Monday, February 18, 2013
Governor sends letter to president, congressional delegation.
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell sent a letter to President Barack Obama and the Old Dominion's congressional delegation on Monday, calling for immediate action to prevent automatic spending cuts under sequestration. The $1.2 trillion in cuts — meant to force Congress to compromise, which hasn't happened — are slated to go into effect March 1. That deadline has been pushed back several times as lawmakers have brokered Band-Aid solutions. "The automatic sequestration reductions mandated by the Budget Control Act of 2011 are already having a significant adverse effect on the Commonwealth," McDonnell stated. "When fully implemented, they could force Virginia and other states into a recession. Sequestration-mandated reductions will be implemented …
Monday, February 4, 2013
What will it mean for the Northern Virginia economy?
Sequestration — $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts to defense and civilian programs over the next decade — will likely happen, and it will mean thousands of layoffs, program eliminations and near-certain economic devastation for Northern Virginia, said Virginia Congressmen Jim Moran (D-8th) and Gerry Connolly (D-11th) on Saturday at a town hall meeting in Mount Vernon. "You need to be aware that this is probably going to happen," said Moran, who spoke at an annual meeting conducted by Mount Vernon District Supervisor Gerry Hyland. "It's a democracy and things will ultimately play themselves out, but things are not going well right now (in Congress)." Congress averted the fiscal cliff crisis at the beginning of the year, and …
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Virginia Governor suggests changes in Del. Bob Marshall's bill to block state agencies and employees from participating in the military detention of U.S. citizens without trial.
Monday, March 12, 2012
RICHMOND – Gov. Bob McDonnell has signed legislation that will require first-time DUI offenders in Virginia to install a Breathalyzer in their vehicle to prevent them from driving while intoxicated.
RICHMOND – Gov. Bob McDonnell has signed legislation that will require first-time DUI offenders in Virginia to install a Breathalyzer in their vehicle to prevent them from driving while intoxicated. The governor signed House Bill 279 on Wednesday. As a result, beginning July 1, all Virginians convicted of DUI will have to have an ignition interlock installed in their vehicle.Currently, that requirement applies only to repeat offenders. Virginia will “join just 15 other U.S. states in requiring this proven effective technology for all persons convicted of drunk driving,” Kurt Erickson, president of the Washington Regional Alcohol Program, said Thursday. His group campaigns against drunken driving. The General Assembly this session passed …
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
House passes amended bill that does not require internal sonogram after governor changes course.
Update, 4:33 p.m. Wednesday: The Virginia House of Delegates passed on Wednesday a revised version of a GOP-sponsored informed consent bill (HB462) that would require women to undergo an ultrasound at least 24 hours before having an abortion. The new bill, which requires women to receive an external, transabdominal ultrasound rather than a more invasive transvaginal ultrasound, passed by a vote of 65-32. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) revoked his support for the original bill minutes before the House began debate, saying that the government did not have the power to require the transvaginal procedure. The amended bill now returns to the Senate where its sponsor, Sen. Jill Vogel (R-Winchester), has said she will strike the legislation. A …
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
The task force's initial plan, released Monday, targets education mandates with 20 of the 61 recommendations focused on the subject. The other 41 mandates recommended for elimination are in various areas of government.
A task force has targeted 61 state mandates for elimination with the goal of unburdening local governments, the governor said this week. Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) appointed a five-member task force, led by Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity (Springfield), last fall in response to legislation passed in the 2011 General Assembly that called for a review of state mandates imposed on localities. Legislation has been introduced in the General Assembly to address the Task Force for Local Government Mandate Review's suggestions. "On the state level, we don’t like it when the federal government hamstrings us with mandates and red tape," McDonnell said. "Unnecessary or over-reaching mandates are just as detrimental to local governments." The task …
Marguerite Stiemly
9:30 pm on Friday, February 22, 2013
Sequestration is a bitter pill to swallow. The effects are going to be dire because they are intended to be. And yes, those effects may make the problem worse, before making it better. The idea behind sequestration is to compel our elected representatives to work together and compromise. If they don’t everyone suffers. It is horribly unfair that the Commonwealth will pay such a heavy price should… more ›