Bob Goodlatte: A busy week

It has been a busy few days in Washington. From committee hearings and meetings with constituents to an abundance of breaking news, here is a rundown of some of the things you may be interested to know:

The IRS recently admitted that certain conservative groups had been singled out for extra scrutiny based on political leanings, including some in Virginia. The IRS must be held accountable for this blatant abuse of power. The IRS is required to remain non-partisan in the enforcement of America’s tax laws. Targeting based on political views, whether conservative or liberal, is inappropriate and a violation of the constitutional rights of these groups. As we continue to learn more, you can be certain that the investigation into this matter is only getting started. Read more here.

This week the House passed a bill to fully repeal Obamacare. I frequently hear from folks throughout the Sixth District who are worried what this law will mean for their health care – if their premiums will rise or if they will still have access to the care they need. Obamacare costs jobs, reduces choices, lowers the quality of care, and hurts the very people it was intended to help.  Let’s start over and focus on the real needs of access to care and reduced costs of insurance. I will continue to work with my colleagues in the House to repeal Obamacare and replace it with true reforms. Read my weekly column on the vote here. 

Attorney General Eric Holder was in the hot seat as a witness at the House Judiciary Committee’s hearing on “Oversight of the U.S. Department of Justice” on Wednesday. As Chairman of the Committee, I hadmany questions for the Attorney General regarding the Department of Justice’s secret probe of the Associated Press as well as information sharing between federal agencies surrounding the Boston Marathon Bombing. Unfortunately, he provided very few answers.

You can watch my questioning of Attorney General Holder: Click here to watch.

We also paused to recognize National Police Week and honor the law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty last year. I want to thank all of our law enforcement officers who risk their lives every day to keep our communities safe. I also spoke on the House floor in support of the National Blue Alert Program. You can watch my remarks here. 

Bob Goodlatte represents the Sixth District in the U.S. Congress.