Posted by
Randy
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November 26, 2014
As we head into the holiday season and winter weather, I wanted to pass along these helpful tips and resources for staying safe during the colder weather and winter storms that will soon be headed our way. Make sure you keep a charged cell phone with you, make a note to check on elderly or disabled neighbors, and consider the following tips and resources:
• Cold weather puts an extra strain on the heart. If you have heart disease or high blood pressure, follow your doctor’s advice about shoveling snow or performing other hard work in the cold. Extreme cold weather precautions: http://www.vaemergency.gov/news/news-releases/2014/cold-weather • Frozen pipes occur most frequently in areas with temperate climates where pipes are more likely to be exposed or under insulated. Running water, even at a trickle, helps prevent pipes from freezing. Preventing and thawing frozen pipes: http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/winter-storm/preventing-thawing-frozen-pipes • Winterize your home by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows. In addition, if you use woodstoves or fireplaces to heat your home, remember to have them professionally serviced and cleaned. • Bring pets inside, if possible, and move other animals to sheltered areas with access to non-frozen drinking water. Protecting pets during cold weather: http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/winter-storm/protent-pets-during-snowstorms • Have an emergency kit prepared with supplies such as an alternate fuel source for heating your home, flashlights and batteries in your home and car, blankets, food that needs no cooking or refrigeration, a 3 day supply of water, prescription medicines, snow shovel etc. Learn more about creating a winter preparedness plan by visiting, www.readyvirginia.gov.
Posted by
Randy
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October 14, 2014
I want to know your thoughts on the transportation issues facing our nation. You can provide your feedback by taking this brief survey.
How important are transportation issues for the federal government to address? o The most important issue o One of the top five most important issues o A somewhat important issue o Not a very important issue o Unsure What are the most important transportation projects that we should invest in? o Building and widening existing highways and roads to ease congestion o Filling potholes, repaving, and maintaining existing roads o Repairing and improving bridges o Long distance high-speed rail o Short-distance rail projects such as commuter trains and light rail o Public transportation such as bus transit o None of the above In your opinion, what key factors prevent transportation projects from being completed in a timely manner? o Bureaucratic red tape and lengthy permitting processes o Limited budgets o Wasteful management of transportation funds o Political infighting o Lack of local or regional consensus o Growing costs of materials and/or labor o None of the above Would you favor temporarily repealing expensive and time-consuming regulations that do not pertain to safety or durability, if the result was less expensive projects built on a faster timeline? o Yes o No o Unsure Take the survey here. Read about my work to prioritize necessary construction and improvements to our nation's roads and bridges.
Posted by
Randy
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August 26, 2014
The Port of Virginia is one of our most unique and valuable assets in the Fourth District of Virginia. As the Panama Canal expands to allow the passage of the large cargo vessels known as Post-Panamax ships, it is important to note that the Port of Virginia is one of the few deep-water ports already able to accommodate such vessels. However, the maintenance and improvement of crane, rail, and trucking infrastructure remains critical for the Port to handle the increased volume of cargo the Post-Panamax ships carry. Ships will only come to the Port if the channel is deep enough and the Port can receive and process their cargo in a timely and efficient way.
Posted by
Randy Forbes
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April 09, 2014
Throwing more taxpayer dollars into transportation projects that are being choked by bureaucratic red tape doesn’t make sense and doesn’t fix the problem. The 414 Plan is simple. Here’s what it does:
Posted by
Randy Forbes
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October 19, 2012
Yesterday, I hosted a Panama Canal Roundtable in Suffolk with Senator John Boozman (AR) to bring experts in international shipping, trade, and transport together to discuss how Virginia and the rest of the country can work together to prepare for the impending expansion of the Panama Canal, a “game changer” for the ports on the East Coast. In attendance were Jim Cheng, Virginia Commerce Secretary, several of our mayors, Virginia Port Authority Commissioners, Colonel Paul Olsen, Army Corps of Engineers, Representatives from the American Trucking Association, Retail Industry Leaders Association, and industry representatives from CSX, Maersk, Norfolk Southern, Target, Walmart and more. Out of an interesting discussion, three highlights emerged. 1. The post-Panamax ships are coming and we need to be prepared for that. The future of international shipping is moving towards these larger post-Panamax ships that can handle up to ten times the carrying capacity of previously used vessels. The Panama Canal expansion is due to be completed by the end of 2015 and currently, the Port of Virginia is the only East Coast port prepared to accept these giant ships, which require deeper channels, wider berths, larger turning basins and expanded dock capacity . Colonel Olsen, the Norfolk District Commander for the Army Corps of Engineers predicted that 62 percent of container ships will be post-Panamax class by 2030. This capability, partnered with the Port of Virginia’s rail and truck access that allows goods off-loaded at the port to be transported to two-thirds of the U.S. population within 24 hours, puts the Commonwealth in an especially advantageous position to benefit from the Panama Canal expansion.
2. Our interconnectivity underscores the importance of strong partnerships. Ships will only come to the Port of Virginia if the channel is deep enough and the port can receive and process their cargo timely and efficiently. Transportation companies – such as rail and trucking companies - can only deliver goods if adequate highway, tunnel and rail infrastructure exists to handle the larger payloads. Retailers and small businesses can only succeed if they can acquire their goods economically and in a timely manner. All these businesses depend in some way on each other to sell goods to consumers and the efficiency in which they do has a huge effect on how much you, the end consumer will pay for them. We must ensure that government regulation is minimal and helps, not hurts these businesses, who ultimately pass on these costs to consumers. 3. We need to be more strategic and forward thinking. We need to look further than six months in the future to fully take advantage of the economic opportunities presented by things like the Panama Canal expansion. It’s not just enough for the ports to be ready to accept the larger ships, but the highway and rail access needs to be prepared ahead-of time. We need to protect the jobs we have and take advantage of opportunities for new ones. The Port of Virginia’s rail and truck access that allows goods off-loaded at the port to be transported to two-thirds of the U.S. population within 24 hours, puts the Commonwealth in an especially advantageous position to benefit from the Panama Canal expansion but how we adapt to the changes that are in motion will determine how we capitalize on these opportunities. Watch WAVY-TV’s coverage of yesterday’s roundtable here. Read my opinion piece in the Richmond Times Dispatch on this topic: On Port of Virginia question: Bag the Bolo Punch Read the Harnessing Panama’s Potential in the Suffolk News-Herald.
Posted by
Randy
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May 02, 2012
Transportation and infrastructure projects create thousands of jobs across America and encourage the free flow of goods and products that help support our local economies. In fact, transportation and roadway projects employ 21,000 individuals in Virginia. The Port of Virginia, which currently ranks as the third largest container port on the East Coast, is one of the largest drivers of the Hampton Roads and Virginia economies, contributing to 343,000 jobs throughout the state.
Virginia’s Ports. I supported the passage of three new Free Trade Agreements with South Korea, Columbia, and Panama, as well as the reauthorization of the Generalized System of Preferences. These agreements mean millions of dollars in new exports from the Commonwealth of Virginia and will strengthen Virginia’s vital ports, shipping, and transport industries.
Posted by
Randy
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January 27, 2012
This week, the President delivered the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress and the American people. In a wide-ranging speech that touched on a variety of national concerns from economic recovery, to changing energy policy and addressing the ongoing housing crisis, the President offered his Administration's 'blueprint' for the next year without providing many details. One goal articulated by the President was his desire to "clear away the red tape that slows down too many construction projects" through an executive order. While specifics of the President's proposal remain unclear, I have offered a bold proposal, the 414 Plan, that does just that--clears away the red tape, puts Americans back to work, cuts costs, and accelerates necessary construction and improvements to our nation's roads and bridges. The 414 Plan GOAL: Seeks to build roads and bridges in 414 days, rather than 13 years.
Question of the Week: Do you support bold proposals like the 414 Plan to cut through the red tape and speed up construction projects? ( ) Yes, I support bold proposals like the 414 Plan to cut through the red tape. ( ) No, I do not support proposals like the 414 Plan that cut back on regulations. ( ) Other (leave your comments below) ( ) I am unsure. Learn more about the 414 Plan here. Read my statement in response to the State of the Union address here. Take the poll here. Find the results of last week's instaPoll here.
Posted by
Randy
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October 13, 2011
A 2010 Government Accountability Office report found that a quarter of the country’s 600,000 bridges are either “structurally deficient” or inadequate to meet today’s traffic needs. To address this problem, Congressman Forbes has introduced the 414 Plan, a bill that temporarily suspends burdensome regulations that have stalled the highway construction process to an average of 13.1 years while still maintaining rigorous safety and durability standards. The 414 Plan:
The text of the legislation is available here. ( ) I support the 414 Plan.
Posted by
Randy
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February 01, 2011
This morning I talked with Jimmy Barrett on WRVA about some of the top legislation I am introducing in the 112th Congress, like my bill to prevent a dramatic expansion of the IRS. Don’t miss our discussion – click here or use the play button below.
Posted by
Randy
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July 13, 2010
I frequently tell people that Virginia’s Fourth District is home to some of the most beautiful, welcoming, and efficient communities in our nation. Some might say that I, having grown up and raised my family in the Fourth District, am a bit biased. But others are agreeing that it is true. |
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