E-Newsletter

As the final quarter of the 118^th Congress is underway, there are pressing issues that will come to federal lawmakers’ attention.

Of issues that will likely be addressed, government funding for fiscal year 2025 is on the docket.

Outside of Washington D.C., I am proud to reflect on the work my district team has done this Congress to assist our constituent service operations.

My mission statement since my first day in office has been to provide responsible leadership, principled representation and exceptional constituent services for the people of Virginia’s Ninth District.

These services include but are not limited to helping people get their passports, working with people to cut through red tape regarding social security and veterans benefits and communicating with the IRS about disputes. Since January of 2023, my office has completed or worked on over 3,600 cases for constituents.

The Ninth District has twenty-eight cities and counties and consists of a landmass greater than nine U.S. states, including New Jersey. The Ninth District is the largest congressional district in Virginia.

Notwithstanding the significant size of the district, I have made 350 visits to different parts of the District over the last twenty months. Keep in mind, a significant portion of the time I am in Washington, DC representing you there.

 

Helping Veterans

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that the Ninth District is home to over 47,000 veterans.

Starting January of 2023, my office has worked on resolving over 380 veterans’ cases.

These cases often involve assisting veterans in their claims for disability compensation, pensions and other types of benefits.

We also have tracked down medical records of our veterans to help them and their families in their cases seeking treatments and medals.

Medals and replacement medals can be awarded due to the veteran’s experiences in conflicts such as World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm, among others.

I was honored to attend the 80^th anniversary of the D-Day landings this year at the Memorial in Bedford. More than a dozen WWII veterans were present.

Assisting and recognizing the service of our veterans has always been important to me.

 

AMLER

As the leading advocate in Virginia for the Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) program, it is encouraging to see extra efforts in Southwest Virginia to revitalize old mine lands and breathe life into coal communities.

Administered by the Virginia Department of Energy, millions of federal dollars are pouring into AMLER projects, including but not limited to infrastructure improvements and site redevelopment. Such work may also include cleaning up gob piles and taking down high walls to make the area safe and developable.

I was proud to announce a new round of AMLER projects recently that total $10 million!

Additionally, I successfully added an amendment to the Interior Appropriations bill this year to make the program run more effectively.

In 2024, I have been to ribbon cutting events recognizing the completed AMLER projects, most recently Devil’s Bathtub in Scott County and improvements at Breaks Interstate Park.

Supporting these Southwest Virginia attractions through AMLER will drive tourist interest and garner new visitors to the region.

I will continue to monitor new opportunities to repurpose abandoned mine land for job creation and economic growth.

 

Rural Health

I regularly tour a variety of medical facilities in the district.

These experiences allow me to speak with medical professionals and see first-hand the difficulties and challenges they face, as well as the issues their patients see.

One concerning issue is the travel patients undergo to see their doctors and other providers. In some cases, folks in the Ninth District have to drive close to an hour or more to seek help!

One solution for our region is greater access to telemedicine.

In the Health Subcommittee this year, we passed H.R. 7623, the Telehealth Modernization Act of 2024, to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program and extend Americans’ access to telehealth services.

In the full Energy and Commerce Committee, we voted to pass H.R. 7858, the TELEMH Act of 2024, to improve telemedicine for mental health services to Medicare recipients.

Advocating for solutions to complex health policy issues in rural areas will remain a priority of mine. I look forward to continued conversations with our region’s hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals.

These are some of the ways my team and I work to help constituents. Let us help you! Please 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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