Healthcare
Attended the President's address to a joint session of Congress on healthcare. Following the speech, Congressman Forbes posted the following blog entry on his website. He also joined members of the Judiciary Committee in writing a letter to Representative John Conyers, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, asking that he schedule a hearing to review and consider provisions of Title V of H.R. 3400, which is designed to protect doctors from unnecessary lawsuits, a huge contributor to the soaring costs of health care.
Immigration
Called for only American citizens to be counted in the U.S. Census. Congressman Forbes cosponsored H.J. Res. 11, which proposes a Constitutional amendment to provide that the apportionment of the number of Congressional Representatives from each state shall be decided by counting the number of American citizens of each state. The census is mandated by the Constitution (Article I, Section 2), but the language does not specify citizenship for the purpose of counting. For the upcoming 2010 Census, the U.S. Census Bureau is set to count all persons physically present in the U.S.—including the 12 to 15 million persons here illegally.
Environment
Supported conservation and restoration projects in the Chesapeake Bay. Congressman Forbes voted for H.R. 965, which provides funding for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network. This program awards grants to projects that conserve, restore, recreational, historical, or cultural resources in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The network also awards grants to projects that link Chesapeake Bay “gateway” sites with trails and scenic roads.
This bill passed the House by a vote of 311-107.
Government Reform
Supported making participation in the American Community Survey voluntary. Leading up to the 2010 Census, this mandatory survey is sent out to a random sampling of 3 million households in the U.S. and Puerto Rico every year. Individuals are required to answer 28 pages of personal questions, or face fines ranging from $100- $5,000. There are numerous privacy concerns with the government’s collection of such comprehensive and potentially sensitive information. Congressman Forbes supported H.R. 3131, which would make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary, and only require people to answer four basic questions: a) Name, b) Contact info, c) Date of Response, and d) Number of people living or staying at the same address.
Supported a resolution to recognize September 11th. H. Res. 722 honors the heroic service of first responders, law enforcement personnel, state and local officials, volunteers, and others who aided the victims and, in so doing, bravely risked and often sacrificed their own lives and health. The United States remains steadfast in its determination to defeat, disrupt, and destroy terrorist organizations and seeks to harness all elements of national power, including its military, economic, and diplomatic resources, to do so.
This bill passed the House by a vote of 416- 0.
Taxes
Supported simplifying state taxes for interstate businesses. Specifically, H.R. 1083 would prohibit states from taxing out-of-state transactions involving intangible personal property and services such as copyrights, patents, and accounts receivable. This bill would also prohibit state taxation of an out-of-state business unless a business has a physical presence in the taxing state.
Constitution
Recognized September 17, 2009 as Constitution Day. On September 17, 1787, 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention met for the last time in Philadelphia to sign the document they had created. The document was then sent to the states for ratification where all 13 of the original states signed it. The document officially became the United States Constitution on June 21, 1788 after New Hampshire became the 9th state to ratify the document. Congressman Forbes cosponsored H. Res. 734, which would encourage Americans to celebrate the birth of our nation’s Constitution and to recognize the importance of this document for our nation’s history.
Science and Technology
Recognized the contributions of engineers to our nation. Congressman Forbes voted in favor of H.Res 447, which commends the contributions of the American Council of Engineering Companies for its 100 years of service to the engineering industry and the nation.
This bill passed by a vote of 420-0.
Veterans
Sought to protect and honor the memory of veterans. Congressman Forbes and the other members of the Virginia Congressional delegation sent a letter to the Department of the Interior requesting that the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia, be included in the National Park System. This monument honors all those who participated in the Normandy invasion of June 6, 1944, in particular the 21 boys from Bedford who gave their lives that day. The Secretary of the Interior agreed to initiate a preliminary assessment of the Memorial’s eligibility to be included in the National Park System.
Banking
Commemorated the bicentennial of the Star-Spangled Banner. Congressman Forbes voted for H.R. 2097, the Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin Act, which directs the U.S. Treasury to mint and issue $5 gold coins and $1 silver coins to commemorate the bicentennial of the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner. The Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem of the United States, and its lyrics were written by Francis Scott Key after the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812.
This bill passed the House by a vote of 419-1.
