In This Issue

Winkler Preserve Saved

Welcome to Delegate Herring’s Newsletter

Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter.  I hope you find the information in here valuable.  As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns.

OIL DRILLING – LOUISIANA’S TRAGEDY

As you many of you have heard, an oil drill in the Gulf of Mexico exploded on Tuesday.  My thoughts and prayers are with the workers and families of the workers who were hurt and who are missing.   If the possible loss of human life was not tragedy enough, there is now an immediate environmental tragedy.  There are reports that the oil rig may be pumping up to 8,000 barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico a day. 

INVITATION: SORENSEN LEGISLATIVE REVIEW FORUM
Tuesday April 27: The Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership
Hosts 2nd Annual Virginia Legislative Review Forum

On Tuesday evening April 27 at 7pm the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership and Sorensen’s Northern Virginia Alumni Association will host their Second Annual Legislative Review Forum on which I will serve as a panelist.

We will bring together members of the Virginia General Assembly from both sides of the aisle and from across Northern Virginia to discuss the most recent session. Panelists will engage in a substantive Q&A with audience members on public policy and politics here in the Commonwealth.

This event is FREE and OPEN to the public. The Forum will be held in Williams Memorial Hall at the Fairfax Volunteer Fire Department Station #3, 4081 University Drive.

RSVP here.

Greetings!

This past Wednesday, the General Assembly met to vote on the Governor’s amendments to the budget and amendments to bills that past this year. I want to thank everyone emailing me and asking me to either support or oppose an amendment. Your voice makes a difference as it lets me know where you stand on an issue before I take a vote. So, again, thank you for taking the time to let me know your thoughts.

Sincerely,

Charniele

BUDGET

With respect to the budget there was much concern about the Governor’s proposals to cut over $2 million from programs that help homeless, domestic violence victims, as well as the Virginia Healthy Families Program. The budget amendment would have had devastating effects on some of Virginia’s neediest individuals. I spoke on the floor to defeat this amendment along with Delegate David Englin. The amendment was defeated. (See the call to section below). Second, the General Assembly rejected the Governor’s amendment to cut funding for Virginia’s Public Broadcasting System. While, many argued that public broadcasting is not a core government service, the reality is that PBS provides the mechanism by which individuals are able to view us in the General Assembly and is used by teachers in the classroom. Third, the General Assembly adopted the Governor’s recommendation that state funding for abortions be limited to cases of rape, incest or when the life of the mother is at risk, excluding funding for when the health of the mother is at risk.

An update on the Amended bills will be provided next week.

Call to Action: Tell Senators Webb and Warner to expedite the vote on HR 4849.

While projected funding has been saved for FY 2011 for the homeless, domestic violence and Healthy Families Programs, there still is a risk that a cut will come in FY 2011. On Tuesday, I spoke with the Governor’s office to understand why the Governor proposed cuts to these programs; I was told that the funding that was expected has not come because Congress has not passed the extension for the federal TANF stimulus funds. Upon further investigation, I discovered that HR 4849 which provides the extension has passed the House of Representatives but is sitting in the US Senate awaiting a vote. I sent a letter to Senators Webb and Warner requesting that they urge Senator Baucus (Chair of Senate Finance Committee) and Senator Reid (Majority Leader) to expedite HR 4849 to a vote. I urge you to do the same. Their contact information is as follows:
Senator Mark Warner
(202) 224-2023
Email

Senator Jim Webb
(202) 224-4024
Email

EARTH DAY CELEBRATES ITS 40TH BIRTHDAY

Earth Day is a time for Americans to reflect on the state of our natural environment, what is causing its degradation and what may be needed to clean it up and stop its degradation.
Activities for Earth Day:
Alexandria City: Earth Day Celebration will be this Saturday, April 24th This year’s festival will recognize what children are doing to make Alexandria an Eco-City, and will feature exhibits, workshops a tree sale, and more. from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at Ben Brenman Park.
Fairfax County: Read the Washington Post article for more details.