It’s Time to Change Congress
It is time to get serious about reforming Congress. It is time to recognize that real change is requiring Members of Congress to abide by these reforms, not just hoping that they will choose to do the right thing. We need an institution that works for everyone, not just the people who can hire expensive lobbyists. The fact is that we cannot start solving big problems until we get to the heart of the problem: Congress itself. Reforming Congress will help shift the focus away from special interests and towards working together for common-sense solutions.
Getting Congress Back to Work:
End Free Perks for Members of Congress: Members of Congress are eligible for many free perks that are not accessible to average Americans. If elected I would end perks that include: free parking at airports, a $3,000 income tax deduction, first class airline tickets, free car leases for any member, and free travel for members and their spouses to foreign countries paid for by special interest groups.
Cut Congressional Pay and Benefits: Serving as a Member of Congress has become a plum job where you get paid 3 times the national average and work 3 days a week in Washington. We need to cut and freeze congressional salaries until they pass a comprehensive deficit reduction plan, and make them work a full week.
Banning Members of Congress from Being Lobbyists: Many former Members of Congress have traded on their government service by using the connections they made in office to make millions from high priced lobbying associations. Their access and influence makes it even more difficult for the average citizen to get involved and make a difference. As a Member of Congress, I will introduce legislation banning all Members of Congress from becoming lobbyists.
End Taxpayer Funded Campaign Mailers: Every year Members of Congress spend hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of our tax dollars on campaign style mailers in a blatant attempt to help them get reelected. If Members of Congress want to send these mailers, they should pay for them out of their campaign accounts. I’ll introduce legislation to end this practice and ensure that our tax dollars are being spent wisely.
Follow the Money:
Ban Secret Outside Money in Politics: The Supreme Court’s ruling that allowed the formation of SuperPACs has fundamentally changed how elections in this country are run. Small groups of wealthy individuals or corporations should not be able to decide an election based off of one check. We need to require all groups to disclose their donors and get rid of those anonymous outside groups who help decide elections without transparency.
Post Congressional Budgets Online: Our taxpayer dollars are used to pay for the office budgets of every Member of Congress. What that money is used for should be public knowledge. I will require that every member posts a detailed office budget on their congressional website at the beginning of each year.
Lobbyist Reform: Lobbyists are still far too influential in our policy making. We need to force those that profit from Washington insider information to register online. Contributions made by lobbyists and political action committees should have to be reported online within 24 hours. Furthermore, any meeting between lobbyists and Members of Congress should be posted online.
The Issues
Creating 21st Century Jobs
Creating 21st Century Jobs Growing our economy and creating jobs will be my top priority when I get to Congress. There are still far too many people in Hampton Roads out of work, and countless more that are underemployed. As a lifelong businessman, … Read more
Building a 21st Century Education System
Building a 21st Century Education System Education holds the key to America’s future success. For our country to continue to succeed economically, it is imperative that we continue to out-innovate our global competitors. But we can only out-in… Read more
Growing our Small Businesses
Growing our Small Businesses America was built on the backs of small businesses, and today small businesses are still at the heart of the American workforce. In fact, the Kaufman Foundation showed that nearly all net new jobs over the last thirty years we… Read more
Honoring our Veterans
Honoring our Veterans Home to Naval Air Station Oceana, Langley Air Force Base, Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads and Naval Station Norfolk, the world’s largest naval station, Hampton Roads is blessed with a community filled with veterans who have honorabl… Read more
Congressional Reform
It’s Time to Change Congress It is time to get serious about reforming Congress. It is time to recognize that real change is requiring Members of Congress to abide by these reforms, not just hoping that they will choose to do the right thing. We nee… Read more
Military
Making sure that our military has the hardware necessary to keep America safe is a national imperative. It is also clear that given the budget deficit issues we face, there is no good rationale for moving any aircraft carrier currently home-ported in Norfo… Read more
Budget Deficit
We must get our deficits under control and begin to reduce our national debt. Our nation has faced the worst economic recession since the Great Depression resulting in staggering job losses, home foreclosures and economic uncertainly for far too many Ameri… Read more
Job Creation
We must create more and higher paying jobs in order to grow our economy and reduce the tremendous negative impacts of unemployment on our families. America's economic success in much of the 20th Century was as based on growing jobs at home. … Read more
Social Security and Medicare
We cannot break the promise we have made to our seniors. I reject the idea that these programs cannot remain strong for generations. There are intelligent ways to reduce the long-term costs of Social Security and Medicare that do not break our promise… Read more