Weekly Updates

Washington Update: June Stories You Don't Want to Miss

Washington, July 9, 2021

Tags: National Defense , Veterans , Jobs & Economy , Environmental Conservation , Families

Friend -

As always, I continue to be amazed by the people of Virginia’s First District. Between meeting with constituents throughout the district, or hearing your voice while in Washington, I am constantly reminded of the hard work and dedication of the folks I am lucky enough to represent. This June was no different:

Early in June, I had the chance to partner with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to participate in national Clean the Bay Day. We spent the morning cleaning up litter throughout Westmoreland State Park, and on this day, more than 2,000 volunteers across Virginia picked up 52,306 pounds of litter as a part of these state-wide clean up efforts.

The Chesapeake Bay is not just another policy topic for me. Like so many of you, I view the Bay as the lifeblood of our region’s economy, the home to countless species of fish and other wildlife, and a true national treasure that must be maintained and protected. Simply put: the Chesapeake Bay is a way of life for us.

Last Congress, I submitted a Congressional Record to honor the life of Colonel Dallas Ralph Hanna (Ret.), a veteran of the United States Air Force who passed away last year. While in the district in June, I was able to present this extension of remarks to Ralph’s family, Lou, Nikki, and Glen. Colonel Hanna was a true American patriot and proud Virginian, and it was an honor to be able to reflect on his life with his family.

One of my most distinct honors in representing Virginia’s First Congressional District, is the opportunity to nominate talented and ambitious young adults for the service academies. In June, I met with Hunter, whom I had previously nominated to the United States Naval Academy four years ago. Now, Hunter is a graduate of the Naval Academy and headed to flight school in Pensacola, Florida.

It is my job to advocate for our men and women in uniform, and meeting with Hunter reminded me of just how critical that job is. I will continue to fight for secure - on time funding to ensure our men and women in uniform have the proper training and equipment to carry out their mission and return home safely.

In Washington, I will continue to work tirelessly to make sure our military has the resources it needs to be successful. President Biden’s recently announced 2021 shipbuilding plan, as well as his overall defense budget proposal, are completely insufficient. These plans fail to meet critical national security criteria. We are falling behind China in building our Navy, and this shipbuilding plan fails to put us on a trajectory to compete with China’s growing naval forces in the long-term.

The current plan proposed by the Biden Administration sends a message to China that we are on the path of reducing the size and capability of our Navy. In June, I joined the Hudson Institute with Representative Mike Gallagher to discuss these challenges facing the U.S. shipbuilding and repair industry and the need for immediate action to build and maintain our Navy to keep up with the increasing threat posed by China. To view this important discussion, check out the video below, or click here.

While we must not lose sight of future threats, we must also hold China accountable for past actions. Folks, the World Deserves to Know how the pandemic began. Mounting evidence continues to point to the Wuhan institute of Virology as the likely origin for COVID-19, but China continues to block a free and fair investigation from happening. To hold China accountable and get to the truth behind the pandemic, I introduced The World Deserves to Know Act.

This is not about finger-pointing or political gamesmanship - this is about the truth. And the truth should not be a partisan issue; not only for the sake of truth itself, but to ensure the United States never suffers another pandemic like the one we have just endured. To learn more about The World Deserves to Know Act, and how critically important holding China accountable really is, watch the clip below, or click here.

Finally, this month, I also had the opportunity to connect with constituents right here from Washington, through one of my Telephone Town Halls. My number one priority is listening to the people I represent, and using their thoughts, concerns, and insights to better represent them in Washington. These town halls give me the opportunity to update folks on what is happening in Washington, as well as give participants a chance to ask questions.

To ensure you do not miss a future informative Telephone Town Hall, click here.