DC on jobs, gas, and aircraft carriers

Just some quick bullets this morning on what has happened this past week in DC, and how our Virginia delegation has responded.

The national employment report was released this morning. While payrolls increased 244k last month (up from the 185k forecast) – the best gain since May 2010 – our unemployment rate remains at 9%.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA01) responded to today’s news:

“With our unemployment rate still at 9%, it is clear that far too many people remain out of work, which is why House Republicans are squarely focused on making Washington a partner to job creators rather than a barrier by pursuing pro-growth measures such as comprehensive reform of our tax code, reducing trade barriers, and increasing domestic energy production.”

Keying in on that last point about increasing domestic energy production, yesterday, the entire Republican delegation and Virginia’s governor Bob McDonnell pleaded Virginia’s case to allow oil and natural gas exploration and drilling go forward off of Virginia’s coastline.

McDonnell penned an op-ed in the Richmond Times-Dispatch and also said in a statement:

“Today, Virginia businesses and families are paying, on average, $3.88 per gallon for gasoline. That’s up $1.00 from a year ago. The Energy Information Administration estimates that gasoline will cost the average U.S. household $1,210 more this year than in 2009. That is money that could be spent by families on education, groceries and vacations. Instead it is money being spent at the pump. The pain at the pump is the result of many factors, one of which is the result of our ongoing dependence on foreign sources of oil. That is why I strongly support increasing domestic energy production from every possible source, including wind, solar, biomass, nuclear, oil and natural gas. A key part of that effort should be the environmentally responsible development and production of oil and natural gas off of Virginia’s shores.”

The Restarting American Offshore Energy Act (HR 1230) passed the House yesterday 266-149, which included votes from Democrats such as Rep. Shelia Jackson-Lee of Houston. Apparently Virginia’s Democratic Reps. Bobby Scott and Gerry Connolly could not see the benefit.

“Energy production offshore of the Commonwealth would create thousands of jobs while at the same time providing more supply to combat rising energy prices,” said Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA01). Wittman represents most of Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay shoreline and also announced the formation of the Congressional Chesapeake Bay Watershed Caucus yesterday.

Additionally, Congressman Scott Rigell (R-VA02) said: “I hear about gas prices and the job market everywhere I go. This bill moves the needle on both of those.” Rigell’s District consists of Virginia’s Atlantic coast, which would be most affected.

Finally, Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA04) exerted some influence over the federal budget to take dollars away from funding improvements to the port facility at Mayport, Fla., which is designed to keep the Navy from homeporting an aircraft carrier there.

Forbes, Chairman of the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee, worked to strike the $30 million for Florida and said:

“The portion of the annual national defense policy bill approved today after an extraordinarily cooperative, bipartisan effort by the Readiness Subcommittee will make significant improvements to the war fighting capabilities of the Armed Forces. In addition, it will make important investments in Virginia, particularly throughout the Fourth District, to ensure that our troops, weapons systems, equipment, naval bases, and military facilities are not only maintained, but more importantly are enhanced,” said Forbes.

The subcommittee also fully funds shipbuilding construction plans, increases funding for Navy ship and aircraft depot maintenance. and authorizes nearly $75 million for modernization and improvements to Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

Speaking of the budget, U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), ranking member of the budget committee is waiting for something tangible from POTUS.

“As it stands now, we have no plan to have any real reduction of the deficit we’re facing from this Administration, or the Democratic Senate, let alone a ‘framework’ to reduce it by $4 trillion. But they pretend it’s so, and that’s offensive, and the American people are not happy about it. They know that this Senate and this Congress has a responsibility under the law and under any morality and decency to produce a budget that says what we’re going to do with their money.”

Don’t waste your breath, Senator. They took three days to debate amongst themselves whether we should release a photo, what makes you think they were working on a real public policy issue?

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