By Sean Mussenden
Media General News Service
Media General News Service
Sen. John Warner
By Richmond Times-Dispatch File Photo
By Richmond Times-Dispatch File Photo
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WASHINGTON - The Senate passed a bill last week that would give a tax break to families of victims of the Virginia Tech massacre.
The legislation, which passed the House earlier in the week, would exempt from federal income taxes payments made from the Hokie Spirit Memorial fund.
The fund, which the school set up, has paid out more than $8 million to families of victims killed during the shootings, people injured during the attack, and others.
In the Senate, the legislation was sponsored by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., and Sen. John Warner, R-Va. Several Virginia lawmakers sponsored the legislation in the House.
WARMING SNOW
An early December snowstorm draped a chilly white blanket over the Capitol grounds last week. Meanwhile, inside the Capitol, a few Virginia Republicans focused on legislation aimed at preventing the planet from heating up.
At a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing, Warner was the lone Republican to vote in favor of contentious climate change legislation.
America's Climate and Security Act - which Warner co-sponsored - would set up a cap and trade program to cut down carbon emissions.
His fellow Republicans on the committee attacked the legislation as too costly for American businesses. But Warner said the problem of global climate change needed to be addressed.
Emerging economic powerhouses like India and China will not take steps to limit carbon emissions unless they see the United States take action first, he said.
In the House, Democratic leaders pushed through legislation to raise taxes on oil companies and force auto manufacturers to build cars and trucks with better gas mileage.
Many Republicans, including Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor, attacked the plan, saying higher taxes on oil companies could lead to higher pump prices, an argument Democrats dispute.
"We must incentivize - not tax - domestic production to become more energy independent. The Democrat(ic) bill fails to move us toward these commonsense goals," Cantor said in a written statement.
VIRGINIA REPLACEMENT
Another Virginian will become the top Republican on the Readiness Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee.
Republican Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., was appointed last week to fill the position left open by the death of Rep. Jo Ann Davis, R-Va.
The subcommittee oversees military construction, base realignment and other issues.
MISTAKEN IDENTITY
Whoops. During coverage of debate on the House floor on Tuesday, a C-SPAN graphic identified Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va. as Rep. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican.
Sean Mussenden can be reached at or 202-662-7668.
The legislation, which passed the House earlier in the week, would exempt from federal income taxes payments made from the Hokie Spirit Memorial fund.
The fund, which the school set up, has paid out more than $8 million to families of victims killed during the shootings, people injured during the attack, and others.
In the Senate, the legislation was sponsored by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., and Sen. John Warner, R-Va. Several Virginia lawmakers sponsored the legislation in the House.
WARMING SNOW
An early December snowstorm draped a chilly white blanket over the Capitol grounds last week. Meanwhile, inside the Capitol, a few Virginia Republicans focused on legislation aimed at preventing the planet from heating up.
At a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing, Warner was the lone Republican to vote in favor of contentious climate change legislation.
America's Climate and Security Act - which Warner co-sponsored - would set up a cap and trade program to cut down carbon emissions.
His fellow Republicans on the committee attacked the legislation as too costly for American businesses. But Warner said the problem of global climate change needed to be addressed.
Emerging economic powerhouses like India and China will not take steps to limit carbon emissions unless they see the United States take action first, he said.
In the House, Democratic leaders pushed through legislation to raise taxes on oil companies and force auto manufacturers to build cars and trucks with better gas mileage.
Many Republicans, including Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor, attacked the plan, saying higher taxes on oil companies could lead to higher pump prices, an argument Democrats dispute.
"We must incentivize - not tax - domestic production to become more energy independent. The Democrat(ic) bill fails to move us toward these commonsense goals," Cantor said in a written statement.
VIRGINIA REPLACEMENT
Another Virginian will become the top Republican on the Readiness Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee.
Republican Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., was appointed last week to fill the position left open by the death of Rep. Jo Ann Davis, R-Va.
The subcommittee oversees military construction, base realignment and other issues.
MISTAKEN IDENTITY
Whoops. During coverage of debate on the House floor on Tuesday, a C-SPAN graphic identified Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va. as Rep. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican.
Sean Mussenden can be reached at or 202-662-7668.