Political Quotes

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In Virginia's Fifth District, State and local officials have been working diligently to attract new businesses to create new jobs in Southside, Virginia. In Henry County, a county located in Virginia's Fifth District, local officials have identified a 200-acre site that has the potential to attract major economic development opportunities at a time when the Martinsville-Henry County area suffers from the highest unemployment rate in Virginia--15 percent and 10 percent respectively. Unfortunately, Federal regulators, including the Army Corps of Engineers, have resisted moving forward with this important initiative and stalled the county's permit application because of the lack of an identified end- user for the site. At the same time, the potential companies that would invest in this site and create jobs in Southside, Virginia, are unwilling to commit their resources due to the risk and time delays associated with an outstanding permit with the Corps. While State regulators have issued permits for the Henry County site, the Corps continues to be steadfast in its unwillingness to move forward with the permit, even though they have issued permits for similar speculative development projects in the past which subsequently attracted new industries and jobs to that area. Mr. Chairman, this site represents an economic opportunity that could bring thousands of jobs to an area of Virginia that is still struggling with double-digit unemployment.…”