

Gorsuch: A Great Choice Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story once noted a persistent problem with his profession: The danger is not, that the judges will be too firm in resisting public opinion, and in defence of private rights or public liberties; but, that they will be ready to yield themselves to the passions, and politics, and prejudices of the day.* We have seen too many judges in recent years base decisions on their “passions, and politics, and prejudices.” Fortunately, President... Read more

Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) today announced that he has reintroduced legislation to establish a Joint Ad Hoc Congressional Committee on Trade Responsibilities, which would be tasked with developing a plan to move to the legislative branch the functions and responsibilities of the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). This would be in accordance with Article I, Section 8 of our Constitution, which establishes that Congress shall have power “To lay and collect Taxes, Duti... Read more

Clearing the Air at the EPA President-elect Donald Trump’s appointment of Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is welcome news. As Oklahoma’s attorney general, Pruitt has strongly pushed back against many rules and regulations coming from Washington, DC. In particular, he has led states in suing to block the EPA’s overreaching policies. Many in the media report this news with shock. They wonder how someone “CURRENTLY SUING” the EPA could possibly be fit to lead it. I wi... Read more

Reasons for the Electoral College Every four years, American news is dominated by the presidential election. Pundits and analysts play up the drama, predict the outcome of the Electoral College, and endlessly analyze the results. Discussions of this year’s results are unavoidable. Since the Republican candidate won the election, yet lost the popular vote by less than one percent, speculation has started on the purpose of the Electoral College. Only five times in our nation’s 228 year history of ... Read more

Fighting Opioid Abuse – An Update Our nation is in the throes of a real, devastating opioid epidemic that is plaguing our communities. Too many have been affected by this growing epidemic, which destroys lives, families, and communities. Addressing this epidemic continues to be a priority. I am pleased to report that legislation to help tackle this problem – the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (S.524) – has cleared both chambers of Congress. It is heading to the President’s desk, where ... Read more

Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) today voted in favor of the Separation of Powers Restoration Act (H.R. 4768), which would overturn the Supreme Court’s 1984 decision in Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., which has added to confusion in the courts, Congress, the legal bar, and legal academia regarding whether, when, and how courts should defer to federal agencies’ interpretations of the statutes they administer, a practice known as “Chevron deference” or “administr... Read more

I am heartbroken by ongoing violence in our nation, including recent attacks in Bristol and Dallas. As of this writing, little is known about the attack in Michigan. The perpetrators of these events are ultimately responsible, but we must all look within ourselves, work to rise above tensions, and be reminded that violence is not the answer. My heart is with those killed or wounded and with their loved ones as I continue praying for peace, comfort, justice, and a greater understanding. Transpare... Read more