Although the temperatures outside have been rising steadily, I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting with so many of you and being able to travel around the First District this week. It has truly been a productive week. On Tuesday, I hosted the First Congressional District Job Fair in Hampton, where over 900 job-seekers came out to interact with more than 50 employers actively looking to hire folks. Our goal was to directly connect folks seeking employment with employers, and I was pleased to see such a fantastic turnout. It was also valuable to hear directly from those affected by our struggling economy. As I work in Washington, D.C. to promote job creation, reduce bloated federal spending and support measures to reduce the red-tape for small businesses to succeed, I cannot underestimate the value of hearing directly from folks. Every effort must be made to create more certainty to spur investment in job growth and business expansion that will get our economy moving again.
On Monday afternoon, I met with the First District Emergency Preparedness/Disaster Response Council, a group formed for important discussion on these issues. The discussion was especially timely as we remember the recent weather related tragedies in Gloucester, across Virginia and elsewhere in the United States. Later in the week, I spoke to the Crown Colony Club in Williamsburg about the current discussions in Congress over spending and the debt ceiling, and I reiterated to them my belief that we must get our fiscal house in order.
Despite the heat, I did enjoy spending some time in the great outdoors this week. I joined scores of great volunteers at the 23rd Annual Clean the Bay Day in Jamestown and was excited to see so many folks interested in preserving this endangered resource. The restoration of the Chesapeake Bay has been one of my highest priorities since being elected to Congress, as the Bay is a vital part of the First District’s economy and culture. The Natural Resources Committee in the House of Representatives will soon consider legislation I recently reintroduced, H.R. 258, the Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act of 2011, which restructures the management of the Chesapeake Bay recovery effort. My bill will bring multiple agencies and groups together so that we can effectively protect and restore this significant part of the Virginia’s First District. I’m looking forward to the “mark-up” in the Natural Resources Committee to keep this bill moving forward as we continue efforts to fight for the Bay and those who rely on it. On Wednesday, I visited Prince William Forest Park to meet with park employees and hear about some of the current initiatives going on there. Prince William Forest Park is one of our great National Parks in America’s First Congressional District.
The highlight of the week was my participation in Colonial Beach High School’s commencement exercises. I enjoyed addressing the graduating seniors, their proud parents, families, friends, and school faculty. The youth of our nation has so much energy and potential, and as I watched them walk across the stage to accept their diplomas, I couldn’t help but think of all the significant issues we’re debating here in Congress and the importance of those actions on their future. The effects of our actions will echo far into the future of this country, and the lives of these graduates will undoubtedly be affected by the policies we enact. This is a sobering yet inspiring point to remember, and an important one to keep in mind as we continue to work towards a better future for this nation.
As the Congress again returns to Washington, D.C., I encourage you to continue to stay in contact with me. Please keep in touch through email on my website (www.wittman.house.gov), by phone at 202-225-4261, or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/reprobwittman and Twitter (www.twitter.com/robwittman).
