As Congress recesses for August, many are breathing a sigh of relief. As Will Rogers once put it, “This country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as we do when a baby gets hold of the hammer. It's just a question of how much damage he can do with it before we take it away from him.”

This break is a chance to reflect on the first six months of the session and to talk with constituents. I am going to travel the district in August to talk with constituents about what is on your mind. If you are looking for an event close to you, simply call my office or visit my website at www.house.gov/graves. If you do not see an event close to you, check back as we add more events throughout the month.

I’m calling this the “Main Street Matters Tour” because I believe that in many ways Congress has forgotten about Main Street. They bailed out Wall Street earlier this year. The stimulus package spent $787 billion dollars, but less than a half a percent was meant to aid small businesses. The House passed a cap and trade bill that increases energy costs and would drive jobs overseas.

I believe that Congress should focus on the concerns of Main Street. The strength of our economy has always been found in our Main Streets from coast to coast.  Congress ought to be helping create jobs instead of passing bills that are going to cost us jobs.

# # #