WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following opening statement as part of a virtual hearing entitled "Examining the Policies and Priorities of the U.S. Department of Education": * * * We are meeting to discuss the Department of Education's budget request for Fiscal Year 2022 and examine the Department's priorities to support students, educators, and communities. Secretary Cardona, welcome to the Committee on Education and Labor and thank you for being with  more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. David Scott, D-Georgia, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, and Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, chair of the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry, issued the following news release on June 29, 2021: House Agriculture Committee Chairman David Scott and Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee Chair Abigail Spanberger issued the following statement after the announcement of Randy Moore as Chief of the United States Department of Agriculture's Forest Service: "I would like to congratulate Mr. Randy Mo more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: A bipartisan majority of the U.S. House of Representatives today voted to pass U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger's two bipartisan bills to prevent abuses of presidential power and repeal outdated, inactive Authorizations for the Use of Military Force (AUMFs). Last month, Spanberger led the introduction of bipartisan legislation that would repeal the 1991 AUMF against Iraq, which was Congress' authorization for the First Gulf War of 1991 in resp more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. Don Beyer, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on June 29, 2021: Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), a senior member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, today celebrated the adoption of H.R. 2225, the National Science Foundation for the Future Act, and H.R. 3593, the Department of Energy Science for the Future Act, both of which passed in the House of Representatives last night with broad bipartisan support. "This legislation will support continued leadership and achievement in American scientifi more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. Gerald "Gerry" Connolly, D-Virginia, issued the following news: The House Committee on Oversight and Reform advanced the Merit System Protections (MSPB) Board Empowerment Act, legislation authored by Government Operations Chairman Gerry Connolly to reauthorize the MSPB through 2026. "Our committee took an important step today in protecting federal employees and whistleblowers," Chairman Connolly said. "We need a functioning MSPB, and our bill will provide certainty that the Board is authorized through 2026. But thi more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on June 29, 2021: Congresswoman Elaine Luria today introduced the Strategic Lebanon Security Reporting Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at pressuring the Lebanese government to disarm paramilitary groups within its borders, including Hezbollah -- a terrorist organization -- and Iranian proxy militia. Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY-1) joined Congresswoman Luria in introducing the measure. "Having been to the Israeli-Lebanese border, I've seen the rockets aimed at more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on June 29, 2021: House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Vice Chair Elaine Luria today pressed Army leadership on the role of American ground forces in the event of a conflict with China. In a hearing on the Army's Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Request, Army Chief of Staff General James McConville discussed the role of the Army in the Pacific Theater. Vice Chair Luria also questioned the duplicative programs in this year's defense budget, specifically the long-ra more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on June 29, 2021: Congresswoman Elaine Luria today voted for the IG Independence and Empowerment Act (H.R. 2662), bolstering the independence of inspectors general and empowering them to investigate abuses at federal agencies. "Inspectors general play an integral role in ensuring the federal government is serving the interests of the American people," said Congresswoman Elaine Luria. "I voted to protect inspectors general from political retaliation and exp more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. Carol Miller, R-West Virginia, issued the following remarks on June 29, 2021: During a Republican Ways and Means Committee meeting, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) spoke against Democrats' supercharged second death tax on family businesses. A second death tax would make the loss of a loved one a taxable event by forcing families to sell off significant parts of their inherited business in order to pay capital gains tax. This move would devastate West Virginia family-owned small businesses, farms, and ranches beca more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), the Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, helped secure $1.5 million for the Hampton Roads Community Action Program's Head Start program, which provides early childhood education and comprehensive support to at-risk children and families. The funding was provided as part of the American Rescue Plan. The Hampton Roads Community Action Program will use these resources primarily to ramp up family su more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger is leading a bipartisan effort calling on Congress to strengthen support for the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC's) COVID-19 Telehealth Program, particularly as demand for routine telehealth services has skyrocketed in the wake of the pandemic. In a letter sent to congressional leadership in both parties, the bipartisan group emphasized the high demand in their districts for reliable telehealth service more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. Robert J. Wittman, R-Virginia, issued the following news release on June 29, 2021: Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) was appointed to the House Republican China Task Force (CTF). Following the release of the comprehensive China Task Force Report in September, Mr. Wittman and the Task Force will work to implement this "blueprint" for bipartisan action to counter the People's Republic of China (PRC). The Republican Members of the CTF will continue probing the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) coverup of the origins of COV more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, issued the following news release on June 29, 2021: U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced that applications are open for the $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund, which was authorized in the American Rescue Plan. Eligible schools and libraries can apply for funding to purchase laptops and tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers and broadband connections for students, staff and library visitors. Applications are open from June 29th to August 13th. "Without broadband access, We more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on June 29, 2021: U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) applauded an announcement from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) that it has selected a location for a new Southside outpatient clinic for veterans in Hampton Roads. The 196,000-square-foot outpatient facility will be constructed on a 25-acre parcel of land on the Chesapeake Regional Hospital campus and is the result of a successful bipartisan effortoriginally spearheaded by Sen. Warner in 2016 t more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on June 29, 2021: U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $13,715,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded to four airports across the Commonwealth to fund infrastructure improvements to the airports' runways. "We are pleased to see these federal dollars awarded to the Commonwealth to go toward updating four of Virginia's airport runways," said the Senators. "This funding will enable our airports to better s more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on June 29, 2021: U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $13,715,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded to four airports across the Commonwealth to fund infrastructure improvements to the airports' runways. "We are pleased to see these federal dollars awarded to the Commonwealth to go toward updating four of Virginia's airport runways," said the Senators. "This funding will enable our airports to bette more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: With Congress preparing to take up this year's government funding legislation, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have formally requested robust funding to ensure the full implementation of the Ashanti Alert system. This alert system was authorized through the Ashanti Alert Act, a law authored and championed by Sen. Warner to help save lives. "As you prepare the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 appropriations, we write to  more PR

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: With Congress preparing to take up this year's government funding legislation, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have formally requested robust funding to ensure the full implementation of the Ashanti Alert system. This alert system was authorized through the Ashanti Alert Act, a law authored and championed by Sen. Warner to help save lives. "As you prepare the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 appropriations, we write  more PR