{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Republican\", state = \"VA\" and year = 2013 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365063", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 12.23.13", "2013-12-23", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Faith and Action\nPeople of faith often take bold action.\u00a0 The Christmas season is a time to both notice and highlight the large and small acts of faith that make a difference in this world.\u00a0 I can only note a few, as there are too many such actions to note them all.\nOne of those taking bold action this year is Congressman Frank Wolf (VA-10), who has announced that he will be retiring after having served in the House of Representatives for 17 terms. \u00a0\nFrank has worked hard throughout the years to advance justice, human rights, and religious freedom.\u00a0 He went on a secret mission to Tibet in 1997, traveling not as a Congressman but as a tourist with a home video camera.\u00a0 After returning to the United States, Frank said Tibetans were living \u201c\u2026under unspeakably brutal conditions in the dim shadow of international awareness.\u00a0 I want the world to know what is going on in Tibet.\u201d\u00a0\nHe has continued this work in numerous ways.\u00a0 Frank has traveled throughout Asia and the Middle East advocating for religious minorities such as Coptic Christians, and also has persistently pushed to uncover the truth about the 2012 attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi, Libya.\nFrank is a diligent and tireless advocate for those who may otherwise be passed by.\u00a0 I wish the best to Frank as he continues working on the issues important to him and to his family as they begin the next chapter of their lives.\nReverend Ralph Shelba Horton was another man of deep faith, and I was saddened to learn of his December 19 passing.\u00a0 Reverend Horton served the Lord as Senior Pastor of the Richlands Tabernacle since 1971, but he looked for opportunities outside of his own backyard to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 He was a man of God and a friend to many, and his influence went well beyond Tazewell County.\u00a0 To paraphrase a friend of mine, \u201cWho knows how many souls are in heaven because of the work of Reverend Horton.\u201d\u00a0 My thoughts and prayers to Reverend Horton\u2019s loved ones at this time.\nBut not all people of faith have 700,000 constituents or a large congregation with whom to share their message.\u00a0 But this does not mean that their message is any less worthy of attention.\nWillie Nelson\u2019s Christmas song \u201cPretty Paper*\u201d is rather easily adapted to fit one such person - a lady who hangs out every Thursday near the steps leading to the U.S. House of Representatives.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Crowded street, busy feet hustle by her. \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Busy Congressmen, Christmas is nigh.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 There she stands all alone on the sidewalk,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hoping that you won't pass her by. \u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Should you stop?\u00a0 Better not.\u00a0 Much too busy. \u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 You're in a hurry, how time does fly. \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In the distance the ringing of laughter, \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And in the midst of the chatter she tries.\nFor the last three decades or so, Ms. Rita Warren has been a regular fixture on Capitol Hill.\u00a0 Rain or shine, this gentle octogenarian has served as a \u201clobbyist for God,\u201d playing soft music and setting up a life-size statue of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 As we approach the Christmas season, Ms. Warren sets up a lovely nativity scene.\u00a0 Nearby is her menorah.\nIn my experience, she has been relatively unobtrusive.\u00a0 When I see Ms. Warren and hear her music, I feel uplifted and renewed.\u00a0 \u201cJesus is everywhere,\u201d she knowingly tells me and others who choose to stop and speak with her.\u00a0 \u201cMine is a mission of faith.\u201d\nShe gladly speaks with tourists, lawmakers, and congressional staff to share her message about God and his good works to those who will stop to listen. \u00a0\nMs. Warren and her mission of faith inspire and refresh me throughout the year.\u00a0 It\u2019s a constant reminder that, through all the battles and all the rhetoric, no matter how much power we think rests in the capital city of Washington, D.C., the ultimate power belongs to God.\u00a0 During the Christmas season we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who brought God\u2019s message of forgiveness and grace to mankind.\u00a0 \u201cGod so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).\" Best wishes for a safe and merry Christmas. Please note that, in observance of the Christmas holiday, this column will return on Monday, January 6.\u00a0 As always, if you have concerns or comments or wish to inquire about legislative issues, feel free to contact my offices. You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671. To reach my office via email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\n###\n* \u201cPretty Paper\u201d was written by Willie Nelson and originally recorded by Roy Orbison.\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365076", "Ninth District Traveling Staff Office Hours for January", "2013-12-23", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Griffith\u2019s Ninth District STAFF will be available at the following locations during the month of January.\u00a0 In the event of inclement weather (heavy snow, sleet, icy rain, etc.), traveling office hours may be rescheduled to avoid putting constituents at risk.\u00a0 Please contact the Christiansburg Office at 540-381-5671 or the Abingdon Office at 276-525-1405 with any questions or to confirm that traveling hours are still in effect.\r\nJanuary 3, 2014\r\nMartinsville: \u00a0 11:00 am \u2013 1:00 pm\r\nNCI  \r\nRoom 106 \u2013 Classroom Building  \r\n30 Franklin Street  \r\nMartinsville, VA\r\nLee County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nLee County Sheriff\u2019s Office  \r\nConference Room \u2013 Suite U101  \r\n33640 Main Street  \r\nJonesville, VA\r\nNorton: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nNorton City Council Chambers  \r\n618 Virginia Avenue NW  \r\nNorton, VA\r\nJanuary 8, 2014\r\nRadford: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nRadford Public Library  \r\nMeeting Room  \r\n30 West Main Street  \r\nRadford, VA\u00a0\r\nPulaski County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nPulaski County Library  \r\nMeeting Room  \r\n60 3rd Street NW  \r\nPulaski, VA\r\nJanuary 9, 2014\r\nGrayson County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nGrayson County Administration Building  \r\nBoard of Supervisors Room \u2013 Suite 206  \r\n129 Davis Street  \r\nIndependence, VA\r\nRussell County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nSouthwest Virginia Technology Development Center  \r\n141 Highland Drive  \r\nLebanon, VA\u00a0\r\nTazewell County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nBluefield Town Hall \u2013 Council Chambers  \r\n112 Huffard Drive  \r\nBluefield, VA\r\nGalax: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nGalax Municipal Building  \r\nConference Room  \r\n111 E. Main Street  \r\nGalax, VA\r\nJanuary 14, 2014\r\nGiles County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nPearisburg Town Hall  \r\n112 Tazewell Street  \r\nPearisburg, VA\r\nSalem: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nSalem Library  \r\n28 East Main Street  \r\nSalem, VA\r\nJanuary 15, 2014\r\nHenry County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nBassett Historical Society  \r\n3964 Fairystone Parkway  \r\nBassett, VA\r\nBland County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nBland County Courthouse  \r\nAdmin. Office Room 2  \r\n612 Main Street  \r\nBland, VA\r\nWythe County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nWythe County Sheriff\u2019s Office  \r\nConference Room  \r\n245 South 4th Street  \r\nWytheville, VA\r\nPatrick County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nPatrick County Administration Building  \r\nConference Room  \r\n106 Rucker Street  \r\nStuart, VA\r\nJanuary 16, 2014\r\nScott County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nCommunity Services Building  \r\nCommunity Room  \r\n190 Beech Street  \r\nGate City, VA\r\nJanuary 17, 2014\u00a0\r\nCarroll County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nCarroll County Administration Building  \r\nBoard of Supervisors Room  \r\n605 \u2013 1 Pine Street  \r\nHillsville, VA\r\nFloyd County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nFloyd County Library  \r\n321 W. Main Street  \r\nFloyd, VA\r\nJanuary 21, 2014\r\nTazewell County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nAmerican Legion Building  \r\n226 Central Avenue  \r\nTazewell, VA\r\nBuchanan County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nGrundy Town Hall  \r\n1185 Plaza Drive  \r\nGrundy, VA\r\nJanuary 24, 2014\r\nAlleghany County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nClifton Forge Library  \r\nConference Room  \r\n535 Church Street  \r\nClifton Forge, VA\r\nDickenson County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nDickenson Center for Education & Research  \r\n818 Happy Valley Drive  \r\nClintwood, VA\r\nWise County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nBig Stone Gap Federal Courthouse  \r\n3rd Floor Room 303  \r\n322 Wood Avenue E  \r\nBig Stone Gap, VA\r\nRoanoke County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\n\u00a0Roanoke Library Hollins Branch  \r\n6624 Peters Creek Road  \r\nRoanoke, VA\r\nJanuary 28, 2014\r\nPulaski County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nDublin Town Hall  \r\nRoute 100, 1 mile North of I-81  \r\nDublin, VA\r\n** Please contact the Christiansburg Office at 540-381-5671 or the Abingdon Office at 276-525-1405 with any questions.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131154440/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/483", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON ICE'S REMOVAL NUMBERS", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON ICE'S REMOVAL NUMBERS \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released its removal numbers for Fiscal Year 2013, showing a decrease in the number of illegal immigrants and criminal aliens removed.\u00a0 Specifically, ICE removed roughly 369,000 individuals in FY 2013, which is a 41,000 decrease from the previous year, and the removal of criminal aliens decreased from 225,400 last year to 217,000 this year. Additionally, the removal of fugitives with final orders of deportation has decreased by over 40% and for repeat immigration violators it has dramatically declined by over 15%. Upon closer look, over 60% of the deportations claimed by ICE were actually removals of recent illegal border crossers who were apprehended by the Border Patrol and transferred briefly to ICE custody before removal.\u00a0 \n                      \n                      \tHouse Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte released the statement below on the removal numbers for FY 2013:  \n                      \t\u00a0  \n                      \t\u201cToday\u2019s removal numbers from U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement is just more evidence that the Obama Administration refuses to enforce our immigration laws. Throughout the past five years, President Obama has sought to undermine and dismantle our immigration laws at every opportunity possible.\u00a0 And the results of this comprehensive plan are revealed in this year\u2019s removal statistics: deportations are down and fewer criminals have been deported.\u00a0 And the Administration is padding its already meager removal numbers by including Border Patrol apprehensions. \u00a0  \n                      \t\u00a0  \n                      \t\u201cThe Administration\u2019s fuzzy math undermines the integrity of our immigration system and puts our communities needlessly at risk. While the Obama Administration may gain applause from its political base for its inaction, they will ultimately lose in the court of public opinion.\u00a0 Our immigration laws do need to be reformed but ignoring the current laws on the books is not constructive to fixing our broken system.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=498", "Wittman Introduces Legislation to Protect Military Retirees", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) has introduced H.R. 3792 to repeal the provision in the Bipartisan Budget Act, H.J.Res. 59, affecting military retirees.\r\nI strongly believe that we cannot and should not balance the budget on the backs of the servicemembers who have given their all for our country. I was vehemently opposed to the provision in the Bipartisan Budget Act that cuts COLAs for military retirees, and today I have introduced H.R. 3792 to repeal that section.\r\nI have also written a letter to House Armed Services Committee Chairman McKeon, asking for his commitment to address this issue before it goes into effect at the end of 2014. Our retired servicemen and women who served our nation over 20 years deserve the pay and benefits they have earned.\r\nH.R. 3792 strikes Section 403 of H.J. Res. 59, which modifies the annual cost-of-living adjustment for working-age military retirees by making the adjustments equal to inflation minus one percent. This provision provides for an annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) of inflation (measured by the Consumer Price Index) less one percentage point for adjustments starting on December 1, 2015 until the retiree reaches age 62. There would be no alteration to the 2014 COLA. This change would be gradually phased in, with no change for the current year, a 0.25 percent decrease in December 2014, and a 0.5 percent decrease in December 2015. Under this provision, at age 62, the COLA would revert back to the full CPI adjustment.\r\nWittman has also joined House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller in introducing 2 similar bills: 1) legislation that would strike Section 403 and therefore eliminate any cuts to COLAs attached to military retirement payments; and 2) legislation that would clarify and exempt all veterans who medically retire, those who receive Combat Related Specialty Compensation (CRSC), and those who receive Concurrent Receipt Pay (CRDP) from any impact of Section 403 on their disability pension.\r\nCongressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=497", "Wittman Statement on the Retirement of Representative Frank Wolf", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wittman Statement on the Retirement of Representative Frank Wolf \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, D.C.,\r\n        December 19, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Washington, D.C.  Representative Rob Wittman (VA-01) released the following statement upon the announcement of Rep. Frank Wolf's (VA-10) upcoming retirement at the end of the 113th Congress, after 34 years of service:\r\nVirginia has been well-served by a man who has truly dedicated himself to the Virginia way: selfless service to his community and his country. The news today is bittersweet, as Frank's work can never be replicated; I know he will continue to do great things for the causes he cares about the most. He has been a true friend and mentor to me during my time in Congress. I have enjoyed working with him on the issues important to Virginians, and commend his 34 years of service to our Commonwealth, and to our nation. Frank Wolf is a true statesman and we will be forever grateful for his tremendous service.\r\nCongressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\r\n# # #\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131154818/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/481", "GOODLATTE WELCOMES AREVA INVESTMENT IN LYNCHBURG", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE WELCOMES AREVA INVESTMENT IN LYNCHBURG \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement after attending the announcement that AREVA, Inc. will invest $26.3 million in its operations in the Lynchburg region:  \u201cWe are very fortunate that AREVA has decided to continue to build its presence in the Hill City. Today\u2019s news of a $26.3 million investment further solidifies AREVA\u2019s deep commitment to serving the nuclear power industry and helping to drive economic growth in Central Virginia.\u00a0 The designation of the operations in Lynchburg and Campbell County as the company\u2019s Operational Center of Excellence for Nuclear Products and Services is a clear signal that AREVA will continue to be a leader in meeting the needs of the nuclear industry by providing cutting-edge, reliable services. The nuclear industry is integral to this region\u2019s economic strength, and I look forward to continue working with AREVA as they move forward with this investment.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131155132/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/482", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON RETIREMENT OF CONGRESSMAN FRANK WOLF", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON RETIREMENT OF CONGRESSMAN FRANK WOLF \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement after Congressman Frank Wolf (VA-10) announced that he will not seek reelection in 2014: \u201cIt has been a great honor to work with Frank Wolf throughout my time in Congress. Frank has diligently served the people of the 10th District for over three decades.\u00a0 During this time, he has been a strong advocate for human rights, passionately speaking out for those without a voice. We have also worked on numerous issues together, including preservation of historic battlefields, immigration enforcement, addressing human rights issues in the Sudan, and ensuring there are federal law enforcement resources in the northern Shenandoah Valley to protect our communities. \u201cFrank\u2019s wisdom and spirit will certainly be missed in the House of Representatives. I wish him the best of luck in his retirement and thank him for his distinguished service to our nation and the Commonwealth.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364610", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 12.16.13", "2013-12-16", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The ADAPT Act, Fire Hydrants, and the NSA The ADAPT Act Regular readers of this column are aware of my ongoing efforts to improve the quality and safety of our health care system and increase patient choice and control.\u00a0 We have numerous bills that have been introduced, and that the various committees are working on.\u00a0 Among those committees that are working on improvements to our health care systems is the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, on which I serve. Among my efforts are the bipartisan Drug Quality and Security Act (H.R. 3089) to clarify oversight of the compounding drug manufacturing system (which was signed into law) and the Patient Choice Act (H.R. 2090), bipartisan legislation to speed up Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of drugs and give certain patients the option to buy new, innovative, experimental drugs and therapies at their own expense. Last week, I joined with several of my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, in introducing H.R. 3742, the Antibiotic Development to Advance Patient Treatment (ADAPT) Act.\u00a0 The ADAPT Act seeks to advance drug development with the end goal of combating the growing public health threat of \u201csuperbugs,\u201d which are resistant to antibiotics.\u00a0 Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or drug-resistant Salmonella are examples of these superbugs. I believe strongly, when battling deadly diseases, patients and their physicians need more choices. Our nation boasts an array of entities that are working hard to develop new treatments and therapies.\u00a0 The ADAPT Act is a critical next step in working to address antibiotic resistance.\u00a0 This bill develops a new, accelerated pathway for antibiotics and antifungals in limited and specific patient populations.\u00a0 It will further innovation and ultimately will provide new, antibiotic options in the fight against superbugs. I will continue working with my colleagues to improve our health care system and increase the options and control you and your loved ones have over treatment.\u00a0 Further, I will keep you updated on any advancements with the ADAPT Act and our other efforts as well. Update on Fire Hydrants In last week\u2019s column, I wrote about a new bill I introduced that would cut the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) workforce by a reasonable 15 percent over a realistic three- to four-year period.\u00a0 When discussing that bill \u2013 H.R. 3641, the EPA Maximum Achievable Contraction of Technocrats Act \u2013 I mentioned recent EPA guidance that would require fire hydrants installed after January 4, 2014 to be lead-free. Senator Charles (Chuck) Schumer (D-NY) said in a prepared statement, \u201cThe EPA\u2019s absurd interpretation of the reduced lead standards will force municipalities to throw out and replace their current stockpile of hundreds of thousands of dollars\u2019 worth of fire hydrants without any discernible safety benefit.\u201d\u00a0 On this, Senator Schumer and I agree. Over the weekend, I came across a story in which EPA spokeswoman Julia Valentine said, \u201c...the guidance should be revised to exclude fire hydrants if Congress doesn't take action to do so before the January deadline.\u201d It seems that the EPA in this instance may have seen the light.\u00a0 But I must ask: Why even propose these \u201cabsurd\u201d regulations in the first place?\u00a0 Maybe they have too many people looking for solutions to problems that are either miniscule or don\u2019t exist. The House of Representatives recently passed legislation that would add fire hydrants to the list of items exempt from this guidance.\u00a0 I would urge Senator Schumer and his colleagues in the Senate to take action as well. NSA The first court opinion of what I believe will be more has ruled that the National Security Agency (NSA) program that collects the phone data of law-abiding American citizens appears to violate the Constitution.\u00a0 In the case of Klayman v. Obama, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that collecting such metadata is likely unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment, and, in ruling in favor of an injunction against the NSA, found that the plaintiffs were likely to prevail on the merits and will suffer irreparable harm absent injunctive relief.\u00a0 Judge Leon also found that the public interest and potential injury to other interested parties also weigh in favor of injunctive relief.\u00a0 Notwithstanding his concerns, he stayed the injunction pending appeal by the government. I do not know what the appellate courts will do, but I agree with the reasoning of Judge Leon in this case.\u00a0 Liberty and freedom are worth our attention. As always, if you have concerns or comments or wish to inquire about legislative issues, feel free to contact my offices. You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671. To reach my office via email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov. \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364405", "Information on the Budget Agreement and Our Military", "2013-12-13", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cThere is much misinformation making its way around the Internet about the contents of the budget agreement that the House passed last night.\u00a0 The budget agreement negotiated between the House and the Senate stops most of the military cuts that were soon to hit the Commonwealth as a result of the sequester.\u00a0 A George Mason University study estimates that the full sequestration\u2019s defense cuts would have resulted in Virginia losing 136,191 jobs.\u00a0 George Mason University has also estimated that the full defense spending cuts in the sequester would have resulted in the Commonwealth losing 65,000 small business jobs. \r\n\u201cFurther, it is important to note that this agreement does not impact pensions for disabled military retirees or those over the age of 62.\u00a0 What it does in fact do is reduce the potential cost of living adjustment (COLA) increase for working-age military retirees by 1 percentage point less than the increase in consumer prices.\u00a0 This would be gradually phased in over three years.\u00a0 This gradual phase-in means that the potential December 2014 COLA would be reduced by .25 percent, the potential December 2015 COLA would be reduced by .5 percent, and the full change would take place with the potential December 2016 COLA.\r\n\u201cAgain, this budget agreement is a compromise.\u00a0 If I had it my way, this agreement would be different.\u00a0 But the Democrats are in control of the Senate.\u00a0 President Obama and Senate Democrats have refused to take serious action to reduce our debt and our deficits, and this agreement is not a complete solution to the problem.\u00a0 But it is a step in the right direction.\u00a0 It contains lower spending levels than in previously-passed House budgets commonly known as the Ryan plan, and would reduce the deficit by $23 billion.\u00a0 This agreement represents the first budget passed by Congress since I was sworn in to the serve Virginia\u2019s Ninth District.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cI am ready and willing to continue the fight for additional reforms, leading to a balanced budget and further reductions in our debt and deficit.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=495", "Wittman Applauds House Passage of 2014 National Defense Authorization Act, Calls on Senate to Approve", "2013-12-13", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-1) applauded House passage of the Fiscal Year 2014 National Defense Authorization Act Thursday evening, after original House passage in June. The House has certainly done its job in moving this critical legislation through in a timely manner, Wittman said. It is now up to the Senate to pass this bill that is vital for the men and women of our armed forces, and for our nation's security. With so many important initiatives lagging, the House has shown true leadership and put aside partisan differences to pass this bill which goes far toward addressing the damaging impacts of sequestration on our national security and, perhaps most importantly, our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines who serve this nation.  Wittman highlighted critical portions of the FY14 NDAA, specifically:  Allocates nearly $3 billion readiness dollars across all three components  Active, Guard, and Reserve  providing needed funds for critical programs including the flying hour program, facilities maintenance and sustainment, depot maintenance, and combat support forces equipment and sustainment;  Boosts DOD's ability to respond to future crises like Benghazi by adding $75 million for unfunded requirements such as the expansion of the Marine Security Guard program at our diplomatic posts and the establishment of a Crisis Response unit;  Prohibits DOD from initiating another round of BRAC at this time to ensure appropriate focus on the withdrawal from Afghanistan and a well-informed assessment of our nation's defense strategy moving forward;  Provides for $11 billion dollars of MILCON for urgently needed base infrastructure improvements; and  Reauthorizes 1.5 million acres of public land for training range access to ensure our forces have the ability to train the way we expect them to fight. Wittman continued, As we work to complete this bill, we need to be mindful that our highest constitutional duty is to provide for a common defense. That starts with ensuring the men and women who volunteer to wear the uniform and are currently deployed around the world are equipped to address every engagement we send them to with overwhelming military superiority -- and that they never enter a fair fight. The Senate must act  and not leave our men and women in uniform out in the cold. Congressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364350", "Griffith Statement on House-Senate Budget Compromise", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement after voting in favor of the bipartisan, bicameral budget compromise.\u00a0 It passed by a vote of 332-94.\r\n\u201cThis budget agreement is a compromise.\u00a0 It is not perfect, nor does not contain everything I would like, but it is on the right track.\u00a0 This budget keeps with spending levels in previously passed House budgets commonly known as the Ryan plan, and this will be the first time since I was elected to the House of Representatives that Congress \u2013 both the House and the Senate \u2013 has passed a budget.\u00a0 This agreement could have been stronger.\u00a0 But in light of the fact that the Senate is controlled by Democrats, this is the best deal possible.\u00a0 Both the Democrats and the Republicans worked together to reach this compromise.\u00a0 Neither political party loved the bill.\u00a0 As I learned in the House of Delegates, when both sides don\u2019t love a compromise bill, it is probably a fair compromise.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cThis compromise bill included a three month extension of programs to help our rural hospitals and seniors, specifically the Sustainable Growth Rate fix and Medicare dependent and low-volume hospital programs.\r\n\u201cI remain of the belief that out-of-control federal spending must be checked in order to avoid further burdening future generations of Americans with excessive debt, and will continue working to decrease our deficits and our debt.\r\n\u201cWhile this budget is not perfect, I commend Chairman Paul Ryan for his work on this agreement.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131154714/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/479", "HOUSE RFS REFORM LEADERS APPLAUD SENATE REFORM BILL", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "HOUSE RFS REFORM LEADERS APPLAUD SENATE REFORM BILL \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Steve Womack (R-AR) released the following statement today in support of the Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act, which was introduced in the Senate today by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Tom Coburn (R-OK):  \u201cThe Senate joined the House in calling for reform of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) today.\u00a0 The corn ethanol mandate has increased volatility in the corn markets and diverted corn from food and feed uses to fuel production.\u00a0 We have seen costs increase for not only farmers and food producers throughout the nation, but also consumers who purchase these products.\u00a0 Higher volumes of corn ethanol in fuel have also wreaked havoc on small engines, destroying chainsaws, boat motors, and other equipment.\u00a0 We applaud the efforts of Senators Feinstein and Coburn to eliminate this mandate, which is also a provision included in our House bill, the RFS Reform Act (H.R. 1462).\u00a0 We are hopeful that the introduction of this bill in the Senate will help to further propel the growing momentum in the Congress to reform the RFS.\u201d\u00a0 \n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131154733/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/480", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON BUDGET DEAL", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON BUDGET DEAL \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement after voting in support of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives this evening by a vote of 332-94: \u201cTonight\u2019s vote represents the product of hard-fought negotiations between Republicans in the House and Democrats in the Senate.\u00a0 While greater spending cuts moving forward will be required to put our nation back on a path toward fiscal responsibility, this budget deal is a small step towards meaningful deficit reduction.\u00a0 This budget deal lays the groundwork for a federal budget that reduces spending, makes small entitlement reforms, does not raise taxes, ensures military readiness, and restores Congress\u2019 authority to determine how federal tax dollars are spent through the appropriations process. I would have preferred to vote for a continuing resolution at lower levels, but unfortunately there were not the necessary 218 votes for such a measure.\u00a0 This budget deal has advantages, however. By returning to a regular appropriations process, we can bring up each appropriations bill separately, and will no longer cede the power of the purse to unelected bureaucrats.\u00a0 Continuing resolutions provide no opportunity to change or update policies and spending levels. This budget deal lets Members of Congress offer amendments to scrutinize and reform every government program \u2013 for example, this would include an amendment I have offered in the past to stop the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s costly regulatory overreach in the Chesapeake Bay. \u201cOur nation has a President and a Senate who are unwilling to do what really needs to be done to put our fiscal house back in order.\u00a0 They have made it nearly impossible to make meaningful spending reforms and are totally unwilling to address entitlement spending head-on, which represents more than two-thirds of federal spending and continues to add to our debt at an unsustainable rate.\u00a0 The House is prepared to take greater steps toward deficit reduction, and I will continue to work towards this goal throughout the next year. This budget deal is a responsible way to start the process.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=494", "Wittman: \"Deal is better than no deal, but work remains\"", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-1) today voted in favor of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, which passed the House 332-94. This deal is better than no deal, but work remains to get our nation's spending under control and properly managed, Wittman said. In recent weeks, I led numerous briefings to educate Members on the effects of sequester cuts to our nation's military. Members learned the devastating effects of these cuts on training and equipping those who serve our nation in uniform. It is the Constitutional duty of the Congress to provide for our nation's defense, and this bill restores some of the indiscriminate cuts decimating our nation's defense budget. In my mind, it does not go far enough, but some is better than none in this case. Our nation's defense leaders support this measure. I have fought for the restoration of funds for our military's readiness and am pleased to support the partial restoration of cuts and will continue to work to that end. I am also pleased this bill does not target our current federal employees, who often find themselves in the middle of political debate. Though I do not agree with every line in this legislation, I must support the overall goal of moving the ball forward while ensuring we reduce the deficit without raising taxes. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 would set overall discretionary spending for the remainder of fiscal year 2014. It restores some of the funding cuts from sequestration for defense, a key provision for Wittman. The sequester relief is fully offset by savings elsewhere in the budget. \"Importantly, this bill also sets a path forward to a return to regular order for passing legislation related to federal spending. I have long-advocated for Congress to do its job, rather than kicking the can down the road again and again. The American people deserve a thorough debate on these critical issues. This agreement will put appropriators on track to bring legislation with detailed spending plans for federal agencies to the floor by the second week of January. Congressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131154839/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/478", "GOODLATTE REFLECTS ON LEGACY OF NELSON MANDELA", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE REFLECTS ON LEGACY OF NELSON MANDELA \n                      \n                      \t\n                      \tWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement as leaders across the nation gathered in South Africa today for a Memorial Service for Former South African President Nelson Mandela: \u201cToday leaders from across the globe, citizens of South Africa, and those in nations throughout the world came together to honor the memory of Nelson Mandela and celebrate a life that has truly made a mark on history. \u201cIn President Mandela\u2019s 95 years he faced many hardships and injustices.\u00a0 Yet, he turned these struggles into great steps forward in bringing justice and equality to South Africa. \u00a0 \u201cAnd it is only fitting that today\u2019s Memorial Service was marked by skies heavy with rain \u2013 a symbol of blessing.\u00a0 President Mandela was a true man of the people and a source of inspiration and hope.\u00a0 His life was certainly a blessing to many.  \u201cThe world changed tremendously in his lifetime, and his impact will not be forgotten.\u00a0 While I never had the good fortune to meet President Mandela, I think he would agree that we must continue to stand watch over the principles of freedom and democracy for which he fought. \u00a0  \n                      \t\u00a0  \n                      \t\u201cAs the world continues to mourn the loss of this great leader, my prayers remain with the Mandela family and the people of South Africa.\u201d \n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363856", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 12.9.13", "2013-12-09", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On My Christmas List\u2026 Last week, I introduced the EPA MACT (Maximum Achievable Contraction of Technocrats) Act, which would cut the EPA\u2019s workforce by a reasonable 15 percent over a realistic three- to four-year period. Regular readers of this column are aware that I am not the EPA\u2019s biggest fan.\u00a0 However, I do want clean air and clean water, and I will give some credit where it is due.\u00a0 In the past, the EPA has introduced some reasonable regulations in seeking to fulfill its mission of \u201cprotect[ing] human health and the environment,\u201d and to this day it continues overseeing some important programs.\u00a0 In my view, for example, this includes EPA grant programs that help provide underserved areas with clean water. But I believe the EPA is going too far.  \n\u00a0  \nAccording to a Washington TV channel (FOX 5 DC), EPA regulations on newer-model, heavy-duty diesel vehicles (including ambulances and fire trucks) must have an emission control system that would shut the vehicle down in order to \u201cregenerate.\u201d\u00a0 FOX 5 reported that \u201cthe drivers of the rigs and the people who manage them have to stay on top of the warning lights to make sure they don't ever approach the shut down level.\u201d In an actual case in the nation\u2019s capital, FOX 5 DC says a shooting victim in cardiac arrest was being transported via ambulance to a hospital when \u201cthe indicator lights on the emission control system suddenly and unexpectedly jumped from a warning to shut down in a matter of seconds, and as the engine died, [the driver] was able to pull the rig to the side of the road.\u201d\u00a0 A second ambulance arrived minutes later, but the victim was ultimately pronounced dead at the hospital. EPA says that they essentially fixed the issue in 2012, but Harold Boer, head of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturing Association, told the Washington Post, \u201cthe waiver does not fully exempt emergency vehicles and instead allows them to be retrofitted so there is more time between regeneration stops.\u201d\u00a0 He also said that few cities request that their vehicles be retrofitted as it doesn\u2019t eliminate the issue, and that \u201ca request to the EPA for a blanket exemption for all emergency vehicles has been denied.\u201d Though fortunately it doesn\u2019t appear that this has been a widespread problem, is this EPA regulation necessary?\u00a0 Does it \u201cprotect human health and the environment\u201d to have diesel engines like those in ambulances, fire trucks, or large trucks on the interstate potentially shutting down in a matter of seconds?  \n\u00a0  \nI don\u2019t think so. Similarly, should fire hydrants be subject to EPA drinking water regulations that exempt shower valves and bathtub faucets?\u00a0 Communities across the country could have to spend millions of dollars replacing their fire hydrant inventories in order to both keep the public safe and comply with unreasonable EPA guidance that would require fire hydrants installed after January 4, 2014 to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act. The House unanimously passed the bipartisan Community Fire Safety Act that rejects this guidance, but the Senate has yet to act. The EPA also uses the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon dioxide, which we breathe out, despite former Chairman John Dingell saying he hadn\u2019t anticipated the legislation would be used to do so. What other crazy regulatory cards does the EPA have up its sleeve? Did you know that the number of EPA employees increased by nearly 110 percent from 1972 until 2011, while the number of total Federal personnel decreased by 15 percent?\u00a0 Or that, during the recent partial government shutdown, more than 95 percent of all EPA employees were considered \u201cnon-essential\u201d and were furloughed? Surely the EPA has more than enough resources at its disposal to continue overseeing its important programs and enforcing reasonable regulations, and a reduction in forces at the 14 buildings they occupy in whole or in part in Washington, DC might stop some of these unreasonable regulations.\u00a0 That\u2019s why I recently introduced the EPA MACT Act, H.R. 3641, which would cut the EPA\u2019s workforce by a reasonable 15 percent. This is the time of year when folks write up their Christmas lists.\u00a0 The vast majority of people in our area would welcome the inclusion of the EPA MACT Act, cutting EPA employment by 15 percent, on their wish lists.\u00a0 It might be asking a lot of Santa for this bill to become law, but the economy of the Ninth District and our people can\u2019t take any more job-killing, unreasonable EPA regulations. As always, if you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov. \n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363727", "Griffith Statement on Virginia Tech President Announcement", "2013-12-06", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) today issued the following statement on the announcement that Dr. Timothy Sands will be serving as the next president of Virginia Tech beginning in June of 2014:\r\n\u201cVirginia Tech is an exceptional university and a wonderful, tight-knit community that in recent years has experienced days of difficulty as well as periods of significant growth and development.\u00a0 To Dr. Timothy Sands, I extend my sincere congratulations.\u00a0 I look forward to working with him, and to Virginia Tech\u2019s continued success under his leadership.\r\n\u201cAlso, I would be remiss if I did not thank Dr. Charles Steger for his service and dedication to the Hokie Nation.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131154807/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/477", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON VIRGINIA TECH PRESIDENT ANNOUNCEMENT", "2013-12-06", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON VIRGINIA TECH PRESIDENT ANNOUNCEMENT \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released this statement following the announcement that Dr. Timothy Sands will become the next president of Virginia Tech, effective June 1, 2014:\u00a0  \u201cVirginia Tech has long been a leader in higher education, promoting the motto Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) throughout the Commonwealth and across the globe.\u00a0 As this new chapter for Virginia Tech begins, Dr. Sands\u2019 experience in higher education will help to guide Virginia Tech\u2019s mission and continue their long tradition of success in innovation, research, and academic excellence.\u00a0 Virginia Tech grew tremendously under the leadership of Dr. Charles Steger.\u00a0 I have enjoyed working with him over the years, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the Virginia Tech community.\u00a0 I wish Dr. Sands the best of luck in his new position.\u00a0 Go Hokies!\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363603", "Griffith Statement on Life of Nelson Mandela", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) released the following statement after learning of the passing of former South African President Nelson Mandela:\r\n\u201cI am saddened that the world has lost one of its great leaders.\u00a0 Nelson Mandela was a leader of courage who led South Africa after apartheid.\u00a0 While he could have done like so many other leaders in emerging nations have done and created a country where he became a president or ruler for life, he did not turn his back on the principles of representative government.\u00a0 Nelson Mandela\u2019s journey is over on this earth, but his \u2018Long Walk to Freedom\u2019 will never be forgotten.\r\n\u201cMy condolences are extended to his family, his loved ones, and the people of South Africa.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131210180841/http://goodlatte.house.gov:80/press_releases/476", "HOUSE PASSES INNOVATION ACT TO MAKE REFORMS TO OUR PATENT SYSTEM", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "HOUSE PASSES INNOVATION ACT TO MAKE REFORMS TO OUR PATENT SYSTEM \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The House of Representatives today approved H.R. 3309, the Innovation Act by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 325-91.\u00a0 This bipartisan bill takes steps to combat the ever increasing problem of abusive patent litigation. House Judiciary Committee Chairman and chief sponsor of the Innovation Act Bob Goodlatte applauded the bill\u2019s passage: \u201cIn recent years, we have seen an exponential increase in the use of weak or poorly-granted patents by so-called patent trolls to file numerous patent infringement lawsuits against American businesses with the hopes of securing a quick payday.\u00a0 Everyone from independent inventors, to start-ups, to mid and large sized businesses face this constant threat. \u201cThe enactment of the Innovation Act is something I consider central to U.S. competiveness, job creation, and our nation\u2019s future economic security.\u00a0 The bipartisan legislation takes meaningful steps to address the abusive practices that have damaged our patent system and resulted in significant economic harm to our nation.\u00a0 I am encouraged by the overwhelming support the Innovation Act received in the House and I look forward to working with the Senate to see that patent litigation reform legislation is signed into law.\u201d  \n                      \t\n                      \tBackground on the Innovation Act: \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Requires plaintiffs to disclose who the owner of a patent is before litigation, so that it is clear who the real parties behind the litigation are. This will ensure that Patent Trolls cannot hide behind a web of shell companies to avoid accountability for bringing frivolous litigation. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Requires plaintiffs to actually explain why they are suing a company in their court pleadings. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Requires courts to make decisions about whether a patent is valid or invalid early in the litigation process so that Patent Trolls cannot drag patent cases on for years based on invalid claims.\u00a0 This prevents invalid patents from being used to extort money from retailers and end users. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0When parties bring lawsuits or claims that have no reasonable basis in law and fact, the Innovation Act requires judges to award attorneys\u2019 fees to the victims of the frivolous lawsuit.\u00a0 The bill allows judges to waive the award of attorneys\u2019 fees in special circumstances.\u00a0 This provision applies to both plaintiffs and defendants who file frivolous claims. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Requires the Judicial Conference to make rules to reduce the costs of discovery in patent litigation, so that Patent Trolls cannot use the high costs of discovery to extort money from small businesses and entrepreneurs. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Creates a voluntary process for small businesses to postpone expensive patent lawsuits while their larger sellers complete similar patent lawsuits against the same plaintiffs, to protect customers who simply bought the product off-the-shelf. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Requires PTO to provide educational resources for those facing abusive patent litigation claims. The Innovation Act is supported by a wide range of groups that include stakeholders from all areas of our economy representing businesses of all kinds from every corner of our country including independent inventors and innovators.\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131154715/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/475", "GOODLATTE TESTIFIES AT EPA HEARING ON ETHANOL MANDATE", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE TESTIFIES AT EPA HEARING ON ETHANOL MANDATE \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte testified today at the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) hearing on the proposed volume requirements of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for calendar year 2014.\u00a0 Congressman Goodlatte was joined by Congressman Peter Welch (D-VT) who also supports reform of the RFS.\u00a0 Congressmen Goodlatte and Welch, along with Congressmen Jim Costa (D-CA) and Steve Womack (R-AR), recently led a letter signed by 169 Members of the House of Representatives to the EPA Administrator requesting a reduction of RFS levels.  Congressman Goodlatte\u2019s full testimony, as prepared, is below: It is my pleasure to join you all today. \u00a0 Since the Renewable Fuel Standard was dramatically expanded in 2007, we saw, almost immediately, the market distorting effects of the RFS on our economy. \u00a0 EPA has the tools to ease this market distortion fueled by the RFS.\u00a0 Members of Congress have asked several times for EPA to use your authority to lower the RFS.\u00a0 Last year we experienced one of the worst droughts in our nation\u2019s history, severely impacting the corn supply.\u00a0 Livestock and food producers were confronted with corn prices as high as $8 a bushel due to the drought and requirements of the RFS.\u00a0 Last year livestock producers were not just left with the concern of price, but also legitimate concerns over having enough corn to feed their animals and fear that livestock herds would shrink.\u00a0 EPA partially acknowledged these concerns.\u00a0 In response to the waiver request, EPA\u2019s own analysis said that a waiver last year would have provided relief of over $80 million to the pork industry in Virginia and North Carolina. Yet action was not taken. This year we are grateful to not be experiencing a drought that compounds the market distorting effect of the RFS, but we are still confronted with the detrimental effects of the RFS.\u00a0 The imposition of the 2014 volumes now threatens to cause economic and environmental harm. Perhaps the newest challenge would be the imposition of the statutory requirement of 18.15 billion gallons of renewable fuels in 2014, of which approximately 14.4 billion gallons will be made up by corn ethanol.\u00a0 In particular, the combination of rising ethanol mandates and declining gasoline demand has exacerbated the onset of the E10 blendwall \u2013 the point at which the gasoline supply is saturated with the maximum amount of ethanol that current vehicles, engines, and infrastructure can safely accommodate. I was pleased to join Peter Welch, and our colleagues Jim Costa and Steve Womack, to lead a letter with 165 of our colleagues asking the EPA to lower the RFS mandate.\u00a0 Despite our frustration that EPA has failed to recognize the detrimental effects of the RFS in the past, we appreciate that EPA has proposed a slight reduction of the RFS for 2014.\u00a0 While this is an acknowledgement that the mandate is unworkable, it is not enough to provide the much-needed relief businesses, farmers, and consumers need. The RFS is clearly unworkable.\u00a0 The mandate drastically manipulates the corn marketplace and increases commodity and food costs across the supply chain.\u00a0 Under the RFS, the federal government is essentially telling a private industry that they must buy one product, ignoring other groups who also depend on that product and creating an artificial supply-and-demand.\u00a0 The RFS is the federal government disrupting the marketplace by putting its heavy thumb on one side of the scale \u2013 tipping it in favor of one side over the other.\u00a0 In the debate over ethanol, the government is picking winners and losers.\u00a0 I urge the EPA to use your authority to provide the maximum relief possible. While it is imperative that EPA provide the maximum relief possible, we must recognize that any band-aid relief that EPA may provide does not fix this broken policy.\u00a0 The volatility that the RFS has imposed on our economy needs fundamental reform.\u00a0\u00a0 Congress created this artificial market that is distorting the food and feed market, and Congress must provide relief from its unintended consequences. \u00a0  \n                      \t\u00a0 \u00a0  \n                      \tEvery one of my constituents, every American has felt the additional cost of the RFS.\u00a0 Every cattle producer who faces higher feed costs, every family who shops in a grocery store or dines at a restaurant, and every motorist who fills up their tank at the gas station pays the price of this unworkable policy.\u00a0 I look forward to working with you to ease the effects of the RFS for these everyday hardworking Americans.\u00a0 Again, thank you for the opportunity to be here today.\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363414", "Griffith Introduces EPA MACT Act", "2013-12-04", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) yesterday introduced the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Maximum Achievable Contraction of Technocrats (MACT) Act, H.R. 3641.\u00a0 More than nine out of every ten EPA employees were considered \u201cnon-essential\u201d and were furloughed during the recent partial government shutdown.\u00a0 Griffith\u2019s EPA MACT Act would require the EPA Administrator to reduce the EPA\u2019s workforce by 15 percent within three years.\u00a0 It also allows the EPA Administrator to have an additional (4th) year if she deemed it necessary to achieve the goal.\r\nAfter introducing the EPA MACT Act, Griffith issued the following statement:\r\n\u201cThis is the time of year when folks make their Christmas lists, or lay out their hopes and aspirations for the new year.\u00a0 The overwhelming majority of citizens of the Ninth District of Virginia would welcome the inclusion of the EPA MACT Act on their wish lists.\u00a0 It may be asking a lot of Santa for this bill to become law, but the economy of the Ninth District and our people can\u2019t take any more job-killing, unreasonable EPA regulations.\r\n\u201cMany in my area and in coal communities across the nation may wish for the complete elimination of the EPA, but the EPA MACT Act is a more balanced approach.\u00a0 It recognizes that the EPA has put forward some reasonable regulations in the past, and that the agency ought to have the resources in order to be able to continue enforcing those reasonable regulations.\u00a0 Our environment and our communities are better because of earlier actions.\u00a0 Further, the EPA oversees some important programs, such as the grant programs that provide clean water to underserved areas.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cBut, for example, should fire hydrants be subject to EPA drinking water regulations that exempt shower valves and bathtub faucets?\u00a0 My kids often will get a drink from the shower or bathtub faucet, but have never had a drink from a fire hydrant.\u00a0 Do you know many people who regularly drink from a fire hydrant?\u00a0 I don\u2019t.\u00a0 But in October, EPA issued guidance saying that fire hydrants installed after January 4, 2014 must comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act.\u00a0 Communities across the country could have to spend millions of dollars replacing their fire hydrant inventories in order to both keep the public safe and comply with this ridiculous guidance.\r\n\u201cJust yesterday, the House unanimously passed a bipartisan bill that rejects this guidance.\u00a0 But when will it stop?\u00a0 The EPA has been worrying over the \u2018pollution\u2019 emitted by cows (methane) for decades,* and they have even deemed carbon dioxide as harmful! \u00a0Carbon dioxide is one of the gases that all humans emit when exhaling.\u00a0 If you were to take their reasoning to an extreme, the EPA might one day claim to have the authority to regulate the number of children we can have.\u00a0 After all, new human beings will obviously emit the \u2018harmful\u2019 gas carbon dioxide when they start their first cry!\u00a0 I\u2019m not suggesting that the EPA is even thinking about doing that now, but former Chairman John Dingell \u2013 who wrote the Clean Air Act \u2013 has said that he never anticipated that the Clean Air Act would be used to regulate carbon dioxide.**\r\n\u201cClearly, EPA regulators are waging a war on common sense, American manufacturers, jobs, and more.\u00a0 There are real businesses that have closed and real people who have lost their jobs as a result of unreasonable EPA actions.\u00a0 The American people need some relief without delay.\u00a0 This bill would give a small measure of hope to those who face the prospects of the business they work for being shuttered and the loss of their jobs because of an overzealous EPA producing massive new unreasonable regulations.\u201d\r\nA copy of the EPA MACT Act is attached.\r\n\u00a0\r\n###\u00a0 \r\n*http://epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/ch4.html\r\n**http://www.mlive.com/opinion/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/06/viewpoint_congress_never_inten.html  \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363126", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 12.2.13", "2013-12-02", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bipartisan Bill I Worked On Signed Into Law Last week, President Obama signed into law the Drug Quality and Security Act.\u00a0 This win for common sense came after investigations into last fall\u2019s fungal meningitis outbreak tied to tainted injections prepared by Massachusetts\u2019 New England Compounding Center (NECC). Traditional compounding pharmacies are overseen by State boards of pharmacy.\u00a0 They tend to be small mom-and-pop operations, and make custom medications based on a doctor\u2019s order. The NECC had long ago stopped operating as a traditional compounding pharmacy.\u00a0 Instead, the NECC was engaged in large-volume drug manufacturing without proper prescriptions. The NECC claimed that they were exempt from oversight by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which typically regulates the manufacturers of medicines.\u00a0 Despite the NECC\u2019s claim, I believe that the FDA clearly had the authority they needed to have regulated the NECC and prevented the fungal meningitis outbreak. Despite having received complaints from multiple States about the NECC, the FDA did not step in to investigate NECC for illegal manufacturing or share this important information with other States.\u00a0 My colleague, Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), recently wrote that the Colorado State Board of Pharmacy in 2011 identified issues with the NECC, having determined that the drugs being distributed in Colorado lacked proper prescriptions.\u00a0 She continued, \u201cOur state board issued a cease-and-desist order to the NECC, and notified the Massachusetts Board as well.\u00a0 But that was all it could do; ultimately, it was not enough to stop the NECC's actions and prevent the tragic outbreak that swept across the nation a year later.\u201d Because of this oversight failure, the NECC is reported as having shipped more than 17,600 doses of the tainted steroid injection.\u00a0 FDA investigators later uncovered bacteria and mold at the NECC. But more than 750 people throughout the United States were stricken with fungal meningitis resulting from these injections.\u00a0 Nationwide, 64 people were tragically killed as a result.\u00a0 At least two of those killed were from our region, and others continue to suffer. After hearings into the outbreak, Rep. Gene Green (D-TX), Rep. DeGette, and I began working together on a bill to further define a compounding pharmacy and clarify oversight of the compounding drug manufacturing system.\u00a0 In September, after months of negotiations, we introduced the Compounding Clarity Act (H.R. 3089), which would clarify FDA authority over compounding, particularly over large-scale entities like the NECC that act as drug manufacturers. The Griffith-Green-DeGette bill served as the foundation for the compounding pharmacy inspection portion of the Drug Quality and Security Act, which the President signed into law.\u00a0 It is a bipartisan, bicameral first step to ensure the safety of compounded drugs and help save lives, eliminating perceived confusion as to the oversight of pharmacies like the NECC that have worked the system to skirt both FDA and State regulations. I will continue working on areas that need additional clarification, and will oversee the FDA\u2019s interpretation and implementation of this law. Unfortunately, for some, the Drug Quality and Security Act is too little, too late.\u00a0 And as with many proposals, the bill is not perfect.\u00a0 But it does represent consensus and common sense.\u00a0 I believe it would prevent another NECC-type outbreak from occurring. Next Group to be Regulated \u2013 Piano Teachers According to a recent piece in the Wall Street Journal, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been investigating the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) for \u201canticompetitive practices\u201d that potentially increase the price of music lessons. The MTNA is a voluntary nonprofit organization with just under 22,000 members nationwide.\u00a0 It seeks to support music instructors, primarily at-home piano teachers. The organization\u2019s non-binding code of ethics contained a provision that asked teachers to keep from recruiting pupils from other teachers.\u00a0 Apparently, to the FTC, the principle that Piano Teacher A not actively recruit students from Piano Teacher B is an underhanded, unscrupulous effort to rig the price of music lessons. Never mind this voluntary organization had never enforced its aspirational code, nor had it removed any member as a result of the code.\u00a0 Further, the offending provision has since been removed, eliminating any appearance that the organization is violating the law.\u00a0 But no matter \u2013 federal regulators are after the MTNA. I certainly don\u2019t support price-fixing.\u00a0 Are you aware of local piano teachers conspiring to corner the market and prevent cheaper piano lesson pricing?\u00a0 Is this an ill plaguing our society?\u00a0 I haven\u2019t heard of it!\u00a0 Have you?\u00a0 If you know of a similarly-evil trade monopoly trying to take over music lessons, please let my office know. Or could it be that the federal government just has too many employees? As always, if you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov. \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131154753/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/474", "HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARING ON THE PRESIDENT'S CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY TO ENFORCE LAWS", "2013-12-02", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARING ON THE PRESIDENT'S CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY TO ENFORCE LAWS \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 On Tuesday at 10:00 a.m., the House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on \u201cThe President\u2019s Constitutional Duty to Faithfully Execute the Laws.\u201d Throughout President Obama\u2019s tenure, we\u2019ve witnessed a pattern: when the President disagrees with laws, he circumvents them. Now with Obamacare, President Obama is rewriting his own law, even though the law doesn\u2019t provide him the authority to do so. The Constitution is clear: it is Congress\u2019 duty to write our laws and once they are enacted it is the President\u2019s responsibility to enforce them.\u00a0 Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution declares that the President \u201cshall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.\u201d\u00a0 However, President Obama has failed on several occasions to enforce Acts of Congress that he disagrees with for policy reasons. The President has also stretched his regulatory authority to enact policies refused by Congress. Tomorrow\u2019s hearing will specifically focus on Obamacare: the employer mandate delay, waiver for non-compliant health plans, and contraceptive mandate that violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. It will also address the President\u2019s decision to ignore enforcement of our immigration and federal drug laws. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte released the statement below on tomorrow\u2019s hearing: \u201cPresident Obama has blatantly disregarded the Constitution\u2019s mandate to faithfully execute the laws.\u00a0 He has changed key provisions in Obamacare without congressional approval, failed to enforce our immigration and drug laws, and ignored his Constitutional duties for the sake of politics. It is apparent that the President\u2019s vested interest is not in the protected liberties of the American people, but in the advancement of his own agenda and interests.\u201d Witnesses for tomorrow\u2019s hearing include: \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Mr. Michael F. Cannon, Director of Health Policy Studies, Cato Institute;  \n                      \t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Mr. Nicholas Rosenkranz, Professor, Georgetown University Law Center;  \n                      \t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Mr. Jonathan Turley, Professor, George Washington University Law School; and  \n                      \t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Mr. Simon Lazarus, Senior Counsel, Constitutional Accountability Center. All House Judiciary Committee hearings are webcast live at www.judiciary.house.gov. For more information on the hearing, click here. \n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363022", "Ninth District Traveling Staff Office Hours for December", "2013-11-27", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Griffith\u2019s Ninth District STAFF will be available at the following locations during the month of December.\u00a0 In the event of inclement weather (heavy snow, sleet, icy rain, etc.), traveling office hours may be rescheduled to avoid putting constituents at risk.\u00a0 Please contact the Christiansburg Office at 540-381-5671 or the Abingdon Office at 276-525-1405 with any questions or to confirm that traveling hours are still in effect.\r\nDecember 4, 2013\u00a0 \r\nSmyth County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nTown Council Chambers  \r\n138 West Main Street  \r\nMarion, VA\r\nCovington: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nCovington City Hall  \r\nCity Hall Conference Room  \r\n333 W. Locust Street  \r\nCovington, VA \r\nCraig County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nCraig County Administration Building   \r\n108 Court Street  \r\nNew Castle, VA\r\nBristol: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm \r\nBristol VA Public Library  \r\nUpstairs Conference Room  \r\n701 Goode Street  \r\nBristol, VA\r\nDecember 6, 2013\r\nMartinsville: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a011:00am \u2013 1:00pm\r\nNCI  \r\nRoom 106 \u2013 Classroom Building  \r\n30 Franklin Street  \r\nMartinsville, VA\r\nScott County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nCommunity Services Building  \r\nCommunity Room  \r\n190 Beech Street  \r\nGate City, VA\r\nNorton: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nNorton City Council Chambers  \r\n618 Virginia Avenue NW  \r\nNorton, VA \r\nDecember 11, 2013\r\nRadford: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nRadford Public Library  \r\nMeeting Room  \r\n30 West Main Street  \r\nRadford, VA\r\nPulaski County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nPulaski County Library  \r\nMeeting Room  \r\n60 3rd Street NW  \r\nPulaski, VA\u00a0\r\nDecember 12, 2013\r\nGrayson County:\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nGrayson County Administration Building  \r\nBoard of Supervisors Room  \r\nSuite 206  \r\n129 Davis Street  \r\nIndependence, VA \r\nRussell County:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 10:00am \u2013 12:00pm  \r\nSouthwest Virginia Technology Development Center  \r\n141 Highland Drive  \r\nLebanon, VA \r\nTazewell County:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2:00pm \u2013 4:00pm  \r\nBluefield Town Hall \u2013 Council Chambers  \r\n112 Huffard Drive  \r\nBluefield, VA \r\nGalax: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nGalax Municipal Building  \r\nConference Room  \r\n111 E. Main Street  \r\nGalax, VA\u00a0 \r\nDecember 13, 2013\r\nWise County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nBig Stone Gap Federal Courthouse  \r\n3rd Floor Room 303  \r\n332 Wood Avenue E  \r\nBig Stone Gap, VA\r\nAlleghany County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nClifton Forge Library  \r\nConference Room  \r\n535 Church Street  \r\nClifton Forge, VA 24422\u00a0 \r\nDickenson County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nDickenson Center for Education & Research  \r\n818 Happy Valley Drive  \r\nClintwood, VA\r\nRoanoke County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\u00a0\u00a0 \r\nRoanoke Library Hollins Branch  \r\n6624 Peters Creek Road  \r\nRoanoke, VA\r\nDecember 17, 2013\u00a0 \r\nGiles County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nPearisburg Town Hall  \r\n112 Tazewell Street  \r\nPearisburg, VA\r\nTazewell County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nRichlands Town Hall  \r\n200 Washington Square  \r\nRichlands, VA Buchanan County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm  \r\nGrundy Town Hall  \r\n1185 Plaza Drive   \r\nGrundy VA Salem: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nSalem Library  \r\n28 East Main Street  \r\nSalem, VA\u00a0 \r\nDecember 18, 2013\r\nHenry County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nBassett Historical Society\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0   \r\n3964 Fairystone Parkway  \r\nBassett, VA\r\nBland County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nBland County Courthouse  \r\nAdmin. Office Room 200  \r\n612 Main Street  \r\nBland, VA\r\nWythe County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nWythe County Sheriff\u2019s Office  \r\nConference Room  \r\n245 South 4th Street  \r\nWytheville, VA\r\nPatrick County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nPatrick County Administration Building  \r\nConference Room  \r\n106 Rucker Street  \r\nStuart, VA\u00a0\u00a0\r\nDecember 19, 2013\r\nLee County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nLee County Sheriff\u2019s Office  \r\nConference Room  \r\n33640 Main Street \u2013 Suite U101  \r\nJonesville, VA\r\nDecember 20, 2013\r\nCarroll County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nCarroll County Administration Building  \r\nBoard of Supervisors Room   \r\n605 \u2013 1 Pine Street  \r\nHillsville, VA\u00a0 \r\nFloyd County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nFloyd County Library  \r\n321 W. Main Street  \r\nFloyd, VA\r\n**Please contact the Christiansburg Office at 540-381-5671 or the Abingdon Office at 276-525-1405 with any questions.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362866", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 11.25.13", "2013-11-25", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Many children are taught that America\u2019s First Thanksgiving took place in 1621 at Massachusetts\u2019 Plymouth Plantation.\u00a0 But it is Virginia, and not the Bay State, that has the right to claim ownership of the First English settlement Thanksgiving.  \n\u00a0  \nIn 1619 \u2013 around a year before the pilgrims even arrived at Plymouth \u2013 a group of English colonists arrived at Berkeley Plantation and established the Thanksgiving tradition.\u00a0 In accordance with instructions sent by the London Company, upon arriving at Berkeley, Captain John Woodlief and fellow colonists prayed*: \n\u201cWe ordain that this day of our ship's arrival, at the place assigned for plantacon, [meaning plantation], in the land of Virginia, shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.\u201d\nOf course, it is true that the colony at Plymouth held a three-day festival to celebrate their safe travels, a successful growing season, and the assistance of the Native Americans.\u00a0 The relationship between these new settlers and the Native Americans did not end with this meal. \u00a0Obviously, Native Americans and European settlers would engage in numerous wars, acts of treachery, and atrocities, but when our nation was threatened from powers across the seas, Native Americans were proud to defend these United States.\nAs written in the Washington Post, \u201cDuring the dark, early days of World War II, American military commanders were desperate for a code that could not be cracked by the Japanese.\n\u201cThe solution rested in the obscure languages spoken by Native American tribes, unfathomable to the Japanese.\u00a0 Native American code talkers, as they became known, were able to transmit messages quickly and securely, giving American forces a critical edge.\u201d\nThe first recorded use of code talkers as a part of our Armed Forces was in October of 1918.\u00a0 They thwarted our enemies, using their native language to communicate securely and secretly.  \n\u00a0   \nAccording to the Defense Department, more than 400 code talkers served during World War I and World War II.\u00a0 Navajo code talkers served in the largest numbers, and were recognized for their service in a 2001 ceremony featuring President George W. Bush.\u00a0 However, many Native American code talkers of different tribes were not given the same recognition.\nIn 2008, Congress passed a bill that would authorize gold medals for other tribes and, because there are no central records regarding code talkers, the Pentagon researched for the last several years to determine which tribes were eligible for recognition.\u00a0 Perhaps complicating matters further is the fact that, because code talkers were sworn to secrecy, many of them passed away without having revealed their heroic actions, even to those they loved.\nJust last week, I joined other members of the House and the Senate in the Capitol Visitor Center\u2019s Emancipation Hall for a ceremony honoring Native American code talkers from 33 tribes throughout the United States with the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress\u2019 highest expression of gratitude.\nThe tribes being recognized at this moving ceremony received Congressional Gold Medals of a unique design befitting that tribe.\u00a0 Also, more than 200 silver medals were presented to living code talkers or a surviving family member.\nAs Speaker John Boehner said of code talkers, \u201cThey mobilized the simplest weapon \u2013 language \u2013 to thwart the fiercest enemy free people have ever known.\u201d  \n\u00a0   \nAttending the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony was the Robinson family from Roanoke County.\u00a0 Mr. Robinson\u2019s uncle, Mr. Harold W. Morgan, was a code talker, and a member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma.\u00a0 Speaking with the Robinsons after the ceremony about their family heritage and about Mr. Morgan, his service to our nation, and the Pawnee Nation\u2019s Congressional Gold Medal was humbling.\u00a0 I will never forget it.  \n\u00a0  \nThis season, more than any other, is the time in which we gather together in thanksgiving, in recognition of our blessings, and in praise.\u00a0 Along with being thankful for the blessings bestowed upon me and my family, I will express my deep gratitude this Thanksgiving for heroes like Mr. Harold W. Morgan, his fellow code talkers, and other members of our Armed Forces both past and present.  \n\u00a0   \nMay God bless these heroes, may God bless you and your loved ones, and may God bless these United States.\u00a0 Best wishes for a safe and happy Thanksgiving.  \n\u00a0  \nAs always, if you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\n###\n \n* http://www.timesdispatch.com/opinion/their-opinion/in-virginia-a-season-of-thanksgiving/article_8c11aad7-9402-5984-8e59-6b4d347f09ab.html\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131155059/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/473", "GOODLATTE & ESHOO NAMED 2014 CO-CHAIRS OF FIRST CONGRESSIONAL APP COMPETITION", "2013-11-25", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE & ESHOO NAMED 2014 CO-CHAIRS OF FIRST CONGRESSIONAL APP COMPETITION \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Reps. Bob Goodlatte and Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.) released the statements below after the House Administration Committee appointed them as Co-chairs of the first ever House Academic Competition to promote innovation in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). \u201cBecause of your established leadership in this field, the Committee appoints you as co-chairs for the 2014 STEM Competition,\u201d the Committee wrote to Goodlatte and Eshoo. As Co-chairs of the Congressional Internet Caucus, Goodlatte and Eshoo have been at the forefront of promoting education and innovation in the STEM fields, making them ideal candidates to lead the 2014 competition.  The first competition will be formally launched in February 2014 and will be an app competition for high school students in participating Congressional districts.  \u201cThe demand for students educated in engineering and technology continues to rise in the United States but part of the challenge is how to engage students in these subjects and further the understanding of these valuable skills,\u201d said Goodlatte, who is also Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. \u201cThe House Academic Competition is a great opportunity to promote these fields which are driving American innovation. I look forward to working with my Co-Chair Anna Eshoo to oversee this competition which will help to build a workforce equipped with science, technology, engineering and math skills.\u201d \u201cI\u2019m thrilled to be leading such an extraordinary opportunity for our nation\u2019s youth and to help foster interest in science, technology, engineering, and math education,\u201d said Eshoo, who also serves as Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee\u2019s Communications and Technology Subcommittee. \u201cAccording to the President\u2019s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, the next decade will bring approximately 8.5 million STEM job opportunities, but during the same time we will face a shortage of 1 million STEM graduates. We need to address this mismatch by encouraging our children\u2019s innate curiosity and creativity. What better way to do so than through a mobile apps competition?\u201d Eshoo continued, \u201cFrom mobile medical apps that may soon revolutionize the way we seek and receive healthcare, to apps that enable video conferencing and the streaming of online video, our lives have been forever changed by the mobility and economic impact these applications provide. I thank the House Administration Committee for the appointment, and I look forward to the competition.\u201d Background: Earlier this year, the House voted to establish an academic competition that promotes greater innovation among students across the country. The competition, which allows Members to conduct annual contests among students in their district, will encourage greater participation in the STEM fields and help emphasize their importance to our economic success. On November 20th, the House Administration Committee advanced this important initiative by adopting the regulations governing the competition, including rules on administration, contestants, judges, and resources. \n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131210102409/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/472", "GOODLATTE: HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARING ON ASYLUM ABUSE", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE: HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARING ON ASYLUM ABUSE \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The House Judiciary Committee today announced that it will hold a hearing on our nation\u2019s asylum laws by the end of the year.\u00a0 According to an internal Customs and Border Protection document obtained by the House Judiciary Committee, and as reported by the Washington Times today, many people claiming a \u201ccredible fear\u201d of persecution at our ports of entry have a direct or indirect association with drug trafficking and other illegal activity such as human smuggling. Since there are intelligence gaps and loopholes in the system, the asylum process \u2013 which was designed to help innocent victims of persecution \u2013 is being abused by individuals who would otherwise be subjects of interest or subjects of criminal investigations. Once these unscrupulous individuals falsely claim a \u201ccredible fear\u201d of persecution, there is virtually no investigation by U.S. authorities. Because the Obama Administration refuses to detain most of them, criminals and those who pose national security threats are then able to live and work in the U.S. for many years before their cases are ever heard by immigration judges.  Below is a joint statement from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, Immigration and Border Security Subcommittee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), and Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), a fellow Judiciary Committee member who is also chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, on this upcoming hearing. \u201cIt\u2019s outrageous that members of Mexican drug cartels and others involved in illicit activity are so easily able to exploit our asylum laws and live in the U.S. virtually undetected.\u00a0 Our asylum laws are in place to help individuals who are facing truly serious persecution in their countries.\u00a0 However, dangerous criminals are gaming the system by claiming they have a \u2018credible fear\u2019 of persecution when often they\u2019ve been the perpetrators of violence themselves. Their claims almost always get rubberstamped by the Obama Administration and once these individuals are in the U.S., the illegal activity doesn\u2019t stop.  \n                      \t\u00a0  \n                      \t\u201cUnfortunately, it appears the Obama Administration is compromising our national security and the safety of our communities for its political agenda. The House Judiciary Committee plans to hold a hearing soon to closely examine this egregious abuse to see what can be done to put an end to it.\u201d  \n                      \t\u00a0  \n                      \tBelow are some examples cited in the document obtained by the House Judiciary Committee: \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Two families involved in drug trafficking came to the U.S. claiming \u201ccredible fear\u201d of persecution, then began targeting each other once they were here.  \n                      \t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Two women made a claim of asylum and three months later were apprehended at a Border Patrol checkpoint with more than $1 million in cocaine.  \n                      \t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Cartel hit-squad members came to the U.S. after they \u201cfell out of grace\u201d with their employers.  \n                      \t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0An ex-Mexican military soldier and his family claimed \u201ccredible fear\u201d and settled in Colorado.\u00a0 When U.S. authorities followed up on them, they were linked to an open investigation involving the seizure of 3,000 pounds of marijuana.\u00a0 \n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131122141132/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/471", "HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE APPROVES PATENT REFORM BILL", "2013-11-20", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE APPROVES PATENT REFORM BILL \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The House Judiciary Committee today approved the Innovation Act (H.R. 3309) by an overwhelming vote of 33-5.\u00a0 This bipartisan bill takes steps to combat the ever increasing problem of abusive patent litigation.\u00a0 The legislation addresses abusive practices taking place in our courts. House Judiciary Committee Chairman and chief sponsor of the Innovation Act Bob Goodlatte praised today\u2019s Committee vote:\u00a0  \u201cAbusive patent litigation is having a significant impact on American innovation, needlessly costing small and large businesses alike tens of billions of dollars every year \u2013 resources that could have been used to create innovative new products and services.\u00a0  \u201cToday\u2019s Judiciary Committee passage of the Innovation Act takes a pivotal step toward eliminating the abuses of our patent system by discouraging these frivolous patent lawsuits.\u00a0 The Innovation Act contains needed reforms to address the issues that businesses of all sizes and industries face from patent troll-type behavior, while keeping in mind several key principles, including targeting abusive behavior rather than specific entities, preserving valid patent enforcement tools, preserving patent property rights, promoting invention by independents and small businesses, and strengthening the overall patent system.  \u201cThis legislation will help fuel the engine of American innovation and creativity, help create new jobs and grow our economy.\u201d  \n                      \t\n                      \tKey Components of the Innovation Act:  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Target Abusive Patent Litigation: The bill targets abusive patent litigation behavior and not specific entities with the goal of preventing individuals from taking advantage of gaps in the system to engage in litigation extortion.\u00a0 It does not attempt to eliminate valid patent litigation. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Protects the Patent System: The patent system is integral to U.S. competitiveness.\u00a0 This legislation does not diminish or devalue patent rights in any way. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Increases Transparency: This legislation includes heightened pleading standards and transparency provisions. Requiring parties to do a bit of due diligence up front before filing an infringement suit is just plain common sense. It not only reduces litigation expenses, but saves the court\u2019s time and resources. Greater transparency and information is a good thing and it makes our patent system stronger.  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Modernizes Fee Shifting: The legislation includes a modernized version of Section 285 fee shifting that is fair, clear and will ensure consistent judicial determinations. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Provides Greater Clarity: The legislation provides for more clarity surrounding initial discovery, case management, joinder and the common law doctrine of customer stays.\u00a0 The bill works hand-in-hand with the procedures and practices of the Judicial Conference and the courts. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Small Business Education: The bill provides for small business education and outreach by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. \n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131122141136/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/470", "GOODLATTE EARNS 'TAXPAYERS' FRIEND' RECOGNITION", "2013-11-20", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE EARNS 'TAXPAYERS' FRIEND' RECOGNITION \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement after receiving the \u201cTaxpayers\u2019 Friend Award\u201d for 2012 from the National Taxpayers Union (NTU) for his consistent votes to reduce and control the tax burden on American taxpayers.\u00a0 Congressman Goodlatte is the only member of the Virginia Delegation to receive an \u201cA\u201d rating, which is based on 274 votes taken in the U.S. House of Representatives during the 2nd Session of the 112th Congress.  \u201cIt is an honor to receive this recognition as a \u2018Taxpayers\u2019 Friend,\u2019\u201d said Rep. Goodlatte.\u00a0 \u201cAs the 113th Congress continues working to make real changes to the culture of excess spending and put us on the path to a balanced budget, I will remain a strong advocate for responsible spending and tax policies.\u00a0 If we are to spur greater economic growth and job creation, we must take serious steps to restrain federal spending and implement real reforms to our tax system.\u00a0 We must also look toward fiscally sound policies that truly address entitlement spending, one of the greatest contributors to our debt.\u00a0 Tackling these issues will help to ensure a more prosperous future for businesses and families in the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia as well as generations to come.\u201d\n                      \n                      \tPHOTO: Congressman Goodlatte receives the \u201cTaxpayers\u2019 Friend\u00a0 Award.\u201d \n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131123003436/http://wolf.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=34&itemid=2337", "Wolf To McAuliffe: Prioritize Ending Domestic Hunger", "2013-11-19", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Frank Wolf", "W000672", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Jill Shatzen   (202) 225-5136  WOLF URGES GOVERNORS OF ALL 50 STATES TO PRIORITIZE ENDING DOMESTIC HUNGER  \u00a0  Washington, D.C. (November 19, 2013) \u2013 Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) today urged the governors of all 50 states to prioritize the issue of domestic hunger and food insecurity, laying out initiatives that have proven effective in his home state of Virginia and calling on each governor to adopt similar provisions in their states.  In letters to each governor, Wolf described how 49 million Americans \u2013 including 17 million children \u2013 are considered food insecure.\u00a0 While food donations will increase during the upcoming holidays, Wolf wrote, food banks and pantries typically have scant resources during the other 10 months of the year.  Wolf, who\u2019s provision to create a bipartisan national commission on hunger is currently moving through Congress, said programs like the \u201cGovernor\u2019s Bowl\u201d food and fund drive, the Legal Food Frenzy, the Feds Feed Families program and the Scouting for Food program have proven to be highly successful in Virginia, even breaking records for total pounds of food donated.\u00a0 In a separate letter to Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe, Wolf praised these past efforts and encouraged their continuation, urging McAuliffe to prioritize this issue as he begins to assemble his new cabinet.  Wolf also made suggestions for ways to combat hunger at no cost to taxpayers, including designating one staff member in the governor\u2019s cabinet to serve as the point on this issue; creating a one-stop Web site with real-time information about food shortages in each area; coordinating rolling food drives with friendly competition among businesses, schools, churches and civic groups; incentivize farmers to set aside land for gleaning; and educating the public about the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act, a law Wolf introduced which removes liability issues for schools so they may donate unused food.  \u201cThese are but a few examples that barely scratch the surface,\u201d Wolf wrote.\u00a0 \u201cThere are so many ways we can combat the pervasive yet solvable hunger problem that exists all over the country \u2026 I look forward to working with you.\u201d  For more on Wolf\u2019s work on this issue, click here.  For the full text of Wolf\u2019s letter to McAuliffe, click here.  The full text of Wolf\u2019s letter to all other governors is below.  Dear Governor,  As the holiday season approaches, more Americans become mindful of those in need of food because of our strong tradition of helping the less fortunate this time of year.\u00a0 Yet at a time when nearly 49 million Americans are food insecure \u2013 including 16 million children \u2013 we need to recognize the need for food donations throughout the year, not just at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  No one should go hungry in America, the land of plenty and the world\u2019s wealthiest nation.\u00a0 A proposal is moving through Congress to create a congressional commission aimed at alleviating hunger in the United States.\u00a0 The bipartisan group would develop recommendations to encourage public-private partnerships and greater involvement from community and faith-based groups to reduce the need for government nutrition programs while still providing a safety net for the most vulnerable and hungry.\u00a0 The plan has been endorsed by Alliance to End Hunger, Bread for the World and Feeding America.  The federal government presently provides roughly 96 percent of the money spent on food assistance; private charities provide the rest.\u00a0 Given our nation\u2019s current fiscal woes, this is unsustainable.\u00a0 While it is important for the government to continue to provide a safety net for those who fall on hard times, the simple reality is that until we fully address our nation\u2019s exploding debt and deficit, further cuts to discretionary spending are all but inevitable.\u00a0 As you are aware, stimulus-level food stamp spending expired on November 1, which translated into a reduction of roughly $5 billion on SNAP spending for fiscal year 2014.\u00a0 These changes are independent of any potential fluctuations to the program that may result from those being considered by the Farm Bill conferees.\u00a0 This is already having an impact on food banks in my region, and I anticipate your state will see the same effects.  Today, I wrote Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe of Virginia with suggestions that would ensure food is distributed to those in need year round \u2013 at no cost to taxpayers.\u00a0   Several of these ideas could be implemented in your state as well:  \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Designate one person in your office to serve as the food bank/pantry coordinator so the food banks would have one point of contact who would be responsible for working with the food banks and pantries across the state.\u00a0 With the growing demand for food, it has become nearly impossible for food bank workers to do any outreach, so the point of contact would be charged with keeping the \u201cneed\u201d in the news. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Have one of your agencies develop a central \u201cone-stop\u201d Web site for all food banks and pantries to provide information for donors, volunteers and clients, which would centralize information and provide a platform where people could learn more about needed items and how to get involved. It would also include contact information, links to each food bank/pantry\u2019s site, a summary of each food bank\u2019s unique services and needs, a map of where each food bank/pantry is located, and \u201creal time\u201d information on food shortages in each part of the state for churches, civic groups, the business community and the press to access. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Pledge to end hunger by calling on all state agencies, schools, businesses, churches and civic organizations to commit to participating in a rolling food drive to re-stock the shelves of local food pantries.\u00a0 For example, schools could donate in the late winter, churches and civic organizations in the spring, businesses in the summer and state agencies in the fall.\u00a0 Currently, there is a large influx of food during the holiday season but shelves are often empty in the spring and summer months as people turn attention elsewhere.\u00a0 This would ensure a rolling system of food donations. o\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Have your Secretary of Administration develop a program for state employees similar to the highly successful Feds Feeds Families program that just this year collected a record-breaking 9 million pounds of food, up from 7.2 million in 2012. o\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Have your Secretary of Agriculture incentivize farmers to set aside land for the purpose of gleaning and allowing it to be qualified as a charitable gift, and have farmers set aside an acre of their land for the local Scout group to cultivate and then donate to an area food bank. o\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Have your Secretary of Education ask each school hold one or two food drives and donate unused cafeteria food to local food banks. o\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Have your Secretary of Commerce ask the Chambers of Commerce, major corporations and small businesses around the state to hold food drives, or \u201cadopt\u201d a local food bank.\u00a0 Honor those organizations that donate the most food and develop a marketing campaign to raise public awareness.\u00a0 If successful, this could become an annual event. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Take a leadership role in educating schools about the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act, which protects schools from liability issues they used to fear if they gave away unused food, and allows donations of excess food to local pantries.\u00a0 In 2011, language that I authored was signed into law making this explicitly clear \u2013 schools can donate food without fear of liability.\u00a0 The purpose of the law is simple \u2013 keep excess school food out of the garbage and get it to our food banks \u2013 and it has already proven successful in places like the Blue Valley School District in Kansas, which has been leading the way with their innovative school recovery program that puts this law into action.\u00a0 A short video summarizing their efforts may be found at http:// wolf.house.gov/foodrecovery. \u00a0 Virginia has already had success with programs like the \u201cGovernor\u2019s Bowl\u201d food and fund drive, which has allowed business communities across the state to take part in a friendly competition aimed at helping meet the needs of local food banks and pantries during the summer months, when donations are typically at their lightest.\u00a0 The Legal Food Frenzy has produced more than 8.5 million pounds of food through the efforts of the Attorney General of Virginia, the Young Lawyers Division of the Virginia Bar Association and the Federation of Virginia Food Banks.\u00a0 The Scouting for Food program is also extremely successful, and I regularly meet with local food banks and pantries to discuss their needs.   In the coming weeks, food drives will be held in offices, schools, churches and communities all over America.\u00a0 But as you know, families are in need during the other 10 months out of the year.\u00a0 They have scant resources after the holidays are over when donations stop coming in.   These are but a few examples that barely scratch the surface.\u00a0\u00a0 There are so many ways we can combat the pervasive yet solvable hunger problem that exists all over the country, and you should feel free to contact my staff in Washington if you would like more information.\u00a0 I look forward to working with you.  Best wishes.  Sincerely,  \u00a0  \u00a0\u00a0 Frank R. Wolf  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Member of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131123003636/http://wolf.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=34&itemid=2336", "Wolf To Governors: Prioritize Ending Domestic Hunger", "2013-11-19", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Frank Wolf", "W000672", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Jill Shatzen   (202) 225-5136  WOLF URGES GOVERNORS OF ALL 50 STATES TO PRIORITIZE ENDING DOMESTIC HUNGER  Washington, D.C. (November 19, 2013) \u2013 Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) today urged the governors of all 50 states to prioritize the issue of domestic hunger and food insecurity, laying out initiatives that have proven effective in his home state of Virginia and calling on each governor to adopt similar provisions in their states.  In letters to each governor, Wolf described how 49 million Americans \u2013 including 17 million children \u2013 are considered food insecure.\u00a0 While food donations will increase during the upcoming holidays, Wolf wrote, food banks and pantries typically have scant resources during the other 10 months of the year.  Wolf, who\u2019s provision to create a bipartisan national commission on hunger is currently moving through Congress, said programs like the \u201cGovernor\u2019s Bowl\u201d food and fund drive, the Legal Food Frenzy, the Feds Feed Families program and the Scouting for Food program have proven to be highly successful in Virginia, even breaking records for total pounds of food donated.\u00a0 In a separate letter to Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe, Wolf praised these past efforts and encouraged their continuation, urging McAuliffe to prioritize this issue as he begins to assemble his new cabinet.  Wolf also made suggestions for ways to combat hunger at no cost to taxpayers, including designating one staff member in the governor\u2019s cabinet to serve as the point on this issue; creating a one-stop Web site with real-time information about food shortages in each area; coordinating rolling food drives with friendly competition among businesses, schools, churches and civic groups; incentivize farmers to set aside land for gleaning; and educating the public about the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act, a law Wolf introduced which removes liability issues for schools so they may donate unused food.  \u201cThese are but a few examples that barely scratch the surface,\u201d Wolf wrote.\u00a0 \u201cThere are so many ways we can combat the pervasive yet solvable hunger problem that exists all over the country \u2026 I look forward to working with you.\u201d  For more on Wolf\u2019s work on this issue, click here.  For the full text of Wolf\u2019s letter to McAuliffe, click here.  The full text of Wolf\u2019s letter to all other governors is below.  Dear Governor,  As the holiday season approaches, more Americans become mindful of those in need of food because of our strong tradition of helping the less fortunate this time of year.\u00a0 Yet at a time when nearly 49 million Americans are food insecure \u2013 including 16 million children \u2013 we need to recognize the need for food donations throughout the year, not just at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  No one should go hungry in America, the land of plenty and the world\u2019s wealthiest nation.\u00a0 A proposal is moving through Congress to create a congressional commission aimed at alleviating hunger in the United States.\u00a0 The bipartisan group would develop recommendations to encourage public-private partnerships and greater involvement from community and faith-based groups to reduce the need for government nutrition programs while still providing a safety net for the most vulnerable and hungry.\u00a0 The plan has been endorsed by Alliance to End Hunger, Bread for the World and Feeding America.  The federal government presently provides roughly 96 percent of the money spent on food assistance; private charities provide the rest.\u00a0 Given our nation\u2019s current fiscal woes, this is unsustainable.\u00a0 While it is important for the government to continue to provide a safety net for those who fall on hard times, the simple reality is that until we fully address our nation\u2019s exploding debt and deficit, further cuts to discretionary spending are all but inevitable.\u00a0 As you are aware, stimulus-level food stamp spending expired on November 1, which translated into a reduction of roughly $5 billion on SNAP spending for fiscal year 2014.\u00a0 These changes are independent of any potential fluctuations to the program that may result from those being considered by the Farm Bill conferees.\u00a0 This is already having an impact on food banks in my region, and I anticipate your state will see the same effects.  Today, I wrote Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe of Virginia with suggestions that would ensure food is distributed to those in need year round \u2013 at no cost to taxpayers.\u00a0   Several of these ideas could be implemented in your state as well: \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Designate one person in your office to serve as the food bank/pantry coordinator so the food banks would have one point of contact who would be responsible for working with the food banks and pantries across the state.\u00a0 With the growing demand for food, it has become nearly impossible for food bank workers to do any outreach, so the point of contact would be charged with keeping the \u201cneed\u201d in the news. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Have one of your agencies develop a central \u201cone-stop\u201d Web site for all food banks and pantries to provide information for donors, volunteers and clients, which would centralize information and provide a platform where people could learn more about needed items and how to get involved. It would also include contact information, links to each food bank/pantry\u2019s site, a summary of each food bank\u2019s unique services and needs, a map of where each food bank/pantry is located, and \u201creal time\u201d information on food shortages in each part of the state for churches, civic groups, the business community and the press to access. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Pledge to end hunger by calling on all state agencies, schools, businesses, churches and civic organizations to commit to participating in a rolling food drive to re-stock the shelves of local food pantries.\u00a0 For example, schools could donate in the late winter, churches and civic organizations in the spring, businesses in the summer and state agencies in the fall.\u00a0 Currently, there is a large influx of food during the holiday season but shelves are often empty in the spring and summer months as people turn attention elsewhere.\u00a0 This would ensure a rolling system of food donations. o\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Have your Secretary of Administration develop a program for state employees similar to the highly successful Feds Feeds Families program that just this year collected a record-breaking 9 million pounds of food, up from 7.2 million in 2012. o\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Have your Secretary of Agriculture incentivize farmers to set aside land for the purpose of gleaning and allowing it to be qualified as a charitable gift, and have farmers set aside an acre of their land for the local Scout group to cultivate and then donate to an area food bank. o\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Have your Secretary of Education ask each school hold one or two food drives and donate unused cafeteria food to local food banks. o\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Have your Secretary of Commerce ask the Chambers of Commerce, major corporations and small businesses around the state to hold food drives, or \u201cadopt\u201d a local food bank.\u00a0 Honor those organizations that donate the most food and develop a marketing campaign to raise public awareness.\u00a0 If successful, this could become an annual event. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Take a leadership role in educating schools about the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act, which protects schools from liability issues they used to fear if they gave away unused food, and allows donations of excess food to local pantries.\u00a0 In 2011, language that I authored was signed into law making this explicitly clear \u2013 schools can donate food without fear of liability.\u00a0 The purpose of the law is simple \u2013 keep excess school food out of the garbage and get it to our food banks \u2013 and it has already proven successful in places like the Blue Valley School District in Kansas, which has been leading the way with their innovative school recovery program that puts this law into action.\u00a0 A short video summarizing their efforts may be found at http:// wolf.house.gov/foodrecovery. \u00a0 Virginia has already had success with programs like the \u201cGovernor\u2019s Bowl\u201d food and fund drive, which has allowed business communities across the state to take part in a friendly competition aimed at helping meet the needs of local food banks and pantries during the summer months, when donations are typically at their lightest.\u00a0 The Legal Food Frenzy has produced more than 8.5 million pounds of food through the efforts of the Attorney General of Virginia, the Young Lawyers Division of the Virginia Bar Association and the Federation of Virginia Food Banks.\u00a0 The Scouting for Food program is also extremely successful, and I regularly meet with local food banks and pantries to discuss their needs.   In the coming weeks, food drives will be held in offices, schools, churches and communities all over America.\u00a0 But as you know, families are in need during the other 10 months out of the year.\u00a0 They have scant resources after the holidays are over when donations stop coming in.   These are but a few examples that barely scratch the surface.\u00a0\u00a0 There are so many ways we can combat the pervasive yet solvable hunger problem that exists all over the country, and you should feel free to contact my staff in Washington if you would like more information.\u00a0 I look forward to working with you.  Best wishes.  Sincerely,  \u00a0  Frank R. Wolf Member of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361926", "Griffith Statement on Senate Passage of Bipartisan, Bicameral Compounding Agreement", "2013-11-18", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following months of bipartisan negotiations and Congressional hearings into last year\u2019s deadly fungal meningitis outbreak resulting from tainted steroid injections, the House of Representatives on September 28 passed the Drug Quality and Security Act (H.R. 3204).\u00a0 This bipartisan, bicameral agreement incorporates some of the Compounding Clarity Act (H.R. 3089), introduced on September 12 by Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Congressman Gene Green (D-TX), and Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO).\r\nToday, the Drug Quality and Security Act passed the Senate in a voice vote.\u00a0 The Drug Quality and Security Act is a first step towards helping to ensure the safety of compounded drugs.\u00a0 It will work to clarify the authority of state and federal regulators such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in an effort to prevent a national public health crisis like the 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak tied to the New England Compounding Center (NECC).\u00a0 64 deaths and 750 confirmed cases of fungal meningitis resulted from tainted steroid injections from the NECC.\r\nAfter Senate passage of the Drug Quality and Security Act, Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:\r\n\u201cI am pleased that the Senate passed this bipartisan legislation.\u00a0 Though work remains to be done, the Drug Quality and Security Act will clarify who is responsible for overseeing facilities that produce sterile drugs.\u00a0 This bill, if in effect prior to last year, would have prevented NECC's improper conduct from going undetected by the appropriate agencies.\u00a0 We look forward to President Obama signing this common-sense, practical, workable, health care bill into law.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361932", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 11.18.13", "2013-11-18", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Drill, Baby, Drill \u2013 Guess What?\u00a0 It Worked! \nPreviously, President Obama mockingly described Republicans\u2019 energy strategy as:\u00a0 \u201cStep one is drill, and step two is drill, and then step three is keep drilling.\u201d\nHowever, regular readers of this column know that simply isn\u2019t the case.\u00a0 To provide jobs, secure our energy future, and keep costs low, we believe in an all-of-the-above energy policy in which we dig, discover, deregulate, and \u2013 yes \u2013 drill.\u00a0 For more, see my Energy webpage at /issues/.\nAnd guess what?\u00a0 The \u201cdrill, baby, drill!\u201d aspect of our energy policy is working.\u00a0 As the Wall Street Journal recently noted, \u201cU.S. gasoline prices have fallen to their lowest level in nearly 33 months amid a boom in domestic oil drilling \u2026\u201d\u00a0 The nationwide average price for a gallon of gas is now $3.19, which is the lowest it has been since February 2011.\u00a0 We still have work to do, because in the week prior to President Obama getting first sworn in to office, gas nationwide averaged around $1.90.\u00a0 That is why we should continue to explore for more domestic areas where we can drill, and welcome oil from our neighbor and ally to the north, Canada, by approving the Keystone XL pipeline.\nFurthermore, according to International Energy Agency estimates, the United States is expected to surpass Saudi Arabia and Russia in order to become the world\u2019s top oil producer by 2015 \u2013 two years ahead of its prior target year of 2017.\u00a0 And as President Obama mentioned in his November 16 video address to the nation, \u201cfor the first time in nearly two decades, the United States of America now produces more of our own oil here at home than we buy from other countries. \u201c\nOf course, drilling for our own domestic oil and natural gas presents us with the opportunity to decrease our dependence on foreign oil and also lower prices at the pump.\u00a0 But there is more that can be done to tap into our country\u2019s abundant and affordable domestic energy resources.\nIn addition to our oil and natural gas, other resources like coal, nuclear, wind, solar, hydropower, and biomass may all play a vital role in securing our energy future.\u00a0 We just need to have a regulatory environment that will allow and encourage private investments to use all of the above resources.\nWhen I say \u2018deregulate,\u2019 I am not saying that we should get rid of all regulations.\u00a0 Instead we should roll them back to a reasonable level, getting government out of the way and allowing private businesses to more freely explore for and make use of our domestic energy resources.\u00a0 The various energy companies won\u2019t need taxpayer dollars if we give them a rational regulatory system.\nI have said it before, and I will continue to say it: American workers are the very best in the world.\u00a0 We are experienced, innovative, and hard-working.\u00a0 When we combine these qualities with our affordable energy resources and get the government out of our way, no other country can compete with us.\nObamacare Enrollment Numbers, In Perspective\nFor weeks, the Administration tried to lower expectations regarding Obamacare enrollment numbers.\u00a0 Now we see why:\u00a0 they recently announced that only 106,185 people enrolled in the health care law in the month of October.\u00a0 Of those, less than 27,000 selected an insurance plan through the federal website.\nTo put that in perspective, all 106,185 of those throughout the country who selected a plan last month could attend a race at Bristol Motor Speedway with room to spare: more than 53,800 of the speedway\u2019s seats would be left unfilled!\nAs always, if you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov. \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361670", "Griffith Statement on House Passage of Keep Your Health Plan Act", "2013-11-15", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act, which passed the House of Representatives in a bipartisan vote of 261-157:\r\n\u201cI remain of the belief that Obamacare was fatally flawed from its inception, that it will not work, and that it ought to be repealed and replaced.\u00a0 But until that happens, we ought to continue working together to keep the President\u2019s \u2018if-you-like-it-you-can-keep-it\u2019 promise and see that more Americans are able to keep health care plans of their choice.\r\n\u201cThe American people have been told over the last several years that they would be able to keep their health insurance plan.\u00a0 As we have been seeing, for many people, that simply isn\u2019t true.\u00a0 The President shouldn\u2019t try to patch this with an administrative fix of questionable legal authority.\u00a0 He should instead use the constitutionally sound method of working with Congress.\u00a0 I call on President Obama to help Congress find a permanent way to keep his promise of health care choice.\u201d\r\n\u00a0###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131122141137/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/469", "ETHANOL POLICY REFORM LEGISLATORS REACT TO EPA DECISION ON ETHANOL BLEND REQUIREMENT", "2013-11-15", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "ETHANOL POLICY REFORM LEGISLATORS REACT TO EPA DECISION ON ETHANOL BLEND REQUIREMENT \n                      \n                      \tReps. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jim Costa (D-CA) and Steve Womack (R-AR), authors of the Renewable Fuel Standard Reform Act (H.R. 1462), reacted this afternoon to the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s decision to reduce the amount of ethanol blended into fuel in 2014.\u00a0 These same Members led an October letter signed by 169 House colleagues urging the EPA to adjust ethanol levels. \u201cWhile the EPA\u2019s slight reduction of the RFS for 2014 acknowledges that the mandate is unworkable, it is not enough to provide the much-needed relief businesses, farmers, and consumers need,\u2019 said Goodlatte. \u201cToday\u2019s announcement makes it even clearer that it will now be up to Congress to fix this broken mandate. There is a growing appetite in Congress to reform the ethanol mandate, and I urge Chairman Upton and the House Energy and Commerce Committee to consider the RFS Reform Act (H.R. 1462) as a legislative fix to the growing problems with the RFS.\u201d \u201cToday\u2019s announcement is welcome news and a call to action for Congress to move forward with much needed ethanol policy reform. While well-intentioned, the federal ethanol mandate is inflicting significant economic harm on families by driving up food prices, on dairy farmers by driving up feed prices, and on homeowners and outdoorsmen by ruining small engines,\u201d Rep. Welch said. \u201cThe EPA\u2019s decision to lower the fuel standard is a clear sign that this law isn\u2019t working.\u00a0 Congress should get about the business of overhauling this misguided policy before more harm is done.\u201d  \u201c\u201cEPA has finally realized that it was time to step back and stop gambling our food and energy security on a broken policy. The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was well-intentioned, but this flawed policy needed to be brought back into balance,\u201d said Costa. \u201cThere is still more that needs to be done to restore balance to our energy and ethanol policies, but this is the good-faith effort we needed to continue the conversation about the future of the RFS.\u201d \u201cToday\u2019s decision by the EPA is a step in the right direction that acknowledges that the RFS isn\u2019t working, but it\u2019s not enough,\u201d said Womack. \u201cThe RFS is a weight on our economy, and Congress must make fundamental ethanol policy reforms, which provide a long-term solution to this problem and do more to protect American consumers and businesses.\u201d \u00a0 The Renewable Fuel Standard Reform Act would repeal the corn ethanol mandate; cap ethanol use at 10% (E10); and preserve the mandate for the fledgling cellulosic biofuels industry.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131123003837/http://wolf.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=34&itemid=2332", "Wolf Statement On Intelligence Committee Hearing On Benghazi", "2013-11-15", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Frank Wolf", "W000672", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Jill Shatzen  \n\t(202) 225-5136  \n\t\u00a0\n\n\tWOLF STATEMENT ON INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE HEARING ON BENGHAZI\n\n\tWashington, D.C. (November 15, 2013) \u2013 In response to press reports following yesterday\u2019s classified House Intelligence Committee hearing on Benghazi, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), author of legislation to create a Select Committee on Benghazi, issued the following statement:\n\n\t\u201cThere were two major breakthroughs in the Benghazi investigation yesterday.\u00a0 First, for the first time in 14 months, the House Intelligence Committee heard eyewitness testimony from survivors who were on the ground in Benghazi the night of the attack.\u00a0 \u00a0I have called on the committee to meet with these survivors for many, many months and I appreciate that they held this hearing.\u00a0 I hope that a similar public hearing will be held so the American people can hear their important story of how they saved so many lives that night.\u00a0 \u00a0\n\n\t\u201cI particularly want to commend Rep. Devin Nunes for his leadership in ensuring that the record reflects what actually happened in Benghazi, and not just accepting the disjointed narrative put forward by the Obama Administration over the last 14 months.\u00a0 In a letter last week to Speaker Boehner, Rep. Nunes outlined nine areas of unanswered questions or conflicting information about what happened in Benghazi.\u00a0 These nine points mirror many of the same issues I have raised in letters to the speaker and on the House floor over the last six months.\u00a0 As Rep. Nunes indicated in an interview with Chris Wallace yesterday evening, testimony from eyewitnesses yesterday further underscores conflicting accounts in each of these areas. \u00a0 \u00a0\n\n\t\u201cIn another major development, FBI Director Comey testified before the Senate that he has no objection to making all Benghazi witnesses available to the Congress for testimony.\u00a0 This puts to rest once and for all the administration\u2019s excuse that witnesses may not appear before Congress because it could impact the ongoing FBI investigation of the attacks.\u00a0 \u00a0I appreciate Director Comey\u2019s straightforward response and independent leadership of the bureau.\u00a0\n\n\t\u201cThe Benghazi investigation will not be complete until key\u00a0questions have been answered and conflicting testimony is resolved.\u00a0 As Rep. Nunes noted in his interview, \u201call of these [elements of the investigation] are not in the jurisdiction of the Intelligence Committee, that\u2019s first off.\u00a0 We don\u2019t have jurisdiction over the State Department, for example, and a lot of questions remain there \u2026 so we need to take all the committee work if [the Intelligence Committee] can\u2019t get the answers...\u201d\n\n\t\u201cClearly, there continue to be jurisdictional barriers between committees that are hampering this investigation.\u00a0 That\u2019s why I continue to support a Select Committee with representation from all of the committees of jurisdiction \u2013 and cross-subpoena authority \u2013 to ensure that these outstanding issues are resolved and the American people learn the truth.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0\n\n\tEDITOR\u2019S NOTE:Wolf\u2019s measure, H. Res. 36, to establish a House Select Committee on Benghazi, presently has 178 cosponsors and has been endorsed by The American Legion, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the editorial page of The Wall Street Journal, respected national security leaders, like former Attorney General Mukasey as well as some of the family members of the Benghazi victims.\u00a0 The poll mention above also found that 62 percent of voters say it\u2019s important for Congress to create a special committee to get the truth about Benghazi.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131123004038/http://wolf.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=34&itemid=2331", "Wolf: Science And Academic Community Should Advocate For Chinese Colleagues Silenced By Regime", "2013-11-15", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Frank Wolf", "W000672", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Jill Shatzen  \n\t(202) 225-5136\n\n\tWOLF: SCIENCE AND ACADEMIC COMMUNITY SHOULD ADVOCATE\n\tFOR THEIR CHINESE COLLEAGUES WHO ARE SILENCED BY REGIME\n\n\tWashington, D.C. (November 15, 2013) \u2013 Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) today asked the U.S. scientific and academic communities to become a voice for their beleaguered colleagues in China who are being silenced or oppressed by their government, specifically citing the recent firing of Xia Yeliang, an outspoken economics professor at Peking University.\n\n\tIn a letter yesterday to the leaders of many of the nation\u2019s leading science organizations, Wolf noted the \u201crelative silence from the American academic community when their Chinese colleagues are imprisoned for free speech\u201d compared to the uproar over legislation limiting NASA\u2019s bilateral collaboration with the Chinese government.\u00a0\n\n\tWolf has been the subject of recent criticism by some in the science community over the misinterpretation of legislation he authored that provoked a boycott of an upcoming conference at a NASA center in California.\u00a0 NASA has admitted the mistake was theirs and has resolved the issue.\u00a0 Wolf is the chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee that funds NASA.\n\n\t\u201cIf the science community is to threaten boycotts of American conferences over restricted access, it should be up in arms at the treatment China\u2019s own academic community by its own government,\u201d wrote Wolf, long recognized as one of Congress\u2019 leading voices of the persecuted around the globe.\u00a0 \u201cAs has been widely documented, the abuses sustained by Chinese academics and thinkers goes well beyond their ability to participate in a particular conference. \u00a0\u00a0It involves censorship, loss of wages and livelihood, unjust termination and in some cases imprisonment.\u201d\n\n\tWolf also announced that the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission will hold a hearing in the coming months on the lack of academic freedom in China and invited the groups he wrote to participate.\u00a0 Wolf is the co-chairman of the commission.\n\n\t\u201cI urge your organization and membership to take up the cause of human rights, to use the entr\u00e9e you have with Chinese scientists and government officials to advocate on behalf of your fellow academics and researchers and to communicate in no uncertain terms to the Chinese government that the most profound notions, the greatest discoveries, and the richest debate that has emerged from our own nation are the result of the free and unfettered exchange of ideas \u2013 cornerstones of our own democracy and the foundation of any free society,\u201d Wolf wrote.\n\n\tClick here for The Washington Post editorial Wolf cited in his letter.\n\n\tThe full text of the letter is below.\n\n\tI write to share with you an editorial which recently ran in The Washington Postregarding the firing of an economics professor, Mr. Xia Yeliang, from Peking University in China in retribution for his criticism of the Communist Party.\u00a0 I believe the American academic community, including your association\u2019s membership, should be aware of and concerned about this repression, which is sadly all too common in China.\n\n\tAccording to the editorial, \u201cEager to burnish its international connections, Peking University recently signed an agreement with the Association of American Universities and the League of European Research Universities in which it pledged to respect academic freedom. Mr. Xia\u2019s firing demonstrates the emptiness of that promise. It shows that Chinese universities continue to be subject to political orders from the Communist leadership, which under Mr. Xi has launched a new campaign of repression against dissent.\u201d\n\n\tWhile deeply troubling on a host of levels, this case is hardly an anomaly.\u00a0 Human rights broadly speaking are daily under assault in China and the academy is no exception. \n\n\tThe Chinese government is an equal opportunity oppressor of human rights advocates, academics and people of faith \u2013 Catholic bishops, Protestant house church leaders, Tibetan monks and nuns, Uyghur Muslims and Falun Gong practitioners to name a few.\u00a0 Harassments, intimidation and imprisonment are the order of the day.\u00a0The Chinese government maintains a brutal system of slave labor camps on the order of the Soviet gulags.\u00a0 Common criminal languish behind bars with Chinese Nobel laureates who dared to question the regime\u2019s authority.\u00a0 China has a thriving business of harvesting and selling for transplant kidneys, corneas and other human organs from executed prisoners, including political prisoners.\u00a0 All of these examples are symptomatic of a broken system in China.\u00a0 A system infused with corruption and threatened by dissent. \u00a0Despite explosive economic growth, China remains a \u201cclosed society\u201d when it comes to information.\u00a0 The Chinese government recognizes that ideas have consequence and they go to great lengths to restrict Chinese citizens\u2019 access to information through the \u201cGreat Firewall\u201d which censors so-called \u201coffensive\u201d speech.\u00a0\n\n\tAgainst this backdrop it is not surprising that the government\u2019s repression seeps into academia.\u00a0 The U.S. Department of State\u2019s annual human rights report described the situation this way: \u201cThe government continued restrictions on academic and artistic freedom and political and social discourse at colleges, universities, and research institutes. Instructors generally were told not to raise certain sensitive topics in class, such as unrest in the Middle East or the 1989 Tiananmen massacre. The General Administration of Press and Publications, the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television, and the Central Propaganda Department issued restrictive regulations and decisions that constrained the flow of ideas and people. Some academics self-censored their publications, faced pressure to reach predetermined research results, or were unable to hold conferences with international participants during politically sensitive periods.\u201d\n\n\tGiven these realities any U.S. academic institutions \u2013 including administrators, faculty and scientists \u2013 must be clear-eyed when entering into a partnership with a Chinese educational institution or attending a conference sponsored by the Chinese government or affiliated entities.\u00a0 The long arm of Chinese government repression knows no bounds, and absent a clear moral compass which refuses to participate in, or as is more likely, turn a blind eye to such abuse, respected American thinkers and universities could find themselves complicit in stifling academic freedom, restricting access to information and ultimately repressing human freedom.\u00a0 \n\n\tAs you may have read last month, a number of American scientists threatened to boycott a conference held at a NASA center because misguided information was circulated by the center\u2019s staff that Chinese scientists were restricted from attending.\u00a0 As the author of language limiting NASA\u2019s bilateral collaboration with the Chinese government, I worked to quickly clarify that the statute did not, in fact, restrict these Chinese scientists and urged NASA to correct the error, which they did. \n\n\tIn light of these recent incidents, I can\u2019t help but note how the American scientists willingness to boycott the NASA conference over this mistake stands in stark contrast to the relative silence from the American academic community when their Chinese colleagues are imprisoned for exercising free speech.\u00a0 If the science community is to threaten boycotts of American conferences over restricted access, it should be up in arms at the treatment China\u2019s own academic community by its own government.\u00a0 As has been widely documented, the abuses sustained by Chinese academics and thinkers goes well beyond their ability to participate in a particular conference. \u00a0\u00a0It involves censorship, loss of wages and livelihood, unjust termination and in some cases imprisonment.\n\n\tLooking ahead, I urge your organization and membership to take up the cause of human rights, to use the entr\u00e9e you have with Chinese scientists and government officials to advocate on behalf of your fellow academics and researchers and to communicate in no uncertain terms to the Chinese government that the most profound notions, the greatest discoveries, and the richest debate that has emerged from our own nation are the result of the free and unfettered exchange of ideas\u2014cornerstones of our own democracy and the foundation of any free society.\n\n\tIn that vein, in the months ahead I intend to convene a hearing through the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission which looks broadly at issues of academic freedom and the repressive role of the Chinese government and I invite you to begin considering what your association might contribute in that regard as I hope to solicit testimony from a myriad of groups including scientific associations, academic institutions and the like regarding steps they are taking to resist censorship and related issues and even promote human right and basic freedoms as the opportunity presents itself.\n\n\tBest wishes.\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sincerely,\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Frank R. Wolf\n\n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=491", "Wittman Supports the Keep Your Health Plan Act", "2013-11-15", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.  Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-1) today supported the Keep Your Health Plan Act (H.R. 3350), and released the following statement:\r\nToo many folks living in America's First District are losing their current health insurance because of Obamacare. I have heard many personal stories and struggles of Virginians who have been informed that their current health plans are being cancelled, and simply cannot afford a costly alternative. That's why I supported this legislation today, the Keep Your Health Plan Act. This bill would permit Americans to keep their health care plans despite the problems with Obamacare, as we continue efforts to improve the affordability and accessibility of health care.\r\nI am committed to working toward real health care reform solutions that ensure coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions, allow youth up to the age of 26 to stay on their parents' insurance plans, allow the sale of insurance across state lines, enact real medical liability reform, protect the doctor-patient relationship, limit government interventions in individual health care decisions, protect jobs and reduce the overall cost of delivering health care.\r\nCongressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=492", "Wittman Statement on House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee Briefing on Military Readiness", "2013-11-14", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.  House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee Chairman Rob Wittman (VA-1) today hosted a briefing with Department of Defense officials on the impacts of cuts to national security on the military's readiness to respond to global events. The briefing included including Dr. Laura Junor, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness, Department of Defense and Brigadier General Martin Schweitzer.\r\nFollowing the briefing, Wittman released the following statement: Reality tells us that our forces will be unprepared to deploy, they will face increased risk, their safety will be jeopardized, their missions compromised, and there will be an increased likelihood that more Americans will be killed carrying out their Constitutional duty, both on the battle field and in training if cuts to our national security are allowed to continue. Readiness was already in decline before sequestration. It is critical that Members responsible, under the Constitution, to provide for our common defense, understand what these cuts mean to our neighbors' sons and daughters who are sacrificing their all to serve our nation. I appreciate the efforts of the DoD to help educate Members of Congress on how best to equip and train our servicemembers, especially as we work to complete the business of fiscal year 2014 and beyond.\r\nAll members of the U.S. House of Representatives were invited to the briefing, titled, Defense Cut Impacts on the U.S. Military's Readiness to Respond to Global Events, hosted by Readiness Chairman Wittman and Ranking Member Madeleine Bordallo, joined by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon (R-CA) and Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA).\r\nCongressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361588", "Benghazi Investigation Update", "2013-11-13", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,\nYou may think that the House of Representatives has dropped the investigation into what transpired in the September 11, 2012 attack in Benghazi, but if so, you are mistaken.\u00a0 This important investigation is ongoing, and can be tracked at the website below or by typing \u2018Benghazi\u2019 in the upper right corner of the website for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence - http://intelligence.house.gov/. \nhttp://intelligence.house.gov/benghazi-investigation I hope you will find this to be a valuable resource.\u00a0 As always, if you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov. Sincerely,\n    \n        \n             \n        \n    \nH. Morgan Griffith  \nMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=493", "Scalise announces RSC Military Readiness Task Force chaired by Rep. Rob Wittman", "2013-11-12", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Scalise announces RSC Military Readiness Task Force chaired by Rep. Rob Wittman \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, D.C.,\r\n        November 12, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Washington, D.C.-Republican Study Committee Chairman Steve Scalise today announced that Rep. Rob Wittman will chair the newly created RSC Military Readiness Task Force for the 113thCongress.\r\nThe RSC has always stood up for a strong national defense, and we are focused on the threats posed by President Obama's refusal to address the long-term spending crisis that is jeopardizing the readiness of America's Armed Forces and the security of our nation, Scalise said. As fiscal conservatives, we have worked to prioritize a strong national defense by shifting sequestration cuts to other parts of the discretionary budget in order to maintain a high level of military readiness. We will continue fighting for a balanced federal budget in order to achieve a healthy economy and a strong national defense. As Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee's Readiness Subcommittee, Rob Wittman has the expertise, the respect, and the first-hand knowledge necessary to spearhead the RSC Military Readiness Task Force. I appreciate his passion and leadership at this critical time in America's history.\r\n\"I'm pleased the RSC has honed its focus on this critical issue as we enter the final phase of discussions on the fiscal footprint for 2014, Wittman said. Members of the RSC have an important role in these discussions and I'm grateful for the opportunity to help educate my colleagues and the nation on the impacts on our national security as our military is continually squeezed during these tight budget times. Our debt and deficit present a national security threat, but how we trim those back is an important conversation. Our military readiness is suffering under the indiscriminate cuts of the sequester. Congress must do everything in its power to mitigate those effects and ensure our men and women of the military are trained and equipped with the tools they need to keep themselves and our country safe.\r\n###\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=360904", "Griffith Statement Honoring America\u2019s Veterans", "2013-11-11", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement honoring America\u2019s veterans for their sacrifice and dedication to our country:\n\u201cGenerations of American men and women have bravely fought to protect our great nation and our allies as well.\u00a0 On this day in particular, we honor our veterans for their service and sacrifice.\u00a0 We owe them and their loved ones an enormous debt, for the freedoms that we are fortunate enough to enjoy are not free.\u00a0 To all those who have served or continue to serve these United States, preserving our values and protecting our way of life, I thank you.\u201d\nGriffith\u2019s office is available to help those needing assistance with veterans\u2019 benefits.\u00a0 Please contact Griffith\u2019s Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or the Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To seek assistance via email, please visit Griffith\u2019s website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\u00a0 \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=360926", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 11.11.13", "2013-11-11", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Keep Your Health Plan Act Americans who have a health care plan that they like ought to be able to keep that plan.\u00a0 To that end, I joined Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and a number of other Members of Congress in introducing H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act.\u00a0 This bill would allow health insurance plans currently available on the individual market to be offered next year, and also would give Americans the choice to continue enrolling in those plans without being penalized under Obamacare\u2019s individual mandate. Both before and after the Obamacare health care plan was signed law into more than three years ago, President Obama and other supporters of the law repeatedly reassured Americans that \u201cIf you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep your health care plan, period.\u00a0 No one will take it away.\u00a0 No matter what.\u201d\u00a0 This promise \u2013 made without caveats or exceptions \u2013 was reportedly spoken by the President at least 34 times, according to the Tampa Bay Times\u2019 independent Politifact. However, this blanket promise simply isn\u2019t true for everyone.\u00a0 Because of new Obamacare standards, \u201cthousands of people in Virginia and elsewhere are getting notices that their existing plans will no longer be offered after Jan. 1 or the next time they are up for renewal,\u201d read a recent report in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Clarence Page, a member of the editorial board at the Chicago Tribune \u2013 President Obama\u2019s hometown paper \u2013 says he \u201csupport[s] most of [President Obama\u2019s] policies and programs,\u201d but \u201cin this instance, he would have to be delusional to think he was telling the truth.\u201d\u00a0 In a recent interview with NBC News, the President admitted that \u201cwe weren't as clear as we needed to be,\u201d and said \u201cI am sorry that [people] -- you know, are finding themselves in this situation, based on assurances they got from me.\u201d \u00a0 My colleagues and I in the House of Representatives are ready, willing, and able to help President Obama keep this broken promise.\u00a0 This is a mess that he and his Democrat allies in Congress created, passing Obamacare without Republican input or support.\u00a0 If the President and his allies want to help us fix this mess \u2013 and are not intent on just bashing Republicans \u2013 they too will support the Keep Your Health Plan Act. \u00a0 If you wish to make your voice heard on the \u201cif-you-like-it-you-can-keep-it\u201d promise, you can contact my office or become a Citizen Cosponsor of our bill at https://www.cosponsor.gov/details/hr3350-113.\u00a0 You can also contact my office or visit www.gop.gov/yourstory/ to share your experience with Obamacare. Upcoming Traveling Staff Office Hours My team and I view constituent services a top priority, and we work hard to serve you.\u00a0 In an effort to conveniently assist you and others throughout Southwest Virginia, Southside Virginia, and the Alleghany Highlands, we travel regularly throughout the Ninth District to participate in meetings, attend events, and hold traveling staff office hours.\u00a0 I unfortunately cannot attend every meeting that I am invited to because of work in Washington and the geographic size of the district.\u00a0 I often tell people that, if you draw a line roughly from Covington to Salem and then another from roughly Salem to Martinsville (and take out Franklin County), everything else in Virginia is in the Ninth District.\u00a0 That is why we have traveling staff office hours at least once a month in every area of the district. During traveling staff office hours, members of my team will be on hand in various communities for you to voice your opinion on legislative matters or to help you with federal agencies or programs like the Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security, or Medicare.\u00a0 The traveling staff office hours schedule for the remainder of this year can be found on my website, www.morgangriffith.house.gov. As always, if you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131122141200/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/468", "GOODLATTE: VETERANS KNOW 'FREEDOM IS NEVER FREE'", "2013-11-09", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE: VETERANS KNOW 'FREEDOM IS NEVER FREE' \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement in honor of America\u2019s veterans: \u201cWe are blessed to live in this great nation amongst so many American heroes.\u00a0 As we mark Veterans Day, I ask you to join me in reflecting and taking a moment to thank the members of our Armed Forces past and present.\u00a0 I look forward to joining veterans across the Sixth District at events honoring their service. \u201cWe have all heard the old adage that \u2018freedom is never free.\u2019\u00a0 For America\u2019s veterans, these words could not ring more true.\u00a0 Since the birth of our nation, millions of brave Americans have served in the United States military.\u00a0 On far-flung battlefields in the jungles of Vietnam, to the beachheads of Normandy and ships in the South Pacific, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq and at installations both at home and abroad, American soldiers have long protected our fellow citizens and advanced the ideals of freedom and democracy around the world. \u00a0 \u201cFor generations, they have made countless sacrifices so that we could live freely under the Stars and Stripes.\u00a0 I am grateful for the service of those who have defended our nation and valiantly stood guard over the principles of freedom and liberty at the core of this nation. May God continue to bless the United States of America and guide our men and women in uniform home safely.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131123004239/http://wolf.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=34&itemid=2328", "Wolf Statement On Need For Answers About Benghazi", "2013-11-07", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Frank Wolf", "W000672", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Jill Shatzen   (202) 225-5136  WOLF STATEMENT ON NEED FOR ANSWERS ABOUT BENGHAZI  Washington, D.C. (November 7, 2013) \u2013 Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) today released the following statement in response to reports by CNN and The Daily Beast that a member of the House Intelligence Committee is publicly speaking out on the need to get more answers about what happened in Benghazi:  \u201cI have read the letter Rep. Devin Nunes wrote Speaker Boehner yesterday \u2018to outline the areas that have the most critical outstanding questions\u2019 about what happened in Benghazi.\u00a0 It is particularly noteworthy that Rep. Nunes is a senior member of the House Intelligence Committee.\u00a0 His letter reaffirms many of the same questions I have been asking for months on the House floor and in letters to Speaker Boehner.\u00a0 We need to get to the bottom of what happened in Benghazi.\u00a0 Four Americans were killed.\u00a0 No one has been held accountable for the intelligence failures leading up to the attack.\u00a0 No one has said what the CIA was doing in Benghazi.\u00a0 None of the terrorists have been brought to justice.\u00a0 It has been 14 months since the attack and, as a recent bipartisan poll showed, 63 percent of the American people believe the Obama Administration is covering up the facts on what happened that night.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0  \u201cI was pleased to read that Rep. Nunes is open to considering \u2018new measures to complete the investigation and synthesize the information obtained by the Intelligence Committee and the other committees investigating the Benghazi attack\u2019 if questions remain unanswered.\u00a0  I continue to believe the best way to get answers is to create a House Select Committee, building on the work already done by the five committees presently examining the events of that night.\u00a0 Select committees were used for Watergate and Iran-contra.\u00a0 There is no reason why one shouldn\u2019t be used for Benghazi, where a U.S. Ambassador was killed along with three other Americans.\u00a0 Whatever is done must be done in the open.\u00a0 Public accountability is a must.\u00a0 Public hearing also would help restore trust in government.\u00a0 There is nothing so secretive about a terrorist attack, and the events leading up to one, that American people cannot \u2013 and should not \u2013 know.\u201d  EDITOR\u2019S NOTE: Wolf\u2019s measure, H. Res. 36, to establish a House Select Committee on Benghazi, presently has 178 cosponsors and has been endorsed by The American Legion, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the editorial page of The Wall Street Journal, respected national security leaders, like former Attorney General Mukasey as well as some of the family members of the Benghazi victims.\u00a0 The poll mention above also found that 62 percent of voters say it\u2019s important for Congress to create a special committee to get the truth about Benghazi.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131123004439/http://wolf.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=34&itemid=2327", "Wolf: Troubling Developments In Plight Of Iranian-American Pastor Saeed Abedini", "2013-11-06", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Frank Wolf", "W000672", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Jill Shatzen  \n\t(202) 225-5136\n\n\tWOLF EXPRESSES DEEP CONCERN ABOUT TROUBLING DEVELOPMENTS\n\tIN PLIGHT OF IRANIAN-AMERICAN PASTOR SAEED ABEDINI  \n\tUrges President Obama to Again Personally Engage and Urgently Seek His Release\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\tWashington, D.C. (November 6, 2013) \u2013 Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) today spoke out against the recent transfer of Iranian-American pastor Saeed Abedini from the notorious Evin Prison to the even more brutal Rajai Shahr Prison and urged President Obama to again personally engage and seek Pastor Abedini\u2019s immediate release.\n\n\tIn a November 4 letter to President Obama describing this development, the American Center for Law and Justice cited comments made by a Dutch diplomat stationed in Tehran in 2005 describing the fate of many who are transferred to this particular prison: \u201cRajai Shahr is the place where political prisoners who are seen as a nuisance, are stowed away.\u00a0 Going to Karaj [the location of the prison] is a severe punishment.\u00a0 Once in there one stops to be a human being. One is put out of sight, even of human rights activists and the press.\u00a0 In Rajai Shahr, political prisoners have to share cells with dangerous criminals like murderers, rapists and drug addicts who don't hesitate to attack their cell mates. They have nothing to lose: many of them are condemned to death anyway. Murders or unexplained deaths are a regular occurrence.\u201d\n\n\tIn light of these grim realities and the continued unjust detention of Pastor Abedini, Wolf made the following statement:\n\n\t\u201cI am deeply troubled by the latest news out of Iran regarding the fate of Pastor Saeed Abedini, an American citizen, who has already spent more than a year behind bars because of his Christian faith.\u00a0\u00a0 With this development \u2013 a development without explanation or notice \u2013 Pastor Abedini\u2019s life is further endangered.\u00a0\u00a0Time is of the essence.\u00a0 President Obama and Secretary Kerry must again engage at the highest levels and press in clear and unequivocal terms for the immediate and unconditional release of this innocent man.\u00a0 Tehran brutally represses its own people, especially religious minorities including Christians and Baha\u2019is.\u00a0 America always has an obligation to stand with those whose voices have been silenced wherever they may be.\u00a0 But that is perhaps no more true than when one of our own citizens is at the mercy of a murderous regime.\u00a0 Such is the case with Pastor Abedini.\u201d\u00a0\n\n\tThis is the latest in a series of efforts by Wolf aimed at securing the release of Pastor Abedini.\u00a0 In March, Wolf, co-chairman of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, held a hearing to raise awareness about religious freedom abuses in Iran, specifically focusing on Abedini\u2019s case.\n\n\tWolf, along with several other members of Congress, followed up on the hearing with a letter to Secretary Kerry urging that religious freedom and specifically Pastor Abedini\u2019s release be State Department priorities.\n\n\tWolf\u2019s legislation to create a special envoy at the State Department charged with focusing exclusively on the plight of religious minorities in South Central Asia and the Middle East overwhelmingly passed the House in September.\n\n\tFor more on Wolf\u2019s work on this issue, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=360071", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 11.1.13", "2013-11-01", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "This Week in Washington: Coal and Obamacare \nObamacare\nHealth and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Wednesday, October 30 testified before my colleagues and me on the Energy and Commerce Committee on the rollout of the health care law.\u00a0 Even after her testimony, more questions remain. \nHowever, what Secretary Sebelius made clear to me was that she doesn\u2019t want to join the exchanges and live under Obamacare like the rest of the American people.\nI am supportive of a proposal which would require the President and his political appointees, including Secretary Sebelius, to live under Obamacare like Members of Congress and tens of millions of other Americans.\u00a0 In my view, the President and his cabinet secretaries ought to also be in the marketplace or Obamacare exchanges after January 1.\u00a0 In recent negotiations, a proposal similar to this was being discussed in the halls of Congress, but President Obama threatened to veto the proposal. \nHmmmmm.\u00a0 President Obama would veto a bill that would make him and his family live under Obamacare.\u00a0 It\u2019s good for us, but not good for him!\u00a0 Well isn\u2019t that special.\nCongressman Cory Gardner (R-CO), whose family\u2019s individual health care plan has been cancelled, pushed Secretary Sebelius on why she \u2013 the architect of the health care law\u2019s implementation \u2013 is not signing up for health care coverage through the law\u2019s exchanges.\u00a0 Secretary Sebelius, who is offered coverage by her employer as part of the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan, replied, \u201cIf I have affordable coverage in my workplace, I'm not eligible to go into the marketplace. ... It\u2019s illegal.\u201d \nReally?\u00a0 Let\u2019s see what Washington and Lee University of Law Professor Tim Jost had to say.\u00a0 He told the Washington Post on October 30 that \u201cShe could purchase a plan on an exchange since she is lawfully present in the U.S. and not incarcerated,\u201d however \"She could not get premium tax credits both because she has employer coverage and because she is Medicare eligible.\u201d\nCongressman Billy Long (R-MO) also pushed Secretary Sebelius on this issue.\u00a0 He asked, \u201cCan you tell the American public \u2013 if your advisors behind you happen to have given you wrong information - if it is possible for you to go into the exchange like all these millions of Americans that are going into the exchanges, will you commit to forego your government insurance plan that you\u2019re on now and join us in the pool?\u201d\u00a0 Secretary Sebelius essentially dodged the question, saying she \u201cwill take a look at it.\u201d\nAgain I ask, \u201cIf Obamacare is good for the goose, why is it not good for the gander?\u201d\u00a0 President Obama, Secretary Sebelius, and other cabinet secretaries ought to join the federal marketplace so that they too are living under the health care law that they designed and now have the duty to implement and make work.\nCoal\nOn Tuesday, October 29, I was proud to participate in the Stand Up for American Energy Jobs Rally sponsored by the National Mining Association, and join the thousands of coal miners, energy workers, and friends of coal who brought the fight for jobs and affordable energy to Washington.\u00a0 It was wonderful to see folks from coalfields across America, particularly those from Virginia, who traveled to our nation\u2019s capital to support this fight.\nI hope that our message was heard by legislators in the House and the Senate, by Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy, and also by President Obama.\u00a0 Those who wage the war on coal and coal-related industries ought to visit Central Appalachia, and see for themselves the devastating impact their harmful policies have on coal communities in the Ninth District and across Central Appalachia.\u00a0 That and taking into consideration the cost to America\u2019s manufacturers, industries, and even household electric bills should make them understand that the future of America is not against coal, but is with coal.\u00a0 Until that time, I and other enlightened legislators in Congress will continue our fight against the war on coal.\nAs always, if you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131102125551/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/467", "169 BIPARTISAN MEMBERS URGE EPA TO LOWER RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARD", "2013-10-31", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "169 BIPARTISAN MEMBERS URGE EPA TO LOWER RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARD \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Steve Womack (R-AR) sent a letter today to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy urging her to consider a fair and meaningful adjustment to the ethanol mandate in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA): \u201cWhether it\u2019s increasing amounts of ethanol in fuel or higher food and feed prices, the RFS continues to negatively impact American consumers and the economy.\u00a0 The demands of the current RFS are unrealistic and are causing great uncertainty.\u00a0 As the blendwall approaches, it is clear that this flawed policy is not working.\u00a0 The growing support from Members of Congress from across the nation and a diverse coalition of outside groups makes it clear that we must consider real legislative reforms to this mandate.\u00a0 In the meantime, I urge Administrator McCarthy to take immediate action to provide much needed relief from the RFS.\u201d Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT): \u201cWhile well-intentioned, the federal ethanol mandate is inflicting significant economic harm on families by driving up food prices, on dairy farmers by driving up feed prices, and on homeowners and outdoorsmen by ruining small engines.\u00a0 Administrator McCarthy has at her fingertips the authority to push the pause button so that Congress can reevaluate this misguided policy before more harm is done. She should do so immediately.\u201d Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR): \u201cThe RFS is unrealistic, and the EPA knows it.\u00a0 It is time for the agency to exercise its authority and provide immediate and much-needed relief to American consumers and our economy by adjusting the RFS.\u201d A PDF copy of the letter is available here. The full text is below:  \n                      \t\u00a0  \n                      \tDear Administrator McCarthy:  \n                      \t\u00a0  \n                      \tNearly eight years ago, Congress approved the Energy Policy Act of 2005, establishing the first Renewable Fuel Standard (\u201cRFS\u201d).\u00a0 In 2007, Congress significantly expanded the 2005 law when it passed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which increased the mandate to 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022.\u00a0 Unfortunately, despite the best intentions of the RFS, its premise and structure were based on many assumptions that no longer reflect the current market conditions, and the imposition of the 2014 volumes now threatens to cause economic and environmental harm.\u00a0\u00a0 As Congress continues its bi-partisan work to address these concerns, we are writing to request that the EPA use its authority to adjust the 2014 RFS volumes. As you are aware, the U.S. corn market has been increasingly volatile since the expansion of the RFS in 2007.\u00a0 This reflects the reality that more than 40 percent of the corn crop now goes into ethanol production, a dramatic rise since the first ethanol mandates were put into place in 2005.\u00a0 While well intentioned, the rigid nature of the federal law has not allowed it to change as new realities emerge in the market place.\u00a0 Ethanol now consumes more corn than animal agriculture, a fact directly attributable to the federal mandate.\u00a0 Corn price volatility is just one example of the economic harm caused by the RFS. Due to the dramatic expansion of corn ethanol, volatile corn prices have led to the conversion of millions of acres of sensitive wetlands and grasslands into production. According to the EPA's analysis, the lifecycle emissions of corn ethanol in 2012 were higher than those of gasoline \u2013 and will be for years to come.\u00a0 Despite promised environmental benefits when the RFS was implemented, the National Academy of Sciences has noted that overall ethanol production and use lowers air and water quality. Perhaps the newest challenge is the imposition of the statutory requirement of 18.15 billion gallons of renewable fuels in 2014, of which approximately 14.4 billion gallons will be made up by corn ethanol.\u00a0 In particular, the combination of rising ethanol mandates and declining gasoline demand has exacerbated the onset of the E10 blendwall- the point at which the gasoline supply is saturated with the maximum amount of ethanol that current vehicles, engines, and infrastructure can safely accommodate.\u00a0 The EPA explicitly acknowledged this challenge in its final rule implementing the 2013 volumes\u2014\u201cEPA does not currently foresee a scenario in which the market could consume enough ethanol sold in blends greater than E10, and/or produce sufficient volumes of non-ethanol biofuels to meet the volumes of total renewable fuel and advanced biofuel as required by statute for 2014.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 We understand that the EPA signaled its intention to address these concerns in the 2014 rulemaking and commend the EPA\u2019s willingness to use the authority Congress granted to it when crafting the RFS. While the blendwall is a pressing issue, the federal government can help avoid a dangerous economic situation by adjusting the normally rigid Renewable Fuel Standard mandate down to align with gasoline market conditions and realities.\u00a0 We therefore urge the EPA to consider a fair and meaningful nationwide adjustment to the ethanol mandate in the Renewable Fuel Standard.\u00a0 Prompt action by the EPA can help to ease short supply concerns, prevent engine damage, save jobs across many U.S. industries, and keep families fed.\u00a0 We strongly urge you to exercise your authority and take the necessary steps to protect American consumers and the economy.\u00a0 Thank you for your immediate consideration of this request.\n                      \n                      \tFull List of Members: Aderholt, Robert B. (R-AL, 4th)  \n                      \tAmodei, Mark (R-NV, 2nd)  \n                      \tAndrews, Robert E. (D-NJ, 1st)  \n                      \tBarletta, Lou (R-PA, 11th)  \n                      \tBarrow, John (D-GA, 12th)  \n                      \tBenishek, Dan (R-MI, 1st)  \n                      \tBentivolio, Kerry (R-MI, 11th)  \n                      \tBilirakis, Gus (R-FL, 12th)  \n                      \tBlack, Diane (R-TN, 6th)  \n                      \tBlackburn, Marsha W. (R-TN, 7th)  \n                      \tBoustany, Charles W. (R-LA, 3rd)  \n                      \tBrady, Kevin (R-TX, 8th)  \n                      \tBridenstine, Jim (R-OK, 1st)  \n                      \tBrooks, Mo (R-AL, 5th)  \n                      \tBroun, Paul (R-GA, 10th)  \n                      \tBurgess, Michael C. (R-TX, 26th)  \n                      \tButterfield, G. K. (D-NC, 1st)  \n                      \tCalvert, Ken (R-CA, 42nd)  \n                      \tCampbell, John (R-CA, 45th)  \n                      \tCapito, Shelley Moore (R-WV, 2nd)  \n                      \tCarter, John R. (R-TX, 31st)  \n                      \tChabot, Steve (R-OH, 1st)  \n                      \tChaffetz, Jason (R-UT, 3rd)  \n                      \tCoble, Howard (R-NC, 6th)  \n                      \tCole, Tom (R-OK, 4th)  \n                      \tCollins, Chris (R-NY, 27th)  \n                      \tCollins, Doug (R-GA, 9th)  \n                      \tConaway, Mike (R-TX, 11th)  \n                      \tConnolly, Gerry (D-VA, 11th)  \n                      \tCook, Paul J. (R-CA, 8th)  \n                      \tCosta, Jim (D-CA, 16th)  \n                      \tCotton, Tom (R-AR, 4th)  \n                      \tCrawford, Rick (R-AR, 1st)  \n                      \tCuellar, Henry (D-TX, 28th)  \n                      \tCulberson, John (R-TX, 7th)  \n                      \tDaines, Steve (R-MT, At Large)  \n                      \tDeFazio, Peter A. (D-OR, 4th)  \n                      \tDenham, Jeff (R-CA, 10th)  \n                      \tDent, Charles (R-PA, 15th)  \n                      \tDeSantis, Ron (R-FL, 6th)  \n                      \tDesJarlais, Scott (R-TN, 4th)  \n                      \tDiaz-Balart, Mario (R-FL, 25th)  \n                      \tDuncan, Jeff (R-SC, 3rd)  \n                      \tDuncan, John J. Jr. (R-TN, 2nd)  \n                      \tEllmers, Renee (R-NC, 2nd)  \n                      \tFarenthold, Blake (R-TX, 27th)  \n                      \tFincher, Stephen (R-TN, 8th)  \n                      \tFleischmann, Chuck (R-TN, 3rd)  \n                      \tFleming, John (R-LA, 4th)  \n                      \tFlores, Bill (R-TX, 17th)  \n                      \tFoxx, Virginia (R-NC, 5th)  \n                      \tFranks, Trent (R-AZ, 8th)  \n                      \tFrelinghuysen, Rodney (R-NJ, 11th)  \n                      \tGallego, Pete (D-TX, 23rd)  \n                      \tGaramendi, John (D-CA, 3rd)  \n                      \tGarrett, Scott (R-NJ, 5th)  \n                      \tGerlach, Jim (R-PA, 6th)  \n                      \tGibson, Chris (R-NY, 19th)  \n                      \tGingrey, Phil (R-GA, 11th)  \n                      \tGohmert, Louie (R-TX, 1st)  \n                      \tGoodlatte, Bob (R-VA, 6th)  \n                      \tGosar, Paul (R-AZ, 4th)  \n                      \tGranger, Kay (R-TX, 12th)  \n                      \tGraves, Tom (R-GA, 14th)  \n                      \tGreen, Gene (D-TX, 29th)  \n                      \tGriffin, Tim (R-AR, 2nd)  \n                      \tGriffith, Morgan (R-VA, 9th)  \n                      \tHall, Ralph M. (R-TX, 4th)  \n                      \tHanna, Richard L. (R-NY, 22nd)  \n                      \tHarper, Gregg (R-MS, 3rd)  \n                      \tHarris, Andy (R-MD, 1st)  \n                      \tHeck, Joe (R-NV, 3rd)  \n                      \tHensarling, Jeb (R-TX, 5th)  \n                      \tHimes, Jim (D-CT, 4th)  \n                      \tHinojosa, Rub\u00e9n (D-TX, 15th)  \n                      \tHolding, George E. (R-NC, 13th)  \n                      \tHultgren, Randy (R-IL, 14th)  \n                      \tHunter, Duncan D. (R-CA, 50th)  \n                      \tHurt, Robert (R-VA, 5th)  \n                      \tIssa, Darrell (R-CA, 49th)  \n                      \tJohnson, Sam (R-TX, 3rd)  \n                      \tJones, Walter B. (R-NC, 3rd)  \n                      \tKelly, Mike (R-PA, 3rd)  \n                      \tKingston, Jack (R-GA, 1st)  \n                      \tKuster, Ann McLane (D-NH, 2nd)  \n                      \tLabrador, Ra\u00fal (R-ID, 1st)  \n                      \tLaMalfa, Doug (R-CA, 1st)  \n                      \tLamborn, Doug (R-CO, 5th)  \n                      \tLance, Leonard (R-NJ, 7th)  \n                      \tLankford, James (R-OK, 5th)  \n                      \tLoBiondo, Frank A. (R-NJ, 2nd)  \n                      \tLong, Billy (R-MO, 7th)  \n                      \tLuj\u00e1n, Ben R. (D-NM, 3rd)  \n                      \tLummis, Cynthia M. (R-WY, At Large)  \n                      \tMarchant, Kenny E. (R-TX, 24th)  \n                      \tMarino, Tom (R-PA, 10th)  \n                      \tMatheson, Jim (D-UT, 4th)  \n                      \tMcCarthy, Kevin (R-CA, 23rd)  \n                      \tMcCaul, Michael (R-TX, 10th)  \n                      \tMcClintock, Tom (R-CA, 4th)  \n                      \tMcHenry, Patrick (R-NC, 10th)  \n                      \tMcKinley, David B. (R-WV, 1st)  \n                      \tMcMorris Rodgers, Cathy (R-WA, 5th)  \n                      \tMeadows, Mark (R-NC, 11th)  \n                      \tMeehan, Pat (R-PA, 7th)  \n                      \tMichaud, Mike (D-ME, 2nd)  \n                      \tMiller, Jeff (R-FL, 1st)  \n                      \tMoran, Jim (D-VA, 8th)  \n                      \tMullin, Markwayne (R-OK, 2nd)  \n                      \tMulvaney, Mick (R-SC, 5th)  \n                      \tNeugebauer, Randy (R-TX, 19th)  \n                      \tNugent, Richard (R-FL, 11th)  \n                      \tNunes, Devin (R-CA, 22nd)  \n                      \tNunnelee, Alan (R-MS, 1st)  \n                      \tOlson, Pete (R-TX, 22nd)  \n                      \tOwens, Bill (D-NY, 21st)  \n                      \tPalazzo, Steven (R-MS, 4th)  \n                      \tPearce, Steve (R-NM, 2nd)  \n                      \tPerry, Scott (R-PA, 4th)  \n                      \tPingree, Chellie M. (D-ME, 1st)  \n                      \tPittenger, Robert (R-NC, 9th)  \n                      \tPitts, Joe (R-PA, 16th)  \n                      \tPoe, Ted (R-TX, 2nd)  \n                      \tPosey, Bill (R-FL, 8th)  \n                      \tPrice, Tom (R-GA, 6th)  \n                      \tRadel, Trey (R-FL, 19th)  \n                      \tReed, Tom (R-NY, 23rd)  \n                      \tRice, Tom (R-SC, 7th)  \n                      \tRichmond, Cedric L. (D-LA, 2nd)  \n                      \tRigell, Scott (R-VA, 2nd)  \n                      \tRoe, Phil (R-TN, 1st)  \n                      \tRogers, Mike (R-MI, 8th)  \n                      \tRohrabacher, Dana (R-CA, 48th)  \n                      \tRooney, Tom (R-FL, 17th)  \n                      \tRoss, Dennis A. (R-FL, 15th)  \n                      \tRothfus, Keith J. (R-PA, 12th)  \n                      \tSanchez, Loretta (D-CA, 46th)  \n                      \tSchrader, Kurt (D-OR, 5th)  \n                      \tSchweikert, David (R-AZ, 6th)  \n                      \tScott, Austin (R-GA, 8th)  \n                      \tScott, Bobby (D-VA, 3rd)  \n                      \tScott, David (D-GA, 13th)  \n                      \tSensenbrenner, Jim Jr. (R-WI, 5th)  \n                      \tSessions, Pete (R-TX, 32nd)  \n                      \tShuster, Bill (R-PA, 9th)  \n                      \tSimpson, Mike (R-ID, 2nd)  \n                      \tSmith, Chris (R-NJ, 4th)  \n                      \tSmith, Lamar S. (R-TX, 21st)  \n                      \tStewart, Chris (R-UT, 2nd)  \n                      \tThompson, Bennie G. (D-MS, 2nd)  \n                      \tThompson, Glenn W. (R-PA, 5th)  \n                      \tThornberry, Mac (R-TX, 13th)  \n                      \tValadao, David G. (R-CA, 21st)  \n                      \tVeasey, Marc (D-TX, 33rd)  \n                      \tVela, Filemon (D-TX, 34th)  \n                      \tWalberg, Tim (R-MI, 7th)  \n                      \tWalden, Greg (R-OR, 2nd)  \n                      \tWeber, Randy (R-TX, 14th)  \n                      \tWebster, Daniel A. (R-FL, 10th)  \n                      \tWelch, Peter (D-VT, At Large)  \n                      \tWestmoreland, Lynn A. (R-GA, 3rd)  \n                      \tWilliams, Roger (R-TX, 25th)  \n                      \tWilson, Joe (R-SC, 2nd)  \n                      \tWittman, Rob (R-VA, 1st)  \n                      \tWolf, Frank R. (R-VA, 10th)  \n                      \tWomack, Steve (R-AR, 3rd)  \n                      \tWoodall, Rob (R-GA, 7th)  \n                      \tYoho, Ted (R-FL, 3rd)  \n                      \tYoung, Don (R-AK, At Large)\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131123004640/http://wolf.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=34&itemid=2329", "Wolf Joins Effort Urging EPA To Adjust Ethanol Mandate In Renewable Fuel Standard", "2013-10-31", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Frank Wolf", "W000672", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Jill Shatzen  \n\t(202) 225-5136\n\n\tWOLF JOINS EFFORT URGING EPA TO ADJUST ETHANOL MANDATE\n\tIN RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARD\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\tWashington, D.C. (October 31, 2013) \u2013 Rep. Frank Wolf (VA-10th) today joined 168 bipartisan members of Congress in signing a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy urging her to adjust the ethanol mandate in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).\n\n\t\u201cDue to the dramatic expansion of corn ethanol, volatile corn prices have led to the conversion of millions of acres of sensitive wetlands and grasslands into production,\u201d according to the letter, organized by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (VA-6th).\u00a0 The letter also notes that there could be a potentially dangerous economic situation if the RFS is not adjusted to align with the gasoline market.\n\n\t\u201cPrompt action by the EPA can help to ease short supply concerns, prevent engine damage, save jobs across many U.S. industries, and keep families fed.\u201d\n\n\tThe full text of the letter is below.\n\n\tDear Administrator McCarthy:\n\t\u00a0\n\tNearly eight years ago, Congress approved the Energy Policy Act of 2005, establishing the first Renewable Fuel Standard (\u201cRFS\u201d).\u00a0 In 2007, Congress significantly expanded the 2005 law when it passed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which increased the mandate to 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022.\u00a0 Unfortunately, despite the best intentions of the RFS, its premise and structure were based on many assumptions that no longer reflect the current market conditions, and the imposition of the 2014 volumes now threatens to cause economic and environmental harm.\u00a0\u00a0 As Congress continues its bi-partisan work to address these concerns, we are writing to request that the EPA use its authority to adjust the 2014 RFS volumes. As you are aware, the U.S. corn market has been increasingly volatile since the expansion of the RFS in 2007.\u00a0 This reflects the reality that more than 40 percent of the corn crop now goes into ethanol production, a dramatic rise since the first ethanol mandates were put into place in 2005.\u00a0 While well intentioned, the rigid nature of the federal law has not allowed it to change as new realities emerge in the market place.\u00a0 Ethanol now consumes more corn than animal agriculture, a fact directly attributable to the federal mandate.\u00a0 Corn price volatility is just one example of the economic harm caused by the RFS. Due to the dramatic expansion of corn ethanol, volatile corn prices have led to the conversion of millions of acres of sensitive wetlands and grasslands into production. According to the EPA's analysis, the lifecycle emissions of corn ethanol in 2012 were higher than those of gasoline \u2013 and will be for years to come.\u00a0 Despite promised environmental benefits when the RFS was implemented, the National Academy of Sciences has noted that overall ethanol production and use lowers air and water quality. Perhaps the newest challenge is the imposition of the statutory requirement of 18.15 billion gallons of renewable fuels in 2014, of which approximately 14.4 billion gallons will be made up by corn ethanol.\u00a0 In particular, the combination of rising ethanol mandates and declining gasoline demand has exacerbated the onset of the E10 blendwall- the point at which the gasoline supply is saturated with the maximum amount of ethanol that current vehicles, engines, and infrastructure can safely accommodate.\u00a0 The EPA explicitly acknowledged this challenge in its final rule implementing the 2013 volumes\u2014\u201cEPA does not currently foresee a scenario in which the market could consume enough ethanol sold in blends greater than E10, and/or produce sufficient volumes of non-ethanol biofuels to meet the volumes of total renewable fuel and advanced biofuel as required by statute for 2014.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 We understand that the EPA signaled its intention to address these concerns in the 2014 rulemaking and commend the EPA\u2019s willingness to use the authority Congress granted to it when crafting the RFS. While the blendwall is a pressing issue, the federal government can help avoid a dangerous economic situation by adjusting the normally rigid Renewable Fuel Standard mandate down to align with gasoline market conditions and realities.\u00a0 We therefore urge the EPA to consider a fair and meaningful nationwide adjustment to the ethanol mandate in the Renewable Fuel Standard.\u00a0 Prompt action by the EPA can help to ease short supply concerns, prevent engine damage, save jobs across many U.S. industries, and keep families fed.\u00a0 We strongly urge you to exercise your authority and take the necessary steps to protect American consumers and the economy.\u00a0 Thank you for your immediate consideration of this request.\n\n\tSincerely, \n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\tMembers of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131123004841/http://wolf.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=34&itemid=2326", "Wolf Renews Call For Select Committee On Benghazi", "2013-10-30", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Frank Wolf", "W000672", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Jill Shatzen  \n\t(202) 225-5136\n\n\tWOLF RENEWS CALL FOR SELECT COMMITTEE ON BENGHAZI  \n\tSays We Have \u2018Reached the Threshold\u2019\n\n\tWashington, D.C. (October 30, 2013) \u2013 In a 30-minute speech today on the House floor, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) again called on House leadership to create a Select Committee on Benghazi, saying the threshold for creating the special panel has been reached in terms of the number of cosponsors and endorsements of the measure, as well as several revelations about the attack that have been covered in the press in recent weeks. Wolf said that in the nearly 11 months since he first introduced the measure, the broad support that has been built \u201cmakes it clear we have more than passed the threshold for a Select Committee now \u2026 Let\u2019s get to the truth once and for all so we can find out what happened and restore the American people\u2019s confidence in congressional oversight.\u201d Just last week, a bipartisan national poll revealed that 63 percent of Americans think the Obama Administration is covering up the facts about the Benghazi attack, and just 29 percent of registered voters believe the administration has been honest.\u00a0 Further, 83 percent of Republicans and 58 percent of Independents support the idea, and notably, nearly half of Democrats said it was important to create a bipartisan committee to learn the truth. \u201cBottom line: Americans from across the political spectrum recognize that not only are they not being told the truth [about Benghazi], but they feel Congress needs to change its approach to the investigation by creating a special committee,\u201d Wolf said. \u00a0 Wolf also pointed to several recent developments that confirm the individuals involved in the Benghazi attack were senior al Qaeda associates with ties to the group going back decades, and that the plot appears to have been weeks, if not months, in the making. Wolf said that according to Fox News\u2019 Catherine Herridge, \u201csources said one of the suspects was believed to be a courier for the Al Qaeda network, and the other a bodyguard in Afghanistan prior to the 2001 terror attacks,\u201d noting that \u201cthe direct ties to the Al Qaeda senior leadership undercut early characterizations by the Obama administration that the attackers in Benghazi were isolated \u201cextremists\" \u2013 not Al Qaeda terrorists \u2013 with no organizational structure or affiliation.\u201d Further, Wolf described a 60 Minutes piece that aired this past Sunday in which CBS\u2019 sources confirmed what Wolf had detailed on the House floor this past July: \u201ca quick reaction force from the CIA Annex ignored orders to wait and raced to the compound, at time running and shooting their way through the streets just to get there.\u201d\u00a0 Alarmingly, the piece also included information saying that when the terrorists stormed the consulate property, they said \u201cWe\u2019re here to kill Americans, not Libyans\u201d and spared the lives of the Libyan guards, Wolf said. CBS\u2019 Lara Logan also addressed the pressure on witnesses she encountered during the 60 Minutes investigation, saying \u201cAn extraordinary amount of pressure on anyone in the government \u2013 the military side, the political side \u2013 not to say anything outside of official channels.\u201d \u201cThis is consistence with the concerns I have repeatedly raised on the House floor about efforts by this administration to silence survivors and witnesses to the Benghazi attack and response,\u201d Wolf said.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are they afraid of these witnesses sharing with the American people?\u00a0 And how can the Congress stand by and allow this to happen, knowing full well it is taking place?\u201d Wolf pointed out numerous intelligence failures that occurred prior to and following the attack. \u201cThe administration\u2019s response to the Benghazi attack over the last year has been nothing short of shameful \u2013 and that also merits a full investigation by a Select Committee,\u201d Wolf said.\u00a0 \u201cFrom the first hours of the attack, when it became apparent that no help was coming to assist those under attack \u2013 either from U.S. forces or our allies in the region \u2013 to the failure of the FBI to gain access to key suspects in Tunisia and Egypt over the last year, this administration has sent a signal to terrorists that the U.S. will not strongly respond to an attack on Americans abroad.\u201d Wolf\u2019s measure to create a House Select Committee on Benghazi currently has 178 cosponsors \u2013 more than a supermajority in the House.\u00a0 It has been endorsed by the family members of the victims, the Wall Street Journal editorial page, the Special Operations community and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, which represents the Diplomatic Security agents who were at the consulate in Benghazi. For a full list of endorsements, click here. For more on Wolf\u2019s work on Benghazi, click here.  \n\t\u00a0  \n\tThe full text of Wolf\u2019s floor speech is below. Mr. Speaker, last week a new national poll was released by respected pollsters Pat Caddell, a Democrat, and John McLaughlin, a Republican, making clear the American people still don\u2019t feel they know the truth about what happened in Benghazi nearly 14 months ago. \u00a0 According to the poll, commissioned by Secure America Now, 63 percent of Americans \u201cthink the Obama Administration is covering up the facts about Benghazi\u201d and \u201conly 29 percent of registered voters say the Obama Administration has been honest about Benghazi.\u201d \u00a0 Think about that for a moment: a supermajority of Americans believe they have been misled by their government about what happened in Benghazi.\u00a0 This is remarkable. \u00a0 The American people know how significant it is that Ambassador Stevens, the president\u2019s personal envoy to Libya, was the first ambassador killed in the line of duty in four decades on September 11 \u2013 11 years to the day that nearly 3,000 people were killed by al-Qaeda terrorists.\u00a0 The American people intuitively understands that a plot of this scale was not \u201cspontaneously inspired,\u201d as claimed in the administration\u2019s now-infamous talking points.\u00a0 The American people also know that it\u2019s remarkable that no effort was made by Washington to rescue the Americans in Benghazi, or dispatch a hostage rescue team after the ambassador went missing that night. \u00a0 I think the American people also wonder just what the CIA was doing in Benghazi.\u00a0 Was it involved in the collection and transfer of weapons to foreign countries, possibly to support the Syrian rebels?\u00a0 And could some of those weapons fallen into the wrong hands, like Syrian jihadists? \u00a0 It is too easy to just say this is \u201cclassified\u201d information and expect the American people to look away.\u00a0 Four Americans were killed that night and no one came to help them. \u00a0 Was it because the CIA was conducting a covert operation and if something went wrong, that was the price of doing business?\u00a0 Were the CIA activities in Benghazi part of the reason the consulate and annex were targeted?\u00a0 These are legitimate questions the American people are asking that deserve clear answers. \u00a0 The McLaughlin-Caddell poll also found that 62 percent of the American public support creating a \u201cspecial bipartisan committee with broad powers to get to the truth about the attack in Benghazi.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 83 percent of Republicans and 58 percent of Independents support the idea; notably, nearly half of Democrats said it was important to create a bipartisan committee to learn the truth. \u00a0 Bottom line: Americans from across the political spectrum recognize that not only are they not being told the truth, but they feel Congress needs to change its approach to the investigation by creating a special committee. \u00a0 Why is it, despite more than a year of investigations in five separate committees, the American people feel they still don\u2019t know the truth about what happened? Perhaps it\u2019s because, despite more than a year of investigations by five committees, most of the questions raised about that night remain unanswered.\u00a0 Perhaps it\u2019s because, despite more than a year of investigations by five committees, hardly any of the key witnesses responsible for the government\u2019s response that night \u2013 or lack thereof \u2013 have publicly testified.\u00a0 Perhaps it\u2019s because, despite more than a year of investigations, none of the survivors that could help answer key questions have publicly testified before Congress.\u00a0 Perhaps it\u2019s because, despite more than a year of investigations, so few public committee hearings have been held. Or perhaps it\u2019s because, despite more than a year of investigations, what little the American people have learned have come from news reports from CNN, CBS, FOX, and other news organizations, not from congressional hearings or testimony. \u00a0 I think all of these factors have contributed to the sense among the American people that the Congress has failed in its oversight responsibility.\u00a0 The American people know they haven\u2019t been told the full story about what happened that night, and they believe they have been intentionally misled by the administration. I have come to the floor today to once again call on my leadership to create a House Select Committee on Benghazi. I am often asked what is holding up the creation of a Select Committee.\u00a0\u00a0 The simple answer is because the Speaker hasn\u2019t agreed to it.\u00a0 I like the Speaker.\u00a0 He has a tough job.\u00a0 And he may have a good reason for not wanting to establish a Select Committee, but I don\u2019t know what it is.\u00a0 More important, I don\u2019t think the American people know what it is.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 Let me be clear: my not criticism is not with any chairmen of committees that are looking into this.\u00a0 They are all good men.\u00a0 But their hands are tied.\u00a0 They are required to stay within their own jurisdictional lanes, examining only what they are allowed to investigate according to their committee charter. \u00a0 What happened in Benghazi is interrelated.\u00a0 The \u201clanes\u201d crisscross. The White House, the State Department, the CIA and the Defense Department were all involved, resulting in overlapping but uncoordinated investigations.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 Benghazi was a terrorist attack.\u00a0\u00a0 We need a team effort to find out what happened, why it happened and how we are going to bring the perpetrators to justice.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 Any of these chairmen would be capable of leading the Select Committee, and other members of their committees would be good to serve as well. And let me be clear: I have no intention of chairing or serving on the Select Committee.\u00a0\u00a0 I just want to learn the truth, just like the American people. \u00a0 There is a history in Congress that when things overlap between committees and transcends jurisdictions select committees are established.\u00a0 Two well-known examples: Watergate and Iran-Contra.\u00a0 I am submitting for the Record a list of past House Select Committees over the last 50 years.\u00a0 A Select Committee would take members from each committee, with their individual expertise, and have them work on this investigation day in and day out with no other distractions.\u00a0 It also would prevent the administration from saying one thing to one committee of jurisdiction and something else to another. I am reminded of the poem, the \u201cBlind Men and the Elephant,\u201d which is said to have originated in India. \u00a0 In the poem, six blind men touch a part of an elephant and each provides a different description of what the elephant must look like.\u00a0 They argue at great length between themselves and the poem ends by saying while each is partly right, they are all wrong.\u00a0 The moral of the poem is that independently, people may think their understanding of the situation is correct.\u00a0 Yet they don\u2019t know the truth until the full picture comes into focus.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 Each of the five committees may not be seeing the entire picture of what happened that night.\u00a0 Regular order has limited the committees from going beyond their jurisdiction. \u00a0 One group ought to have the responsibility to get to the bottom of all parts of this tragedy.\u00a0 One group needs to lay out a roadmap to obtaining and reporting that information to the American people, so we can restore confidence that Congress has a serious oversight plan on Benghazi.\u00a0 Remember, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.\u00a0 We need to see the whole of this tragedy. My bill to create a Select Committee, H. Res. 36, now has 178 cosponsors \u2013 more than three-quarters of the Republican Conference; more than a supermajority of the Majority.\u00a0 Nearly three-quarters of the Republican members who serve on the committees already investigating Benghazi now support a Select Committee.\u00a0 That means a plurality of the Members who have been directly involved in committee investigations believe a Select Committee would be a more effective approach. \u00a0 The bill has been endorsed by: The American Legion.\u00a0 The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, which represents the diplomatic security agents that were present in Benghazi.\u00a0 Groups representing the Special Ops community. The editorial page of The Wall Street Journal. Perhaps most important, it has been endorsed by some family members of the Benghazi victims, like Sean Smith\u2019s mother and Ty Woods\u2019 father, who want to know the truth about what happened to their children that night and why their country fell short in its response.\u00a0 Nothing will bring their children back, but we can at least provide them with clear answers and assign accountability for those responsible for intelligence failures and the inept response that night. \u00a0 The best way to do this is to break down the stovepipes between the five committees, hold public hearings and issue subpoenas to all of the survivors from Benghazi, those who were in Tripoli and those who were in Washington responding that night. \u00a0 We need a public hearing with the principals involved in the decision making process in Washington on September 11, 2012, including former Secretary Panetta, former Secretary Clinton, former CIA Director Petraeus, former White House advisor and current CIA director John Brennan and former AFRICOM commander General Ham, as well as the White House. We also need a similar hearing with each of their deputies and others who were witness to the calls for help and the decisions surrounding the response. \u00a0 Unless we hear from these people publicly, the American people will never learn the truth about whether there were warnings prior to the attack, what calls for help were made that night, whether the CIA security team was in fact delayed in leaving to respond to the initial attack at the consulate and what the response was from Washington, among many other questions. \u00a0 Until these key individuals are sitting side-by-side answering questions under oath, we will never get a clear picture of who made decisions that night and why.\u00a0 Failure to get those answers means there will never be any accountability, which further erodes public confidence in government. Absent a Select Committee, the Congress will fail to learn the truth about what happened that night because the administration will continue to use the jurisdictional barriers between each committee to continue to slow walk or deny information. There are a number of new developments in recent weeks that make a Select Committee more timely than ever. \u00a0 First, our colleague Mike Rogers, chairman of the Intelligence Committee, confirmed earlier reports telling Fox News that the plot against the consulate and CIA annex in Benghazi appears to have been weeks, if not months, in the making and that at least two of the plot\u2019s leaders had close connections to senior al Qaeda leadership. \u00a0 Nearly a year ago, I circulated a memo to all Members prepared by respected terrorism analyst Thomas Joscelyn detailing the apparent connections and likely coordination between al-Qaeda affiliates in Libya, Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen that resulted in threats and attacks on U.S. diplomatic facilities in those countries the week of September 11, 2012.\u00a0 Unfortunately the committees have not held public hearings looking at the connection between these threats. \u00a0 Last week, Fox News\u2019 Catherine Herridge first reported that: \u201cAt least two of the key suspects in the Benghazi terror attack were at one point working with Al Qaeda senior leadership, sources familiar with the investigation tell Fox News. The sources said one of the suspects was believed to be a courier for the Al Qaeda network, and the other a bodyguard in Afghanistan prior to the 2001 terror attacks.\u201d Herridge noted that, \u201cThe direct ties to the Al Qaeda senior leadership undercut early characterizations by the Obama administration that the attackers in Benghazi were isolated \u201cextremists\" -- not Al Qaeda terrorists -- with no organizational structure or affiliation.\u201d Then, on Sunday, CBS\u2019 60 Minutes aired a segment by Lara Logan further explaining what happened that night and the increasingly clear connection to al-Qaeda.\u00a0 Logan reported that \u201cJust a few weeks ago, Abu Anas al-Libi was captured for his role in the Africa bombings and the U.S. is still investigating what part he may have played in Benghazi.\u00a0 We\u2019ve learned that this man, Sufian bin Qumu, a former Guantanamo Bay detainee and long-time al Qaeda operative, was one of the lead planners along with Faraj al-Chalabi, whose ties to Osama bin Laden go back more than 15 years.\u00a0 He\u2019s believed to have carried documents from the compound to the head of al Qaeda in Pakistan.\u201d It is particularly notable that al-Chalabi reportedly delivered documents from U.S. facilities in Benghazi to \u201cthe head of al Qaeda in Pakistan,\u201d establishing a direct link between the Benghazi attacks and most senior leadership of al Qaeda.\u00a0 \u00a0  \n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0  \n\tAmong the other revelations in the 60 Minutes segment: \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Al-Qaeda stated its intent to attack Americans in Benghazi, along with the Red Cross and the British mission well in advance of September 11.\u00a0 Lt. Col. Andy Wood, the top American security official in Libya in the months leading up to the attack told CBS that both the State Department and Defense Department were well aware of the threat and the attacks on the Red Cross and British mission and it was \u201cobvious\u201d to the Americans in Libya that it was only a matter of time until an attack on the U.S. facilities. \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0When the terrorists stormed the consulate property, they said: \u201cWe\u2019re here to kill Americans, not Libyans\u201d and spared the lives of the Libyan guards. \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Confirmation of information I detailed on the House floor in July noting that \u201ca quick reaction force from the CIA Annex ignored orders to wait and raced to the compound, at times running and shooting their way through the streets just to get there.\u201d \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0The Americans faced a \u201cprofessional enemy\u201d as they encountered waves of intense fighting on the CIA annex in Benghazi during the early morning of September 12.\u00a0\u00a0 Mortars fired during the final wave of the assault hit the roof of the annex three times in the dark.\u00a0 Lt. Col. Wood described hitting a target like that as \u201cgetting the basketball through the hoop over your shoulder\u201d and that it took \u201ccoordination, planning training, experienced personnel\u201d to pull off such a \u201cwell executed attack.\u201d \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Two Delta Force operators who fought at the CIA annex, apparently as part of the impromptu team that flew in from Tripoli with Glen Doherty during the attack without permission from Washington, have \u201cbeen awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Navy Cross \u2013 two of the military\u2019s highest honors.\u201d \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0The U.S. already knew that senior al Qaeda leader Abu Anas al-Libi was in Libya and was \u201ctasked by the head of al Qaeda to establish a clandestine terrorist network inside the country.\u00a0 Al-Libi was already wanted for his role in bombing two U.S. embassies in Africa.\u201d\u00a0 Notably, the administration made no mention of his connection to the Benghazi attacks in its announcement of his capture last month.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Some of the key questions that remain unanswered are why the CIA security team was ordered not to respond to the attack at the consulate and \u201cwhy no larger military response ever crossed the border into Libya \u2013 something [U.S. deputy chief of mission] Greg Hicks realized wasn\u2019t going to happen just an hour into the attack.\u201d It\u2019s particularly noteworthy that Logan addressed the pressure on witnesses she encountered during her investigation, saying: \u201cAn extraordinary amount of pressure on the people involved not to talk.\u00a0 And an extraordinary amount of pressure on anyone in the government \u2013 the military side, the political side \u2013 not to say anything outside of official channels.\u201d  \n\tThis is consistent with the concerns I have repeatedly raised on the House floor about efforts by this administration to silence survivors and witnesses to the Benghazi attack and response. What are they afraid of these witnesses sharing with the American people?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And how can the Congress stand by and allow this to happen, knowing full well it is taking place? \u00a0  \n\tCNN in July reported that: \u201cSince January, some CIA operatives involved in the agency\u2019s missions in Libya, have been subjected to frequent, even monthly polygraph examinations, according to a source with deep inside knowledge of the agency\u2019s workings. The goal of the questioning, according to sources, is to find out if anyone is talking to the media or Congress.\u201d Fox News, in a separate piece in July, reported: \u201cAt least five CIA employees were forced to sign additional nondisclosure agreements this past spring in the wake of the Benghazi attack.\u201d As someone who represents thousands of federal employees and contractors, including many who work for the CIA, FBI, State Department and the Defense Department, I know from years of firsthand experience how agencies can sometimes use various forms of pressure and intimidation to keep employees from sharing information of concern with Congress. \u00a0  \n\tI know the Benghazi survivors and other witnesses that night from those agencies need the protection of a \u201cfriendly subpoena\u201d to compel their testimony before Congress, particularly on a matter as sensitive as this.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 So far, the committees have failed to provide this protection to allow survivors and other witnesses to allow them to share their story publicly. \u00a0  \n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0  \n\tBased on disclosures in recent news reports, I now believe that the Benghazi plot represents a significant intelligence failure by the U.S. at several levels.\u00a0 Understanding these failures \u2013 as well as the government\u2019s inexplicable response during and after the attack \u2013 is critical to preventing future attacks. \u00a0 I want to outline a number of the apparent intelligence failures leading up to the attack, which I believe a Select Committee investigation would confirm: First, the State Department and CIA apparently failed in their assessment of the militia groups working for the Americans in Benghazi, including the February 17 Martyrs Brigade responsible for guarding the consulate property, which abandoned the Americans and may have even facilitated access to the compound for the terrorists.\u00a0 According to a May 21 article by Eli Lake on The Daily Beast, CIA \u201cofficers were responsible for vetting the February 17 Martyrs Brigade, the militia that was supposed to be the first responder on the night of the attack, but melted away when the diplomatic mission was attacked.\u201d \u00a0 Second, the State Department, Defense Department and CIA apparently failed to adjust their security posture to support the Americans in Benghazi based on the growing number of attacks on Western targets in Benghazi during the summer of 2012.\u00a0 To date, no one has explained or been held accountable for why the U.S. mission was so poorly secured, despite pleas for assistances from the Embassy staff in Tripoli to Washington.\u00a0 No one has adequately explained why the Defense Department\u2019s emergency response team was on a routine training mission in Croatia during the week of September 11, when it should have been on alert to respond \u2013 especially given the threats to the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt earlier in the day before the Benghazi attacks.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0  \n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0  \n\tThird, the intelligence community apparently failed to understand the size and scope of the attack brewing in Benghazi in the months leading up to September 11.\u00a0 As Chairman Rogers acknowledged to Fox News\u2019 Catherine Herridge last week, this was a well-coordinated attack that was many weeks, if not months in the making.\u00a0 Earlier this year, CNN reported on the number of foreign fighters that arrived in Benghazi to participate in the attack in the days leading up to September 11. \u00a0 A witness in the 60 Minutes report noted how black al-Qaeda flags were openly flying in the months before the attack, and also noted the announced threat against U.S., British and Red Cross facilities.\u00a0 How did the government miss these warnings?\u00a0 Or were they simply ignored?\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 Fourth, the intelligence community seems to have more broadly failed to understand and anticipate how al-Qaeda was metastasizing in North Africa. \u00a0 This administration has been quick to take credit for the raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May 2011 and declared throughout the 2012 presidential campaign that as a result of its efforts that \u201ccore al-Qaeda\u201d had been decimated. \u00a0 However, the facts don\u2019t support the administration\u2019s narrative. \u00a0 As CNN reported on Monday, terrorist attacks hit a record high in 2012 and, \u201cMore than 8,500 terrorist attacks killed more than 15,500 people last year as violence tore through Africa, Asia and the Middle East.\u201d\u00a0 Increasingly, this includes North African countries, like Libya.\u00a0 \u00a0 CNN also said that \u201cDespite the death of Osama bin Laden and capture of other key al Qaeda leaders, the group has exported its brand of terrorism to other militant Muslims.\u201d\u00a0 These groups include affiliates like Ansar al Sharia in Libya. \u00a0 Additionally, CBS\u2019 Lara Logan noted earlier this week following her report on Benghazi that, \u201cit became evident to us during the course of our research that very little is known publicly about the true nature of al Qaeda's network in Libya.\u00a0 And that has consequences beyond Benghazi and beyond Libya. It has consequences that speak to the national security interests of the United States of America.\u201d  \n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0  \n\tMost of these affiliate terrorist groups have sworn an allegiance to al-Qaeda and appear to closely coordinate their activities and plots with the \u201ccore al-Qaeda\u201d leadership, including Ayman al-Zawahiri, bin Laden\u2019s successor.\u00a0 To dismiss or minimize their relationship with al-Qaeda\u2019s senior leadership is misguided and dangerous, as we have seen over the last several years. \u00a0 I fear that this administration\u2019s insistence in treating \u201ccore al-Qaeda\u201d in Afghanistan and Pakistan differently than groups like Ansar al Sharia in Libya has led to a dangerous mischaracterization of the threat \u2013 and has apparently resulted in a failure to anticipate attacks like the one that occurred in Benghazi. \u00a0 Fifth, it appears that documents were taken from the consulate and CIA annex in Benghazi in the wake of the attacks.\u00a0 As I said earlier, 60 Minutes reported that terrorist Faraj al-Chalabi, whose ties to bin Laden go back nearly two decades, is \u201cbelieved to have carried documents from the compound to the head of al Qaeda in Pakistan.\u201d\u00a0 What was taken from the consulate and annex and given to al Qaeda\u2019s leadership? \u00a0 Additionally, as Lara Logan noted following her report, \u201cWe did not expect that we would find the U.S. compound in the state that we found it.\u00a0 There was still debris and ammunition boxes and a whiteboard that had the day\u2019s assignment for the security personnel at the compound as of September 11, 2012.\u201d\u00a0 Clearly in the chaos of the fighting and evacuation that night, information was left behind at the facilities that may have consequences for Americans operating in the region. \u00a0 I also believe the administration\u2019s response to the Benghazi attack over the last year has been nothing short of shameful \u2013 and that also merits a full investigation by a Select Committee.\u00a0 From the first hours of the attack, when it became apparent that no help was coming to assist those under attack \u2013 either from U.S. forces or our allies in the region \u2013 to the failure of the FBI to gain access to key suspects in Tunisia and Egypt over the last year, this administration has sent a signal to terrorists that the U.S. will not strongly respond to an attack on Americans abroad.\u00a0 The failure to either arrest or kill any of the scores of terrorists responsible for the attacks more than a year later is inexcusable and reflects unwillingness by this administration to bring diplomatic pressure to bear on countries harboring these terrorists. \u00a0 I am increasingly convinced that this administration is more comfortable using the ongoing FBI investigation as an excuse not to answer questions than they are in bringing these terrorists to justice.\u00a0 As I said on the House floor in July, last year, Tunisia detained the first suspect in the Benghazi terror attacks, Ali Harzi, after he was deported from Turkey in the weeks following the attack.\u00a0 Tunisia, despite being the beneficiary of more than $300 million in U.S. foreign aid, refused to allow the FBI access to this suspect for nearly five weeks.\u00a0 It was only after Congressional threats to cut off the aid that the government of Tunisia reconsidered its position.\u00a0 Ultimately, the FBI interrogation team returned to Tunisia and was allowed just three hours to interview Harzi, with his lawyer and a Tunisian judge present.\u00a0 Not long after the FBI interview, Harzi was inexplicably released by Tunisian authorities, and his release was celebrated by Ansar al Sharia terrorists. \u00a0 Last month, it was confirmed that Harzi has been involved in at least one assassination of a Tunisian political leader. \u00a0 In another equally concerning case in Egypt, the FBI has been denied access to Muhammed Jamal, an al Qaeda-connected terrorist who ran training camps in Egypt and eastern Libya prior to the Benghazi attacks.\u00a0 Several of Jamal\u2019s associates are believed to have participated in the Benghazi plot, and terrorism analysts believe that Jamal may have communicated directly with Zawahiri and al Qaeda leadership about this and other terrorist attacks.\u00a0 Although Jamal has been in Egyptian custody for more than a year on other terrorism-related charges, the U.S. has never been provided access to him under both the Morsi government and now the military government.\u00a0 I personally delivered a letter to former Ambassador Patterson in Cairo asking then-President Morsi to provide the FBI access to Jamal and his documents.\u00a0 I don\u2019t believe the ambassador ever even delivered my letter, despite her assurances.\u00a0 Jamal\u2019s connection to the Benghazi attack is particularly noteworthy given that both the U.S. and the United Nations formally designated him as a terrorist earlier this month.\u00a0 However, in another example of this administration\u2019s aversion to discussing terrorist connections to the Benghazi attack, the UN designation clearly notes Jamal\u2019s connection to the Benghazi attack, whereas the State Department designation omits it.\u00a0 \u00a0 I believe there has been pressure from the administration to omit this type of information from U.S. intelligence products, sending conflicting signals to both our allies and to countries that may have Benghazi suspects of interest to the FBI.\u00a0 But if we\u2019re unwilling to identify their involvement in the attacks, it further erodes U.S. credibility in asking for access to these individuals.\u00a0 This willful blindness is disingenuous and, ultimately, dangerous. In early January, when I offered an amendment to create a Select Committee in the House Rules package for the 113th Congress, Speaker Boehner told the Republican Conference he didn\u2019t believe that we had \u201creached the threshold\u201d for a Select Committee.\u00a0 He suggested that we might get to the threshold, but the committees of jurisdiction just needed a little more time. \u00a0 That may have been the case in January, but nearly 11 months later, I think the broad support that has built over the last year makes clear we have more than passed the threshold for a Select Committee now.\u00a0 I believe the \u201cthreshold\u201d has clearly been reached in terms of cosponsors, endorsements and new revelations from press reports. \u00a0 I was particularly struck by comments made by Ambassador Stevens\u2019 deputy Greg Hicks in the 60 Minutes segment on Sunday: \u201cfor us, for the people that go out onto the edge, to represent our country, we believe that if we get in trouble, they\u2019re coming to get us.\u00a0 That our back is covered.\u00a0 To hear that it\u2019s not, it\u2019s a terrible, terrible experience.\u201d \u00a0 It is not enough for the administration to just say there\u2019s nothing more that could have been done, especially given that evidence indicates that they didn\u2019t try much at all to assist the Americans under fire in Benghazi. \u00a0 Mr. Speaker, it\u2019s time for a unified, bipartisan Select Committee. Let\u2019s get to the truth once and for all so we can find out what happened and restore the American peoples\u2019 confidence in congressional oversight.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131123005042/http://wolf.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=34&itemid=2333", "Wolf: Tougher Restrictions Needed On Prescription Painkillers", "2013-10-30", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Frank Wolf", "W000672", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Jill Shatzen  \n\t(202) 225-5136\n\n\tWOLF: TOUGHER RESTRICTIONS NEEDED ON PRESCRIPTION PAINKILLERS\n\n\tWashington, D.C. (October 30, 2013) \u2013 Continuing his efforts to fight prescription drug abuse, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) today joined 28 of his colleagues in urging the Secretary of Health and Human Services to put tighter controls on highly addictive pain medications.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\tIn a letter to Kathleen Sebelius, the group said the secretary should immediately adopt the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s (FDA) recommendation to regulate prescription painkillers using the active ingredient hydrocodone.\u00a0 The change would reclassify hydrocodone from a Schedule III to a Schedule II drug, putting it in the same category as other opioid painkillers like OxyContin.\n\n\t\u201cAddressing prescription drug abuse needs to be a priority,\u201d Wolf said.\u00a0 \u201cThese tighter controls would recognize the powerful and addictive nature of these medications that can cause substantial unintended damage if they are not used properly.\u201d\n\n\tThe FDA recommendations for hydrocodone painkillers mirror the Safe Prescribing Act (H.R. 1285), legislation that Wolf has cosponsored this Congress.\u00a0 In fact, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has also supported this change for nearly 20 years.\u00a0 Wolf chaired a Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations subcommittee hearing in April where DEA Administrator Michelle Leohart said that she supports the reclassification of hydrocodone medications.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\tAdditionally, The Washington Post recently editorialized its support for reclassifying hydrocodone as a Schedule II drug.\u00a0\n\n\tWolf has long worked to stem prescription drug abuse, especially the problem of pill mills, pain clinics serving as fronts for the illegal distribution of painkillers.\u00a0 He has also worked with the DEA to coordinate nationwide prescription drug \u201ctake-back\u201d initiatives where people can return unwanted drugs for proper disposal.\n\n\tThe full text of the letter is below.\u00a0\n\n\tThe Honorable Kathleen Sebelius\n\tSecretary\n\tDepartment of Health and Human Services\n\t200 Independence Avenue, S.W.\n\tWashington, DC\u00a0 20201\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\tDear Secretary Sebelius:\n\n\tWe are writing to urge you to immediately adopt the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s (FDA) recommendation to place tighter controls on prescription painkillers using the active ingredient hydrocodone.\u00a0 This change mirrors legislation we introduced on March 20, 2013 to reschedule hydrocodone combination drugs from a Schedule III to a Schedule II drug \u2013 making them more difficult to prescribe and obtain.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\n\n\tPrescription drug abuse continues to wreak havoc on countless families and communities throughout our nation. \u00a0This epidemic has reached such violent proportions that fatal drug overdoses now outweigh the total number of traffic fatalities in this country.\u00a0 Products containing hydrocodone, such as Lortab and Vicodin, are fueling this scourge.\u00a0 These drugs are now the most widely prescribed painkillers in the U.S.\u00a0 \u00a0\n\n\tOn a dose by dose analysis, hydrocodone is comparable in both potency and potential for abuse to oxycodone, a Schedule II drug. While almost every opioid painkiller is placed in Schedule II, hydrocodone combination products are conspicuously missing from this list.\u00a0\u00a0 \n\n\tThat is why we introduced the Safe Prescribing Act of 2013 (H.R. 1285) to correct this misclassification, a change the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has supported for nearly 20 years.\u00a0Reclassifying hydrocodone combination drugs to a Schedule II would limit how much hydrocodone a patient can receive in between doctor visits and would require written prescriptions.\u00a0 Our legislation has received widespread support from law enforcement, the medical community and addiction advocates.\u00a0 Dr. Andrew Kolodny, President of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, said our bill will \u201ccorrect an error made over 40 years ago when the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) incorrectly classified hydrocodone combination products.\u00a0 There is clear and convincing medical evidence that hydrocodone has the same abuse liability as the Schedule II opioids.\u201d\n\n\tRescheduling of hydrocodone combination drugs alone is not enough to end the scourge, and we need to ensure that any changes protect the ability of patients with a legitimate medical need to access these medications. \u00a0But regulating these potent narcotics in an appropriate manner could go a long way toward combating a national epidemic.\u00a0 We have heard too many stories of a father who started taking painkillers for a bad back only to overdose a few years later.\u00a0 We have heard of too many teenagers who failed to grasp the potency of these narcotics and whose lives were cut far too short.\n\n\tOn February 28, 2012, you testified before the House Ways and Means Committee that \u201cthe data is enormously alarming -- prescription drugs have now outpaced criminal drugs in terms of over abuse, and deaths, and injuries.\u201d\u00a0 We simply cannot wait any longer to act.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\tWe urge you to immediately accept the FDA\u2019s recommendation in the name of every man, woman and child who has endured the horrors of prescription drug abuse.\n\n\tSincerely, \n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\tMembers of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131123005243/http://wolf.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=34&itemid=2324", "Wolf Renews Call For Secretary Kerry To Meet With Wife Of Chinese Dissident Gao Zhisheng", "2013-10-30", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Frank Wolf", "W000672", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Jill Shatzen  \n\t(202) 225-5136\n\n\tWOLF RENEWS CALL FOR SECRETARY KERRY\n\tTO MEET WITH THE WIFE OF CHINESE DISSIDENT GAO ZHISHENG\n\tUrges an Elevation of Human Rights, Religious Freedom in Bilateral Relations with China\n\n\tWashington, D.C. (October 30, 2013) \u2013 Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), co-chairman of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, yesterday renewed his call for Secretary of State John Kerry to meet with the wife of imprisoned Chinese dissident Gao Zhisheng, a respected human rights lawyer.\n\n\tIn a letter to Kerry, Wolf, who last year \u201cadopted\u201d Gao as part of the Defending Freedoms Project, an initiative launched by the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in conjunction with Amnesty International and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom,pointed to a recent piece in the Washington Post that similarly calls for high-ranking U.S. officialsto meet with Chinese dissidents and their families who \u201ccan speak with unique authority about the persecution they continue to face in China.\u201d\n\n\tThe opinion piece, written by Jared Genser, whose Freedom Now legal advocacy organization provides pro bono representation to several Chinese dissidents in their families, including Chen Guangcheng, Gao Zhisheng and Liu Xiaobo, argues that a meeting with Kerry and President Obama would \u201cin particular, make clear that the United States views human rights as a central component to its foreign policy.\u201d\n\n\tWolf renewed his call for a meeting with Gao\u2019s wife as well as Chen Guangcheng and other prominent dissidents and their families \u201cthereby elevating human rights and religious freedom in our bilateral relations with China, and restoring hope to the thousands who suffer daily under house arrest and unjust imprisonment.\u201d\n\n\tWolf previously wrote Kerry last February urging that he meet with Gao\u2019s wife, and then later joined with several House members, including House Speaker John Boehner and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, in writing a separate letter in May about Chen Guangcheng\u2019s case, which echoed a similar request for a meeting.\u00a0\n\n\tTo read more about Wolf\u2019s work on this topic, click here.\n\n\tThe full text of the letter is below.\n\n\tThe Honorable John Kerry\n\tSecretary of State\n\t2201 C St NW Ste 7276\n\tWashington DC 20520\n\n\tDear Secretary Kerry:\n\n\tI again write to you regarding the case of imprisoned Chinese dissident Gao Zhisheng, who I \u201cadopted\u201d last December as part of the Defending Freedoms Project, an initiative launched by the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in conjunction with Amnesty International and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.\n\n\tOn February 15, 2013, I sent you a letter urging you to \u201cpublicly and privately raise the case of Gao Zhisheng \u2013 a man who has suffered greatly at the hands of his own government solely for proclaiming his Christian faith and defending the persecuted.\u201d\u00a0 I also encouraged you to meet with Gao\u2019s wife, Geng He, \u201cwho now resides in the U.S., to hear first-hand the suffering that her husband and family have endured over several years.\u201d\u00a0 I concluded, \u201cIt is painfully clear that our current approach to China is not working.\u00a0 Quiet diplomacy, whereby grave human rights and religious freedom abuses are reportedly discussed in private meetings but rarely, if ever, raised publicly, has not yielded results and has in fact emboldened the oppressors.\u201d\u00a0 This remains true today.\n\n\tJared Genser, founder of Freedom Now, which provides pro bono counsel to the families of several prominent Chinese dissidents, including Gao, authored a piece in the Washington Post on October 27 which plainly states that Beijing feels comfortable \u201cflouting its legal obligations to its own people\u201d and \u201clying to the international community.\u201d Genser concluded, and I couldn\u2019t agree more, that \u201c\u2026continued inattention only breeds more persecution, a new strategy is desperately needed.\u201d\u00a0 The complete op-ed is enclosed, but among the recommendations that Genser makes is for \u201c\u2026the U.S. administration to meet with Chinese dissidents and their families who can speak with unique authority about the persecution they continue to face in China. Meetings with President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry, in particular, make clear that the United States views human rights as a central component of its foreign policy.\u201d\n\n\tTo my knowledge, more than eight months after my initial correspondence, you have failed to meet with Geng He.\u00a0 In a separate letter in May I joined with several other Members of the House, including Speaker John Boehner and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, in urging you to meetwith Chen Guangcheng and his wife, Yuan Weijing.\u00a0 This request too fell on deaf ears.\u00a0 As such, I renew this call in the hopes that such a meeting with prominent dissidents and their family members would take place in the very near future, thereby elevating human rights and religious freedom in our bilateral relations with China, and restoring hope to the thousands who suffer daily under house arrest and unjust imprisonment. Such a meeting would be especially timely given China\u2019s pursuit of a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council this November \u2013 yet another mockery of the council\u2019s stated mission.\n\n\tBest wishes.\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sincerely,\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\t\u00a0\n\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Frank R. Wolf\n\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Member of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356933", "Ninth District Traveling Staff Office Hours for November", "2013-10-29", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Griffith\u2019s Ninth District STAFF will be available at the following locations during the month of November:\r\nNovember 1, 2013\r\nMartinsville: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a011:00am \u2013 1:00pm\r\nNCI  \r\nRoom 106 \u2013 Classroom Building  \r\n30 Franklin Street  \r\nMartinsville, VA\r\nScott County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nCommunity Services Building  \r\nCommunity Room  \r\n190 Beech Street  \r\nGate City, VA\r\nNorton: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nNorton City Council Chambers  \r\n618 Virginia Avenue NW  \r\nNorton, VA \r\nNovember 6, 2013\r\nSmyth County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nTown Council Chambers  \r\n138 West Main Street  \r\nMarion, VA\r\nCovington: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \r\nCovington City Hall  \r\nCity Hall Conference Room  \r\n333 W. Locust Street  \r\nCovington, VA \r\nCraig County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nCraig County Administration Building   \r\n108 Court Street  \r\nNew Castle, VA\r\nBristol: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm \r\nBristol VA Public Library  \r\nUpstairs Conference Room  \r\n701 Goode Street  \r\nBristol, VA\r\nNovember 7, 2013 \r\nWise County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nBig Stone Gap Federal Courthouse  \r\n3rd Floor Room 303  \r\n322 Wood Avenue E  \r\nBig Stone Gap, VA \r\nNovember 13, 2013\r\nRadford: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nRadford Public Library  \r\nMeeting Room  \r\n30 West Main Street  \r\nRadford, VA\r\nPulaski County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nPulaski County Library  \r\nMeeting Room  \r\n60 3rd Street NW  \r\nPulaski, VA\u00a0\r\n  \r\nNovember 14, 2013 Grayson County:\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nGrayson County Administration Building  \r\nBoard of Supervisors Room  \r\nSuite 206  \r\n129 Davis Street  \r\nIndependence, VA \r\nRussell County:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 10:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nSouthwest Virginia Technology Development Center  \r\n141 Highland Drive  \r\nLebanon, VA\r\nTazewell County:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nBluefield Town Hall \u2013 Council Chambers  \r\n112 Huffard Drive  \r\nBluefield, VA\u00a0\r\nGalax: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nGalax Municipal Building  \r\nConference Room  \r\n111 E. Main Street  \r\nGalax, VA\r\nNovember 15, 2013\r\nCarroll County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nCarroll County Administration Building  \r\nBoard of Supervisors Room   \r\n605 \u2013 1 Pine Street  \r\nHillsville, VA\r\nFloyd County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nFloyd County Library  \r\n321 W. Main Street  \r\nFloyd, VA\r\nNovember 19, 2013\r\nGiles County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nPearisburg Town Hall  \r\n112 Tazewell Street  \r\nPearisburg, VA\r\nTazewell County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nAmerican Legion Building  \r\n226 Central Avenue  \r\nTazewell, VA  \r\n\r\nBuchanan County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nGrundy Town Hall  \r\n1185 Plaza Drive   \r\nGrundy VA Salem: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nSalem Library  \r\n28 East Main Street  \r\nSalem, VA\r\nNovember 20, 2013\r\nHenry County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nBassett Historical Society\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0   \r\n3964 Fairystone Parkway  \r\nBassett, VA\r\nBland County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nBland County Courthouse  \r\nAdmin. Office Room 200  \r\n612 Main Street  \r\nBland, VA\r\nWythe County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nWythe County Sheriff\u2019s Office  \r\nConference Room  \r\n245 South 4th Street  \r\nWytheville, VA\r\nPatrick County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nPatrick County Administration Building  \r\nConference Room  \r\n106 Rucker Street  \r\nStuart, VA\u00a0\u00a0\r\nNovember 21, 2013 Lee County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nLee County Sheriff\u2019s Office  \r\nConference Room  \r\n33640 Main Street \u2013 Suite U101\r\nNovember 22, 2013\r\nAlleghany County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nClifton Forge Library  \r\nConference Room  \r\n535 Church Street  \r\nClifton Forge, VA 24422\u00a0\r\nDickenson County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nDickenson Center for Education & Research  \r\n818 Happy Valley Drive  \r\nClintwood, VA\r\nRoanoke County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\u00a0\u00a0 \r\nRoanoke Library Hollins Branch  \r\n6624 Peters Creek Road  \r\nRoanoke, VA\r\n**Please contact the Christiansburg Office at 540-381-5671 or the Abingdon Office at 276-525-1405 with any questions.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=357006", "Griffith: \u201cThe Future of America is With Coal, and Not Against Coal\u201d", "2013-10-29", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) today joined a crowd of coal miners and other friends of coal at the Stand Up for American Energy Jobs Rally on the west side of the U.S. Capitol Building.\u00a0 Griffith was one of many lawmakers to address the rally.\u00a0 An excerpt from his remarks:\r\n\"Several years ago, the President said, 'When I was asked earlier about the issue of coal, you know, under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket. Even regardless of what I say about whether coal is good or bad. Because I\u2019m capping greenhouse gases, coal power plants, you know, natural gas, you name it, whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was, uh, they would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers.'  \"Mr. President, who do you think the 'consumers' are?\u00a0 The consumers are you, they\u2019re me, they\u2019re the hardworking men and women of the United States of America who are going to pay for the policies \u2013 not only in lost jobs, but they are going to pay for the policies through skyrocketing electric rates all over this country.\u00a0 The President knew it, he set out to do it. \u2026\u00a0\r\n\"And he went on in that same interview to say, 'So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can.\u00a0 It\u2019s just that it will bankrupt them.'\u00a0 \r\n\"But ladies and gentlemen, it\u2019s not just the people building the coal power plants.\u00a0 It\u2019s the coal operations that are being bankrupted, it\u2019s the businesses that rely on the coal operations, it\u2019s the miners, it\u2019s the workers, it\u2019s the people who work at the factories that make things for the coal mines.\u00a0 It\u2019s the restaurant in Big Stone Gap that I love to go to that\u2019s no longer open because business is bad.\u00a0 It\u2019s the hospital in Lee County that, along with Obamacare, the bad economy forced out of business. It\u2019s the Mom-and-Pop-shops all over coal country that the President is bankrupting.\u00a0 And ladies and gentlemen, I\u2019m glad that you brought the fight and the anger here to Washington, because our legislators both in the House and the Senate need to hear from you! \u2026\r\n\"I hope that [Environmental Protection Agency Administrator] Gina McCarthy and the President will come to Central Appalachia and see the devastation that they\u2019re doing to our economy.\u00a0 Maybe then they will understand that the future of America is with coal, and not against coal.\u00a0 \r\n\"Ladies and gentlemen, I appreciate each and every one of you being here today.\u00a0 I hope you talk to your Congressmen and to your Senators and we get that message across.\"\r\nA photo of Rep. Griffith addressing the rally and audio of his remarks are attached.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131122141204/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/466", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON FISA REFORM LEGISLATION", "2013-10-29", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON FISA REFORM LEGISLATION \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte today released the statement below following new NSA intelligence gathering allegations and the introduction of the USA FREEDOM Act, a bill authored by Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.):  \u201cWith each revelation of the scope of NSA\u2019s intelligence gathering programs, it\u2019s increasingly clear that we need to take legislative action with regard to these programs to ensure that they adequately protect Americans\u2019 civil liberties and operate in a prudent manner.\u00a0 I commend Crime Subcommittee Chairman Sensenbrenner for his efforts to examine how best to reform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.\u00a0 This bill is a good first step and will generate a healthy discussion about what provisions need to be changed in current law.\u00a0 I am committed to working with him and other members of the House Judiciary Committee, House leaders, and other members of Congress to ensure our nation\u2019s intelligence collection programs include real protections for Americans\u2019 civil liberties, robust oversight, and additional transparency, while maintaining a workable legal framework for national security officials to keep our country safe from foreign enemies.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356875", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 10.28.13", "2013-10-28", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Obamacare Implementation Failures \u2013 Website and Rural America \nSince the launch of the health care reform law\u2019s exchanges on October 1, we have seen many reports of significant problems with the law\u2019s website and, even worse, health insurance plans that are more expensive and/or have significantly higher deductibles.\u00a0 Furthermore, an October 24 piece in Forbes* stated that more Americans (over 500,000 individuals) in 3 States have had their insurance policies cancelled than have \u201cfiled\u201d applications (476,000 applications) in all 50 States.\nThis is all very troubling, and has led to increasingly frequent calls for delays of or changes to the law\u2013 even among people like Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV).\nAmericans are seeking answers as to who in the federal government was aware of technical issues, when these issues came to light, who made the decision to delay items like the law\u2019s Spanish language platform, etc.\u00a0 I hope that Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will have the answers to these important questions and others during the times that she testifies before Congress.\nDidn\u2019t Know or Didn\u2019t Disclose?\nOn Thursday, October 24, the Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing seeking to find out what has been happening with Obamacare\u2019s implementation.\u00a0 Several of the top contractors working on the health care law\u2019s website testified at this hearing. \nThe contractors told us that HHS was responsible for comprehensive, \u201cend-to-end\u201d testing of the system before it went live.\u00a0 Witnesses said that the federal government didn\u2019t conduct that final testing until just two weeks before the October 1 launch.\u00a0 According to CNN,** Andrew Slavitt of Optum/QSSI testified that \u201cThe system didn\u2019t receive adequate end-to-end testing.\u201d\u00a0 Cheryl Campbell of CGI Federal told us of a last minute change by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that prevented people from checking out Obamacare before having made a final decision as to what plan is right for their family.\u00a0 Although Ms. Campbell said she was never given a reason for this last minute change, it appeared to me to be a political decision so that the American people wouldn\u2019t get sticker shock when they saw how much Obamacare will actually cost them.\u00a0 \nIs it really that so many of these issues weren\u2019t known, or is it instead that they weren\u2019t disclosed?\u00a0 I fear it is the latter, but am hopeful that the Administration will provide some clarity on this and the many other questions that remain unanswered.\nNew York Times: \u201cHealth Care Law Fails to Lower Prices for Rural Areas\u201d\nA recent story in the New York Times*** highlights a major concern I share with many others from rural areas \u2013 that \u201c\u2026evidence is emerging that one of the program\u2019s loftiest goals \u2014 to encourage competition among insurers in an effort to keep costs low \u2014 is falling short for many rural Americans.\u201d\nIn this story, Wyoming\u2019s insurance commissioner Tom Hirsig said, \u201cI think the problem was that the Affordable Care Act was designed for where the majority of the people live, in the big cities where there\u2019s a lot of competition among health care providers.\u201d\nOur neighbor West Virginia is mentioned in this story as one of those States suffering from lack of competition. \"It is also difficult to attract new insurers to areas where the population has health problems,\" the authors wrote.\u00a0 \"Only one carrier, Highmark Blue Cross, is offering coverage in West Virginia, which has high rates of obesity and chronic diseases like diabetes.\"\nHere in Southwest Virginia, many localities will have severely limited competition.\u00a0 Nine localities will have no competition in at least one of the two categories, with only one insurance company in either the Individual and/or SHOP (small business) exchanges.\u00a0 Those localities are Bland, Bristol, Buchanan, Carroll, Grayson, Lee, Scott, Tazewell, and Wythe. \nNo Republicans voted for Obamacare.\u00a0 At the time, then-Ninth District Representative Rick Boucher voted no, saying of Obamacare \u201c\u2026 Because of massive funding reductions for Medicare, it would adversely affect the quality of care received by Southwest Virginia senior citizens. It would result in health insurance premium increases for those who have insurance. It contains unacceptable special benefits for some states at the expense of the others. It does not correct the unwarranted disparities in Medicare reimbursements that penalize rural areas. \u2026\u201d\nWhile he and I disagreed on many issues, on this one, we agreed.\u00a0 It\u2019s a shame more rural Democrats didn\u2019t have the same vision.\nAs always, if you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\u00a0 \n###\n* http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2013/10/24/more-americans-have-had-their-insurance-canceled-under-obamacare-than-have-filed-an-exchange-account/  \n ** http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/24/politics/congress-obamacare-website/ \n*** http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/24/business/health-law-fails-to-keep-prices-low-in-rural-areas.html?_r=0&pagewanted=print\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131123140358/http://wolf.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=34&itemid=2323", "Wolf Op-Ed: Virginia Can And Should Work Harder To Combat Hunger", "2013-10-25", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Frank Wolf", "W000672", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Jill Shatzen  \n\t(202) 225-5136\n\n\tOP-ED\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OP-ED\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OP-ED\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 OP-ED\n\n\tWOLF: VIRGINIA CAN AND SHOULD WORK HARDER TO COMBAT HUNGER\n\n\tWashington, D.C. (October 25, 2013) \u2013 Last year, the USDA reported a record number of Americans are struggling to put food on their tables.\u00a0 Across the nation, 49 million people \u2013 including 17 million children and 6 million seniors \u2013 are going hungry, a number that has grown substantially over the last two years, even since the start of the recession.\u00a0\n\n\tBecause of high unemployment and underemployment rates nationwide, local food banks and pantries are struggling to keep up with demand, even during this period of economic recovery.\n\n\tIn some cases, families that once were regular food donors are finding themselves in line for food assistance themselves.\u00a0 Media outlets have reported that military families are regularly visiting local food banks, some of which have had to close their doors all together as their shelves go bare.\n\n\tAs the holidays approach, food drives will be held in offices, churches and communities all over America, and backpacks will be stuffed with canned items.\u00a0 But what happens to families in need during the other 10 months out of the year?\u00a0 Where will they turn after the holidays are over when the resources stop coming in?\n\n\tIt\u2019s simply unacceptable that people are going hungry in America, the land of plenty and the world\u2019s wealthiest nation.\u00a0 And frankly, this is a solvable problem that deserves attention.\u00a0 I\u2019ve proposed several ways to ensure food is distributed to those in need year round, at no cost to taxpayers, such as the National Commission on Hunger, an amendment I proposed that passed the House Appropriations Committee this past summer.\u00a0\n\n\tYet there are things we can do here in Virginia as well.\n\n\tI commend Governor McDonnell for his leadership and effort on this issue.\u00a0 During his Governorship, McDonnell regularly volunteered at local food banks and brought awareness to the problem of hunger in Virginia by issuing a proclamation to make September \u201cHunger Action Month\u201d and encouraging Virginians to wear orange.\u00a0 The month included volunteer activities, food and fund drives, as well as ways to encourage the public to support the efforts of Feeding America and its network of more than 200 food banks and partner agencies.\n\n\tFollowing the election, I will be contacting the new Governor to work with him to continue McDonnell\u2019s efforts in several ways.\u00a0 First, a statewide hunger initiative should be organized where the Governor\u2019s office calls on all state agencies, schools, businesses, churches and civic organizations to commit to participating in a rolling food drive to re-stock the shelves of local food pantries year-round.\u00a0 For example, schools could donate in the late winter, churches and civic organizations in the spring, businesses in the summer and state agencies in the fall in order to ensure steady donations of food to pantries throughout the calendar year.\n\n\tEach cabinet agency would be in charge of its own efforts, and the Governor could honor the organization that donates the most food and even develop marketing campaigns to raise public awareness.\u00a0 If successful, this effort could be repeated and even modeled in other states.\n\n\tNext, the state should develop a central \u201cone-stop\u201d Web site for all food banks and food pantries to provide information for donors, volunteers and clients, rather than the scattered and copious Web sites that currently exist and are difficult to navigate.\n\n\tBy centralizing the information in one place, the state could provide a platform for donors and volunteers to easily locate the closest food bank or pantry, learn what items are needed and how they can get involved, provide contact information for each food pantry, provide churches, civic groups and businesses with \u201creal time\u201d information on food shortages in each area, and much more.\n\n\tFinally, we should require states to donate unused food and clear up any misguidance on liability issues schools fear they face if they give away unused food.\u00a0 The Governor should take a leadership role in educating schools about the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act, which legally protects schools from liability \u2013 a common deterrent among many schools \u2013 and allow donations of excess food to local pantries.\n\n\tIn 2011, language that I authored was signed into law making this explicitly clear --schools can donate food without fear of liability. \u00a0\n\n\tSadly, many school districts have been unwilling to donate excess food due to administrative resistance and a misperception that federal regulation doesn\u2019t allow it.\u00a0 The purpose of the law is simple: to keep excess school food out of the garbage and get it to our food banks.\u00a0 The Governor should require each school to authorize the cafeteria manager to release excess food to local food banks with the manager\u2019s contact information to facilitate relationships.\n\n\tWith these initiatives, we can and will combat the hunger problem that exists in Northern Virginia and all over the country.\u00a0\n\n\tFor more on Wolf\u2019s work to end hunger in the 10th District, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131104181737/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/465", "GOODLATTE INTRODUCES PATENT LITIGATION REFORM BILL", "2013-10-23", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE INTRODUCES PATENT LITIGATION REFORM BILL \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte introduced a bill today to address the ever increasing problem of abusive patent litigation.\u00a0 The bipartisan Innovation Act (H.R. 3309) builds on the reforms that were made last Congress in the America Invents Act and addresses certain abusive practices taking place in our Courts. \u201cAbusive patent litigation is a drag on our economy. Everyone from independent inventors, to start-ups, to mid and large sized businesses face this constant threat. The tens of billions of dollars spent on settlements and litigation expenses associated with abusive patent suits represent truly wasted capital \u2013 wasted capital that could have been used to create new jobs, fund R&D, and create new innovations and technologies. \u201cThe bipartisan Innovation Act is designed to eliminate the abuses of our patent system, discourage frivolous patent litigation and keep U.S. patent laws up to date.\u00a0 These important actions will help fuel the engine of American innovation and creativity, creating new jobs and growing our economy.\u201d Original cosponsors of the bill include Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Howard Coble (R-N.C.), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Lamar Smith (R-Texas), Anna Eshoo (D- Calif.), Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), Tom Marino (R-Pa.), Blake Farenthold (R-Texas), and George Holding (R-N.C.). Key Components of the Innovation Act:\n                       \n                      \t\n                      \t\tTarget Abusive Patent Litigation: The bill targets abusive patent litigation behavior and not specific entities with the goal of preventing individuals from taking advantage of gaps in the system to engage in litigation extortion.\u00a0 It does not attempt to eliminate valid patent litigation.\n                      \t\n                      \t\tProtects the Patent System: The patent system is integral to U.S. competitiveness.\u00a0 This legislation does not diminish or devalue patent rights in any way.\n                      \t\n                      \t\tIncreases Transparency: This legislation includes heightened pleading standards and transparency provisions. Requiring parties to do a bit of due diligence up front before filing an infringement suit is just plain common sense. It not only reduces litigation expenses, but saves the court\u2019s time and resources. Greater transparency and information is a good thing and it makes our patent system stronger.\n                      \t\n                      \t\tModernizes Fee Shifting: The legislation includes a modernized version of Section 285 fee shifting that is fair, clear and will ensure consistent judicial determinations.\n                      \t\n                      \t\tProvides Greater Clarity: The legislation provides for more clarity surrounding initial discovery, case management, joinder and the common law doctrine of customer stays.\u00a0 The bill works hand-in-hand with the procedures and practices of the Judicial Conference and the courts.\n                      \t\n                      \t\tSmall Business Education: The bill provides for small business education and outreach by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.\n                       \n                      \n                      \tA copy of the legislation can be found here and a section-by-section can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=490", "Wittman to House Budget Negotiators: Military Readiness Must be Priority in Conference", "2013-10-23", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. Representative Rob Wittman (VA-1) today penned a letter to House Budget Chairman and House-Senate budget conference committee negotiator Paul Ryan urging him to review critical information specific to the nation's declining military readiness under sequestration. The letter states, in part:\nWe are at a critical time in our history when it comes to our nation's defense. More than ever, our Department of Defense and the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines that make up our fighting force demand the attention of the Congress. The time to take action against the sequester cuts to the Department of Defense is now. The readiness of our all-volunteer force and our ability to project power is at stake. As the Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, I am privy to the classified Quarterly Readiness Report briefings that show our declining state of military readiness across the services. I invite you to join me in an intensive review of the latest report in detail to see the true impacts of sequestration, to help inform your decisions, and those of the budget conferees, as you move through conference negotiations.\nIn recent days, Wittman, who serves as Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, also sought to remind and educate all Members of the House on the critical need to address sequestration cuts to defense. Wittman sent a Dear Colleague letter to all members on October 22, 2013,found here.\nThe full text of the letter is below anda PDF copy can be found here.\nOctober 23, 2013\n\nThe Honorable Paul Ryan\nChairman, Committee on the Budget\nU.S. House of Representatives\n207 Cannon House Office Building\nWashington, D.C. 20515\n\nDear Chairman Ryan,\n\nWe are at a critical time in our history when it comes to our nation's defense. More than ever, our Department of Defense and the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines that make up our fighting force demand the attention of the Congress. The time to take action against the sequester cuts to the Department of Defense is now. The readiness of our all-volunteer force and our ability to project power is at stake. As the Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, I am privy to the classified Quarterly Readiness Report briefings that show our declining state of military readiness across the services. I invite you to join me in an intensive review of the latest report in detail to see the true impacts of sequestration, to help inform your decisions, and those of the budget conferees, as you move through conference negotiations.\nOur declining state of military readiness is a very serious issue that will be compounded if sequestration is allowed to continue. If Congress allows sequestration to continue, our forces will be unprepared to deploy, they will face increased risk, their safety will be jeopardized, their missions compromised, and there will be an increased likelihood that more Americans will be killed carrying out their Constitutional duty, both on the battle field and in training. Congress must not stand idly by and watch the dangerous degradation of our nation's military. I urge the conference committee to reduce the defense sequester cuts to the greatest extent possible.\nSince Secretary Robert Gates announced his efficiency initiatives in August 2010, the Department of Defense has been constrained through a series of internal efficiency initiatives, successive budget cuts, the Budget Control Act of 2011, sequestration, and most recently, through a government shutdown. Even before the shutdown, defense spending had already decreased by more than $800 billion from levels proposed just three years ago  which projected out to 2020 represents the lowest level of defense funding as a percentage of the U.S. Government's total budget authority since before WWII.\nThese hundreds of billions in cuts over the next 10 years, $52 billion in Fiscal Year 2014 alone, led Army Chief of Staff General Raymond Odierno to warn the House Armed Services Committee in recent testimony that future cuts could lead to a situation where we would struggle to meet even one major theater contingency. The other Chiefs echoed his concerns about the United States' potential inability to execute the most basic strategic requirement: defeating an enemy in a single major contingency. This dire assessment comes on the heels of a year-old Defense Strategic Guidance that ended a generation's worth of strategy that called for the U.S. military to be postured to prevail in two major contingencies due to budget constraints.\nUsing words like bleak, insidious, difficult, and devastating, the Chiefs outlined a future military far from the one we had just three years ago. To describe further cuts, General Mark Welsh, Air Force Chief of Staff, warned that further reductions would lead to fewer new combat systems and long-term deferment of critical upgrades that help maintain our technological edge:  if the reduced caps under current law continue, our modernization forecasts are bleak. This funding level will impact every one of our investment programs. He also warned the Committee of a dramatically smaller Air Force divested of entire fleets of A-10 close air support aircraft, KC-10 tankers, and F-15C fighters.\nConcerned about cuts to end strength, Marine Corps Commandant General James Amos stated, Further reductions will incur heightened, and in some cases prohibitive, risk to the National Security Strategy. He also warned this smaller force would mean that Marines would have significantly less time home between deployments. General Odierno described a future Army that would have to eliminate nearly half of its 45 Brigade Combat Teams and cancel enough training to render 85 percent of soldiers unprepared for combat and Admiral Jonathan Greenert, the Chief of Naval Operations, warned of a Navy unable to meet U.S. Strategic Command presence [nuclear deterrent] requirements\nIn another more recent Armed Services hearing, Marine Corps Lieutenant General William Faulkner and Army Lieutenant General Raymond Mason, the top logisticians for the Army and Marine Crops charged with resetting the force after 13 years of combat, described the human toll of budget cuts and furloughs by warning that they already see the initial signs of a mass exodus of the best and brightest engineers, planners, and managers with decades of experience who are leaving for a more stable private sector or retirement. They warned this cadre of professionals will be impossible to replace in the short-term.\nAir Force Space Command General William Shelton captured the cumulative impacts of these budget-driven decisions telling a conference that sequestration probably represents a bigger threat to our capabilities than anything an enemy is thinking up.\nI know you share my passion to honor the oath that we took to this nation and to support and defend the Constitution. I believe there is no higher calling in this office then to abide by Article 1, section 8 of the Constitution; Provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States To raise and support Armiesand to provide and maintain a Navy. Again, I invite you to join me to review the Quarterly Readiness Report in detail and see the true impacts of sequestration on our all-volunteer fighting force and the security of our nation.\n\nSincerely,\nRobert J. Wittman\nMEMBER OF CONGRESS\n\nCc:\nRep. Tom Cole (R-OK)  \nRep. Tom Price (R-GA)  \nRep. Diane Black (R-TN)\nCongressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=355980", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 10.21.13", "2013-10-21", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Implementation of Obamacare is \u201cfabulous??\u201d \nOctober 1 was the day that the website for Obamacare launched, and Americans were able to try and research or sign up for health care coverage through the law\u2019s exchanges.\u00a0 \nLeading up to the website\u2019s launch (and despite warnings of significant problems and an impending train wreck)\u2026\n \n    Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, known for having said that Congress had \u201cto pass the bill so you can find out what's in it,\u201d said on June 26 that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius\u2019 \u201cimplementation of [Obamacare] is fabulous.\u201d\u00a0 \n    In a July 28 television interview, Secretary Sebelius herself said, \u201cwe are on track to flip the switch on October 1 and say to people \u2018come on and sign up.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 \n    Testifying on August 1 before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on which I sit, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner also insisted that the website was not in trouble, saying \u201cSixty days from now is the beginning of open enrollment when Americans will be able to compare and enroll in affordable health care coverage, and that implementation is on track.\u201d\n    And as recently as September 19, a mere 11 days before implementation of the exchanges, Gary Cohen, the federal official in charge of the exchanges, testified under oath before the Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations while I was there, that, \u201cconsumers will be able to go online, they will be able to get a determination of what tax subsidies they are eligible for, they\u2019ll be able to look at the plans that are available where they live, they will be able to see the premium next of subsidy that they would have to pay, and they will be able to choose a plan and get enrolled in coverage beginning October 1.\u201d\n \nThe American taxpayer has spent more than $400 million on the exchange system, but when October 1 rolled around more than three years after Obamacare was signed into law, Americans across the country were not met with the \u201cfabulous\u201d experience promised them.\u00a0 The exchanges were not on track.\u00a0 Countless Americans were unable to complete enrollment tasks.\u00a0 Because Obamacare eliminates the current federal health policy for Members of Congress and congressional staff, my wife has attempted to log into the system.\u00a0 She experienced problems similar to those being reported by other Americans, problems including error messages and difficulty in creating accounts.\u00a0 Many problems remain unresolved today, nearly three weeks after the website launched.\nFurthermore, the Wall Street Journal recently reported that, \u201cInsurers say the federal health-care marketplace is generating flawed data that is straining their ability to handle even the trickle of enrollees who have gotten through so far, in a sign that technological problems extend further than the website traffic and software issues already identified.\u00a0 Emerging errors include duplicate enrollments, spouses reported as children, missing data fields and suspect eligibility determinations\u2026\u201d\nOn October 7, Secretary Sebelius appeared on New York\u2019s The Daily Show \u2013 a late night satirical television show often covering government and politics \u2013 where she dodged the usually light-hearted host\u2019s tough questions about Obamacare.\nThe American people deserve answers as to what has been happening with Obamacare\u2019s implementation.\u00a0 On Thursday, October 24, my colleagues and I on the Energy and Commerce Committee are holding a hearing to look into the bungled launch of Obamacare.\u00a0 We have invited Secretary Sebelius to testify at this hearing but she is refusing to appear, choosing instead to attend the Kennedy Forum Gala in Boston the day before the hearing.\u00a0 However, it is important to note that there are flights that would return to the Capitol in time for the Secretary to attend our hearing.\nSecretary Sebelius\u2019 task of fixing the Obamacare website may be impossible, but she should be working overtime to try.\u00a0 It ought to be her first priority, since it is three weeks since it was launched.\u00a0 She has time to attend galas and appear on The Daily Show, but she doesn\u2019t have time to do her duty and answer congressional questions now?\nThe rollout of Obamacare exchanges has not been fabulous.\u00a0 Now, the same people that told you the exchanges would be fabulous and ready on October 1 will be telling you that the entire program will be fabulous and ready for full implementation on January 1.\u00a0 With less than 70 days to go and having heard the same rhetoric before the rollout of the exchanges, I suspect full implementation will not be fabulous either. As always, if you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=355729", "Griffith: \u201cIf Obamacare is good for the goose, why is it not good for the gander?\u201d", "2013-10-16", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Senate amendments to raise the debt ceiling without corresponding spending cuts:\r\n\u201cIn our legislative process, each side must give up some priorities to come to a common agreement.\u00a0 Over the past several weeks, my colleagues and I made numerous attempts to compromise, but the President and the Democrat-controlled Senate never negotiated in good faith with House Republicans.\u00a0 In fact, while House Republicans were considering a proposal that would have only required the President and his political appointees to live under Obamacare like the rest of the American people, the President told House Democrats that he would veto any debt ceiling bill that included that provision.\u00a0 If Obamacare is good for the goose, why is it not good for the gander?*\u00a0 Further, the final agreement\u2019s only \u2018concession\u2019 to Republicans is that the Administration follow what is in existing law \u2013 that Americans receiving taxpayer-funded Obamacare subsidies be required to verify that they meet income eligibility requirements.\r\n\u201cHowever, Republicans don\u2019t control the White House or the Senate, and we did not win this Obamacare battle.\u00a0 But I continue to believe that the health care law is a train wreck that can not and will not work, and remain committed to seeing it repealed and replaced.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cIt is true that this evening\u2019s Senate amendments raise the debt ceiling for nearly four months and put us on a track to negotiations to agree to a budget for the first time since 2009.\u00a0 But the President, who once called letting the debt rise unchecked \u2018unpatriotic,\u2019 has been insisting that he won\u2019t negotiate over raising the debt ceiling.\u00a0 While hopeful, I am skeptical that the President and Senate will change course, and come to the table to constructively work with Republicans to rein in the federal government\u2019s spending addiction.\u00a0 We need a clear, disciplined, well-thought-out spending reduction plan in order to decrease our deficits and our debt, preventing us from further burdening future generations of Americans with excessive debt.\u00a0 For that reason and others, I could not in good conscience vote in favor of the Senate amendments.\u201d\r\n###\u00a0\r\n*The President would be the gander, the American people would be the goose.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131122141207/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/464", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON VOTE ON SENATE PROPOSAL", "2013-10-16", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON VOTE ON SENATE PROPOSAL \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement regarding tonight\u2019s vote in the House of Representatives:  \u201cThe Senate\u2019s plan raises the debt limit and merely delays discussion on debt and spending for a short time and does little to address the fundamental fiscal challenges facing our nation.\u00a0 The fact of the matter is that unrestrained government spending and unsustainable entitlement programs that make up nearly 70 percent of our spending remain untouched by this measure.\u00a0 After years of debate it is time to take action. \u201cUnfortunately, the Senate\u2019s unwillingness to negotiate resulted in a measure that does not provide the reforms required to address the nearly $17 trillion national debt and the massive new entitlement program in the form of Obamacare.\u00a0 Getting spending under control and reducing our debt remain my highest priorities, and this bill did not meet those goals.\u00a0 That is why I could not vote in support of this proposal.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=489", "Wittman Votes to Re-Open Government", "2013-10-16", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. Representative Rob Wittman (VA-1) tonight voted in favor of legislation to re-open the federal government and fund its operation through January 15, 2014. The legislation also sets up an agreement for the House and Senate to work out differences in funding levels for the entire 2014 fiscal year.\r\nI do not advocate for last-minute deals, but tonight the choice was yes or no, and the right thing to do was to re-open our government and stand by our obligations, Wittman said. This bill re-opens a government that has been shuttered 16 days too long, while federal employees have sat at home, veterans wonder if they will receive the benefits they have earned, and Americans have been denied basic government services. This bill ensures the government can pay the bills it owes; however, I strongly believe that Congress must not simply kick the can, but have a healthy debate and return to regular order, instead of governing by shutdown threats and risk of default. This is no way to govern. For the past two years, I've been arguing that Congress needs to get the job of funding the government done before Congress goes home for an August recess. The business of the nation needs to be done. We have to get back to doing business in a regular order and stop this cycle of crisis management.\r\nI supported previous efforts to fund government and repeal Obamacare because I believe the law is fundamentally flawed. The fight for real health reform will continue, and the fight for responsible governing will continue. I believe that America has great days ahead, and hope for Congress to listen to the people. Washington is broken, and has a long way back to even ground. Our founding fathers intended healthy debate on critical issues affecting our republic, but not at the expense of its citizens. We have an opportunity to improve, and I intend to fight every day for what is right for our country and for our future because it is so important.\r\nThe legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 285-144, and will now head to the President's desk for his signature.\r\nCongressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=355496", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 10.14.13", "2013-10-14", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The House as a Footstool?\nThe President refused to negotiate with any Republican in either the House or the Senate to work out a potential solution to the partial government shutdown until Thursday, October 10, which was the tenth day of the partial shutdown.\u00a0 House discussions with the Obama White House collapsed the next day, however, and Senate leaders took up negotiations over the weekend of October 12 and 13. \nWhen government is divided, as it currently is, there must be ongoing conversations involving all parties.\u00a0 All parties must be prepared to compromise.\u00a0 While the House majority is of a different party than the President, each one of the 232 House Republicans were elected by the constituents of their districts.\u00a0 The Founding Fathers didn\u2019t intend for the House to merely be a footstool for any President, and the House must be involved in the negotiating process.\u00a0 The President\u2019s general refusal to participate in discussions with the House has been damaging to the negotiating process.\nAs long as I have the honor to represent the Ninth District of Virginia, I do not intend for the House to be a footstool.\u00a0 I don\u2019t care whether that President is a Democrat, Republican, or Independent.\u00a0 The constitutional prerogatives of the House must be defended.\u00a0 \nAs this column is being written, it is being reported that Senate leaders are approaching agreement.\u00a0 While I believe that serious negotiations should have started long ago, these are the facts that we must deal with.\u00a0 Therefore, a reasonable, short-term extension may be appropriate.\u00a0 The full extent of this reported agreement has not yet been released by the Senate negotiators.\u00a0 I will need to review the proposal in detail before determining whether in my opinion it is in the best interest of the United States.\u00a0 \nIn the Meantime\u2026\nSince the beginning of the partial government shutdown, there has been an ongoing controversy regarding why open-air monuments and other park facilities (some of which don\u2019t cost any federal dollars) were closed as a response to the partial government shutdown.\u00a0 On Sunday, October 13, veterans and other supporters traveled to Washington, D.C. as part of the \u201cMillion Vet March\u201d to protest the partial shutdown-related closure of monuments and memorials.\u00a0 While a very small number of the participants behaved inappropriately, the vast majority were there to visit war memorials.\u00a0 \nThe National Park Service had the memorials barricaded so the veterans could not visit them.\u00a0 In the last week, though, the National Park Service gave clearance for a pro-immigration reform concert and rally.\u00a0 Then, a few days later, the same Park Service attempted to block veterans from paying tribute to those who died in the various wars.\u00a0 I believe it was out of frustration that many of the veterans participated in acts of civil disobedience by gathering barricades and moving some of them to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue \u2013 aka the White House \u2013 where they made it clear, as one veteran said, \u201cMr. President, tear down these barricades!\u201d\nWhile the partial government shutdown is not something that anyone could or should truly want, I and others have to question why, during this difficult time, the Administration would choose to close down open-air war memorials.\u00a0 \nPlease keep in mind that, in the previous 17 shutdowns since the new budgeting process was started in the 1970s, NO OTHER PRESIDENT has taken such action.\nTo reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov. \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131016000051/http://wolf.house.gov:80/index.cfm?sectionid=34&itemid=2316", "Wolf: Show Humility and Start Governing", "2013-10-14", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Frank Wolf", "W000672", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Jill Shatzen   (202) 225-5136  Click here to watch a video of Wolf's statement.\u00a0  WOLF: SHOW HUMILITY AND START GOVERNING    Says American People are Losing   Washington, D.C. (October 14, 2013) \u2013 In remarks delivered on the House floor today, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10th) today called on his colleagues and the president to follow the advice of the\u00a0 chaplain of the Senate to show humility and start governing.  \u201cThe Congress and the president have been entrusted with much, namely the responsibility to govern this country,\u201d Wolf said. \u00a0\u201cThe American people rightly\u00a0expect us, regardless of party affiliation, to come together, especially during times of crisis, and find ways to get things done. \u00a0They are understandably fed up with this current dysfunction, and I am, too.\u00a0  \u201cEach side thinks it is winning, but in reality, the country and the American people are losing,\u201d Wolf continued.\u00a0 \u201cSenate Chaplain Barry Black says there's a level of insanity involved in the current government shutdown.\u00a0 Asked what it would take to end the current impasse, the former Navy chaplain said, \u2018It's going to take humility.\u2019 Wise words.\u201d  Below is the complete text of Wolf\u2019s remarks:  In Luke 12:48 Jesus said, \u201cFrom everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.\u201d  The Congress and the president have been entrusted with much, namely the responsibility to govern this country. \u00a0The American people rightly\u00a0expect us, regardless of party affiliation, to come together, especially during times of crisis, and find ways to get things done. \u00a0They are understandably fed up with this current dysfunction, and I am, too.\u00a0  Each side thinks it is winning, but in reality, the country and the American people are losing.\u00a0 Senate Chaplain Barry Black says there's a level of insanity involved in the current government shutdown.\u00a0 Asked what it would take to end the current impasse, the former Navy chaplain said, \u201cIt's going to take humility.\u201d \u00a0Wise words.  Proverbs 16:18 says, \u201cPride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.\u201d\u00a0   There is too much pride poisoning this debate.\u00a0 The American people should be the winner, not one party or the other, not the administration or the Congress. \u00a0  Short-sighted political victories aimed at capturing the latest headline in the 24 hour news cycle will not stand the test of time, nor will they be viewed well through the lens of history, especially if on our watch the trust that must exist between elected officials and the electorate is frayed beyond repair.  For those of us who think Obamacare is a disaster \u2013 and that is a growing number of people in our country \u2013 its future will not be decided by shutting or opening of the government.\u00a0 In fact,the current failings of the system including the widespread glitches plaguing the Web site are not getting the news coverage they should because the \u201cstory\u201d has become the shutdown.\u00a0 The public debate surrounding Obamacare, which will undoubtedly be at the forefront heading into the mid-term elections, will play second fiddle until the government is once again operational.  It also bears mentioning, that while important, Obamacare must be placed in a larger context of theexploding national debt and deficit, and unsustainable spending and entitlement programs set against the backdrop of a public discourse bereft of civility.\u00a0 Only through enacting reforms based on the bipartisan Simpson-Bowles recommendations will we ever solve the drivers of our deficits.\u00a0 We have put these tough, but important, reforms off for far too long.\u00a0   To my colleagues in the Congress and to President Obama who think they are \u201cwinning\u201dat this particular moment, we would do well to remember the words of Napoleon Bonaparte in speaking of the changing nature of public opinion.\u00a0 Napoleon said:  \u201cThe crowd which follows me with adulation, would run with the same eagerness were I marching to the Guillotine.\u201d  I return again to the sentiments of Scripture:\u00a0We have been given a great trust, and it is demanded of us to come together to solve these problems.\u00a0   It is time to show some humility.\u00a0 It is time to govern.\u00a0   Let\u2019s get the government back open, ensure we don\u2019t default on our debt and then commit ourselves to curbing unsustainable entitlement spending.  -30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131122141209/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/462", "GOODLATTE SIGNS ON IN SUPPORT OF 'PROTECTING STATES, OPENING NATIONAL PARKS ACT'", "2013-10-14", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE SIGNS ON IN SUPPORT OF 'PROTECTING STATES, OPENING NATIONAL PARKS ACT' \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Bob Goodlatte signed on as a cosponsor of the Protecting States, Opening National Parks Act (H.R. 3286).\u00a0 This bipartisan legislation would ensure that states are reimbursed within 90 days for all state funds spent to pay for National Park operations.\u00a0 Congressman Goodlatte has also been working with Governor Bob McDonnell, Secretary of Natural Resources Doug Domenech, and other state and local leaders on a plan to reopen the National Parks in Virginia, including the Shenandoah National Park.\u00a0 He released the following statement: \u201cOur National Parks play an important role in the economy of many communities in the Sixth District of Virginia.\u00a0 They provide numerous jobs and help to generate income for many small businesses, especially during peak leaf season.\u00a0 Last week, I voted in support of critical legislation that would provide funding to reopen the National Park system.\u00a0 However, the Senate has failed to act on this bill and left the gates of our National Parks closed. \u00a0 \u201cWhile the Obama Administration has finally agreed that individual states may reopen National Parks, the burden would be placed on the states to pay for any expenses incurred.\u00a0 The Protecting States, Opening National Parks Act would ensure that Virginia and other states would be rightfully reimbursed for these costs.\u00a0 With this legislation in mind, I encourage Governor McDonnell to consider taking steps to reopen the National Parks in Virginia, including the Shenandoah National Park and all of the operations on the Blue Ridge Parkway.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 \n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131122141210/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/463", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON AL-LIBY ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK TO STAND TRIAL", "2013-10-14", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON AL-LIBY ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK TO STAND TRIAL \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) issued the statement below following today\u2019s announcement by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that senior Al Qaeda leader Abu Anas al-Liby, who was apprehended in Libya earlier this month, has arrived in the United States to stand trial in federal court for the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Africa. Chairman Goodlatte: \u201cEarlier this month, U.S. special operations forces captured Abu Anas al-Liby, a senior Al Qaeda operative who helped mastermind the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, killing 224 people.\u00a0 Since his capture on October 5th, al-Liby has been held on the USS San Antonio where he was interrogated for intelligence-gathering purposes.\u00a0 Today\u2019s announcement by DOJ that al-Liby has arrived in New York in order to stand trial in federal court raises numerous questions and concerns. \u00a0 Chief among those concerns is the short amount of time that was spent interrogating this foreign terrorist who was once a member of Osama bin Laden\u2019s inner circle.\u00a0 In just over one week, one of the world\u2019s most wanted terror suspects was questioned and then brought to New York where he is being afforded the rights guaranteed to U.S. citizens, including the right to remain silent.\u00a0 I find it hard to believe that 15 years of intelligence was gathered in just a few days of interrogation. It certainly begs the question whether rushing foreign terrorists into U.S. courts is a strategy that is in the best interests of the United States.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131122141914/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/461", "GOODLATTE NAMES PEOPLE PLACES 'ANGEL IN ADOPTION'", "2013-10-09", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE NAMES PEOPLE PLACES 'ANGEL IN ADOPTION' \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C.\u00a0 \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte, a member of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, named People Places as the Sixth District of Virginia\u2019s 2013 \u201cAngel in Adoption.\u201d\u00a0 The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute\u2019s Angels in Adoption Program is designed to celebrate individuals, couples, or organizations from across the nation that have made an extraordinary contribution on behalf of children in need of homes.\u00a0 Members of Congress have the opportunity to honor one nominee from each congressional district who is making a difference in the lives of children. \u201cPeople Places has made a tremendous impact in the lives of children and families throughout the region,\u201d said Congressman Goodlatte. \u201cThe principle starts with their name \u2013 the goal of this organization is to provide healing for troubled children in \u2018people places\u2019 or families, instead of facilities.\u00a0 They are truly putting the well-being of the children they serve first and working diligently to provide the necessary support and care.\u00a0 What started as a vision has transformed over the years into a reality that is today serving more than 100 children.\u201d Founded in 1973, People Places was the first therapeutic foster care (TFC) program in Virginia and one of the pioneers in the nation. The agency's mission is to create effective community-based treatment services for troubled children and youth as an alternative to residential placement.\u00a0 They have had 37 discharges in 2013, with 81 percent of those to less restrictive settings, including adoption or reunification with family.\u00a0 This year they are on track for a record number of adoptions, with 15 adoptions finalized thus far.\u00a0 Currently, People Places works with approximately 90 families in the Shenandoah Valley and nearly 40 families in the Charlottesville/Albemarle area. \u00a0 \u201cIt is my honor to recognize People Places as this year\u2019s \u2018Angel in Adoption,\u2019\u201d said Congressman Goodlatte.\u00a0 \u201cI congratulate People Places on 40 years of service and thank them, and the families they work with, for their dedication to making better lives for children in our community.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131122141916/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/460", "HOUSE ASKS SENATE TO FORM WORKING GROUP, NEGOTIATE", "2013-10-08", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "HOUSE ASKS SENATE TO FORM WORKING GROUP, NEGOTIATE \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement after voting in support of H.R. 3273, the Deficit Reduction and Economic Growth Working Group Act of 2013: \u201cUnderstanding that we have our differences, last week the House passed legislation requesting the Senate to come to the table for a Conference Committee.\u00a0 Yet, the Senate refused even this common sense offer.\u00a0 The Deficit Reduction and Economic Growth Working Group Act passed by the House tonight asks the Senate once again to stop stalling and begin negotiations now to identify a path forward on funding the federal government and the approaching debt limit.\u00a0 If both sides are not talking, we cannot move forward and end this partial government shutdown. I ask my colleagues in the Senate to be reasonable. Let\u2019s come together to negotiate and work through these differences to find a fiscally responsible and sustainable solution for the American people.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=352705", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 10.7.13", "2013-10-07", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Winning? Really?!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \nThe Wall Street Journal recently quoted a senior White House official on the partial government shutdown as saying: \u201cWe are winning... It doesn't really matter to us how long the shutdown lasts because what matters is the end result.\u201d\nReally?!\u00a0 Nobody\u2019s winning.\u00a0 It\u2019s this kind of talk that makes me extremely frustrated.\u00a0 This is not a game.\u00a0 Everyone is losing to some extent.\u00a0 Government is not operating properly.\u00a0 Some services have been delayed.\u00a0 National parks are closed.\u00a0 Many federal workers have been furloughed.\u00a0 And yet, instead of negotiating with the duly elected House of Representatives, the White House is using the partial shutdown to try and score political points.\u00a0 They\u2019ve barricaded businesses that receive no money from the federal government in North Carolina and forced Virginia businesses to close along the Blue Ridge Parkway.\u00a0 The presidential leadership on this issue is lacking and disappointing.\u00a0 It is not leadership to barricade oneself in the Oval Office and refuse to talk to Congress.\nWhile some in the White House seem to be playing games, and the Senate is stuck in neutral, the House continues to work to fund certain parts of the government until a wholesale resolution can be reached.\u00a0 With my support, the House has passed legislation that includes funding for veterans\u2019 benefits, national parks, National Institutes of Health (NIH), national guardsmen and reservists, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and nutritional assistance for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).\u00a0 Unfortunately, one week into the partial shutdown, the Senate has refused to fund any of these programs.\u00a0 \nThe House plans to continue proposing solutions.\u00a0 My colleagues and I in the House will consider any good faith offer from the Senate that will fund the government and allow it to reopen.\u00a0 \nAverting Another Shutdown\nWe can all agree that there are better ways to run the federal government than by continuing on our current course of operating under a series of missed deadlines and short-term spending bills.\u00a0 Obviously, the current process in Congress is badly in need of repair.\u00a0 While it\u2019s my hope that we quickly resolve the impasse of the current partial government shutdown, we also need to find ways to ensure that we don\u2019t repeat this process again.\u00a0\u00a0 \nAccordingly, I have cosponsored a bill that could prevent another partial shutdown.\u00a0 Introduced by Representative Lankford (R-OK), The Government Shutdown Prevention Act (H.R. 1164), would sustain government spending when Congress misses its deadline to pass funding bills.\u00a0 Importantly, the bill also incentivizes Congress to do its spending work by providing full government funding for only 120 days.\u00a0 After that period, funding would drop by one percentage point and would continue to decrease by that amount every 90 days.\u00a0 For example, if Congress hadn\u2019t completed its spending bills six months after the deadline, government would only be funded at 98 percent.\u00a0 This approach would remove the threat of a partial government shutdown, and it would push Congress towards funding agreements, which is how the process should function.\u00a0 The last time Congress passed all government funding measures on time was 1997.\u00a0 Clearly, real reforms are needed.\u00a0 This bill may not be the perfect approach towards averting another shutdown, but it\u2019s a step in the right direction.\nThe Debt Ceiling \u2013 Then and Now\nIn 2006, then-Senator Obama and Senator Harry Reid opposed raising the debt limit for fear it would weaken our country.\u00a0 Here is what they said then.\nSenator Obama said, \u201cThe fact that we are here today to debate raising America\u2019s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure.\u00a0 It is a sign that the U.S. Government can\u2019t pay its own bills\u2026 Increasing America\u2019s debt weakens us domestically and internationally.\u00a0 Leadership means that \u2018the buck stops here.\u2019\u00a0 Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren.\u00a0 America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership.\u00a0 Americans deserve better.\u201d\nSenator Reid said, \u201cHow can the Republican majority in this Congress explain to their constituents that trillions of dollars in new debt is good for our economy? \u00a0How can they explain that they think it\u2019s fair to force our children, our grandchildren, our great grandchildren to finance this debt through higher taxes? \u00a0That\u2019s what it will have to be.\u00a0 Why is it right to increase our nation\u2019s dependence on foreign creditors?\u00a0 They should explain this. Maybe they can convince the public they\u2019re right. I doubt it. \u00a0Because most Americans know that increasing debt is the last thing we should be doing\u2026\u201d\nNow, they want Congress to sign a blank check.\u00a0 Don\u2019t worry, they\u2019ll fill in the dollar amount.\nTo reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=487", "Wittman Votes to Protect Federal Workers' Pay", "2013-10-07", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wittman Votes to Protect Federal Workers' Pay \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, D.C.,\r\n        October 7, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Washington, D.C. Representative Rob Wittman (VA-01) released the following statement after the House passed, by a vote of 407-0, the Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act:\r\nToday, I was proud to support our hardworking federal employees by voting to provide retroactive pay for the duration of the government shutdown. We must stand by the commitment and dedication of our federal workforce and ensure they are treated fairly and have certainty in regards to their pay. I have spoken with numerous federal employees whose lives have been dramatically affected by the shutdown, at no fault of their own. Many are struggling to make ends meet, pay their bills, and put food on the table, and they should not be punished because Congress is dysfunctional. I have been telling their stories to my colleagues and urging the House Leadership to bring this bill to the floor for a vote, and I am pleased to see the House take this important action today.\r\nWittman is a lead cosponsor of H.R.3223, the Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act.\r\nCongressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\r\n# # #\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=488", "Wittman Statement on Implementation of the Pay Our Military Act", "2013-10-07", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wittman Statement on Implementation of the Pay Our Military Act \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, D.C.,\r\n        October 7, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Representative Rob Wittman (VA-01) today released the following statement:\r\n\"I am pleased that Secretary Hagel is implementing the Pay Our Military Act and has recalled the majority of Department of Defense civilians back to duty. I look forward to further exploring the implementation of this law by DoD, specifically with regard to the impact on DoD contractors, at the Readiness Subcommittee hearing I will be chairing on Thursday, October 10, 2013. I will continue to fight for the pay of all those that support our Department of Defense during this government shutdown -- our active duty personnel, our reserves, our national guard, our civilians, and our contractors.\"\r\nCongressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\r\n###\r\n\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131122141918/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/459", "GOODLATTE: WHY CAN'T THE SENATE DO THE SAME?", "2013-10-04", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE: WHY CAN'T THE SENATE DO THE SAME? \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement after voting in support of the National Emergency and Disaster Recovery Act (H.J.Res. 85) and the Nutrition Assistance for Low-Income Women and Children Act (H.J.Res. 75) \u2013 both of which garnered the support of Republicans and Democrats in the House: \u00a0  \n                      \t\u00a0  \n                      \t\u201cAs the partial government shutdown continues, the House voted yet again today to fund critical parts of the federal government.\u00a0 In the midst of hurricane season, I voted in favor of the National Emergency and Disaster Recovery Act to restore funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).\u00a0 I also voted in support of a bill to provide nutrition assistance for low-income women and children, commonly known as WIC.\u00a0 These are votes that both sides of the aisle in the House can agree upon. Why can\u2019t the Senate do the same? The American people expect their representatives in Congress to work together to find a common sense way forward.\u00a0 We are acting in the House and are ready for the Senate to do the same.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131122141817/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/458", "GOODLATTE VOTES TO ENSURE FUNDING FOR VETERANS BENEFITS, PAY GUARD & RESERVE", "2013-10-03", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE VOTES TO ENSURE FUNDING FOR VETERANS BENEFITS, PAY GUARD & RESERVE \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement after voting in support of the Honoring Our Promise to America\u2019s Veterans Act (H.J.Res. 72) and the Pay Our Guard and Reserve Act (H.R. 3230).\u00a0 H.J.Res. 72 passed the House by a vote of 259-157 with 224 Republicans and 35 Democrats voting in favor.\u00a0 H.R. 3230 was approved by a vote of 265-160 with the support of 229 Republicans and 36 Democrats.   \n                      \t\u00a0  \n                      \t\u201cToday, I voted in support of legislation to provide funding for veterans benefits and ensure that members of our National Guard and Reserves receive pay.\u00a0 Earlier this week, the Senate passed the House\u2019s Pay Our Military Act to guarantee our Armed Forces, who protect and defend America, will be paid during this partial government shutdown.\u00a0 I see no reason why the Senate should not pass these bipartisan bills as well to pay Guard and Reserve members and make certain that our veterans, who have served this nation bravely, do not have to worry about whether or not their benefits will be available.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=352210", "Griffith Speaks on House Floor: Defy Obama and Visit the Parkway Shops", "2013-10-02", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Friday, October 4, 2013 \u2013 This evening Congressman Griffith (R-VA) spoke on the House Floor about President Obama\u2019s Park Service and how they are needlessly blocking access to private businesses that adjoin the Blue Ridge Parkway.\u00a0 These businesses lease land from the federal government, but do not receive money from the federal government.\u00a0 Most of the \u201cconcession\u201d businesses actually pay the federal government.\u00a0 The current debate in Washington is about federal spending and is not about private businesses located on or near national parks.\u00a0 \r\nAdditionally after speaking on the Floor, Congressman Griffith asked, \u201cWhy is the Park Service using \u2018essential\u2019 personnel to try to close these taxpaying businesses?\"\u00a0 Further he said, \"I hope everyone will visit the shops on and around the Parkway this weekend.\" Video of Griffith\u2019s remarks can be found by clicking here. \r\nTo see information on the North Carolina situation, click here.\r\nTo see the Washington Times article, referenced in Congressman Griffith\u2019s one minute speech, click here.\u00a0\r\n \u00a0###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=352503", "Griffith Statement on House-Passed Parks and NIH Funding Measures", "2013-10-02", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wednesday, October 2, 2013 \u2013 Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Open Our National Parks and Museums Act, which ensures funding for National Park Service operations, and the Research for Lifesaving Cures Act, which ensures funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH): \r\n\u201cThis process would be faster if the Senate were to join us at the negotiating table to sort out our differences.\u00a0 However, if the Senate won\u2019t negotiate with us, we ought to move forward on areas where we are in agreement.\u00a0 While continuing to urge the Senate to appoint negotiators, I also urge them to work with us in advancing proposals like those passing the House today, which would open national parks, monuments, and museums and provide funding for critical medical research including vital cancer research, among other things.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131006045335/http://goodlatte.house.gov:80/press_releases/457", "GOODLATTE TO SENATE: 'LET'S TALK'", "2013-10-02", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE TO SENATE: 'LET'S TALK' \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement tonight in support of legislation to re-open our National Parks and museums and provide funding for the National Institutes of Health, and also reiterating his request for the United States Senate to agree to a Conference Committee to work out the differences between plans to fund the federal government: \u201cDespite continued efforts by the House of Representatives, Harry Reid and the Democratic-controlled Senate have rejected every offer and refused to come to the negotiating table.\u00a0 Every time Harry Reid refuses to negotiate, he is slamming the door on re-opening the federal government.\u00a0 The House has been ready to talk.\u00a0 It is time that the Senate works with the House to negotiate a fiscally responsible solution to fund the federal government and ensure fairness for all Americans under Obamacare.\u201d \u201cHowever, the House is not waiting for the Senate. Instead, we are continuing to pass legislation to provide funding for portions of the federal government.\u00a0 Tonight, I voted in favor of two of these funding bills, including legislation that would immediately re-open our National Parks, monuments, and museums like the Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Sixth District.\u00a0 I strongly encourage the Senate to take up, and pass, these bills immediately.\u201d \n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131002212842/http://www.wittman.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=846:wittman-supports-continuing-government-operations-with-third-house-vote&catid=34:2013-news&Itemid=100133", "Wittman Supports Continuing Government Operations with Third House Vote", "2013-10-01", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "October 01, 2013\t\nWashington, DC - Representative Rob Wittman (VA-01) released the following statement after the House voted to again fund government operations and to delay the individual mandate for health care insurance included in the Affordable Care Act:\n\"The folks of America's First District do not support a government shutdown and that's why tonight, I voted for the third time to continue government operations and against a shutdown. Governing at the eleventh hour is simply unacceptable, but the House voted again tonight to keep government running while also delaying key pieces of the harmful Obamacare legislation.\"\nWittman supported two previous versions of legislation to continue government operations, and for legislation to ensure troops are paid regardless of the political situation.\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=486", "Wittman Supports Continuing Government Operations with Third House Vote", "2013-10-01", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wittman Supports Continuing Government Operations with Third House Vote \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, D.C.,\r\n        October 1, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      \r\nWashington, D.C. - Representative Rob Wittman (VA-01) released the following statement after the House voted to again fund government operations and to delay the individual mandate for health care insurance included in the Affordable Care Act:\r\n\r\n\"The folks of America's First District do not support a government shutdown and that's why tonight, I voted for the third time to continue government operations and against a shutdown. Governing at the eleventh hour is simply unacceptable, but the House voted again tonight to keep government running while also delaying key pieces of the harmful Obamacare legislation.\"\r\nWittman supported two previous versions of legislation to continue government operations, and for legislation to ensure troops are paid regardless of the political situation.\r\n# # #\r\n\r\n\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=351765", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 9.30.13", "2013-09-30", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Ongoing Funding Negotiations \nCongress is embroiled in a fight over the spending of your tax dollars.\u00a0 As I write this, agreement has not yet been reached.\u00a0 At this time, I think it is important to quickly review the role of Congress as envisioned at this country\u2019s founding.\nThe Constitution formed a republic based on democratic principles, with the Republic including a system of checks and balances between the governing branches.\u00a0 The Executive Branch executes the law.\u00a0 The Legislative Branch writes laws and dictates spending, having the power of the purse.\u00a0 And the Judicial Branch enforces the law.\nThe power of the purse is the most powerful check on the Executive Branch that is granted by the Constitution to Congress.\u00a0 Accordingly, during the debate on federal spending is exactly where issues such as spending on the health care law ought to be discussed.\u00a0 Not only is it right, but it is our Constitutional duty.\u00a0 For some to suggest that it is not appropriate to debate specific spending items during funding and debt discussions is a further undermining of the Constitutional powers of Congress, thus inappropriately tilting power toward the Executive Branch.\nAs a devoted believer that our Constitutional Republic is the best form of government ever devised, I cannot concede the argument of debating specific spending issues during a funding and debt fight to those who would ignore the bedrock principles of the Constitution in favor of fleeting political issues.\nClearly former Democrat Speaker of the House Tip O\u2019Neill agreed with me on this.\u00a0 When he was Speaker, there were 12 government shutdowns.\u00a0 Interestingly, Democrats controlled the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives for the first five of those government shutdowns.\nI recognize that it is also part of my duty to look for a compromise.\u00a0 But that doesn\u2019t mean that, in seeking compromise, I ought to give up my beliefs and those of the people I represent.\nAt the time of the writing of this column, I have voted during this spending fight on two proposals that would prevent a government shutdown and control spending.\u00a0 The second proposal was an attempt by the House to compromise.\u00a0 The Senate has rejected each of these proposals.\u00a0 The Senate Leadership needs to compromise too.\nCompounded Drugs \u2013 A First Step\nIn the year that has passed since the tragic meningitis outbreak caused by tainted steroid injections from the New England Compounding Center (NECC), the Energy and Commerce Committee has held a number of hearings on the drug compounding issue.\u00a0 And after months working with Congressman Gene Green (D-TX) and Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO) on legislation that would prevent another NECC-type outbreak from occurring again, we introduced the Compounding Clarity Act in mid-September.\nProvisions of our bill were recently incorporated into the larger Drug Quality and Security Act, which passed the House on Saturday, September 28.\u00a0 In my view, the Drug Quality and Security Act is a first step.\u00a0 Though it does eliminate some of the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s (FDA) perceived confusion regarding oversight, it leaves certain areas of practice where clarification may still be needed \u2013 specifically office use, repackaging, and nuclear pharmacies.\u00a0 Congressman Green, Congresswoman DeGette, and I will continue working on these areas that need additional clarification in an effort to see that there are no more NECCs.\nU.N. Arms Trade Treaty \u2013 An Update\nDespite concerns that it could infringe on Second Amendment Rights, Secretary of State John Kerry recently signed the United Nations (U.N.) Arms Trade Treaty.\u00a0 The U.N. Arms Trade Treaty is intended to regulate global arms trade, stop illegal arms sales, and keep human rights abusers from obtaining weapons, but as the saying goes, \u201cthe road to hell is often paved with good intentions.\u201d\nInternational agreements such as the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty must be approved by the Senate by a two-thirds majority before it can be ratified and therefore consented to.\u00a0 I remain opposed to the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty and have cosponsored a resolution making clear that this treaty undermines the Constitution, but I do not have a vote on ratification of this treaty.\u00a0 To express your views, I would encourage you to contact the offices of Senator Mark Warner and Senator Tim Kaine.\u00a0 The United States can\u2019t allow the U.N. to dictate a restriction on our Constitutional rights, and I fear ratification of this treaty could do just that.\nAs always, if you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=351857", "Griffith Statement on Latest House Efforts to Keep the Government Open", "2013-09-30", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement on the House of Representative\u2019s latest proposal to keep the government open, which would also delay implementation of the health care law\u2019s individual mandate for one year and end the federal government employer contribution towards the premium costs of employee health plans for Members of Congress, their staffs, the President, his staff, and political appointees:\r\n\u201cI remain opposed to the health care law known as Obamacare, and think it is bad medicine for Americans.\u00a0 I will continue working to repeal and defund it. \u00a0As our work on that issue continues, I will be supporting the House of Representative\u2019s latest efforts to compromise, keep the government open, and control spending. \u00a0With the passage of this compromise by the House, the Senate will again have the opportunity to join us in keeping the government open and ensuring fairness for all under Obamacare.\u00a0 A vote in favor of this proposal would make sure that the President and Congress have to live with Obamacare like other Americans, and also would delay the individual mandate on the American people as President Obama delayed the employer mandate for American businesses.\u00a0 I would strongly encourage the Senate to join us in supporting this measure.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131006045330/http://goodlatte.house.gov:80/press_releases/456", "GOODLATTE VOTES TO KEEP FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OPEN, DELAY INDIVIDUAL MANDATE", "2013-09-30", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE VOTES TO KEEP FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OPEN, DELAY INDIVIDUAL MANDATE \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement tonight after voting in support of the House of Representatives\u2019 latest compromise that will fund the federal government, delay Obamacare\u2019s individual mandate requiring every American to purchase health insurance or pay a tax for one year, and require all Members of Congress, all congressional staff, the President, Vice-President, and all political appointees within the Administration to purchase their health insurance on the Obamacare exchange without a federal government employer contribution. \u00a0 \u201cTonight\u2019s vote marks the third time in the past two weeks the House has taken common sense, bipartisan steps to ensure the federal government remains funded.\u00a0 Unfortunately, earlier today the Senate once again failed to act on the proposal passed by the House late Saturday night.\u00a0 Because of the Senate\u2019s refusal to act, this evening the House presented yet another offer to Harry Reid and the Democratic Leadership to keep the federal government open.\u00a0 This common sense bill offered by the House would keep the government running, delay Obamacare\u2019s individual mandate requiring every American to purchase health insurance or pay a tax for one year, and ensure Members of Congress and the President are not given special treatment. Importantly, this legislation gives individual Americans the same one-year delay from Obamacare President Obama has already given to business employers and labor unions. This is an issue of fairness.  \u201cThe bottom line is that the House has acted three times to avert a government shutdown while the Senate has shown no willingness to compromise. I do not want to see the government shut down and neither do the American people. I urge the Senate to stop the tabling motions, stop the delaying, and act now to keep the federal government open and enact common sense changes to Obamacare.\u201d \n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131002031128/http://goodlatte.house.gov:80/press_releases/455", "GOODLATTE URGES SENATE TO COMPROMISE, ENSURE TROOP PAY", "2013-09-29", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE URGES SENATE TO COMPROMISE, ENSURE TROOP PAY \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement tonight after voting in support of the Pay Our Military Act as well as amendments to the Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government, while also providing for a one-year delay of Obamacare: \u201cOver one week ago, I voted in support of bipartisan legislation to fund the federal government, which also included a provision to defund Obamacare. However, the Senate failed to pass this legislation and protect the American people from a law that will raise health care costs and restrict access.\u00a0 Tonight, I voted in support of the House's bipartisan compromise to delay implementation of the Obamacare train wreck for one year and keep the doors of the federal government open. I urge Harry Reid and the Democratic Leadership to accept this compromise. \u201cHowever if the Senate refuses to work with the House, Members of the Armed Forces should not be subject to the Senate\u2019s political ploys.\u00a0 The Pay Our Military Act ensures that members of the Armed Forces will continue to receive pay, even in the case of a government shutdown. If the Senate fails to pass this legislation, they will be denying our men and women in uniform, who serve and defend our nation, the pay they deserve, in the event of a Senate-induced government shutdown.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=485", "Wittman Votes to Continue Government Operations, Troop Pay and Obamacare Delay", "2013-09-29", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wittman Votes to Continue Government Operations, Troop Pay and Obamacare Delay  \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, D.C.,\r\n        September 29, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      \r\nWASHINGTON, DC Representative Rob Wittman (VA-01) released the following statement after voting to keep the government running through December 15, 2013, and to ensure the military receives their pay regardless of inaction in Washington: \"Last night, the House again took action to keep the government open; I voted to continue government operations and against a shutdown. I do not support a government shutdown,\" Wittman said. \"I was also pleased to support legislation ensuring the military is paid regardless of the political situation in Washington, and to delay Obamacare. Unfortunately, this legislation does not prevent furloughs for thousands of hardworking federal employees which is disruptive and undeserved for these folks dedicated to service to the nation. It is my hope the Senate can pass legislation to ensure the government does not shut down.\"\r\nCongressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\r\n###\r\n\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=351563", "Griffith, Green, DeGette Support Bipartisan, Bicameral Compounding Agreement", "2013-09-27", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Congressman Gene Green (D-TX), and Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO) participated in a series of Energy and Commerce hearings on the drug compounding issue.\u00a0 They recently introduced the Compounding Clarity Act (H.R. 3089), and today signed on as cosponsors of the Drug Quality and Security Act.\u00a0 The Drug Quality and Security Act, which incorporates some of the Compounding Clarity Act, is a bipartisan, bicameral first step to help ensure the safety of compounding drugs.\u00a0 It also will work to prevent a national public health crisis like the 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak tied to the New England Compounding Center (NECC).\u00a0 64 deaths and 750 confirmed cases of fungal meningitis resulted from tainted steroid injections from the NECC.\r\nGriffith said, \u201cThe Drug Quality and Security Act is a first step at clarifying current law.\u00a0 It eliminates perceived confusion that existed as a result of court decisions on advertising related to compounding drugs and adopts the notification provisions that were in the Griffith-Green-DeGette Compounding Clarity Act.\u00a0 The Drug Quality and Security Act leaves a large portion of existing law intact.\u00a0 It also leaves many areas of practice where clarification may still be needed, particularly as it relates to office use, repackaging, and nuclear pharmacies.\u00a0 Along with my colleagues, I will continue working to oversee the FDA\u2019s interpretation and implementation of this law.\u201d\u00a0 \r\nGreen said, \u201cThe Drug Quality and Security Act is a positive step forward toward enhancing public health and ensuring that compounded drugs are safe and dependable.\u00a0 I am proud to have worked with my colleagues Reps. Griffith and DeGette in pressing for enhanced FDA oversight of compounding.\u00a0 While I believe the FDA dropped the ball with regards to the NECC, with this law they must succeed where in the past they failed.\u00a0 This bill still lacks clarity in many important areas: office use, how nuclear pharmacies are regulated, and repackaging of sterile products.\u00a0 I look forward to working with my colleagues to provide meaningful oversight of the FDA to make sure another NECC type outbreak never happens again and to make sure they are using the type of enforcement discretion necessary to preserve patients\u2019 access to critical medicine.\u201d\r\nDeGette said, \u201cThe deadly fungal meningitis outbreak that sickened hundreds across the United States last year represented a tragic failure of the compounding drug manufacturing system and made clear we must have a stronger and more effective regulatory framework to oversee that system.\u00a0 That is why I was proud to join with my friends and colleagues Congressmen Griffith and Green earlier this month in introducing legislation that ultimately served as a foundation for the Drug Quality and Security Act introduced today. Today\u2019s bipartisan, bicameral bill will take important steps forward to develop a more robust regulatory framework that can save people\u2019s lives. I know my colleagues and I look forward to the passage of this bill and to continuing to work to ensure we take every step possible to secure the compounding drug manufacturing chain, and protect the lives of American patients.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=350763", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 9.23.13", "2013-09-23", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Defunding Obamacare and Controlling Spending \nWith my support, on Friday, September 20, the House passed legislation known as a continuing resolution that prevents a government shutdown AND also prevents money from being spent by the federal government on the so-called Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).\u00a0 PPACA is also known as Obamacare.\nIt is my belief that the Senate ought to publicly acknowledge the negative impact that Obamacare will have on the American people and businesses, and join us in defunding Obamacare once and for all.\u00a0 Obamacare as written will not work.\u00a0 Senator Max Baucus, one of the law\u2019s chief architects, said that Obamacare will be a \u201chuge train wreck.\u201d\u00a0 In my opinion, it is the duty of the House and the Senate, if they see a trainwreck coming, to get the American people not only off the tracks, but well away from the prospective wreck.\u00a0 The House has done its work.\u00a0 It\u2019s now up to the Senate.\nAs this column is being written, this legislation\u2019s fate has yet to be determined by the Senate.\u00a0 No matter what your opinion is on Obamacare, you should let your Senators know how you feel.\u00a0 Their office numbers are:\n\n    \n        \n            \n            Senator Mark Warner\n            202-224-2023\n            \n            \n            Senator Tim Kaine\n            202-224-4024\n            \n        \n    \n\nThe War on Coal Continues\nAlso on Friday, September 20, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced greenhouse gas standards for new power plants, a regulation harsh enough to essentially ensure that we cannot build another coal-fired power plant here in the United States.\nSadly, our region is all too familiar with the impact of anti-coal policies like this.\u00a0 For the Ninth District of Virginia and other coal-producing regions, I strongly urge President Obama and EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy to declare a ceasefire in the war on coal and stop the regulatory assault on America\u2019s power sector, related businesses, and hard-working American people.\nTrees for Schools \u2013 An Update\nOver a century ago, the federal government promised rural communities that it would actively manage forest land to the communities\u2019 benefit, historically sharing around 25 percent of revenues from timber harvests with rural counties that contain National Forest Land.\u00a0 This money could be used in lieu of revenue these communities might otherwise have received from property taxes if the land were not owned by the federal government, and could be used to fund schools, teachers, police officers, etc.\u00a0 Recipients of these funds within the Ninth District of Virginia include the following counties: Alleghany, Bland, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Pulaski, Roanoke, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe.\nDue to federal regulations and environmental lawsuits, however, the Forest Service over the years has reduced the amount of federal forest land being timbered.\u00a0 In my opinion, this not only has destroyed jobs and deprived rural communities of needed revenue, but also is poor forest management, making the land more susceptible to invasive species and wildfires.\u00a0 Tragically, the House Natural Resources Committee states that wildfires burned 9.3 million acres last year alone.\nBadly needed is a long-term solution to improve forest health and management, fulfill the federal government\u2019s promise to rural communities, and grow jobs.\u00a0 To that end, the House Natural Resources Committee over the last several months has worked to advance H.R. 1526, the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act.\u00a0 This legislation would promote responsible timber production, improve state and local involvement, and restore the federal government\u2019s commitment to rural communities.\u00a0 This should mean more money for Southwest Virginia localities.\nI am an original cosponsor of this legislation, which recently passed the House with my support.\u00a0 Similar legislation recently passed the Senate.\u00a0 I will continue monitoring the progress of this legislation, and working to promote healthier forests and get residents of the Ninth District\u2019s rural communities back to work. As always, if you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20130925024633/http://wolf.house.gov:80/index.cfm?sectionid=34&itemid=2306", "Wolf: If Bashir Comes To The U.S., Arrest Him", "2013-09-23", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Frank Wolf", "W000672", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Jill Shatzen   (202) 225-5136  WOLF: IF BASHIR COMES TO THE U.S., ARREST HIM   Tells President Obama Granting Him a Visa Compromises Moral Legitimacy  Washington, D.C. (September 23, 2013) \u2013 Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) said today that if internationally indicted war criminal Omar Bashir, the president of Sudan, is allowed into the United States, he should be arrested.  In response to media reports over the weekend that Bashir booked a hotel room in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly meeting, Wolf sent a scathing letter to President Obama, acknowledging that while the United States as a host country has certain obligations, allowing someone responsible for genocide into the United States would compromise moral legitimacy, embolden war criminals and entrench Bashir.  Wolf said the clear message to Bashir from the United States should be: \u201cYou are an international pariah; not a legitimate head of state.\u00a0 We are not required to embolden evil.\u00a0 Should you choose to come to New York, you will be met by U.S. law enforcement officials and a plane prepared to transfer you to the Hague.\u201d  EDITORS NOTE:Wolf has been a longtime critic of Bashir and Khartoum.\u00a0 He has travelled to Sudan on multiple occasions and was the first member of Congress to visit Darfur, in 2004.\u00a0 Last year, Wolf offered an amendment to the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill which would have cut non-humanitarian foreign assistance to any nation that allowed Sudanese President Omar Bashir into their country without arresting him.\u00a0 The amendment was adopted with bipartisan support by voice vote.\u00a0 Notably, the amendment garnered the support of 70 prominent Holocaust and genocide scholars.\u00a0 Dr. Rafael Medoff, director of the Wyman Institute, who wrote a letter to the Obama Administration from these scholars expressing support for the Wolf amendment, said: \u201cHalting aid to those who host Bashir would be the first concrete step the U.S. has taken to isolate the Butcher of Darfur and pave the way for his arrest.\u00a0 If the Obama Administration is serious about punishing perpetrators of genocide, it should support the Wolf Amendment.\u201d\u00a0  Instead, the administration actively sought to remove the language from the final bill.\u00a0 This year, at Wolf\u2019s urging, the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, which has passed out of the full committee, included language consistent with the amendment Wolf offered last year.\u00a0  Wolf has long argued that Bashir should be diplomatically isolated and that the U.S. should utilize its foreign assistance, especially incentivized foreign assistance like the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grants, to press countries to deny travel or pursue Bashir\u2019s arrest.\u00a0 In fact, after repeatedly writing the MCC leadership and pressing them to take action when Malawi\u2019s late president Bingu wa Mutharika welcomed Bashir to the country, MCC eventually suspended the compact in March 2012. \u00a0\u00a0According to MCC\u2019s press release announcing the decision, \u201cMalawi\u2019s decision to allow Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to attend a trade summit in Lilongwe, despite the International Criminal Court\u2019s (ICC) outstanding warrant for his arrest, further deepened MCC\u2019s concerns.\u201d  For more on Wolf\u2019s work on this issue, click here.  The full text of Wolf\u2019s letter is below.  The Honorable Barack H. Obama The President The White House Washington DC 20500  Dear Mr. President:  When news first broke that Sudanese President Omar Bashir had applied for a visa to attend the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, I expressed my profound opposition to a senior State Department official and was left with the distinct impression that your administration would do the right thing.\u00a0   Outrageously, it appears that that is not the case.\u00a0 Multiple news outlets are reporting Bashir\u2019s assertion yesterday that he has booked a hotel room in New York to attend the General Assembly meeting, which leads me to believe that the State Department may have granted Bashir\u2019s visa request.\u00a0   I understand that there are host country obligations as it relates to the United Nations.\u00a0 Nevertheless, don\u2019t we have a higher moral obligation not to allow an internationally indicted war criminal to step foot on U.S. soil unless it is solely for the purpose of arresting him?\u00a0 Bashir has the blood of hundreds of thousands of innocents on his hand\u2014Christian, Muslim and Animist alike.\u00a0   From this point forward, the message to Bashir should be: You are an international pariah; not a legitimate head of state.\u00a0 We are not required to embolden evil.\u00a0 Should you choose to come to New York, you will be met by U.S. law enforcement officials and a plane prepared to transfer you to The Hague.   Failure to convey this message will have devastating ripple effects.\u00a0 Other war criminals will be emboldened, U.S. moral legitimacy will be compromised and Bashir will become further entrenched.\u00a0   Anything that delays Bashir being brought to justice is indefensible.\u00a0 We must not forget that his government gave safe haven to Osama bin Laden in the early 1990s, and Khartoum was a revolving door for Hamas and other designated terrorist groups.\u00a0 Further Bashir has long brutalized his own people.\u00a0 In June 2004, I led the first congressional delegation with Senator Sam Brownback to Darfur, soon after the world began hearing about the atrocities being committed against the people of that region.\u00a0 I witnessed the nightmare with my own eyes.\u00a0 I saw the scorched villages and overflowing camps. I heard the stories of murder, rape and displacement.\u00a0 The International Criminal Court prosecutor has described Bashir\u2019s crimes in stark terms saying he, \u201chas selected his weapons; they are: rape, hunger, fear.\u00a0 They are the most efficient method of destruction, in the face of international scrutiny.\u201d\u00a0 But Bashir\u2019s assault on his own people pre-dates Darfur.\u00a0 Consider the more than 2 million that perished during the North-South war.\u00a0 And his murderous aims persist to this day in the Nuba Mountains.   During your campaign for the presidency, when asked about Darfur, you said, \"We can\u2019t say \u2018never again\u2019 and then allow it to happen again.\u00a0 And, as President of the United States, I don\u2019t intend to...turn a blind eye to slaughter.\"\u00a0\u00a0 Bashir was the architect of that slaughter.\u00a0   You have before you a clear choice.\u00a0 Will you turn a blind eye to slaughter and extend diplomatic courtesy to such a man?\u00a0 Or will you seize the opportunity presented by Bashir\u2019s brazenness and facilitate his transfer, as is legally permissible, to The Hague, such that he is finally made to account for his crimes?  Best wishes.  \u00a0  Sincerely,  \u00a0  Frank R. Wolf Member of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=350501", "Griffith Statement on EPA\u2019s Continued War on Coal", "2013-09-20", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement after the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) released a regulation to set greenhouse gas New Source Performance Standards for new coal-fired power plants:\r\n\u201cCurrent federal policies, let alone the regulation announced today, are devastating the economy of the Ninth District of Virginia.\u00a0 Each week, our region must absorb the devastating impacts of the Administration\u2019s war on coal.\u00a0 This assault, though targeting the coal industry, affects us all.\u00a0 It\u2019s not just those working in the coal fields that suffer \u2013 also suffering are industries that rely on coal mines.\r\n\u201cThis EPA regulation would require a new coal-fired power plant to use technologies that are not yet available in the marketplace.\u00a0 These regulations will fulfill one of the President\u2019s promises from his 2008 campaign, and send our electric rates sky-high.\u00a0 President Obama also admitted in 2008 that the cost of these policies will be passed on to consumers.\u00a0 We all know who those people are.\u00a0 Those \u2018consumers\u2019 are hard-working, middle-class Americans.\r\n\u201cI strongly urge President Obama and EPA Administrator McCarthy to declare a ceasefire in the war on coal and stop the regulatory assault on America\u2019s power sector, related businesses, and hard-working American people.\u201d\r\nGriffith questioned EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy at a September 18, 2013 Energy and Power Subcommittee hearing.\u00a0 Video can be seen here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=350514", "Griffith Applauds House Passage of Legislation Defunding Obamacare, Controlling Spending", "2013-09-20", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement after voting in favor of legislation to defund Obamacare and control spending:\r\n\u201cLike many Americans, I am of the view that Obamacare as drafted cannot and will not work, and I have joined my House colleagues in supporting various measures that would speed up its demise.\u00a0 We hope the Senate will promptly take up the fight, and take appropriate action to defund the President\u2019s unworkable health care law.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=350581", "Griffith Statement on Bill that Continues \u201cTrees for Schools\u201d", "2013-09-20", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 1526, the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act:\r\n\u201cOur National Forest Lands are great assets to the American people, and it is important that they be properly managed in an effort to avoid such problems as invasive species and wildfires, which burned more than 9 million acres in 2012.\u00a0 Additionally, harvesting timber creates needed jobs and revenue in rural forest communities like many in Virginia\u2019s Ninth District that struggle to meet their school budgets, pay for police and fire services, and fund necessary infrastructure repairs.\u00a0 I am pleased to support this common-sense \u2018Trees for Schools\u2019 legislation that seeks to properly manage National Forest Lands, help provide jobs for hard-working Americans, and support rural forest communities.\u201d\r\nBACKGROUND:\r\nOver a century ago, the federal government promised to actively manage forest land to the benefit of rural communities.\u00a0 Historically, the U.S. Forest Service shared approximately 25 percent of revenues from timber harvests with rural counties containing National Forest Land.\u00a0 These funds could be used for schools, teachers, police officers, etc. in lieu of revenue the communities might otherwise receive from property taxes if the land were not owned by the federal government, which does not pay local taxes.\r\nDue to federal regulations and environmental lawsuits, however, the Forest Service over the years has reduced the amount of federal forest land being timbered.\u00a0 This has created controversy regarding proper forest resource management while also destroying jobs and depriving rural regions of needed revenue.\r\nIn an effort to provide rural counties with \u201ctransition periods\u201d while the federal government worked to increase timber production, Congress in 2000 passed the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (SRS).\u00a0 Recipients of SRS funds within the Ninth District of Virginia include the following counties: Alleghany, Bland, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Pulaski, Roanoke, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe.\u00a0 Since 2000, however, the federal government has not properly managed the forest nor increased timber harvests, though it continued to provide money to rural counties.\r\nEarlier this year, following the implementation of 2013 federal budget cuts, the Obama Administration decided to retroactively demand repayment of nearly $18 million in 2012 SRS funds that had already been disbursed.\u00a0 Griffith joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in calling for this action to be halted and requesting a detailed explanation of the legal authority for demanding repayment of these funds.\u00a0 On September 4, 2013, the House Natural Resources Committee issued subpoenas to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of Management and Budget for documents the agencies have thus far failed to provide the Committee as it has worked to conduct oversight into this action.\u00a0 More information on the Committee\u2019s oversight efforts can be found at www.naturalresources.house.gov.\r\nWhile the Natural Resources Committee has sought information such as how and why this decision was made, it also has worked to advance a long-term solution that would fulfill the federal government\u2019s promise to rural communities, improve forest management and health, and grow jobs.\u00a0 H.R. 1526, the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act, would promote responsible timber production, improve state and local involvement, and provides for an extension of SRS payments to rural counties.\r\nGriffith is an original cosponsor of the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act, which passed the House today in a vote of 244-173.\u00a0 He also attended a House Natural Resources Committee hearing and spoke on this issue, video of which can be seen here.\u00a0 Similar legislation recently passed the Senate.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131122141730/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/454", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON HOUSE VOTE TO DEFUND OBAMACARE", "2013-09-20", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON HOUSE VOTE TO DEFUND OBAMACARE \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement today after voting in support of legislation to defund Obamacare:  \u201cI voted against Obamacare before it was signed into law, and today I voted again to defund Obamacare before more American jobs are lost and health care costs climb any higher. As this bill heads to the Senate, they have to justify why a law that will raise health care costs and restrict access for Americans should move forward.\u00a0 I urge Harry Reid and the Democratic leadership to immediately consider the negative impacts the President\u2019s health care law will have on the American people and pass this bill defunding Obamacare for good.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=484", "Wittman Votes to Prevent Government Shutdown, Defund Obamacare", "2013-09-20", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wittman Votes to Prevent Government Shutdown, Defund Obamacare \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, D.C.,\r\n        September 20, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      \r\nRepresentative Rob Wittman (VA-1) today released the following statement after voting in favor of legislation to continue federal government operations past September 30, 2013: Today I voted in favor of legislation to prevent a government shutdown and prevent a harmful law from being implemented, Wittman said. It is unfortunate that Washington, D.C., was again on the brink of another fiscal year without completing its business. I have said time and time again that last-minute deals are no way to govern, but I firmly believe that the government must continue to operate, to ensure our service members and federal employees continue to be paid, and other operations that folks count on each and every day are not interrupted. I urge the Senate to act quickly to pass this legislation and avert a government shutdown.\r\nThe House today passed a Continuing Resolution to fund the government through December 15, 2013, with a provision to defund and delay Obamacare. The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration.\r\nCongressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\r\n###\r\n\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=482", "Wittman to Host Military Academy Information Session for Students in Fredericksburg this Saturday", "2013-09-19", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wittman to Host Military Academy Information Session for Students in Fredericksburg this Saturday \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, D.C.,\r\n        September 19, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      \r\nRepresentative Rob Wittman (VA-1) invites all high school and middle school students, their parents and guidance counselors to a U.S. Service Academy Day in Fredericksburg, Virginia, on September 21, 2013.\r\nAttendees will be provided a comprehensive overview of the U.S. Service Academies and their admissions process.In addition, students and parents will be able to meet with officials from West Point, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy and the Merchant Marine Academy.\r\nDate:  September 21, 2013\r\nTime:  9:00 am to 11:00 am\r\nLocation: University of Mary Washington Stafford Campus\r\n 125 University Boulevard, Fredericksburg\r\nConstituents with questions may contact Wittman's office at (540) 659-2734.\r\nAs the First District Representative in the U.S. House, each year Wittman may nominate a limited number of people to four of the five service academies. The honor of attending a service academy comes with an obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation.\r\nMore informationhere.\r\nCongressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\r\n###\r\n\r\n\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20130920144810/http://goodlatte.house.gov:80/press_releases/453", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON CLASSIFIED FISA HEARING", "2013-09-18", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON CLASSIFIED FISA HEARING \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Following today\u2019s House Judiciary Committee classified hearing on the Administration\u2019s use of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) authorities, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte released the statement below: \u201cOver the past few months, the House Judiciary Committee has conducted vigorous oversight of our nation\u2019s foreign surveillance programs, including today\u2019s classified hearing.\u00a0 I appreciate the witnesses\u2019 testimony today further detailing these programs and the current practices employed by the agencies to protect U.S. citizens\u2019 civil liberties. However, I am convinced that further protections are necessary.\u00a0 I am committed to working with members of the House Judiciary Committee, House leaders, and other members of Congress to ensure our nation\u2019s intelligence collection programs include robust oversight, additional transparency, and protections for Americans\u2019 civil liberties while maintaining a workable legal framework for national security officials to keep our country safe from foreign enemies.\u201d At today\u2019s classified hearing, members of the House Judiciary Committee were afforded the opportunity to further probe government officials from the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the National Security Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation about our nation\u2019s surveillance programs.\u00a0 In July, the Committee held a public hearing to examine the statutory authorities that govern certain surveillance programs operated under FISA, in which the Committee heard from officials from the DOJ, the NSA, the FBI, and from civil liberties groups.\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131122141554/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/451", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT IN HONOR OF CONSTITUTION DAY", "2013-09-17", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT IN HONOR OF CONSTITUTION DAY \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C.: Today, Congressman Bob Goodlatte issued the following statement in honor of Constitution Day, which was first observed in 2005.  \u201c226 years ago on September 17, 1787, the founders of our country signed the United States Constitution that laid the foundation for our freedoms today. Formed in the middle of crisis and fashioned by one of the world\u2019s youngest nations, it has stood the test of time as the oldest written constitution still in use today. \u201cThat historic day in Philadelphia may be thought on with reverence as we reflect on the great risks made by the original 39 delegates who chose to sign the Constitution and establish a new form of government. Thanks to the delegates who stood up for freedom and democracy, this document continues to safeguard America and provide necessary checks and balances for our country hundreds of years later. \u201cThis year on Constitution Day, we are concerned whether the President is adhering to his constitutional duty of \u2018faithfully executing the laws\u2019 in light of laws he has circumvented or refused to enforce. As Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee that has jurisdiction over issues pertaining to the U.S. Constitution, I am pleased to announce a Constitution hearing in coming weeks on this topic.\u201d Congressman Bob Goodlatte is the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over Constitutional amendments and other issues pertaining to the U.S. Constitution.\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131122142740/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/452", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON SUCCESSFUL JOB FAIR", "2013-09-17", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON SUCCESSFUL JOB FAIR \n                      \n                      \tFISHERSVILLE, VA: Congressman Bob Goodlatte held the Valley Job Fair at Augusta Expo in Fishersville today.\u00a0 More than 50 businesses, representing between 1,600 \u2013 1,700 open positions, were on hand meeting with job seekers.\u00a0 Today\u2019s Job Fair attracted over 750 job seekers.\u00a0 Congressman Goodlatte issued the following comments at the conclusion of the Job Fair:\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0  \n                      \t\u00a0  \n                      \t\u201cToday\u2019s Job Fair was a great success.\u00a0 I want to thank the employers who were on hand to meet with job seekers.\u00a0 I had the opportunity to speak to a number of job seekers who were encouraged by the volume of employment opportunities represented here today.\u00a0 I am hopeful that we were able to match job seekers with local businesses in our community who are looking to hire.\u00a0 Connecting these individuals will only help get more folks back to work in the Sixth District and grow our local economy.\u201d  \n                      \t\u00a0  \n                      \tBackground: This is the fourth job fair Congressman Goodlatte has hosted. He has previously held similar events in Harrisonburg, Roanoke, and Lynchburg.\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=349783", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 9.16.13", "2013-09-16", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Government Spying \u2013 An Update \nIn early July, I joined with Congressman Justin Amash (R-MI) and fourteen other Members of Congress in filing an amicus (friend of the court) brief in support of a motion to disclose Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA court) secret opinions interpreting Section 215 of the Patriot Act.\u00a0 I am pleased to report that the FISA court recently ordered that the Justice Department (DOJ) begin a declassification review of relevant opinions, giving DOJ until October 4 to identify related documents.\nFor the past twelve weeks, I have been trying to obtain FISA court opinions discussed in the press, and have not been able to get full access to them.\u00a0 I am pleased that the FISA court appears to recognize the need for increased transparency when it comes to the government\u2019s surveillance program, and look forward to reviewing these opinions.\nNo More NECCs\nAs we approach the anniversary of the fungal meningitis outbreak that devastated families in Southwest Virginia and across the nation, it is vital for Congress to take action to prevent another public health crisis.\u00a0 On Thursday, September 12, after many months of work, I joined with two of my colleagues on the House Energy and Commerce Committee \u2013 Congressman Gene Green (D-TX) and Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO) \u2013 in introducing H.R. 3089, the Compounding Clarity Act, which would prevent another New England Compounding Center (NECC)-type outbreak from occurring.\u00a0 The text of our bipartisan proposal can be found on my website, www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\nI appreciate Congressman Green and Congresswoman DeGette for their partnership and dedication, and look forward to our continued work on this issue.\u00a0 As the legislative process continues, I will keep you informed.\nLEGO, Bubble, & Pop Tart Guns, NRA T-Shirts\u2026 and School Suspensions??\nMy seven- and six-year-old boys take great delight when one of their McDonald\u2019s Chicken McNuggets comes in the shape of a gun.\u00a0 There also have been instances in which my six-year-old has taken a bite out of his Pop Tart and has taken aim at his seven-year-old brother with his Pop Tart gun.\u00a0 This doesn\u2019t bother me.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think they will grow up to become gun-toting hoodlums or terrorists because of it.\nBut do you remember hearing of the Massachusetts five-year-old who faced school suspension after having built a gun out of LEGO building blocks?\u00a0 Or the young boy from Maryland who, in trying to form a mountain out of his strawberry breakfast pastry, was suspended from school for two days when a teacher instead thought the pastry looked like a gun?\u00a0 There also was the young girl from Pennsylvania suspended after talking about her \u201cHello Kitty\u201d bubble gun, and the West Virginia eighth-grader who was arrested after refusing to take off his National Rifle Association t-shirt while at school.\nOf course, it is essential that our students have a safe learning environment.\u00a0 However, the strict application of some schools\u2019 \u201czero tolerance\u201d policies in situations where there is no viable threat to safety may needlessly stifle children\u2019s creativity and deter harmless play.\u00a0 Old fashioned common sense shouldn\u2019t be completely discarded.\nAfter hearing from constituents on this issue, I have reviewed and cosponsored H.R. 2625, the Student Protection Act, which would withhold federal funding from schools that punish a student for \u201cbrandishing a pastry or other food which is partially consumed in such a way that the remnant resembles a gun; possession of a toy gun which is two inches or less; possession of a toy gun made of plastic snap together building blocks; using a finger or hand to simulate a gun; vocalizing imaginary firearms or munitions; wearing a T-shirt that supports Second Amendment rights; drawing a picture of, or possessing an image of, a firearm; or using a pencil, pen or other writing utensil to simulate a firearm.\u201d\u00a0 \nIn this country, instead of spending our energy being upset about children playing, we need to focus on real hoodlums, real bad guys, and terrorists.\u00a0 That includes going after those who would attack our citizens in such cowardly attacks as that on the Washington Navy Yard.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t mean we should give away our constitutional freedoms such as the First and Second Amendments.\u00a0 But it does mean we should spend our time and our resources thwarting real evil like random shooters, and stop worrying about children being children.\nAs this column is being written, we do not know the full extent of the injuries and deaths at the Navy Yard.\u00a0 But like you, my thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.\nAs always, if you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=349368", "Griffith Statement on the Closing of Lee Regional Medical Center", "2013-09-12", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement on the closing of Lee Regional Medical Center:\r\n\u201cI was very distraught to hear about the closure of Lee Regional Hospital, Wellmont Health Systems.\u00a0 This is a great loss for the community, both in terms of providing health care and providing jobs to our citizens.\u00a0 I stand ready both to assist the displaced workers to access resources that can be of help to them at this troubling time, and to continue to look for solutions to the growing problem that our rural hospitals are facing.\u00a0 It is always of great concern when we have a direct impact to access of health care as a result of the loss of a local hospital facility.\u00a0 Accordingly, I am working with the local officials as we explore all possibilities to increase access to health care in Lee County.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=349397", "Griffith, Green, DeGette Introduce Bipartisan Compounding Clarity Act", "2013-09-12", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Congressman Gene Green (D-TX), and Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO) today introduced the Compounding Clarity Act (H.R. 3089), bipartisan legislation that would clarify Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority over compounding, particularly large-scale entities like the New England Compounding Center (NECC) that act as drug manufacturers.\u00a0 Nationwide, there were 64 deaths and 750 confirmed cases of fungal meningitis resulting from tainted steroid injections.\r\nGriffith said, \u201cAs we approach the anniversary of the fungal meningitis outbreak that devastated so many families across the nation including Southwest Virginia, it is vital for Congress to take action to prevent another public health crisis.\u00a0 Since the outbreak, I have been working hand-in-hand with my friends across the aisle on a legislative solution that we are proud to be introducing today.\u00a0 This bipartisan proposal would prevent another NECC-type outbreak from occurring and ensuring the quality and safety of all compounded drugs in the country.\u00a0 The Compounding Clarity Act also requires the FDA to better communicate with state boards of pharmacy, and safeguards our local community pharmacies who were not at fault in last year\u2019s outbreak from burdensome federal regulations.\u00a0 I am grateful to Congressman Green and Congresswoman DeGette for their partnership and dedication, and look forward to our continued work on this issue.\u201d\r\nGreen said, \u201cFor the last several weeks, a bipartisan and bicameral group of lawmakers have been meeting to make sure we never relive the tragedy of the 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak that originated in a compounding pharmacy in Massachusetts.\u00a0 Congressman Griffith and Congresswoman DeGette have been exceptional leaders on addressing this public health threat and I believe this bill is a good step in that direction.\u00a0 These discussions have been productive and are ongoing, and by dropping this bill we are keeping the pressure on House leadership and maintaining the momentum we have built.\u201d\r\nDeGette said, \u201cAlmost a year has passed since a deadly fungal meningitis outbreak sickened hundreds across the United States. \u00a0This rare incident was traced to contaminated steroid injections produced by\u00a0a so-called compounding pharmacy. \u00a0The outbreak, and subsequent troubling incidents, highlight the need for a stronger and more effective regulatory framework to oversee the compounding pharmacy system. \u00a0That is why today I am pleased to join with my friends and colleagues Congressmen Griffith and Green to introduce the Compounding Clarity Act, a critical step in working to prevent these types of deadly outbreaks in the future.\u00a0 This bill represents a bi-partisan effort to develop a more robust regulatory framework that can save people\u2019s lives and I look forward to working together to see it become law.\u201d\r\nBACKGROUND:\r\nAccording to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, the FDA\u2019s ability to take action against large-scale entities that exceed the bounds of traditional pharmacy compounding and pose risks to patients has been hampered by ambiguities in the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA).\u00a0 While claiming they were exempt from FDA oversight, NECC had long ago ceased operating as a traditional compounding pharmacy and were clearly engaged in illegal drug manufacturing. \r\nTo clarify FDA\u2019s authority, the Compounding Clarity Act replaces section 503A of the FDCA with a new regulatory framework for traditional compounding pharmacies.\u00a0 The legislation removes the constitutional concerns about advertising that were raised in court cases that created ambiguities that the agency had cited.\r\nThe Compounding Clarity Act protects traditional pharmacies by clarifying FDA's role in regulating compounding. \u00a0Under the legislation, traditional pharmacies will continue to remain under the jurisdiction of state boards of pharmacy and remain exempt from FDA\u2019s manufacturing authority. \u00a0The bill protects access to the customized, compounded medications that patients need.\u00a0 Chiefly, all compounding must be done pursuant to a patient-specific prescription, while allowing for anticipatory compounding based on a preexisting relationship with a patient or doctor. \u00a0Recognizing a need for uniform quality, the legislation also establishes an enforceable safety standard for all compounded drugs.\r\nThe legislation also maintains the important practice of office use where drugs can be dispensed to hospitals, doctors\u2019 offices, and other healthcare settings to administer before an identified patient is known. \u00a0However, once these compounded drugs are administered to a patient, a prescription or patient name must be reconciled back to the pharmacy within 7 days. \u00a0The legislation also draws a volume limitation on the practice that both protects public health, while maintaining patient access to these drugs, especially in border regions.\r\nGiven the concerns that FDA received numerous complaints from state boards about NECC and failed to act on them or alert other concerned state boards, the Compounding Clarity Act requires the timely implementation of a notification system to allow for meaningful communication with the state boards of pharmacy; submissions of concerns relating to the products and practices of compounding pharmacies; and facilitation of appropriate inspections and/or enforcement actions from the FDA.\r\nFinally, the legislation clarifies FDA\u2019s authority over the large-scale compounding entities, or outsourcing facilities, by outlining new federal requirements. \u00a0Outsourcing facilities are compounding entities that exceed the legislation\u2019s volume limitations and would now be subject to annual registration; reporting and listing of the drugs they compound; labeling; adverse event reporting; inspections and user fees.\r\nText of the Compounding Clarity Act is attached.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 243, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Republican", "p1": "VA", "p2": "2013"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": 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