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Washington Update Congressman J. Randy Forbes, Virginia's Fourth Congressional District Week of March 26 - 30, 2007 |
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Voted against
H.Con.Res. 99, the 2008 Budget Resolution. This budget, which
passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 216 – 210, would
inflict the largest tax increase in American history – nearly $400 billion
over five years and an average tax increase of $3,119 for Virginia
taxpayers. Congressman Forbes voted in favor of the budget substitute
amendment, which includes manageable spending, continued tax relief and
reserve funding for emergencies. National advocacy groups in favor of this
budget substitute include: Freedom Works, Citizens Against Government
Waste, the Club for Growth and the National Taxpayers Union. For
information on fiscally responsible legislation that Congressman Forbes
has cosponsored, click
here.
ü Announced the formation of a "Call to Prayer for America." Congressman Forbes, Chairman of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, was joined by over 35 other Members of Congress from 21 states for a bi-partisan press conference on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Members officially gathered to recognize the significant role that prayer has played in the history of our nation and to encourage individuals to pray for America.
ü Cosponsored H.R. 1343, the Health Centers Renewal Act of 2007. This legislation would allow for continuation of the successful Health Centers program for an additional five years. Established more than 40 years ago, the Health Centers program provides access to quality preventive and primary health care in needy communities, including service to millions of Americans without health insurance. Health centers are a critical component of our nation's health care safety net, providing quality health care to 16 million underserved individuals nationwide.
ü Cosponsored H.R. 552, the Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation Act of 2007, which would create specific cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation benefit categories under Medicare. Currently, neither pulmonary nor cardiac rehabilitation services are specifically included in Medicare, causing coverage to be inconsistent, often resulting in limited access to necessary care for patients.
ü Joined the Cancer Care Working Group, which works to better understand how Congress can support quality cancer care. The group meets regularly to hear presentations and discuss legislative initiatives affecting cancer care and patient treatment options.
ü Signed a letter to the House Budget Committee, asking them to protect access to hospital care for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Nearly 2/3 of America's hospitals lost money treating Medicare patients in 2005. This letter asks the Budget Committee to oppose any budget cuts to community hospitals in the 2008 federal budget, or any cuts in hospital spending in Medicare or Medicaid, so that hospitals can continue to provide high quality care to all who come through their doors.
ü Cosponsored the Medicare Payment Advisory Committee (MedPAC) Rural Representation Act, which would ensure that rural areas are represented on MedPAC. MedPAC is charged with analyzing issues affecting the Medicare program. Congress looks to MedPAC’s recommendations on Medicare payment policies to shape legislation.
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Cosponsored
H.R. 1078,
the Comprehensive Cancer Care Improvement Act of
2007, which makes changes to the Medicare system so it more
appropriately pays for all of the services needed to provide patients with
more thorough cancer care, including development of cancer care plans.
H.R. 1078 would also create grant and research programs aimed at enhancing
the quality of care for all cancer survivors.
ü Cosponsored H.R. 1586, the Death Tax Repeal Act of 2007, which would provide better financial stability to small businesses and family farms by eliminating the federal estate and gift taxes. This legislation would also make permanent the estate tax approved by Congress five years ago, set to expire in 2010.
ü Cosponsored H.R. 1622, which would provide a waiver for Virginia schools from the sanctions of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) for schools that are deemed "failing" under NCLB. Schools would be eligible for this waiver if they meet a particular criteria and receive approval from the Governor. This legislation allows Virginia schools that are struggling with the current Limited English Proficiency (LEP) standard to be released from the burden of NCLB sanctions.
ü Voted in favor of H.R. 1538, the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act, which passed the House of Representatives. This legislation ensures that soldiers receive adequate care and would improve the oversight of facilities, procedures and outpatient care services. This legislation sets the stage for much needed reform of administrative processes and is an important step toward eliminating delays and improving care for our wounded soldiers throughout the entire recovery process.
ü Welcomed the Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) leadership and its commander, Air Force Gen. Lance Smith, to Capitol Hill at a reception on Wednesday. The event provided an opportunity for the leadership of JFCOM to highlight its capabilities to Members of Congress. JFCOM, located in Norfolk and Suffolk, VA, is responsible for integrating training and equipment across all branches of the military and is a focal point for defense experimentation efforts. JFCOM’s training hub, the Joint Warfighting Center in Suffolk, coordinates the military's joint training, largely through the use of modeling and simulation efforts.
ü Cosponsored H.Con.Res. 98, a resolution emphasizing the importance of funding for the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) implementation. The resolution asks that important military construction funding not be included in other legislation, which could cause its passage to be delayed.
ü Hosted a briefing by the RAND Corporation, in conjunction with the Congressional China Caucus, on their new report titled “Entering the Dragon’s Lair: Chinese Antiaccess Strategies and Their Implications for the United States.” For more information about this report, click here. Members of the audience included representatives from the Department of Defense, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the U.S. Navy, the Congressional Research Service, the Congressional Budget Office, and the Department of Homeland Security.
ü Cosponsored the Stop AIDS in Prison Act, which would require the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to test all federal prison inmates for HIV/AIDS upon entering prison and again prior to release from prison, unless the inmate refuses the test. The bill also requires the BOP to develop a comprehensive policy to coordinate HIV/AIDS testing, treatment, and prevention programs for inmates in federal prisons and those who are about to reenter the community.
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