E-Newsletter

Honoring Veterans, Past and Present
 
Veterans Day is a day of remembrance as well as celebration. I was honored to have the opportunity to reflect upon and celebrate the service of our veterans with several groups in the Ninth District.
 
Last week, I attended the unveiling of a new monument dedicated to all American veterans of all wars, honored a young Marine who was injured in the line of duty, and presented a constituent with his father’s replacement medals.  This week I have the opportunity to present a Korean War veteran from Southwest Virginia with a long-deserved service medal for his valor.
 
I remain deeply grateful for the service and sacrifice of our veterans. For many of our veterans, their sacrifices continue even as they return home. If you or someone in your family needs assistance getting veterans’ benefits, my office is available to help.

Update: House to Vote on Balanced Budget Amendment
 
The House will vote this week on a Balanced Budget Amendment, H. J. Res 2, which is the same amendment that passed the House in 1995.  This resolution would require that Congress not spend more than it receives and would require the President to send a balanced budget to Congress each year.  Limited exceptions exist for times of war or other emergencies in which case three-fifths of each of the House and Senate would have to vote to borrow money.  I am a cosponsor of H. J. Res. 2, which has 241 bipartisan supporters in the House.  This is a common sense solution to eliminate our budget deficit and force Congress to make tough spending decisions every year rather than continually piling debt on the backs of our children and grandchildren.  I’ve seen how effective a Balanced Budget Amendment can be in controlling government spending from my time as Majority Leader in the Virginia House of Delegates. Washington needs the same discipline, and I hope my colleagues in the House will join me in support of a Balanced Budget Amendment.
 
Big Stone Gap Courthouse Celebrates 100 Years
 
Last week, the C. Bascom Slemp Federal Building in Big Stone Gap celebrated its 100th year. Completed in 1912, the building was later named for the longtime Ninth District Congressman from the area.  In 1975, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a Virginia Historic Landmark. The C. Bascom Slemp Federal Building is currently home to the federal courthouse, which serves localities in Southwest Virginia that are a good distance from the next closest federal court in Abingdon. The building was not used as a courthouse for approximately 25 years until Judge Glen Williams saw that it was reopened. For the past 100 years, this building has played an important role in the community, and I hope it will continue to do so going forward.
 
Oil and Gas Exploration?

Last week, the Department of Interior released a new Five Year Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2012-2017, which unfortunately does not permit energy exploration off of the East Coast of the United States, including Virginia.  This is a real missed opportunity.  The Virginia legislature has long advocated for allowing Virginia to move forward on exploration. Developing energy resources located off the Commonwealth’s coast can help lower energy prices, increase our energy security, and create good paying jobs for Virginians.  More barriers to production from the Obama Administration will not help get Virginians back to work and will not help lower the cost of heating our homes.  The proposal will be open for a public comment period before a final version is submitted to the President and Congress.  I encourage people to submit their comments by visiting www.regulations.gov.

As always, if you have concerns or comments or wish to inquire about legislative issues, feel free to contact my offices. You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671. To reach my office via email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.