Sixth District Perspectives with Congressman Ben Cline – November 6, 2019

Working to make college more affordable and to reduce regulations, I spent much of last week in the House Education and Labor Committee fighting to ensure that parents and students would not be adversely impacted by legislation reauthorizing the Higher Education Act. I also took time to join my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month to call attention to this growing issue in America. Finally, when I returned home to the Sixth District, I had the pleasure of continuing my Fall Farm Tour to meet with the hardworking producers throughout our area. It was an eventful few days, and I am excited to be back in the Sixth District interacting directly with my constituents.

Higher Education Act:
Virginia’s Sixth Congressional District is home to more colleges and universities than almost any area in the country. To ensure that these institutions continue to thrive, we must address the skyrocketing cost to parents, the crushing debt to students, and the burdensome regulations to administrators. Unfortunately, at an estimated cost to the taxpayers of over $400 billion and coming in at 1,200 pages long, legislation passed out of the Education and Labor Committee does not accomplish these goals. One of the amendments I offered would have provided necessary reforms by returning much of the administrative oversight power to the states and private sector, increased accountability and transparency, and pushed down the rising cost of tuition. Unfortunately, committee Democrats voted my amendment down, which I believe was the best alternative to their proposal and instead favored interventionist methods that will stifle innovation at institutions and stunt intellectual growth on campuses. The misnamed College Affordability Act (CAA) fails to produce solutions to make higher education work better for Americans, and instead, the Democrats doubled down on provisions that only exacerbate the problems people face today in the education space.

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Domestic Violence Awareness Month:
Last week, we recognized Domestic Violence Awareness Month to acknowledge the strength of survivors and call for an end to the abuse experienced by more than 2 million Americans each year. Whether in the VA House of Delegates or in Congress, I have been and will continue to be, a tireless advocate for reforms to end the cycle of abuse.

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Fall Farm Tour:
Last Friday, I embarked on the third day of my Fall Farm Tour of the Sixth District, and was pleased to be joined by Ranking Member of the House Committee on Agriculture, Mike Conaway (TX-11). Together we met with local farmers throughout Amherst, Bedford, and Botetourt counties. A few of our stops included Greenvalley Meat Processors and Albert Family Farm in Monroe, VA – as well as tours of Kennedy Farm in Bedford and Jeter Farm on the James in Buchanan.

A common theme we heard throughout the day was the need to pass the USMCA trade agreement. This agreement would benefit our local farms, particularly those operating in Virginia’s largest agricultural export industries: beef, poultry, and dairy. The USMCA is a 21st-century agreement that opens markets, reduces trade barriers, and will result in 176,000 new jobs.

Roanoke County Town Hall:
I recently held a town hall in Roanoke County at the Charles R. Hill Community Center in Vinton, VA. I was pleased to be joined by Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09) who participated as my special guest. As with my previous town hall meetings, I enjoyed the opportunity to engage directly with the nearly 100 constituents in attendance. I always appreciate the privilege of listening to those I represent and hearing about the issues that matter most to them.

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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.