|
||||||||||
|
Washington Update Congressman J. Randy Forbes, Virginia's Fourth Congressional District Week of September 24-28, 2007 |
||||||||||
|
ü Voted in favor of H.R. 1199, the Drug Endangered Children Act of 2007, legislation that extends the existing grant program for drug-endangered children. Under this program, the Attorney General is authorized to make grants to States for programs that provide comprehensive services to aid children who are living in a home in which methamphetamine or other controlled substances are unlawfully manufactured, distributed, dispensed or used. ü Attended a House Judiciary Committee hearing on H.R. 2128, the “Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2007.” H.R. 2128 would authorize the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the presiding judge of a U.S. appellate court, or the presiding judge of a U.S. district court to permit the photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising of court proceedings to the public. The only exclusion to this would be if broadcasting the proceedings would violate the due process rights of any party. ü Voted in favor of H.R. 1943, the Stop AIDS in Prison Act of 2007. H.R. 1493 would require routine HIV/AIDS testing for all federal prison inmates upon entry and prior to release from Federal Bureau of Prison facilities. Under this legislation, the Bureau of Prison would have six months from enactment to offer HIV/AIDS testing for inmates. H.R. 1943 would also require HIV/AIDS awareness education for all inmates and comprehensive treatment for those inmates who test positive. Congressman Forbes was an original cosponsor of H.R. 1943. ü Supported H.Res. 340, which expresses the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the importance of providing a voice for the victims, and families of victims, involved in missing persons cases and unidentified human remains cases. ü Supported H.Res. 303, which expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that a day of recognition should be established to increase awareness about missing persons in the United States.
ü Voted in favor of H.J. Res. 52, which makes continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2008. The resolution would extend federal government spending authority through November 16 for those agencies and programs whose FY 2008 appropriations bills were not enacted before FY 2007 ended on September 30, 2007. Spending for those agencies and programs will continue at the current FY 2007 level. H.J. Res 52 includes provisions to continue funding for programs such as the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and defense-related spending, including appropriations for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, among others.
ü Supported H. Res. 605, which honors and supports the goals and ideals of the American Gold Star Mothers Day. Gold Star Mothers are women who have made tremendous sacrifice through the loss a son or daughter who served in the Armed Forces. The Gold Star Mothers organization was charted by the United States Congress on June 12, 1984 for the purpose of assisting the veterans and dependents of World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, and other conflicts. This resolution requests the President to ask the people of the United States to observe Gold Star Mothers Day with appropriate ceremonies and activities on September 30th. To read Congressman Forbes' column on Gold Star Mother's Day, click here. ü Supported H.R. 3625, a bill that permanently extends the HEROES Act of 2003. The HEROES Act ensures that service members who are receiving Federal student aid are not adversely affected because of their military status. The legislation also minimizes the administrative burden placed on members of the armed forces. Specifically, this legislation allows service members to defer Federal aid repayment while serving during a war or national emergency. ü Attended the House Armed Services Committee hearing on the U.S. Army’s Strategic Imperatives on Wednesday, September 26, 2007. The hearing featured Secretary of the Army Pete Geren and Chief of Staff of the Army General George Casey. The witnesses outlined the Army’s plan to restore a more sustainable deployment cycle for soldiers, expand assistance for veterans and soldiers’ families, and discussed the Army's long-term plan to address reorganizing and upgrading Army vehicles and equipment. ü Cosponsored H.R. 3558, the Military Eye Trauma Act of 2007, which would create a Center of Excellence within the Department of Defense (DOD) devoted to the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment and rehabilitation of military eye injuries. The Center of Excellence would be required to develop a “Military Eye Injury Registry,” containing up-to-date information on the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up for each serious eye injury received by any member of the armed forces. The legislation also requires a joint DOD-VA program for service members and veterans affected by visual dysfunction related to Traumatic Brain Injury.
ü Cosponsored and voted to support H.Res. 663, a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of Veterans of Foreign Wars Day. In 1899, veterans of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection, upset by the poor treatment they received following their return from America’s first major overseas conflicts, established organizations to advocate for the rights and benefits then denied to the veterans of these foreign conflicts. In 1914, these veterans’ organizations, recognizing their common goals and the importance of unity, merged to form the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW). In the 108 years since the VFW’s founding, members have proudly carried on the organization’s mission of “ensuring rights, remembering sacrifices, promoting patriotism, performing community services and advocating for a strong national defense.” The VFW has effectively advocated for our nation’s veterans, to include helping establish the present-day Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), working to enact the Montgomery G.I. Bill, developing the national cemetery system, and helping wounded combat veterans receive compensation for injuries received in service to our nation.
ü Voted in favor of H.R. 3567, the Small Business Investment Expansion Act. H.R. 3567 would provide additional federal capital and new incentive programs for increased investment in small businesses and allow certain small businesses that accept venture capital to qualify for Small Business Administration programs. The bill also creates a new “Angel Investment Program” to encourage investment in small start-up businesses.
ü Voted in favor of H.R. 3121, the Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act. H.R. 3121 would reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program. The legislation requires flood maps to be updated and maintained based on a 500-year floodplain. The bill also reestablishes the Technical Mapping Advisory Council to assist FEMA with flood mapping modernization. Membership would include the Army Corps of Engineers, local or regional flood agencies, state geographic information coordinators, flood insurance servicing companies, and real estate professionals, among others. The bill also requires FEMA to report on its plan to repay all funds borrowed from the Treasury within 10 years. ü Supported H.Res. 658, which expresses the support of the House of Representatives for the goals and ideals of Federal Credit Union Month and recognizes the importance of Federal credit unions to the economy. ü Supported H.Con.Res. 140, which recognizes lack of representation of minorities in the financial services industry and minorities and women in upper level positions of management, and expresses the sense of the Congress that active measures should be taken to increase the demographic diversity of the financial services industry. ü Supported H.Res. 584, which expresses the support of the House of Representatives for the goals and ideals of "National Life Insurance Awareness Month." Life Insurance Awareness Month was created in response to growing concern about the large number of Americans who lack adequate life insurance protection. Forty percent of adult Americans have no life insurance coverage whatsoever.
ü Spoke before the Values Action Team about H.R. 2807, the Patients First Act, which Congressman Forbes introduced. The Patients First Act promotes research using stem cells that are ethically obtained and show evidence of providing near-term clinical benefit for human patients without the creation or destruction of human embryos. The bill puts the priority for funding on treating patients using successful stem cell therapies, and will intensify research that may result in treatments for numerous diseases and other adverse health conditions. The Values Action Team was established in 1998 to connect conservative Members of Congress with pro-family coalitions. ü Supported H.R. 3668, the Transitional Medical Assistance, Abstinence Education, and Qualifying Individuals Programs Extension Act of 2007. This bill extends funding through December 31, 2007 for abstinence education programs and provides for the extension of transitional medical assistance, which provides temporary health care coverage to families that have become ineligible for Medicaid because of increased earnings - often triggered by leaving welfare for work. The bill also extends funding for the qualifying individuals program.
ü Supported H.Con.Res. 210, which expresses the support of the House of Representatives for the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. In the United States, 1000 babies are born every year with sickle cell disease. ü Supported H.Res. 470, which expresses the support of the House of Representatives for efforts to increase childhood cancer awareness, treatment, and research. Congressman Forbes is a member of the Cancer Care Working Group.
ü Supported H.Res. 634, which encourages participation in hunting and fishing, and supports the goals and ideals of National Hunting and Fishing Day. The resolution also supports the efforts of hunters and fishermen toward the scientific management of wildlife and conservation of the natural environment. ü Supported H.Con.Res. 193, which recognizes hunters across the United States for their continued commitment to safety.
ü Cosponsored a resolution introduced by Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis (VA-01) to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the NASA Langley Research Center. After being established in 1917 as the nation's first civilian aeronautics laboratory, Langley's mission and contributions to aerospace, atmospheric sciences and technology commercialization have made significant improvements to the United States. To learn more about the Langley Research Center, click here.
For a comprehensive look at Congressman Forbes' work on legislative issues, visit the Spotlight Issues page on his website.
|
||||||||||
