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Washington Update Congressman J. Randy Forbes, Virginia's Fourth Congressional District Weeks of June 22 - 26, 2009 |
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ü Offered the New Manhattan Project for Energy Independence as an alternative to the cap-and-trade energy tax bill. The cap-and-trade energy bill, H.R.2454, is projected to increase energy costs by $1,200 per family per year. Congressman Forbes’ amendment was the only proposal out of more than 200 that received an up-or-down vote on the House floor. The House rejected the New Manhattan Project on a nearly party-line vote 172-256. The New Manhattan Project would help the United States reach 50% energy independence in 10 years by creating incentives and relying on partnerships with private industry, academia, think tanks, and government laboratories to reach major energy goals. The New Manhattan Project would spawn innovation and creativity, and taxpayers would only pay the bill after goals are met. ü Opposed the cap-and-trade energy tax bill. The cap-and-trade bill, H.R.2454, would institute a carbon capture and trading framework for U.S. energy producers. The legislation is projected to increase energy costs per household by $1,200 per year. Additionally, the impact of the bill is expected to cost between 1.8 and 7 million net jobs, and send industrial and manufacturing jobs overseas. China, the world’s largest polluter, has stated that it will not implement a similar program. H.R. 2454 passed the House by a vote of 219-212 on June 26, 2009, and now awaits action in the Senate. To read additional reasons how an energy tax bill would impact our energy future, click here.
ü Supported increased benefits for disabled military retirees. Congressman Forbes voted for H.R.2990 to expand eligibility for the concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation to include disability retirees. The bill extends bonus and special pay authorities, while increasing benefits for federal employees. In addition, this bill provides a one year fix to address the debt owed to our wounded veterans. Congressman Forbes supports a permanent fix and voted to support one during the markup of the annual defense policy bill. ü Supported a cost-of-living increase for veterans. Congressman Forbes voted for S.407 to increase veterans' disability compensation, clothing allowances, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children. ü Supported timely funding of veterans’ health care services. Congressman voted for H.R.1016 expressing the sense of Congress that health care services to veterans could be more effectively and efficiently planned and managed if funding was provided once every two years. Currently, separate spending bills must be passed by Congress, which often jeopardizes timely funding to the Department of Veterans Affairs. ü Called for comprehensive health care services for women veterans. Congressman Forbes voted for H.R.1211 to expand and improve health care services available to women, especially those serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. ü Increased Internet resources available to veterans and their families. Congressman Forbes voted for H.R.1172, which directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to include a list of organizations that provide scholarships to veterans and their survivors on their Internet website.. ü Supported the designation of a National D-Day Memorial. Congressman Forbes signed a letter to the Secretary of the Interior supporting the Bedford, Virginia memorial as a National D-Day Monument. This designation would enable the Department to promote and maintain the monument through the National Park Service.
ü Supported the annual defense policy bill. Congressman Forbes voted for H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2010. During the proceedings of the House Armed Services Committee markup of the bill a week earlier, Forbes successfully pushed for full funding for Army BRAC expansion and increased transportation and Impact Aid funding to help localities deal with BRAC-related growth as well as other provisions. Specifically, Congressman Forbes:
· Successfully worked for a $200 million addition to ship repair funding to cover one of the Navy's 2010 Unfunded Requirements;
· Successfully added a Navy study the costs and impacts to the labor force that would result by the Navy’s proposal to extend aircraft carrier construction from four years to five years; · Supported an amendment to prohibit Mayport dredging before carrier homebasing is decided in the Quadrennial Defense Review; · Supported $18.1 million for Naval Station Norfolk as proposed in the President’s Budget; · Successfully increased by $20 million an account to assist the Navy and conservation groups in purchasing conservancy easements to prevent encroachment that threaten military bases like OLF Fentress and NAS Oceana; · Supported full funding for a Virginia Class Submarine in addition to seven other ships; · Successfully added $5 million for a Defense Access Road project to alleviate traffic congestion outside Fort Lee, Virginia; · Supported the $4 billion in funding needed to complete Army BRAC 2005 and expand Fort Lee, VA; · Successfully increased funding by $9 million to assist local small businesses compete for DoD contracts, including those near Fort Lee, VA; and · Supported language included by the House Armed Services Committee urging the Virginia Army National Guard to reconsider its decision to move its headquarters at Fort Pickett, Virginia to Sandston, Virginia;
In addition, Congressman Forbes personally worked for a $65 million increase for Impact Aid, which provides funding for school districts impacted by military families and he supported a 3.4% pay raise for active duty military families, which was 0.5% higher than the pay raise requested in the President’s Budget.
ü Sought to increase transparency in the Administration’s defense budget process. Congressman Forbes sought to amend H.R.2647, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2010, by requiring a report from the Secretary of Defense every time senior defense officials are barred from discussing budget or strategy information with Members of Congress and others. However, the amendment did not receive the necessary votes for passage.
ü Sought to fully restore funding for our troops. The amendment to the annual defense policy bill, H.R. 2647, fully restored funding for our troops and also sought to restore missile defense by $1.2 billion to last year’s spending levels following Iran and North Korea’s continued efforts in building ballistic missiles and nuclear programs. The troop funding had been removed by the Senate to pay for a bailout to the International Monetary Fund. ü Signed a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates urging the review of procurement of protective military materials. Congressman Forbes spearheaded a letter to Secretary Gates to evaluate the exemption clause in the Berry Amendment, which allows the Department of Defense to obtain body armor and fire-resistant uniform materials necessary for troop safety from foreign sources. The exemption has resulted in domestic manufactures losing business to their foreign counterparts. ü Recognized the importance of defense testing, training and acquisition. Congressman Forbes spoke to members of The International Test and Evaluation Association (ITEA), an educational organization founded to further the exchange of technical information in the field of test and evaluation. Congressman Forbes addressed the importance of modeling and simulation as a force multiplier, but recognized its inability to replace actual test and evaluation.
ü Opposed giving terrorists unnecessary Miranda rights. Congressman Forbes voted for H. Res.537 in a House Judiciary Committee markup, which would compel the Administration to share documents with the House regarding the reading of Miranda rights, such as the right to remain silent, to terrorists captured in Afghanistan.
ü Supported annual funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Congressman Forbes voted for H.R. 2892, which will provide $42 billion in funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for fiscal year 2010. The bill includes: · $3 billion for State and Local Assistance and Grant Programs, such as the State Homeland Security Grant Program, the Citizen Corps program, Real ID grants, Port Security Grants, Bus Security Assistance, and the natural disaster exercise program. · $10 billion for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to support border security, inspections, cargo screening, and detection technology. · $5 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including $1.5 billion to identify illegal immigrants convicted of a crime who may be deportable, and to remove them from the United States once they are judged deportable. ü Secured funding for the City of Hopewell to construct an Emergency Operations Center. The $250,000 funding was included as a part of H.R. 2892, the Homeland Security Appropriations bill. The center will house public safety facilities.
ü Named the Distinguished Christian Statesman for 2009. Congressman Forbes was awarded the Distinguished Christian Statesman Award by the D. James Kennedy Center for Christian Statesmanship on Wednesday, June 24. Congressman Forbes has successfully rolled back efforts to remove religious references from flag folding ceremonies and national monuments, worked to protect the right to pray in public places, and introduced H.Res.397, to affirm the 200-plus-year religious history of America and establish “America’s Spiritual Heritage Week.”
ü Secured funding for Great Dismal Swamp in Chesapeake and for historical preservation in Chesterfield County. This bill would provide $150,000 for the construction of a new visitor’s center for the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, and $500,000 to repair and preserve five historical structures in Chesterfield County. ü Voted against a 17% spending increase for the Department of the Interior and Environment. H.R. 2996 will provide a total spending level of $32 billion – a 17% increase compared to last year, which does not include $11 billion of additional emergency spending already spent this year. At a time when our nation is facing many economic challenges, Congressman Forbes could not support such large increases in spending priorities included in H.R. 2996, such as: · $10.6 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is a 38% increase compared to last year. · $340 million for the Nation Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, which is a 10% increase compared to last year.
ü Reaffirmed the United States’ solidarity with Israel. Congressman Forbes cosponsored H. Res.557 to express support for the State of Israel's right to defend itself in the face of an imminent nuclear or military threat.
For a comprehensive look at Congressman Forbes' work on legislative issues, visit the Spotlight Issues page on his website.
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