Congressman Randy Forbes | Washington Update
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Week of May 10 - 21, 2010 Twitter Facebook YouTube Digg RSS
 
Opposing a European Style Value Added Tax (VAT)


Congressman Forbes joined 153 House members in signing a letter addressed to the President’s Debt Commission asking that it not consider a European-style Value Added Tax (VAT) as part of any recommendations to reduce our national debt.  Similar tax schemes common in European countries have proven insufficient to solve the current Europe debt crisis.  Such an approach could raise unemployment figures and lead to a similar failure in the U.S.  To read Congressman Forbes’ column on the VAT, click here.


 
Guarding the Right to Fly the American Flag

Congressman Forbes supported the Blue Star/Gold Star Flag Act of 2009 (H.R.2546), which states that a condominium association or homeowners cooperative cannot prevent a resident from flying an American Flag or other official flag of the Department of Defense.
This bill passed the House by voice vote.

 
Fighting for a Balanced Budget

Congressman Forbes joined the bipartisan Balanced Budget Amendment Caucus, which is dedicated to achieving passage of a resolution (H.J.Res.1) that would rein in out-of-control spending by instituting a Constitutional amendment to mandate that Congress not continue to increase our federal debt except under extraordinary circumstances and with three-fifths approval by each house of Congress.
Defense

Approved the 2011 Defense Policy Bill in Committee. Congressman Forbes voted to support the 2011 Defense Policy Bill in the House Armed Services Committee that provides critical funding for ships, missile systems, and aircraft, as well as pay and benefits for our military men and women who defend America.
This bill was unanimously approved in the committee.

Offered amendments to increase the study and use of modeling and simulation. Congressman Forbes offered two amendments to the 2011 Defense Policy Bill in the House Armed Services Committee that would require the use of modeling and simulation to further develop budget models within the Department of Defense as well as simulation technologies to improve cybersecurity for the Department.
Both of his amendments were adopted in the final version of the bill.

Preventing design funding needed to move a carrier from Norfolk to Mayport. Congressman Forbes joined other Virginia Representatives in offering an amendment to the 2011 Defense Policy Bill preventing $2 million from being allocated for the design of construction projects needed to relocate an aircraft carrier to Mayport, Florida.
The amendment was adopted in the final version of the bill.

Honored American five-star generals. Congressman Forbes cosponsored and voted to support the Five-Star Generals Commemorative Coin Act (H.R.1177), which creates coins recognizing the contributions and service of U.S. Army Five-Star Generals.
This bill passed the House of Representatives by voice vote.

Honored servicemen and women serving in explosive detection professions. Congressman Forbes voted to support a resolution (H.Res.1294) designating of the first Saturday in May as National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Day to honor those who are serving and have served in the noble and self-sacrificing profession of Explosive Ordnance Disposal in the United States Armed Forces.
This resolution passed the House by vote of 388-0.

Law Enforcement

Helped provide education for children of fallen public safety officers. Congressman Forbes supported the Officer Daniel Faulkner Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Act (H.R.959) to expand eligibility for the maximum Federal Pell Grant to any student whose parent or legal guardian died in the line of duty while actively serving as a public safety officer.
This bill passed the House by voice vote.

Supported Peace Officers Memorial Day.
Congressman Forbes voted to support a resolution (H.Res.1299) in honor of the federal, state, and local law enforcement officers who have been killed or disabled in the line of duty.
This resolution passed the House by a vote of 395-0.

Budget and Government Spending

Opposed spending millions of taxpayer dollars on fish monitoring. Congressman Forbes voted to oppose the Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Improvement Act of 2010 (H.R.2288), which would spend millions of taxpayer dollars on fish population monitoring, fish stocking, and the control of non-native fish, among other things, in the Upper Colorado River and San Juan River.
This bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 264-122.

Voted against duplicative government spending. Congressman Forbes voted to oppose the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (H.R.5325), which would cost $48 billion in taxpayer money to fund existing science programs and created several new government programs.  In addition, several key cost-reducing amendments were not included in the final version of the legislation.
This bill was did not achieve the necessary 2/3 votes for passage and failed by a vote of 261-148.

Supported a fiscally responsible economic recovery plan. Congressman Forbes agreed to cosponsor legislation (H.R. 5029) that would terminate the TARP program, repeal the remaining “stimulus” spending, and usher in several tax decreases by reducing the payroll tax in half for 2010, eliminating the capital gains tax, reducing the corporate tax rate to 12.5%, and permanently eliminating the death tax.

Supported responsible federal spending. Congressman Forbes supported an amendment to the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act (H.R.5116), to prevent federal employees who have been disciplined for viewing pornography at work from receiving salaries. The amendment would also lower the bill’s spending back to 2010 levels from the proposed increase.
This amendment passed the House by vote of 292-126.

Science and Technology

Supported the use of improved DNA technology. Congressman Forbes voted to support the Katie Sepich Enhanced DNA Collection Act of 2010 (H.R.4614), which encourages states to implement enhanced DNA collection processes. This legislation would increase funding to state justice programs that agree to follow improved collection guidelines.
This bill passed the House by a vote of 357-32.

Encouraged the installation of fire prevention technologies in university residences. Congressman Forbes cosponsored the Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act (H.R.2136), which would allow universities to apply for grants to reduce the cost of installing fire sprinkler systems in university housing and to help save lives.

Transportation

Secured real-time weather reporting at Chesterfield County Airport. Congressman Forbes attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Chesterfield County Airport (KFIC) this week to re-open its reconstructed taxiway and mark the recent connection of its Automated Weather Observation System to the National Airspace Data Interchange Network.  Congressman Forbes played an instrumental role in securing this important automatic weather reporting function at KFIC.

Foreign Affairs

Strengthened U.S. relationship with Israel.  Congressman Forbes voted to support the United States-Israel Rocket and Missile Defense Cooperation and Support Act (H.R.5327), which would provide assistance to Israel to purchase and maintain a rocket defense system to intercept short-range missiles fired at Israel.
This bill passed the House by a vote of 410-4.

Supported rebel disarmament in central Africa.  Congressman Forbes supported the Lord's Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act (S.1067), which would require the President to develop a strategy to support the disarmament of the Lord's Resistance Army-a sectarian guerrilla group in central Africa.
This bill passed the House by voice vote.

Labor

Supported improving the safety of coal miners. Congressman Forbes voted to support a resolution (H.Res.1363) that permits further investigation into the safety procedures and regulations regarding coal mining.
This resolution passed the House by a vote of 413-1.

Judiciary

Improved procedures for managing juvenile offenders. Congressman Forbes voted to support the Juvenile Accountability Block Grants Program Reauthorization Act (H.R.1514), which provides funding to research alternative methods for dealing with juveniles in the justice system to ensure successful reassimilation in society. The legislation maintains spending at current levels.
This bill passed the House by a vote of 364-45.

Family Values

Recognized the vital role of our foster care system. Congressman Forbes supported a resolution (H.Res.1339) that establishes May as National Foster Care Month and recognizes the work of those who are caring for children in our child welfare system.
This resolution passed the House by a voice vote.

Supported efforts to find missing children. Congressman Forbes supported legislation (H.Res.1325) recognizing National Missing Children’s Day. The resolution seeks to raise public awareness and recognize the crucial role of law enforcement in reuniting children with their families.
This resolution passed the House by a vote of 410-0. 

Healthcare

Supported childhood obesity awareness. Congressman Forbes cosponsored a resolution (H.Res.996) recognizing the importance of preventing childhood obesity and decreasing its prevalence in the United States.
This resolution passed the House by voice vote.

Protected the patient-doctor relationship from further encroachment by the federal government. Congressman Forbes signed a letter to the Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee requesting the consideration of legislation to ensure that important liability protections are provided for our nation’s medical professionals.  Recently enacted healthcare reform legislation (H.R.3590) creates a national guideline for personalized medical care that could be wrongly construed as the standard of care in a medical malpractice case.  This means that physicians would be restricted from using their own professional judgment on the care needs of their patients.

Supported women’s health.  Congressman Forbes voted for a resolution (H.Con.Res.268) supporting the goals and ideals of National Women's Health Week.
This resolution passed the House by a vote of 418-0.

Advocated higher standards of healthcare for veterans and their families.  Congressman Forbes voted to support legislation (H.R.5014) to include children of Vietnam War and certain Korean War veterans receiving care and services through Veterans Affairs for spina bifida-related medical conditions as meeting the definition of minimum essential coverage under requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
This bill passed the House by vote of 417-0.

Education

Honored America’s teachers. Congressman Forbes supported a resolution (H.Res.403) establishing National Teacher Day to recognize the critical role teachers play in the education and development of our nation’s children.
This resolution passed the House by a vote of 405-2.

About Washington Update
Washington Update serves as a resource to the constituents of the Fourth Congressional District of Virginia on the work of Congressman Forbes. It is published weekly while Congress is in session. Hyperlinks to bill information are provided if the information disseminated by the House of Representatives is available at the time of distribution.

As always, Congressman Forbes welcomes your comments. To share your thoughts on legislation, votes or issues, please visit http://randyforbes.house.gov to send an e-mail or call any of Congressman Forbes' three district offices.

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