Congressman Robert Hurt
Communicating with the people of Virginia's 5th District and hearing your feedback is very important to us. In order to ensure that we keep you up to date on what is going on from month to month, we record a monthly video address. You may watch the video address on our website at hurt.house.gov, and you may read the address below:
"As we celebrate and honor those who have served and those who are serving on this Memorial Day, we are reminded of those who have sacrificed so much to defend our Constitution and our American way of life. We thank them.
"As your representative, I am committed to doing what I can to also defend our constitution and our liberties. Part of that is returning us to our founding principles of limited government, free enterprise, and individual liberty.
"A new study suggests that federal regulations are posing a threat to these principles. They are costing each American household 14,768 dollars. In 2012, the Code of Federal Regulations hit an all-time high of 174,545 pages. It should be no surprise that laws like Dodd-Frank and the President's healthcare law are contributing significantly to this bureaucratic morass.
"In fact, here next to me sits a 20,000 page, 7-foot-3-inch, 300 pound stack of actual health care regulations that will be imposed on the American people.
"This month, noting the negative affects the President's healthcare law is having in Virginia's 5th District, I once again supported a full repeal of the President's healthcare law. Not only is this law increasing premiums on our families, but it is also harming our small businesses and turning full-time work into part-time work for workers across the 5th District.
"Additionally, in May we took action to tackle more red tape by voting, once again, to pave the way for the Keystone Pipeline's approval. The Northern Route Approval Act is critical to reliable North American energy, lowering fuel prices on our families and small businesses, and creating American jobs.
"And this month we have voted on legislation to hold federal agencies accountable for the cost of the rules and regulations they place on the American people. With bipartisan support, we passed the SEC Regulatory Accountability Act. This commonsense legislation ensures that, like other federal agencies, the SEC must conduct a cost benefit analysis of its rules required by Dodd-Frank and all other rules it implements. This will ensure that the cost of SEC regulations do not outweigh the benefit to the American people.
"Finally, this month we have seen just how threatening a growing federal government can be. The IRS scandal whereby the IRS singled out political opponents for tax scrutiny demonstrates not only a troubling abuse of power by this administration, but also an affront to our constitutionally protected Right of Free Speech. Equally as troubling has been the Justice Department's seizure of journalists' phone records. And, like Virginians across the 5th District, I remain gravely concerned about the Administration's failure to prevent and to be forthcoming about the terrorist attack in Benghazi that left three Americans and a U.S. Ambassador dead.
"Our government, founded on the principle that those who govern do so only with the consent of the governed, necessarily must operate in a transparent manner and be accountable to the American people. Understanding our constitutional duty, the House of Representatives is focused on holding the Administration and its agencies accountable for its actions.
"Let me conclude by congratulating Highland School Junior, Finley Broaddus of Warrenton for being chosen as the 5th District's Congressional Art Competition winner. Her painting, entitled "Vint Hill Church," will hang in our nation's Capitol building along with all other winners from throughout the country. Congratulations, Finley, and thank you to all those throughout the 5th who participated in the contest."
As Moore, Oklahoma continues to rebuild, we keep all of those affected by the tornado in our thoughts and prayers. Americans across our country and we in Virginia's 5th District stand with the people of Moore in this time of need.
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