Defeating ISIS I continue to be horrified and heartbroken by the November 13 coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris. I mourn the innocent victims, pray for them and for their loved ones, and pray for the people of France. I strongly condemn these attacks. Mr. President, the world needs strong leadership from the US. Unfortunately, it is all the more clear that the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (... Read more »
Energy, EPA, Jobs Last week, my colleagues and I on the Energy and Power Subcommittee passed two Resolutions of Disapproval (H.J.Res 71 and H.J.Res 72) under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to block two final rules for new and existing power plants issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As described by the Congressional Research Service, the CRA “…is an oversight tool Congress can... Read more »
Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) today issued the following statement on recent votes involving the United States Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank, the official export credit agency of the United States. It expired in late June. In the Ninth District of Virginia, the Ex-Im Bank has been used by numerous small businesses. Though Griffith opposed and voted against procedural motions which undermined the... Read more »
Pipelines, Pipelines Everywhere On October 22, my colleagues and I on the Subcommittee on Energy and Power held a hearing on the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan regulations for new and existing power plants. 4 out of 5 witnesses at this hearing said at some point that these are “cap-and-trade”-style regulations. Previously, Janet McCabe, Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air... Read more »
Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) today issued the following statement: “We applaud the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit for their decision to grant a stay of the EPA’s overreaching rule to revise the definition of “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act. The regulations are extremely burdensome for American farmers, businesses, and landowners, and it is important... Read more »
Stetson and Barter System In 2009, President Obama’s idea of a cap and trade carbon dioxide (C02) emissions policy passed the House, but failed to pass the Senate. The legislation never became law, and Congress heard public opinion loud and clear in the next elections. In 2010, new members were elected in historic numbers, and many members who voted for the cap and trade scheme lost their seats. S... Read more »
A Ban and an Energy Boom Virtually no one would have predicted just a decade ago that the United States would soon transform into an energy-producing powerhouse. Regardless, we have, and our nation is now one of the world’s leading producers of oil and natural gas. But there is action that can and should be taken in order to help sustain this success: lifting the outdated ban on crude oil exports.... Read more »
Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) today issued the following statement after learning that an affiliate of coal producer Alpha Natural Resources will be ceasing operations or reducing its workforce at several Dickenson County mines. Alpha Natural Resources affiliate Paramont Coal will be ceasing operations at Deep Mine 44, Deep Mine 37, and Deep Mine 25, and reducing the workforce at Deep Mine 41... Read more »
Grieving Like you, I am heartbroken by the tragic incident in Franklin County on August 26 during which WDBJ7 journalists Alison Parker and Adam Ward were killed and Vicki Gardner, head of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, was injured. Both Alison and Adam grew up in our area, with Alison graduating from high school in Martinsville and Adam from high school in Salem. They will ... Read more »
Iran Agreement – A Suspect Side Deal In a previous column, I noted my opposition to the proposed Iran deal, as well as the opposition of Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and several other notable Democrats. At that time, I identified several of my concerns: Why did the Administration negotiate this deal without having included the handful of American prisoners being held in Iran? How is this not a tre... Read more »
