E-Newsletter

John Wilkes, Rand Paul, and Mike Lee

I noted with interest last week that Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) took to the Senate floor to talk against the Patriot Act provisions that allow the National Security Agency (NSA) to gather data on all Americans.  

As you know, I feel this is a violation of the United States Constitutional provisions against unlawful search.  I have spoken previously about that in this column, and referenced John Wilkes.  

As you may recall, John Wilkes is a character from English history who thought George III was a bad King, and put it in writing.  The King did not appreciate that sentiment, and because Wilkes was writing anonymously, the King’s minions ordered a general search of East London.  The people found this revolting, and historians would later call the movement the "Wilkesite Rebellion." 

In his more than 10 hour discussion, Senator Paul also reminded people that it was in fact the Wilkesite Rebellion and his close contacts with the Sons of Liberty that ultimately led to the Founding Fathers recognizing in the Bill of Rights that law abiding citizens have the freedom of speech and freedom against "general warrant" searches.  

Joining Senator Paul was Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), who also brought up John Wilkes.  

Nearly 250 years later, I am glad the actions of one brave man standing up against tyranny are still echoing liberty in the halls of the United States Congress.

Unanimous – 21st Century Cures Initiative

As you may recall, my colleagues and I on the Energy and Commerce Committee have been working for the last year on the bipartisan 21st Century Cures initiative.  Launched by Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO), this effort is about saving more lives, keeping this country the leader in medical innovation, and accelerating the discovery, development, and delivery cycle of new cures and treatments for diseases.

Since the launch of this initiative in May of 2014, we have invited medical experts and patient advocates to share with us their perspective on how to best accelerate the pace of cures by participating in hearings in Washington or roundtable discussions throughout the nation.  I attended those hearings in Washington, and held a regional 21st Century Cures roundtable discussion in Blacksburg with Congressman Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) and a number of medical experts.

These efforts resulted in the 21st Century Cures Act (H.R. 6), which passed the Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously in a vote of 51-0 on Thursday, May 21.  This package is an important step forward in terms of modernizing and personalizing health care, encouraging research and innovation, and streamlining the system, and a significant stride closer to new cures, treatments, and hope for patients.

Annual Coal Conference

On Monday, May 18, I joined Congressman Roe and others at the Virginia Coal and Energy Alliance's annual conference at which, among other things, the Obama Administration’s so-called "Clean Power Plan" was discussed.  Regular readers of this column are familiar with my strong opposition to this plan, as it threatens our Constitution, jobs, and affordable, reliable energy.

"When government picks winners and losers, everybody loses," Congressman Roe stated at the conference. "I’ve driven up through Eastern Kentucky (coalfields) and what they have created is a wasteland ... When you take the business of coal away, you take away the car dealership, the donations to the Little League, how you pay for your schools ... The young people leave and go somewhere else and never come back."

To reiterate my remarks at the conference, with the Administration’s proposed "Clean Power Plan" here in the United States, other parts of the world look very inviting for those seeking to build new facilities and create jobs.  Sadly, what we have at this Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a small group of ideologues who seemingly do not care about jobs, a reliable all-of-the-above energy portfolio, or the Constitution of the United States.  They are embedded in the EPA's bureaucracy, and they seem to hire those who agree with them.  Further, I would submit to you that they are working to do away with carbon-based fuels, which is not practical in a world economy.

Dominion Resources Public Policy Manager William Murray, who has served then-Governors Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Mark Warner (D-VA), said, "We cannot have an all-natural-gas future or an all-anything future.  We've got to have coal as the backbone of electric power generation."

I agree.  

If you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to contact my office.  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.  Also on my website is the latest material from my office, including information on votes recently taken on the floor of the House of Representatives.

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