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

AFP

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…

Warner leads health-care cost-saving effort in Senate

Chris Graham

   Staff Report www.warner.senate.gov A group of 11 freshman U.S. senators organized by Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., are introducing today a package of amendments that will broaden and accelerate efforts to encourage innovation and lower costs for consumers across the U.S. health-care system. “The health-reform legislation now being considered by the Senate makes big strides…

Press briefing by Middle East envoy George Mitchell on U.S.-Israel-Palestinian Authority trilateral meeting

AFP

New York, N.Y. MR. GIBBS: Good afternoon. Sorry we’re running a little bit late today. We will do a statement from, and take some questions – our Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, former Senator George Mitchell. SENATOR MITCHELL: Thank you, Robert. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I’ll make a brief statement, and then I’ll…

Webb: Review of U.S. policies in Afghanistan must contain ‘clear and attainable objectives’

AFP

During two Senate hearings this week, Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., emphasized that the Obama administration’s review of U.S. policies in Afghanistan must contain clear and attainable objectives with a defined and understandable end point. He also cautioned against “strategic mission creep” and warned that the United States runs the risk of being perceived as an…

’08 Senate: Gilmore goes on attack against Warner

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Jim Gilmore standing at the podium in Glen Maury Park in Buena Vista at the foot of the Blue Ridge pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. A burly, hirsute man wearing a form-fitting Gilmore T-shirt handed the news reporter standing next to me a similarly-sized paper…