I had the opportunity during the Congressional District Work Period this week to travel across the district and talk with folks about what issues are important to them. I was honored to speak to and meet with Cub Scout Pack 175 as they completed their annual flag project, placing flags on the graves of veterans to honor their service as we observed Memorial Day. These young people are an inspiration to the older generations as they showed their honor and appreciation for the service of veterans, and their dedication to the enduring spirit of freedom in this country.
The Family Maternity Center of the Northern Neck celebrated their grand opening this past week. I was so pleased to join them to celebrate in this achievement. Realizing the need for access to quality health care for expecting mothers, the members of the community answered the call by coming together to make the dream of a clinic once again a reality. Birth centers such as this are shown to provide an excellent alternative for low-risk deliveries and have the ability to manage moderate-risk and high-risk pregnancies. Due to the humble efforts by the community, this building will serve as a lifeline for so many.
Another highlight of the week was a visit to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Each day, FBI agents across the nation protect and defend the United States against terrorist threats to keep us safe at home, and the First District is where new agents receive their initial training. I also was able to visit the FBI Laboratory, which opened in 2003, and Hogan’s Alley – a unique training complex that replicates a small town, where new FBI and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agents refine their investigative techniques, firearms skills, and defensive tactics. It’s great to have this leading learning and research center for our federal law enforcement officers and global criminal justice community in our backyard, and I was grateful to learn more about how I can support them in Washington.
On Friday, I had the opportunity to sit down with Matt Kelly, host of the radio show “TownHall” on NewsTalk 1230 in Fredericksburg. The compelling theme throughout the hour-long show – and throughout the district this week – was concern for the out-of-control government spending going on in Washington, DC. To bring economic recovery, I believe we need to focus on measures that spur growth. We simply cannot spend our way to prosperity. We have to get the spending in Washington under control. As I have said in the past, passing unsustainable debt to our children and grandchildren is not an option.
As always, your thoughts and opinions are important to me as I work for reforms on these issues and more. So please don't hesitate to contact my offices in Washington D.C., Fredericksburg, Tappahannock, or Yorktown with your thoughts, if we didn’t have a chance to visit this week.
Congressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He was elected to his first full term in November 2008 and serves on the Natural Resources Committee and the Armed Services Committee where he is the Ranking Member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.
