This past week, as we recognized Memorial Day, we will never forget those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice so we can live freely in the greatest Nation on Earth. Additionally, as the deadline to raise the debt ceiling is days away, President Biden and congressional leadership released a roughly $4 trillion debt increase “deal” that only perpetuates Washington’s spending problem and fails to enact the substantive reforms that House Republicans passed in our original debt ceiling solution. Further, as fentanyl-related overdose deaths reach historic levels across the country due to President Biden’s open border policies, House Republicans passed legislation to crack down on the deadly drug before this crisis gets worse. We also voted to block President Biden’s unconstitutional student loan giveaway and save Americans’ tax dollars. Further, I was proud to see my legislation to restore accountability in agency rulemaking pass the Judiciary Committee. As always, I was pleased to meet with constituents around the Capitol and hear their views on how Congress can best serve them. As the House is back in session to take up the debt ceiling legislation, I will not vote for this deal that is a shadow of its former self, and I will continue fighting to protect the hard-earned dollars of western Virginians.
Honoring America’s Heroes
In commemoration of Memorial Day, we pause and reflect on all the American heroes who have fallen, are still missing in action, are lost or buried at sea, and the thousands more resting eternally. It is because of their sacrifice that we are able to enjoy the freedoms of this great country. Their service will never be forgotten. May God continue to bless our Nation and those willing to give their lives in defense of freedom.
Cracking Down on Fentanyl to Save American Lives
Thanks to Biden’s open border policies, fentanyl is pouring across our southern border, causing a deadly epidemic in communities across Virginia’s Sixth District and our Nation. Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for Americans under 50 years old, and more than 150 people die from fentanyl and synthetic opioid-related overdoses every day.
To make matters worse, if the temporary order scheduling fentanyl-related substances (FRS) as a Schedule 1 drug ends, several FRS will become street-legal, law enforcement will lose authority to seize them, and drug traffickers will continue to funnel increasingly deadly drugs into the United States.
Innocent lives are on the line, and House Republicans took action to protect them by passing H.R. 467, the HALT Fentanyl Act. This critical legislation would permanently classify illegal fentanyl as a Schedule I substance, and its passage is a major step in the fight to stop this poison and save American lives.
Stopping Biden’s Unconstitutional Student Loan Bailout
President Biden is putting American taxpayers on the hook for hundreds of billions of dollars of unpaid student loan debt through unconstitutional overreach of the executive branch. In August 2022, Biden revealed his plan to ‘cancel’ student debt for people making under $125,000 – a plan that is estimated to cost American taxpayers over $400 billion.
Bottom line: this student loan giveaway doesn’t ‘cancel’ anything. It forces Americans who never took out loans or worked hard to pay them off to bail out the student loans of others. That’s why this past week, the House passed H.J. Res. 45, which revokes the Biden Administration’s unfair and unauthorized action to forgive student loan debt and ends the pause on student loan repayment, saving taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars.
Ensuring Accountability in Agency Rulemaking Act
Too many costly federal regulations are improperly initiated and issued by unelected career bureaucrats, rather than an individual appointed by the President, and confirmed by the Senate. That is unacceptable, and an affront to the Constitution.
I was proud my Ensuring Accountability in Agency Rulemaking Act (H.R. 357) passed out of the House Committee on the Judiciary, which ensures federal regulations are made by officials who are accountable to Congress and to the American people.
Constituent Meetings
It was a pleasure to meet with Sixth District Eastern Mennonite Students in the historic Rayburn Room, where I was glad to answer their insightful questions on immigration and foreign policy.
Since 1937, Central Virginia Electric Cooperative has been serving residential, agricultural, commercial and industrial accounts in the rural portions of 14 Virginia counties. I was pleased to meet with representatives of the group and John Hewa, CEO of Rappahannock Electric, which serves the Sixth District.
I enjoyed seeing representatives of the National Rural Letter Carriers Association (NRLCA) and hearing of the imperative work of USPS carriers in rural areas across the district and America
It was great to meet with Roger Whyte, Assistant Vice President of Business Development for Virginia Transformer, operating out of Roanoke, and discussing energy solutions and the protection of our national energy grid.
I enjoyed chatting with F. Courtney Hoge and James R. Denny III, financial planners with headquarters in the district and the Commonwealth.
I was pleased to meet with Marci Stone, Deputy Fire Chief of the Roanoke Fire-EMS Department, and hearing of their noble work to serve and protect the people of Roanoke.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Congressman. If my office can ever be of assistance, please contact my Washington office at (202) 225-5431.
For the latest updates from Washington and across the Sixth District, please follow my Facebook and Twitter pages.
