Virginia House of Delegates Republican Caucus
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Times-Dispatch Profiles Hamilton Intern
Feb 24th
Soon-to-be Dr. Lesli Brown has been interning in Delegate Phil Hamilton's legislative office in Richmond throughout the current session. The Richmon Times-Dispatch provides a profile on this outstanding intern and her path to medical school as well as the state capitol.
Because being a fourth-year medical student apparently isn't challenging enough, Lesli Brown interned at the General Assembly this session.
The South Richmond native and Virginia Commonwealth University medical student interned two days a week for Del. Phillip A. Hamilton, R-Newport News. She helped to keep his schedule on track and greeted guests seeking face time with the delegate.
Brown, an aspiring primary-care doctor, was drawn to medicine through a curiosity born of fear.
"Growing up, I was deathly afraid of my pediatrician. His name was Doctor Bones, which I didn't realize was so funny until later," she said. "Even though I was afraid of him, I was somehow fascinated by what was going on in his office."
Fast-forward a couple of decades, and Brown, 25, graduated from Richmond Community High School and then Xavier University of Louisiana. She's waiting to find out where she'll do her residency. Meanwhile, she's taking advantage of the VCU medical campus's proximity to the Capitol to learn the legislative process.
This makes one wonder how long it will be until Richmond has Delegate Lesli Brown, M.D. walking the halls of the General Assembly Building.
Senate Thwarts Government Reforms by House Republicans
Feb 23rd
Highlighting the ongoing actions of House Republicans to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency in state government, Virginia House of Delegates Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) and House Republican Majority Caucus Chairman Samuel A. “Sam” Nixon, Jr. (R-Chesterfield) today expressed disappointment at the defeat of many good open government bills that were squelched by the Democrat-led Senate. The measures had won overwhelming, bipartisan support in the House earlier in the 2009 session.
Speaker Howell and House Republicans in the run-up to the start of the 2009 Session announced a number of common-sense good government initiatives. Building upon this positive momentum, House Republicans sponsored and passed a package of practical government reform legislation to improve government efficiency, provide greater oversight and public transparency of lobbying interests, and wisely increase the separation between campaign fundraising and governing for the benefit of all Virginians.
The bills encompassed in the package that passed the House and were killed in the Senate include:
• House Bill 2463, patroned by Delegate John M. O’Bannon III (R-Henrico), would have created an Efficiency Review Commission to systematically review every agency of state government to ensure they are necessary and are performing their work efficiently and without redundancy.
• House Bill 1883, patroned by Delegate Nixon, would have strengthened the transparency and oversight of lobbyist registration by instituting fuller public disclosure by lobbyists of gifts and entertainment of elected officials.
• House Bill 1738, patroned by Delegate H. R. “Bob” Purkey (R-Virginia Beach), would have expanded from one year to two years the period that former legislators and executive branch officials must wait until becoming a registered lobbyist, ending a revolving door.
• House Bill 2657, patroned by House Majority Leader H. Morgan Griffith (R-Salem), would have prohibited the use of Virginia’s Governor’s Mansion for partisan political fundraising events.
• House Bill 1634, patroned by Delegate Christopher B. Saxman (R-Staunton), would have closed a loophole on fundraising by elected officials while in legislative session in order to eliminate the influence of campaign contributions on the consideration and outcome of legislation.
“Virginians rightly expect their elected leaders to continually seek out ways to run government in as ethical, efficient and effective manner as possible,” said Speaker Howell. “House Republicans advanced a strong reform agenda this session that accomplished those goals. It is disappointing that partisan politics has led defenders of the status quo to reject the common sense reforms championed by House Republicans to ensure more fiscal discipline, responsibility and integrity in government.”
“I regret that the Senate has defeated legislation that would have increased government openness to the public we serve,” noted Delegate Nixon. “These bipartisan-endorsed, practical solutions offered by House Republicans would have improved Virginia’s position as the Best Managed State. Squandering this opportunity to implement sensible reforms displays an aversion to fiscal responsibility and a rejection of change. Like other issues this session – such as transportation funding and expanded services for those with autism – House Republicans have advanced a positive legislative agenda to which the Senate has reflexively said ‘no.’”
Delegate Lionell Spruill to Republicans – “You Got It Right”
Feb 20th
Delegate Lionell Spruill (D- Chesapeake) spoke today on the House of Delegates floor on why he supports Republican efforts on legislation related to redistricting.
"They got it right . . .I do applaud Republicans one time for looking out for black folks. You all do that right. I give you credit for that. I will support you everytime they try to do a redistricting bill. I will support you everytime. And I hope that members of the black caucus, this time Republicans are right. When they are right we've got to go with them."
Delegate Lionell Spruill, February 20, 2009
Delegate Hamilton Speaks About Senate Budget Amendments
Feb 19th
Delegate Phil Hamilton speaks about differences between Senate and House budget amendments.
Majority Leader Griffith Responds to Partisan Attack
Feb 19th
Majority Leader of the Virginia House of Delegates Morgan Griffith (R-Salem) responds to a by Minority Leader Ward Armstrong (D-Henry).
Hamilton Floor Statement on Virginia General Assembly’s Economic Recovery Prosperity Initiatives
Feb 18th
Delegate Phillip A. Hamilton (R-Newport News), Vice Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, today addressed the House of Delegates regarding several of the economic recovery and prosperity initiatives passed during recent years by the Virginia General Assembly, including the current 2009 Session.
Delegate Hamilton’s remarks to the House are as follows:
“Even with President Obama signing the ‘American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009’ yesterday in Denver, the economy continues to be the most pressing problem facing all levels of government.
“On Monday of this week, we learned that the Virginia budget was facing another projected $821 million revenue loss for the current 2008-2010 biennium. The good news was that this short-term additional revenue from the federal government would more than likely mean that no more reductions would be needed in the state budget.
“While the federal plan provides short-term revenue that backfills current state revenue reductions, the plan provides little evidence that it will actually stimulate the economy or create new private-sector jobs for American workers.
“Too little money is returned to the taxpayers – the consumers who actually stimulate the economy through the purchase of goods and services – or to the small businesses that serve as the backbone of our economy by creating the private-sector jobs that keep the American economic engine moving forward.
“Because this economic downturn has been predictable for the past several years, the Virginia General Assembly has passed several comprehensive economic growth and recovery initiatives that focus on improving the public infrastructure and creating incentives for job creation within the private sector.
“In 2007, the General Assembly passed legislation that provided for $3 billion in bonds over 10 years for transportation construction. The General Assembly also increased the vehicle registration fee, the per-gallon diesel fuel tax, and dedicated one-third of the insurance premiums tax to Virginia’s Transportation Trust Fund. While there may be a need to do more, this additional revenue provides more funding to address improvements to Virginia’s transportation infrastructure.
“More specifically, this legislation provided significant funding to improve rail transportation from the ports in Hampton Roads to connections with the Heartland Corridor which is a major transportation artery for the transport of goods across America. This is another important component of the legislation that should work to stimulate growth and job creation in Virginia’s economy.
“In 2008, the Higher Education Bond package that the Virginia General Assembly passed provided $2.6 billion for capital projects on Virginia's colleges and universities and other state facilities.
“Legislation also passed that authorized up to $350.5 million in revenue-producing capital projects at certain institutions of higher education.
“So far during the current 2009 General Assembly Session, the House and Senate have passed the Advanced Shipbuilding Performance Grants program.
“The House has passed legislation to extend the Major Business Facilities Job Tax Credit until 2020 and approved the Major Employment and Investment projects legislation that authorizes the Virginia Public Building Authority and the Virginia Resources Authority to finance economic development initiatives performed by state and local government entities.
“In each instance, all of these state initiatives provide a real incentive to private business and industry for high-impact regional economic development projects in which the private entity makes a significant capital investment, creates hundreds of new, full-time jobs, and is expected to have a substantial direct economic impact on surrounding communities.
“In addition, the House budget included $3 million more to promote tourism, $12.5 million for detailed planning to accelerate five major capital projects on various public college campuses, and $1.5 million for workforce development.
“Rather than just talk about the need for an economic stimulus, the Virginia General Assembly has been proactive in creating an environment that clearly says that ‘Virginia is Open for Business.’
“Ranked as the “Best Managed” state in the nation and the best place to raise and educate a child, our Commonwealth has a solid record for working to actually stimulate the Virginia economy without increasing government spending that does little more than create more public-sector jobs.
“As a right-to-work state with positive tax and regulatory policies, Virginia is poised to weather this economic downturn for both the short and long-term benefit of the Commonwealth and the citizens we are proud to serve.”