E-Newsletter

Unprecedented Overreach

The Obama Administration is no stranger to overreach.  An influx of federal regulations and the unconstitutional health insurance mandate are examples of this.  In addition, last week President Obama made four unprecedented “recess” appointments – a serious abuse of executive power.  These questionable appointments include Richard Cordray as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and Sharon Block, Terence Flynn, and Richard Griffin to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Under the Constitution, the Senate must approve appointments of many higher-ranking government officials.  When the Senate is in recess, the President then has the authority to make these appointments.  This week’s appointments came from the White House even though the Senate was clearly not in an official recess.  These actions blatantly circumvent the constitutional process outlined by our Founding Fathers and undermine our system of checks and balances.

I took an oath to uphold the United States Constitution.  The appointment of Cordray to this extremely powerful position at the CFPB has been hotly contested and deserves the full consideration of the Senate.  I am greatly disappointed and concerned by the President’s lack of adherence to our nation’s guiding document.  Last week, I signed a letter to the White House along with 95 of my colleagues expressing our commitment to overturning these appointments.  The American people deserve accountability in this process, not more Washington politics.

The Clock is Ticking

Tick tock goes the clock. Before Christmas, President Obama signed into law a bill requiring approval of the Keystone XL pipeline within 60 days (February 21, 2012) unless the president determines the pipeline would not serve the national interest. With many organized labor groups supporting the pipeline and most environmental groups opposed, the Obama Administration had hoped to delay this decision until after the 2012 election.

The Keystone XL project would be an extension of an existing pipeline, which runs from Canada to the Midwest.  According to TransCanada (the company seeking permission to build the pipeline), the Keystone XL pipeline would stretch 1,661 miles from Canada to Texas and could move up to 830,000 barrels of oil each day.  An application for the construction of this project was filed over three years ago and is still awaiting approval.  Every day the decision is delayed is another opportunity missed for job creation and energy security. 

There can be no question that the Keystone XL pipeline project is an American job creator.  Moving forward would immediately create construction jobs as well as thousands of auxiliary jobs.  Estimates for direct and indirect job creation are in the tens of thousands.  However, as the days tick by, the question remains of whether President Obama will indeed choose American jobs or give in to political pressure from extreme environmental groups.

This decision on the Keystone XL project comes at a pivotal time for America’s energy security.  Recently, Iran threatened to blockade the Strait of Hormuz to oil transportation. This threat was made partially because of increased sanctions on Iran’s Central Bank by the United States.  According to the Energy Information Administration, almost 20 percent of oil traded worldwide flowed through the Strait of Hormuz in 2011.  If Iran were to follow through with the threat, oil prices would likely skyrocket globally.  We need access to affordable oil from friendly and stable sources, like Canada, now more than ever. 

President Obama needs to act immediately on this project to support America’s energy needs and help get Americans back to work.

“Military Friendly Schools” in Virginia

The Ninth District is home to a number of excellent colleges and universities that support our men and women in uniform and our veterans.  As these servicemen and women return home, it is important that they have access to a quality education, whether that be a two-year associate degree, four-year degree, or professional certification.  Recently, G.I. Jobs released the 2012 list of Military Friendly Schools.  This list consists of the top colleges, universities, and trade schools that prioritize the recruitment of students with military experience.

In the Commonwealth of Virginia, 36 schools made the 2012 list. Congratulations to these schools on achieving this ranking. To learn more about the list of Military Friendly Schools and the opportunities available to veterans interested in seeking higher education, I encourage you to visit www.militaryfriendlyschools.com.

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.