Congressman Randy Forbes | Washington Update
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Week of October 3-6, 2011 Twitter Facebook YouTube Digg RSS
Launching the Strong Defense, Strong America initiative
Congressman Forbes launched the Strong Defense, Strong America campaign to help make the case to explain why the United States cannot afford further defense cuts. The central piece of this campaign is a resolution that argues that further reductions to core national security funding will cause significant harm to U.S. interests. The resolution now has sixteen original cosponsors, including Rep. Akin, Rep. Thornberry, Rep. Wilson, Rep. Turner, and Rep. Wittman. A website has been set up to organize fact sheets, videos, and news coverage that have been prepared as part of the campaign. The website is available here: http://forbes.house.gov/StrongAmerica/
Tying Government Spending to Congressional Pay
Congressman Forbes reintroduced the Congressional Accountability Pay (CAP) Act, H.R. 3136, to break Congress’ addiction to spending by tying the salaries of Members of Congress to the growth in government spending.  The bill would require a decrease in the rate of pay for each Member of Congress by a specified percentage if outlays for any fiscal year are greater than outlays for the preceding fiscal year.  Read more about the CAP Act here.
Delaying New Regulations to Save Jobs
Congressman Forbes supported H.R. 2681, the Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act of 2011.  This legislation ensures that new federal regulations are fully analyzed for their economic impact to our nation’s manufacturing and infrastructure industries.  At a time when millions of Americans are out of work, it is irresponsible to move forward with new, burdensome federal regulations that have the potential to put thousands out of work.  This legislation, which Congressman Forbes cosponsored, simply delays the implementation of these regulations until new achievable standards and compliance timelines can be set.
This bill passed the House by a vote of 262-161.

Budget

Supported a short-term measure to fund the government.  Congressman Forbes supported a continuing resolution, H.R. 2608, to fund the federal government through November 18, 2011 at $1.043 trillion, as set by the Budget Control Act. The bill provides a total of $2.65 billion in disaster relief funding in response to this year's storms and floods.
This bill passed the House by a vote of 352-66. 

Government Reform

Opposed waste, fraud, and abuse by federal government. Congressman Forbes supported a bill, H.R. 1343, to reclaim broadband funds awarded under President Obama's stimulus bill, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The bill requires the return of broadband stimulus funds if agencies determine that award recipients are engaged in wasteful or fraudulent activities. 
This bill passed the House by voice vote.

Armed Services

Investigated the Readiness of U.S. Pacific Command. Congressman Forbes chaired a classified hearing on the House Armed Services Committee Readiness Subcommittee to assess the readiness challenges facing the U.S. Pacific Command with the Command's Deputy Commander Lt. General Daniel Darnell.

Discussed alliances with Australian Ambassador. Congressman Forbes met with Australian Ambassador Kim Beazley and Major General Timothy McOwan to discuss US-Australian defense cooperation, Australia's concerns about US defense budget cuts, and the shifting security environment in the Asia-Pacific.

Worked to stave off drastic defense cuts. Congressman Forbes spoke at the Coalition for the Common Defense event on Capitol Hill that was hosted by The Center for Security Policy. He discussed his concerns about the defense budget and why the nation and the military cannot afford further cuts.

Foreign Relations

Protected U.S. taxpayers from funding U.N. population control.  Congressman Forbes cosponsored H.R. 2059, to prohibit funding for the United Nations Population Fund.  This bill prevents the Secretary of State from making any contributions to the UN Population Fund, which has been linked to China’s brutal one-child policy.  Chinese law provides for coerced and forced abortion in order to enforce the birth limitation policy.  Funding for the UN Population Fund was cut off from 2002-2008; however, funding resumed in 2009 under the Obama Administration and from the Fiscal Year 2009 through the Fiscal Year 2011, $145 million has been appropriated for the UN Population Fund.  

Called on Iran to release Christian Pastor sentenced to death for his faith.  Congressman Forbes joined five of his colleagues in sending a letter to Iranian Ayatollah Khamenei to demand the immediate release of Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani who has been sentenced to death for refusing to reject his Christian faith.  This letter followed Congressman Forbes’ public statement - calling on the Iranian government to cease their persecution of Mr. Nadarkhani immediately so that the most fundamental human right of religious freedom can be upheld.  To date, Mr. Nadarkhani has not been executed.  Most recently, his case has been referred by the Iranian courts to the Ayatollah who will decide his fate. A copy of the letter is available here and Congressman Forbes' statement calling for the release of Nadarkhani is available here.

Family Values

Noted the importance of prayer in our Nation’s early history. As co-Chairman of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, Congressman Forbes delivered a speech on the House floor to recognize the importance of prayer in the history of our country.  He read from a proclamation issued by John Hancock as Governor of Massachusetts, in which Hancock declared a day of Public Thanksgiving and called upon the people of Massachusetts “to assemble on the said Day—and in the name of the Great Mediator, devoutly and sincerely offer to Almighty God, the gratitude of [their] Hearts, for all his goodness towards [them].” Video of Congressman Forbes' speech is available here.

Defended the right of religious student groups to preserve their religious identities. Congressman Forbes led 22 Members of Congress in sending a letter to Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos, of Vanderbilt University, urging him to ensure that the university’s nondiscrimination policy is not being implemented in a way that discriminates against religious student groups.  Vanderbilt University has placed several religious student groups on “provisional status,” saying the groups are violating the school’s nondiscrimination policy by restricting their leadership positions to students who share the groups’ core religious beliefs. These groups have been long-registered on Vanderbilt’s campus and their policies have been approved by the school in the past. In the letter to Chancellor Zeppos, the Members explained that religious student groups form around specific beliefs, and that religious groups must be allowed to select leaders that share the group’s core religious beliefs in order to maintain their religious identities and carry out their primary functions. Selecting leaders that best represent a student organization’s mission is not discrimination; it is common sense. A copy of the letter is available here.

Opposed guidelines requiring all health care plans to cover sterilization and contraceptives.  Congressman Forbes joined 29 Members of Congress in sending a letter to Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), expressing opposition to the recent HHS guidelines that would require all health care plans to cover sterilization and contraceptives, including some abortifacients, with no cost-sharing by the patient. The guidelines would place numerous insurers and employers in a difficult dilemma, forcing them to decide whether to cease providing health care plans or offer health care plans that violate their deeply-held religious beliefs. A copy of the letter is available here.

China

Informed Congressional colleagues of China’s aggression in the South China Sea.  Congressman Forbes sent a letter to his colleagues in the House of Representatives to bring to their attention a recent article published in the Financial Times that detailed comments by Chinese officials that China's regional neighbors should not “provoke Beijing under the cover of U.S. military power.”  As China continues its unmitigated military modernization, it is increasing its capability to challenge regional stability and U.S. influence in the Western Pacific.  As Congress considers additional drastic defense cuts, it is imperative that Members of the House are kept well informed on the capabilities and intentions of the People’s Republic of China.
About Washington Update
Washington Update serves as a resource to the constituents of the Fourth Congressional District of Virginia on the work of Congressman Forbes. It is published weekly while Congress is in session. Hyperlinks to bill information are provided if the information disseminated by the House of Representatives is available at the time of distribution.

As always, Congressman Forbes welcomes your comments. To share your thoughts on legislation, votes or issues, please visit http://randyforbes.house.gov to send an e-mail or call any of Congressman Forbes' three district offices.

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