Speaker's Office
Virginia House of Delegates
April 8, 2009
Contact: G. Paul Nardo (804) 698-1228, gpnardo@house.virginia.gov or williamjhowell.org
House Republicans Highlight Agenda's Success
at General Assembly's Conclusion
-- Focus on economy, job creation and recovery measures punctuates 2009 Session --
-- Legislation on energy, health care, education and transportation win approval --
Marking the end of legislative activity for 2009, House of Delegates Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) today noted the success of the House Republican legislative agenda for the 2009 General Assembly session.
With the adjournment of today's Reconvened Session, General Assembly action on all legislation has been completed for 2009. During the one day session, the House overrode six of Governor Kaine's vetoes and rejected at least a dozen of his amendments. Although this year is customarily referred to as a "short" session, it was a very productive one for House Republicans and the people of Virginia.
"This year, our primary focus has been on approving measures that will expedite Virginia's return to prosperity," noted Speaker Howell. "Today's actions again highlighted the commitment of House Republicans to keep Virginia the best state in the nation in which to do business. Moreover, our actions earlier this year to expedite higher education construction projects, accelerate bonding for major transportation initiatives, and direct additional funds for tourism and marketing will aid economic growth sooner and help create more jobs.
"So many of our major initiatives, and, indeed, many of the high-profile bills the House approved this year, were passed with strong bipartisan support. Considering that the 'short' session immediately precedes a general election, that result is an encouraging sign.
"Of course, many of our initiatives won widespread support because they made sense for the families, businesses and taxpayers of Virginia. By giving small businesses who otherwise couldn't afford to offer health insurance for their employees the flexibility to offer simpler, no frills plans, we approved a pragmatic solution that will protect more Virginians from runaway health care costs. And, our creation of a searchable database for citizens to review state spending and expenditures will better inform taxpayers and help to increase government accountability.
"The General Assembly also responded to the economic anxieties of many Virginians by providing assistance for the unemployed and those in danger of losing their health care coverage. Virginia will be accessing approximately $4.8 billion in funds through the federal government's stimulus plan. We made necessary adjustments to ensure that a portion of those funds will be used responsibly to extend unemployment benefits and to ensure continued health care affordability for laid off workers. But prudently, the General Assembly avoided the requirements of the federal stimulus that carried the longest strings, and did not obligate the taxpayers of Virginia or job creating businesses after the federal funding runs out.
"As our work on the House floor comes to an end for this year, I am heartened and encouraged by how much we have accomplished for the people of Virginia. Although Virginia still faces many challenges related to the economy, the House of Delegates has done its duty and passed common-sense solutions that will have a positive impact on the daily lives and livelihoods of the citizens we are honored to serve."
