Weekly Updates

This past week, the House of Representatives continued to consider legislation to promote job creation and to help job creators. This issue is in the forefront of my mind during my daily commute from Montross to Washington as I think what needs to happen in Congress. On Wednesday, I was proud to support H.R. 10, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act, which would make it harder for executive branch agencies to put in place new regulations that could possibly hurt our small businesses and entrepreneurs. One of the observations I hear most from job creators across the First District is that unnecessary government regulations are stifling their ability to hire new employees. This legislation would ensure a process in which the president and Congress would have to approve major rules, thereby leading to defined regulations whose impact on the average American family or business is more clearly understood.

I’ve also heard from many folks in the First District recently about H.R. 1633, the Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act, which passed the House with my support on Thursday. Among other things, this bill would limit the ability of the federal government to regulate the dust created by farm vehicles performing routine labor. This legislation provides more certainty for farmers and others in our rural communities, while at the same time reinforcing the idea that states and local governments are better equipped to regulate these standards in their own areas. I was also very humbled on Wednesday to be named to the conference committee on H.R.1540, the Fiscal Year 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), by House Speaker John Boehner. Conferees are members of the House of Representatives and the Senate who meet to work out the differences between the separate versions of the bill that have been passed by each chamber. This annual defense authorization legislation provides direction for the important missions and priorities of our armed forces, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that our service members and their families have the resources and support they need and deserve.

Finally, I ask that we all keep the victims and families of this most recent tragedy at Virginia Tech in our thoughts and prayers. I am proud to be a Virginia Tech alumnus, and am deeply saddened by this loss of life on a campus that is still mourning the loss of so many in 2007.As always please continue to contact me through email on my website (www.wittman.house.gov), by phone (202-225-4261) or online through Twitter (www.twitter.com/robwittman) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/reprobwittman).

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.