Susan Shaer: The Pentagon budget

AFP

As budget chair for the House of Representatives, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) is “The Man.” President Obama presented his budget, and Ryan has announced his. Dueling budgets. Under the Ryan budget, even if you’re part of the infamous 1%, your local services will be cut. That road expansion to bring in more trucks for new…

Robert Hurt: American solutions for job creation

Robert Hurt

The recent December unemployment report provides welcome news that more jobs were created last month at a time when so many are struggling. And while signifying a step in the right direction nationally, the simple fact remains that there are still too many in Central and Southside Virginia out of work, and there is still…

Hurt backs effort to tighten sanctions on Iran

Chris Graham

Congressman Robert Hurt (R-Va.) today released the following statement after the Iran Threat Reduction Act passed the House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support by a vote of 410-11. Congressman Hurt is a cosponsor of this measure. “It is clear that Iran poses a great national security threat to our nation, our allies, and our…

Remarks by Obama, Al-Maliki at joint press conference

AFP

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Please have a seat.  Good afternoon, everyone. When I took office, nearly 150,000 American troops were deployed in Iraq, and I pledged to end this war, responsibly.  Today, only several thousand troops remain there, and more are coming home every day. This is a season of homecomings, and military families across America are…

Warner announces support for tourism initiative

AFP

U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) today announced his support for bipartisan legislation that will increase international tourism by cutting excessively long wait times for overseas visitors to receive U.S. tourist visas.  The legislation, co-sponsored by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), would give the U.S. State Department more tools and new incentives…

Susan Shaer and Kathy Crandall Robinson: The U.S. should ratify test ban treaty

AFP

On September 24, 1996, after intense international negotiations, a verifiable global ban on nuclear test explosions — the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) – was presented for countries to sign. Because the CTBT clearly benefits U.S. national security by constraining other countries’ nuclear weapons capabilities, the United States played a galvanizing role in test…

ACLU seeks details on government’s phone tracking

AFP

In a massive coordinated information-seeking campaign, the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia and 33 other affiliates across the nation today are sending requests to more than 375 local law enforcement agencies large and small demanding to know when, why and how they are using cell phone location data to track Americans. The Virginia affiliate…