Sunday, September 25, 2016

York County District 5 Town Meeting, October 11, 2016

Dear Neighbors,

 

Please join me for a York County District 5 Town Meeting on October 11, 2016, in the Tabb Elementary School Gymnasium.  The address is 3711 Big Bethel Road. The meeting will start promptly at 7 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m.   

 

It has been nearly two years since the last District 5 Town Meeting and it’s time for an update.  During the meeting I will provide an overview of District 5 so that you can see how your neighborhood fits into the County, Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth.  You will hear about public and private developments, including roads, and see Sheriff Department maps of crime reports and Fire Department maps of responses within our district.  Other topics include:  education, county government structure, update on public works, parks and recreation, and libraries.  If time allows, we will look at the economy, budgets and finance that may surprise you.

 

Yes, this is a lot to cover.  However, over the last 15 years residents tell me they leave the meeting with a much better understanding of what is going on around them.  

 

Finally, I am looking for help in delivering nearly 3,000 meeting flyers.   Please email me, if you would like to help deliver flyers within your neighborhood.   

 

Hope to see you on October 11th.

 

Regards,

 

Tom Shepperd

York County Board of Supervisors

 

Home (757) 868-8591

Mobile (757) 903-1875

shepperd@yorkcounty.gov

tgshep@cox.net

 

Friday, September 23, 2016

This Children’s Story Can Teach us a LOT About Diplomacy with Iran

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As a boy, I remember hearing a fable about a scorpion and a frog that goes something like this:

A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back. The frog asks, "How do I know you won't sting me?" The scorpion says, "Because if I do, I will die too."

The frog is satisfied, and they set out, but in midstream, the scorpion stings the frog. The frog feels the onset of paralysis and starts to sink, knowing they will both drown, but has just enough time to gasp "Why?"

Replies the scorpion: It's my nature …

As this Administration has doubled down and dug its heels in on its backroom deal with Iran, it's become more and more apparent that the frog in this story is us. The Obama Administration is forging a "diplomatic" relationship with a nation that is broadly known to be the world's foremost state sponsor of terrorism and somehow expecting not to get stung.

Worse still, the Administration is intent on misleading the American people while making broad concessions for Iran. How? The Administration misled the public about the terms of the arrangement with the Iranian regime, they misled the public about the nature of the payment they made to Iran during the release of American hostages, and they misled the public about why the money wasn't wired to Iran (as other recent payments have been).

This has to end. America isn't a follower, it's a leader. We don't devote our energies to making sure that terrorist states are happy. We devote our energies to peace—and diplomacy—through strength. We set the standard for the rest of the free world to follow. We make decisions with our eyes open.

This week, I supported two important pieces of legislation that aim to expose how the Iranian regime facilitates widespread human rights abuses and end the Obama Administration's practice of negotiating with terrorist states. The Iranian Leadership Asset Transparency Act would stop Tehran from financing terrorism or laundering money by requiring the federal government to publicly report all assets held by Iranian's top leaders. That's incredibly important if we are to put an end to terrorist attacks around the world. I also supported the Prohibiting Future Ransom Payments to Iran Act to prevent ransom payments from the U.S. to Iran in the future. The Obama Administration's intentionally deceptive cash payment to Iran sets a dangerous precedent for the future, and I will do everything I can to prevent that from happening again.

Offices

Yorktown Office
401 Main Street
Yorktown, VA 23690
Phone: (757) 874-6687
Fax: (757) 874-7164

Stafford Office
95 Dunn Drive
Ste. 201
Stafford, Virginia 22556
Phone: (540) 659-2734
Fax: (540) 659-2737

Tappahannock Office
508 Church Lane
Tappahannock, VA 22560
Phone: (804) 443-0668
Fax: (804) 443-0671

Washington D.C. Office
2454 Rayburn H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4261
Fax: (202) 225-4382

 


 


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Where will you be on November 8?

96th District, Virginia House of Delegates                                      September 23, 2016

Stay Connected!
 
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Join Our Mailing List!

Contact Delegate Pogge

Mailing Address 
P.O. Box 196
Norge, VA 23127
Phone: 757-223-9690
DelBPogge@house.virginia.gov
  
Legislative Aide
Amanda Johnston
Amanda@brendapogge.com
If the answer is...
  • away from home on business
  • away from home on personal business or vacation
  • having an illness or disability that keeps you from the polls 
...you are eligible to vote Absentee. To access an Absentee Ballot Application form and the full list of reasons of why you may be eligible to vote Absentee, click HERE.

Easy ways to vote Absentee:
  • Apply online to receive a ballot by mail by clicking here.
  • Vote Absentee In-Person by visiting your county's Office of Elections, or various satellite voting locations.
    • James City County
      • 101 Mounts Bay Road, Bldg E
        Williamsburg, VA 23185
      • Click HERE for James City County Office of Elections information, including hours of operation.
    • York County
      • 224 Ballard Street, Yorktown, VA 23690
      • Click HERE for York County Office of Elections information, including hours of operation.
You will be able to vote Absentee In-Person in this year's general election beginning TODAY, Friday, September 23, 2016.
Election Day is only 47 days away!
If you need to register to vote, update your current voter registration, or will be unable to make it the polls on Election Day, please visit this website. The deadline to register to vote, or to update your current voter registration to participate in this year's general election is October 17. 

If you have any questions about Absentee voting, registering to vote, or if I can be of assistance in any way, please do not hesitate to call me at 757-223-9690 or email me at DelBPogge@house.virginia.gov.

Sincerely,
Signature
Brenda L. Pogge

Paid for and Authorized by Brenda Pogge for Delegate
Brenda Pogge for Delegate, P.O. Box 196, Norge, VA 23127
Sent by brenda@brendapogge.com in collaboration with
Constant Contact

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Notification: York Board of Zoning Subdivision Appeals @ Thu Sep 22, 2016 7pm - 8pm (PeninsulaTeaParty.org)

York Board of Zoning Subdivision Appeals

York Hall
When
Thu Sep 22, 2016 7pm – 8pm Eastern Time
Where
301 Main St., Yorktown VA (map)
Calendar
PeninsulaTeaParty.org
Who
Admin PeninsulaTeaParty.org - organizer
Robert Bruce Alexander - creator

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Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Continuing Resolutions are a Bad Way to Do Business. Here's Why.

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In the age of procrastination and irresponsible spending in Washington, continuing resolutions have become a comfortable fall back for Congress. Instead of buckling down, skipping the archaic breaks, and getting spending bills done in time for measured debate, lawmakers look to last-minute, stop gap measures to fund the federal government. The last time Congress was able to maintain regular operations without a continuing resolution was in 1996—two decades ago.  

I've said before that continuing resolutions are a short-sighted and irresponsible way to fund important programs, but I want to talk a little bit about why I believe it's time for Congress to move past the age of governing by crisis.

1.      Continuing Resolutions Affect Military Capabilities and Hurt our Armed Forces.
Our armed forces are full of men and women who have learned to do the best they can with what they have. In the military world, there is no such thing as the word "can't." But the reality is that—with yet another continuing resolution—we're asking our troops to take on more risk with fewer training hours, longer deployment times, and equipment that is outdated and unreliable. Just yesterday, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said that a long-term continuing resolution would "limit training and readiness accounts across the board for the total force." In the context of national security, stop gap measures deplete our forces, prevent planning, and can cost lives.

2.      Continuing Resolutions Create Economic Uncertainty and Job Insecurity.
The government has a spending problem. We all know it. And continuing resolutions exacerbate that problem. The CR rules prevent agencies from recruiting or hiring new staff and implementing new programs (even necessary ones, like transportation projects), AND they prevent departments from cutting programs that are wasting taxpayer money. Never mind all the manpower and paid time that goes into planning for multiple budget scenarios. Stop gap measures kick the can down the road, create uncertainty for agencies and employers, and negatively impact communities and families.

3.      Continuing Resolutions Allow for Arbitrary Spending Levels and Political Favoritism.
If the continuing resolution has a handmaiden, it's the backroom deal. As public servants, we're supposed to be responsible stewards of taxpayer money, and that means that we need an open and transparent process. It means we need time for measured and deliberate debate. That's the way our system was designed, and that's the way it's supposed to work. Instead, deals are cut behind closed doors, and the public is left entirely in the dark. Allocations are made for pet projects, and loopholes let certain actors "skirt the rules."

4.      Continuing Resolutions Foster Partisanship and Political Bickering.
The continuing resolution is the quintessential "must pass" legislation. It's the reason that everyone starts shouting "government shutdown" in late September, and it's the reason that the government does occasionally come screeching to a halt. The fact is that both political parties use the continuing resolution as a vehicle for other, often politically divisive measures. Ultimately, continuing resolutions end up looking like a kind of legislative Frankenstein: lots of unrelated measures stitched together without any real deliberation, debate, or consideration.

5.      Continuing Resolutions Promote a Culture of Complacency in Congress.
I'm talking about timeliness, I'm talking about discipline, and I'm talking about accountability. Why would Congress get things done on time when it can always fall back on a continuing resolution? What motivation does Congress have to get better? I've asked the Speaker to keep Congress in session over August recess, and I've sponsored legislation to prevent Members of Congress from being paid if they fail to pass a budget and get through the spending bills on time. But every Member of Congress is responsible to his or her constituents. We have a Constitutional obligation to do the people's work here in Congress, and continuing resolutions represent a complete abdication of that responsibility.  

Offices

Yorktown Office
401 Main Street
Yorktown, VA 23690
Phone: (757) 874-6687
Fax: (757) 874-7164

Stafford Office
95 Dunn Drive
Ste. 201
Stafford, Virginia 22556
Phone: (540) 659-2734
Fax: (540) 659-2737

Tappahannock Office
508 Church Lane
Tappahannock, VA 22560
Phone: (804) 443-0668
Fax: (804) 443-0671

Washington D.C. Office
2454 Rayburn H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4261
Fax: (202) 225-4382

 


 


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Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Notification: York County Board of Supervisor's meeting @ Tue Sep 20, 2016 6pm - 8:30pm (PeninsulaTeaParty.org)

York County Board of Supervisor's meeting

When
Tue Sep 20, 2016 6pm – 8:30pm Eastern Time
Where
301 Main St, Yorktown, VA‎ 23690 (map)
Calendar
PeninsulaTeaParty.org
Who
Admin PeninsulaTeaParty.org - organizer
Robert Bruce Alexander - creator

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Monday, September 19, 2016

Fw: Copy of Cruise-In September 20th

Fellow Hobbyists: Because of the anticipated rain and other conflicts, Clarence Goodwin has wisely decided to cancel this event.
VPCCC Delegates: Please pass to your memberships.
Thanks!!
Larry
 
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2016 12:19 PM
Subject: Fw: Copy of Cruise-In September 20th
 
Fellow Hobbyists: An outstanding opportunity forwarded for your consideration.
VPCCC Delegates: Please pass to your memberships.
Classic Cruiser Members: See you at tonight's meeting.
Thanks!!
Larry
 
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2016 10:32 AM
Subject: Copy of Cruise-In September 20th
 

Clarence, I have the half-sheet flyers ready. I will put them in the multipurpose room on Friday.

 

Thanks,

Donna

 

Donna West, Church Secretary

409 Yorktown Road

Mailing: 421 Yorktown Road

Newport News, Virginia 23603

Phone: (757) 887-5536

Email: lebanoncc@verizon.net

Mon-Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

 

Friday, September 16, 2016

The Missing Man and the Military Veteran

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What does it mean for a civilization to contend with the true costs of war? Here in the United States, most of us remain significantly untouched by war. Our conflicts are confined to remote places and our battles are fought by other people's sons and daughters. Most of us are living the same lives we lived before Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria. We go to the same stores, we wear the same clothes, and we love the same people.

But I think that if you look hard enough, you will find that there is something missing. There are certain gaps—certain silences—left by the men and women who never came home from wars like those in Vietnam and Korea (and there are 73,000 U.S. personnel unaccounted for from World War II). On a shelf somewhere, there is a baseball glove covered in dust that has missed the touch of a boy's hand for years. There are places set at dinner for nineteen-year-old men who will never grow old. There are moms and dads, sisters and brothers, daughters and sons, husbands and wives who have dreamed about one final embrace—just one more chance at a long goodbye.

Today is designated as a day for remembering our Prisoners of War and Missing in Action, whose whereabouts may be uncertain. We're working still to bring every military man and woman home. That's a priority for me, because the people who have sacrificed to defend this country deserve to be brought back to it.

I believe that every military man and woman deserves to be treated with dignity and honor, and I think our Veterans deserve that same level of respect. It's disappointing that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has fallen so short of that mark. VA employees guilty of misconduct enjoy a certain level of impunity; they continue to reap benefits and bonuses even if they are placed on administrative leave. All this occurs as significant backlogs in the disability benefits appeals process and wait times at medical facilities make it nearly impossible for Veterans to get the care they need.

We have to do better for our Veterans. That's why I supported H.R. 5620, the VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act of 2016. This legislation would target misconduct and bolster accountability at all levels by expanding authorities granted to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The Secretary would be authorized to reduce the pension of any Senior Executive Service employee who commits wrong-doing within the scope of his or her employment. Additionally, this legislation would offer the Secretary discretion to recoup bonuses and awards (to include all or a portion of relocation expenses) paid to any VA employee who has committed an act of fraud, waste, or malfeasance. Most importantly, this bill would create efficiencies to help Veterans overcome the significant obstacles they face as they navigate the disability benefits appeals process. 

The problems at the VA are persistent and widespread, and that's because there is a culture of complacency and a lack of accountability when it comes to addressing them. Our Veterans deserve more than the inefficiency, misconduct, and intentional wrongdoing that is rampant at the VA. Every day, I hear from men and women in the First District who have served honorably and yet are blocked from receiving the benefits they have earned because of the significant claims backlog. And more alarming still are reports of extreme misconduct—deception about wait times, armed robbery, intoxication and drug abuse on the job—by VA employees. We can do better, and this bill takes meaningful steps toward restoring accountability at the VA.

The true cost of war is what our warriors leave behind them on the battlefield and what military families miss when those young men and women don't come home. It's up to us to help carry those burdens. 

Offices

Yorktown Office
401 Main Street
Yorktown, VA 23690
Phone: (757) 874-6687
Fax: (757) 874-7164

Stafford Office
95 Dunn Drive
Ste. 201
Stafford, Virginia 22556
Phone: (540) 659-2734
Fax: (540) 659-2737

Tappahannock Office
508 Church Lane
Tappahannock, VA 22560
Phone: (804) 443-0668
Fax: (804) 443-0671

Washington D.C. Office
2454 Rayburn H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4261
Fax: (202) 225-4382

 


 


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Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Good news for a change

 
 
To all in Rob Wittman's  District,
 
 
Although to his credit Rob Wittman  did vote against the  Transpacific  Trade  Authority (TPA) , dubbed Fast Track which facilitates the passage of TPP (Trans-Pacific  Partnership), prior to that,  he voted for a procedural vote that could have killed it. 
 
Thus, although he has said that he would vote against TPP if it should be brought up for a vote which is likely in the Lane Duck Congress, we have felt a little uneasy and wanted it in writing.
 
Viola !   Now we have it.   In his newsletter below you can see where he says:  
Please know that I am against  the implementation of the TPP.
 
 
We are quick to let him know when we are unhappy with his vote or stand on an issue. Now we need to thank him. 
Also, this can help  reinforce his resolve because the pressure to vote for it is tremendous.
 
or  Phone: (202) 225-4261
 
Thank you for helping on this most critical issue !
 
Sue Long
Freedom without authority is anarchy
Authority without freedom is tyranny
This is why we should have a republic

 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 1:02 PM
Subject: A message from Congressman Wittman
 
Click here to visit my website

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 13, 2016

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Ms. Long

 

Thank you for contacting my office to share your concerns regarding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me on this issue. I value your views on the important issues facing our Commonwealth and the Nation.

 

As you may know, the Trans-Pacific Partnership is a proposed multinational free trade agreement among 12 nations, and possibly more. The United States, along with 11 other nations- Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam- has begun negotiations to enter the TPP. On October 5, 2015 these countries, including the United States, reached a final deal.

 

However, the U.S. Constitution assigns express authority over the regulation of foreign trade to Congress. Article I, Section 8, gives Congress the power to "regulate Commerce with foreign Nations…" and to "…lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts, and Excises…" In contrast, the Constitution assigns no specific responsibility for trade to the President. Under Article II, however, the President has exclusive authority to negotiate treaties and international agreements and exercises broad authority over the conduct of the nation's foreign affairs. If any such agreement requires changes in U.S. law, however, it could only be implemented through legislation enacted by Congress.

 

On August 12, 2016, President Obama issued a draft statement of administrative action indicating that he is likely to submit legislation for Congressional consideration that would implement TPP. This could be expected any time after the election in November. Please know that I am against the implementation of the TPP.

 

Since 1974, Congress has enacted Trade Promotion Authority to accompany every free trade agreement. Trade Promotion Authority, also known as "Fast Track", is the authority Congress has granted to the President of the United States to negotiate international agreements that Congress can approve or disapprove. As part of the ongoing TPP discussions, the other 11 countries involved have demanded TPA be a requirement for final approval of TPP.

 

On April 16, 2015 Senators Orrin Hatch of Utah, Ron Wyden of Oregon and Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin introduced the bicameral Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (TPA-2015) (H.R. 1890/S. 995). The purpose of this legislation is to outline the overall trade negotiating objectives of the United States with respect to any agreement with a foreign country and would subject trade agreements to certain congressional oversight and approval requirements, consultations, and access to information requirements.

 

The House of Representatives took two votes on TPA. On June 12, 2015, the House of Representatives passed TPA as part of H.R. 1314 by a vote of 219-211, without my support. However, due to the parliamentary procedure used to bring H.R. 1314 to a vote in the House, the vote on H.R. 1314 was split into two separate votes. The first vote was to approve TPA, which I opposed, and the second vote was to approve Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), a program used to assist those who lose their job as a direct result of trade, which I also opposed. The procedure required that for H.R. 1314 to pass, both parts, consisting of TAA and TPA, had to pass the House. Therefore, TPA failed to advance on June 12 because the vote on TAA did not reach the necessary 218 affirmative votes needed for passage with a final vote of 126-302.

 

On June 18, 2015 the House of Representatives voted on H.R. 2146, Trade and Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015, which separated TPA from TAA. The House passed this legislation by a vote of 218-208, again without my support. On June 24, 2015 the Senate passed TPA by a vote of 60-38 and was signed into law by President Obama on June 29, 2015.

 

While I support free trade and realize its critical role in our country's economic policy, I could not vote in favor of this TPA. After reading the bill from top to bottom, I had profound concerns with the ambiguities and vagueness over the trade negotiation objectives laid out within the legislation. I believe that within every trade agreement Congress must have the ability to maintain its leveraging authority over its priorities to define a clear strategic objective; this TPA fell woefully short of granting Congress that authority.

 

Thank you again for sharing your views and opinions with me. I am committed to serving you to the best of my abilities. If I can ever be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact me via telephone at (202) 225-4261, through my website (www.wittman.house.gov), on Facebook (www.facebook.com/reprobwittman), or via Twitter (www.twitter.com/robwittman).

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          With kind regards, I remain

Sincerely,
(signed)
Rob Wittman
Member of Congress
RJW/kg
Offices
Yorktown Office
401 Main Street
Yorktown, VA 23690
Phone:
(757) 874-6687
Fax: (757) 874-7164
Stafford Office
95 Dunn Drive, Ste. 201
Stafford, Virginia 22556
Phone: (540) 659-2734
Fax:
(540) 659-2737
Tappahannock Office
508 Church Lane
Tappahannock, VA 22560
Phone: (804) 443-0668
Fax:
(804) 443-0671
Washington D.C. Office
2454 Rayburn H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4261
Fax:
(202) 225-4382