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Washington Update Congressman J. Randy Forbes, Virginia's Fourth Congressional District Weeks of July 21 - 31, 2008 |
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ü Voted twice against allowing Congress to adjourn for a five-week vacation without addressing real solutions to skyrocketing gas prices. Before the Democratic motion to adjourn was adopted on Friday, nearly 100 Members of Congress, including Congressman Forbes, had signed up to speak on the House floor about the energy crisis, but the adjournment vote denied them the opportunity to address the American people on Friday. Congressman Forbes said, “When American families are burdened by skyrocketing gas prices, it is a shame that the Majority leadership of this Congress would call for early adjournment for a five-week recess rather than bring bipartisan energy legislation to the floor for a vote. There are many options on the table that have broad support from many Americans – including the New Manhattan Project – to expand American-made energy, encourage conservation, and decrease our dependency on foreign oil. There is no good reason that Congress shouldn’t address this issue before going home.” ü Met with General James L. Jones USMC (Ret.), President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for 21st Century Energy, to discuss the New Manhattan Project for Energy Independence. The Institute works to unify energy stakeholders and policymakers behind a common strategy to ensure that America's supply of fuel and power is adequate, stable, and affordable, while protecting national security, and improving the environment. Gen. Jones and Congressman Forbes discussed their shared belief that private sector innovation and American ingenuity should be harnessed to help the U.S. become energy independent, and discussed the need for a national challenge that will unite Americans around a common goal. ü Voted in favor of H.R. 6604, the Commodity Markets Transparency and Accountability Act of 2008. This bill would address speculation in the oil markets by requiring that overseas commodity markets comply with the same regulations that U.S. markets must abide by. To learn more about Congressman Forbes’ work on energy issues, visit http://randyforbes.house.gov/issues/energy.htm. ü Voted in favor of a motion to include the American Energy Act to H.R. 6559, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Fiscal Year 2009 spending bill. The American Energy Act is a comprehensive bill to increase the domestic supply of energy, expand conservation and efficiency, and develop alternative energy technology to reduce our nation’s reliance on foreign oil and to lower gas prices. ü Joined the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus. The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus is a bipartisan organization created to promote greater awareness among Members of Congress of the status and potential of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. ü Signed a letter to the Secretary of the Interior to request a redrawing of the maps governing Virginia’s deep water energy resource exploration as part of the Mineral Management Service’s (MMS) efforts to issue a new five year Oil and Gas Leasing Program for the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The letter requests that the MMS re-evaluate the existing administrative lines in order to achieve a more fair and equitable final product that will benefit Virginia and many other states by allowing for additional energy exploration in the OCS. ü Cosponsored a bill to allow Virginia’s Governor to ask the federal government for a waiver from the prohibition on energy exploration in the waters of the Outer Continental Shelf. The Department of Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) has estimated that Virginia’s OCS has 56 million barrels of recoverable oil and 327 billion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas. ü Voted in favor of House passage of H.R. 6545, the National Energy Security Intelligence Act of 2008, which requires the intelligence community to conduct a National Intelligence Estimate on the impact of rising energy prices and energy security issues as it relates to U.S. national security. ü Opposed H.R. 6578, which would have diverted three days worth of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) into the United States domestic market. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a national security tool intended for use only during major disruptions in the oil supply to the U.S., such as in the case of a terrorist attack or major natural disaster. The bill failed to pass the House. Rather than endangering America’s national security to produce short-term relief at the pump, Congressman Forbes believes we must increase domestic energy production, increase conservation, and expand the use of alternative energies to address our Nation’s energy crisis. To learn more about Congressman Forbes’ plan for solving the energy crisis, visit http://randyforbes.house.gov/issues/energy.htm.
ü Opposed H.R. 3221, the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act. This bill constitutes an overhaul of the U.S. housing finance system. While it included needed reforms to the Federal Housing Administration and increased regulatory authority over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Congressman Forbes opposed the bill because it constituted a bailout of the institutions at a cost of $25 billion to taxpayers. Additionally, the bill would provide $4 billion to state and local governments to purchase and renovate foreclosed properties, create two new affordable housing trust funds, and increase the statutory limit on the federal debt by $800 billion to pay for the bailout. Congressman Forbes released the following statement after voting against the bill: “Raising the federal debt limit by $800 billion so taxpayer dollars can be used to bailout and reward risky behavior is neither responsible nor fair. When the U.S. government is already in a precarious financial position, we should be making more fiscally responsible decisions than assuming an $800 billion liability in the form of mortgage debt. Instead, we must address the housing issue in a way that guarantees fairness to all homeowners.” Congressman Forbes has cosponsored H.R. 5857, the Homeownership Protection and Housing Market Stabilization Act of 2008. This bill complements current public and private efforts to help homeowners who are at risk of losing their homes, while also protecting homebuyers from predatory lending practices in order to prevent future problems. To learn more about Congressman Forbes’ work on housing issues, visit http://randyforbes.house.gov/issues/housing.htm. ü Supported H.R. 6309, the Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act. This bill increases monitoring of lead-based paint hazards in housing, and lowers the level of lead found in a child’s blood that can trigger environmental intervention. It also allows for the examination of toys and materials in the affected child's environment that are likely to contain lead. ü Supported H.R. 2851, Michelle's Law. This bill would ensure that dependent students who take a medically necessary leave of absence do not lose health insurance coverage.
ü Voted in favor of H.R. 6559, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Fiscal Year 2009 spending bill. This bill provides a record level of funding, $94 billion, for all veterans' programs next year, which is $6 billion more than this year. The measure provides $41 billion for VA health programs, which is 9% more than the current level. For VA hospitals, $5 billion is included, which is 14% more than the base budget request. Since 2007, the federal government has devoted more resources to caring for our nation’s veterans than at any time in modern history. The previous high was in 1947, when $80 billion in inflation-adjusted dollars was spent after most of the 16.1 million Americans serving in World War II left the service, according to a Congressional Research Services report. ü Voted in favor of an amendment to H.R. 6559 to provide an additional $18 million for the construction of extended care facilities for veterans. This would have allowed the VA to address a large amount of its current backlog and help our veterans receive better care. The amendment did not pass. ü Signed a letter to President Bush, Speaker Pelosi, and House Leadership urging the FY 2009 Veterans spending bill, H.R. 6559, to be brought for a final vote before the new fiscal year begins. The Military Construction and Veterans’ Affairs Appropriations bill is currently awaiting action in the Senate. After passing the Senate, Congressional leadership must reconcile the differences so that both chambers of Congress vote on identical measures. Last year, heightened partisanship delayed the passage of the Veterans spending bill, costing our veterans $18.5 million a day from October 1st through December 26th of 2007. The beginning of Fiscal Year 2009 for the federal government is October 1, 2008. ü Supported H.R. 1527, Rural Veterans Access to Care Act¸ which allows veterans to elect to receive covered health services through a non-VA health care provider if they reside more than 60 miles from the nearest primary care VA facility, 120 miles from a VA hospital, or 240 miles from a VA facility providing specialty care.
ü Voted
in favor of
H.R. 2192, to establish an Ombudsman within the Department of Veterans
Affairs. The
measure creates an office to assist veterans and family members contact
and utilize the services of the VA. The office also provides
confidentiality for veterans and family members. ü Supported H.R. 6445, to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from collecting certain co-payments from veterans who are catastrophically disabled. ü Voted in favor of H.R. 6580, the Hubbard Act of 2008, which allows a servicemember to be discharged if they are the only remaining family member because other family member(s) were killed in action.
ü Voted to support H.R. 3999, the National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act. This bill provides $1 billion for the Federal Highway Administration Bridge Program, and requires that states will not be able to transfer the funds to general highway programs unless they are able to certify that they have no structurally deficient bridges. The language provision that ended up being included in the bill was one of Congressman Forbes' top transportation policy requests this year as Virginia has roughly 1,200 structurally deficient bridges and 2,200 functionally obsolete bridges, which, taken together, makes up 25% of all of Virginia’s bridges. ü Voted to support H.R. 6532, to restore the Federal Highway Trust Fund balance. This bill transfers $8 billion from general Treasury funds to the Highway Trust Fund. The transfer will prevent a 30% reduction in 2009 federal highway programs. Without the transfer, Virginia’s highway funds would have been cut by $272 million from this year’s level, and as many as 9,500 construction-related jobs would have been impacted. ü Voted to support H.R. 6493, the Aviation Safety Enhancement Act of 2008. This bill clarifies the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) role in oversight and safety enforcement of commercial airline carriers. .
ü Cosponsored H.R. 6453, the Schoolchildren's Health Protection Act of 2008. This bill would prohibit schools that receive federal funds from distributing the morning-after pill to children. Under current law, any school-based health clinic receiving federal funds is authorized to distribute the morning-after pill. In almost every case, federal laws and regulations prohibit informing the parents of sexually active minors about the healthcare they receive. As a result, school nurses can give out the morning-after pill without the parents ever being involved in the decision or being notified. These federal regulations overrule all state and local parental notice requirements despite the fact that this medication has been shown to lead to increased risk of blood clots, heart attack and stroke. ü Opposed H.Res. 1368, which would turn off the Medicare cost-containment “trigger” for the remainder of the 110th Congress. The Medicare "trigger," incorporated into the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, requires the President to submit, and Congress to consider, legislation when the Medicare trustees issue a warning that the program is growing at an unsustainable rate. Complying with the trigger would mean that Medicare would grow by $179 billion, instead of $181 billion, over the next five years and would send an important message that the U.S. government is firmly committed to containing out-of-control government spending. ü Supported H.Res. 1355, Expressing support for designation of Disability Pride Day and recognizing that all people, including those living with disabilities, have the right, responsibility, and ability to be active, contributing members of our society and fully engaged as citizens. ü Signed a letter urging the Department of Health and Human Services to enact regulations protecting the rights of health care providers who refuse to perform abortions or prescribe certain types of birth control for moral, religious or ethical reasons. This protection has traditionally been included in appropriations bills, but the agency has never set forth official rules establishing conscience protections for health care providers. These proposed regulations would prohibit a health care facility from discriminating against providers who do not wish to perform these procedures or prescribe drugs they believe constitute ending a human life. ü Supported H.Con.Res. 296, Expressing support for the designation of August 2008 as "National Heat Stroke Awareness Month," to raise awareness and encourage prevention of heat stroke. Heat stroke is a medical emergency that can be fatal if not properly and promptly treated, and 50 percent of those with heat stroke die from it, and it disproportionately affects children and youth athletes. To understand the physiological factors that increase the risk for heat-related illness and learn how to take steps to prevent it, click here. ü Supported H.Res. 896, the Primary Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month Act. This resolution recognizes the need to pursue research into the causes, a treatment, and an eventual cure for primary lateral sclerosis. In addition, it supports the goals and ideals of Primary Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month. Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) is a rare neuromuscular disorder characterized by progressive muscle spasticity and weakness in the voluntary muscles. ü Opposed H.R. 1108, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. This bill would expand the authority of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by creating a new regulatory arm to regulate tobacco products. While countless Congressional hearings held in recent years highlighting the fact that the agency is struggling to fulfill even its most basic role, this bill would require manufacturers to register annually with the FDA, be subject to inspections, and pay additional taxes to cover the cost of regulatory activity. The FDA would be authorized to set Tobacco Product Standards, including levels of nicotine and other harmful components, and to prohibit new tobacco products from coming to the market. The bill also would prohibit the use of flavored tobacco other than menthol. Congressman Forbes opposed this bill since the authority given to the FDA is outside the scope of its authority (tobacco products could never be classified as “safe and effective”).
ü Voted in favor of H.Res. 1202, which supports the goals and ideals of a National Guard Youth Challenge Day to recognize the success of the National Guard Youth Challenge Program. The National Guard Youth Challenge Program is a preventative program for at-risk youth between the ages of 16 and 18 that have recently dropped out of high school. This program was established by Congress in 1993 and currently operates in 29 states, focusing on GED attainment and job skills. It is estimated that 1.2 million American youth drop out of high school annually. Approximately 30 percent of these dropouts are unemployed and about 24 percent receive welfare. In addition, high school dropouts make up 67 percent of the prison population in the United States. ü Voted in favor of H.R. 6559, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Fiscal Year 2009 spending bill. The bill provides $12 billion for military construction, which is 18% higher than last year. The measure also included $9.5 billion for the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Round. Congressman Forbes is the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee, which authorizes each military construction project. For the Fourth District, the measure included:
.
ü Sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency asking for prompt and thorough action in response to the contamination of water in Chesapeake due to the use of fly ash to construct the Battlefield Golf Club at Centerville. After learning that well tests conducted at the site, which was constructed from 1.5 million tons of fly ash, a by-product from coal-fired power plants, revealed elevated levels of harmful contaminants such as arsenic and lead, the City of Chesapeake requested that the EPA conduct a preliminary site assessment to determine whether the site should be considered as a potential Superfund site, which would direct federal funding toward environmental cleanup. Congressman Forbes is closely monitoring this issue and has requested that EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson keep him informed of any developments in this case.
ü Voted in favor of the Conference Report on H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act. This bill establishes more stringent consumer product safety standards and other safety requirements for children's products. Among its provisions, there would be mandatory third-party testing for certain toys, tracking labels for children’s products, and minimum standards for nursery products such as cribs and other furniture. The bill reauthorizes and modernizes the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) through 2014, giving the CPSC enhanced recall authority and requiring greater sharing of information with local and state authorities. ü Opposed H.R. 1338, the Paycheck Fairness Act. The bill would allow trial lawyers to sue employers for unlimited compensatory and punitive damages in pay discrimination cases, even when a disparity in pay was unintentional. It would also add non-retaliation requirements, increase penalties on employers, and includes other wage-related provisions, at a cost of $15 million over five years. In addition, the bill would change current class action lawsuit requirements from “opt-in” to “opt-out,” allowing trial lawyers to submit massive class action suits without the knowledge or express consent of each plaintiff.
ü Supported House passage of H.R. 5501, Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008, which expands the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The global HIV/AIDS initiative is the largest commitment ever by any nation for an international health initiative dedicated to the prevention, treatment, and care of a single disease. The bill also provides $9 billion to fight malaria and tuberculosis around the world, which together kill more than 9,300 people every day.
ü Signed a letter supporting Old Dominion University’s application to host a DHS Center of Excellence for Command, Control and Interoperability in Virginia. There are currently 13 Department of Homeland Security’s Centers of Excellence around the country specializing in various aspects of homeland defense. ODU has proposed to lead a team composed of Hampton University, James Madison University, University of Virginia, Norfolk State University and Virginia State University, and the application is currently pending before the Department of Homeland Security. ü Supported H.R. 5170, the Department of Homeland Security Component Privacy Officer Act of 2008. This bill designates a full-time privacy official for agencies within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The privacy officials will ensure DHS programs sustain or enhance privacy protections. ü Supported H.R. 5983, the Homeland Security Network Defense and Accountability Act of 2008. This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to regularly update security protocols against attacks on its information infrastructure. ü Supported H.R. 5531, the Next Generation Radiation Screening Act of 2008. This bill requires the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office to enter into an agreement on standards for advanced screening devices used to detect radiological and nuclear material. ü Voted in favor of H.R. 2490, requiring a program for maritime biometric identification of aliens unlawfully attempting to enter the United States. This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to photograph and fingerprint illegal aliens who attempt to enter the United States by sea. ü Supported H.R. 6193, Improving Public Access to Documents Act of 2008. This bill orders the Department of Homeland Security to develop a framework to allow the public disclosure of unclassified information and documents. ü Supported H.R. 3815, the Homeland Security Open Source Information Enhancement Act of 2008. This bill ensures that the Department of Homeland Security shares publicly available information with appropriate federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
ü Voted to support H.Res. 1370, which calls on the Chinese government to immediately end abuses of the human rights of its citizens. The resolution also calls for the Chinese government to cease repression of Tibetan and Uighur citizens, and to end its support for the Governments of Sudan and Burma to ensure that the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games take place in an atmosphere that honors the Olympic traditions of freedom and openness.
ü Signed a discharge petition calling for H.R. 1399 to be scheduled for a House vote. This bill would prevent District of Columbia officials from enacting new laws that discourage or eliminate the private ownership or use of firearms. Last month, in D.C. v. Heller, the U.S. Supreme Court held that D.C.’s gun ban law violated the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution. In response to that ruling, D.C. officials have sought to implement new firearm ownership restrictions. H.R. 1399 would prohibit new restrictions from becoming valid law.
ü Questioned Attorney General Mukasey, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the U.S. Department of Justice, about combating gang violence and the challenges posed by illegal alien gangs, specifically MS-13. Mr. Mukasey responded, “They [MS-13] seem to be in it for the violence, not only for the money.” Mr. Forbes also requested information from the Justice Department on how illegal aliens join gangs after crossing the border and on “programs that have statistical proficiency on stopping recruitment of those gangs.” Mr. Forbes introduced H.R. 2933, the Alien Gang Removal Act in the 109th Congress, which would deport illegal aliens who are members of a designated street gang or have been convicted of a gang-related crime. ü Supported H.R. 6531, the Vessel Hull Design Protection Amendments of 2008. This bill makes technical corrections to federal copyright law to protect original designs of a vessel’s hull, deck, or combination of a hull and deck. ü Supported H.R. 6577, to express the approval of Congress to an interstate compact regarding water resources in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin in a House Judiciary Committee markup. This bill approves a compact that sets uniform standards for permitting the drawdown of water from sources in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin. ü Voted to oppose H.R. 6126, the Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act of 2008 in a House Judiciary Committee markup. This bill would invalidate pre-dispute arbitration agreements between nursing homes and patients. Arbitration is often used as an alternative to the court system. Arbitration is 36% faster than litigation and 93% of consumers who have used arbitration find it to be fair. Passage of this bill would likely dramatically increase the number of class action lawsuits brought on behalf of nursing home patients. As a result, Medicare entitlement costs could rise. üSupported H.R. 6064, the National Silver Alert Act in a House Judiciary Committee markup. This bill provides grants to states, which will be used to notify the public and law enforcement officials when a senior citizen is missing so that citizens may be on the look out. Often, local law enforcement lacks the resources to coordinate searches for missing adults. üSupported H.Res. 1357, recognizing the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 by President Ronald Reagan. The Civil Liberties Act apologized for the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. ü Supported H.Res. 194, apologizing for the enslavement and racial segregation of African-Americans. This resolution acknowledges the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery and Jim Crow. ü Supported S. 3295, a bill that directs the Secretary of Commerce to appoint administrative patent judges and administrative trademark judges to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. ü Voted to support H.R. 6633, the Employee Verification Amendment Act of 2008. This bill extends the basic pilot program for employment eligibility confirmation and to ensure the protection of Social Security beneficiaries.
ü Applauded the inclusion of H.R. 4165, which would provide grants to encourage and enhance the study of modeling and simulation at institutions of higher education, in the Conference Report on H.R. 4137. The Virginia Modeling and Simulation Center in Suffolk, Virginia, is one such institution that would be eligible under the new grant program. H.R. 4165 was introduced by Rep. Scott and three Members of the Modeling & Simulation Caucus, of which Congressman Forbes is the founder and co-chair along with Rep. Solomon Ortiz.
ü Supported
H.R. 3957,
the Water Use Efficiency and Conservation Research Act. This bill
requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a research
program to promote water use efficiency and conservation. Technologies
that reuse rainwater and water storage and distribution systems will be
studied in the program.
ü Supported S. 2565, the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Act of 2008. This bill authorizes the Attorney General to issue a Congressional Badge of Bravery to a federal, state or local law enforcement officer who performs an act of bravery while in the line of duty. ü Supported H.Res. 1360 and H.Res. 645, honoring the late Detective John Michael Gibson and Private First Class Jacob Joseph Chestnut of the United States Capitol Police. On July 24, 1998, Detective Gibson and Officer Chestnut lost their lives protecting the Capitol and the people inside from an armed attack. ü Supported H.R. 6295, to create a Federal felony for operating a submersible or semi-submersible vessel without nationality and on an international voyage. This bill will enhance penalties for international drug traffickers that use submarines to transport large quantities of narcotics to the United States and other countries. üSupported H.R. 6083, authorizing funding for the National Advocacy Center. The National Advocacy Center (NAC) is located in South Carolina, and is a joint venture of the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The NAC has provided education and training programs to more than 20,000 state and local prosecutors since 1998. This bill provides NAC with $6 million in funding for 2009. ü Supported H.Res. 1324, recognizing National Night Out. National Night Out occurs the first Tuesday of every August and focuses on neighborhood crime prevention by supporting local officials and community watch groups.
ü Voted in favor of the Conference Report on H.R. 4137, the Higher Education Opportunity Act, which reauthorizes federal college student financial aid programs for the next five years. It gradually increases the maximum Pell grant to $8,000 from the current level of $5,800. The measure also directs the Education Department to provide an online price index that would help students and parents compare costs at different colleges. ü Applauded the inclusion of H.R. 694, the “Digital Divide” bill in the Conference Report on H.R. 4137, Higher Education Opportunity Act. The provision will establish a new Minority Serving Institution (MSI) grant program to help Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges bridge the economic opportunity gap. The grant program was originally introduced by Congressman Forbes and Congressman Edolphus Towns (D-NY) as H.R. 921 three years ago. “Bridging the digital divide has been a priority for me throughout my time in Congress. Full access to technology is a standard component of success in today’s business world. Integrating technology into our nation’s Minority Serving Institutions will strengthen the overall workforce and allow students from these institutions to compete equally with students from other universities to qualify for America’s best paying jobs,” Forbes said. “…now we are just a few steps away from seeing this important piece of legislation become law.” ü Supported House passage of H.Res. 1286, which recognizes the vital role that arts and arts education plays in the lives of Americans and urges the support of increased art training and appreciation in our Nation’s schools. Furthermore, this resolution celebrates the 20th anniversary of the National Black Arts Festival and honors the significant contributions of African-American art to the culture of America. üVoted in favor of H.Res. 1311, which expresses support for the designation of National GEAR UP Day to recognize the success of the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP). GEAR UP, established by Congress in 1998, provides grants to low income middle and high schools to increase graduation rates and the number of disadvantaged students who enroll and succeed in college. GEAR UP currently assists 640,000 students in 46 States and was funded at $303.4 million in FY2006, FY2007, and FY2008.
ü Voted in favor of H.Res. 1296, which supports the designation of a National Child Awareness Month to promote awareness of children's charities and youth-serving organizations across the United States and recognizing their efforts on behalf of children and youth as a positive investment for the future of our nation. ü Signed onto a letter to the Mayor and City Council President of Philadelphia asking them to reconsider their decision to discriminate against the Boy Scouts for their commitment to traditional moral values. Since 1928, the Cradle of Liberty Council has rented its headquarters from the city for $1 per year. However, the City of Philadelphia made a decision to penalize the Boys Scouts because of its adherence to long-held, mainstream moral beliefs by raising the rent to $200,000 per year after May 31, 2008. Serving 87,000 boys and men, the Cradle of Liberty Council, located in Philadelphia, is the third largest local council in the country. Of the estimated 69,000 youth that participate, many benefit from mentoring and educational services, in addition to the traditional service projects and character building activities. Additionally, seven years ago, the Supreme Court affirmed the Boy Scouts’ right to continue to structure its organization in a way that is consistent with its core values. Just two years ago, Congress passed, with overwhelming support, the Support Our Scouts Act to ensure that state and local government entities do not deny Boy Scouts equal access to public facilities, forums, and programs. For a comprehensive look at Congressman Forbes' work on legislative issues, visit the Spotlight Issues page on his website.
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Energy
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