Friday, July 25, 2008 Jim Webb's Website | Constituent Services | Newsroom | Photos | Contact | Subscribe | Unsubscribe |
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In the Senate LEGISLATION AIMS TO REIN IN OIL SPECULATION, REDUCE PRICES AT THE PUMP  In order to provide relief from the skyrocketing costs Virginians are experiencing at the pump, I have cosponsored two pieces of legislation to rein in market speculators, who have been able to bid up crude oil prices to unnatural levels. The legislation would ban unregulated speculative trading of oil futures and other energy commodities and close multiple loopholes that allow energy futures traders to evade federal oversight. Some experts have concluded that excessive market speculation has driven up energy prices as much as 30 percent. Over the next couple of weeks, the Senate will be considering a number of measures like these to address the degree to which irresponsible market speculators are now driving up the cost of oil. When gas is over four dollars a gallon, I believe those of us in Congress have a responsibility to take swift action. Strengthening regulation of futures markets is a necessary and immediate solution, but it is just one part of the solution. We need a comprehensive national energy strategy that focuses on conservation and also incorporates renewable energy, such as wind, nuclear power, clean coal, and offshore energy production. I plan to make the development of a long-term energy strategy a prominent focus of my legislative agenda. To read the full press release, please visit: http://webb.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=301006& CONGRESS ENACTS MEDICARE BILL DESPITE PRESIDENT'S VETO, The bill provides $4 billion in improvements to the Medicare program and blocks a proposed 10.6 percent cut in Medicare and TRICARE payments to doctors. Additionally, the legislation extends and improves low-income assistance programs for Medicare beneficiaries, adds new preventive benefits to the Medicare program, increases FLEX grant funding in rural communities, and reduces out-of-pocket costs for mental health care. With over 750,000 military families enrolled, Virginia has the third largest TRICARE population in the country. I am pleased that Congress overwhelmingly supported and enacted this vital legislation into law. MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES FOR 450,000 VIRGINIANS This week, lower income Virginians will get a much needed increase in their paychecks to meet the demands of rising food and energy costs with a boost to the federal minimum wage. The increase is a result of "The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007," one of the first bills that I cosponsored in the Senate last year.More than 450,000 Virginia workers and 2 million nation-wide will benefit from today's increase which raises the federal minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $6.55 per hour. Today's 70-cent increase is the second of three annual increases since the legislation was enacted on July 24, 2007. The third increase, effective July 24, 2009, will bring the federal minimum to $7.25 per hour. Virginia RICHMOND FEDERAL COURTHOUSE NAME IN HONOR OF  On June 25, Senator John Warner and I announced the designation of the new federal courthouse in Richmond after Judges Spottswood W. Robinson III and Robert Merhige, Jr. These men are two of Virginia's most distinguished citizens and this recognition is an appropriate way to honor the pivotal roles these men played in advancing our nation's civil rights debate. Robinson was one of the key attorneys for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund from 1948 to 1960, achieving national acclaim with his representation of the Virginia plaintiffs in the 1954 landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education. This decision declared "separate but equal schools" unconstitutional. After his work with the NAACP, Judge Robinson became the first African-American to be appointed to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in 1964, eventually becoming a Justice for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 1966, and later Chief Judge of the District of Columbia Circuit in 1981. Robert Merhige, Jr. was appointed Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia where he served for 30 years. While on the federal bench, Merhige presided over important litigation, namely ordering the University of Virginia to admit women, and later ruling in favor of desegregation of a dozen Virginia school districts. His courage in the face of significant opposition is testament to his dedication to the rule of law. IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO RECEIVE YOUR 2008 ECONOMIC STIMULUS REBATE  Because of troublesome developments in the nation's economy, the U.S. Congress passed the bipartisan "Economic Stimulus Act of 2008" to spur consumer spending, assist American businesses, and provide relief to those Americans who are hurting most. While the bill became law February 13, 2008, it is not too late to receive an economic stimulus rebate if you haven't done so already. There are still 123,996 Virginians who may be eligible for the payments, but have not yet filed a tax return. The last day to file your tax return is October 15, 2008, and I encourage those who have not yet filed to take advantage of this rebate. VETERANS' OUTPATIENT CLINICS TO BE BUILT The communities were selected based on a variety of criteria, including veteran population, distance to other veterans' services, accessibility, budgetary considerations, and care-provider partnerships. A $6.6 billion increase in veterans' funding included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 (H.R. 2764) will provide for the construction of the new CBOCs. The development of the CBOCs is an important step in transitioning the VA to a more efficient and modern health-care system, and I am pleased that the recent increase in veterans' spending will make a positive impact on Virginia's veterans. Media Appearances I have appeared on several television shows recently. Click on the links below to watch the following interviews:
Jim Webb's Website | Constituent Services | Newsroom | Photos | Contact | Subscribe | Unsubscribe |
