Sixth District Perspectives with Congressman Ben Cline – December 9, 2019

Members of Congress are back in Washington after a Thanksgiving spent in our districts with family and friends. Last week, Americans came together to cherish their blessings – they put aside their differences and joined hands in giving thanks. It is my hope that this tradition can transcend that single day in November and reverberate year-round.

Impeachment:
Speaker Pelosi has said that impeachment must be, “compelling, overwhelming, and bipartisan.” Unfortunately, none of what has been presented so far has been any of these things. Instead, we have a desire to move this process along at unprecedented speed. This week’s Judiciary hearing began with Chairman Nadler denying Republican motions to call Chairman Schiff as a witness to testify in front of the committee regarding his report. The American people and the attorneys who sit on the Committee were then given a lecture on the Constitution by four law professors. But as I’ve heard during my travels across our part of Virginia, citizens care about moving this nation forward and want Congress to focus on passing the USMCA trade agreement, lowering prescription drug prices, and fixing our crumbling infrastructure. I wrote a column this week about the ongoing impeachment process in greater detail, here.

Working For Virginia’s Sixth District:
Since taking office in January, I have worked to be an effective voice for the Sixth District and for the people who call it home. Although the division runs especially deep on Capitol Hill this year, I have sought to reach across the aisle to get things done for my constituents and the country. I have worked to bring a spirit of bipartisanship and friendship to the House of Representatives. Together, we have passed bills benefiting everyone from veterans to small business owners to inventors and artists. In order to do our jobs in serving the American people, we must put aside partisan politics and work with one another. Only then can we move this nation forward and help ensure the success of every American citizen. To read more about my first year in office, click here.

Robocalls:
When traveling throughout the Sixth District, constituents often tell me stories of the irritating robocalls that constantly plague their telephones. On Wednesday, Congress took a step toward stopping these daily annoyances and passed S. 151, the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act with overwhelming support. The measure will allow the imposition of civil penalties for violating the prohibition on robocalls, which involve the use of automated dialing equipment or an artificial or prerecorded voice. The bill also will give the FCC the authority to seek and enforce financial penalties against those making calls with misleading caller identification information, a practice known as “spoofing.” The TRACED Act, which I proudly cosponsored in the House, represents a compromise between the House and Senate versions of the bill, and its passage is proof that even a divided Congress can get things done when we abandon partisan politics and work for the Americans we represent.

Pearl Harbor:
Seventy-eight years ago, on December 7th at 7:48am Hawaii time, residents were awoken to find a changed world and an America at war. In two waves from six aircraft carriers, the Naval base at Pearl Harbor was attacked, resulting in 2,403 Americans killed, 1,178 others wounded, and four battleships sunk with another four damaged. As that day’s events grow more distant, we must never forget the sacrifices paid by those who gave their last full measure and always remember those who fought and perished in the coming battles in the Pacific and Atlantic fronts.

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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