Immigration

ü  Cosponsored H. Res. 499, a bill calling for full enforcement of all current immigration laws. H. Res. 499 calls attention to unenforced or underenforced laws and calls upon the Administration to systematically enforce employer sanctions, to comply with the Secure Fence Act of 2006 by building over 700 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border, and to end the practice of catching illegal immigrants at the border and returning them without prosecution.
  

Consumer Issues

ü  Voted for H. Res.477, a resolution recognizing National Homeownership Month and the importance of homeownership in building strong communities and families in the United States. 

ü Voted for H. Res.513, a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Save for Retirement Week. Save for Retirement Week, October 21-27, 2007, is part of an ongoing effort to encourage employees across the nation to save for retirement through their employer-provided retirement plans and to promote awareness about the need to save for retirement.
  

Agriculture

ü  Joined with other House colleagues who represent cotton producing districts in sending a letter regarding the upcoming Farm Bill. The letter encouraged Members of Congress to support America’s farmers and extend the 2002 Farm Bill commodity programs in the upcoming 2007 Farm Bill. Such programs serve as a crucial safety net for America’s farmers and allows farmers to provide our country with a safe and secure food supply. 
   

Defense

ü  Submitted Questions for the Record for a witness panel convened before the House Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee on Tuesday, June 26, 2007. The hearing included an update on the Marine Corps’s Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) program, which is 300 percent over initial costs estimates, four years behind schedule, and short of meeting operational capabilities. Rep. Forbes included questions to inquire why the contractor was awarded nearly 80% of the possible award incentive fees in spite of the delays and cost overruns. He also asked military officials to explain how the EFV fits into the Navy and Marine Corps’s overall strategy and if it is still considered essential. The EFV is a heavy troop transport vehicle designed to float from a ship to shore with a capability to travel well in-land before requiring maintenance.

ü  Joined the Missile Defense Caucus.  The Missile Defense Caucus recognizes that rogue states and America's strategic military rivals continue to build faster, longer, and more sophisticated ballistic missiles capable of striking the United States and that our enemies and rivals are exploring space-based technologies to gain a strategic military advantage over the United States.  The group, comprised of Members of Congress, believe that American foreign policy should not be constrained by the ballistic missile capabilities of our enemies. The Caucus is committed to providing for the defense of the American people, our warfighters and our national interests by supporting a layered and robust missile defense that utilizes land, air, sea, and space.
  

Veterans

ü  Cosponsored H.R. 23, a Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2007, which directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay a monthly benefit of $1,000 to certain honorably-discharged veterans of the U.S. Merchant Marine who served during World War II, including those who served in the Army and Navy Transport Services. 
  

Crime

ü  Introduced H.R. 2797 with Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), which would establish a National White Collar Crime Center grants program for the purposes of improving the identification, investigation, and prosecution of criminal and terrorist conspiracies and activities.
  

ü  Supported H.R. 2286, the Bail Bond Fairness Act of 2007. H.R. 2286 mandates that a bail bond may only be forfeited if a defendant fails to appear in court as ordered by a judicial officer. Under H.R. 2286, judges remain solely charged with determining when a defendant poses a flight risk or is a threat to the community.

Fire and First Responders

ü  Cosponsored H. Con. Res. 172, which honors the life of the nine fallen City of Charleston firefighters who lost their lives in Charleston, South Carolina, on June 18, 2007. The firefighters were fighting a blaze at a furniture warehouse when its roof collapsed. The incident was the nation’s deadliest single disaster for firefighters since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. 

Transportation

ü  Supported H. Res. 505, which recognizes the contributions of the recreational boating community and the boating industry to the continuing prosperity and affluence of the United States.