Last weekend, American-born radical Islamist and self-proclaimed ISIS loyalist Omar Mateen entered Pulse night club in Orlando, Florida and opened fire. It was three long, harrowing hours before law enforcement officials were finally able to storm the night club and end the gunman’s reign of terror. By the time the ordeal had finally drawn to a close, 49 American men and women were dead… Read more »
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” ~John 15:13
Etched on simple white markers in Arlington National Cemetery are the names of the men and women who fought and died, who gave what Lincoln called “the last full measure of devotion,” to secure our American way of life. Each of those names represents a choice—a decision to live and die in… Read more »
Imagine that you have a 3 o’clock appointment in D.C. You have your keys, your wallet, plenty of gas—everything you need. You leave your home in Virginia with time to spare. You’re relaxed, calm, and ready to go. Now, imagine that at 2:45 p.m., you’re sitting on I-95 at a dead standstill. You look to your left and to your right. You roll down the window and strain to see ahead, trying to… Read more »
You know that email you’ve been saving? The one from your dad … or co-worker … or best friend … or daughter? The one they thought only you would see? The one YOU thought only you would see? Well, as the law stands now, law enforcement officials could have legal access to that email without so much as a warrant.
Maybe that surprises you, or maybe it doesn’t. But the fact is that as… Read more »
“An overwhelming desire to serve.”
That’s the answer a Marine Corps Major gave me earlier this week when I asked him why he chose to join the military. “I wanted to be a part of and serve something greater than I ever could on my own,” he told me, “and I wanted to protect, on a small scale, my family and friends, and on a larger scale, a way of life. If you were to ask most people who… Read more »
Tax day. It’s dreaded, it’s feared, it’s loathed. And rightfully so.
Last year, Americans rushing to file their taxes by the April 15 deadline dealt with a 74,608-page-long Internal Revenue Code (tax code). And whether you’re an early 20-something finishing school and paying taxes for the first time or you’re a 50-something with diverse assets and your own business, that’s daunting. Our… Read more »
I believe, and I’ve often told my staff, that we’re put on this earth to make a difference in the lives of others. As a public servant, that’s what motivates me. When I look around and I see the faces of my family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors, I see so much potential. The folks who make up the First District are a powerful force for good. We can change our Commonwealth, our… Read more »
Folks,
Earlier this week, The News and Advance ran a story that called the Obama Administration’s decision not to allow offshore energy production in the Atlantic Ocean a “blow to Virginia and others.” I couldn’t agree more. The Administration’s policy shuts down growth opportunities for people across the Commonwealth and compromises our economic prosperity and national security. I don’t… Read more »
Growing up in the town of Montross on the Northern Neck of Virginia, I learned early that when you’re outdoors, there are no ugly places. I can’t say how many boyhood afternoons I spent with a line in the water, watching the sun sink beyond the horizon, or how many days I spent wandering in the woods with my dad. But what I can say is that, for me and for so many Americans, the time spent… Read more »
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” Remember being asked that question? Remember all the possibility at the other end of it? Anything you could dream about, you could be. But as adults, we know that question is about more than choosing a career. It’s about aspiring to be better than we are. It’s about seeking greatness.
As we shape our next generation of leaders, that’s what we… Read more »
