Congress considered the DRILL Act last week, which failed passage in the House. While I'm glad that we are finally considering energy legislation in Congress, I strongly feel that this bill was not the right approach. I voted against the bill and I want to use this week's update to explain why and to outline my philosophy for solving with the energy crisis. As someone who commutes 80 miles each way almost every day, I understand the impact of skyrocketing gas prices on family budgets. That's why...
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The First District of Virginia has a rich military heritage. Our men and women serving in uniform do a remarkable job for our country and they also contribute significantly to their communities. In Washington, I have the opportunity to serve on the House Armed Services Committee. Serving on this committee requires an in depth understanding about the needs and missions of the military, and that's why I spend as much time as I can visiting the military installations and leaders around the First Di...
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I spent the week of Independence Day working throughout the First District. In between working in my district offices, I was honored to spend time with the Coast Guard, take a tour and meet with officials at William & Mary, visit Ferry Farm for the unveiling of archaeological discovery of George Washington's boyhood home, and to meet with constituents in Fredericksburg about gas prices.I started the week off with the Coast Guard in Hampton Roads. There, I took part in the ceremony to introduce t...
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It's been quite a busy week in Washington. With all that's been going on, I wanted to use this week's update to talk about the work we've been doing in the House Armed Services and Natural Resources Committees. In the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), we considered several important issues this week. In one hearing, we discussed the current state of China's forces. This included their military build-up, possible worldwide intentions, recent economic and security developments, and shipbuildi...
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Leadership in Space and Aviation development is an American trademark. NASA, the vanguard in space and aeronautics research, embodies our spirit of ingenuity and hard work. I'm proud to represent the backbone of our country's aeronautics research, the NASA Langley Research Center. I was especially pleased this week to vote in favor of the NASA Authorization, which authorizes $853.5 million for aeronautics research. The NASA Authorization Act reaffirms our commitment to space exploration, doubles...
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If there's one issue that impacts each of us on a daily basis, it's the price of gas. With the national average of a gallon of gas passing four dollars this week, filling up at the pump is becoming an incredibly expensive proposition. In fact, in my tele-town hall meeting on Wednesday, energy was the number one issue on the minds of constituents by an overwhelming margin. It's about an 80 mile drive from Montross up to Washington and I make the roundtrip several times a week - nearly every day t...
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This week I was pleased to support the final passage of the Defense Authorization Bill for fiscal year 2009. I want to share with you some important provisions of the bill. H.R. 5658, the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, authorizes $531.4 billion in budget authority for the Department of Defense (DoD) and the national security programs of the Department of Energy (DoE). The bill also authorizes $70 billion to support ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan du...
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Submarines have been a central component of our naval forces for over a century. Since World War II, the United States has employed a number of different submarines to conduct military operations around the globe. During the Cold War the submarine emerged as one of our nation's best tools for preventing the threat of World War III and today the submarine helps our Navy conduct numerous operations in the War on Terror. Our national defense demands that we have a strong and capable Naval Fleet, an...
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I would like to update you on some of the work I've been doing that relates to the natural, historic and cultural significance of our area. As an avid sportsman and outdoorsman I am very glad to have an opportunity to work to improve and preserve those special places for today's visitors and future generations. As I'm sure you are aware, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the First Congressional District are home to many historic places and natural attractions. Last week with my support the House...
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Last week I had the opportunity to visit Fort A.P. Hill, the wonderful military facility in Caroline County. My trip coincided with Fort A.P. Hill winning the Army Chief of Staff Communities of Excellence Award for Fiscal Year 2008. The award is presented annually to an installation for its exemplary efforts in providing support to Soldiers, civilian employees, retirees and their families. It recognizes continuous business process improvements, individual innovation, groundbreaking initiatives a...
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