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As the economic crisis unfolds, there have been a series of proposals and initiatives set forth by both the Administration and Congress to address the situation. The President recently announced that he will hold a series of global economic forums in order to better coordinate the worldwide response. The Federal Reserve is continuing to do the legwork on executing the original economic recovery act and looking at a multitude of options for providing credit. In Congress, there is much talk of a s... Read more

The past several days have been historic ones for Congress and for the families and people of this great nation. We face significant challenges in our financial markets and I do not underestimate the serious nature of the decisions we face in dealing with the credit crisis. I realize that the current credit crisis could create problems for every American should the financial markets freeze and remain frozen. Throughout this debate it has been clear that action is necessary but the recovery bill ... Read more

The events that began last week on Wall Street are reshaping the American marketplace and the global economy. On Friday, I participated in a conference call with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. During the call, I had the opportunity to ask some tough questions and express my concerns about the Administration's proposed bailout. It is clear to me that the Treasury and Fed took the necessary actions last week to prevent significant hardship for the mill... Read more

On Thursday, we marked the seventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11th. I was honored to attend the memorial service at the Pentagon, as well as the dedication of the 9/11 memorial there. The Pentagon memorial is a beautiful park, featuring 184 light benches that commemorate the 184 individuals who lost their lives in the attack. Even more impressive has been the tenacity of the families involved in spearheading the project. Against unlikely odds, they sought funding and drove... Read more

In Virginia's First District, transportation is an issue that touches each of us on a daily basis. Anyone who has sat in traffic around Quantico or fought congestion in the Hampton Roads area understands why we must continually invest and expand our highway system. Making sure that the federal government is an active partner in building and maintaining Virginia's roads is one of my top priorities in Congress. Transportation infrastructure is the backbone of our economic development. By providin... Read more

Virginia is the number two importer of trash in the nation, taking some seven million tons into our landfills in 2007 alone. Earlier this summer, I introduced the Solid Waste Interstate Transportation Act of 2008, H.R. 6166. This legislation would give states and localities greater control to regulate waste levels by giving them the ability to limit imports to their landfill facilities. Importing excessive, unregulated amounts of trash has a significant impact on Virginia's infrastructure. Asid... Read more

The Chesapeake Bay is at the heart of Virginia's economy and its environmental well being. For centuries, the Bay has shaped the lives and livelihoods of Virginia residents and continues to define the character of our region. Yet, as important as the Bay is, our efforts to restore it have fallen far short of our aspirations. Recently, I introduced legislation to modernize the Chesapeake Bay recovery effort. The Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act, H.R. 6771, would implement modern man... Read more

The August District Work Period started off with a bang last week, with dozens of Members of Congress returning to Washington to continue calling for an up or down vote on a comprehensive energy policy. After participating in the beginning of the effort on Friday, I returned to the Capitol on Monday to speak on the House Floor and continue calling for Congress to return to Washington to deal with the energy crisis. In addition to participating in Monday's effort, I held two telephone town halls ... Read more

Last week was the final week prior to the August District Work Period. As many of you know, Congress has historically always recessed for the month of August. Prior to the advent of air conditioning, this was because the heat and humidity in Washington during August were unbearable! However, in today's world of climate control, August has become a great opportunity for Members of Congress to spend an entire uninterrupted month working in their districts and meeting with constituents. I'm certain... Read more

Congress voted on several important pieces of legislation last week, including a housing act and two transportation bills. Each piece of legislation will have a notable impact on Virginia, so I want to discuss them in greater depth in this week's update. On Wednesday, the House considered the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act. While this bill passed the House, I voted against it for several important reasons. In considering this legislation, I used two primary criteria: It m... Read more