When you turn on the news at night or check the headlines on your smart phone, you may notice that in nearly every region of the world events are unfolding that could have a profound impact on the safety of our nation. Indeed, one thing always on my mind as I serve you in Congress is that the world is not getting any safer. In the Asia-Pacific, China has engaged in an unprecedented militarization ... Read more »
Knowing of your interest in business and our economy, I wanted to update you on actions taking place in Washington to help hard-working Americans save for retirement. Last year the Department of Labor (DOL) issued the “Fiduciary Rule,” placing harsh regulations on financial advisors. The rule requires any individual giving retirement investment advice to act as “fiduciaries” and to provide documen... Read more »
We all like our privacy and the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees it. However it’s not hard to see that the world around us is evolving. Technology gives us the opportunity to better ourselves and the communities in which we live. It helps us to connect with friends and family and do business at speeds we could never before imagine. But these developments shouldn’t come at the c... Read more »
In my last message to you, the federal employees of Virginia's First Congressional District, I promised that I would engage with the groups and leaders that represent your interests. Today I wanted to send you a brief update on those efforts. First, I recently met with J. David Cox, President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) to discuss the group's legislative priorities fo... Read more »
The safety and security of Virginians is my greatest concern and top priority. We must never forget that there are individuals, groups, and indeed, entire countries that seek to do harm to our citizens and destroy our way of life. So we must be ever vigilant in protecting our homeland to ensure all of our citizens can live in peace and security. This is one of the fundamental roles of the federal ... Read more »
When I speak with Virginians, one thing I consistently hear is, "we need to change how Congress operates." People are rightly frustrated by what they see happening in Washington: budget by crisis, missing important legislative deadlines, and partisan bickering, just to name a few. I am frustrated, too. That is why I have made reforming how Congress works one of my top priorities as your representa... Read more »
Yesterday we witnessed one of the most important American political traditions: the orderly, peaceful transfer of power from one presidential administration to another. Millions of Americans, from the National Mall to homes across the country, watched as Donald J. Trump took the oath of office to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." And as only forty-four others ha... Read more »
“I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.... Read more »
WASHINGTON – Representative Rob Wittman (VA-1), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, today supported passage of the Conference Report for the Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This legislation, the final version of the bill that establishes the funding authorizations and priorities for the nation’s military, passed the House of Representatives b... Read more »
In the aftermath of the Revolutionary War and the adoption and ratification of the United States Constitution, there remained a heightened level of anxiety about the kind of power the President might wield. The nation—in its early infancy—needed an executive who was strong enough to protect the national interests, but not so strong that his rule was oppressive to the people (who had just come out ... Read more »
