As this year comes to a close, so too does the 113th Congress. I believe that we as a country have much to look forward to as a new year and a new 114th Congress begin.
Over the course of the last year, we have faced great challenges — high unemployment rates, rising costs for healthcare, ever-increasing national debt, and stifled job growth as a result of misguided and outdated federal government policies. All of these challenges have stood in the way of a robust economic recovery and greater opportunities for all Virginians.
In fact, over the course of the last year, the House of Representatives has remained laser-focused on advancing a pro-growth jobs agenda to address these challenges and to get our economy moving. During this past 113th Congress, we in the House passed 742 bills, while the Senate only passed 437 bills. In addition, the House passed seven appropriations bills through regular order, while the Senate did not pass any such appropriations bills. It has been very frustrating to work to pass legislation in the House that would make it easier for working Americans to succeed, only to watch most those same bills die in the Senate.
Now that the American people have given us new leadership in the Senate, we will have a new opportunity to get our work done, and I believe our future is bright. We as Americans live in the freest and most prosperous country in the world, and we have the ability to choose which path we will take for our future. We recognize that, like those before us, we have a duty to leave this country a better place for our children and grandchildren.
As we begin a new year and commence a new 114th Congress, we must re-commit ourselves to the promises we have made to work every day to make this place better than we found it, and we must re-commit ourselves to the founding constitutional principles that have made this country great – principles of freedom, self-government, and opportunity. We must work every day to promote policies that will make it easier for our farmers, our Main Street businesses, and our working families to succeed. I believe that if we keep the promises we have made, we will indeed build a stronger America for our children and grandchildren.
As we commence 2015, it is my greatest hope that the new Senate and President Obama will join us in this commitment.
In closing, let me say once again, it is a great honor to serve the people of Virginia’s Fifth District, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and on both sides of the Capitol to address the challenges that we face.
If you need any additional information or if we may be of assistance to you, please visit my website at hurt.house.gov or call my Washington office: (202) 225-4711, Charlottesville office: (434) 973-9631, Danville office: (434) 791-2596, or Farmville office: (434) 395-0120.
Robert Hurt represents Virginia’s Fifth District in Congress.
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