Tag: Morgan Griffith

Biden-Harris Admin Routed ‘Environmental Justice’ Cash to Left-Wing Activists, House Report Details

Daily Caller News Foundation
Climate Justice Alliance

The House Energy and Commerce Committee released a new report Monday detailing how the Biden-Harris administration has given huge amounts of taxpayer cash to left-wing activist groups under the guise of “environmental justice.”

The report highlights how the Biden-Harris Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) used hundreds of millions of dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) — President Joe Biden’s signature climate bill — to line the pockets of left-wing activist groups aligned with the administration’s sprawling climate and green energy agendas. The use of taxpayer funds to support these activist groups, some of which already receive considerable financial support from large environmentalist outfits like the Environmental Defense Fund and the Energy Foundation, is arguably “akin to a taxpayer-funded lobbying operation,” the lawmakers argue in the report.

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Virginia Redistricting Commission Votes to Start with Blank Maps

Eric Burk

The Virginia Redistricting Commission voted Monday to start with blank, new maps. Some legislators proposed an alternate proposal to draw two sets of maps, one based off current maps, and one from a blank slate, but that motion was defeated.

Citizen Commissioner Sean Kumar (D) introduced the initial motion for blank maps, noting that in public comment, most of the public has expressed a desire for new maps, and that both parties have an interest in protecting the incumbents.

Barker introduced the substitute plan to draw the two sets of maps, and Senator Steve Newman (R-Bedford) seconded it.

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Virginia Congressional Leaders React to Ongoing Afghanistan Crisis

Matthew Hall

President Biden addressed the nation late Monday afternoon to discuss the ongoing national security and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Some congressional leaders were furious at the Biden Administration’s lack of leadership on the issue. Congressman Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-02), a former Democrat who switched parties in 2020, lashed out and called for the resignation of President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) hinted Monday that the Cabinet should consider invoking the 25th Amendment to remove President Biden.

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Virginia Sen. Warner and 20 Other Senators Announce Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan, But Biden Says Democrats Still Need to Pass Separate, Larger Proposal

Eric Burk
Mark Warner of Virginia

Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia) and other members of a bipartisan team of 21 senators announced an infrastructure plan that includes $579 billion in new spending over the next five years. President Joe Biden also announced his support for the deal on Thursday. Warner and Biden highlighted it as a win for bipartisanship. At the same time, Biden emphasized that he wouldn’t sign the bill without Democrats passing an additional larger infrastructure bill through reconciliation.

“This group of senators, and all the American people, can be proud today, because we’ve reaffirmed once again: we are the United States of America,” Biden said. “I know a lot of you in the press, particularly, doubt that unity is possible, that anything bipartisan is possible. It’s hard, but it’s necessary, and it can get done.”

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Virginia Congressman Bob Good Fined $500 for Not Wearing a Mask in the House of Representatives

Eric Burk

Congressman Bob Good (R-Virginia-05) is one of several Republican representatives who refused to wear a mask in the House this week, leading to warnings and fines.

“I’ve received a warning and a $500 fine for my effort to stand up against Speaker Pelosi’s anti-science rule, which is clearly just for political theater. Speaker Pelosi’s mask mandate on the House floor is not about science, it’s about control and virtue signaling for the TV cameras. This week, I stood my ground, and refused to dignify this ridiculous rule by continuing to comply,” Good said in a statement Thursday.

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President Biden Visits Virginia for ‘Getting America Back on Track’ Tour

Eric Burk
Joe Biden at elementary school

President Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden visited eastern Virginia Monday for the “Getting America Back On Track” tour. The President stopped at Yorktown Elementary School in Newport News, and gave a pitch at Tidewater Community College for his $1.8 trillion American Families Plan (AFP). He said expanding education for every American is critical to keep the U.S. competitive internationally, and called for tax increases on corporations and the wealthy to fund the plan.

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Wise County Satellite Internet Success for Students Leads to Expansion to Neighboring Counties

Eric Burk

Wise County Public School’s (WCPS) pilot program with SpaceX Starlink to provide satellite internet to rural students has been a success so far, and area officials and legislators are considering expanding the program to neighboring counties. In an April 8 press conference WCPS Director of Technology Scott Kiser provided an update on the program which has helped 45 homes with close to 100 students.

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GOP Lieutenant Governor Candidates Ramp Up Their Campaigns

Eric Burk

71 percent of Republican voters are undecided about the GOP Lieutenant Governor candidates; a recent Christopher Newport/Wason Center Poll found just eight percent of voters supported Delegate Glenn Davis (R-Virginia Beach), with Tim Hugo in second place at four percent. But the Republican Party of Virginia nomination convention is just over two months away, and the five candidates for the nomination are working to build the biggest list of delegates to the convention.

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All Four Virginia Republican Congressmen Challenge Pennsylvania’s Electors

Eric Burk

All four of Virginia Republican congressmen voted in support of objections to at least one state’s electors, joining 147 Republican representatives from across the country, according to The Washington Post. Congressmen Ben Cline (R-VA-06), Bob Good (R-VA-05), Morgan Griffith (R-VA-09), and Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) all voted to support objections to Pennsylvania’s electors. Of the four, Wittman was the only one who did not also support a challenge to Arizona’s electors. The objections for both states were defeated, and objections to other states did not have enough support in the 117th Congress to go to a vote.

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Virginia Politicians Split on Objecting to Biden Electors

Eric Burk

Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia) said in a Tuesday press call that legislators who challenge electoral results are undermining Americans’ faith in democracy, but three of Virginia’s Republican congressmen support a challenge, and two have committed to vote to challenge the results.

Warner said, “We’ve got what traditionally has been a pro-forma event happening tomorrow, January 6, where the House and the Senate meet in tandem to basically count the certified electoral votes.”

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Virginia Legislators Blast 5,593 Page House Bill Passed Just Hours After Legislators Get The Full Draft

Eric Burk

The U.S. House of Representatives leadership gave legislators just hours to consider a 5,593-page omnibus spending bill incorporating over $900 billion of coronavirus relief and $1.4 in government funding for fiscal year 2021. The bill was made available on Monday afternoon, with voting beginning on Monday evening, where it passed just after nine p.m.

“After several delays and last-minute haggling, we finally began receiving text of the COVID relief bill at 11:30 am this morning. This bill is likely to be thousands of pages, so I’m canceling my afternoon appointments & digging into the bill. As Reagan said, “Trust, but verify,” Congressman Ben Cline (R-VA06) tweeted.

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Sen. Warner: New Relief Bill Will Likely Include $600 Stimulus Checks, Less Unemployment Coverage

Eric Burk

Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia) is confident that the Senate will soon pass the two-part COVID-19 relief package he helped develop. In a Thursday telephone press conference, Warner described key provisions of the plan and addressed controversy over a stimulus check added to the package while also limiting provisions to extend federal unemployment benefits past Christmas.

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