The House is getting things done – Congressman Bob Goodlatte

Since the start of the 115th Congress, the House has been busy working to put forth positive, pro-growth solutions for America’s families, and encourage investment and competition in our economy. The first 100 days of the Trump Administration were no exception. During this time 103 bills passed out of the House, making the current House more productive during this time frame than any other in over 30 years. Of these bills, 30 were signed into law – double the number signed in the first 100 days of the Obama Administration.

Several of these bills included rolling back red tape put into place in the final months of the previous Administration. By using a special legislative tool called the Congressional Review Act, 14 Obama-era regulations were overturned. Prior to this year the Congressional Review Act had only overturned one instance of unchecked executive overreach. Overturning these rules has a significant impact, including saving Americans an estimated $3.7 billion in regulatory costs and 4.2 million hours in paperwork.

Of the many bills that have passed the House so far this year, most haven’t made headlines. The House passed a series of bills to help protect children from exploitation and trafficking and bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice. The House also recently passed the VA Scheduling Accountability Act, geared toward ending delays for veterans waiting for care. The House has responded to threats on the international stage by approving bills to impose sanctions on supporters of Syria’s brutal Assad regime and enhancing sanctions on North Korea. Additionally, 37 of the bills already passed out of the House went through the House Judiciary Committee.

While the House will continue to move forward with legislative solutions to grow the free market economy, protect our communities, and create jobs, these bills cannot make it across the finish line without the U.S. Senate. It is imperative that the Senate take action. Let’s keep up this productivity and put our federal government’s focus back on the people. Click here to read more.

Welcoming America’s New Citizens

On Friday, I had the great privilege of participating in a Naturalization Ceremony in Roanoke. Several men and women went through the long process of becoming citizens, and I thank them for their dedication to our country. Congratulations!

Paris Climate Agreement Not the Solution

We all want a healthy environment to pass down to the next generation. There’s no argument there. But costly, flawed policies like the Paris Climate Agreement signed by President Obama last year are not the solution.

President Trump’s decision to exit the Paris Agreement was the right move. I have had concerns from the beginning that this agreement was never ratified by the Senate, failing to get the scrutiny of the People’s elected representatives and flouting our constitutional treaty approval process. Additionally, the agreement puts significant burdens on the United States while we have already taken substantial steps in reducing CO2 emissions. Since 2006, CO2 emissions have declined by 12 percent and are expected to continue to decline.

Another concern is the lack of any real way to hold major polluters accountable. Under the agreement, China will still be able to increase emissions for the next 13 years. They have no intention of abiding by the agreement, putting America’s workers and the industrial base of our economy at a direct disadvantage. Re-evaluating our involvement in this agreement and looking for better ways forward is the right decision. The United States should continue to work toward the goal of maintaining a healthy environment in a way that preserves both the American economy and the environment. Read more about this and the impact of regulatory overreach in my weekly column.

More Snapshots from the Sixth…

Top left to right: Last week, I visited the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, joined the Roanoke 8th Air Force Fellowship Group to discuss veterans issues, and met with students at Heritage High School in Lynchburg to hear about their experiences participating in the Capitol Hill Challenge – a program designed to teach students financial literacy.

Should you have further questions, please visit the “Contact Bob” section of my website or call (202) 225-5431.