Congressman Robert Hurt's June Monthly Video Address

Thursday, July 2, 2015

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert Hurt (R-Virginia) today released his June Video Address.  Text of the address is available below, as well as video.  You may view the video by clicking the image below, or by clicking here.

 

 

"Hi, I'm Robert Hurt. Thank you for tuning into our Monthly Video Address for the month of June.

 

"Today, I am at the Buckingham County Courthouse in the heart of Virginia's Fifth District. Designed by Thomas Jefferson and originally constructed in 1824, this beautiful building is one of the only two Virginia courthouses that were actually designed by Jefferson himself.  The other courthouse he designed is also still in use and is located in nearby Charlotte Court House in Charlotte County -- and also in Virginia's Fifth District.

 

"The original Buckingham Courthouse, along with all of its records, burned in 1869 but was rebuilt in 1873 and continues to serve the people of Buckingham today.  Prompted by the speculation that the current 1873 structure did not match the original 1824 design described in letters written by Jefferson, a team of archaeologists from Longwood University rediscovered and preserved the original footprint of the courthouse in 2003.  Today, you can visit the courthouse and see their work.  If you have not had the opportunity to visit the historic Buckingham County Courthouse or the Charlotte County Courthouse, I would encourage you to do so.

 

"Back in Washington, a lot has happened during the month of June, including the notable decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that upheld the President's healthcare law. This was disappointing news to me based upon the fact that so many of the people I represent continue to be negatively impacted by this law.  We continue to see employers being forced to cut working hours for their employees; we see families unable to keep healthcare plans they have always counted on; and we see unsustainable increases in insurance premiums, co-pays, and deductibles.  It was my hope that the Court would reach a different conclusion about the constitutionality of this law and give the Congress and the American people the opportunity to begin work on the passage of positive healthcare reform that would actually result in higher quality of care and lower healthcare costs for the American people.

 

"However, despite the Court's adverse ruling, the House of Representatives continued its work to minimize the harmful effects of the healthcare law on the American people.  This month, the House passed the Protect Medical Innovation Act to repeal significant tax increases imposed by the healthcare law on medical devices ranging from dentures to pacemakers to MRI machines.  The House also voted to repeal provisions of the law creating the Independent Payment Advisory Board.  Pursuant to the healthcare law, this panel of fifteen unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats has been given a staggering amount of control over the care Medicare patients receive.  I supported both of these measures and will continue to support proposals that minimize the healthcare law's negative impact on the American people.

 

"In addition to the growing concern among my constituents about the impact of the President's healthcare, I also hear growing concern about the overreach of the federal government in the lives of the citizens it is supposed to serve. This month, Democratic Congressman G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina and I introduced the SHORE Act. This bipartisan legislation amends the Federal Power Act to ensure that private property ownership rights are considered when issuing a license or enforcement action over hydro-power projects at Smith Mountain Lake and similar projects across the country.  I look forward to working with my colleagues to move this bill through the House of Representatives and the Senate -- with the hope that we can get it to the President's desk for signature.

 

"On a lighter note, just last week, I was pleased to welcome our Fifth District Congressional Art Competition winner Sheridan Santinga to the Capitol for a reception recognizing her work.  Sheridan is a recent graduate of Madison County High School, and her painting "Calico Summer" is now on display in the Capitol, where it will be viewed by the thousands of people who visit each year.  You can also view her winning painting on our website.

 

"Finally, please join me in congratulating Coach Brian O'Connor and the University of Virginia baseball team on its stunning victory in the College World Series in Omaha. With their first-ever national championship, the team has made all of us in the Commonwealth proud.

 

"In conclusion, please remember that if you are planning a visit to our nation's capital this summer to contact us to see how we may be of assistance -- we are always glad to see folks from home.  If we may ever be of service to you in any other way, please contact us at one of our district offices or at our Washington office.

 

"We can always be reached at our website at hurt.house.gov -- where you can also sign up for regular legislative updates. And don't forget to join the conversation on our social media pages.

 

"Once again, thank you for tuning in to our June video address."