Praying for our friends in Texas – Congressman Bob Goodlatte

Right now floodwaters are ravaging the city of Houston. What we’ve heard on the news, along with the photos that have been posted on social media, is heartbreaking. My prayers are with the millions of Texans who have been impacted by Hurricane Harvey over the past several days. I hope that you will keep them in your prayers as well. During this difficult time, we have also witnessed the compassion of neighbors helping neighbors and first responders on the job around the clock to save those in distress. Crews from across the country, including Virginia, are heading to Houston to help their fellow Americans, and I am extremely grateful for all of our first responders. What’s happening right now in Texas is a stark reminder that a natural disaster can strike at any time. For more information on how to prepare, visit Ready.gov.

Snapshots from the Sixth
Stable Craft Brewing in Augusta County is expanding! I enjoyed participating in this exciting announcement welcoming new jobs and investment in the region.

Last week, I visited the Plains Area Day Care Center in Broadway. This center provides childcare to many families who otherwise could not afford such a service. But most people don’t know that it sits on property that was originally deeded to Rockingham County by the federal government nearly 30 years ago. Unfortunately, given the complex conditions of the deed, legislation like my bill, H.R. 954, is necessary to help ease federal restrictions so that they can make much-needed improvements to the facility. This bill passed the House in July, and now it’s up to the Senate to act. I urge the Senate to pass this bill and allow the Plains Area Day Care Center to continue to serve this community.

Honoring the Memory of Lacey Putney
On Saturday, I was sad to learn that former delegate Lacey Putney had passed away. Lacey was the longest-serving state legislator in Virginia’s history. Anyone who worked with him knew that he was a true force. He knew how to get things done. We represented many of the same communities over the years, and I was always impressed by his passion for serving his fellow Virginians. Lacey was a kind man as well and loyal to his Big Island roots. I am honored to have called him a mentor and a friend. My prayers are with Carmela and his family during this difficult time. With his passing, Virginia lost one of the great ones. While he may be gone from this earth, there is no doubt that his legacy of service will live on.

THIS THURSDAY Sixth District Vietnam Veterans Commemoration in Lexington. Click here to register!

We Need Pro-Growth Tax Reform Now
Why reform the tax code? The answer is simple – what we have today is not working for American families, workers, job creators, and the economy. Today’s tax code just doesn’t compete on a global level. Instead of bringing jobs and company headquarters to our communities, this lack of competitiveness has driven American jobs overseas. This, along with outrageous compliance costs and time devoted to navigating the tax code, holds back job creation. Most of all, it’s our friends and neighbors who depend on these jobs that feel this impact the most.

It’s been 31 years since the last major overhaul of America’s tax code. In that time, the tax code has grown into an unwieldy, overly-complex mammoth. I know from talking to folks in the Sixth District that very few think that the tax code today is fair. From farmers, manufacturers, and even people I run into on street, it’s one of the most common questions I get: when is Washington going to do something about taxes?

I have long supported moving forward on tax reform, including introducing legislation to scrap the tax code and force Congress to act on a new system. Last month, leaders in the House of Representatives, Senate, and White House came together to announce intentions to move forward with bold, pro-growth tax reform. This reform centers on three main ideas: growing jobs and paychecks nationwide, making the tax code simpler and fairer for all Americans, and helping middle-class families, not special interests. In the House, we have been working on a blueprint for tax reform for several years. Now, the House Ways and Means Committee will begin producing legislation to bring before Congress in the coming months.

We can all agree that the current tax system is broken, and keeping it is not in America’s best interest. As this process moves forward, I hope you will let me know your suggestions for tax reform by contacting me at Goodlatte.House.Gov. I will continue working to enact a simpler, fairer, and less burdensome tax code that allows hardworking families to keep more of their money and encourages businesses to invest in the future. We need pro-growth tax reform now. Click here to read my full weekly column.