With federal funding scheduled to run out mid-next month, Congress must debate and pass the annual funding bills needed to keep the government operating. Yet, while the House continues to struggle to elect its next Speaker, the appropriations process and passage of any legislation on the floor has ground to a halt. That is why we must select a Speaker to complete the process and do the work the American people sent us to Washington to do. Back home, I hosted my annual higher education roundtable in Buena Vista with education leaders from across Virginia’s Sixth District, where we discussed ways to make college more affordable, expand opportunities for students, and ensure preparedness for the workforce. In Washington, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing to underscore the growing national security threat of Chinese cyber espionage and its risk to U.S. intellectual property. As we begin another week of session to vote on a new Speaker, advancing the interests of folks in our part of Virginia will remain my top priority.
Annual Higher Education Roundtable
I have long believed that attending college or university should not break the bank, lead to mountains of debt incurred with no job prospects, or fail to prepare students for careers in the real world. With more than 20 colleges and universities across Virginia’s Sixth District, we need to do the hard work of finding solutions to improve students’ mental health, boost post-graduation job placement, adjust to the ever-changing student demographics, uphold Title IX in women’s sports, and keep tuition affordable.
That is why this week, I hosted my annual higher education roundtable at Southern Virginia University in Buena Vista with Southern Virginia University Provost Dr. James Lambert, Washington and Lee University President William Dudley, Mary Baldwin University President Dr. Jeffrey Stein, Roanoke College President Dr. Frank Shushok Jr., Blue Ridge Community College President Dr. John Downey, and Radford University Carilion President Dr. Bret Danilowicz. We discussed ways to make higher education affordable for every family and ensure access to opportunities that fit students’ needs best.
Rest assured, I have been working hard in Washington to try and reform education and rein in costs, and I will continue my efforts to ensure that every student is set up for success.
Protecting U.S. National Security From Chinese Espionage
It’s no secret that the Chinese Communist Party uses artificial intelligence (AI) to conduct cyber espionage worldwide. As a Member of the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet, I pressed witnesses during a hearing last week on the growing national security threat that this espionage poses to U.S. intellectual property and technical resources, including data, and I won’t stop fighting to address this critical issue facing our Nation.
Biden’s Open Border Policies Are Failing Americans
President Biden’s open border and amnesty policies undermine our national security, turning every community into a border community. Since October 1st, more than 18,000 people have evaded Border Patrol agents and illegally entered our country – with no way of knowing who they are or where they are in our communities.
This problem is only going to get worse. If the Senate wants to fix it, they should step up and pass House Republicans’ Secure the Border Act (H.R. 2). This legislation would beef up Border Patrol agents, reform our asylum laws, and restart border wall construction.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.