Weekly Updates

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… 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… 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… 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… Read more »

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… Read more »

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,… Read more »

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… Read more »

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… Read more »

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… Read more »

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… Read more »