Don’t ask, don’t tell, DREAM Act fall victim to filibuster

Chris Graham

An effort to get a vote on legislation repealing the don’t ask, don’t tell policy that is used to keep gays and lesbians from serving in the United States military and a vote on a bill that would open educational opportunities and a path to citizenship for undocumented Americans who are long-time U.S. residents failed…

Another Dem-less year in the Sixth

Chris Graham

It had been 10 years since the last Democratic Party nominee challenge to Republican Bob Goodlatte when Sam Rasoul made a run at the Sixth District seat in 2008. Goodlatte’s 61 percent showing in 2008 was convincing enough to convince Democrats not to field a candidate against the incumbent in 2010. The question today –…

Senators raise issue with proposed Roanoke VA office renovations

Chris Graham

U.S. Sens. Jim Webb and Mark Warner on Thursday sent a letter requesting Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and General Services Administrator Martha Johnson re-evaluate plans to renovate the Roanoke Veterans Affairs Regional Office. The renovations, as currently planned, would likely exacerbate the VARO’s high backlog rate without solving some of its major infrastructure needs,…

DREAM to reality

Chris Graham

Isabel wanted to create an impression on her visit to Washington, so she had members of the group there to lobby Sen. Mark Warner for support for the DREAM Act to wear their graduation caps. “We weren’t sure if we would actually be able to meet with him one-on-one,” she said. But the senator was…

Moving Waynesboro Forward: Two years later

Chris Graham

Written by Chris Graham [email protected]   “Chris Graham is the choice.” I don’t remember the exact wording. I do remember reading the headline that said this or something pretty close out loud and thinking, This is it! “What?” My wife, Crystal, was incredulous. She could sense it, too. Skimming through the endorsement editorial in the…

Christopher G. Miller: Choosing clean water in Virginia

Chris Graham

Column by Christopher G. Miller Submit guest columns: [email protected]   Over the past 50 years, the cities, towns, and suburban neighborhoods of Virginia have grown dramatically, adding millions of new people, new shopping malls, and the roads and parking lots that go with them. The storm sewers and other facilities we have were not built…

Fool me once … Will the Loophole Lender Lobbyists get their way again?

Chris Graham

   Column by Jay Speer Submit guest columns: [email protected] It is astonishing that the payday lenders could get caught thumbing their noses at our state legislators last year and now try to claim they have some sort of “right” to do their loophole loans. The 2008 General Assembly enacted several changes to the Virginia payday…