Op-eds

Townhall Rep. Ben Cline October 10th, 2023 When I came to Congress in 2019, I was fortunate enough to receive an appointment to the Judiciary Committee. Serving with Jim on the Judiciary Committee, I’ve seen his leadership traits firsthand and I know those skills are exactly what the House of Representatives needs right now.\ Everyone knows Jim is tenacious and he is dogged.… Read more »

In 1996, President Bill Clinton declared that “the era of big government is over.”  That same year, then-Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) recalled being “pilloried” by his fellow Democrats for “suggesting that there be a mandatory work requirement for anyone receiving welfare.”  How things change. ... It used to be a point of agreement that work… Read more »

I recently spent three days visiting the U.S.-Mexico border near Yuma, Arizona, with members of the House Judiciary Committee. Having visited the Southern border on two previous occasions, I saw and heard firsthand accounts of the disastrous impact that President Joe Biden’s border policy is having on our law enforcement, Border Patrol, and entire communities in Arizona and… Read more »

President Joe Biden’s open border policies have created not only humanitarian, national security and economic crises, but also a mounting drug crisis, from which the cartels have made millions. The drug crisis, in particular, has been a devastating tragedy to our nation and commonwealth, and addressing it starts with securing our southern border. The American people deserve the… Read more »

As we find ourselves in the Dog Days of summer, hardworking Virginians have felt the devastating impacts of one-party rule in Washington. Inflation is at a 40-year high, historic interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve have reduced purchasing power, gas prices are still too high, and two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth have confirmed what families already knew: our… Read more »

I recently joined several members of the U.S. House Budget Committee on a trip to Texas to hear firsthand from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents about the crisis that President Biden’s immigration policies have created at our southern border. Visiting the border should be mandatory for every member of Congress, who need to hear from the Border Patrol agents who are tasked… Read more »

As we reach the one-year anniversary of one-party Democrat rule in Washington, D.C., we can see all-too clearly the disastrous results that it has brought for our nation, for our economy, and for our families. During his inauguration speech, last January, President Biden said, "Politics need not be a raging fire destroying everything in its path." However, that is exactly what has… Read more »

As we remember those who perished on this day 20 years ago, let us be mindful that freedom is not free and has been paid for with the blood and treasure of Americans both civilian and military since the inception of our country. In three separate incidents, the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and in a field outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania, our Nation and its institutions were maliciously… Read more »

During this holiday season, folks across our part of Virginia are preparing to celebrate with friends and family. I know I look forward to celebrating Christmas with my wife and daughters, first in our new home of Fincastle, then with my mother in our hometown of Lexington, and finally with my wife's parents in Roanoke (with lots of driving on Interstate 81 in-between). But as families… Read more »

Earlier this month, the MISSION Act became effective after being signed into law last year. The legislation expands medical provider options for individuals receiving medical care from the Veterans Administration. The goal of this legislation is to provide veterans with the care they earned while giving everything in defense of freedom.To receive care under the MISSION Act, veterans must… Read more »