Warner pushes streamlining measure in Senate

Chris Graham

U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tom Coburn (R-OK) introduced a bill today that would require the Office of Management and Budget to reduce at least $5 billion in federal spending by eliminating, consolidating, or streamlining government programs and agencies with duplicative and overlapping missions. The proposal reinforces the need for Congress to take…

Gov. McDonnell, Senate Dems go toe-to-toe over redistricting

Contributors

Gov. Bob McDonnell on Friday vetoed the redistricting plans approved by the Virginia General Assembly, citing issues with the plan passed by the Democratic-majority Senate. Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw vowed that Senate Democrats will not back down. “The only thing Governor will accept is absolute surrender on the part of the Democrats of the…

Kaine announces Senate candidacy: ‘We’ve got to be unified’

Chris Graham

Former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine is in the running for the soon-to-be-open U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democrat Jim Webb. “I’m running for the United States Senate because America has big challenges, and I’m convinced that Virginia has answers to help strengthen our nation,” Kaine said in a video released today that announced his…

Poll: Kaine early choice of Dems in 2012 Senate race

Chris Graham

Tim Kaine has the solid support of Democratic primary voters in the early, early runup to the 2012 U.S. Senate race. The former governor and current chairman of the Democratic National Committee was the choice of 53 percent of those polled by Public Policy Polling late last month. Congressman Bobby Scott and former congressmen Tom…

Senate subcommittee kills school-prayer amendment

Chris Graham

A subcommittee of the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee voted today against approval of a resolution to amend the Virginia Constitution in a manner that could encourage unconstitutional prayers in public schools. The vote was 4-3. The bill, HJ 593, had previously passed the House by a vote of 66-33-1. “We are pleased that the…

Crystal Ball: 2012 Senate race a ‘tossup’

Chris Graham

Much uncertainty swirls around the race for the U.S. Senate seat in Virginia up for re-election in 2012 – first and foremost whether incumbent Democrat Jim Webb will even be in the running for re-election. That uncertainty, and the changing political climate in the Commonwealth since Webb’s upset of George Allen in 2006 and Barack…

Poll: Allen leads GOP Senate field, but trails Webb, Kaine in ’12 matchups

Chris Graham

A new poll out today has former governor and U.S. senator George Allen well out in front of a potential 2012 Republican Senate nomination field, but also trailing in hypothetical matchups with Democratic Sen. Jim Webb and another former governor, Tim Kaine. Allen, who lost the seat that is up for re-election in 2012 to…

Perriello blasts Senate on unemployment benefits

Chris Graham

Edited by Chris Graham [email protected]   Fifth District Congressman Tom Perriello today released a statement blasting the U.S. Senate for playing politics with unemployment benefits and Medicare payments to doctors. “The elites in the Senate may have forgotten what it’s like on Main Street for families still struggling in this recession,” Perriello said in the…

Webb criminal-justice reform wins important Senate vote

Contributors

Staff Report With YouTube Video www.webb.senate.gov U.S. Sen. Jim Webb’s legislation to comprehensively review and overhaul America’s criminal-justice system won a major victory on Thursday when the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the measure with bipartisan support. With the backing of 34 senators and dozens of organizations representing a broad spectrum of the criminal-justice community, Webb’s…