Supreme Court to hear challenge to health-care reform

AFP

The United States Supreme Court said today that it will hear arguments on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – the health-care reform law passed by Congress in 2010. Virginia filed one of the suits that made their way up the federal system with Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and Gov. Bob…

FEMA approves funding for Louisa following quake

Chris Graham

The Federal Emergency Management Administration has approved federal disaster assistance for individuals and business owners in Louisa County who experienced damage as a result of a 5.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Virginia on Aug. 23 and caused more than 40 aftershocks.  Gov. Bob McDonnell had appealed FEMA’s initial decision to deny federal disaster aid to Louisa…

Warner announces support for tourism initiative

AFP

U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) today announced his support for bipartisan legislation that will increase international tourism by cutting excessively long wait times for overseas visitors to receive U.S. tourist visas.  The legislation, co-sponsored by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), would give the U.S. State Department more tools and new incentives…

Robert Hurt: Working to spur job creation

Robert Hurt

We spent this past District Work Week making more stops across Central and Southside Virginia to meet with, hear from, and talk to 5th District Virginians. To kick off the week, we held constituent office hours in Danville and Charlottesville. This gave me the opportunity to sit down and meet with constituents in their communities…

Warner announces bipartisan debt-reduction panel

Chris Graham

U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today announced that he has organized a bipartisan coalition representing more than one-third of the members of the U.S. Senate to encourage the members of the congressional “super committee” to seek the broadest possible bipartisan agreement to address the nation’s deficits and debt. This group of 36 Senators —…

Appeals court upholds health-care law

AFP

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals today ruled that the Commonwealth of Virginia lacks standing to challenge the individual mandate portion of the health-care reform passed by Congress in 2010. The ruling is not expected to be the end to the case brought by Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. It is anticipated that the challenge…