Federal Employees

The fact that even DoD teachers will be furloughed, potentially impacting the education and classroom experience of the children of our military families, shows just how irrational this policy is as a whole. Read more »

The First District is full of phenomenal individuals who serve our nation in a myriad of ways, whether with one of our service branches or in an executive branch agency, and I am proud to represent a region where service for one’s community is held in such high regard. Read more »

While it is absolutely necessary to reduce government spending and change the way Washington operates, sequestration is a haphazard method that fails to protect the necessary functions of government. That is why I have voted to replace the sequester with more targeted, specific spending reductions to rid the government of waste. Read more »

... I am proud to be a part of the Virginia congressional delegation, which has historically exhibited a bipartisan approach to addressing public policy challenges that face our Commonwealth. It is critical that our nation’s leaders find areas of common ground so that we can leave behind this continual state of gridlock in Washington and move toward an atmosphere of actually solving the challenges we face. Read more »

... forced budget cuts, known as “sequestration,” will irreparably harm our nation’s security and its all-volunteer force, and in turn will affect so many individuals and families in Virginia. While I was pleased that the president acknowledged the many challenges facing Virginia, I was disappointed not to hear more specifics for how he thinks this immediate challenge should be addressed. These cuts could have drastic implications for our region, not to mention risking the readiness of our armed forces and the functionality of our federal government. Read more »

Our country certainly faces difficult challenges in the coming days, from the unsustainable state of our federal deficit to the sluggish and unstable job market. I will continue to work hard to rein in our government’s debt and facilitate an environment where businesses can innovate, expand, and hire people. Read more »

I firmly believe the government must rein in spending, but I also will support the strategic defense of this nation, first and foremost. We cannot cut defense simply to cut – there is nothing more important than keeping our communities safe and supplying our troops with the resources they need to do the job we ask of them. Read more »

I thought of the law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe every day and night, and the emergency first responders who we know will come to our call should we need their healing hands. These and many other exemplary citizens are the ones who take the lead in a crisis and are the first to approach difficulty when the natural reaction is to turn and run away. Without hesitation, they persevere and complete the most challenging tasks even when others have given up. And my sense is that too many in Washington, D.C. run in the wrong direction when faced with a crisis – Congress has a lot to learn from our Nation’s many public servants. Read more »