Jim Webb Says “Thank You”

Dear Friend,

Five years ago this week, on February 8, 2006, I announced my intention to run for the United States Senate.  We had neither campaign funds nor a staff.  We were challenged in a primary, and trailed the incumbent in the general election by more than 30 points in the polls.

Over the next nine months we focused relentlessly on the need to reorient our national security policy, to restore economic fairness and social justice, and to bring greater accountability in our government.

I will always be grateful for the spirit and energy that was brought into this campaign by thousands of loyal and committed volunteers like you.  Your enthusiasm and support were truly the difference in that election, and I will be forever grateful.

It has been a great and continuing privilege to serve in the United States Senate, and one I have you to thank for.  I am very proud of my talented and dedicated staff, which has worked tirelessly to resolve the issues on which I based my candidacy, and to protect the interests of all Virginians in this national forum.

Motivated by your unwavering support, we have given our Post- 9/11 veterans the best GI Bill since World War Two; we have taken the lead in reforming our criminal justice system; we have led the way toward stronger relations in East and Southeast Asia; and we have been a strong voice in calling on China to act more responsibly in the world community.

Together, we will continue to aggressively work on these and other issues affecting the well-being and the future of our country throughout the rest of my term.   However, after much thought and consideration I will not seek re-election in 2012.

I wanted to reach out to you directly as this news breaks to express my deep gratitude for your support over the years, and I look forward to sharing with my plans for the future with you soon.

With sincere appreciation,

Some of Senator Jim Webb’s Accomplishments

Note: With two folks already entering their names in the Virginia GOP’s 2012 primary for the U.S. Senate seat held by the Senior Senator From Virginia, Jim Webb, the DPVA wanted to remind folks about just a few of his accomplishments since the 2006 election:

Jim Webb has a proven record as a leader in the Marines, the Pentagon and the Senate. In his first term he has built an impressive record of accomplishment with:
* The passage of his Post-9/11 GI Bill, which provides our newest generation of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans the same educational benefits that our veterans received after World War II. The bill offers new economic opportunities to hundreds of thousands of Americans and helps to strengthen the U.S. economy
* The passage of his Wartime Contracting Commission to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan wartime-support contract and potentially save taxpayers billions of dollars
* The introduction (and House passage) of his National Criminal Justice Commission Act through which he is leading the charge in Congress to comprehensively examine and restructure America’s criminal justice system.
* The passage of his TRICARE Affirmation Act to protect military health programs for service members, veterans, and their families.

By the fall of 2008, Washingtonian Magazine had named Senator Webb as the “Rising Star” in its “Best & Worst of Congress” edition, and Politico newspaper named him “Rookie of the Year.” By late 2008, Esquire Magazine counted Senator Webb among the world’s “75 Most Influential People of the 21st Century,” for doing “more to repair his party’s relationship with the military” than anyone since the Vietnam War, and in October 2009, The Atlantic Magazine spotlighted Senator Webb as one of the world’s “Brave Thinkers” for tackling prison reform as a freshman senator and possessing “two things vanishingly rare in Congress: a conscience and a spine.”

Senator Webb Visits Norfolk International Terminals

Note: the following is from the DailyPress.com blog http://weblogs.dailypress.com/news/local/shipsandportsblog

U.S. Sen. Jim Webb visited Norfolk International Terminals on Tuesday. And what a bad day for a port tour. Freezing rain and nasty winds kept Webb and his staff huddled up in the Virginia Port Authority’s Jeff Keever’s car for the three-stop tour of the waterfront, but Webb had quite a bit to say once inside. Along with fellow Senate Democrat Mark Warner, Webb is pushing for $50 million in federal funding for the long-awaited Craney Island Marine Terminal construction project. That’s a big number, especially in light of the mere $100,000 Congress appropriated to the project in Fiscal 2011.

Senator Webb Votes to Adjust “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy

December 21, 2010	Stay Connected: http://webb.senate.gov/

On Saturday, December 18, 2010, the Senate voted 65-31 to adjust the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Before the vote, I made the following statement on the floor of the Senate:

“I rise in support of the notion that we need to make adjustments to the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. I say this after many years of thought and consideration and also in light of the analysis that has been provided by the Department of Defense to the Armed Services Committee on which I sit. I would say to my friend from South Carolina, I take the points that he has made about small unit cohesion. This has gone into the formula that I have used, myself, in order to come to my conclusion.

“We need to, first of all, understand what this is and what it is not. The question is not whether there should be gays and lesbians in the military. They are already there. According to General Ham, who conducted this extensive study, approximately the same percentage of the military is gay and lesbian as in our general population.

“The question is not about whether anyone should be able to engage in inappropriate conduct as a result of this policy, because we will not allow that and we will be very vigorous in our oversight of the Department of Defense to make sure that does not occur.

“The question is whether this policy, as now enacted, works in a way that on the one hand can protect small unit cohesion–or to sort that out–and on the other, allow people to live honest lives.

“Here’s what we have: We have a Secretary of Defense who served in the Air Force and who implemented a policy of nondiscrimination when he headed the C.I.A., coming forward strongly and saying he believes that the alteration of this policy will work. I would remind my colleagues that he began as Secretary of Defense in the Bush Administration. We have a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, who had an extensive career in surface warfare starting with small destroyers and up to commanding fleets, saying he believes the policy should change and that it can work. We have the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, a Marine, saying he believes this policy should change and it can work. Most interestingly, we have General Ham, who conducted this study—an infantry officer and former enlisted Army soldier whose religious beliefs caused him concern about homosexuality—at the same time saying this policy can be changed and that it should be changed.

“That is what we are seeing here. The question is whether a change in policy will create difficulties in small unit cohesion. That depends, as I mentioned during the hearings, on how the policy is implemented. I wrote a letter yesterday to Secretary Gates to reaffirm my understanding that this repeal would contemplate a sequenced implementation of the provisions for different units in the military as reasonably determined by the service chiefs, the combatant commanders in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He responded to me this morning saying, ‘This legislation would indeed permit’ it, and ‘The specific concerns you raise would be foremost in my mind as we develop an implementation plan.’

“Without this, Mr. President, I would not be voting to repeal this. I have spent my entire life in and around the military, including five years in the Pentagon. With this understanding and with the notion that we need to be putting a policy into place that allows an open way of living among people who have different points of view, I’m going to support this legislation.”
Senator Webb served as highly-decorated combat Marine in Vietnam and is currently chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee.

Click here to read Senator Webb’s letter to Secretary of Defense Gates

Click here to read Secretary Gates’ response to Senator Webb

Senator Jim Webb Supporting the White House and the “ultimate stimulus plan”

December 09, 2010	Stay Connected: http://webb.senate.gov/

 

 

 

 

 

The “ultimate stimulus plan”

This week, the White House proposed a bipartisan plan on middle class tax cuts and unemployment insurance, which will reinvigorate our economy and put Americans back to work.

I commend the President for his leadership in forging this agreement.  The proposal is the ultimate stimulus plan. It will put more money directly into the pockets of people and small businesses, allowing that money to be quickly recycled as the economy expands. It will provide greater certainty for business and investment planning and extend several programs that effectively serve working Americans and lower-income families.

Failing to act now will result in higher taxes for almost all Americans starting on January 1st – an unacceptable result for an economy that remains fragile and in danger of further job losses.

No one will agree with every provision in the proposed agreement.  The simple reality is that the American people–particularly those who are out of work–cannot afford to wait while politics-as-usual blocks an effective, bipartisan plan to stimulate the economy and restore growth.

You can find more about the bipartisan plan by clicking here.

You can watch my interview with CNN’s John King on this subject by clicking here.

Senator Jim Webb Headlines DPVA Event On Monday, October 25th

Who:  Everyone is invited

When:   Monday, October 25 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Where:  Torpedo Factory Art Center Alexandria
105 N. Union St., Alexandria VA 22314

Special Guest:  Virginia’s Senior Senator, JimWebb

RSVP to Allison Jones at (804) 644-1966  or allison@vademocrats.org

OR CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS and RSVP

OR Download WEBB DVPA 10-25.pdf and mail in your payment.

NOTE: Jim Webb is appearing at this event only as a featured guest. Jim Webb is not asking for funds or donations.

Contributions to the Democratic Party of Virginia are subject to the prohibitions and limitations of the Federal Election Campaign Act. Contributions from corporations, national banks, federal contractors and foreign nationals who are not admitted for permanent residence in the United States are prohibited.   All contributions must be made from personal funds and may not be reimbursed or paid by any other person.  Contributions are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes.

Federal law requires us to use our best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation and name of employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 in an election cycle.

Senator Webb Working To Keep Defense Jobs In Virginia

September 22, 2010	Stay Connected: http://webb.senate.gov/

Keeping Defense Jobs in Virginia

I have called on the White House to refrain from making a final decision on the future of the U.S. Joint Forces Command, based in Norfolk, until Congress has satisfactorily obtained a firm understanding of the process by which Secretary of Defense Robert Gates arrived at his recommendation. While I support, as a general principle, Secretary Gates in his efforts to reduce overhead costs and instill a culture of savings and restraint, the process used to achieve these goals should be clear and understandable.

At my request, the Senate Committee on Armed Services will hold a hearing on September 28 to address the full range of the proposed defense efficiency initiatives. In addition, I will file an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act this month to require the Secretary of Defense to provide full justification to Congress before any action is taken to close the Joint Forces Command.  This is consistent with Congress’s constitutional oversight responsibility as we work to improve our military’s joint warfare capabilities and operations.

A decision of this magnitude poses significant implications for joint training and the development of joint war-fighting capabilities that are essential for successful 21st-century combat operations.  Any proposal to close or realign the command should be guided by a clear process and analytical basis that everyone can understand.  This is particularly important in light of Secretary Gates’s stated intention to consider consolidating or closing other military bases and facilities across the country.

To read more about the JFCOM decision, please click here.

Webb Pushes Senate Oversight Hearings on DOD Plans and JFCOM

Senator Jim Webb continues to impress … for more about his latest work on making sure our country’s military leaders and congress are making informed decisions with proper oversight check out

Senate Panel To Hold Hearing on JFCOM Closure – Defense News.

Virginia’s Senior Senator, Jim Webb’s Memorial Day Recess Update

1. National Criminal Justice Commission Act.

The Senator’s National Criminal Justice Commission Act has gained momentum in past weeks with the House introduction of the legislation, led by Reps. Bill Delahunt (D-MA) and Darrell Issa (R-CA), both active Judiciary Committee members.

In addition to strong bipartisan support in the Senate with 34 cosponsors, the Senator’s bill has garnered support from across the political spectrum. As he said recently: “I want you to ask yourself the last time you saw a piece of criminal justice legislation that was supported universally by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Fraternal Order of Police, the Marijuana Policy Institute, the NAACP, the ACLU and the American Bar Association.”

The bill, which would create a blue-ribbon commission charged with comprehensively reviewing the nation’s criminal justice system and offering concrete recommendations for reform, passed out of the Judiciary Committee earlier this year.  The bill is strongly supported by Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate leadership, and we expect that it will come before the full Senate in the coming weeks. We will keep you updated with movement.

Some notable editorials of the past month:

• LA Times, “We Need National Criminal Justice Commission,” May 31, 2010
• New York Times, “They Don’t Agree Often,” May 10, 2010

2. Bringing Jobs to Virginia .

• Cobham Industries = 200 Jobs for Suffolk , VA

On May 3, Senator Webb traveled to Suffolk , VA for the official opening of the Cobham Composite Products’ new state-of-the-art, energy efficient manufacturing facility. An estimated 200 new jobs are expected to be created in the first five years. Webb was an early and consistent supporter of Cobham’s move to the Suffolk area.  In FY 2010, he secured $1.6 million for production of the U.S. Air Force’s Miniature Air-Launched Decoy fuselage at the facility.

The 73,500-sq. ft. facility will manufacture advanced aircraft engine components, aircraft and rotorcraft structural products, unmanned aerial vehicle components, as well as missile and munitions products for the U.S. aerospace and defense industry.

Senator Jim Webb Pushes Legislation On Taxpayer Fairness

FYI: Webb to Offer his Amendment to Tax Excessive Corporate Bonuses During Financial Regulation Debate

Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) plans to reintroduce his Taxpayer Fairness Act as an amendment to the financial reform bill, S. 3217.  “During this debate on financial regulation, nothing seems more fair or appropriate than to make the American taxpayers whole after they infused our financial markets with capital in 2008 and saw them to recovery,” said Webb.

Webb’s measure, which he first introduced with Senator Boxer in February and again as an amendment to the tax extenders bill in March, puts a one-time windfall tax on bonuses paid in 2010 to executives of financial institutions that received $5 billion or more of taxpayer support under the TARP (Troubled Assets Relief Program) or the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.  CBO conservatively estimates that this amendment will raise at least $3.5 billion, revealing the enormous bonuses handed out by the 13 institutions that received the largest bailouts.

“Our political leaders should have the fortitude to require that excessive bonuses from these companies be repaid to the American people,” said Webb. “It is a targeted, sensible approach to ensure that the taxpayers who made possible the success of the biggest financial institutions benefit from that success—not just the executives of those institutions.”

Webb’s amendment, which has the support of Senators Boxer, Durbin, Murray, Lincoln, and Sanders, will place a one-time, 50 percent excise tax on bonuses above $400,000 paid to individuals working for institutions that received at least $5 billion in taxpayer bailouts. Webb does not favor recurring taxes on windfall profits.

Said Webb: “This situation is different than most. The risks were mitigated, if not eliminated. There is no risk or inventiveness to reward. These executives got lucky, to the exact degree that our middle-class taxpayers got the shaft.”