Governor Glenn Youngkin spoke at a rally on Monday where he shot hoops with children and called for his supporters to pressure their legislators to support the tax relief package included in his budget amendment proposal.
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Virginia’s outdoor recreation economy grew 20.9 percent in 2021, adding $9.4 billion and making up 1.6 percent of Virginia’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to a November report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).
“I’m thrilled to see this level of economic growth of Virginia’s outdoor recreation. I’m looking forward to continuing my work in Washington to ensure that our outdoorsmen and women have the opportunities and resources they need to continue enjoying their time in our great outdoors for generations to come,” Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) said in a newsletter Friday.
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State Senator Jen Kiggans (R-Virginia Beach) defeated Representative Elaine Luria (D-VA-02) 51.99 percent to 47.86 percent in preliminary results. Also, Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) won her race against Prince William County Supervisor Yesli Vega 51.93 percent to 48.07 percent, and Representative Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) defeated Hung Cao 52.95 percent to 47.05 percent in preliminary results, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
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All four of Virginia’s Republican congressmen voted against a continuing resolution to continue funding the government through December 16, 2022; the bill passed Friday with just 10 votes from Republicans nationally, sending the bill to President Joe Biden who signed the legislation the same day. In press releases, three of the Virginia Republicans criticized the bill for continuing Democratic spending. Representatives Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) and Elaine Luria (D-VA-02), both in competitive elections in swing districts, criticized Congress’ use of continuing resolutions but said the bill is necessary to keep government open.
Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) cited similar good-governance concerns as his reason for voting against the bill.
He said Friday, “Today’s passage of a Continuing Resolution – an irresponsible stop-gap measure – is an unfortunate reminder of Washington’s ‘budget by crisis’ mentality.
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All four of Virginia’s Republican congressmen voted against a continuing resolution to continue funding the government through December 16, 2022; the bill passed Friday with just 10 votes from Republicans nationally, sending the bill to President Joe Biden who signed the legislation the same day. In press releases, three of the Virginia Republicans criticized the bill for continuing Democratic spending. Representatives Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) and Elaine Luria (D-VA-02), both in competitive elections in swing districts, criticized Congress’ use of continuing resolutions but said the bill is necessary to keep government open.
Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) cited similar good-governance concerns as his reason for voting against the bill.
He said Friday, “Today’s passage of a Continuing Resolution – an irresponsible stop-gap measure – is an unfortunate reminder of Washington’s ‘budget by crisis’ mentality.
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The Ronald Reagan Institute held a round table hosted by Governor Glenn Youngkin and Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA-01), and attended by others including Representative Elaine Luria (D-VA-02). The Monday event held at Mount Vernon is part of the organization’s national effort to dialogue with business leaders and elected officials about a report from its Task Force on Manufacturing Competitiveness.
On Monday evening Youngkin said in a statement, “The Commonwealth of Virginia holds a vital role in bolstering U.S. manufacturing competitiveness and it’s a key priority of my administration. I want to thank the officials and legislators who worked on the Reagan Task Force report and convened today to address our workforce shortages, industrial capacity, supply chain resilience, address any deficiencies and brainstorm solutions for the betterment of the Commonwealth. Virginia is home to important defense contractors and more have moved their headquarters to the Commonwealth in the last year. Together, we can grow the Commonwealth’s defense economy and enhance Virginia’s defense manufacturing capabilities.”
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With Congress in recess and midterm elections approaching, Virginia’s senators and representatives have been touring the Commonwealth, visiting local businesses and organizations while highlighting legislative goals and wins.
“The Democrat Party is an evil to be defeated,” Representative Bob Good (R-VA-05) told the Amherst County Republicans on Monday while describing his efforts to advance national pro-life legislation, according to video from The Danville Register and Bee.
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Amid the Biden administration’s plans to sell historic amounts of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) has introduced the “No Oil for CCP Act.” The bill specifically bans exporting SPR oil to China, North Korea, Iran, or recipients under the influence of the Chinese Communist Party.
“Following reports that the Department of Energy sold nearly 1 million barrels of Strategic Petroleum Oil to a Chinese owned petrochemical company, I sounded the alarm on the implications this would have on our economy and national security. By prohibiting the sale of petroleum products to China, Chinese controlled companies, Iran, or North Korea, the No Oil for CCP Act would provide much needed oversight and increased security. Any transfer of the United States’ SPR’s oil to China – or other foreign adversaries – must stop. I look forward to advocating for this legislation and holding this Administration accountable,” Wittman said in a Wednesday press release.
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The House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with added funding after Virginia Representatives Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) and Elaine Luria (D-VA-02) blasted the administration’s original military spending proposals for not including a large enough budget and for planning to decommission some ships. Wittman was the only Virginia Republican voting in favor of the bill after the House Freedom Caucus criticized it the day before the vote.
After passage of the NDAA on Thursday, Wittman praised it in a press release: “In today’s increasingly divided political world, today’s passage of the NDAA is encouraging proof that Congress can still work together for the greater good of our nation. This year’s NDAA does right by our servicemembers and their families, reverses Biden’s reckless defense cuts, counteracts Biden’s harmful inflation, provides the resources we need to deter Chinese aggression, and protects our homeland.”
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Facing a July 1 national deadline for members of the military to comply with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, Governor Glenn Youngkin and Virginia’s Republican congressmen sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin asking him to permanently delay the mandate.
“[T]his directive will unnecessarily impact troop readiness, at a time when the Virginia National Guard has substantial deployments and as our nation enters hurricane season. These guardsmen deserve the opportunity to continue to serve, and we need them,” the letter states.
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The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) approved Wednesday a $37 billion military spending increase sponsored by Representatives Elaine Luria (D-VA-02) and Jared Golden (D-ME-02) with the support of HASC Vice-Ranking Member Rob Wittman (R-VA-01). Some of the proposed spending includes $1.2 billion for a new guided missile destroyer, about $7.4 billion to offset rising costs due to inflation, and $1 billion for more Patriot missile systems.
After the HASC approved the increase over President Joe Biden’s original National Defense Authorization Act proposal, Luria said in a release, “The bipartisan Golden-Luria amendment passed today will increase purchasing power and counter inflationary pressures on the military, invest in public and private shipyards crucial to maintaining the fleet, and ensures that we have the resources necessary to counter the threats we face from China, Iran, and Russia. This amendment sends a message to our adversaries that we will meet the moment when it arises, and I look forward to negotiating with the Senate on a final topline amendment number.”
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Representatives Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) and Elaine Luria (D-VA-02) are concerned that the Biden administration’s FY 2023 spending plan and an associated 30-year shipbuilding plan will increase risk. In a Wednesday hearing of the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, Wittman and Luria questioned officials about the impact of the administration’s budget.
Wittman, the subcommittee’s ranking member, also submitted a scathing written statement to the official record, criticizing the shipbuilding plan, saying he would reject an “anemic shipbuilding request,” that plans to retire vessels, seeks to not maintain the naval aviation plan, would “eviscerate our mine countermeasure warfighting capabilities,” “irreparably harm our nation’s ability to support future forcible entry options” by reducing amphibious forces, and would “waste significant taxpayer’s monies.”
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