Robert Hurt: Preserving and strengthening Virginia’s agricultural industry

Robert Hurt

During this past district work week, I traveled to Charlottesville, Danville, South Boston, Altavista, Chatham, Buckingham, and Nelson and talked with constituents there and in the surrounding areas. I heard from students at the University of Virginia and Danville National College, met with many business leaders across the District, and held several constituent roundtables to…

Robert Hurt: America can’t afford inaction

Robert Hurt

Last year’s Congress failed in their most basic governing responsibility by not passing a budget for the first time since the Congressional Budget Act was adopted in 1974, and what we are currently seeing are the real and negative consequences of allowing reckless government spending to go unchecked. Our national debt has skyrocketed to over…

Robert Hurt: The future health of our economy depends on affordable energy solutions

Robert Hurt

While the recent February jobs report issued by the Department of Labor suggests some welcome signs of improvement, our national unemployment rate still remains unacceptably high and our economic recovery still has a long way to go. The House has taken several steps to remove the barriers to job growth by remaining committed to cutting…

Robert Hurt: Cutting government spending to create jobs and grow the economy

Robert Hurt

This week, President Obama gave his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. It was encouraging to hear the President focus on the pressing need to get our fiscal house in order. Where there is room for consensus on these important issues that affect job creation, I look forward to working…

Robert Hurt: The first step, not the last, towards true health-care reform

Robert Hurt

The people of the Fifth District sent a clear message on Election Day in support of repealing the government takeover of health care. This week, I was proud to put the will of the people into action by co-sponsoring and voting to repeal the health care law that raises costs, increases taxes and spending, and…

Kenneth Ehrenthal: Repeal of health-care law would cost dearly

Contributors

At a time when the Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives is trying to repeal the new health law, the reasons for needing the law in the first place have been forgotten in the heated partisan debate. So let’s review. Health care costs were escalating and many were losing their health insurance. Additionally,…

Moran: McDonnell waging ‘$1.1 billion bet’ on Virginia’s future

Chris Graham

Promises to cut federal spending on state transportation projects by the new Republican leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives will have implications on political debates regarding transportation in Virginia. “House Republicans threatening to cut transportation exposes the dangerous flaws in Bob McDonnell’s deficit-spending transportation plan,” Democratic Party of Virginia Chairman Brian Moran said Wednesday….

A merger that isn’t Comcastic

Contributors

On Dec. 3, 2009, the cable giant Comcast announced plans to buy NBC/Universal from General Electric in a $28 billion merger. Ever since, lawmakers in Washington and legions of activists have been raising the alarm about the threat such a deal would pose to telecommunication workers, cable and Internet users, and communities of color. As…

Vanke fights Capitol Hill convention

Chris Graham

A question for Jeff Vanke. You’re an independent candidate for Congress. Let’s say you’re elected. Who do you caucus with? The answer will surprise you. “I wouldn’t caucus with either party. I would have a vote on the House floor,” said Vanke, a self-described “independent centrist” from Roanoke who is challenging Republican incumbent Bob Goodlatte…