In the age of procrastination and irresponsible spending in Washington, continuing resolutions have become a comfortable fall back for Congress. Instead of buckling down, skipping the archaic breaks, and getting spending bills done in time for measured debate, lawmakers look to last-minute, stop gap measures to fund the federal government. The last time Congress was able to maintain regular operations without a continuing resolution was in 1996—two decades ago. I’ve said before that continuing r...
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The November terrorist attacks in Paris have led to some critical self-reflection here in the United States. In the aftermath of the slaughter that left at least 130 dead (the body count continues to rise) and some 100s more injured, Americans have linked arm-in-arm with our oldest ally—mourning the dead, pledging increased military support and redoubling our collective resistance to fear as a way of life. But this “act of war,” as French President Francois Hollande called it, has implications b...
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WASHINGTON – Virginia’s congressional delegation is urging President Obama to support funding to expand the Port of Virginia. In a bipartisan letter signed by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and U.S. Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Randy Forbes (R-VA), Rob Wittman (R-VA), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Robert Hurt (R-VA), Scott Rigell (R-VA), Dave Brat (R-VA), Don Beyer (D-VA) and Barbara Comstock (R-VA), the members urged the Administration to support funds for a pro...
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In August, this newspaper published an editorial that described the challenges that commuters and businesses in our region face because of the debilitating traffic on our roads. As a commuter myself and as a representative of a congressional district that covers much of the Interstate 95 corridor in Northern Virginia, as well as the Northern Neck, the Middle Peninsula and a significant portion of Hampton Roads, I am familiar with both the veins and arteries that make up Virginia’s transportation...
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Last week, Congress fulfilled its constitutional duties by passing the annual defense policy legislation, the National Defense Authorization Act, for fiscal year 2016. The bill simply awaits President Barack Obama's signature to become law and assure our men and women in uniform that they will have the tools and resources they need. Despite strong bipartisan support for the legislation, the president has promised to veto the bill in order to gain leverage for increased domestic spending demands....
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A recent guest columnist highlighted my public advocacy against harmful defense budget cuts slated for later this year. I am glad he shares my commitment. These additional reductions to our defense budget—known as sequestration—will hollow out our military and leave our nation in a position where our military leaders say we will be unable to defend against the threats we face. I fought hard to prevent these cuts from taking effect in previous years, and while I was pleased that they were delayed...
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To view the Obama administration’s proposal to allow energy exploration off the Atlantic coast solely in light of the current price of oil is to miss the long-term strategic value of safely, and effectively, harnessing our domestic resources...
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No one wants to see harm done to the oceans or the creatures that inhabit them. Industry has made great advancements in prevention and containment; and we share a firm resolve to leave our children with clean air, clean water and clean soil.
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Submitted by U.S. Sens. Mark Warner & Tim Kaine, and U.S. Reps. Rob Wittman, Scott Rigell, Bobby Scott and Randy Forbes Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), made history Saturday, laying the keel for the U.S. Navy's 12th Virginia-class submarine. While this is newsworthy in and of itself, what makes the event historic is that this attack submarine, designated SSN 785, is the first in the class to be named after a person: Virginia's own former U.S. S...
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Progress is fragile and fleeting, and without proper attention it can quickly be lost. Today, pollution threatens all of the recent progress we’ve made at cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay. At risk is not only the ecosystem’s survival, but also a way of life for so many. What some might think of as simply a body of water is an integral natural resource, historically, economically, and culturally. Just as it has shaped the lives and livelihood of Virginians for centuries, the Bay continues to shape ...
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