WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, released the following statement on the Department of Labor’s proposed rule enabling retirement plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to consider environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in their decision-making:

“I am glad that the Employee Benefits Security Administration has moved to reverse one of the Trump Administration’s efforts to ignore the calamitous effects of climate change, including its associated financial risks, by proposing a rule enabling retirement plans to consider Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations in investment decisions. Companies do not operate in a vacuum and investment fiduciaries should have the ability to consider the sustainability of the broader community without running afoul of their fiduciary responsibilities to shareholders. With the publication of this proposed rule, the Biden Administration has taken a step towards protecting the long-term financial security of pensioners and workers across the country.

“This proposed rule also highlights the continued importance of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) effort to establish clear ESG disclosure requirements for publicly traded companies. Investors increasingly clamor for consistent ESG reporting because they understand companies that invest in their workers, minimize harmful environmental impacts, and enact strong worker safety measures, also tend to perform better in the long-run.”

Under the proposed rule, retirement plan administrators will continue to act in the sole interest of the plan’s participants but will now be able to more freely include ESG factors, including in their initial analysis of investment options. Sen. Warner has previously called on Congress to amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to require consideration of ESG factors as part of fiduciary duty. While this rule does not require consideration of ESG factors by plan managers, it grants critical flexibility to do so.

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This week, the Senate considered a number of executive nominations, resolutions, and pieces of legislation, including a bill to extend the nation’s debt limit through early December. Following last week’s spending bill to temporarily keep the government open, the Senate continued to negotiate with the White House and the House of Representatives in an effort to raise the debt limit, pass historic infrastructure legislation, and find a compromise on the budget reconciliation.

RAISE THE ROOF

This week, Sen. Warner was focused on avoiding a dangerous debt default that loomed come mid-October, after Republican leaders spent weeks insisting that they would not vote to honor the debts already incurred under the last presidential administration.

Failure to make good on the full faith and credit of the United States would have irreversible consequences for American families, businesses and local communities. Seniors could stop receiving Social Security checks. Families would stop getting their child tax credits. And costs would be passed onto consumers… as mortgages, car loans, and credit cards get more expensive.

Nothing about raising the debt limit obligates any new spending. This is just about paying for the debt that was already incurred – to the tune of $8 trillion under President Trump.

Momentarily staving off financial and economic disaster, a bipartisan group of senators on Thursday evening voted to temporarily extend the nation’s debt limit through early December, giving congressional leaders an additional two months to figure out a way to avoid a catastrophic default.

Following the vote to extend the nation’s debt limit Sen. Warner issued the following tweet:

Sen. Warner, who has been vocal about the need to reform the nation’s debt ceiling, said this, in a call to Virginia reporters:

“Having this arbitrary political tool out there that allows extremists on either end of the political spectrum, by giving them a live hand grenade and having them pull the pin to self-inflict damage, is crazy.”

He doubled down on the importance of debt limit reform in an interview with ABC News’ Phil Lipof:

“When we come to December…my hope is we can include elimination of this frankly crazy requirement because it is nothing but a political tool, used by both parties, to extract a pound of flesh without a meaningful policy debate…if we were to put into jeopardy the full faith and credit of the United States it would have both national security and hugely catastrophic economic consequences.”

GOING POSTAL

For months, Charlottesville residents have experienced some of the worst mail delays in the country – sometimes going days or even weeks without any mail delivery at all. For months, Virginians have been missing out on needed medications, incurring late fees for bills that don’t arrive on time, and, of late, waiting on absentee ballots that should have arrived weeks ago.

Over the weekend, many Charlottesville residents finally started to see some relief, as a surge of postal carriers from across Virginia descended on the region to help tackle the backlog of piled-up mail, with an additional 55 carriers Saturday and 63 carriers Sunday joining local postal workers in an all-hands-on-deck blizzard of mail activity. The blitz followed an August visit by Sen. Warner to the Charlottesville post office, where he called on the U.S. Postal Service to immediately address the unacceptable levels of service in the area. Sen. Warner was also joined by Sen. Kaine in writing to Virginia District Manager of the United States Postal Service Gerald Roane, urging him to address the problem.

After last weekend’s surge, Sen. Warner held a remote media availability to specifically address to the problem of mail delivery delays in Charlottesville and throughout the Commonwealth. Speaking to reporters, Sen. Warner expressed frustration in the lack of communication and transparency from the postal service as well as the lack of progress made in regards to a permanent solution.

“Some of these management errors and lack of transparency frustrates the heck out of me. Now at the end of the day…there’s only so much rattling of the cage I can do. I really think it’s going to take pressure from me, pressure from the press, and others to get more clarity.”

Following Sen. Warner’s media availability, the post office announced a Saturday job fair to recruit more mail carriers. In the meantime, a number of extra carriers will be staying in the area to help keep up with the flow of mail and continue working to eliminate the mail backlog.

HAVANA PASSAGE

For years, intelligence and diplomatic personnel serving abroad have been falling victim to “unexplained health incidents” caused by mysterious attacks from an unknown source. “Havana Syndrome” is the term given to an illness that surfaced among more than 40 U.S. Embassy staff in Havana, Cuba, beginning in 2016. Since then, dozens of U.S. diplomats and members of the intelligence community at other locations have suffered symptoms including dizziness, headaches, fatigue, cognitive difficulties, and memory loss that a study by the National Academy of Sciences found was consistent with the effects of directed, pulsed, radiofrequency energy.

President Biden signed into law the Helping American Victims Afflicted by Neurological Attacks (HAVANA) Act, legislation authored by Sen. Warner, who serves as Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, along with Vice Chairman Marco Rubio (R-FL), Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), to provide health and financial support to the public servants injured as a result of these directed energy attacks.

Sen. Warner issued the following statement celebrating the HAVANA Act being signed into law:

“Every day, American diplomats and intelligence officers around the world put themselves at risk to keep our nation safe. In return, we have an obligation to provide ample support when these brave men and women are injured in the line of duty. As the Senate Intelligence Committee continues to look into the mysterious and debilitating attacks on U.S. personnel abroad, I’m proud to know that these officials will now be able to count on the compensation and care they deserve, thanks to President Biden’s signing of our Helping American Victims Afflicted by Neurological Attacks (HAVANA) Act.”

This legislation authorizes the CIA Director, the Secretary of State, and other agency leaders to provide injured employees with additional financial support for brain injuries.  Both the CIA and State Department will be required to create regulations detailing fair and equitable criteria for payment. The legislation also requires the CIA and State Department to report to Congress on how this authority is being used and if additional legislative or administrative action is required.

GRAB BAG

LEADERS IN TECH: Sen. Warner sent a letter urging the Biden Administration to make technology policy a priority at the upcoming ministerial meeting of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORITY: Sens Warner and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) introduced bipartisan legislation to prevent presidential abuse of “national security” tariffs by reinstating congressional authority over trade.

KNOW ANYONE: Sens. Warner and Tim Kaine (D-VA) are now accepting applications for the position of United States District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia, to succeed United States District Court Judge Raymond A. Jackson, who will assume senior status effective November 23, 2021.

 CONFIRMED: Sens. Warner and Kaine released a statement upon the Senate voting to confirm Jessica Aber as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) and Christopher Kavanaugh as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia (WDVA).

RIGHT TO VOTE: Sens. Warner and Kaine joined Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) in introducing legislation to restore the landmark Voting Rights Act and stop the spread of voter suppression.

WEEK AHEAD

The Senate will be in recess next week. Sen. Warner is expected to hit the road, where he’ll hold events across Virginia.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement after voting in favor of a stopgap bill to avert a government shutdown by keeping the government funded at current levels through December 3, 2021:

“I’m pleased to know that the government won’t shut down tonight, but disappointed that we’ve once again been forced to resort to last-ditch measures. Although we voted to avert a shutdown crisis today – sparing the livelihoods of federal workers everywhere and preserving much-needed stability for Americans – we continue to head towards economic calamity by failing to act in a bipartisan way to lift the debt ceiling. Once this stopgap bill is in place, I urge my friends on the other side of the aisle to put the country first and act to maintain the full faith and credit of the United States as we have done so many times in the past.”

The resolution will now head to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to pass.

Sen. Warner has been a vocal critic of government shutdowns, which take a toll on federal workers and employees who are often left with no other recourse than to drain their savings, tank their credit, or choose between putting food on the table or keeping a roof above their heads. Earlier this week, he introduced the Stop STUPIDITY (Shutdowns Transferring Unnecessary Pain and Inflicting Damage In The Coming Years) Act, legislation to prevent future government shutdowns.

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The events of the last week in the House are a prime example of how to poorly run our Nation’s government. Even though one party controls the House, the Senate, and the Presidency, the Federal Government is expected to run out of funds on October 1. Last Tuesday, Democrats passed a Continuing Resolution in an attempt to keep the Government open. However, in an unprecedented move, the Speaker attached a poison pill to raise the debt ceiling but included no reforms to control future runaway spending. The Left will attempt to fault Republicans for a government shutdown or a default should one happen, but considering they have the votes and procedural tools to pass this solely on their own, their attacks are simply a deflection from their own problems.

Further, the House passed a flawed National Defense Authorization Act last week. While this bill is necessary to ensure our servicemembers have the tools necessary to do their jobs safely and effectively, the bill failed to hold the Biden Administration accountable for their incompetent withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The Democrats also passed a bill that virtually allows abortions on demand until birth. I rose in strong opposition to the measure and advocated for the rights of the unborn.

And finally, as we look toward this week, the Speaker is preparing to call up the Senate’s $1.2 trillion “infrastructure” package, which will be tied to the massive $4.3 trillion “human infrastructure” bill. This boondoggle will do little to improve our Nation’s roads and bridges while saddling future generations with the soaring national debt. One positive development of the past week was that we were able to secure $1 billion in funding for the Iron Dome protecting our ally Israel after “The Squad” had initially forced the Speaker to remove it from the Continuing Resolution. I also had the honor to meet with Sixth District constituents to hear about the issues most important to them. As the House returns to session, I will continue to be a voice of fiscal responsibility during the spending madness with your tax dollars.

Continuing Resolution/Debt Ceiling:
While Republicans have urged the Majority to engage in bipartisan negotiations to keep the government open, Speaker Pelosi unilaterally decided to attach a debt ceiling increase to the Continuing Resolution, providing Democrats a blank check for trillions of dollars in future spending. This measure, which had no bipartisan input and no reforms to rein in future wasteful spending, will not pass the Senate nor be signed into law. Democrats control the House, the Senate, and the White House, and they have the procedural tools necessary to raise the debt ceiling without Republican support. My Republican colleagues and I refused to help Democrats in their march toward socialism, and any attempt to blame Republicans for a potential government shutdown is simply a deceiving messaging tactic. If they want Republican support for either measure, they should be prepared to make concessions to rein in wasteful spending, something Democrats refuse to support.

“Infrastructure”:
Since I arrived in Congress in 2019, I have made it a top priority to improve our infrastructure. I have repeatedly advocated for and testified in favor of repairing and expanding our roadways and bridges across the Sixth District, including Interstate 81. While I applaud those in the House and Senate who originally tried to negotiate improvements to our core physical infrastructure, the reality is that the final legislation has gone “off the rails”. In fact, the Senate agreement allocates just $110 billion for roads and bridges, less than 15% of the total bill funding.

In addition, on Saturday, the Budget Committee, on which I serve, marked up the $4.3 trillion reconciliation bill. This legislation is a trojan horse filled with Far-Left Democrats’ socialist dreams. It included $7.5 billion to create a Civilian Climate Corps to promote the Green New Deal, $80 billion for more IRS agents, $42.3 billion in tax credits for the wealthy to buy expensive electric vehicles, and amnesty for illegal aliens. It will kill American jobs, increase taxes on families, increase inflation, provide amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants, encourage the elimination of right-to-work laws, expand government control of healthcare, and so much more. The reconciliation package also calls for the highest sustained federal spending levels in American history and proposes $68 trillion in total spending over the next ten years, $16.3 trillion of total deficit spending over ten years, and increases the national debt by $17 trillion, growing to $45 trillion by 2031. This level of spending is reckless with inflation already at a 13-year high and the national debt currently about $29 trillion.

Finally, the $4.3 trillion reconciliation package includes $3 trillion in tax increases, the largest tax increase since 1968. The plan would raise our corporate tax rate to higher levels than even Communist China with a combined state-federal rate of 30.9 percent. American companies would pay this higher global minimum tax for operating abroad while also paying Democrats’ higher corporate rate for operating at home—making America even less competitive and driving jobs, manufacturing, research, and investment overseas. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, the Biden Administration’s global minimum tax would destroy up to one million U.S. jobs. Further, middle-class families will undoubtedly bear the burden of Democrats’ corporate income tax hike. The Joint Committee on Taxation found that over 66 percent of the tax increase will be borne by middle- and lower-income earners. This would come in the form of lower wages, unemployment, and higher utility bills. This crippling tax hike comes at a time when American families are dealing with a stagnant economy, skyrocketing inflation, and higher prices triggered by Democrats’ out-of-control spending. This proposal, particularly the corporate tax increase, will be shouldered by the middle-class and small businesses, send jobs and businesses fleeing overseas, and gives America’s competitors an advantage. I voted no on this debacle when it came for a vote in the Budget Committee.

With House Democrats tying passage to the two bills, I must oppose both when they come before the House of Representatives for a vote. Instead, I will continue working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to address core infrastructure needs across Virginia and throughout the United States.

NDAA:
I support our brave men and women in uniform and appreciate the great sacrifices they and their families make. The National Defense Authorization Act should make sure that our warfighters are the best equipped, most well-trained military in the world. Unfortunately, this bill instead ties the hands of the Department of Defense with more bureaucratic red tape, and it did nothing to address the failures of senior military and civilian leadership in Afghanistan. It also includes “red flag laws” that would impact the Second Amendment rights of soldiers, prioritizes funding Critical Race Theory for our service members, and subjects our daughters to the draft. It is my hope that the Conference Committee will take steps to address these issues and send back to the House a bill that I can support.

Defending Life:
Last week, Democrats continued to push their anti-life agenda on the American people with the passage of the so-called “Women’s Health Protection Act.” This extreme bill would override state pro-life laws on informed consent, parental notification in the case of a minor, prohibiting dismemberment abortions, and prohibiting abortions based on a Down Syndrome diagnosis, the baby’s sex, when a baby can feel pain, and when the baby’s heartbeat can be detected. Essentially, the Abortion on Demand Until Birth Act removes nearly all pro-life protections for the unborn at both the state and federal levels. Under this law, every state will be a late-term abortion state where abortions can be performed until birth for almost any reason. I voted against this legislation and will continue to advocate for pro-life policies in Congress. We must defend those who are society’s most defenseless.

Constituent Meetings:
As the Representative for the Sixth District, I remain committed to meeting with constituents and advocacy groups both at home and in Washington. This week, I enjoyed hearing from constituents in-person and virtually to learn more about the issues that matter most to them.

Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority

Virginia Poultry Federation

Centra Specialty Hospital

COVID:19 Update:
As of September 26, 2021, Virginia has had 849,865b 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 12,511. Further, according to the VDH’s COVID-19 vaccine data dashboard, as of September 26th, 5,757,774 people have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 5,117,614 people are fully vaccinated.

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.

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WASHINGTON –On September 28, 2021, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that Virginia health centers will receive $28,545,390 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to better serve vulnerable communities that have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Health centers are vital to the communities they serve, and too often they are lacking the resources they need to provide the care Virginians need. These challenges have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the Senators said. “These funds will give care centers the ability to adequately treat patients and continue their lifesaving work during the global pandemic.”

The funding will be distributed as follows:

• Stony Creek Community Health Center in Stony Creek will receive $98,988
• Central Virginia Health Services Inc. will receive $1,003,679
• Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems Inc. will receive $663,636
• Free Clinic of The New River Valley Inc. will receive $556,210
• Greater Prince William Area Community Health Center Inc. will receive $711,255
• Southern Dominion Health Systems Inc. will receive $637,313
• Blue Ridge Medical Center Inc. will receive $594,380
• Martinsville Henry County Coalition for Health and Wellness will receive $552,591
• Clinch River Health Services in Dungannon will receive $529,689
• Daily Planet Inc. in Richmond will receive $575,000
• Kuumba Community Health & Wellness Center Inc. in Roanoke will receive $603,873
• Rockbridge Area Free Clinic in Lexington will receive $573,612
• Johnson Health Center in Lynchburg will receive $776,265
• Highland Medical Center in Monterey will receive $520,658
• Tri-Area Community Health will receive $609,340
• Neighborhood Health will receive $821,057
• St. Charles Health Council in Jonesville will receive $689,013
• Piedmont Access to Health Services Inc. in Danville will receive $712,311
• Eastern Shore Rural Health System Inc. will receive $848,194
• The City of Richmond will receive $657,135
• Loudoun Community Health Center in Leesburg will receive $637,808
• Harrisonburg Community Health Center Inc. will receive $671,611
• Portsmouth Community Health Center in Portsmouth will receive $641,603
• Bland County Medical Clinic Inc. in Bastian will receive $570,455
• Horizon Health Services Inc. will receive $551,062

In addition, the Virginia Department of Health will receive $12,738,652 from the Ryan White Title II Formula Grants Program.

The funding was awarded through the American Rescue Plan, which both Senators voted in favor of, and will help modernize, renovate, and expand health centers that have been overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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As the District Work Period comes to an end and the House prepares to return to Washington, there is much work to be done. While Democrats plan to push a massive tax and spend agenda, I will continue to advocate for the issues most concerning to the American people like securing our southern border, fighting inflation, rescuing stranded Americans in Afghanistan, and combating crime in our cities. Congress must also address potential misconduct by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. If the reports of him circumventing the civilian Chain of Command are true, action must be taken. While I enjoyed traveling the Sixth District this past week meeting with constituents, I am prepared to address these pressing issues in Washington.

Democrats’ Tax Plan:
This week, Democrats began floating almost $3 trillion in tax increases, the largest tax increase since 1968. This crippling tax hike comes at a time when American families are dealing with a stagnant economy, skyrocketing inflation, and higher prices triggered by Democrats’ out-of-control spending. This proposal, particularly the corporate tax increase, will be shouldered by the middle-class and small businesses, send jobs and businesses fleeing overseas, and gives America’s competitors an advantage.

Middle-class families will undoubtedly bear the burden of Democrats’ corporate income tax hike from 21 percent to 26.5 percent. The Joint Committee on Taxation found that over 66 percent of the tax increase will be borne by middle- and lower-income earners. This would come in the form of wages, employment, and higher utility bills. Further, the tax plan will be detrimental to more than 21 million mom-and-pop shops because of the elimination of the Small Business Deduction, which allows small business owners to deduct 20 percent of their income.

Additionally, Democrats are planning to expand the death tax. This supercharged second death tax will force family-owned businesses to sell off assets in order to pay a massive tax bill to the IRS. Eventually, these tax changes will cost one million jobs over the long term. The Biden Administration has claimed that the majority of small businesses will be exempt from his tax hikes – but the Tax Foundation has said that’s “misleading.” In fact, almost 900,000 small businesses could be hit with Democrats’ limitation of the passthrough deduction based on 2018 IRS data. To add insult to injury, the House Democrats’ proposal provides $80 billion over the next ten years for the Internal Revenue Service to hire 87,000 new agents, which will go after American families and businesses.

The plan would also increase our corporate taxes rates to higher levels than even Communist China with a combined state-federal rate of 30.9 percent. American companies would pay this higher global minimum tax for operating abroad while also paying Democrats’ higher corporate rate for operating at home—making America even less competitive and driving jobs, manufacturing, research, and investment overseas. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, the Biden Administration’s global minimum tax would destroy up to one million U.S. jobs.

And finally, this proposal would offer a slew of special tax breaks that only the wealthiest Americans can afford. This is a bad plan for working families and a bad plan for America.

• $12,500 tax credit – Tesla model 3 ($49,990 MSRP)
• $12,500 tax credit – Tesla Model Y ($60,990 MSRP)
• $1,350 tax credit – “home energy audit,” (designer doors and windows)
• $18,000 tax credit – hydrogen fuel cell system for home ($60,000 cost)
• $10,000 tax credit – geothermal heat system for a home ($30,000 cost)
• $52,550 tax savings – additional deduction by restoring the SALT tax shelter

Border Crisis:
President Biden inherited a southern border from President Trump that was secure. Unfortunately, since taking office, the Biden Administration has worked to open the border, not secure it. Our communities are less safe because the President has stopped building the wall, brought back Catch and Release, and got rid of the Remain in Mexico policy until the courts ordered it be reimplemented. It’s simple, border security is national security, and this Administration is dropping the ball. Recently, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced 208,887 border apprehensions at the southern border in August. That is a 317 percent increase from last August and the latest sign that President Biden and the Democrats’ open border policies have created one of the worst border crises in history.

• There were 208,887 border apprehensions in August – a 317 percent INCREASE from last year.
• Border apprehensions remain at a 21-year high in August.
• August was the second straight month with over 200,000 apprehensions.
• Over 1,200,000 illegal aliens have been apprehended at the border since February 1.
• In August, Joe Biden released 43,941 illegal immigrants into the U.S. In President Trump’s last full month in office, only 17 illegal immigrants were released into the U.S.

Rep. Cline during a previous trip to the US-Mexico border.

General Milley Concerns:
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley’s mismanagement of the Afghan withdrawal was nothing short of a disaster. This, coupled with new allegations that he went outside the civilian Chain of Command, further erode confidence in his leadership and could place him in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. According to a new book authored by journalist Bob Woodward, General Milley allegedly spoke with Chinese military leadership and undermined the authority of the President. Given that these anecdotes have not been independently corroborated, my colleagues and I wrote to Secretary of Defense Austin urging him to launch a formal investigation to determine their veracity. The full letter can be found here.

The Week Ahead:
These past few weeks I’ve had the chance to travel throughout the Sixth District and meet with individual constituents in my offices, tour countless small businesses and manufacturing facilities, and participate in dozens of community events. It was so great to hear from folks and connect, and as I prepare to head back to DC next week, rest assured that I’ll voice residents’ concerns in Washington.

Unfortunately, what awaits me in DC is record levels of spending, historic tax increases, a bill that doesn’t truly address traditional infrastructure needs, and a potential increase in the debt limit. First and foremost, the $1 trillion infrastructure package that the Speaker has promised to bring to the Floor by September 27th allocates only a ridiculously small portion of funds for roads and bridges. The rest of the bill is chock-full of pork-barrel provisions added by Senators, including $50 million to combat ‘invasive plants,’ $12.7 million for ‘recreational boating safety,’ and the creation of a commission to improve gender diversity in the trucking industry, among many others. Further, the Democrats are still attempting to tie this $1 trillion bill to the larger $3.5 trillion “human infrastructure” package that does nothing but create even more big government programs. I have long advocated for the need to repair and expand our roadways across the Sixth District, including Interstate 81, but Green New Deal initiatives, universal pre-K, extensions to the child tax credit, and free community college are not infrastructure.

And how do Democrats plan to “pay” for these measures? First, they want to raise the debt limit so that they can borrow more money, which is incredibly irresponsible considering that the national debt stands around $29 trillion. This is nothing more than delaying the need to rein in spending and get our fiscal house in order. Perhaps even worse, however, is the fact that the left is now floating a massive, new $3 trillion tax plan as mentioned earlier. As we emerge from the crippling effects of COVID, forcing a corporate tax rate on the American people that is higher than even that of Communist China would be devastating to businesses and families alike.

These are just a few of the issues that will be addressed in the House in the coming weeks. But there’s much more work to be done, and rest assured I will continue to sound the alarm about the issues most important to the Sixth District. We must address the worsening crisis at our border, take steps to drive down inflation, continue working to rescue stranded Americans in Afghanistan, and combat the crime wave in our Nation’s cities. My Republican colleagues and I will not allow Speaker Pelosi to let these issues fall by the wayside.

Constituent Meetings:
As this District Work Period comes to an end, I very much enjoyed the opportunity to travel throughout the Sixth District this week meeting with folks across our region.

Rockingham County Farm Bureau 70th Annual Membership Dinner (Harrisonburg)

Massanutten Indoor WaterPark (Massanutten)

Virginia Sheriffs’ Association Annual Conference (Roanoke)

Roanoke Catholic School

COVID-19 Update:
As of September 19, 2021, Virginia has had 836,140 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 12,312. Further, according to the VDH’s COVID-19 vaccine data dashboard, as of September 19th, 5,806,630 people have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 5,019,175 people are fully vaccinated.

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.

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