|
||||||||||
Washington Update Congressman J. Randy Forbes, Virginia's Fourth Congressional District Week of January 8-12, 2007 |
||||||||||
Dear Friends,
Returning home from a week in Washington, its not
uncommon to run into people who wonder, "So, What is going on in Washington,
Randy?
What did you vote on this week? What are the big issues?"
To share your thoughts on the following legislation, votes or issues, please visit my website at http://randyforbes.house.gov and send me an e-mail or call any one of my three district offices. With regards, I am
Yours Truly,
Member of Congress
Defense ü Supported an increase in Iraqi battalions. Congressman Forbes joined several House Republicans in sending a letter to President Bush urging him to ensure that the more than 20 Iraqi battalions currently in peaceful areas of the country are sent to Baghdad to stop the sectarian violence there. ü Reappointed to the House Armed Service Committee. Congressman Forbes will serve on the Readiness and the Seapower and Expeditionary Forces subcommittees. ü Working to continue and expand the Modeling & Simulation Caucus for the 110th Congress. As Founder and Chairman of the Caucus, Congressman Forbes continues to be Capitol Hill’s leading advocate for implementing modeling and simulation technologies.
Family Values ü Cosponsored the Right to Life Act, which declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being, defining "human being" to mean all stages of life, including but not limited to the moment of fertilization or cloning. It is the duty of all Americans to protect our children - born and unborn. This bill would provide protection to all unborn children from the moment of conception. ü Voted against HR 3, the The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, which prevents the use of federal tax-payer dollars for funding incentives for embryo destruction at in vitro fertilization clinics. Congressman Forbes supports other methods of encouraging alternative stem cell research that does not include the unethical destruction of embryos. He also supports funding new scientific research methods that do not cross ethical boundaries and destroy life.
Health
ü
Joined
the House Diabetes Caucus,
a bipartisan group of Congress committed to improving the life of the 17
million Americans with diabetes. The Caucus is also dedicated to
supporting important research funding into diabetes and diabetes-related
complications.
Budget
ü
Cosponsored a
Balanced Budget Amendment, which will force Congress to
enact fiscally responsible spending measures, reduce the deficit, and
ensure that the money our citizens work so hard to earn is not spent on
wasteful spending and programs. The bill requires that Congress not spend
more than it receives in revenues, requires the President to submit a
balanced budget to Congress, and requires a 3/5 majority vote to increase
the debt limit. A Constitutional amendment will force Congress to
eliminate unnecessary and wasteful spending and make the decisions
necessary to balance the budget and eliminate the federal deficit. Workforce ü Supported the Fair Minimum Wage Act, sponsored by Chairman George Miller, which raised the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25. Additionally, Congressman Forbes supported the Republican initiative that supported the increase in the minimum wage and provided support to small businesses.
Judiciary ü Reappointed to the House Judiciary Committee. ü Selected as Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security. ü Appointed as a Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Claims.
International Relations ü Working to continue and expand the Congressional China Caucus for the 110th Congress. Congressman Forbes is the Founder and Chairman of the Caucus.
|