Economic Development: I have supported and will continue to support federal investment in the economy of the Fifth District of Virginia. I have been fortunate to secure, through my work on the Appropriations Committee, many millions of dollars in direct investment in the Fifth District. In addition, my amendments to TEA-21 provided funds for Fifth District Highways, including I-73, Route 29, Route 501, and off Route 58. As a member of the State Senate, I was one of the leaders fighting for the Route 58 Corridor Legislation, which provided for recordation tax funding for much of the Route 58 construction. Measures that I have secured through the Appropriations committee have brought water and sewer improvements, assistance for community revitalization efforts, and funding for technology, agriculture, aviation, and transportation initiatives. These measures have been important to keep and attract business and industry to the Fifth District.

Immigration: Illegal immigration must stop. Our borders must be secure. I have supported and cosponsored legislation to stop illegal aliens, terrorists, drug smugglers, and other criminals from coming across our Southern border. We need to utilize troops, fences, and other measures to stop the invasion from Mexico. I was the first to sponsor legislation providing for a fence along the Southern Border. Although fence legislation has now passed, we must continue to fight for funding and for adquacy of the fence.

Illegal immigration costs the United States taxpayers billions every year through increased health care costs, social service utilizations, emergency room fees, prison expenses, and in other areas. For example, of the 189,000 federal prisoners, 50,000 are illegal aliens costing the taxpayers millions of dollars for their incarceration.

I support legislation to stop the anchor baby situation, whereby a child of illegal aleins is an automatic citizen of the United States.

Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants: I oppose granting amnesty for those persons who come into the United States illegally. Amnesty did not work in the 1980s. Amnesty did not work in the 1990s, and it will not solve the problem now. Amnesty only encourages more illegal entry into the United States. Congress, the United States Senate, and the President need to adopt my position of a strong NO to amnesty.

English as the Official Language: I continue to support English as the official language of the United States of America.

Tobacco: I am pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the President finally adopted legislation that provides for a buyout of tobacco quota holders and tobacco producers. The buyout is being funded by the users of tobacco products all across the United States. Over the next decade, over $450 million will flow to Southern Virginia as a result of this legislation.

Energy Costs: The United States must be free of foreign fossil fuel. Freedom from the Middle Eastern sheiks, Nigeria, and Venezuela is necessary for a continued bright future for our country. We cannot allow OPEC to control our energy supply. The United States must develop various alternative fuel sources. I am pleased to have sponsored legislation that has brought almost $2 million to the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Southern Virginia for a project that includes deriving biofuel from switchgrass, miscanthus and hybrid poplars. When fully developed, the results of this program could significantly enhance agriculture and forest products throughout the 5th District of Virginia. The hydrogen fuel cell, biodiesel, and other alternative energy sources have potential in making us much less dependent on foreign fossil fuels. I also support the utilization of nuclear power and expanded drilling opportunities for natural gas and oil in this country so that our energy needs are met by domestic and not foreign sources. I have supported and continue to support, tax credits for solar, wind energy, and other renewable energy sources. I have supported and will continue supporting drilling in Alaska.

Being free of a need for foreign fossil fuel will enable us to be less involved in the shifting sands of the Middle East.

Tax Reductions and Fairness: I support the elimination of the Death Tax. Death should not mean the end of the family farm or the family business. Under federal law a 50% death tax often precludes families from having the homestead or their parents business.

I support and have voted to terminate the current IRS Code at a date determined in the future so it can be replaced with something simpler and fairer. There are several alternatives to the current Code and include the Fair Tax, the Flat Tax, the Transaction Tax, and others. Between the current IRS code and the Fair Tax, I would support the Fair Tax with certain modifications. For example, the Fair Tax, which is basically a national sales tax, has a prebate of $180 per month per person, which should be limited to United States citizens, who are adults and who reside in the United States. I am a cosponsor of H.R. 25, the Fair Tax.

Prescription Drug Benefit: Our seniors and the disabled need help with their prescription drug costs. We are fortunate to have in America many advanced and diverse medicines, but they are often very costly. A voluntary, flexible benefit that has catastrophic coverage means that seniors will not have to choose between food and their prescriptions. The House of Representatives voted in favor of a plan that helps the less well off seniors the most and helps seniors and the disabled with large prescription drug costs. It is likely that improvements will be needed to Medicare Part D in the future. I also support prompt payment legislation for community pharmacists.

Medical Costs: A big factor in medical costs is the high cost of malpractice insurance for our physicians and other health care providers. I support tort reform that will limit attorney fees and the amount of damages recoverable for noneconomic losses.

Social Security: We must preserve and protect Social Security. I know first hand how important Social Security was for my mother, who lived to be 87.

Marriage: I believe that marriage should be a union between a man and a woman. I am opposed to gay marriages and so-called gay civil unions. I support the federal Marriage Protection Amendment.

Health Care: I support increased funding for research aimed at combating and curing illnesses such as diabetes, lupus, cancer, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease, and heart disease. I hope that we can continue funding for health initiatives like community health centers in rural areas. I support refundable tax credits to encourage assistance for the uninsured to get health care assistance coverage.

Higher Education: We must continue our commitment to research in higher education and to strengthening the Pell Grant and Stafford Loan Programs. I am especially pleased by the tens of millions that the University of Virginia has received in research grants from the National Institutes of Health.

Public Education: Washington should not be running our local school systems. We need to leave local education decisions to the states and localities. We should improve federal funding for special education so that our states and localities can more properly address school construction, teacher needs, and other educational issues. I am opposed to national testing of public school students and voted against "No Child Left Behind" with its new mandates and new tests that must comply with national standards.

Crime and the Second Amendment: We need to maintain capital punishment for certain murders and to fully prosecute those who commit crimes with firearms. I fully support the right of an individual to protect himself or herself against assault and violent attack. I am honored to be co-chair of the Second Amendment Caucus.

National Defense: We need a strong national defense. I support policies to encourage the recruitment and the retention of personnel in the Armed Forces. Strength is a necessity for deterring foreign aggression and combating terrorism.

Veteran's Benefits: I support improving funding for veterans' health care and providing health care benefits to all veterans. We also need to insure that the Veteran's Administration works with and on behalf of our veterans. We need to slash foreign aid and redirect billions for veterans' healthcare and the like. I am a supporter and cosponsor of significantly expanding educational benefits for veterans.

Partial Birth Abortion Ban: I have cosponsored and voted for the ban on partial-birth abortions, and the bill has passed the United States House of Representatives and signed by the President. I hope that legislation banning partial birth abortions will withstand court challenges. I have a consistent pro-life voting record and will continue that record.

International Relations: I oppose the placement of our Armed Forces under United Nations command. We need to curtail expenditures to the World Bank, the IMF, and to many foreign nations.

North American Union: We need to block any union between the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The sovereignty of the United States must be preserved. Hopefully, we can continue to get cosponsors for my resolution against the North American Union.

Trade: Agreements like NAFTA and the trade provisions in fast track authorization lead to the erosion of this country's vital manufacturing base. I do not favor international trade agreements such as these that result in a loss of American sovereignty and jobs.