Dear Friend- Preparing our nation’s students with the skills necessary to enter the workforce is critical to ensuring a healthy economy, so I wanted to update you on some of my district work in this area. This month, I toured the SON Metal Fabrication Plant in Ashland. This company works to combine sheet metal fabrication and machining to meet the needs of their many customers. I was able to meet with their incredible crew and hear about the educational steps they took to get to their current po...
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Dear Friend - Let's face it: there is a lot of news coming out of Washington these days. And much of it is designed to draw a reaction from you or get you to take sides. But there is another story out there that you're not hearing. That's the story of the important accomplishments made by the House during the first eight months of this year. From the outset of 2017, we made it a priority to work on the issues that matter most to you and I believe we took meaningful steps to grow our economy, str...
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Dear Friend- Like you, I care deeply about the education of our children; so I wanted to update you on what I have been doing in the First District to promote summer learning for elementary school-aged kids. This week I was a guest reader at the Falmouth YMCA for their Summer Learning Loss Prevention Program. This program is for rising first and second graders who are at risk for not reading at a third grade reading level. This extra practice is designed to keep them on track and reach their ful...
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Dear Friend - Knowing of your interest in education and workforce development, I wanted to update you on my recent work in this critical area. Last week, the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18 NDAA) with my strong support. This bill is the main mechanism through which Congress "provides for the common defense" of our nation. It equips, supplies, and trains our troops; cares for them and their families; and sets national security policy in a dangerous w...
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Friend - Knowing of our shared interest in education, I wanted to update you on what I have been working on in Washington. This week, the House focused on workforce development by passing two bills that emphasize the importance of skills and education to getting a better job. These bills are part of our ongoing efforts to building a stronger national workforce and expanding job growth. As a member of the Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus, I was proud to vote in favor of these p...
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WASHINGTON – WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Representatives Rob Wittman (R-VA) and Gene Green (D-TX) introduced legislation (H.R. 2286) intended to advance the capabilities of two-year community and technical colleges to assist the federal government and industry in securing the talent pipeline for domestic maritime industry jobs. "A well-trained, skilled maritime workforce is critical for our nation's economy and national security," said Rep. Wittman. "Advancing the capabilities of community and techn...
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WASHINGTON -- With Saturday marking 100 days into the Trump Administration, Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) highlighted his constituent engagement efforts during that time in an email to First District residents. The email spotlighted the overall number of constituent contacts Rep. Wittman made during the first 100 days and also included figures for constituent correspondence received, responses sent, bills introduced, and forums held. "Listening to constituents is my top priority and helps me b...
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Hi Friend- Americans spoke louder than ever to say: Washington needs to change the way it does business and I agree. I am fully dedicated to representing the constituents of the First District. I will continue to work hard to ensure that Veterans receive the benefits they deserve; that we bring jobs back to the hard-working men and women of Virginia; that we preserve and build our military strength; and that we meet the needs of our dedicated federal employees. I am here to serve you and I want ...
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A few weeks ago, I met a young woman named Sarah. She was smiling, and it was the smile of a student who just solidified her future, her success. She just completed a career and technical education program in manufacturing technology. She is already far on her way to achieving her dream of becoming a manufacturing engineer, even before receiving her high school diploma. Not all careers start with a bachelor’s degree—some begin before students have even started high school. Credential and two-yea...
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“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 have to keep in mind: we’re not just molding minds, we’re building character. I often reflect on that when I’m s...
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