It is good to be home and have a chance to visit with and listen to the concerns of residents throughout the Sixth District.
While the House is its August District Work Period, the Senate recently passed a $1.2 trillion bill to fund infrastructure, but the bill includes too many ‘poison pills’ and not enough ‘pay-fors.’
In addition, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has insisted that the bill will not be considered until after the Senate passes a $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill full of liberal projects.
Beyond the spending battles, rising crime, open borders, and inflation remain the topics of much discussion as I speak to folks around the Sixth District. Illegal border crossings hit another 20-year high, homicides in Roanoke have risen 400 percent this year, and inflation is looking more and more permanent.
The greatest value of being home is the ability to meet with those most impacted by the choices Washington makes. To that end, this week I visited with some local small businesses and listened to their concerns as they are recovering from the effects of the past year of COVID restrictions.
Over the past month, I have introduced several pieces of legislation, and I am proud to say all of them are picking up cosponsors and support both from my colleagues in the House and from outside organizations.
The Veterans Entrepreneurship Act, bipartisan legislation which allows Veterans to use their GI Bill to start their own business or purchase a franchise, has recently been endorsed by the American Legion and the International Franchise Association (IFA).
The Legion is the largest Veteran Service Organization in the country and the IFA is the industry representative for dozens of familiar franchises.
In addition, the bipartisan Ensuring Accountability in Agency Rulemaking Act, which requires all agency rules be signed and issued by an individual appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, was recently featured in a favorable editorial in The Hill. Please click here to read the editorial. Lastly, the Federal Insurance Office Elimination Act, which would eliminate the unnecessary Federal Insurance Office, was recently endorsed by the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents.
Momentum is building on each of these bills, and I hope to see all pass the House when we return to session in the fall.
ing Communist China Accountable:
Listening to local small business owners discuss the impact Washington’s decisions have on their daily operations helps me better represent them and their needs. This week, I visited with two local businesses that provide goods and services to the Roanoke area.
Among them were Big Lick Gifts, known for its selection of “Made in Virginia” items, and Crowning Touch Senior Moving Services, which helps meet the specific needs of senior citizens who are looking to relocate, sell their home, or auction some of their property. Both are great examples of seeing and meeting a need that betters the community.
As of August 8, 2021, Virginia has had 704,664 total cases of COVID-19, including confirmed lab tests and clinical diagnoses, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The current death toll in the Commonwealth stands at 11,558. Further, according to the VDH’s COVID-19 vaccine data dashboard, as of August 8th, 5,219,544 people have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 4,649,928 people are fully vaccinated.
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.
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