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Washington Update Congressman J. Randy Forbes, Virginia's Fourth Congressional District Week of September 15 - 19, 2008 |
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ü Voted against H.R. 6899, the Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act. The 290-page bill was released just 12 hours before a scheduled vote and was never considered by any House committee. The bill was said to expand offshore drilling by allowing states to “opt-in” to drill in the Outer Continental Shelf 50 to 100 miles off of their coast, but it would keep coastal states like Virginia from receiving any of the revenues generated by drilling activities, giving them no incentive to allow for any new drilling to take place. Additionally, it kept in place a moratorium on drilling off the Florida coast in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, where the bulk of the infrastructure for offshore drilling is located. Furthermore, the bill would have raised taxes by billions of dollars on American energy producers, and it included a Renewable Electricity Standard that would mandate private utilities like Dominion Power provide at least 15% of their electricity from renewable sources (which does not include nuclear power or clean coal), which would have meant significantly higher utility prices for Virginian consumers at a time when many are already struggling to make ends meet. To listen to what Congressman Forbes said on the House Floor during debate on this bill, click here. To read Congressman Forbes’ statement following the vote on this bill, click here. Congressman Forbes has introduced the New Manhattan Project for Energy Independence, which has been hailed by the Wall Street Journal, CNN, and Fox News radio as one of the most innovative energy solutions before Congress. For more information on the New Manhattan Project, click here. ü Voted in favor of H.R. 6604, the Commodity Markets Transparency and Accountability Act of 2008. The bill attempts to reign in excessive speculation in oil markets by requiring U.S.-based commodity traders to comply with U.S. trading regulations, even when they are trading through foreign exchanges. It also increases data reporting requirements, imposes limits on speculative investing where the investor does not take physical delivery of a commodity, and expands the role of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to monitor price manipulation in commodities futures markets. ü Signed a letter urging Speaker Pelosi not to schedule any legislation that would interrupt American Energy Freedom Day. Most of the prohibitions on deep water drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf and on federal lands expire on October 1, 2008 unless Congress renews them. Congressman Forbes signed a letter along with many other Members urging the Speaker not to bring up legislation that would keep those prohibitions in place.
ü Cosponsored H.R. 6771, the Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act. This bill would help ensure that funding for the Chesapeake Bay cleanup is being used as efficiently and effectively as possible. It would require the Office of Management and Budget to determine how much federal money is being spent on the cleanup each year – a precise number is not available today – and whether the funds are helping to restore the Bay and produce the desired results. If they are not, or if experts believe the money could be used more effectively elsewhere, the cleanup program should shift gears and use "adaptive management," which mandates a more cost-benefit approach to budget decisions. Other national cleanup projects such as the Great Lakes, the Everglades, and the California Delta, moved to this more disciplined, cost-benefit approach years ago and have made significant progress because of it.
ü Supported H. Res. 1235, which expresses support for National D-Day Remembrance Day. D-Day was on June 6, 1944, and reopened a Western front against the Germans in World War II through a beach assault at Normandy, France. The D-Day assault, code-named Operation Overlord, was the most extensive amphibious invasion ever to occur, and involved 5,000 ships, over 11,000 sorties of Allied aircraft, and 150,000 American, British, and Canadian troops on the first day of the operation. American troops suffered significant losses during the assault, including over 6,500 casualties. The resolution before the House expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that June 6 should be recognized as a National D-Day Remembrance Day.
ü Sent a letter to Mr. Pierce R. Homer, Secretary of Transportation for the Commonwealth of Virginia, urging the Secretary to obligate federal bonus funds allocated to the Commonwealth to complete the Gilmerton Bridge replacement project in Chesapeake, Virginia. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recently announced that the Commonwealth has been allocated nearly $32 million in bonus federal highway funds that were redistributed back to the state because they were not spent in Fiscal Year 2008. The replacement of the Gilmerton Bridge is critical to the transportation needs of Chesapeake, especially following the recent announcement that another bridge crossing the Elizabeth River, the Jordan Bridge, must be closed by the end of the year. In his September 18, 2008 letter to Secretary Homer, Congressman Forbes stressed the importance of moving quickly to provide a way for the shipyard workers at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and other commuters to travel safely and conveniently over the Elizabeth River. Last month, Congressman Forbes sent a letter to the FHWA supporting the Virginia Department of Transportation’s request of the bonus funding. Congressman Forbes has made the replacement of this bridge a top priority for the City of Chesapeake and the Fourth Congressional District.
üVoted to support H. Res. 1420, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives to recognize September 11th as a day of solemn commemoration. Congressman Forbes attended the Pentagon Memorial Dedication Ceremony to observe the seven year anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
ü Met with Army Lieutenant General Mitch Stevenson, former commander at Fort Lee, VA, and the newly appointed top logistics officer for the Army Chief of Staff. During the meeting, they discussed the modernization of Army logistics and the ongoing BRAC efforts at Fort Lee, VA and other installations. ü Met with Air Force Brigadier General A.J. Stewart, head of the Air Force Recruiting Service. General Stewart is from Dinwiddie, Virginia in the Fourth Congressional District. They discussed the successes and challenges the Air Force has had in its recruiting efforts, including the fact that the military can face challenges in recruitment because a majority of the 18-25 year old citizens do not meet all the physical, medical, education, or moral requirements for military service without a waiver. ü Signed a letter thanking General David Petreaus for his leadership over the last year in Iraq as commanding general of U.S. forces in Iraq. Under General Petreaus’s leadership, violence in Iraq declined by 80% and the number of wounded decreased as well. ü Supported H. Res. 1200, to honor the work of the many military support groups, for their steadfast support of members of the Armed Forces and their families. ü Supported H. Res. 1255, which honors Toby Keith for his commitment to members of the Armed Forces. The country singer has made six USO tours around the world, performing in such locations as Cuba, Germany, Belgium, Kosovo, Italy, and Africa. He has entertained more than 135,000 members of the Armed Forces in Middle East Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, including one concert in Afghanistan that was interrupted by mortar fire. ü Supported H. Con Res. 390, which honors the 28th Infantry Division for serving and protecting the United States.
ü Supported H.R. 6893, the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act. This bill would double the amount of money that states receive for the completion of certain adoptions, especially for children with special needs, and establish Family Connection Grants to spur placement of foster children with blood relatives such as grandparents, aunts or uncles. The bill would also make older foster children eligible to receive support benefits until age 21, expand programs to bring foster children to and from school, and extend all program benefits to Indian tribes as well as states. ü Supported H.Res. 1432, Supporting the goals and ideals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and children in foster care awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in adoption, recognizing current programs and efforts designed to promote adoption, and encouraging people in the United States to seek improved safety, permanency, and well-being for all children.
ü Supported H.R. 3019, the Expand and Preserve Home Ownership Through Counseling Act. This bill would establish an Office of Housing Counseling to coordinate efforts to provide counseling on homeownership and rental housing issues. The bill would also provide grants to entities for providing such counseling, and launch a national housing counseling advertising campaign to help encourage consumers to make smart financial decisions. ü Supported H.R. 5772, the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2008. This bill would improve the program for supportive housing for persons with disabilities under the Department of Housing and Urban Development by revising eligibility requirements and encourage coordination with state and local housing authorities.
ü Supported H.R. 6625, the Veteran Voting Support Act, which would allow states to designate Veterans Affairs Department facilities as voter-registration agencies. This bill would require VA facilities designated as voter-registration agencies to provide information about absentee ballots and to make such ballots available upon request. Additionally, the bill would allow nonpartisan organizations to provide voter registration information at VA facilities. H.R. 6625 was written in response to a department policy established in May 2008 that permitted voting assistance in VA facilities only upon request. In a policy change, the department announced on September 8, 2008 that it would “welcome state and local election officials and nonpartisan groups to its hospitals and outpatient clinics to assist VA officials in registering voters at VA facilities.” Congressman Forbes supports establishing this policy as law to ensure that our veterans are afforded the ability and access to exercise their constitutional right to vote which they have fought so courageously to protect.
ü Voted in favor of H.R. 6889, which would extend, until July 1, 2010, the temporary authority to the Secretary of Education to purchase loans from lenders in the federal guaranteed loan program to ensure that lenders have access to capital to make new loans. This authority was first granted to the Secretary pursuant to H.R. 5715, the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act of 2008, legislation which Congressman Forbes supported. H.R. 5715 increased the annual loan limits on federal unsubsidized student loans by $2,000 for all students in good academic standing. ü Opposed H.R. 3036, the No Child Left Inside Act of 2008, which would reauthorize the National Environmental Education Act (NEEA), originally passed in 1990, and create a new grant program at the Department of Education focused on promoting environmental education at the K-12 levels. Congressman Forbes opposed this bill because it would unnecessarily expand the federal government’s role in education and increase the national education budget through a new grant program. The NEEA already requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide leadership to “increase environmental literacy” and mandates that the EPA make environmental education in schools a priority. Although Congressman Forbes believes that environmental education is important now and for future generations, H.R. 3036 duplicates the efforts of the NEEA and is an unnecessary expansion of federal education policy. Many states are already implementing similar grant programs without the direct approval and funding from the federal government. ü Cosponsored H.R. 6293, the Military Children’s School Investment Act, which would provide grant funding to schools affected by Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) and Global Rebasing to meet their construction needs. H.R. 6293 would authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to local educational agencies experiencing an enrollment increase related to military base closures and realignments or global rebasing, force structure changes or reductions, or actions initiated by the Secretary of Defense. The grants authorized under H.R. 6293 would be used: (1) to construct new schools or expand existing schools to accommodate the influx of students; (2) repair or upgrade academic facilities; or (3) lease, with the Secretary’s approval, buildings or portions of buildings from a private entity for additional school space. The most recent BRAC round will more than double the population of Ft. Lee, Virginia and such grants would help local school systems keep up with space and facilities for students.
ü Signed a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee urging passage of H.R. 1943, the Stop AIDS in Prison Act. This bill would develop and implement a comprehensive policy to provide HIV/AIDS testing, treatment, and prevention for inmates in federal prison upon reentry into the community. H.R. 1943 passed the House of Representatives on September 25, 2007 . ü Voted to oppose H.R. 6020 in a House Judiciary Committee markup. This bill would exempt from deportation an alien who is a member or veteran of the Armed Services or an alien who is the spouse, child, parent, or minor sibling of a member serving in the Armed Forces. The bill also prohibits the use of expedited removal against illegal aliens and aliens convicted of certain crimes, as long as they have served in the military and received an honorable discharge.
ü Supported H.R. 5938, the Former Vice President Protection Act. This bill would provide secret service protection to former Vice Presidents, their spouses, and their children under 16 years of age for up to six months after a former Vice President leaves office.
ü Supported H.R. 6064, the National Silver Alert Act. This bill would establish a national communications network to notify the public and law enforcement officials when an adult is missing so that citizens may be on the look out. Often, local law enforcement lacks the resources to coordinate searches for missing adults.
ü Supported H.R. 6503, the Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program Reauthorization of 2008. This bill would provide for competitive grants to nonprofit organizations to assist in locating missing patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
ü Supported H.R. 5167, the Justice for Victims of Torture and Terrorism Act. Victims of terror from Saddam Hussein’s government have been seeking compensation for their injuries through civil actions. This bill would remove the authority of the President to grant the government of Iraq immunity from such actions unless he certifies they are in good faith negotiations with the victims.
ü Supported S. 3406, to restore the intent and protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This bill expands the definition of “disability” to cover those with serious health issues who did not qualify for protection under the original ADA. Epilepsy, diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and severe intellectual impairment are some conditions that have received added protections under S. 3406.
ü Agreed to serve on a bipartisan Judiciary Committee task force to conduct an inquiry into whether U.S. District Judge G. Thomas Porteous should be impeached. Judge Porteous is accused of soliciting and accepting bribes from lawyers with actions pending before him. A judicial impeachment is a rare event and has occurred only 13 times in 219 years.
ü Supported H.Con.Res. 410, which honors the men and women of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on their 100th Anniversary. ü Supported H.R. 2352, the School Safety Enhancements Act of 2007. This bill would allow the placement of surveillance equipment in schools under the matching grant program for public elementary and secondary school security. The bill would also establish hotlines for reporting potentially dangerous students or situations.
ü Voted to support the substitute amendment to H.R. 6842, the National Capital Security and Safety Act. The substitute amendment would prevent the District of Columbia from enacting new laws that discourage the private ownership of firearms. The District of Columbia’s ban on semi-automatic handguns and handgun ammunition would be repealed. Additionally, an exemption to the federal ban on interstate handgun sales would be created to allow D.C. residents to purchase handguns in Virginia and Maryland. The National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America both endorse the substitute amendment to H.R. 6842.
ü Supported H.R. 5611, National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers Reform Act of 2008. This bill would reestablish the National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers as a nonprofit corporation to provide for licensing, continuing education, and other insurance producer qualification requirements and conditions to be adopted and applied on a multi-state basis. H.R. 5611 will continue to preserve the right of states to license, supervise, and discipline insurance producers. The bill also sets forth membership requirements, including a mandatory criminal background check applicable to state-licensed insurance producers.
ü Gave the keynote address at the annual Virginia Chamber of Commerce Capitol Hill Luncheon. Congressman Forbes addressed the need to balance the federal budget, address the national energy crisis, and the importance of medical research.
For a comprehensive look at Congressman Forbes' work on legislative issues, visit the Spotlight Issues page on his website.
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