2013 In Review and 2014 Congressional Issues Survey
It is my privilege to represent and serve you in the House of Representatives, particularly at this critical time. I have traveled thousands of miles throughout Southwest Virginia, Southside Virginia, and the Alleghany Highlands in the last year, attending various meetings or events and speaking with many different people about issues important to them.
I know that many of you are as concerned as I am about what is taking place with our economy, our health care system, our country’s energy sector, and our constitutionally protected rights, among other issues. My team and I have compiled a brief summary of this year’s legislative highlights with the goal of keeping you informed.
- Along with Representatives Gene Green (D-TX) and Diana DeGette, I introduced the bipartisan Compounding Clarity Act of 2013 (H.R. 3089) to clarify Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority over compounding, particularly large-scale entities like the New England Compounding Center (NECC) whose tainted steroid injections caused 64 deaths and 750 confirmed cases of fungal meningitis. Parts of our bill were included in broader, bipartisan, bicameral legislation that was signed into law by President Obama, the Drug Quality and Security Act (H.R. 3204).
- While holding hearings and forums about America’s mental health care system and improvements that could be made, my colleagues and I on the Energy and Commerce Committee are also monitoring the Administration’s rollout of Obamacare. As you may remember, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a July 28, 2013 interview that “we are on track to flip the switch on October 1 and say to people ‘come on and sign up.’” At different hearings, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner and the federal official in charge of the exchanges, Gary Cohen, both told us that the website was fine.
Just like they told us regarding the website, now they tell us everything else is on track. Since the website debacle, Secretary Sebelius has testified before us twice (October 30 and December 11) on the law, and insisted that the rest of Obamacare is on track. After she testified before our committee, the Administration by executive action delayed additional parts of the law. Hmm? But she wants us to believe that everything is okay. We were right to be concerned before the launch of the website, and the American people have the right to be concerned about Obamacare functioning properly as we go forward into this new year.
- I cosponsored and supported the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act of 2013 (H.R. 1526), which passed the House on September 20, 2013. This common-sense ‘Trees for Schools’ legislation seeks to properly manage National Forest Lands, promote responsible timber production, help provide jobs for hard-working Americans, and support rural forest communities including many in the Ninth District.
- In addition to continuing my fight against the Administration’s war on coal, I have supported legislation like the Virginia Jobs and Energy Act (H.R. 1782), the Northern Route Approval Act (H.R. 3), and others that support my four-point energy plan: Drill, Dig, Discover, and Deregulate. I also introduced H.R. 3641, which would cut the EPA’s workforce by 15 percent over a realistic three- to four-year period in an effort to limit even more job-killing, unreasonable EPA regulations.
- I cosponsored the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2013 (H.R. 24), which would direct the Government Accountability Office to conduct a complete audit of the Fed within one year of the bill becoming law.
- I have consistently spoken out in opposition to the Constitutionally-questionable National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance programs that monitor and gather the telephone records and email communications of American citizens without suspicion of wrongdoing.
Again, this is just a small part my legislative activity. I will continue to work tirelessly to address our nation’s debt and deficit problems, encourage domestic energy production, fight job-killing regulations, and more.
2014 Congressional Issues Survey
I always want to hear from the people of the Ninth District. Currently we are doing our annual congressional survey. You may contact one of our offices for a printed copy of the survey, or you may go to our website – /2014issuessurvey/. The survey asks for your views and positions on a number of important issues. I encourage you to complete the survey and share your views. If you would like to submit additional feedback on these or any other issues, please do so at www.morgangriffith.house.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.
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