Email from Jim Webb's Washington Week 4-18-08

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Friday, April 18, 2008

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REMEMBERING VIRGINIA TECH

A year ago this week, a great tragedy shook the campus of Virginia Tech. I want to take a moment to commend the strength of the parents, spouses, family members and friends of those 32 students and faculty who were taken from us at that time. I would also like to express my continuing admiration for the Blacksburg community and the students of Virginia Tech, who have shown grace, humanity and resilience in the wake of such tragedy.

This terrible tragedy underscores the need to ensure early access to counseling programs and the treatment of mental illness. It also calls attention to the need to review and correct federal guidelines so that school officials, administrators and law enforcement can work in tandem to effectively ensure the safety of our students while upholding their privacy.

I have introduced legislation with Senator Warner to that effect, and it is my hope that it will soon pass the Congress.



ON ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE VA TECH TRAGEDY,
LEGISATION TO IMPROVE SAFETY ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

As our nation mourns the anniversary of the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech this week, I introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator John Warner (R-VA) that would clarify how and when educational institutions can share students' treatment records when a student poses a threat to himself or others.

In the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy, two review panels found that misinterpretation of federal and state privacy laws create an additional barrier to responding to and addressing troubled students and reports of potential threats.

My bill is intended to clarify the applicability of "The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act" to treatment records at college clinics. The bill also creates an explicit "safe harbor provision" making clear that good faith disclosures of information for health or safety reasons are encouraged, without fear of violating the federal educational privacy law.

It is important for Congress to ensure that we provide our school officials, administrators and counselors clear federal guidelines to both protect the privacy and ensure the safety of our students. Together with the passage of the Mental Health Parity Act in both the House and Senate and other measures to ensure access to mental health services, my bill will be a good step in helping college administrators respond to growing incidences of mental illness.

To read the Charlottesville editorial, "From Tragedy to Reform," please go to: http://www.webb.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=296293&

To read Mike Sluss' Roanoke Times story, "Webb bill will let college share mental health info," visit: http://webb.senate.gov/newsroom/record_article.cfm?id=296296&&

In the Senate

GENERAL PETREAUS & AMBASSADOR CROCKER
DELIVER IRAQ REPORT ON CAPITOL HILL

Last week, General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker testified before Congress, delivering their report on military and political progress in Iraq. I heard from them twice on Tuesday in hearings of the Armed Services Committee and Foreign Relations Committee.

During questioning, I impressed upon them my concern that the present Administration's strategy has perpetuated a double-strategic mousetrap in the region. First, with our focus solely on Iraq, we have ignored our larger strategic interests around the world. Second, our occupation of Iraq has bogged down our military--burning out our troops and equipment--while the agents of international terrorism have retained mobility, re-concentrating their center of mass in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

I also reiterated my concern that the Pentagon's leadership provide better stewardship of our troops by allowing them adequate time at home between deployments and supporting my legislation to give today's military people educational benefits on par with the World War II-era GI Bill. I also stated my concerns about the current long-term agreements being negotiated between the Bush Administration and the Iraqi government, calling for those agreements to be submitted for Congressional debate and approval.

To watch my Hardball interview with Chris Matthews on the hearings, please go to: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24019531#24019531

To watch my debate with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," Sunday, April 6, please go to: http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4598984&affil=wjla

To read "Warner, Webb question the general" from the Daily Press by David Lerman, please go to: http://www.dailypress.com/news/nationworld/dp-local_iraq_0409apr09,0,3681789.story

ARMY BODY ARMOR REPORT UNDERSCORES NEED
FOR COMPREHENSIVE INVESTIGATION

Earlier this month, Senator Hillary Clinton and I criticized U.S. Army leadership for its failure to ensure that body armor meets the federal standards for awarded contracts. According to a report released Wednesday, April 2nd, the Department of Defense Inspector General "has no assurance" that 13 of the 28 Army body armor contracts--valued at $5.2 billion--"met the required standards." By contrast, the DoD audit found no deficiencies in 12 Marine Corps body armor contracts.

Senator Clinton and I, both members of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, expressed our concern with this report and noted that the DoD report underscores the need for a quick completion of the Government Accountability Office's current investigation into the effectiveness and reliability of body armor systems. Senator Clinton and I called for this investigation last spring.

The safety of our troops is not an area where we can afford to be reckless or irresponsible. The DoD report raises a host of troubling findings relating to the Army's failure to properly document important testing and safety actions. We owe it to those who are in harm's way to examine conclusively whether we are providing them the best protection possible.

To read the AP story, "Body Armor Questioned," please go to: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gqM3OA_CQQhpdZX8Du6mkCzdILSgD8VQ1T180

To read my May 18th letter with Senator Clinton to the Comptroller of the United States, calling for an investigation into the body armor we administer our troops, please go to: http://webb.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=274656

For the full report of the Department of Defense Inspector General, issued Monday entitled "DoD Procurement Policy for Body Armor," please go to: http://www.dodig.osd.mil/Audit/reports/fy08/08-067.pdf

Virginia

ROUNDTABLE WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF COMMUNITY HOUSING PROGRAMS
IN RICHMOND



Last Friday, I sat down with representatives of more than a dozen community housing programs to discuss ongoing federal and local efforts to alleviate the growing housing crisis. We were hosted by the tremendous staff of Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME), a non-profit founded to fight discrimination in housing access.

Engaged in the conversation were representatives from the Better Housing Coalition, Community Housing Partners, Homeward, Housing Opportunities Made Equal, Housing Virginia, Neighbor Works Resource Group, Richmond Association of Realtors, Richmond Metropolitan Habit for Humanity, Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority, Southside Community Development and Housing Corporation, The Urban League of Greater Richmond, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, Virginia Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Virginia Supportive Housing and Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.

The day before my visit, the Senate passed a bipartisan bill that I cosponsored aimed at helping more Americans keep their homes. The "Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008" includes millions of dollars for expanded counseling for borrowers at risk of default; ensures that consumers are provided meaningful disclosures and information about the terms of their loans; provides measures to increase the funding available for financing or refinancing mortgages; and gives veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan more time before lenders can start foreclosure proceedings and a year of relief from rising interest rates.

I am pleased that the Senate was able to quickly finalize this legislation that provides much-needed relief to Virginia homeowners. It also provides resources directly to local communities to fund many of the Richmond projects we discussed during the roundtable.

We can't expect to turn around a struggling economy with a single piece of legislation, but I believe this is a very strong first step.

To read Tyler Whitley's Richmond Times Dispatch story, "Sen. Webb sees growing concern in nation: speaks with housing group, discusses economic inequalities," visit: http://webb.senate.gov/newsroom/record_article.cfm?id=296292&&

SPEECH TO CADETS AT MARSHALL FOUNDATION ROTC AWARDS
AT VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE

This week, I had the pleasure of speaking to more than 400 cadets at the Marshall Foundation ROTC Awards and National Security Seminar held at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington, VA. I shared with the cadets my experiences in the military and how those experiences molded my views on leadership.

Since 1976, the Marshall Foundation, in partnership with the United States Army, has brought close to 9,500 exemplary college seniors to Lexington to receive the Marshall ROTC Award and to participate in the Marshall Seminar on the National Security of the United States. Cadets are selected by the cadre of their university Army ROTC Detachment as the outstanding Army ROTC cadet for the year.

In my remarks, I spoke about the importance of character and integrity, taking responsibility for one's actions and having the moral courage to stand up for the men and women that one leads. I also talked about the value of personal authenticity and of loyalty, first to those up the chain of command, but even more importantly, to those who serve under one's leadership.

"NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA" DESIGNATION OF REGION SPANNING FROM GETTYSBURG TO MONTICELLO

I am pleased to announce that this week the Senate passed a measure sponsored by Senator Warner and myself to designate a 175-mile corridor along U.S. Route 15 in Northern and Central Virginia as a National Heritage Area. The region designated by the "Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area Act" is home to some of the nation's most notable and historic landmarks, including eight presidential homes or sites, 15 National Historic Landmarks, 47 historic districts and the largest collection of Revolutionary War sites and Civil War battlefields in America.

The passage of this bill represents the combined efforts of numerous Virginia communities, businesses and citizens to honor our nation's heritage. By designating this area as a National Heritage Area, we are helping to preserve these sites for future generations to enjoy through the promotion of heritage tourism.

For more information about the "Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area," please visit: www.HallowedGround.org



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