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Jim Webb

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Moran Votes 'No' on Fiscal Cliff Deal

Congressman says measure puts Northern Virginia 'on the chopping block.'

The U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday night passed HR 8, the Tax Relief Extension Act, a permanent extension of many Bush-era tax cuts by a vote of 257 to 167. The late-night vote was taken at 10:57 p.m. The legislation keeps the Bush era tax cuts for individuals making less than $400,000 and couples making less that $450,000. It also makes permanent the fixes for the Alternative Minimum Tax and delays government spending cuts for two months. Here's the breakdown of Northern Virginia's votes Tuesday on the so-called "fiscal cliff" legislation, which the Senate passed early Tuesday morning: The legislation came to a vote in the House Tuesday night after it was passed by the Senate in the early hours Tuesday morning. Webb and Warner …

John Farrell

9:08 am on Thursday, January 3, 2013

Moran got it exactly right. Republicans won again and our President demonstrated a spine more like his hero's predeccesor in the White house than Honest Abe.   more ›

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Sen. Webb Receives Literacy Award

He's the author of nine books.

Retiring Virginia Sen. Jim Webb (D) joined famed authors Ruth Colvin and David Baldacci on Wednesday to receive the National Literary Leadership Award. The nonprofit National Coalition for Literacy presented the awards at the Dirksen Senate Office building in D.C.  The awards recognize individuals who have made "extraordinary national contributions to improving adult literacy and English language learning in the United States."  Webb, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and author of nine books, made his comments brief. "This (funding adult literacy programs) has been an issue close to my heart as long as I've been in the Senate," sais Webb, who was elected in 2006. "My father went to night school for 26 years to get his degree, and, he said…

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Virginia Democrats Prepare to 'Guard the Change'

State party convention drew more than 2,000 to the city of Fairfax this weekend.

FAIRFAX — Perhaps U.S. Sen. Mark Warner put it best: "In 2008, we changed the guard. In 2012, we need to guard the change." More than 2,000 Democrats from across the commonwealth descended on George Mason University this weekend for the Democratic Party of Virginia's State Convention. The gathering served as part pep rally, part organizational meeting as activists mobilize for November. Party leaders had similar messages, previewing what they will try to hammer home while Virginia is in the national spotlight as a battleground state for the U.S. presidency. That message, they say, is that the right-wing takeover of the Republican Party has made this country, and this state, unrecognizable and infringes on the rights of gays, women and …

Allie

9:10 am on Tuesday, June 5, 2012

'Merit' in Germany between 1933 and 1945 was based on membership in the National Socialist Party.   more ›

Monday, November 7, 2011

Democrats Hope to Retain Control of VA Senate

A Get Out the Vote Rally at George Mason University focused on voter turnout and the importance of retaining control of the state Senate.

"Grab three or four or five of your friends and get out to vote," Senator Mark Warner told a crowd gathered outside the Johnson Center at George Mason University Monday afternoon. A virtual who's who of Virginia Democrats gathered to encourage voting in an election expected to have low turnout, with much at stake. Democrats took control of the Virginia Senate in 2007, for the first time in almost a century.  They hope to retain that control November 8.  If Republicans gain enough seats to win it back, the GOP would have complete dominance in Richmond. "The races will be determined by tens of votes, hundreds of votes," said Warner.  "If you will do your part [by voting], you will make a difference." According to the Virginia State Board of …

Terrence Dankel

6:45 am on Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Surely there was no party politics in establishing the two new districts, eh?   more ›

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

NOVA Lawmakers: BRAC Ain't Over Yet

Webb, Warner, Moran and Connolly question DoD Transportation Management and Occupation Plans for Mark Center property

Today, U.S. Reps. Jim Moran (D-8), Gerry Connolly (D-11) and Democratic Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner sent a letter of concern to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. They're worried that Interstate 395 will be a traffic-choked mess because of inadequate transportation planning at the Mark Center by the Department of Defense. The Base Realignment and Closure move at the Mark Center property near I-395 and Seminary Road, is home to Washington Headquarters Services, which will receive 5,000 of its 6,400 total relocated employees by this December. Known as BRAC #133, the project has been viewed with skepticism.  "We are concerned that the Department’s occupation plan is not being adequately coordinated with appropriate transportation …

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RJ

1:21 pm on Thursday, September 29, 2011

This is about 395...not about FFX Parkway.   more ›

Thursday, July 14, 2011

NOVA Lawmakers: 'Strong Opposition' on BRAC Move-in Plans

Senators Webb and Warner, and Reps. Moran and Connolly express concerns in letter to Defense Secretary.

The Department of Defense's occupancy plans for the Washington Headquarters Services facility at Alexandria's Mark Center property has been met by "strong opposition" by members of Northern Virginia's congressional delegation.  It is widely agreed that the road network surrounding the facility cannot currently meet rising demand. The facility has to be ready for operation by Sept. 15, 2011.  "The plan… contravenes the department’s assurances to work with the Virginia delegation and local governments to ensure that the occupation of the Mark Center does not cause failing levels of service to surrounding roadways and intersections, including Interstate I-395," wrote U.S. Senators Jim Webb (D) and Mark Warner (D), and Reps. Jim Moran (D-8th) …

demwatchdog@gmail.com

10:32 am on Friday, July 15, 2011

BRAC is a disaster and the city council was looking the other way. The 2008 letter inviting BRAC to Alexandria and saying there would be plenty of road capacity went to all the city council members from City Manager Jinks (who is aplying to be the full time city manager) and no one objected. Now one council member, Rob Krupicka says he opposed BRAC's location and single handedly save the Winkler …   more ›

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Five Things You Need To Know Today: June 1, 2011

High of 96 degrees, live music at Lee District Park, BRAC letter and more.

That heat advisory is still in effect for today, with a high temperature near 96 degrees. There is a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Live music from The Nighthawks will kick off Lee District Park's 2011 Summer Entertainment Series at 7:30 p.m. Yesterday, U.S. Reps. Jim Moran (D-8th), Gerry Connolly (D-11th) and Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Secretary Robert Gates urging him to delay the Mark Center move. More information has been released about the robbery of a teen in Kingstowne in April.  Cable News Network (CNN) began broadcasting today in 1980.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Moran, Connolly, Webb and Warner Urge for Mark Center Delay in Letter

The Virginia officials sent the letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Today, U.S. Reps. Jim Moran (D-8th), Gerry Connolly (D-11th) and Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Secretary Robert Gates urging him to delay the Mark Center move. The full text of the letter is below: Dear Secretary Gates: We write today to express our strong concern with the Department of the Army’s recently submitted Transportation Plan for the implementation of BRAC Recommendation #133 at Fort Belvoir-Mark Center, Virginia.  The plan, required by Section 2704 of the Fiscal Year 2011 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 111-383), is partially false and fails to address Congress’s fundamental requirement that “existing levels of service” be preserved at roadways and intersections …

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