Sixth District Perspectives with Congressman Ben Cline – November 17, 2019

This week, I had the honor of traveling the Sixth District and meeting with the men and women who served our country in celebration of Veterans Day. Spending time amongst America’s finest made it all the more difficult to return to the tumultuous environment that is Washington. Yet again, the House spent an inordinate amount of time talking about impeachment, despite the fact that another government shutdown looms just around the corner. With another week in the books, I remain committed to being available to constituents and fighting for policies that will benefit the great Commonwealth of Virginia.

Open Impeachment Hearings:

I am honored to be a Member of the Judiciary Committee, but I spent this week watching the Intelligence Committee hear testimony from several “witnesses,” none of whom had first-hand knowledge of any conversation between President Trump and the President of Ukraine. Unfortunately, the process still remains far from fair considering the Majority continues to deny key witnesses from testifying, has blocked the White House Counsel from participating, and has scheduled two additional secret hearings. Further, precedent has been broken by removing this inquiry from the jurisdiction of the Judiciary Committee, and Speaker Pelosi has rejected the adoption of the bipartisan Rodino rules used during the Nixon and Clinton impeachment proceedings. This process has become fundamentally and irredeemably flawed, while doing great harm to the Institution of Congress and the Rule of Law.

Military Families and Veterans Month:

In recognition of Military Families and Veterans Month, this week Congress passed a number of bills honoring veterans including legislation that aids veteran entrepreneurs start businesses and expands female veterans’ health care – women are the fastest growing segment of the veteran population. Additionally, while in Washington this week, I met with the Navy League to discuss their legislative priorities for the coming year and attended an event hosted by Rivers of Recovery, an organization dedicated to the rehabilitation of veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI.

Further, it was an honor and privilege to participate in events throughout the Sixth District to pay tribute to those who served. With stops in Botetourt, Lexington, Vinton, and Roanoke, it was inspiring to listen to our veterans and hear how deep their patriotism still runs.

A Win For Poultry:

Prior to 2014, the United States was exporting nearly $500 million worth of poultry products to China annually. Unfortunately, in 2015 China banned the importation of U.S. poultry due to an outbreak of avian flu. As the second largest exporter of poultry in the world, this was a huge loss for American farmers. However, since President Trump took office, it has been a top priority of his Administration to reopen this market. After tireless efforts from the Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative, China announced this week that it will lift its ban on U.S. poultry products. This change in policy is a significant win for Sixth District farmers and businesses, as poultry is one of the Commonwealth’s largest exports. It is estimated that the reopening of this market will result in an additional $1 billion in economic output and speaks to the importance of why Congress must pass better trade deals like the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Town Halls:

Being accessible to the citizens of the Sixth District is one of my most important responsibilities as Congressman. Whether it’s jobs and the economy, trade and foreign affairs, or transportation and I-81, I always appreciate hearing from constituents about the issues that matter most to them. It was a pleasure holding a town hall in each of the Sixth District’s nineteen localities over the past year, and I look forward to continuing to holding forums like this in the future.

Virginia’s Political Landscape:
As you all know, Democrats now control both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly. In the past, thanks in large part to its legislature, Virginia has been an extremely well-run state, ranking among the top states to do business. However, many fear that this change will sweep away past progress. But rest assured that on the federal level, I am fighting to make sure that the Commonwealth maintains its competitive edge.

Recognizing that offshore oil and natural gas exploration could bring thousands of jobs to local Virginia economies, I did not support totally outlawing the practice as called for in HR. 1941, the Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act.

Virginia holds the title as the best state in the nation in which to do business. Recent state and federal efforts to undermine the Commonwealth’s right-to-work status is the reason that during a markup in the Education and Labor Committee, I opposed H.R. 2774, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, which would inhibit a worker’s ability to freely negotiate his or her own pay and right to freedom of association.

Continuing to fight to ensure Virginia remains competitive and that its residents have the best possible opportunity to succeed remains one of my greatest priorities.
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.

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