News from Representative Taylor

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Dear Friend,

News From the 2nd District is just one of the many ways my office engages constituents across our region. Here you will find some of the latest news from Capitol Hill, summaries of recent legislative activity, and updates from my office, which you are welcome to share with friends and family.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing difficulty with a federal agency, please do not hesitate to contact my office. We stand ready to assist.

Scott Taylor
Member of Congress

Rep. Taylor Introduces Legislation to Expand GI Transferability

On September 11, Representative Jimmy Panneta (CA-20) joined me in introducing, H.R. 6769 the GI Bill Transfer Extension Act. This is a bipartisan bill that would change the law governing GI Bill transfers in three key areas: First, it would remove the 16-year time-in-service cap announced in the recent DOD policy change. Second, it would provide a 15 year window for eligible veterans to transfer their education benefits after their separation or retirement. Third, the provisions would be made retroactive to August 1, 2009, the date the GI Bill transfers were first allowed. This provides individuals who did not transfer their education benefits before separation or retirement the opportunity to transfer as long as they have not already exhausted their benefit.

The GI Bill remains one of the most successful veterans' benefit programs in our nation's history and has enabled millions of service members to pursue higher education or pass the benefit along to their loved ones. This bill ensures that those who have put more than enough time in service to their country are afforded flexibility when it comes to the transferability of their hard-earned benefit. This is a growing area of concern for military members and veterans in our district and around the country.

Click here to read more about this important bill.

Rep. Taylor Joins Fox & Friends

Rep. Taylor spoke with Fox and Friends to discuss the 17th Anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks

On Tuesday, I joined Fox and Friends to discuss the 17th Anniversary of the September 11th attacks. After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, I re-enlisted after returning from deployment. It is important that we remember and honor those who lost their lives and served our country. Click on the image above or here to watch the segment.

Rep. Taylor Meets with Local Dentists to Discuss Tricare

On Tuesday, I met with dentists in our district to discuss the shortcomings of the Tricare Dependent Dental Plan. After hearing from many of you on this important subject, I want to ensure that we address the problems that many of our local dentists and constituents are experiencing. There are fewer dental providers in our district that are able accept the Tricare Dependent Dental Plan due to higher fees, forcing military dependents to pay more. Moving forward, I will work toward ensuring that military family members are adequately covered.

Rep. Taylor Speaks at Norfolk and Virginia Beach Civic Leagues

Rep. Taylor provides a legislative update on recent activity in Washington to the Norfolk and Virginia Beach Civic Leagues

On Monday, I attended the Norfolk and Virginia Beach civic leagues to hear constituent concerns and answer questions. Here you can find information on the neighborhood associations of Virginia Beach and the Civic Leagues of Norfolk. If you cannot attend your local civic organization meetings, I encourage you to reach out to me to address any questions or concerns. You can do so through our website, or call the District office at (757) 364 - 7650 or the Washington D.C. office at (202) 225 - 4215.

Rep. Taylor Helps Prepare for Hurricane Florence

Rep. Taylor assisted locals with filling sandbags at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex to prepare for Hurricane Florence

Earlier this week, I helped local community members fill sandbags to prepare for Hurricane Florence. This week, I have been in regular contact with local, state, and federal officials to ensure that our district and state take the necessary precautions to prepare for the potential damage of Florence. I also stopped by the Virginia Beach emergency command center and spoke with Governor Northam and the rest of the Virginia delegation to ensure that our district has access to emergency information and resources. Here you can find a list of local, state, and federal emergency contact information. I am proud of our community for their tireless effort to prepare the district and the state for the potential destruction of this storm.

Rep. Taylor Supports Reauthorization of Violence Against Women Act

This week I joined 45 of my colleagues in sending a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, urging them to advance a bipartisan reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This piece of legislation is set to expire on September 30, 2018, and was originally signed into law under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, H.R. 3355 in 1994. VAWA authorizes programs that protect victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and it promotes educational awareness about these types of crimes.

Since 1994, untold numbers of Americans have benefited from the protections offered by this legislation. Protecting victims of domestic violence and sexual assault is part of our mandate as elected members of Congress and is not a partisan issue. It is important that we take up this legislation immediately to ensure that this program is reauthorized on time so we can maintain protections for victims of domestic violence.

House Passes Appropriations Minibus for Military Construction and Veterans' Affairs, Energy and Water, and Legislative Branch

Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed a three-bill Appropriations "minibus" funding bill, agreed upon by the joint House and Senate Conference Committee, of which I had the privilege to serve. This package of bills includes funding for the Military Construction and Veterans' Affairs, Energy and Water, and Legislative Branch bills for fiscal year 2019.

This package of three funding bills marks the first time in more than ten years that Congress has sent more than one Appropriations bill to the President's desk prior to the end of the fiscal year. This represents a significant effort made by my colleagues in the House and Senate to return to "regular order", which means completing 12 funding bills through the normal legislative process and enacting them into law.

These appropriations bills are critical to our military and water infrastructure in Virginia. They provide the necessary funding to continue rebuilding the military, including important resources for our troops and their families. It also provides important funding for the VA that will increase healthcare access for veterans and streamline accountability.