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Washington Update Congressman J. Randy Forbes, Virginia's Fourth Congressional District Week of February 11 - 15, 2008 |
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ü Served as Ranking Member during a House Armed Service Committee Readiness hearing on the processing of granting security clearances. Witnesses included representatives from the Office of Personnel Management, which oversees personnel in the Federal government, as well as industry representatives. According to the GAO, it took an average of 276 days in 2007 to complete end-to-end processing of a top secret clearance. Congressman Forbes stated at the hearing, "The process for determining security clearance eligibility and managing the personnel security clearance program should not only be effective, but we must make it as efficient as possible. Every day that a personnel billet that requires access to classified information is filled by a person without a security clearance, our readiness suffers." ü Participated in the Purple Heart award ceremony for U.S. Army Corporal Chris Burrell, of Chesapeake, Virginia at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC. Cpl. Burrell was wounded while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Purple Heart is awarded to a member of the Armed Forces who, while serving with the U.S. Armed Services after 5 April 1917, has been wounded or killed, or who has died after being wounded in combat. The original Purple Heart, designated as the Badge of Military Merit, was established by General George Washington by order from his headquarters at Newburgh, New York, August 7, 1782. ü Answered questions from callers around the United States on television during the Thursday, February 14 live edition of Washington Journal on C-SPAN. Congressman Forbes took questions about current military readiness and the United States’ strategic posture, which was the subject of a House Armed Services Committee hearing later in the day. During the hearing, Congressman Forbes asked the witnesses what it would cost today to create and sustain an army, a navy and an air force that are C-1 --- fully resourced and ready across the board--- to support the National Military Strategy. To view Congressman Forbes on Washington Journal, click here and then view "Washington Journal Entire Program (2/14/08)." ü Signed on as an original cosponsor to H. Res. 986, which honors Congressman Sam Johnson and all POWs who were returned home to a grateful nation 35 years ago. Congressman Sam Johnson was a POW for seven years after his plane was shot down in Vietnam. This resolution marks an important opportunity to not only remember the members of the Armed Services held as POWs, but also to remember those whose fates are still unresolved. ü Met with Mr. Al Schaeffer, Director of Defense Research and Engineering, to discuss modeling and simulation (M&S) perspectives in regards to the Department of Defense. Mr. Schaeffer is one of three chairman of the Defense Department M&S Steering Committee.
ü Supported H.R. 4169, the American Braille Flag Memorial Act, which allows the Army to place an American Braille tactile flag honoring blind members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and other Americans in Arlington National Cemetery. ü Supported H. Res. 963, which supports the goals and ideals of National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans Week. The goals for this week, February 11-15, 2008, include expressing appreciation for hospitalized veterans, increasing community awareness of the role of Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers, and encouraging citizens to visit hospitalized veterans or become volunteers.
ü Following the hearing on January 29, 2008 on Chinese espionage that was called by Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Congressman Forbes, Congressman Forbes issued a statement following the arrest of four Chinese spies within the United States on Monday, February 11 that sought classified defense secrets. To read the full statement, please click here. ü Attended a dinner with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative in the United States, Joseph Wu and Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo of Guam. The members discussed the current economic and political situation in Taiwan, including the upcoming presidential election and referendum on March 20, 2008. Congressman Forbes and Congresswoman Bordallo co-chair the Congressional China Caucus, which is a forum for Members of Congress who share a common interest in the emergence of China as a political, economic and military actor on both the regional and global stage.
ü Voted against H.R. 5349, which would extend the Protect America Act of 2007 for 21 Days. In August, Congress took an important step toward modernizing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 by enacting the Protect America Act of 2007 (PAA). While only in effect for only six months, the PAA has temporarily allowed the United States to close an intelligence gap by enabling our intelligence professionals to collect, without a court order, foreign intelligence on targets located overseas. Unless reauthorized by Congress, however, the authority provided in the Protect America Act will expire. The act was originally set to expire on February 1, 2008, but was already extended by Congress until February 16, 2008. Congressman Forbes believes it is time for a permanent solution to the Protect America Act, not continued temporary extensions. The Senate passed a bipartisan compromise on Tuesday, February 12, but House leadership would not let the compromise bill come to the House floor. Instead, the House recessed for one-week, which allowed the Protect America Act to expire on Saturday, February 16. To read more about Congressman Forbes views on FISA, click here. ü Supported H. Con. Res. 289, which honors and praises the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on the occasion of its 99th anniversary.
ü Spoke at the 3rd Annual Modeling & Simulation Leadership Summit, Education: Enabling Modeling and Simulation as a National Critical Technology. The event is sponsored by the National Training Systems Association (NTSA) and took place on February 11, 2008 at the Westin Hotel, Virginia Beach, Virginia. The Summit is the only M&S conference devoted to federal policy. The Summit hosted leaders from government, industry, academia, and Congress, including representatives from the White House and the Brookings Institution. Congressman Forbes is the founder of the Congressional Modeling & Simulation Caucus. ü Supported H. Res. 966, which honors African American inventors for their leadership, courage, and significant contributions to our national competitiveness. The resolution specifically noted the contributions of Archibald Alphonso Alexander in the design and architecture of bridges, Ernest Everett Just in the fields of cell biology, and David Nelson Crosthwait Jr. for his contributions to the engineering of heating and cooling systems.
ü Supported H.Res. 868, which recognizes the 100th anniversary of the declaration of Muir Woods National Monument by President Theodore Roosevelt. Muir Woods National Monument is a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), one of the largest urban national parks in the world. GGNRA was established in 1972 and contains 75,398 acres extend from Tomales Bay in Marin County to San Mateo County in the south, encompassing 59 miles of shoreline - one of the nation’s largest coastal preserves. To learn more about Muir Woods National Monument, click here. ü Supported H.R. 1834, the National Ocean Exploration Program Act. This bill would authorize $460 million to establish two new ocean exploration programs: the National Ocean Exploration Program (NOEP) and the National Undersea Research Program (NURP). Under these programs, scientists would perform underseas research and scientific exploration of marine resources in little known areas of the marine environment. These researchers would focus on deep ocean regions, and conduct voyages to locate and document shipwrecks and other submerged archeology sites.
ü Cosponsored H.R. 4852, the Positive Alternatives Act, which would ensure that states have the flexibility to use their TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) block grant dollars to offer alternative-to-abortion services to women who are pregnant or think they may be pregnant. This includes information or counseling that promotes childbirth instead of abortion and assists pregnant women in making informed decisions about parenting or adoption.
ü Supported H.Con.Res. 281, a resolution celebrating the birth of Abraham Lincoln and recognizing the prominence the Declaration of Independence played in the development of Abraham Lincoln's beliefs. The resolution also encourages educational agencies to devote sufficient time to study and appreciate the reverence Abraham Lincoln had for Declaration of Independence in the development of American history, jurisprudence, and the spread of freedom around the world. ü Supported H.Res. 960, a resolution congratulating the National Football League champion New York Giants for winning Super Bowl XLII and completing one of the most remarkable postseason runs in professional sports history.
For a comprehensive look at Congressman Forbes' work on legislative issues, visit the Spotlight Issues page on his website.
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