Delegate Bob Hull
REAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS, FOR US
Blog
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Incumbent Democrat Faces Rare Challenge
Posted Jun 04 at 9 PM
Source: Virginia Politics
Written By: Sandhya SomashekharThursday, June 4, 2009In his 16 years in office, Del. Robert D. "Bob" Hull has never had a primary challenge. Some elections, he has not even had a Republican opponent.
But this year, he is the only incumbent Democrat in Northern Virginia with an opponent in the June 9 primary. And he has a formidable foe in Fairfax County School Board member L. Kaye Kory, who had more cash on hand as of March 30 and whose name is at least as familiar to voters as his.
The winner will have an advantage in the November general election against Republican Danny Smith in Fairfax County's heavily Democratic 38th House District, which borders the city of Falls Church and Arlington County and stretches south to the Capital Beltway.
Kory, 62, the School Board's Mason District representative since 1999, has criticized Hull as being too friendly with the development industry and unresponsive to the concerns of his constituents. Hull, 54, who works as a real estate agent in addition to his part-time job as a delegate, said he has a long record of promoting legislation that reflects the values of his constituents.
Kory is known on the School Board as an outspoken advocate for poor and at-risk children. In March, she was one of two board members who supported delayed start times for high school students to allow them to sleep longer, despite parents' objections.
She has criticized Hull for introducing bills supported by the home-building industry, including one last year that would have put a cap on the amount of proffer money a locality can extract from a developer.
"It's true that we need more Democrats in the state legislature, but we need good, reliable ones," she said.
Hull is the ranking Democrat on the House's Counties, Cities and Towns Committee and serves on the Virginia Housing Commission. He has received the endorsement of groups supporting abortion rights, gay rights and gun control, which he says reflects his priorities.
He supported legislation that would have required gun show patrons to undergo a background check before purchasing a weapon. In the early 1990s, he sponsored a bill that increased the penalty for carjacking. He said he has also rejected efforts to curb access to abortion.
He said he is seeking reelection in hopes that Democrats can win a majority in the General Assembly and address Northern Virginia's transportation problems.
"Over the years, I have worked with former governor [Mark R.] Warner and Governor [Timothy M.] Kaine to bring millions of dollars of transportation improvements to the area," he said. "I'd like to go back and finally solve our transportation problems."
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Posted Jun 04 at 6 PM
Earlier this week, my competitor in the June 9 Democratic Primary, Kaye Kory, sent out another mailing that continues to distort my environmental record rather than offering a positive vision of her own. My record is clear.
I was named a “Legislative Hero” by the Virginia League of Conservation Voters for my 100-percent voting record on environmental issues. This past Saturday, I was honored along with other legislators at the League’s annual dinner for my continued efforts in protecting Virginia’s natural resources.
I sent a message out this week throughout the 38th District to set the record straight. You can listen to it here.
For the past 17-years as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, I have worked for a cleaner and greener Virginia. I want to return and continue to fight to ban drilling for oil off Virginia’s coastline in order to protect the Chesapeake Bay and make Virginia a leader in alternative energy.
I ask for your vote next Tuesday in the Democratic Primary.Thank you.
Delegate Bob Hull -
Wilder Endorses...
Posted Jun 04 at 6 PM
Source: Virginia Politics
Written By: Anita Kumar
Thursday, June 4, 2009Former governor L. Douglas Wilder finally endorses in Tuesday's Democratic primary.
No, not for governor.
Wilder, the nation's first elected black governor, endorsed Fairfax County Del. Bob Hull, who is in a surprisingly tough Democratic primary race against Fairfax School Board memeber Kaye Kory. He recorded robocalls for the man he calls his friend.
Wilder was governor when Hull was first elected to the General Assembly in 1992. "You could have no better person representing your interests in Richmond than Bob Hull," Wilder says in the call.
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Editorial: Moran for Governor, Hull for Re-Election
Posted Jun 04 at 5 PM
Source: Falls Church News Press
Thursday, May 4, 2009
The News-Press is pleased to announce that it endorses Former State Del. Brian Moran as the best among the three candidates running for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Virginia.The primary election is next Tuesday, June 9, with the polls open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on that day. We urge all Democrats to turn out for this important election to determine who will represent the party in the race against Republican gubernatorial nominee Bob McDonnell in November.
The News-Press also endorses Jody Wagner for Lieutenant Governor, in a two-way race for that Democratic nomination. In two other important contested State Delegate races in the News-Press' area of influence, it endorses veteran incumbent State Del. Bob Hull for re-election in the 38th District, and Adam Parkhomenko for election in the 47th State Del. District of North Arlington.
The News-Press takes its role in this process very seriously, among other things, having had lengthy face-to-face interviews with all the gubernatorial candidates, and with both the candidates in the 38th District race. It has had eyewitness exposure to all the candidates in all the races where it has endorsed. The News-Press, after all, is the only locally-owned newspaper based in the electorally-decisive Eastern Fairfax-Falls Church-North Arlington region of Northern Virginia. This region has provided entire statewide margins of victory in key upsets for Democrats in their sweep of recent elections.
The News-Press first announced its endorsements on its web site Sunday night. In a press release following the announcement of the endorsements, News-Press owner-editor Nicholas F. Benton explained:
"Moran has a wealth of experience fighting for both the betterment of Virginia and progressive values. As a Northern Virginian he brings a depth of knowledge of the region's needs unmatched by his two opponents. His strongly-stated vow to fight for the repeal of the Marshall-Newman amendment to the state constitution, which denies equal rights to a whole class of Virginia citizens by banning gay marriage, sets him on a high moral ground that will serve him well going into the general election. It will compel his Republican opponent to own his party's continuing, divisive stand on this issue."
He added, "Wagner is also distinguished for her record of achievement working for a better Virginia and with the achievements of the previous two Democratic gubernatorial administrations. Hull likewise has a wealth of experience and achievement, including 17 years of accumulated seniority to the benefit of his constituents. Parkhomenko, among five rivals all seeking pubic office for the first time, brings the most energy, at his young age having already accumulated more political experience than most twice his age, and will provide Richmond with a worthy representative of the 'millennial generation.'"
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News-Press Democratic Primary Endorsements
Posted Jun 01 at 5 PM
Source: Falls Church News Press
Sunday, May 31, 2009The News-Press tonight announced its endorsements for the June 9 Democratic primary in Virginia, with editorial comments to follow in this Thursday's print edition of the paper:
Governor -- Brian Moran
Lieutenant Governor -- Jody Wagner
38th District Delegate -- Bob Hull
47th District Delegate -- Adam Parkhomenko -
Bob Hull endorsed by Wash. Post, Dick Saslaw, Ken Plum & Tina Hone
Posted May 31 at 11 AM
Source: Blue Commonwealth Blog
Written By: martinlomasney
Sat May 30, 2009 at 20:28:20 PM EDTAnd most interestingly, contrary to the multiple rumors floating around since January, Gerry Connelly is not endorsing either candidate in this race.
Hull is one of the most effective House members according to Saslaw. His opponent is one of the most ineffective school board members.Hull is the clear choice.
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Hull ‘Surprised’ By Challenge From Fellow Dem in Primary
Posted May 28 at 1 PM
Source: Falls Church News Press
Written By: Nicholas Benton
Wednesday, May 27, 2009Del. Bob Hull, who has represented the 38th District in the Virginia House of Delegates since 1992, says he is "genuinely surprised" that he's being challenged in the upcoming June 9 primary by fellow Democrat Kaye Kory, an elected member of the Fairfax County School Board.
The 38th District includes the Mason District of the greater Falls Church area of Fairfax County, and a small part of its Providence District.
"It would be one thing if I were completely off the Democratic reservation, but I have a solid record of support over 17 years for my voting record on matters of choice, the environment, equality, labor, education, transportation and so forth," Hull told the News-Press in an interview at the News-Press office yesterday.
Indeed, Kory, interviewed by the News-Press at a Bailey's Crossroads restaurant Tuesday, did not include any of those issues in delineating her disagreements with Hull that led to her decision to run against him about a year ago.
But Hull concedes that he's facing a formidable challenge from Kory, because she's an elected official representing the Mason District on the county school board.
With less than two weeks before the election, a flurry of Kory campaign signs have begun showing up along the Route 7 corridor stretching through the Mason District from Seven Corners to Skyline.
According to Fairfax's Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross, who is uncommitted in the race, Kory is running a "very serious" challenge to Hull. Kory said her support is at the grass roots, coming from her door-to-door campaigning and the efforts of "lots of volunteers," though when asked she could provide only one official endorsement, from the Fairfax Association of Professional Firefighters Local 2068.
Hull, on the other hand, boasts a long list of endorsements and supporters. They include the political action committee of NARAL Pro-Choice, the Legislative Black Caucus in Richmond, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Virginia Partisans Gay and Lesbian Democratic Club. He's also been designated a "Legislative Leader" or "Legislative Hero" by the Virginia League of Conservation Voters each of the last six years, has ratings from NARAL of 100 percent the last six years, from 86 to 100 percent from Equality Virginia, from 95 to 100 percent from the Virginia AFL-CIO and 75 to 100 percent from the Virginia Education Association.
Kory, who was first elected to the school board in 1999, told the News-Press she began being encouraged by friends and elected officials to run two years ago, although she declined to name the public officials.
Asked why she is running, Kory said, "Constituents of the 38th District deserve active, problem-solving, practical, results-oriented and responsive" representation in Richmond and they don't have it now."
She also stressed the need for "a close relationship between the legislature and locally-elected officials," though she provided no specific instances to illustrate where Hull has, in her view, fallen short. She said that education, the environment and transportation were her key issues, but she did not say how she differed with Hull on those subjects.
Hull, on the other hand, stressed the importance of having his 17 years of accumulated seniority in Richmond. If re-elected, he said, he'd be 18th among 100 delegates in seniority in the House, and seventh among Democrats. As the ranking Democrat on the County, Cities and Towns Committee, he would become the chairman if the Democrats win control of the House this November. He is also the ranking Democrat on the Housing Subcommittee of the General Law Committee.
"Seniority means clout, the ability to get things done and the legislative experience to get legislation through," he said. "I am able to get bills passed unanimously, or near unanimously."
In particular, he rattled off his legislative efforts in the areas of gun control and transportation dating back to his earliest days in Richmond.
Kory said she was "disturbed" by Hull's role in the passage of a bill in this year's legislative session that allowed for so-called "alternative septic fields," noting that it was not an issue for the 38th District and that it called for their installation by the State Board of Health and not local officials. She said that the method is "eight times more likely to fail" than standard septic tanks.
However, Hull disputed her claims, noting that his bill, HB 1788, passed the Senate 39-1 and the House 90-8 and was signed by Gov. Tim Kaine. "I don't think it would have had that kind of support if it was not environmentally viable," he said.
He said he was told there had been only one failure in 15 years of use, and that the technology is encouraged in Maryland and Delaware and widely used in Israel, where he visited last fall. "It is better for the environment," he said, involving "aerobic bacteria" that works faster in rocky soils where traditional percolation methods are not effective.
He did note that in Loudoun County, local officials had called for a moratorium on the use of the method, and that the new law will override that while requiring professional installation according to regulations that will be developed by the State Board of Health.
Because it will work on rocky soils, it will help preserve farmland from commercial development, Hull argued, because developers will be able to build effectively on the rocky soils.
It was also pointed out that Hull introduced the bill this January, a year after Kory had made the decision to run.
On another issue Kory cited as "emblematic" and "a very good example" of the differences between her and Hull, she said that Hull was the patron of a bill to place a cap on proffers that jurisdictions could exact from developers in exchange for zoning and other approvals. She said that Hull had also spoken up years ago against her efforts to encourage the County Board of Supervisors to include support for the schools in consideration of requests for voluntary proffers from developers.
Hull again disputed Kaye's claim, calling it a "total misrepresentation." He said he recalled nothing about speaking out against her initiative, but said, "If I did, then why did she circulate petitions for my re-election four years ago?"
The 2007 bill about proffers, HB 3202, he said, was "complicated," involving some land use attachments to the transportation bill that would have expanded proffer policy to rural counties. He said he came down in favor of preferring the existing system until the matter could be more thoroughly studied. "It was not a call for a cap on proffers," he insisted.
Finally, Kory said she opposed the existing Dillon Rule in Virginia, whereas Hull favors it. The Dillon Rule establishes that no local jurisdiction can pass a law that is not specifically permitted by the state.
Hull has stated in response to a questionnaire, "As a judicial philosophy, there is nothing inherently wrong with the Dillon Rule. It prevents a hodge podge of local ordinances which would be hard for individuals and business owners to follow if they move from one Virginia locality to another." He added there is some flexibility under the rule, and that he's fought for more.
"To provide for more local authority, I have been the sponsor or co-sponsor over the years of bills to allow local governments to include sexual orientation in local human rights ordinances, to allow public employees to "meet and confer" with local governments, to allow local governments to use local funds for workforce housing, and to restrict guns and other dangerous weapons in public facilities."
Saying he was "surprised" by the challenge from Kory, Hull said he contributed to her school board campaign in 1999, and in 2005 Kory offered to petition for him. "In 10 years (of her being on the school board) she hasn't called me once about an issue," he said.
This election marks the first time Hull has faced a primary challenge. There were no opportunities for a head-to-head debate between the two candidates before the campaign.
The winner of the June 9 Democratic primary will face Republican Danny Smith, making a second bid for the 38th District job, in November. -
Delegate Hull's Richmond Report
Posted May 28 at 1 PM
Source: Falls Church News Press
Written By: Bob Hull
Wednesday, May 27, 2009Some Housing Improvement
While the economic decline does not appear to have bottomed out.
While the prices are lower than most sellers would like, any positive movement is welcomed by everyone.
Certainly, local governments need to have a stable housing market because the Virginia tax system only gives the property tax as the major local revenue source.
The federal stimulus package contained a tax credit for first time home buyers that should be useful.
At the state level, our tax rate is so much lower than the federal tax bite that incentives are not as meaningful.
But, the General Assembly did take action on some of the abusive lending practices that led the nation into the subprime loan calamity.
Mortgage Abuses Targeted
As a member of the Virginia Housing Commission, I was active in a work group that met last year to fashion legislation to prevent mortgage abuses.
When the General Assembly convened in January, I was the chief co-sponsor of legislation to license mortgage loan "originators."
These are the people who take applications for residential mortgage loans or negotiate the terms of the loan.
The legislation spells out educational requirements as a prerequisite to obtaining a license and continuing education requirements once a license is obtained.
Applicants for licenses will be tested, must secure a bond of at least $25,000, and also undergo a criminal background check.
Tough Standards
There are also standards that a licensed loan originator must meet or their license will be revoked.
Such standards include a criminal conviction that involves deception, misrepresentation, or fraud.
The standards also include the entry of a civil judgement or administrative order based upon similar deceptive actions.
What will really make the standards and the licensure requirement have teeth is that a loan originator who obtains a license must also report to a national database.
Therefore, people who lose their license in Virginia will not be able to travel to another state and obtain a new license and vice versa.
We delayed the effective date of the legislation to July of next year in order to allow the training classes to be developed.
This new licensure requirement will, hopefully, help get rid of the few unscrupulous mortgage lenders out there.
Hurricane Tax Holiday
Starting this Monday and continuing until Sunday, May 31, there is a sales tax holiday on items useful during and after hurricanes.
There are 22 items that the Virginia Tax Commissioner has designated to be exempt from the 5-percent sales tax.
These include big items like generators valued up to $1,000 and small items like batteries and flashlights. It also includes bottled water.
The law creating this tax holiday also allows retailers to pay the sales tax on any other item themselves and pass the savings to you.
Keep in mind that two hurricanes and one tropical depression since 2003 have killed 49 people and caused over $2 billion in damage in Virginia.
It is better to be prepared. For more information about how to deal with natural disasters, you can go on-line to Ready Virginia.
You can also go on-line to tax.virginia.gov to get a list of items that qualify for the sales tax holiday. -
Reaction To Candidates At Falls Church Parade
Posted May 26 at 10 PM
Source: Left of the Hill
Tuesday, May 26, 2009There were a number of festivals across Northern Virginia yesterday that coincided with Memorial Day. One of those was in Falls Church which had both a festival and a parade. Although a good appearance at a parade doesn’t directly relate to victory on election day, I think they can say something about a campaign’s ability to organize and rally it’s supporters. Plus a good showing can provide candidates with some name recognition that they otherwise wouldn’t have received.
Both Brian Moran and Terry McAuliffe marched in the campaign and had a decent size showing (Creigh Deeds was apparently in Portsmouth at another parade, but did have a few people marching in the parade). Brian's supporters in attendance were folks who I recognized as activists who put in long hours making phone calls, knocking on doors, and taking part in other grassroots activities supporting Democratic candidates over the years. Considering that Brian has built his campaign from the ground up and really promotes grassroots action, it shouldn't be too surprising to anyone that it was grassroots activists who were rallying behind Brian during the parade.
While Terry McAuliffe did have the largest number of people there, someone who was marching for a candidate in another race pointed out that many of the people there marching for Terry were on his paid staff. Even though this person supported Terry, she thought it was disingenuous of the campaign to use campaign staffers in an attempt to make it look like Terry is running a purely grassroots campaign. Since parades are largely an opportunity to rally supporters and energize them heading into grassroots action, the fact that Terry’s crew seemed to turn off some of his own supporters in attendance suggests that Brian’s team of dedicated volunteers won the event.
In terms of the Lt. Governor campaigns, Mike Signer had a decent showing of support. Since a large number of people still do not know much about the LG race, this showing at a well attended parade could have helped him pick up some name recognition. It’s also worth noting that many of the people who were marching with the gubernatorial candidates were wearing Signer stickers. While the crowd might not have picked up on those folks, it does fit with the fact that Mike has picked up a lot of grassroots support. As we are heading into the final days of the election and canvassing efforts could really help convey Mike’s message, this is a good sign for his campaign.
While Signer was able to get some name recognition out of the event, Jody Wagner had a horrible showing as there were less than five people marching with her group. In fact, it was only when she later tweeted about the parade that I even realized Jody herself was there (I also asked at least 15 Democratic activists who were there and nobody else had realized that Jody had marched in the parade). Since there was another parade in Portsmouth which is very close to her home base, it seems as though she would have been better served to have a good showing there or have skipped the parades all together to either canvass or make phone calls.
As I pointed out in an earlier post, I spent most of my time during the parade marching with Steve Shannon who is the Democratic nominee for Attorney General. As I watched him interact with the crowd, he was received extremely well. On a number of occasions he was even briefly stopped by people who he’d seen on the campaign trail before and wanted to express their support. Other folks said things like “We cannot afford to have Ken Cuccinelli be Attorney General” or “We need your leadership in the AG’s office.”
There were also a few state and local elected officials who took part in the parade including Del. Bob Hull and Del. Jim Scott. Along the way, a lot of people seemed to know Del. Hull as I heard them shout out things such as “Hey Bob” or “Keep it up Bob.” When you combine this with the fact that Hull’s opponent in the primary, School Board member Kaye Kory, wasn’t even there, a lot of people were wondering if this was representative of how the overall campaign is going.
All in all, I thought the parade went very well. There have been many times when I’ve marched in parades with candidates and there would be more people in the parade than watching it. That was not the case during yesterday’s parade, which means the candidates in attendance actually had an opportunity to shake hands with a large number of undecided voters. While in the end an appearance at a parade won’t guarantee victory on election day, the large crowd did result in the parade being worthwhile for campaigns that had a good showing.
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The Bridge, At Last!
Posted May 22 at 9 AM
Source: Falls Church News-Press
Community News and Notes
Wednesday, May 20, 2009Yesterday was ribbon-cutting day marking the official opening of the new pedestrian bridge over Route 50 near Seven Corners, marking the completion of a project over 25 years in the making. Taking the maiden walk across the main span of the new bridge are State Del. Bob Hull and Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross, among others. Fairfax Board Chair Sharon Bulova was also present. The $5.2 million bridge is 141 feet long, with three-story stairwells at either end, and bicycle and wheel chair access ramps that stretch for nearly 300 feet on both sides. (PHOTO: NEWS-PRESS).
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Delegate Bob Hull endorsed by Brady Campaign
Posted May 20 at 10 PM
Falls Church, Virginia - Sarah and Jim Brady and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, with its network of Million Mom March Chapters, endorsed Delegate Bob Hull (D-38) today, and urged Virginians to vote for him.
"There is really no finer example of gun control leadership in the Virginia General Assembly than Delegate Bob Hull," said Chad Ramsey, Deputy Executive Director of the Brady Campaign, on Wednesday at a press conference at the James Lee Community Center in the Falls Church area of Fairfax County.
Delegate Hull has been an advocate in the Virginia House of Delegates for laws to end the trafficking of guns to criminals and to protect Virginia's children, families and communities from gun violence. He sponsored legislation to restrict firearms in recreation and community centers, co-sponsored bills to require background checks at gun shows and ban military-style assault weapons in Virginia, and voted to increase penalties for giving minors assault rifles.
"Delegate Bob Hull has been a true champion for gun violence prevention. We appreciate his commitment to commonsense laws that keep our kids and communities safe, and we look forward to his continuing leadership on gun violence prevention." Paul Helmke, the Brady Campaign's Executive Director said.
"For the last 17 years in the General Assembly, I have fought to protect our children and neighborhoods from the threat of gun violence. I am honored to have the endorsement of the Brady Campaign. I want to continue the fight for commonsense gun control legislation in the General Assembly, if re-elected," Delegate Hull said.
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Delegate Robert Hull presents Resolution 69: May 2nd, Vietnamese Boat People Day.
Posted May 18 at 9 AM
Delegate Bob Hull and Mark Keam (standing in for Delegate Adam Ebbin) presenting Resolution 69 to Prof. Bich Ngoc Nguyen and Dr. Thang Dinh Nguyen, at the "Journey to Freedom" Welcome Reception on May 1st, 2009.
Chairman Do Hong Anh of the Vietnamese Community of VA, DC, MD presenting the Appreciation Plaque to Delegate Bob Hull.
Delegate Bob Hull has been respectfully called "Ong Co Vang" [Mr. Vietnamese Freedom Flag] for his strong convictions to standby the Vietnamese fight for freedom by supporting the Vietnamese Freedom Flag. This year 2009, Delegate Bob Hull and Delegate Adam Ebbin (standing in by Mark Keam, candidate for delegate in 2009) presented Resolution 69: "May 2nd, Vietnamese Boat People Day" to the General Assembly House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Resolution was passed in February, 2009.
Mrs. Jackie Bong Wright (first left) was very instrumental in helping to facilitate the introduction of this Resolution. Thank you Mrs. Jackie Bong Wright.
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Delegate Hull, Governor Kaine designate May 11 Vietnam Human Rights Day.
Posted May 14 at 9 AM
Source: Falls Church News-Press
Community News and Notes
Wednesday, May 14, 2009DELEGATE BOB HULL (seated on left) joins Governor Tim Kaine (seated in center) in a ceremonial bill signing of Del. Hull’s bill to designate May 11 of each year in Virginia as Vietnam Human Rights Day. They are joined by prominent members of the Vietnamese-American community, including Dr. Quan Nguyen to Delegate Hull’s right and Monsignor Thang Pham of the Vietnamese Catholic Church in Richmond and Anh Hong Do, Chairman of The Vietnamese Community of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, to the right of Gov. Kaine. (Photo: Courtesy Del. Bob Hull)
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Delegate Hull's Richmond Report
Posted May 07 at 10 AM
Source: Falls Church News-Press
Wednesday, May 6, 2009Israel Independence Day
I was honored to have been invited to the official celebration of the 61st anniversary of the State of Israel last Wednesday in Washington.
It was at midnight on May 14, 1948, that the modern state of Israel was officially declared an independent nation.
Just 11 minutes later, President Harry Truman officially recognized the new nation and the two countries have enjoyed a special relationship since then.
In Israel, "Independence Day" is jointly celebrated with "Remembrance Day for the Fallen of Israel's Wars."
At the event this year, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi made an emotional speech in which she invoked her meeting in Israel with the parents of fallen soldiers.
She was welcomed by Sallai Meridor, Israel's Ambassador to the United States, who will soon be returning to Israel and gave his last official speech.
Just a week before, Governor Tim Kaine made a trade mission to Israel, Morocco, and Dubai before returning home.
Trade between Israel and Virginia remains strong and several Israeli companies have opened facilities here in the past few years.
The Fall of a RepublicThis past weekend brought an infamous anniversary as April 30 marked the 34th year since the fall of Saigon.
Few who watched television on April 30, 1975, will forget the scenes of evacuation helicopters landing on the grounds of our embassy there.
Thousands of Americans and South Vietnamese jumped aboard, many picked up on rooftops.
As they fled, thousands more waited to be rescued as North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops surrounded the embassy.
Millions of Vietnamese were forced to flee their country by land or sea, and hundreds of thousands did not survive the trip.
Those who left by sea are known as the Boat People and many drifted for months until they were rescued.
They settled in the United States and many other countries. To commemorate this, there was a dinner on Friday at the Fortune Restaurant.
I attended and heard of the harrowing stories of the survivors of this forced exodus who are so proud of their adopted country.
I also attended an event on Sunday on the national mall honoring Vietnamese veterans of the war.
This moving ceremony concluded with the placing of wreathes by the Vietnam Memorial and the associated statues.
Race to HelpAlso on Sunday, the Arc of Northern Virginia held its annual Patriot's Cup Corporate Challenge 5K race.
George Mason University has been the host of this fundraising event since its inception 31 years ago.
The Arc of Northern Virginia does an outstanding job in advocating for the needs of the intellectually disabled.
Like all non-profit groups, the Arc depends on contributions to further its mission. But, due to the economy, all contributions are down.
If you would like to help this worthwhile group financially, then you can send your tax deductible contribution to:
The Arc of Northern Virginia, 98 N. Washington Street, Falls Church, Virginia 22040.
In MemoriumLuis A. Lama, a longtime Realtor with the Long & Foster office at Seven Corners, passed away due to cancer this past Sunday.
A man of unquestioned integrity, Luis served as Chairman of the Board of the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors in 2007.
That same year, he was also named "Realtor of the Year" by the Association for his contributions to the area's real estate profession.
As Chairman, Luis held a number of Realtor cultural forums to bring together real estate agents of different ethnicities.
He also served on the Boards of Directors of the Virginia Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors.
During the Realtor's Legislative Conference in Richmond this year, he was presented with the "Service to Virginia Award."
This was given by the Virginia Housing Development Authority for his service with minorities.Luis will be missed by the many people who knew and admired him.
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Hull Hailed by Va. League of Conservation Voters
Posted May 01 at 10 AM
Source: Falls Church News-Press
Thursday, April 31, 2009Virginia State Del. Bob Hull, whose 38th District represents much of the Greater Falls Church portions of eastern Fairfax County, was named a ‘Legislative Leader' by the Virginia League of Conservation Voters based on his voting record in the 2009 General Assembly session. The designation is given to legislators who vote in concert with the League's recommended environmental positions at least 75 percent of the time. Last year, Hull was designated a ‘Legislative Hero' by voting with the League 100 percent of the time. "I am honored to receive this recognition from such an important environmental group," Hull said in a statement.
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Bob Hull Named “Legislative Leader” by Virginia League of Conservation Voters
Posted Apr 20 at 3 PM
Delegate Bob Hull (D-Falls Church) has been named a “Legislative Leader” by the Virginia League of Conservation Voters (VALCV) based on his voting record in the 2009 General Assembly session.
“I am honored to receive this recognition from such an important environmental group,” Delegate Hull said. “Protecting Virginia’s natural resources is one of the most important responsibilities of a Virginia legislator.”
Based in Richmond, the mission of VALCV is to preserve and enhance the quality of life of all Virginians by making conservation a top priority with Virginia's elected officials, political candidates, and voters.
The “Legislative Leader” designation is given to legislators who vote the right way on 75 percent or more of VALCV recommended environmental positions. Last year, Delegate Hull was named a “Legislative Hero” by VALCV for voting the right way on 100 percent of VALCV recommended environmental positions.
“We have a constitutional duty in Virginia to protect our natural environment,” stated Delegate Hull. “But, we also have a responsibility to pass on to our children and grandchildren cleaner waters and lands than we inherited.”
In the 17 years that Delegate Hull has served in the House of Delegates, he has worked to protect the environment. A member of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, he also served for three-and-a-half years on the Fairfax County Park Authority, which owns or maintains hundreds of acres of natural lands, parks, and historic sites, prior to his election to the General Assembly.
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Connolly, Hull Blast Va. GOP's Stimulus Rejection
Posted Apr 17 at 11 AM
Source: Falls Church News-Press
Thursday, April 16, 2009U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly led an entourage of fellow Democratic state legislators, including Del. Bob Hull of Falls Church, at a rally in Alexandria Monday to "declare outrage"at the vote by Virginia's House Republicans last week to reject $125 million in federal stimulus funds for enhanced unemployment benefits for out-of-work Virginians.
To qualify for the stimulus funding, Gov. Tim Kaine called for amending Virginia unemployment insurance law at last week's so-called "Veto Session" of the legislature in Richmond. It would expand coverage to include unemployed workers looking for part-time jobs and state-approved job training courses. But House Republicans led the opposition to the proposal, and it fell in the House of Delegates, 53-46, despite all Democrats voting for it. With Virginia's unemployment trust fund depleted, "accepting the funds would have kept the trust fund solvent for several more months and saved employers from higher taxes," Hull said. "It would have been good for business as well as persons unemployed through no fault of their own." In some areas of rural Virginia, the unemployment rate has soared above 12 percent. -
Delegate Bob Hull Aand Other Democrats Rally For Unemployment Funds
Posted Apr 15 at 3 PM
ALEXANDRIA, VA - Delegate Bob Hull (D-Falls Church) was joined Monday by Congressman Gerry Connolly; Delegates Ken Plum, Kristen Amundson, Bob Brink, David Englin, Charniele Herring, Steve Shannon and Mark Sickles; and House of Delegates candidates Greg Werkheiser and Stevens Miller in a press conference at the South County Governmental Center in Fairfax County to declare their outrage at the vote by House Republicans last week to reject $125 million in federal stimulus funds for enhanced unemployed benefits for out-of-work Virginians.
To qualify for the stimulus funding, Governor Tim Kaine recommended amending Virginia unemployment insurance law at last Wednesday's Veto Session in Richmond to include workers not currently covered by Virginia unemployment insurance. This would have allowed unemployed workers looking for part time employment and unemployed workers taking state-approved job training courses to receive benefits paid by the federal government.
House Republicans led the opposition to the Governor’s proposal as the House of Delegates voted last week to reject the $125 million worth of funding by a 53 to 46 margin with all Democrats voting for it.
“House Republicans turned their backs on thousands of Virginians who are out of work through no fault of their own,” said Delegate Hull. “With the worst economic decline in over 60 years and few jobs available, people need help.“
Virginia’s unemployment trust fund is being depleted due to high unemployment claims and it is estimated that it will be below solvency by the beginning of next year. Once that happens, unemployment taxes paid by employers will double. The $125 million in stimulus funds would have put that off for several months.
“Accepting these funds would also have kept the trust fund solvent for several more months and saved employers from higher taxes,” Delegate Hull stated. “It would have been good for business.”
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Virginia's let-em-eat-cake Republicans
Posted Apr 15 at 1 PM
Source: Blue Virginia Blog
MONDAY, APRIL 13 2009
Something tells me that the rejection by General Assembly Republicans of $125 million in federal money to help unemployed Virginians is an issue that is NOT going to go away. For instance, see this morning's Washington Post.THE POUND-foolishness of Virginia's Republican lawmakers -- who would rather give lip service than genuine financial relief to the state's unemployed -- was on display in Richmond again last week. The GOP-controlled House of Delegates rejected $125 million in federal stimulus money that would have provided unemployment benefits to thousands of jobless Virginians. The reasoning, in the shortsighted eyes of all but two House Republicans, was that accepting the federal assistance would undermine the state's business-friendly reputation. Instead, the party faithful managed to bolster Virginia's dubious reputation as a provider of some of the lowest unemployment benefits in the country.
Meanwhile, today at 11 am in Alexandria, "Nine members of the House of Delegates will join Congressman Gerry Connolly at 11 A.M. Monday to discuss the impact of last week's vote to decline $125 million in unemployment insurance." In addition to Rep. Connolly, attendees at this event will include House Democratic Caucus Chair Ken Plum (HD-36, Fairfax), Delegate Steve Shannon, candidate for Attorney General (HD-35, Vienna), Delegate Kristen Amundson (HD-44, Mount Vernon), Delegate Bob Brink (HD-48, Arlington), Delegate David Englin (HD-45, Alexandria), Delegate Charniele Herring (HD-46, Alexandria), Delegate Robert Hull (HD-38, Fairfax), Delegate Jim Scott (HD-30, McLean), Delegate Mark Sickles (HD-43, Alexandria), Supervisor Stevens Miller (Candidate for HD-86, Loudoun), Greg Werkheiser (Candidate for HD-42, Springfield).
The fact that so many Democrats will be at this event tells me two things: 1) they know that the Republicans' vote was just plain wrong; and 2) they sense political gold in continuing to blast them on it. My guess is that we'll all be hearing a lot more about this issue all the way through November. Nice job, Virginia Republicans!
