The Shadow
After a busy June in Washington, I was grateful to spend this past week traveling the Sixth District and meeting with constituents in every corner of the Shenandoah Valley.
Fortunately, this week was filled less with politics and more with picnics as families celebrated Independence Day with friends and loved ones. While the Fourth of July is a time for fireworks, barbecues, and parades, it is also a time to remember the origins of this great country.
On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress gathered in Philadelphia and voted to officially sever ties with Great Britain. Pledging their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, 56 brave men proclaimed to the world the sovereignty of the Thirteen Colonies. This statement has since become known as the Declaration of Independence, and its words are at the very core of the American Ideal.
“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.”
I strive every day to uphold these values as your representative in Congress. I fight to ensure that the American Dream is never out of reach for any citizen in this country and that regardless of status, I will always work to preserve liberty, opportunity and equality. It is important to take a moment this Independence Day weekend and remember that rather than Republicans or Democrats, on this day we are all Americans first.
Should you and your family wish to visit the National Archives to view the Declaration of Independence and other documents relating to American history, please do not hesitate to contact my Washington office. My staff is happy to assist in arranging tours of not only of the National Archives, but of the Capitol Building and White House as well. To request tours, please visit my website at cline.house.gov.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Congressman.
If you have comments on legislation moving through the House, you may leave your comments with my Washington office by calling (202) 225-5431. If you need assistance with a federal agency, my district office may be reached at (540) 857-2672.
