Sixth District Perspectives with Congressman Ben Cline – August 16, 2020

This week, I was pleased to return to work in the Sixth District. Although negotiations on a potential coronavirus relief bill have slowed, I am hopeful that we can reach a bipartisan agreement that addresses the needs of the American people and provides aid to those who need it most. Additionally, as schools begin to reopen, I will continue to provide you with the most up-to-date information on local school openings.

Lobbying Disclosure Reform Act
To promote greater transparency within the lobbying industry, I joined my colleague Dean Phillips (MN-03) in introducing H.R. 8022, the Lobbying Disclosure Reform Act. At the core of this bipartisan bill is the public’s right to knowledge of ongoing lobbying efforts. Americans are dissatisfied with the way things get done in Washington and updating the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) with these common-sense provisions is a strong step to modernizing our lobbying laws and placing more power in the hands of the people rather than the lobbyists.

This legislation is the second in a series of bipartisan reform bills that I have introduced with my colleagues aimed at continuing to improve government to better serve all Americans, especially those within Virginia’s Sixth Congressional District. For further information on this initiative, please click here.

Schools Reopening
As your representative, I aim to provide you with the most up-to-date information on local school openings. As we near the beginning of the school year, school districts across the Commonwealth are releasing information about their plans for this upcoming term. This information is current as of August 14, 2020, but may change as warranted.

For a full list of public school’s reopening plans, please click here.

COVID-19 Relief
As you know, recently the President issued Executive Order’s aimed at addressing some economic hardships brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. It was the hope that this would also bring both the Administration and Congress back to the negotiating table. Unfortunately, it appears that there is currently little interest in doing so. I understand, due to issues related to COVID-19, there are those within the Sixth District who are in need and I urge you to contact my District offices if we can help you with a question or problem with a Federal agency or any pandemic related issues. They can be reached at:

Harrisonburg: (540) 432-2391
Staunton: (540) 885-3861
Roanoke: (540) 857-2672
Lynchburg: (434) 845-8306

Additionally, you may find the COVID-19 section of my website of interest. It is full of useful information and additional resources and can be found at cline.house.gov/covid-19.

VJ Day
This week marked the 75th anniversary of VJ Day, the precursor to the end of WWII. On August 14, 1945, President Harry S. Truman announced that Japan had surrendered in a press conference at the White House: “This is the day we have been waiting for since Pearl Harbor. This is the day when Fascism finally dies, as we always knew it would.” We must never forget the immense sacrifice of those that fought in the Far East and the Pacific. Their fortitude and heroism ended the world’s deadliest war and forever changed the course of history.

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. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest updates.