Share
The ink is barely dry on the paperwork, but Andy Schmookler isn’t wasting any time making the most out of his campaign’s latest accomplishment. “In the weeks and months ahead, I will be increasing my public challenges of Bob Goodlatte,” Schmookler wrote to his supporters in an email announcing he had secured the Democratic nomination…
Share
My many stops and meetings throughout the Fifth District have painted a clear picture of the concerns Fifth District Virginians have regarding the most pressing issues facing our country today. At the top of that list is the President’s health care law. These policies put forth in Washington have very real effects on Central and…
Share
As I continue meeting and talking with citizens across the Fifth District, it remains clear that too many are suffering not only from the President’s economic policies, but also from the budget-busting policies put forth in the government takeover of health care that was signed into law nearly two years ago today. Just this past…
Share
Career politicians in the U.S. Congress are quick to reach out to voters around election time. This is natural since it is the voters who will determine who gets elected. However, these politicians are continuously reaching out to special interests who supply the large amounts of money needed to run a successful campaign. So, the…
Share
Gov. Bob McDonnell announced on Wednesday the first phase of a new online interactive database of state crash information that is free and open to the public. The state-of-the-art automated Traffic Records Electronic Data System centralizes Virginia’s crash data and related information from multiple agencies into one location. Now, for the first time, the public…
Share
Listening to debate on the floor of the House of Delegates these days could lead one to conclude that Virginia’s relationship with the federal government is one of the principal issues facing the Commonwealth. The debates are not unlike those that took place when Virginia considered ratifying the new Constitution and joining the Union in…
Share
It has been more than 40 years since President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. This resulted in the distinctly American creation of public television and public radio, which at its core was meant to provide a service to “enrich man’s spirit.” WVPT Public Television has demonstrated that public media has…
Share
The 2011 session is proving to be one of the busiest I’ve seen. A typical day starts before 7 a.m. when constituents come to the General Assembly Building to meet with their legislators, followed quickly by 7:30 a.m. subcommittee meetings. Standing committees meet before and after the 12 p.m. session and last into the evening,…
Share
Last week, I left the U.S. Congress after a final legislative act – unanimous passage of my bill to make sure that no American soldier is welcomed home from duty with a foreclosure notice. For the next two years, our heroes in uniform will be protected from foreclosure for at least 9 months after a…
Share
Facing a question on GOP-sponsored state legislation pushing electricity rates up pretty dramatically in Southwest Virginia, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli deflected at a town-hall meeting in Rocky Mount Thursday to a discussion of cap-and-trade legislation that has been stalled in Congress for a year. “Cap-and-trade legislation failed in the U.S. Congress. It didn’t pass. For…
Local news is in “serious jeopardy,” according to experts. Pitch in and help AFP continue to deliver news to the Valley, Virginia and beyond.