By Neil H. Simon
Media General News Service
Media General News Service
Caption: Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., (at left) and his wife, Hong Lee, with actor Sean Connery at the Friends of Scotland reception Tuesday at the Library of Congress.
By Sandy Schaeffer/Feature Photo Service
By Sandy Schaeffer/Feature Photo Service
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MILITARY HEALTH
Government and military retirees could pay their health insurance premiums with pre-tax dollars under bipartisan bills introduced by members of the Virginia delegation last week.
Sen. Jim Webb, D, and Reps. Gerald E. Connolly, D-11th, and Frank Wolf, R-10th, introduced "The Federal and Military Retiree Health Care Equity Act" to give retirees the pre-tax benefit already enjoyed by active public and private sector employees.
"This is a matter of basic fairness," Webb said, expressing his commitment to move the legislation forward in this Congress.
The bill would save participants about $820 per year, House aides said.
"In these trying economic times, the need has never been greater to make health insurance more affordable for federal and military retirees," Connolly said.
SCOTT MEETS OBAMA
Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-3rd, and members of the Congressional Black Caucus pressed President Barack Obama for action on criminal sentencing and community health care Thursday at the White House.
Scott has been a leading voice to reduce the U.S. rate of imprisonment. Obama, a former member of the caucus, said during the campaign he preferred drug treatment centers over prisons for non-violent drug criminals.
Most of the caucus' 42 members attended the meeting, which covered a range of issues, including faith-based initiatives, health care and international affairs. Lawmakers said they were realistic about their left-leaning wish list and mindful that Obama was trying to bring a moderate approach to governing.
GREAT SCOTS
Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., addressed the Friends of Scotland reception Tuesday just before the president's address to the joint session of Congress. The event at the Library of Congress included actor Sean Connery and Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond.
Speaking of his own Scots-Irish ancestry, Webb said, "I am even more proud of the impact that this heritage has made on the evolution of American-style populist democracy, and in the shaping of our military and musical traditions."
Before he was elected to the Senate, Webb wrote "Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America" in 2004 examining the role his own lineage played in U.S. military and political history.
CASH GRABBERS
To help local governments get their share of the $787 billion stimulus bill, Rep. Tom Perriello, D-5th, has hired staff dedicated to finding the federal funds.
Perriello announced Tuesday he hired Brennan Johnson as a grants coordinator. Johnson will lead workshops in each of the district's 22 localities to help cities and counties learn which funds will be coming from state and federal agencies. Perriello called Johnson and district director Ridge Schuyler "my economic recovery team." They are based in Charlottesville.
Their "goal is to help localities reap the benefits of the package quickly and transparently, and they will be working tirelessly over the coming months to do so," Perriello said in a statement.
Johnson previously oversaw the grants of the Ron Brown Scholar Community Service Foundation in Charlottesville.
Contact Neil H. Simon at nsimon@mediageneral.com
Government and military retirees could pay their health insurance premiums with pre-tax dollars under bipartisan bills introduced by members of the Virginia delegation last week.
Sen. Jim Webb, D, and Reps. Gerald E. Connolly, D-11th, and Frank Wolf, R-10th, introduced "The Federal and Military Retiree Health Care Equity Act" to give retirees the pre-tax benefit already enjoyed by active public and private sector employees.
"This is a matter of basic fairness," Webb said, expressing his commitment to move the legislation forward in this Congress.
The bill would save participants about $820 per year, House aides said.
"In these trying economic times, the need has never been greater to make health insurance more affordable for federal and military retirees," Connolly said.
SCOTT MEETS OBAMA
Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-3rd, and members of the Congressional Black Caucus pressed President Barack Obama for action on criminal sentencing and community health care Thursday at the White House.
Scott has been a leading voice to reduce the U.S. rate of imprisonment. Obama, a former member of the caucus, said during the campaign he preferred drug treatment centers over prisons for non-violent drug criminals.
Most of the caucus' 42 members attended the meeting, which covered a range of issues, including faith-based initiatives, health care and international affairs. Lawmakers said they were realistic about their left-leaning wish list and mindful that Obama was trying to bring a moderate approach to governing.
GREAT SCOTS
Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., addressed the Friends of Scotland reception Tuesday just before the president's address to the joint session of Congress. The event at the Library of Congress included actor Sean Connery and Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond.
Speaking of his own Scots-Irish ancestry, Webb said, "I am even more proud of the impact that this heritage has made on the evolution of American-style populist democracy, and in the shaping of our military and musical traditions."
Before he was elected to the Senate, Webb wrote "Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America" in 2004 examining the role his own lineage played in U.S. military and political history.
CASH GRABBERS
To help local governments get their share of the $787 billion stimulus bill, Rep. Tom Perriello, D-5th, has hired staff dedicated to finding the federal funds.
Perriello announced Tuesday he hired Brennan Johnson as a grants coordinator. Johnson will lead workshops in each of the district's 22 localities to help cities and counties learn which funds will be coming from state and federal agencies. Perriello called Johnson and district director Ridge Schuyler "my economic recovery team." They are based in Charlottesville.
Their "goal is to help localities reap the benefits of the package quickly and transparently, and they will be working tirelessly over the coming months to do so," Perriello said in a statement.
Johnson previously oversaw the grants of the Ron Brown Scholar Community Service Foundation in Charlottesville.
Contact Neil H. Simon at nsimon@mediageneral.com