There’s a big green truck in the Capitol – Congressman Bob Goodlatte

That’s right, and it has Virginia plates. Thanks to Katy Simmons, the Sixth Congressional District’s winner of the Congressional Art Competition, you can see it on display for the next year. Recently, I had the honor of welcoming Katy and her family to Washington for the unveiling of this year’s art exhibit.

WATCH – WHSV: Augusta County student wins contest, brings artwork to Capitol Hill

Her acrylic painting, Katy’s Ride, captures something simple from her everyday life and turns it into a work of art using beautiful colors and her own unique point of view.

She painted it as a reminder of her trusty pickup truck and her home in Augusta County, and I look forward to this painting representing our part of Virginia in the U.S. Capitol.

Katy is a 2017 graduate of Buffalo Gap High School and plans to attend Eastern Mennonite University. Congratulations, Katy! Best of luck to you.

Thank you to every student who participated in the Congressional Art Competition this year as well as the teachers and parents encouraging them to learn more about art and test out their own talents. We have many talented young artists in the Sixth District, and I hope they will all continue to discover their creativity.

Some Big Things Are Happening 

There is good news coming out of Washington. From major reforms to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to seeing the end of a federal rule that flew in the face of federalism and economic realities, the fact of the matter is that some big things are happening. And you should know about them.

Back in 2014, we learned of a nationwide scandal within the VA health system. Long wait times for medical care, false record keeping, and just plain negligence at the hands of VA employees were some of the disturbing stories shared. While the vast majority of VA employees – including those in the Sixth District – are dedicated to serving America’s veterans, in recent years the misdeeds of a few bad actors have repeatedly overshadowed their good work. What’s most alarming is that federal civil service protections have made it nearly impossible to fire many of these folks. Some of these employees have even received bonuses.

For the past several years, I have worked with my colleagues in the House to produce legislation to help hold employees and executives at the VA accountable. Last month, Congress sent the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act to the President’s desk to become law. This new law will help make sure that caring for veterans is the top priority of VA. It gives VA Secretary Shulkin more flexibility to discipline or remove employees who have failed to serve our veterans and strengthens whistleblower protections for those seeking to shine a light on abuses within the system. I am proud of this bipartisan work, and I hope that Congress can build on this success by continuing our efforts to ensure that America’s veterans receive the best care possible.

Another issue that I’ve been working on is cutting federal red tape. One rule that concerned me from the very beginning was the controversial “waters of the United States” rule created in 2015. At its core, this rule is an example of unworkable federal government overreach that dramatically expands the EPA’s authority over regulating waterways, including those on private property. It would place even more small streams and creeks under the agency’s control and unfairly over-regulate agricultural producers and economies.

Just a few days ago, the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers announced that they will rescind this rule. Repeal of this rule has been a long-fought effort that is good news for farmers, businesses, home builders, landowners, and municipalities who would be most directly impacted by the far-reaching burdens of the original rule.

These are just two examples of some of the positive policy changes coming out of Congress and the Administration in the past few weeks. House Republicans continue to work diligently to tackle issues like health care, border security, and creating an economy that produces both jobs and greater opportunity for America’s innovators. Our work doesn’t stop here, and I look forward to seeing more important reforms across the finish line.

Snapshots from the Sixth   

The Millboro Volunteer Fire Association’s station in Bath County has a new expansion! I was honored to participate in the opening of the new facility, which includes an apartment where those displaced by fires or other disasters can stay until they find housing. This was truly a labor of love for the community, and I am pleased that their hard work has come to fruition.
Thanks to the Lynchburg Hillcats for inviting me to throw out the first pitch at the game on July 4th! I hope you and your family had a great day of Independence Day celebrations.