president obama

Earth Talk: Barack Obama’s climate change initiative

Roddy Scheer

In what’s being billed as the greatest environmental initiative of his presidency, Barack Obama announced on June 25, 2013 that his administration is instituting stringent mandatory restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions by power plants, factories and other industrial sources. These sources combined account for roughly 40 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions across the U.S. The goal is to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions nationally by four percent below 1990 levels within the next seven years.

Senate passes comprehensive immigration reform

Chris Graham

The U.S. Senate voted 68-32 today to pass an immigration reform bill that among other things will offer millions of undocumented immigrants a path to legal status. Virginia’s two Democratic senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, joined the majority vote in favor of the legislation, which will also step up the enforcement resources to be sent to the nation’s southern border.

mark warner

Warner leads bipartisan effort to restructure housing finance system

Chris Graham

U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Bob Corker (R-TN) introduced bipartisan legislation today to strengthen America’s housing finance system by replacing the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with a streamlined, privately-capitalized system that preserves market liquidity and protects taxpayers from bailouts during any future economic downturns.

valley program for aging services

Farm Market Fresh for Seniors Program Back in June

Chris Graham

During two enrollment sessions in June, older adults with limited income will be eligible to receive $40 in coupons to purchase fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and cut herbs at the Staunton, Verona, and Waynesboro Farmer’s Markets this summer, thanks to the Farm Market Fresh for Seniors Program jointly sponsored by Valley Program for Aging Services (VPAS), Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, and Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.