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http://biggovernment.com/ecantor/2010/04/28/it-is-not-the-same-gop/

Janis Breakfast flyer

When – Tuesday, April 20th

Time – 7:30 – 9:00 am

Where – Virginia Automobile Dealers Association Headquarters
1800 West Grace Street
Richmond, VA

Please contact Mike Hazlewood to RSVP at – mike.hazlewood@gmail.com

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/video/video.php?v=1326579677474&oid=272873998122

There are three video’s click the above link to view

Highlights of HOUSE Appropriations Budget Amendments

• Fully restored Car Tax Relief to taxpayers at cost of $950 million each year
• Rejected Kaine’s proposed statewide 17% increase in Income Tax Rates
• Eliminated from the budget all $145.8 million in new Fees from Kaine-proposed budget
• Limited the Impact of Kaine’s Dealer Discount Proposal – Compensation provided to retailers for collection of sales tax was removed only from those who file electronically (less than 1,800 retailers) while remaining 94,000 retailers retain 50% of the compensation they currently receive for collecting and remitting sales taxes at point-of-sale
• Used revenues identified in Mid-Session Reforecast to establish a fiscally responsible reserve of $165.0 million for the state’s Rainy Day Fund payments that will be required in the next biennium
• Included a total of $310 million each year in targeted K-12 cost reductions achieved by eliminating state mandates to local school systems and providing additional local flexibility
  • These amounts are offset by over $270 million in local VRS savings annually

• Net impact on school divisions of approximately $40 million per year

• Amendments offer localities latitude to address reductions in manner that works for their jurisdictions by relaxing mandates relating to student-teacher ratios as well as by block granting certain programs
• Invested $54 million over the biennium in programs and tax credits that will create jobs across the Commonwealth, bolster our tax base and ensure Virginia remains the best state in which to do business
• Limited reductions in Health and Human Resources to about $210 million over the biennium while working to mitigate impact on the health safety net and providers with disproportionate share of Medicaid patients
  • Amendments provide funding to lift the freeze on Medicaid home- and community-based waiver slots, including MR waivers, which impacts about 3,360 low-income elderly and disabled individuals
• Made restorations in the area of public safety and other constitutional officers
  • Reductions to Commonwealths Attorney’s limited to 5%

• Reductions to sheriffs of less than 5% each year, including the restoration of funding to maintain the 1:1,500 ratio

            Approximately 75% of cuts restored for Commissioners/Treasurers

• Made no additional reductions to base funding for higher education institutions in light of the scope of reductions they already have faced.

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Thank you Mr. Speaker, Members of the House. Joining us here at the Capitol today are Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venture Scouts, Sea Scouts and their adult volunteer leaders from around the Commonwealth who are visiting here at the Capitol to celebrate the Centennial of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America. Last week, on Scouting’s 100th Birthday the House adopted House Joint Resolution 236 Commemorating a century of service to our Commonwealth and our Nation. These young Scouts represent the 73,000 young Virginians who benefit from Scouting programs today, as well as the 35,000 volunteer adult leaders who make those programs possible.

            Back in 1910, a Chicago lawyer was on a business trip to London and became hopelessly lost in the fog. A young boy approached him and offered to lead him back to his hotel. When William D. Boyce tried to pay the boy a tip for his help, the unknown young man refused and explained, “No sir. I am a Boy Scout, and Boy Scouts never accept any reward for doing a good deed,” and then disappeared into the fog. That unknown Scout, and his anonymous good deed, so impressed Boyce that he visited the founder of Scouting, General Robert Stephenson Smith Lord Baden-Powell, and obtained information about the new youth movement. On February 8, 1910, Boyce, and other Americans concerned with promoting good citizenship by developing young men of virtuous character, founded the Boy Scouts of America in Washington, D.C.

            Over the past 100 years Scouting has produced generations of young men of character, fully prepared for lives of leadership and service to others. Even folks who were never involved with Scouting recognize their distinctive uniforms, their dedication to Be Prepared and to Do a Good Turn Daily, and most everyone recognizes and respects the Eagle Scout Award, the pinnacle of achievement and highest award that may be earned by a Scout.

            Eagle Scouts must of course demonstrate proficiency in camping, cooking, hiking swimming and first aid. But they must also demonstrate leadership, planning and organizational skills, learn the essentials of personal financial management and physical fitness, and develop a lifelong habit of public service to others. The Gentleman from Lancaster, Mr. Pollard, will be happy to know that Scouts also learn sound stewardship of natural resources, to be clean in their outdoor manners, considerate of others, and be conservation minded. The Gentlewoman from Richmond, Delegate McQuinn, will be happy to know they must be careful with fire. We all know that the ranks of famous Eagle Scouts include Presidents like Gerald Ford, astronauts like Neil Armstrong, and legendary athletes like Hank Aaron. Most here would not be surprised to learn that the Clerk of the House and Keeper of the Rolls of the Commonwealth, Bruce Jamerson, is an Eagle Scout. Of course, my seatmate, the Gentleman from Albemarle, Delegate Bell, is also an Eagle Scout.

            But what makes this award so special is that most Scouts don’t make it to Eagle. Joe Thiesman told the Scouts last night that he only made it to Life Scout. Governor Bob McDonnell told the Scouts earlier this morning he only stayed until he had earned his Second Class Badge, and nearly destroyed his mother’s kitchen earning the Cooking Merit Badge. Delegate Alexander is a proud Life Scout from Troop 102 in Norfolk, Virginia. But each of these men agree that their time in Scouting has given them skills and values which continue to influence them even today.

            Of any one hundred boys who become Scouts, it must be confessed that thirty will drop out in their first year. Perhaps this may be regarded as a failure, but later in life, all of these men will remember that they had been in Scouting and will speak well of the program.

            Of the one hundred, Delegate Bell will tell you that only rarely will one ever appear before a Juvenile Court judge. Twelve of the one hundred will be from families that belong to no faith community or place of worship. Through Scouting, these twelve and many of their families will be brought into contact with a church, temple or synagogue and will continue to be active in that faith all their lives. Six of the one hundred will become ministers.

            Each of the one hundred will learn something from Scouting, and all will develop hobbies that will add interest throughout the rest of their lives. Approximately one-half will serve in the military, and in varying degrees, profit from their Scout training. That’s why the Armed Forces and especially their service academies, place a high premium on recruits who have been Scouts. The Gentlemam from Alexandria, Delegate Englin, is both a graduate of the Air Force Academy, and an Eagle Scout.

            At least one will use his Scouting experience to save another person’s life, and many may credit it for saving their own.

            Four of the one hundred will reach Eagle rank. That statistic holds true here today on the floor of this House. At least one will later say that he valued his Eagle above his college degree….. in this case, that would be me!

            Many will find their future vocation through merit badge work and Scouting contacts. Seventeen of the one hundred boys will become adult leaders and will give leadership to thousands of additional boys. Like Siver Beaver Award recipients Delegate Morgan Griffith and Speaker Bill Howell, they have given hundreds of hours of volunteer service to their local councils. Or like Star Scout Onzlee Ware, who as a recent college graduate, before he was the Delegate from Roanoke City, was a District Scout Executive with the Blue Ridge Council.

            One in four boys in America will become Scouts, but it is interesting to note that, of the top leaders of this nation in business, religion, professional sports, the military and politics, three out of four were Scouts. Scouting makes our young men better citizens. Think about it: What if every young Virginian promised on their honor to be trustworthy, loyal, and helpful, friendly, courteous and kind, obedient, cheerful and thrifty, brave, clean and reverent? Would we need to spend so much time considering new laws and regulations? Would we need so much government?

            So today Mr Speaker, Members of the House, I hope you all will please join me to honor the Scouts and their leaders, for 100 years of service to our Commonwealth and our Nation, producing generations of young men of character, ready and prepared for lives of leadership and service to others.

On Tuesday February 16, 2010, the House of Delegates paused to honor the Cadets of Benedictine High School.

At noon, the House was called to order for the daily legislative Session, and the invocation was delivered by the Very Reverend Gregory Gresko, OSB, Prior Administrator of the Benedictine Abbey in Goochland, and Headmaster of the Benedictine High School.

During the “morning hour,” I rose for a brief “point of personal privilege,” to remind my colleagues from throughout Virginia, of the many contributions made by the “Men of Old B.C.,” over the past 100 years. Since it’s founding at Richmond in 1911, Benedictine High School has produced generations of leaders for our Commonwealth and our Nation, in times of war and peace, and in every sector of our society.

If you live in Richmond, you probably know a Benedictine Man. Whether in the arena of politics, public service, athletics or business, Benedictine graduates continue to lead the way.

Among the leaders in public life and politics, Benedictine can claim such leaders as Former Congressman Thomas J. Bliley, Jr., Congressman Robert Wittman (R-VA1), former Delegate Joe Benedetti, and our own gentleman from Prince William, my colleague Delegate Scott Lingamfelter.

Henrico County Sheriff Mike Wade, and Chief of Police Henry Stanley are among the many Benedictine graduates who keep us safe each day.

The Richmond business community leaders in every industry who bring the values and skills they learned at BHS to build successful businesses and brings jobs and prosperity include Freddie and Johnny Siewers, Frank Eck, Thomas Hancock, Leon Stepanian, Huddy Hyman and Del and Drew Mugford, just to name a few.

Benedictine has always excelled on “the fields of friendly strife,” producing sports legends such as Bobby Ross, Granville “Granny” Hamner , John Kuester, Bambale Osby, Ed Davis and “Chick” Chakales to name just a few.

And in every war since 1911, the graduates of this tiny school have served in every place and clime, and include heroes who have won 12 Distinguished Flying Cross medals, 3 silver stars, 45 recipients of the Purple Heart, and 4 Prisoners of War. Of the 31 graduates who have earned the Bronze Star, one, Delegate Scott Lingamfelter, earned his during Operation Desert Storm. Most significantly, 30 Benedictine Men have given the last full measure of devotion, and died in battle as  result of hostile enemy action, in defense of our liberty and security.

Benedictine will celebrate her 100th Anniversary in 2011, and I was proud to introduce the Cadets, faculty and staff of this Richmond institution to the members of the Virginia House of Delegates on Tuesday.

To see video – (as posted on my Facebook page) Click link below -

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We’ve just completed the first full week of the 2010 General Assembly. Here are some highlights from this week at the Capitol.

On Monday night, Governor Bob McDonnell delivered his first “State of the Commonwealth” Address to the Joint Assembly of the House and Senate. Repeating major themes he addressed in his Inaugural Address, Governor McDonnell outlined with more detail his legislative agenda for the upcoming year. Most notably, the Governor repeated his commitment to balance Virginia’s budget with no taxes, no fees and no gimmicks, and renewed his promise to veto any legislation that attempts to impose new increased taxes on Virginia families and businesses.

In December, outgoing Governor Tim Kaine sent a proposed budget to the General Assembly that was based on a “gimmick.” Instead of creating a balanced budget based on our best forecast of revenues for the upcoming two years, Tim Kaine refused to make the tough choices and provide his list of priorities for cuts and spending, and instead, “kicked the can down the road” for Bob McDonnell to deal with in January.

Specifically, Kaine’s proposed budget refused to make balanced cuts in spending, and instead, was based on $2 Billion in additional revenue from a proposed increase in the Virginia Income Tax-a tax increase which Kaine knew would not be supported or passed by the Republican majority in the House, and which Bob McDonnell had already ruled out as a viable approach to balancing our budget.

Delegate Bob Brink (D-Arlington) introduced a bill to impose Kaine’s $2 Billion Income Tax increase in the House. Normally, these bills are sent to the House Finance Committee where the Republican majority defeats these ill-conceived and politically-motivated measures, without most of the House Democrats having to go “on-the-record” for or against them. These bills are calculated to score partisan political points against the House Republican budget writers, by suggesting that there would have been alternatives to funding cuts to popular state programs that will necessarily be a part of the budget drafted in the House, if only the House Republicans had allowed the tax increase to be fairly considered by all House members.

Speaker Bill Howell instead referred the bill to House Rules, which reported it directly to the House floor without a recommendation, affording every House member to take a recorded vote for or against raising taxes on Virginians by $2 Billion in the middle of our current recession. On Thursday, Tim Kaine’s proposed tax increase was defeated on the House floor by a vote of 98-0. Not a single Democrat or Republican voted for raising taxes on hardworking Virginians to balance the state’s budget. Perhaps now the “loyal opposition” will settle in to work together with House Republicans to make the tough choices on cuts and spending priorities necessary to produce a balanced budget without massive new tax increases.

I met with several constituents who visited this week at the Capitol, including Cub Scouts from St. Bridget’s, military veterans, local radiologists, students and vetinarians. The most enjoyable part of my duties as Delegate is meeting with folks from back in the District, especially those who are visiting their Capitol for the first time.

This week promises to pick up the tempo at House committees begins to consider in earnest the thousands of bills and resolutions introduced this year and assigned by the Speaker. Until next week……