Press Releases

GOODLATTE VOTES TO APPROVE THE KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement after voting in support of H.R. 3, the Northern Route Approval Act, which approves construction of the Keystone XL pipeline by removing the requirement for a Presidential Permit, granting the additional Federal permits required for the project, and limiting the legal challenges that can be brought regarding the pipeline’s construction.

“The Keystone XL pipeline permit has been under review for nearly 5 years. How much longer will American jobs and energy security have to wait? It’s hard to argue that a project like Keystone XL is not in the best interest of our country. Yet, the Administration continues to stall.

“Since the White House has repeatedly failed to approve the Keystone XL permit, the House has decided to once again take action to unlock North American energy sources. The 1,700 mile Keystone XL pipeline would transport oil from Canada and North Dakota to U.S. refineries, helping to reduce our dependence on oil from the Middle East and Venezuela. Construction of the pipeline would create 20,000 jobs with the potential to create more than 100,000 spin-off jobs. It would also generate more than $20 billion in spending for the U.S. economy, and, according to the Department of Energy, the pipeline would be able to move up to 830,000 barrels of oil per day. Most importantly, the American people widely support construction of the pipeline. As the list of reasons why this project should be given the green light continues to grow, it is clear that the construction of Keystone XL must advance. These investments should be made in North America, not overseas.”

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GOODLATTE ANNOUNCES WINNER OF CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Bob Goodlatte announced that Patricia Byars, a senior at E.C. Glass High School, was selected as the winner of the Sixth Congressional District’s 2013 Congressional Art Competition.

“Congratulations, Patricia! My office received numerous entries from talented, creative young artists across the Sixth District. I was very impressed with Patricia’s work. Her artwork will be on display for the many visitors who tour the Capitol each year to see. The Congressional Art Competition is a great opportunity for students from our region to showcase their talent in a national forum. I thank all of the students who submitted artwork for this year’s competition as well as the teachers and parents who are helping them to discover their artistic skills.”

Patricia Byars, daughter of Randall and Jessicalyn Byars, resides in Lynchburg and is a senior at E.C. Glass High School. “Still Life” was selected as the 2013 winner of the district-wide Congressional Art Competition. The Congressional Art Competition, An Artistic Discovery, first began in 1982 and is open to all high school students. The winning entries are displayed in a corridor of the U.S. Capitol for one year in an area designated for the artistic talents of today’s youth. An awards ceremony will take place in the Capitol in June.

Leah Givens, a junior at E.C. Glass High School, received second place and Elizabeth Akers, a senior at William Fleming High School, was named the third place winner. The second and third place artwork will be on display in Congressman Goodlatte’s Roanoke and Lynchburg Offices.

“Still Life”

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IG REPORT FINDS SYSTEMIC MISMANAGEMENT IN DOJ'S HANDLING OF TERRORISTS IN WITNESS SECURITY PROGRAM

Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General today released a scathing report on DOJ’s systemic mismanagement in the handling of known or suspected terrorists admitted into the federal Witness Security Program. The IG report found that the number of known or suspected terrorists admitted to the Witness Security Program is unknown, that DOJ has lost track of two suspected terrorists in the program, and that critical national security information is not being shared with other agencies.

Specifically, the IG report found that the Office of Enforcement Operations and the U.S. Marshals Service – the two agencies responsible for managing the Witness Protection Program – did not involve national security stakeholders when admitting and monitoring known or suspected terrorists into the program. After the suspected or known terrorists received a new name and necessary identity-related documents, their new names were not placed on the Transportation Security Administration’s No Fly list – even though their previous names had been listed. As a result, several known or suspected terrorists have been able to board commercial airplanes in the United States. This is especially problematic since the IG report found that terrorists admitted to the program include persons who have been trained in aviation and explosives and individuals who have been involved in bombing attacks. The report also found that crucial information pertaining to national security was not shared with the FBI.

Congressman Bob Goodlatte, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on the IG report:

“This is gross mismanagement – pure and simple – that jeopardizes American lives and cannot be tolerated. Today’s IG report shows that the Justice Department continues to repeat the same mistakes that were made prior to 9/11. While the Department has used the Witness Security Program as a prosecutorial tool in terrorism cases, it has failed to share critical information with the FBI and TSA’s No Fly list when suspected or known terrorists have participated in the program. As a result, terrorists have been able to board planes in the U.S. under their new names even though they are prohibited from doing so. This lack of interagency information sharing appears to be systemic. We witnessed similar interagency sharing problems leading up to last month’s bombings in Boston.

“The House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on this outrageous problem within DOJ in the near future. We cannot afford for history to repeat itself again. The Administration needs to better facilitate interagency information sharing so that we can better thwart future terrorist attacks. The terror threat has not diminished since 9/11—it is ever-present and evolving. ”

Background: Created in 1971, the Witness Security Program is designed to protect witnesses and their dependents that are in danger as a result of their agreement to testify for the government in a variety of cases, such as organized crime, drug trafficking, violent gang, and terrorism cases. Participants in this program are relocated to an area believed to be safe from those who may want to harm them; provided a new identity, and afforded financial subsistence, occupational training, and other means necessary from them to acclimate to their new location.

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GOODLATTE STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION TO REPEAL OBAMACARE

Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House voted to pass legislation that would fully repeal Obamacare (H.R. 45). Congressman Bob Goodlatte placed the following statement in the Congressional Record in support of this legislation:

Mr. Speaker,

Ever since President Obama was first elected and chose to push through a federal takeover of America’s health care system, House conservatives have led the charge to repeal the law commonly known as Obamacare and replace it with true reforms that will increase access and lower costs for consumers. With a string of broken promises from its authors and prominent backers, this law has already forced people off of the insurance they previously had, has increased premiums by thousands of dollars, and has reduced work hours for millions.

The fundamental question facing uninsured Americans was never, “how do we give the federal government more power over our lives?” Yet government control over health care was what the Democrat majority provided. House Republicans offered alternatives that gave our constituents the peace of mind to know that a safety net would be in place for the least fortunate amongst us, and provided commonsense reforms to allow those uninsured or underinsured to get the insurance they needed at an affordable price. Unfortunately, what we got was a law that, as former Speaker Pelosi famously stated, “we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.” Well, we’ve read the bill, and the tens of thousands of pages of regulations to enforce it, and I can tell you the backlash and opposition to the law continues to mount.

One small example of the absurdity of this law is provided by a constituent of mine who lives in Virginia. This small business owner has chosen to insure his employees for the last forty years, helping his employees afford the insurance they need to keep their families healthy. Because of Obamacare, this company is required to spend more than $30,000 to reenroll their current employees. Let me repeat that. Even though these employees already have health insurance, the company is required to pay a fee for each and every one of them, to enroll the employee back into the exact same plan. That $30,000, which could have been used to hire new workers or grow the local economy, will now be sent to bureaucrats in Washington. Instead of health insurance for Main Street, this appears to be health insurance for K Street.

Today the House has a chance to stop growing the size of government, and to give power and freedom back to the American people. Instead of propping up health care exchanges, bureaucratic IPAB rationing panels, and mandates which cost Americans thousands of dollars each year, let’s start over and focus on the real needs of access to care and reduced costs of insurance. We can all admit that our health insurance system can use strengthening, but this is not the way to do it. If you are serious about reforming the health insurance system in this country, then join me in voting to repeal Obamacare and send a message to the American people that we have heard their anger and outrage over this law and we will do what it takes to see it repealed.

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GOODLATTE OPENING STATEMENT AT HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HEARING ON OVERSIGHT OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bob Goodlatte, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, made the following opening statement at today’s House Judiciary Committee hearing with Attorney General Eric Holder:

Welcome, Attorney General Holder, to your sixth appearance before the House Judiciary Committee since your confirmation in 2009. We are happy to have you here with us today.

Last month, the city of Boston and the nation as a whole was gripped with fear as the historic Boston Marathon, traditionally a day of celebration, was attacked by twin explosions that killed three people and injured more than 250.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his older brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev set off the explosions, then shot and killed MIT police officer Sean Collier and seriously wounded Boston Transit police officer Richard Donohue while attempting to elude capture. Tamerlan died after a fierce gun battle with police and Dzhokhar eventually surrendered after sustaining serious injuries himself.

I would like to commend the FBI, and all of the federal, state and local law enforcement agents who worked tirelessly to identify the bombers and apprehend Dzhokhar.

The Patriots Day attack in Boston shows us that domestic terror threats are real, ongoing, and can have deadly consequences. In 2010, FBI Director Mueller and other intelligence officials warned us that domestic and lone-wolf extremists are now just as serious a threat to our safety as al-Qaeda. We have been fortunate that, until April 15th of this year, previous domestic terror plots have been foiled.

The bombings in Boston remind us that the terror threat has not diminished, but that it is ever-present and evolving. It is critical that Congress, and this Committee in particular, ensure that our ability to detect, deter, and prosecute these threats keeps pace with this evolution.

To that end, I look forward to hearing from you today about ways that Congress can amend the federal rules for criminal cases to make sure that we are able to prosecute terrorism cases, while still allowing law enforcement to learn critical information to stop future attacks.

I am also concerned about reports that in the years leading up to the Boston attack, several different federal agencies or departments received intelligence about the bombers. These agencies did not connect the dots – and this is not the first time this has happened in recent years. The question that the Administration and we in Congress need to address is whether there are any improvements that can be made going forward to facilitate inter-agency information sharing, so that we can better thwart future domestic terrorists.

I am also interested to hear today about how the Department intends to tighten its belt in a responsible way during this time of fiscal uncertainty. I was pleased to hear that the Department was ultimately able to prioritize its spending to avoid furloughing federal agents and prison guards in response to the sequester, which reduced the Department’s more than $27 billion budget by approximately 5 percent.

However, after learning of elaborate conferences with $12 cups of coffee, $10,000 pizza parties, and a vast array of duplicative grant programs, I am confident that there are many ways the Department can root out waste and duplication without harming critical missions. With our national debt at more than $16 trillion, the American people deserve no less.

I am also deeply concerned about a pattern I see emerging at the Department under your leadership in which conclusions reached by career attorneys after thorough investigation are overruled by Administration appointees for political reasons.

For instance, investigators from this Committee and the Oversight and Government Reform Committee have uncovered conclusive evidence that Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez, against the strong recommendations of career attorneys, struck a secret deal with the city of St. Paul in order to block the Supreme Court from freely and impartially adjudicating an appeal that the Court had affirmatively chosen to hear. This secret deal undermined the rule of law and robbed the American taxpayers of the opportunity to recover over $200 million fraudulently obtained funds.

What is more, the New York Times recently reported that political appointees at the Department, over the vehement objections of career attorneys, decided to commit as much as $4.4 billion in taxpayer money to compensate thousands of farmers who had never claimed bias in court. A small group of female and Hispanic farmers, based on claims similar to those in Pigford, had made allegations that the Department of Agriculture had discriminated against them in administering its loan programs. However, according to the Times, career attorneys within the Department determined that there was “no credible evidence of widespread discrimination,” that “the legal risks did not justify the costs,” and that it was “legally questionable to sidestep Congress and compensate the . . . farmers out of . . . the Judgment Fund.”

Just last week we learned that IRS employees have admittedly targeted conservative groups for additional and unwarranted scrutiny, just because they chose to exercise their First Amendment rights. This is outrageous, and Congress and the American people expect answers and accountability.

Finally, just two days ago it was revealed that the Justice Department obtained telephone records for more than 20 Associated Press reporters and editors over a two-month period. These requests appear to be very broad and intersect important First Amendment protections. Any abridgement of the First Amendment right to the freedom of the press is very concerning, and members of the Committee want to hear an explanation from you today.

I look forward to hearing your answers on all of these important topics today, as well as on other issues of significance to the Justice Department and the country.

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GOODLATTE & SCOTT STATEMENT ON DAIRY AMENDMENT VOTE

Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressmen Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and David Scott (D-Ga.) released a statement after the Goodlatte-Scott Dairy Amendment failed today in the House Committee on Agriculture’s markup of the FARRM Act, commonly referred to as the Farm Bill. The amendment would have struck the dairy market stabilization program that is included in the base text of the FARRM Act and replaced it with a stand-alone margin insurance program for dairy producers.

“The outcome of today’s vote in the Agriculture Committee on this amendment was disappointing. Supply management is antithetical to the future growth of the dairy industry. Government bureaucracy should not control the size of your herd. A supply control program that will directly intervene in markets and increase milk prices will ultimately hurt dairy producers and consumers as well as dairy food manufacturers by stifling industry growth. This program is contrary to the reforms already in the Farm Bill.

“There is no farm district Member who disagrees on the need for fundamental reform of our dairy programs. The reforms in our amendment give farmers the necessary tools to manage their risk without requiring them to participate in yet another government program. It also clearly accounts for, and allows for, growth in dairy farms. We will continue our efforts to include this bipartisan alternative in the Farm Bill and reform dairy policy when the legislation is addressed on the House floor.”

Summary of the Goodlatte-Scott Amendment

The Amendment would have removed Subtitle D PART I—"DAIRY PRODUCER MARGIN PROTECTION AND DAIRY MARKET STABILIZATION PROGRAMS" and replaces it with a new "Dairy Producer Margin Insurance Program". The amendment provides dairy producers with the option to annually enroll in a new margin insurance program at levels of $4.00 and up to $8.00 in increments of 50 cents. Based on the highest annual of three previous calendar years of their milk marketings, dairy producers are allowed to elect their coverage level and the percentage of coverage up to 80 percent at the start of the program and annually thereafter. Dairy producers are also allowed to update their production history annually. The Secretary is required to make payments to dairy producers enrolled in the program whenever the actual dairy producer margin drops below $4.00 (or below a higher level of coverage up to $8.00). The amendment leaves the rest of the underlying dairy title intact, including the removal of the Dairy Product Price Support Program, the MILC Program, and the Dairy Export Assistance Program and the reauthorization of the 1996 FMMO additional order provision.

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GOODLATTE STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE NATIONAL BLUE ALERT ACT

Tue, 14 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bob Goodlatte made the following remarks on the House floor in support of H.R. 180, The National Blue Alert Act of 2013:

“Tomorrow on the west front of the Capitol, we will honor those law enforcement officers killed last year in the line of duty. In 2012, 127 officers gave their lives while protecting Americans’ public safety, including 3 officers in my home state of Virginia. Although officer fatalities nationwide decreased by 23 percent from the previous year, 66 of these officers were killed in violent or deliberate attacks. Ambush attacks on police officers were the leading cause in fatal shootings, followed by traffic stops or pursuits, drug-related crimes, and robberies.

“H.R. 180, the National Blue Alert Act of 2013, encourages an enhanced nationwide system for distribution of time-sensitive information to help identify a violent suspect when a law enforcement officer is injured or killed in the line of duty.

Click here to view the floor speech.

“A Blue Alert broadcasts information and speeds apprehension. Blue Alerts use the same principle as Amber Alerts for missing children and Silver Alerts for missing seniors. The Blue Alert system is a cooperative effort among local, state and federal authorities, law enforcement agencies and the general public.

“A Blue Alert provides a description of an offender who is still at large and may include a description of the offender’s vehicle and license plate information. Like Amber Alerts, Blue Alerts will help hinder the offender’s ability to escape and will facilitate their capture.

“This bill directs the Department of Justice to designate an existing officer as the Blue Alert national coordinator who will encourage those states that have not already done so to develop Blue Alert plans and establish voluntary guidelines. As of today, eighteen states have Blue Alert networks in place.

“However, there are many examples where an integrated, nationwide Blue Alert system would save lives and help bring fugitive suspects to justice.

“Following the tragic Boston Marathon bombing last month, one of the suspects shot and killed Patrol Officer Sean Collier of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Police Department. One of the subjects approached Officer Collier as he sat in his patrol car and opened fire on him without warning, striking him several times. The subjects then attempted to steal his service weapon but were thwarted by his secured holster.

“The suspects then carjacked a vehicle and led police on a pursuit while throwing explosive devices at pursuing units. The pursuit ended in Watertown, Massachusetts, where one suspect was killed and a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Police Officer was shot and seriously wounded in a gun battle. The second suspect was captured in Watertown the following evening after another tense stand-off.

“The immediate aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing demonstrates how criminals are becoming even more violent, and their contempt for law enforcement and the rule of law is more evident than ever. This year is already shaping up to be a devastating year for law enforcement fatalities. As compared to this time last year, line of duty deaths this year are up 21 percent. Law enforcement deaths by gunfire are up 7 percent compared to May 2012.

“This bill encourages expansion of an integrated Blue Alert communications network throughout the United States, which would ensure that when tragedy strikes, the public is on notice and suspects can be more quickly apprehended and brought to justice. A nationwide Blue Alert network will be particularly effective when a suspect flees across state lines.

“I thank Mr. Grimm of New York and Mr. Reichert of Washington for their work on this bi-partisan, bicameral legislation. An identical Senate measure is pending before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“Supporters of this legislation include the National Fraternal Order of Police, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Sergeants Benevolent Association, and the National Association of Police Organizations.

“This bill reaffirms our commitment to ensure the safety of our law enforcement men and women and the communities they serve to protect every day. I urge my colleagues to support this bi-partisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.”

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GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON IRS TARGETING

Mon, 13 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement in response to an admission by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that they singled out certain groups based on political leanings:

“The IRS should be held accountable for its blatant abuse of power in singling out certain conservative groups for further review. While the Tea Party was not the only group targeted, last year my office was in contact with some local Tea Party groups regarding this issue and also sent a letter to the Commissioner of the IRS addressing these concerns.

“The IRS is required to remain non-partisan in the enforcement of America’s tax laws. This kind of targeting based on political views, whether conservative or liberal, is inappropriate and a violation of the constitutional rights of these groups. As we continue to learn more about the actions of the IRS, it is clear that the Administration is doing little to instill trust in the federal government and owes the American people a thorough investigation of this matter. The House will investigate this issue, and as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, I will closely monitor the investigations conducted by the Ways and Means and Oversight and Government Reform Committees as they move forward.”

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GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON GOSNELL VERDICT

Mon, 13 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A jury today found Kermit Gosnell guilty of three counts of first-degree murder against newborn babies who survived his abortions. The jury also found him guilty of involuntary manslaughter for the death of one of his female patients, Karnamaya Mongar. Gosnell had been charged with the serial murder of infants, the murder of a female patient, and other felonies committed in the operation of his abortion clinic in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement reacting to today’s verdict:

“Justice has been served today but it comes too late for the woman Kermit Gosnell killed in his clinic and the newborn babies who survived his abortions only to be murdered at his hands. The crimes Gosnell committed against the most innocent and vulnerable among us are unconscionable and have shocked us to our core. We must ensure this never happens again.

“What is equally troubling about this case is that the grand jury report found that numerous state and city regulatory agencies in Pennsylvania failed to monitor abortion facilities for political reasons. Federal, state, and local governments cannot idly stand by while such horrific crimes against humanity happen. The House Judiciary Committee is in the process of gathering information from state attorneys general that will help Congress determine how it might help prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.”

Last week, Congressman Goodlatte sent a letter to attorneys general in all 50 states and the District of Columbia seeking to find out if state and local governments are being stymied in their efforts to protect the civil rights of newborns and their mothers and if the federal government might be able to partner with states to prevent newborn homicides. The letter asks the state attorneys general to respond to several questions and to provide copies of any official written procedures or guidance that relate to the gathering of information on, or the prosecution of, newborn homicides by June 1, 2013.

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GOODLATTE SEEKS ANSWERS FROM STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL ON NEWBORN HOMICIDES

Thu, 09 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte sent a letter today to all 50 state attorneys general seeking to find out if state and local governments are being stymied in their efforts to protect the civil rights of newborns and their mothers and if the federal government might be able to partner with states to prevent newborn homicides. The letter asks the state attorneys general to respond to several questions and to provide copies of any official written procedures or guidance that relate to the gathering of information on, or the prosecution of, newborn homicides by June 1, 2013.

This letter follows the shocking allegations against Kermit Gosnell, who is charged with the serial murder of infants, the murder of a female patient, and other felonies committed in the operation of his abortion clinic in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The grand jury report found that in Pennsylvania, numerous state and city regulatory agencies failed to adequately prevent violations of the law under a situation the report calls “regulatory collapse.” Chairman Goodlatte was joined by Constitution and Civil Justice Subcommittee Chairman Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) in sending this letter.

Below are excerpts from the letter. A copy of one of the letters can be found here.

“By now you are surely aware of the trial of Kermit Gosnell. The Pennsylvania Department of Health, whose job it is to monitor facilities like Gosnell’s, conducted sporadic site reviews between 1979 and 1993, citing various violations. But for ‘political reasons’ the Department of Health decided to stop inspecting abortion clinics at all in 1993.

“We have all been shocked by the tragedy in Pennsylvania, and we know many states have strong laws to protect against these types of murders. We are simply writing to gather information about these laws and to see how the federal government might partner with states to help prevent similar atrocities.

“We presume that each of you, upon learning of the failures highlighted by the Gosnell trial, have considered what your state governments are doing to ensure that similar crimes could not be perpetrated in your state. As federal officeholders, we too have an obligation to find out whether newborn infants—who are unquestionably persons under the law, regardless of one’s views on abortion—are being denied their most basic civil rights. We are seeking to find out if state and local governments are being stymied in their efforts to protect the civil rights of newborns and their mothers by legal or financial obstacles that are within the federal government’s power to address.”