On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, founding the greatest nation in the world, our United States of America. As our nation’s Independence Day comes and goes this week, we must pause to remember the ideals of freedom and individual liberty recognized by the Declaration, penned by a Virginia son, Thomas Jefferson.
This past week, I quoted wise words written by Thomas Jefferson to begin discussion at my Budget Talk Town Hall meetings in Fredericksburg and Williamsburg. As Jefferson said, “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” As we look at the staggering numbers we face with our national debt and deficit, it seems like a daunting hurdle to overcome. We have a debt crisis facing our nation. This year’s deficit is projected to be the highest in history. According to the United States Treasury Department, our nation’s debt currently stands at over $14 trillion, which amounts to a $45,500 “birth tax” for every child born in America this year or $120,500 for every household. The government is spending money we don’t have, borrowing 42 cents on the dollar, much of it from China, and sending the bill to our children and grandchildren. It’s our job to turn this situation on its head and bring Washington back on the track of responsibility. This will require sacrifice and tough choices, but it is work worth doing.
I was pleased to talk with so many folks during these town halls and at other meetings during this Congressional District work period. Before I left Washington, we voted on legislation regarding the situation in Libya. I believe that with the dedication of U.S. resources and especially lives, we must demand accountability from the Administration to talk with the American people about the U.S. goals in Libya. I voted to restrict funding on additional involvement and against authorization of military use of force in Libya because I believe that while we must keep our commitment to NATO, we have yet to receive justification from the President for further U.S. involvement in Libya. It is critical we understand what our mission in Libya is and that Congress assert its Constitutional responsibility under the War Powers Act to approve or disapprove this operation, with adequate information to do so.
I was honored to receive the Outstanding National Legislator Award at the 26th Virginia MOAA Congressional Appreciation Luncheon this week. Our veterans deserve our utmost appreciation for their service and sacrifice on behalf of our nation. This award symbolizes the importance of the contributions service members and veterans make on behalf of this nation. In turn, it is critical we support them in Washington, DC, to ensure they receive the benefits they have earned and deserve. I am proud to represent a district so rich in military history and culture, and I am humbled by this acknowledgement by one of the premier military associations in our community here in Virginia and in the nation.
Please keep in touch with me with your thoughts and ideas by email or by phone at 202-225-4261.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." –Thomas Jefferson.
Congressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.
