Legislative Update
Sixth District Perspectives with Congressman Ben Cline – February 21, 2021
As the House prepares to return to Washington this coming week, I have been reviewing the Democrats’ $1.9 trillion COVID-19 spending package that does little to support actual COVID relief programs (only nine percent of the bill’s spending), but instead rewards chronic fiscal mismanagement in cities and states like New York and California. To help us defeat COVID, Congress and the Biden Administration should work to spend funds that have already been allocated and support opening up our schools and our economy. Small businesses are struggling here in Virginia, which is why I also wrote to Governor Northam urging him to support the tax-deductibility of PPP funds sent by Congress. Virginia should be helping small businesses, not tacking on extra tax bills when they can least afford them. I also participated in a hearing in the Appropriations Committee on child care programs to discuss how to best help folks who continue to juggle being parents, teachers, and working professionals during COVID. Additionally, I have continued to meet with constituents and advocacy groups to discuss their legislative priorities and ensure that their voices are being heard in Washington. While our region may have experienced some cold weather over the past few days, I am always thankful to be in Virginia’s beautiful Sixth District connecting with the folks I am honored to represent.
Advocating for Fiscal Responsibility:
Despite the federal government still having $1 trillion in unspent COVID funds sitting in its coffers, Democrats are preparing to pass an additional $1.9 trillion messaging bill. While I could support additional funding to ensure our kids are back in school and our small businesses are back in operation, we should make sure the money we approved last year has been spent before we decide that another dime is needed. Further, if the Majority passes this bloated “aid” package, Congress will have spent $6 trillion in the last year alone on COVID-related “stimulus”. That comes out to more than $17,000 per individual, $69,000 per household, and is larger than the GDP of every country on Earth other than the U.S. and China. This sort of spending is unsustainable and poses a serious threat to the longer-term viability of our economy. Any additional relief must be targeted, temporary, and tied to COVID.
Supporting Small Business:
This week I was joined by Congressmen Wittman and Good, in writing to Governor Northam encouraging him and the General Assembly to fully conform state tax law to the federal government’s recently enacted tax law to allow for full deductibility of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in order to ensure the recovery of Virginia small businesses. PPP has served as a lifeline to more than 100,000 Virginia small businesses and their employees since the pandemic began, and as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act passed last year, Congress made its intent clear that these loans were to be forgiven and fully deductible due to COVID-19. Failing to conform state tax law with that of the federal government would stick those most in need with a sizable tax bill they did not expect and cannot afford. Governor Northam and the General Assembly must now do their part and support mom-and-pop shops across the Commonwealth. I am confident those serving in Richmond will do the right thing. To read the full letter, click here.
Supporting working Families:
COVID-19 has significantly altered the daily lives of millions of Americans. Families with young children have been stretched thin as they try to juggle being a parent, teacher, and working professional. It is well past time for Congress to step up and provide solutions. The answer in most parents’ minds is simple – we must reopen our schools. As I stated in the Appropriations Committee this week, while relief aid is important, we must ensure that funding is going to where it is truly effective. And at this point, the most effective use of taxpayer dollars to alleviate the stress on parents would be allocating resources to get our kids back in the classroom.
Pulp and Paperworkers Resource Council:
The forestry industry brings in nearly $17 billion to Virginia’s economy each year and provides more than $3 billion in recreational opportunities to nearly two thirds of Commonwealth citizens. Further, the forestry industry contributes $345 million back to Virginia landowners for selling their timber and employs 103,000 people throughout the Commonwealth. That is why I was pleased to meet recently with members of the Pulp and Paperworkers Resource Council to discuss their legislative priorities for the 117th Congress. I will remain an advocate for this vital industry both here at home and in Washington.
Port of Virginia:
The Port of Virginia is the third-largest container port on the East Coast and is crucial to the success of various industries. The Port’s mission is to deliver, “opportunity by driving business to, and through, the Commonwealth.” They certainly deliver on their mission as a recent economic impact study shows that the Port, directly and indirectly, supports 390,000 Virginia jobs generating $23 billion in annual compensation and $2.1 billion in state and local taxes. With the Inland Port here in the Sixth District, it was a pleasure to hear from Port officials about how Congress can continue to support their work and ensure they remain a significant economic driver here in the Commonwealth.
COVID-19 Update:
As of February 21, 2021, Virginia has had 564,119 total cases of COVID-19, including confirmed lab tests and clinical diagnoses, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The current death toll in the Commonwealth stands at 7,331. Further, according to the VDH’s COVID-19 vaccine data dashboard, as of February 20th, 1,101,433 people have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 440,339 people are fully vaccinated.
This week, Virginia announced its launch of a hotline service hoping to streamline the vaccination process throughout the Commonwealth by preregistering those who wish to get the vaccine. The hotline can be reached at 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682), or can be found online at vaccinate.Virginia.gov.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your congressman. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest updates. If my office can ever be of assistance, please contact my Washington office at (202) 225-5431.
Legislative Update
Sixth District Perspectives with Congressman Ben Cline – May 22, 2023
In honor of National Police Week, House Republicans continued to proudly support America’s law enforcement officers by passing legislation to improve officer safety and allow officers to purchase retired service weapons. Additionally, the long-awaited Durham Report confirmed what we knew to be true. The FBI’s investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign and “Russia collusion” was nothing more than an illegal, unlawful, and un-American abuse of power. As always, I enjoyed meeting with constituents, businesses, and organizations on the issues most important to them. As we head into another busy week of session, I will continue fighting to make Washington work for families across Virginia’s Sixth District.
BACK THE BLUE
America’s law enforcement officers are the best among us. As we celebrated National Police Week this week, I was proud to honor our brave men and women in uniform in VA-06 and across the Nation by joining my colleagues in passing legislation that shows we have their backs.
Deporting Illegal Immigrants Who Assault Police
President Biden’s border crisis continues with a massive influx of illegal migrants crossing our southern border, and law enforcement agents on the front lines are paying the price. These officers, who are working tirelessly to secure the border and keep our communities safe, are being assaulted by migrants. That is unacceptable.
This week, House Republicans passed H.R. 2494, the POLICE Act of 2023, which makes assaulting a police officer a deportable offense. As the border crisis rages on unchecked and assaults against law enforcement officers continue to rise, House Republicans are committed to doing everything we can to hold accountable those who seek to harm America’s men and women in blue and in brown.
Allowing Federal Law Enforcement to Purchase Service Weapons
Currently, federal law enforcement agencies are required to destroy service weapons after they are retired from official use, resulting in a massive waste of taxpayer dollars since these weapons are paid for both when they go into circulation and when they are retired. This is yet another example of costly regulations and unnecessary red tape.
Federal law enforcement officers should be able to purchase their government-issued handguns when they retire. That is why House Republicans passed H.R. 3091, the Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act, to give our officers that right and save millions of tax dollars. This commonsense legislation is a win for our federal law enforcement officers and American taxpayers.
Disturbing New Report on Abuses of Government Power by US Intelligence Agencies
In October of 2020, former U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr appointed Special Counsel John Durham to examine the origins and justifications of the FBI’s investigation against then-candidate Donald Trump and his 2016 campaign for alleged “Russia collusion.”
After nearly four years of investigation, Durham released the report this week that found that the FBI had no actual evidence of collusion to begin investigating. Even worse, individuals at the highest levels of the federal government allowed the investigation to continue, despite any firm evidence of Russian collusion.
Simply put — this was an intentional weaponization of the federal government against a political opponent, and there must be accountability. Rest assured, the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee will get answers.
Constituent Meetings
It was a privilege to welcome students from Rockingham County Public Schools Fulks Run Elementary to the Nation’s Capitol.
It was great to meet with crew members of the Artemis II mission and hear of NASA’s work in ensuring the United States is a leader in space in the 21st Century.
Enjoyed meeting with Portland Cement representatives and concrete & cement industry leaders, including Mark Aguilar from Roanoke, and hearing of their multi-faceted efforts to support America’s cement manufacturers.
Kraft-Heinz is home to a multitude of global food and beverage brands, and I was pleased to meet with representatives of the company, and hear of the operations of their plant in Winchester.
It was a pleasure to meet with Charles Taylor of Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions and Michael Tyree of the Associated Asphalt Partners to discuss the importance of asphalt to infrastructure development across America and right here in Virginia.
Trivium Packaging develops standard and custom shape packaging for an array of products. I was pleased to hear about their industry and their thoughts on U.S. tariff policies.
I welcomed hearing from the Virginia Ready Mixed Concrete Association about its mission and how Congress can best support its industry.
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.
For the latest updates from Washington and across the Sixth District, please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest updates.
Legislative Update
Bipartisan legislation to combat fentanyl trafficking introduced
Families across Virginia and the country have lost mothers, fathers, children, siblings, and other loved ones to the substance use epidemic, and I’m determined to do more to prevent these tragedies. While there are many ways to combat the epidemic—including better access to mental health and substance use treatment—we must also tackle the influx of fentanyl into the United States.
The fentanyl crisis is hurting more and more American families. Overdose deaths related to fentanyl have increased dramatically over the past decade. In Virginia, there were 50 deaths related to fentanyl in 2012. In 2021, fentanyl took the lives of nearly 2,000 Virginians.
That’s why I introduced a bipartisan bill with Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) earlier this week to declare fentanyl a national security threat and direct the Department of Defense (DOD) to work with other federal agencies and our Mexican counterparts to create a strategy to counter fentanyl trafficking by transnational criminal organizations. The DOD plays a key role in our nation’s counter-drug intelligence and monitoring operations, and they can provide critical information and training to federal law enforcement agencies to help curb the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. This bill would help them expand that critical role.
Read more about the Disrupt Fentanyl Trafficking Act here>>>
I’m thinking of the families that have been impacted by the crisis. I’m going to push to include this legislation in the annual defense bill, and I’ll continue working to address the substance use epidemic.
I look forward to keeping in touch and hearing about the issues that matter most to you. If you or a loved one is experiencing an issue with a federal agency, please reach out to a member of my staff here. If you’d like to receive updates on my work in the U.S. Senate, you may sign up here and follow me on Facebook or Twitter.
Tim Kaine
Legislative Update
Rep. Ben Cline on passage of Secure the Border Act of 2023: Major step towards tackling Biden’s border crisis
On May 11, 2023, Congressman Ben Cline (R-VA) voted for, and the U.S. House of Representatives passed, H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act of 2023. The House Judiciary Committee, which Congressman Cline serves on, played a leading role in crafting this legislation and worked hard to make this the strongest border security package Congress has ever considered.
“Since his first day in office, President Biden has actively worked to weaken our southern border through radical open border policies that have resulted in the worst border crisis in history – turning every community, including Virginia’s Sixth District, into border communities,” said Cline. “From halting construction of the border wall to deciding to lift Title 42 removal authority, President Biden has willingly and knowingly failed to protect the southern border and uphold the rule of law. While Biden and Secretary Mayorkas desperately attempt to downplay this crisis and tell Americans to just deal with it, House Republicans passed the strongest border security package in the history of Congress that secures America’s borders and restores our Nation’s rule of law and sovereignty.”
The Secure the Border Act of 2023:
• Reforms the asylum system by preventing fraud, raising the credible fear standard, and returning asylum to its historical roots and original intent.
• Ends the Biden Administration’s “catch and release” policy and gives the federal government additional tools to secure the border.
• Addresses the exploitation of children and ensures that children remain together, or are reunited, with their parents.
• Reduces the jobs magnet for illegal immigration.
The full text of H.R. 2 can be found here.
Legislative Update
Warner on DEA extension of current flexibilities around telehealth prescriptions of certain medications
U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the statement below after the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) announced that it would extend current flexibilities around telehealth prescriptions of controlled substances, including those that treat opioid use disorder and anxiety, while it reviews a record number of comments received in response to its new proposed telemedicine rules. This move follows strong advocacy by Sen. Warner, who spoke out in March about the need to ensure that patients can continue getting their medications and sent a letter to the DEA in August 2022 asking them to explain their plan for continuity of care after the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
“I’m pleased to see that the DEA is taking additional time to consider the comments to their proposed rule, which I believe overlooked the key benefits and lessons learned during the pandemic. This proposed rule could counterproductively exacerbate the opioid crisis and push patients to seek dangerous alternatives to proper health care, such as self-medicating, by removing a telehealth option in many cases. I’m working with my colleagues in Congress on a response to DEA’s proposed rule, and I look forward to further robust discussion on this critical issue.”
During COVID-19, patients widely adopted telehealth as a convenient and accessible way to get care remotely. This was made possible by the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, which allowed for a number of flexibilities, including utilizing an exception to the in-person medical evaluation requirement under the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act, legislation regulating the online prescription of controlled substances. With the Public Health Emergency set to expire, patients will soon lose the ability to reap the benefits of a mature telehealth system in which responsible providers know how to take care of their patients remotely when appropriate.
Since 2008, Congress has directed the DEA to set up a special registration process, another exception process under the Ryan Haight Act, that would open up the door for quality health care providers to evaluate a patient and prescribe controlled substances over telehealth safely, as they’ve done during the pandemic. This special registration process has yet to be established, and DEA wrote they believe this proposed rule fulfills those Congressional mandates, despite not proposing such a registration.
Sen. Warner, a former tech entrepreneur, has been a longtime advocate for increased access to telehealth. He is a co-author of the CONNECT for Health Act, which would expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent, improve health outcomes, and make it easier for patients to connect safely with their doctors. He previously wrote to both the Biden and Trump administrations, urging the DEA to finalize regulations long-delayed by prior administrations allowing doctors to prescribe controlled substances through telehealth. Sen. Warner also sent a letter to Senate leadership during the height of the COVID-19 crisis, calling for the permanent expansion of access to telehealth services.
In 2018, Sen. Warner included a provision to expand financial coverage for virtual substance use treatment in the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018. In 2003, then-Gov. Warner expanded Medicaid coverage for telemedicine statewide, including evaluation and management visits, a range of individual psychotherapies, the full range of consultations, and some clinical services, including cardiology and obstetrics. Coverage was also expanded to include non-physician providers. Among other benefits, the telehealth expansion allowed individuals in medically underserved and remote areas of Virginia to access quality specialty care that isn’t always available at home.
Legislative Update
Kaine, colleagues unveil legislation to ban stock trading by Members of Congress
Americans deserve to know that their representatives in Congress’ top priority are the well-being of their constituents—not their own personal bottom lines. Lawmakers often have advance notice of investigations, hearings, and legislation that can impact stock prices or move markets and can support or enact policy changes that affect specific companies or industries. Members of Congress should never use that power to advance their own financial interests.
That’s why I joined my colleagues in introducing a bill to ban members of Congress from trading stocks. The bill would strengthen congressional ethics, ban conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest, and increase transparency between Congress and the American public.
Specifically, the Ending Trading and Holdings in Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act would:
Prohibit members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from owning or trading individual stocks, securities, commodities, or futures.
Provide members of Congress who own covered assets the ability to divest, diversify into allowable assets such as mutual funds, or place assets into a Qualified Blind Trust (QBT), which would be managed by an independent party.
Include strong penalties with enforcement by Congressional Ethics Offices. If members or their family members continue to hold or trade in violation of the Act, the fine would be at least the value of the members’ monthly pay.
Read more about the ETHICS Act here.
I look forward to keeping in touch and hearing about the issues that matter most to you. If you or a loved one is experiencing an issue with a federal agency, please reach out to a member of my staff here. If you’d like to receive updates on my work in the U.S. Senate, you may sign up here and follow me on Facebook or Twitter.
Legislative Update
Warner joins resolution highlighting the importance of local news
U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) and 12 colleagues in introducing a resolution that would designate April 2023 as “Preserving and Protecting Local News Month.” The resolution officially recognizes the role of local news as an essential function for democracy in the United States.
“In Virginia and across the country, local news outlets are relied on to keep our citizens informed, combat disinformation, and serve as a crucial check on our government institutions,” said Sen. Warner. “It is important that we continue to honor the hard work that local journalists do for our Commonwealth and for our democracy in the face of continued budget cuts, newsroom closures, and staff reductions that have made their work more challenging.”
According to research, the overall employment in newspaper, television, radio, and digital newsrooms in the United States fell by 26 percent, or 30,000 jobs, from 2008-2020. More than 100 local newsrooms were forced to close during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 30 percent of local television stations reporting budget cuts and staff reductions. As of September 2022, 42 local newspapers have closed or merged in Virginia alone, with significant staff cuts plaguing surviving papers. This resolution affirms the significance of local news in increasing civic engagement and strengthening democratic norms and practices and acknowledges the valuable contributions of local journalism toward the maintenance of healthy and vibrant communities.
In addition to Sens. Warner and Schatz, the resolution is co-sponsored by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Cory Booker (D-NJ).
The resolution has been endorsed by PEN America; Alliance for Community Media; Free Press Action; National Press Photographers Association (NPPA); Native American Journalists Association (NAJA); Writers Guild of America, East, AFL-CIO; Ethnic Media Services; Society of Environmental Journalists; Society for News Design; Common Cause; Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO; National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ); Native Public Media; Public Knowledge; Society of Professional Journalists; Theatre Communications Group; National Newspaper Association (NNA); National Writers Union (NWU); and National Association of Broadcasters (NAB).
Sen. Warner has long been an outspoken supporter of local news. In the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Sen. Warner led colleagues in a push to include local journalism and media outlets in relief packages.
The full text of the resolution is available here.
Thank You to our Local Business Participants:
