House GOP urges passage of state budget

Ahead of tomorrow’s crucial vote on the Commonwealth’s Fiscal Year 2012-14 budget, House Republicans emphasized the importance of quickly passing Virginia’s biennial budget. House and Senate Budget conferees agreed to the conference report on the $85 billion budget before the Easter Holiday and localities, agencies and schools across the Commonwealth are waiting for final passage…

Chris Graham: Not all that enthusiastic about Obama

Chris Graham

And it’s not that hard for me to admit, actually. And no, I won’t be voting for Mitt Romney, or a third-party candidate, or sitting out the election altogether. But still, I wish I could vote for another candidate for president this November. My first choice would be Mark Warner, a close second Hillary Clinton,…

Warner: Time to run for White House may have passed

Chris Graham

Fourth in a four-part series A popular governor, an even more popular United States senator, Mark Warner is on everybody’s short list as a top contender for president in 2016. Warner himself, though, thinks that his time to make a run for the White House may have passed. “I didn’t know when I didn’t run…

Emmett Hanger: Tackling the budget responsibly

After the Virginia budget stalled in Richmond, I was asked by Republican leaders to serve on the budget conference committee to take a leadership position in making the tough choices.  While we can certainly point to irresponsible spending by national Democrats over the years, we have to honestly admit that Republicans have missed opportunities to…

Warner: ‘Jury is still out’ on bipartisan efforts

Chris Graham

Second in a four-part series Mark Warner ran for the Senate in 2008 as a “radical centrist” who could get Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill to find common ground and work together. The last three-plus years have been trying the patience of the Virginia Democrat. But Warner has hope – a glimmer, at least…

A day in D.C. with Mark Warner

Chris Graham

First in a four-part series It was a seasonal early-spring Tuesday on Capitol Hill. Cherry blossoms were already in bloom after a warmer-than-normal late winter. There was a certain energy in the air with thousands of people gathering in locations surrounding the Capitol related to the then-ongoing arguments before the Supreme Court on the constitutionality…

Laura McDowell White: Health-care reform saved my small auto shop

Letters

According to national news reports, Mary Brown, the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit challenging the health reform law and owner of a small auto shop in Florida, has had to close her business and file for bankruptcy due to thousands of dollars in unpaid medical bills. My husband and I own a small auto shop…