Legislative update – Congressman Bob Goodlatte

It’s Time to Turn Up the Pressure on North Korea
North Korea’s blatant defiance of the international community says it all. Under the leadership of the increasingly volatile Kim Jong-un, North Korea has aggressively pursued nuclear advancements and conducted a series of weapons tests, including launching two ballistic missiles over Japan in the past month alone. A pursuit of a nuclear weapons arsenal is not the only hallmark of the Kim regime. North Korea has also demonstrated an outright disregard for human rights – both for citizens and those who have been detained by their government. Whether it’s imprisonment, torture, or starvation, this oppression is completely unacceptable.

It’s time to turn up the pressure on North Korea. It is critical that the flow of money used to build North Korea’s weapons be cut off entirely. The United States has already initiated tougher sanctions to squeeze the Kim regime’s access to cash, sanction businesses that employ North Korean slave labor, and crack down on illicit trade coming through North Korea’s shipping industry and international ports. And President Trump just issued a significant new directive targeting any foreign financial institutions that knowingly facilitate transactions or trade with North Korea.

Point blank – we cannot have a nuclear capable North Korea. I do not take the threat to America’s security presented by a nuclear North Korea lightly. The United States must continue to stand as a strong voice against oppressors like North Korea and pursue action against those who would fund this rogue nation’s nuclear program. Click here to read my full weekly column on this issue.

Elected Officials Volunteer Day at Feeding America SWVA
I enjoyed volunteering with Feeding America last week as we filled bags with cabbage for distribution. Food banks are an important service for every community, and I am thankful for those who volunteer their time each week to help their neighbors in need.

Local Coalitions Get Federal Help to Fight Drug Use
Our youth are among the most vulnerable to the opioid epidemic. Lives have been taken far too early and bright futures wasted away. There is no quick and easy solution to wiping out this epidemic. It requires states, the federal government, and community groups to work together to combat drug abuse, with enforcement, prevention, education, and treatment as key components.

On Thursday, the Office of National Drug Control Policy announced 719 grants to community coalitions across the country through the Drug-Free Communities Support Program, including five in the Sixth District. I am pleased that Rockbridge Area Prevention Coalition, Futuro Latino Drug-Free Communities, Greater Augusta Prevention Partners Coalition, Page Alliance for Community Action, and Roanoke Prevention Alliance, Inc. have been awarded federal grants to aid their work to prevent youth substance use. Through this program they will be able to continue building the infrastructure and relationships needed to take action locally. I will continue to work with folks in Sixth District communities as well as lawmakers in Congress to advance solutions that will provide more tools to help addicts reclaim and rebuild their lives, stop drug traffickers, and make our communities safer.

U.S. Constitution is the “Gold Standard”

Last week marked the 230th birthday of the United States Constitution. The U.S. Constitution is the gold standard for governments across the world. Why? Because it is based on the notion of individual freedom. It promises individual liberty for “We the People,” and it promises to protect this liberty through a separation of powers. All throughout Constitution Week, Liberty University hosted a variety of seminars on the Constitution. I had the opportunity to join a discussion on the role of the judiciary. We talked a great deal about our Founders’ vision for the judiciary as well as the role this branch of government plays today. Click here to read more about the event.

Innovation at Work at JMU

The X-Labs at James Madison University are bringing students together to collaborate on new ideas. I am always impressed by the level of research conducted by students at our local colleges and universities as well as the creative ideas they turn into realities. Keep up the good work!

Don’t Miss These Dates

Military Service Academy Applications Due October 16 — Any student seeking a nomination to the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, or the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy must submit their application and materials by that date. Click here to download the application.

Congressional App Challenge Deadline November 1 — The Challenge is open to middle school and high school students interested in building their own app for a mobile device. Visit www.congressionalappchallenge.us for more information.

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