Sixth District Perspectives with Congressman Ben Cline – February 9, 2020

The Senate’s acquittal of President Trump and the State of the Union grabbed most of the headlines this week. I was proud to stand in defense of citizens’ right-to-work and opposed legislation seeking to force people to join a labor union to get or keep a job. It was also a pleasure to have so many different groups from across the Sixth District join me in Washington this week to advocate for the issues they care most about. With impeachment officially behind us, I am hopeful Congress can move past partisanship and spend the next year working for the American people.

President Acquitted:
From the beginning, Speaker Pelosi said that impeachment must be compelling, overwhelming, and bipartisan. However, the impeachment of President Trump did not possess any of these qualities. The flawed and rushed process conducted in the House, coupled with the lack of evidence required to prove high crimes and misdemeanors, made the acquittal of President Trump by the Senate appropriate and necessary.

The impeachment process in the House was a sham, and it set a dangerous precedent that we must reject moving forward. Never again can we allow one political party to use impeachment as a tool for political gain. This entire process has been little more than an attempt by Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats to overturn the results of the 2016 election and the will of 63 million Americans – all while denying the President his right to due process. The partisanship displayed by some of my colleagues has fueled the rancor and division within this country, and this entire display of political theater will forever be remembered as a sad stain on the House of Representatives.

After wasting months focusing on impeachment, I am hopeful that Congress can now get back to work on issues important to the American people, including improving our Nation’s infrastructure and highways, supporting our military and veterans’ programs, securing our border and preventing the flood of drugs and human trafficking that has flowed across it, and finding solutions to bring down the costs of health insurance and prescription drugs.

State of the Union:
After an eventful few months, President Trump gave his annual address to a joint session of Congress this week. He delivered a message that Americans already knew – that the state of our union is strong. Throughout his speech, he laid out a forward-looking and optimistic agenda that will lead to the continued prosperity of this Nation.

Over the course of the last three years, President Trump and his Administration have accomplished a great deal for the American people. Above all, President Trump’s commitment to cutting bureaucratic red-tape has allowed businesses to thrive and the economy to flourish. Since his swearing in, the United States has added more than 7 million new jobs and a record 160 million people are currently in the workforce. Many of these new jobs have been in the manufacturing sector – a result of more than 12,000 factories opening their doors throughout the President’s term. Further, unemployment currently stands at or near-fifty-year lows, including record lows among African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Women, and Veterans. The President’s landmark Tax Cuts and Jobs Act created opportunity zones to encourage investment in low-income areas, which have lifted nearly 2.5 million Americans out of poverty and risen the median wage for middle-class families by $5,000 a year.

These economic victories can also be seen right here in Virginia. Our Commonwealth’s unemployment rate stands at 2.6 percent – a result of the 120,000 new jobs created in the state since President Trump took office. Unemployment insurance claims are down 22 percent since his election and real median household income in Virginia is up 12 percent. The 212 opportunity zones designated in our state have lifted 137,000 Virginians out of poverty and have inspired hope in our struggling communities.

While the economic success our Nation has seen during this Administration is immense, President Trump has secured countless other victories for our country. Not only has he signed new trade deals like USMCA and the Phase One agreement with China, but he has also made significant progress in securing our border, passed historic criminal justice reform legislation, stood for pro-life values, enhanced vocational education, strengthened our military, and taken out numerous terrorists abroad ensuring the safety and security of our Nation.

Protecting the Right to Organize Act:
This country was founded so that all Americans could have the opportunity to succeed. One way that we promote this is through policies and laws that allow people the right to work, which in turn makes us more competitive in the business market. Thankfully, our Commonwealth is a right-to-work state. And because of this, Virginia was once again ranked as the number one state in which to do business in 2019 by CNBC.

H.R. 2474, which passed the House this week, would inappropriately preempt and prohibit right-to-work laws in 27 states that value and protect this fundamental right. This is unacceptable. In an even further affront to liberty, this bill abhorrently violates the privacy of workers by forcing them to share their personal contact information with union organizers, even when this has been shown to enable harassment and intimidation of those very workers. If signed into law, this bill would have grave impacts on workers and businesses at great cost to the fabric of our workforce.

Every American deserves the right to create their own success from their own volition – free of the requirement that they join an organization solely to hold a job. Simply put, as our Founding Father and fellow Virginian Thomas Jefferson said, “To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves is sinful and tyrannical.” I voted against this bill to protect Virginia workers and stand for the freedom and success in which our Founding Fathers believed.

Sixth District in DC:
It is truly always a pleasure to host Sixth District residents in Washington, D.C.

Rep. Cline Meets with members of the VA Farm Credit

Rep. Cline meets with Sixth District advocates from the Community from the Anti-Drug Coalitions of America

Rep. Cline meets with members of the VA Rural Water Association

Rep. Cline meets with Ken Garren, President – University of Lynchburg

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.

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