This is an op-ed by Brian Moran that originally ran in the Bristol Herald Courier on August 24, 2008.

When I was growing up, my parents welcomed two foster children into our home to join my six brothers and sisters and me. Ours was a traditional Irish middle-class family, so we did not have much.

But helping these young kids get a strong start was my parents’ way of teaching us that everyone deserves a chance – that it’s our job to ensure equal opportunity.

I was reminded of that experience during my recent visit to the Wise County Fairgrounds to see the Remote Area Medical (RAM) Expedition. RAM is the nation’s largest free basic health-care event and this all-volunteer event is an important reminder of our shared commitment to leveling the playing field for everyone.

But this visit also made clear that our efforts to increase health care access in rural Virginia have not done nearly enough.

As I watched one line snake around a tent four times – and saw hundreds waiting for basic health and dental care– I knew that this event serves as powerful proof of our failure to ensure adequate health care for every Virginian. Organizers estimate over 2500 received care over the three days, but as many as 1000 more were turned away.

In a prosperous state in the most powerful nation on earth, it is a simple fact that no one should be denied access to health care. Early health care intervention is not only a moral imperative; it also saves resources. It is much more cost effective to make blood pressure screening and medication available than it is to treat a stroke. Regular dental cleanings are more cost effective than fashioning a new set of teeth.

This visit highlighted what I’ve learned as I prepare my campaign for Governor: Intelligence and ability are equally distributed across this Commonwealth, but investment and opportunity are not.

As thankful as we all are for the volunteers who make this event a success each year, health care access should not be limited to one weekend in July, it should be available year round. As proud as we are of the work at RAM, we will only be successful when we have expanded health care access to the point where this event is no longer necessary.

We cannot expect preventative medicine to reduce rising costs if citizens don’t have regular access to a primary care physician. We cannot expect our kids to do well in school if they don’t have a healthy start. And we certainly can’t expect rural economies to turn around if we only provide health care one weekend a year.

Even in light of RAM’s tremendous work, we cannot forget that opportunity is a fundamental guarantee to all those who live in our Commonwealth, and too many people are being left behind.

Virginia must build the health-care infrastructure to guarantee that Virginians, no matter where they live, have access to basic care, including preventative care. With today’s high gas prices, we cannot expect people to travel across regions to see a doctor.

Roughly 20 percent of the U.S. population lives in rural America, but only 10 percent of physicians practice there. To tackle the crisis of these medically underserved areas, we have to look to the next generation of nurses, doctors, and dentists and find innovative ways to encourage them to practice in the regions that need them the most. Virginia’s medical and higher-education communities offer important partnership opportunities to help us meet this growing need.

Ultimately, we need to insure more people. The uninsured population in the Wise County area is one of the state’s highest. Those without health insurance are more likely to delay necessary doctor visits, depriving them of access to preventative care and driving up costs for everyone else. Therefore, Virginia needs a long-term vision for health care that includes preventative care; otherwise, we won’t solve the health-care crisis by tackling symptoms in the emergency room.

We’ve got to tackle the root cause. That means healthy food in our school cafeterias, increased exercise and healthier lifestyles, insurance for every child, immunizations for our kids and quality long-term care for our seniors.

If Virginia needs an example of the progress that can be made if we put our minds to it, we can look to recent work expanding health care coverage to children and pregnant women.

We have insured 450,000 children in recent years - more than at any time in our state’s history.

This success proves that Virginia can meet the challenge of health care access only with the right type of leadership. If we work across partisan divisions and regional lines, I’m confident the line at future RAM clinics will be shorter.

Important speech on the leadership needed for economic growth and innovation

CHESTERFIELD –Today House Democratic Caucus Chairman Brian Moran outlined his approach to the Commonwealth’s environmental and energy challenges. Speaking to the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club, Moran reviewed his experience, explained his values and discussed his vision for Virginia’s energy economy and environmental future. Moran pledged a focus on economic growth while defining his measure of success as “the legacy we leave to the next generation.”

The full text of his remarks is here. This is the second in a series of important remarks on public policy challenges facing Virginia.

“We can create jobs by investing in a 21st century energy economy,” Delegate Moran said. “That means putting Virginians to work in good, high-paying jobs in green construction, bringing manufacturing jobs back by investing in wind turbines and creating new industries by investing in alternative energy research.”

During his remarks, he highlighted his work as chairman of the House Democratic Caucus and chief legislative partner to Governors Warner and Kaine. He highlighted his long-time environmental record including his 100 percent rating from the League of Conservation Voters in 2008. Moran discussed his work to promote LEED construction, create tax credits for renewable energy production, and invest in mass transit and rail.

“From the capitol in Richmond to the halls of Washington, it’s going to take a joint commitment – the type of commitment we haven’t seen since John Kennedy challenged us to land a man on the moon,” said Moran. “It’s going to take another Apollo mission to get this done. Virginia can’t lead our nation, and our nation can’t lead this world, if we stay behind in this race.”

Delegate Moran outlined his commitment to fiscal responsibility on August 18th while addressing the Virginia Commissioners of Revenue and Treasurers Association in Roanoke.

Remarks of Delegate Brian Moran to the Virginia Sierra Club Fall Jamboree
September 13, 2008

Good Afternoon. Thank you for that warm introduction. It’s great to be here today to share my thoughts on protecting Virginia’s environment.

It’s fitting that we’re meeting here in Pocahontas State Park - the state’s largest park. We need only look at the beauty around us to be reminded that environmental protection and conservation are not just policy positions; they are about the values we share and the legacy we want to leave to the next generation.

When I was 10 years old, I saved up the money I earned from mowing lawns to buy an acre of wooded land with a small creek running through it. And as I look back, I can see how the values I grew up with taught me a deep respect and appreciation for the environment – for our environment, values I’ve carried with me to this day. And these are values I’m passing on to my children - with a compost pile in the backyard and a six-year-old who knows exactly what to put in the recycling bin.

Today, I still believe that every acre of land – every stream, wetland, seashore, mountaintop – every part of God’s creation deserves our respect and protection. And our commitment that they will be here for generations to come.

Back when I was a local prosecutor, my wife Karyn and I were out to dinner with our friends Mark and Lisa -- that was back when we called him “Mark” not “Governor” – that night he suggested that I run for the House of Delegates. Sometimes, though, I wonder what would have happened if he would have just given me some stock tips, instead.

In the General Assembly, I’ve been proud to be your partner on important issues:

• Promoting green buildings and LEED standards for state construction;
• Creating a tax credit for renewable energy production;
• Establishing tele-work plans for state agencies and employees;
• Proposing a transportation plan that emphasized mass transit and rail because we need walkable, livable communities -- with fewer cars and smarter land-use planning;
• And I stood on the sands of Virginia Beach with the mayor and the Sierra Club to say “no” to offshore drilling.

The work you, and the 17,000 members of the Sierra Club do, make clear that we can address the issues that threaten our environment. And it’s why I am so proud of my 100% rating from the League of Conservation Voters this year.

Your work is incredibly important. From your advocacy in the General Assembly and local government to education and your work in our schools, you’re setting the bar high for all of us in elected office. You’re holding our feet to the fire – thank you for doing that.

I believe decreasing our impact on the environment is essential. Just a few weeks ago, I purchased carbon offsets to neutralize the carbon footprint of the Virginia delegation to the Democratic National Convention in Denver. That action alone will not solve the problem, but it is important for each of us to do our part.

I look forward to the day when we live in a more environmentally sustainable way and the cost of protecting our environment is built into the cost of doing business – when we can say that our economic activity is in sync with our environmental impact.

Since I’ve returned from the Democratic Convention - the first-ever green convention - I’ve been thinking it’s disappointing that protecting our environment has become a partisan issue.

Whether it was Teddy Roosevelt, who set aside almost 200 million acres for preservation, or Richard Nixon, who created the Environmental Protection Agency, this used to be a bipartisan effort.

But these days the pro-environment Republican has become an endangered species.

Our commonwealth and our country need leaders who share our values, and who will stand up for future generations - because the stakes have never been higher.

The fact is that our challenges today are interconnected. Our transportation, land-use and energy policies effect our environment; our environmental policies and economic development plans affect each other.

Leading this commonwealth requires an understanding that the challenges we face – and the solutions we seek – affect each other like never before.

That’s why we must reject the false choice between growing our economy and protecting our environment. We can create jobs by investing in a 21st century energy economy.

That means putting Virginians to work in good, high-paying jobs in green construction, bringing manufacturing jobs back by investing in wind turbines, and creating new industries by investing in alternative energy research.

As the Sierra Club recently reported, we can create 55,000 new jobs in Virginia with this kind of investment. We can start to build tomorrow’s economy today.

Opportunities exist right here in Virginia. Whether it’s working toward Virginia’s first wind farm in Highland County, our switch grass plant in Chatham, or the biodiesel truck stop in Henry County, we can tackle climate change and create jobs.

Just recently, the Washington Post wrote about one state that’s leading the way in wind energy -- a state that’s doubled its wind capacity in the past 18 months, bringing new jobs and investments in research. That state is Colorado.

Folks, that needs to be us.

We should be leading the way in wind, solar and biomass. Virginia should be getting those jobs. I can promise you one thing – if I’m fortunate enough to be elected your governor, they’ll be writing those stories about us! We should be investing in offshore wind, not offshore drilling. Offshore wind can supply 20% of our electricity needs here in Virginia. It’s time we got serious about wind energy.

Let’s be clear about this: We cannot drill our way out of the energy crisis. We can’t cure our addiction to oil by drilling for more. We can’t tackle 21st century problems with 19th century solutions.

And let’s get serious about energy efficiency. It’s one of the fastest and most effective ways to reduce CO2 emissions, save Virginians money and reduce our use of fossil fuels. In a recent report, Virginia ranked 38th in the nation for efficiency and conservation programs.

We must do better.

We have to start by putting smart meters in our homes, so that our families can use energy when it’s the cheapest and use less of it and by making green buildings that are more energy efficient and cheaper to operate.

And we have to do more to conserve oil and gas with smarter, more efficient cars and transportation systems because the most important gallon of gas is the one we don’t use. And while we can’t drill our way out of this problem, we can grow our way out of it, by investing in crops that produce biomass and biofuels.

Clearly, there is no single solution – no one way to solve this problem. And Virginia can’t do it alone -- but we must do our part. We must invest in research and development, partnering with UVA, Virginia Tech, and all our great universities to ensure that future breakthroughs happen right here. Virginia can and should lead in this - one of the great challenges of the 21st century.

But doing all this won’t be easy. From the capitol in Richmond to the halls of Washington, it’s going to take a joint commitment – the type of commitment we haven’t seen since John Kennedy challenged us to land a man on the moon. It’s going to take another Apollo Mission to get this done. Virginia can’t lead our nation, and our nation can’t lead this world, if we stay behind in this race. This is a mission we can’t postpone and a challenge we can’t fail to meet.

Teddy Roosevelt set the standard for us all when he said, “The Nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets… which it must turn over to the next generation increased and not impaired in value…and behaves badly if it leaves the land poorer to those who come after….” People ask whether protecting our environment will help our economy, and it will. But this is about something greater. Are we judged by how we best exploit our resources for economic gain? Or do we measure success by the legacy we leave behind? We must act, as Roosevelt said, “So that our children will be richer, and not poorer because we have lived.” That must be our standard. That is how we will be judged.

Thank you for the opportunity to be here today and for all your hard work. Thank you and God bless you.

Sign of his commitment to protecting the environment

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – House Democratic Caucus Chairman Brian Moran announced today that he has purchased carbon offsets to neutralize the carbon footprint of the Virginia Delegation to the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Carbon offsets were purchased through Native Energy, a partner with the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC). According to the DNCC, the Virginia Delegation will produce approximately 115 tons of carbon-based pollution from their air and ground travel, accommodations and waste – approximately one ton per delegate. Each carbon offset will be invested in renewable energy and reduce future carbon output by the amount that otherwise would be in our atmosphere.

“Democrats have a long track record as champions of our environment,” Moran said. “Leaving a clean and healthy world for the next generation is both a moral obligation and an economic necessity. It’s important we show our commitment to this cause with both our words and our actions.”

The last 10 years have each been one of the 25 warmest on record. The year 2006 was the hottest year on record. The United States is the world’s largest global warming polluter. Americans create 25 percent of all emissions while making up only 5 percent of the world’s population. The U.S. Geological Survey predicts that Glacier National Park will have no glaciers left in only 20 years.

Specific information on the program and the project list are available from the DNCC.

Of the 115 tons of carbon produced by the Virginia Delegation, 44 tons have already been offset by delegation members. Delegate Moran’s offset for those 44 delegates will help reduce the overall carbon footprint of the convention. Although he is not a delegate to the convention, Moran also purchased an offset for his own carbon impact.

Important Speech on responsibility, honesty and integrity in fiscal affairs

ROANOKE, Va. – House Democratic Caucus Chairman Brian Moran today outlined his approach to the Commonwealth’s fiscal affairs. Moran pledged a focus on responsibility, honesty and integrity in state spending. In remarks given to the Treasurers’ Association of Virginia and the Commissioners of the Revenue Association of Virginia, Moran highlighted the Commonwealth’s fiscal challenges and the recent revenue downturn. He explained how the values he learned as one of seven children in a struggling middle-class family encourage him to run a fiscally responsible government that pays its bills and meets its commitments.

“Growing up we didn’t have much, so my parents worked hard – and taught me and my brothers and sisters something in the process: You’ve got to be honest about your obligations. Slick financial tricks and accounting gimmicks won’t keep a roof over your head – they won’t pay the mortgage or send the kids to college,” Moran said. “And it is no different for our Commonwealth – bumper stickers and campaign slogans won’t make our schools better, our colleges more competitive, or build roads and bridges.”

Delegate Moran discussed Virginia’s 22,000 foreclosures this year and the fact that homes have been selling for less than the value of their mortgages. Governor Kaine shared these concerns with the General Assembly at a joint meeting of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees on Monday. Moran pledged a steady, fiscally responsible hand to meet the commitments we have made during these difficult times. He also highlighted his own work as Chairman of Alexandria’s Budget and Fiscal Affairs committee during the real-estate downturn of the late 1980s.

As Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, Moran was a chief legislative partner to Governor Warner when the legislature passed budget reform to fix the state’s structural imbalance and preserved its triple-A bond rating. “I’m proud to share this accomplishment with Governor Warner, but even more proud to share a common vision for fiscal responsibility,” Delegate Moran said.

He continued, “Governor Warner was a shining example of the type of balanced-budget, meet-your-obligations approach to government that I am proud to share and will strive to achieve. That’s why Virginia is the best managed state in the nation with an excellent credit rating.” Moran also praised Governor Kaine’s work to continue this fiscally responsible approach during the current downturn in revenue.

During the remarks, Delegate Moran also praised the work of local Treasurers and Commissioners of Revenue as the leaders at the forefront of balancing local government budgets. He highlighted some of their successful initiatives, including the non-arbitrage program that protects our bond funds, new DMV select offices across the Commonwealth, and the collection of overdue taxes from federal refunds.

Consistent record working for cleaner, more energy-efficient Virginia

RICHMOND -- House Democratic Caucus Chairman Brian Moran received a perfect score on the annual League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Score Card released Monday and was recognized at an annual LCV event as a "Legislative Hero." Moran authored initiatives to require a "Green Building" standard for state construction, tax credits to expand production of biofuels, and transportation solutions that emphasize approaches like mass transit and rail.

"I'm honored to receive this recognition from Virginia’s conservation voters," Delegate Moran said. "The next generation is depending on us to be responsible stewards of Virginia’s natural treasures. I’ve been proud to successfully partner with the conservation community, but we have more work to do."

According to the Sierra Club, the years between 1995 and 2006 rank among the twelve warmest recorded since 1850. The National Wildlife Federation recently estimated that global climate change will cause the loss of 58 percent of the beaches on the mid-Atlantic coast, while inundating 161,000 acres of marshes and 167,000 acres of dry land.

"We’re proud to recognize Delegate Moran as a legislative hero this year with a perfect score on conservation issues," said Virginia League of Conservation Voters Executive Director Lisa Gutherie. "His work to build more environmentally friendly and energy-efficient buildings, expand access to alternative and renewable energy, and protect our coastline helps leave a cleaner, better world for the next generation."

Other legislators' scores are available online at the VALCV web site.

ALEXANDRIA – House Democratic Caucus Chairman Brian Moran made the following statement about tomorrow’s increase in the minimum wage to $6.55 per hour. Delegate Moran championed an increase in Virginia’s minimum wage in 2007 (HB 2849, 2007). Although the initiative was unsuccessful in Virginia, the federal government adopted a similar proposal, which Delegate Moran supported.

“Working full time and raising a family should never be a ticket to poverty,” House Democratic Caucus Chair Brian Moran said. “Hard work should be rewarded with fair pay. Increasing the minimum wage will help drive Virginia’s economy by putting money into the pockets of Americans who will spend it. Today is another step forward to ensuring a level economic playing field for all Virginians. In the face of the high price of gas and groceries, raising the minimum wage is a smart investment in the middle-class families that need it the most.”

This increase is the second of three provided by the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. A third minimum wage increase to $7.25 an hour will become effective on July 24, 2009. Last year, on July 24, the minimum wage increased to $5.85 an hour.

Facts on the minimum wage:

• A single parent earning minimum wage earns $12,100/year, $2,800 below the poverty line. Nearly 35 percent of minimum-wage workers are sole family earners and one in three Virginians earning the minimum wage are raising children.
• Between 1998 and 2004, the job growth for small businesses in states with a minimum wage higher than the federal level was 6.2 percent compared to a 4.1 percent growth in states where the federal level prevailed.

Selected resources on Delegate Moran’s work regarding the minimum wage:
Democrats to Propose Minimum Wage Boost (Washington Post, December 2006)
Minimum Wage Hike Gets Pushed (Freelance Star, December 2006)
Democrats push minimum wage issue (Roanoke Times, December 2006)
Delegate Moran testifies to Commerce and Labor Subcommittee (January 2007)

This op-ed by Brian Moran originally appeared in the Washington Times

Earlier this month, our Regional Transportation Planning Board delayed or cancelled projects in every Northern Virginia jurisdiction, as well as for the Virginia Railway Express. That is because Virginia recently lost a significant opportunity to strengthen the economy of our commonwealth, solve the congestion crisis, fix failing bridges across the state and improve the quality of life for millions of our fellow citizens.

The demands on our transportation system continue to overwhelm the supply. Over the past 20 years, the capacity of our roadways has only grown 9 percent, while Virginians are traveling 80 percent more and own 61 percent more cars. Also, there are 36 percent more drivers than in 1988. Unfortunately, there are those in the Republican leadership who refuse to respond to this growing, critical need. They do not realize that transportation infrastructure is key to sustaining our quality of life and growing our economy.

Virginia is known as the best state in the nation to do business, a distinction of which we are rightly proud. We also retain one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. Our businesses depend on a strong transportation network to move products and materials to customers, factories and stores. Business leaders in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads are already feeling the pinch of aging infrastructure. Virginia's long-term economic future depends on strong transportation investment. That is why the Chamber of Commerce and business groups from across the commonwealth joined Democrats to support new revenue for transportation.

Investing in transportation now also would have meant an immediate infusion of new jobs and capital investment in a struggling economy. During the recent debate, the owner of a small bridge-building and construction firm approached me. He told me that he has had to lay off more than 50 employees in the Prince William area. Investing in transportation and infrastructure projects could have meant more contracts and more jobs for his company. A $1 billion transportation investment would have created 35,000 new jobs.

Of course, transportation issues affect more than jobs and the economy. A stronger transportation system means that Virginians don't have to spend hundreds of hours stuck in traffic. The average Virginian loses $1,000 a year in car repair costs and gas due to traffic. A transportation investment would mean that parents get home for dinner on time, or get a chance to make it to their kid's soccer game. And a stronger transportation system is also a smarter one - a system that uses more mass transit and gas-saving incentives to promote a cleaner environment. We can't solve this problem with roads alone or build our way out of it. We need 21st-century solutions.

With all of these benefits and opportunities, the actions of the Republican leadership in the House of Delegates remain a shocking statement of ideological gamesmanship and indifference to the needs of Virginia. Democrats put no less than four complete, comprehensive transportation solutions on the table, only to have them attacked and voted down by the Republican House majority.

During the special session, Democrats from the House and the Senate proposed a compromise package. It met statewide needs for new construction as well as maintenance. Our plan, which I was proud to support and vote for, contained no increase in the gas tax. The last thing Virginians need are higher costs at the pump. And it cut the tax on food, as rising costs have made it more difficult for families to put dinner on the table. Above all, our plan was a shot in the arm to Virginia's economy and a long-term investment in our business environment.

You can't be pro-business while being anti-government. Government has an important role to play in strengthening our infrastructure, developing our economy and creating new jobs. When inflexible ideologies get in the way of simple facts, we get gridlock and failure - exactly the kind of backward leadership we saw in Richmond last week. And it is increasingly clear that the people of Virginia are rejecting it.

As a Northern Virginia business owner and parent, I know firsthand the negative impact on hours of productivity lost to business, family baseball games missed, and late dinners because of our congestion crisis. I vow to work with Democrats and Republicans to develop solutions to the traffic we face and the infrastructure demands ahead of us. Virginians demand and deserve no less.

~ Solidifies Dominant Fundraising Position ~

ALEXANDRIA – Delegate Brian Moran outraised both Senator Creigh Deeds and sitting Attorney General Bob McDonnell during the first half of 2008, according to statements by the campaigns and press reports. Moran raised more than all other Virginia candidates for 2009 elections. McDonnell is his party’s unopposed nominee for Governor in 2009 and Deeds previously ran a statewide campaign.

Virginians for Brian Moran brought in $1.38 million this period, nearly double that of Senator Deeds and significantly more than Attorney General McDonnell. Moran has 42 percent more cash-on-hand than Senator Deeds.

Candidate	Raised 1H 08	Cash on Hand
Delegate Brian Moran	$ 1,380,364.82	$ 924,292.34
Senator Creigh Deeds	$ 782,586	$ 650,452
AG Robert McDonnell	$ 878,000	$1,200,000

Sources: Deeds’ Campaign statement and Washington Post.

“It is increasingly clear that Brian Moran is the Democrat who can beat with Bob McDonnell,” said Mame Reiley, Director of Virginians for Brian Moran. “This report shows that Brian has built a base of support that can meet the long-term needs of financing a successful gubernatorial campaign.”

The Moran campaign raised more during the first half of 2008 than either then-Lieutenant Governor Tim Kaine and then-Attorney General Jerry Kilgore during the same period four years ago.

Fundraising outpaces Kaine and Kilgore in ’04

Most ever raised by new statewide candidate

ALEXANDRIA -- Virginians for Brian Moran will report brining in $1.38 million in the first reporting period of 2008, Committee Director Mame Reiley announced today. Moran’s fundraising exceeds the amount raised by then-Lieutenant Governor Tim Kaine and Attorney General Jerry Kilgore in the first half of 2004, the most recent comparable fundraising period. Moran’s $1.38 million sets the record for candidates without a previous statewide campaign. Delegate Moran was barred from raising funds between January 9 and March 13 because fundraising is restricted during the General Assembly session.

"Brian’s statewide support is impressive. He’s getting help from people across the entire Commonwealth because Democrats realize he has a strong record and the best chance to win in November of 2009," said Mame Reiley, Director of Virginians for Brian Moran. "Brian’s strong performance lays the groundwork for an impressive statewide finance effort and a successful campaign."

Moran’s fundraising efforts have included events in Hampton Roads, Richmond, Roanoke, and Northern Virginia, highlighting his statewide support. Moran’s statewide support comes during a significant staff expansion, including hiring General Consultant Steve Jarding, Senior Advisor Jean Jensen, Outreach Consultant Del. Lionell Spruill, Sr., Political Director Dominic Gabello, and others. Virginians for Brian Moran has approximately $800,000 cash on hand as of July 1. Moran’s committees, in total, added over $1 million in new monies to it’s accounts this period.

"I am humbled and encouraged by this support and the generosity of my friends, both new and old," Delegate Moran said. "It has been a pleasure to get to know Virginians in every corner of our Commonwealth -- citizens who truly care about the direction of our state. The response has been amazing."

For the past two-and-a-half years, Delegate Moran has secured his position as a dominant fundraiser in the contest for the Democratic nomination for Governor. From January 2006 through the first half of 2008, Delegate Moran has raised over $3.3 million.

Last year, Delegate Moran led the House Democratic Caucus to the largest gains in a generation and gave a total of $914,773 for Democratic candidates and campaign purposes.

Virginians for Brian Moran is Delegate Brian Moran’s gubernatorial candidate campaign committee. The final numbers may change slightly as the comptroller and accountant file the period report on July 15th.

WASHINGTON, DC. – House Democratic Caucus Chairman Brian Moran joined the Kojo Nnamdi Show on WAMU yesterday afternoon to discuss his “Child Toy Safety Act” (HB1192). In response to growing concern about the safety of children’s toys sold at the nation’s stores, Delegate Moran proposed the act in December of 2007. It would ensure dangerous toys are removed from store shelves, enforce toy safety requirements in child daycare facilities, and penalize those selling recalled toys. This spring, the House of Delegates delayed action on the measure until December of 2008.

The audio of the interview is available here.

According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, last year 73,000 kids went to the emergency room because of toy-related injuries. The initiative has the support of The Virginia PTA, Voices for Virginia’s Children and the Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatricians.

ALEXANDRIA – The staff of Virginians for Brian Moran participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on the National Mall in Washington, D.C, on Saturday. Over half of Delegate Moran’s staff joined “Team Moran” for the annual run/walk to help find a cure for breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 182,460 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in American women in 2008 alone. This is the second year in a row that Moran’s staff has participated in the walk.

“We’re all very proud to work together and had a great, successful race,” said Rosemarie Clouston, Deputy Director of Virginians for Brian Moran and leader of the group that participated. “It was a wonderful showing of people from all across our region who share a commitment to this important cause, and we are very proud we were a part of it.”

Estimates show 122 new cases of invasive breast cancer for every 100,000 women in Virginia. Several Team Moran members participated because family or friends had been victims or survivors of breast cancer.

“I’m proud of the members of my staff who stepped forward to help,” said Delegate Moran. “Too many families are affected by breast cancer, and it’s going to take the private and public sectors working together to find the cure.”

The Susan G. Komen for the Cure was launched in 1982 to fulfill of promise from Nancy Brinker to her dying sister Susan G. Komen. Today it is the largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists. Thanks to the Race for the Cure, they have invested $1 billion in the fight against breast cancer worldwide.

~Moran’s leadership doubles capacity to catch online child sex predators ~

BEDFORD – House Democratic Caucus Chairman Brian Moran joined Bedford County Sheriff Mike Brown, TV Star Erik Estrada, and Alicia Kozakiewicz to announce that “Alicia’s Law” will double the capacity of law enforcement in Southern Virginia to arrest online child predators. The Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) recently arrested a Stuarts Draft, Virginia, man with dozens of images of child pornography and a local victim in his home.

In as many as 30 percent of cases, there will be a local child victim identified and saved. Materials seized often include hard-core pictures and videos of children as young as 18 months old.

“Alicia’s law is about arresting these predators and making sure that children don’t have to go through the same horrible experience that Alicia did,” Delegate Moran said. “By this time next year, there will be dozens more local police departments combating Internet predators. As a former prosecutor, I know that we must give law enforcement the tools to keep the streets safe – including the virtual streets on the Internet. These task forces will protect children from unspeakable crimes.”

Delegate Moran authored “Alicia’s Law” to create a stronger statewide network of highly trained law enforcement officers who will track down and arrest online child sex predators. He successfully secured an additional $1.5 million of new funding for the two regional ICAC forces. The initiative is named after Alicia Kozakiewicz – a 13-year-old girl who was abducted by an Internet predator, held hostage, and tortured in a Virginia basement.

"Delegate Brian Moran has moved the fight against the Internet sexual predators into overdrive with the passage of Alicia's Law,” Bedford Sheriff Mike Brown said. “His tenacious pursuit of this funding project sets the standard for future efforts in protecting our children from the sexual predators that use the Internet."

Over the past two years, the Department of Justice has identified half a million child pornographers nationwide and 20,000 computers containing child pornography in Virginia. However, local law enforcement only has the resources to investigate 2 percent of these cases. These new funds will be used to hire new investigators, purchase 21st century equipment and expand training programs for affiliated law enforcement officers.

"The majority of child protection legislation is named for children who are deceased and address those deficits that were so woefully inadequate in the hopes that others will be spared their tragic fate,” said Alicia Kozakiewicz, for whom the law is named. “Alicia's Law, however, applauds the excellence of the law enforcement task forces here in Virginia that saved my life and seeks only to ensure, through better funding, that each and every child will have that same quality of specialized intervention."

“Alicia's Law is a victory for human rights,” said Grier Weeks with the National Association to Protect Children. “It is the boldest state effort yet to fight back against the evil of child exploitation.”

A similar announcement was held in Northern Virginia with the leadership of the Northern Virginia Internet Crimes against Children Task Force.

_{e-government solution to help start businesses, create jobs}

Alexandria, Va. – House Democratic Caucus Chairman Brian Moran is proud to announce the launch of the Business One Stop Portal, a single electronic clearinghouse of resources for starting a new business. The portal provides one-stop access to all of the information, advice and regulations that entrepreneurs need to have before starting a new business. Delegate Moran authored the Business One Stop program during the 2007 General Assembly Session (HB3164). The Business One Stop was launched as part of Business Appreciation Week 2008 by Secretary of Commerce and Trade Patrick O. Gottschalk.

"It can take weeks to collect all of the information and paperwork to start a business in Virginia. We expect this system will cut that time in half," said Delegate Moran. "New businesses will form the foundation of our economic recovery, so I've worked hard to streamline government and make it easier for small businesses to get their start. Virginia is already the best state in the country for business – we need to keep it that way."

Small businesses are responsible for three quarters of all of this country's net new jobs. However, in April 2008 alone, the U.S. economy lost 20,000 jobs.

"This is one of the best resources the Commonwealth has ever produced for helping its new and existing small businesses," said Julia Ciarlo Hammond, Virginia Director of the National Federation of Independent Businesses. "This new site will save countless hours of leg work for potential business owners and existing companies. Delegate Moran, members of the General Assembly and Governor Kaine are to be commended for putting together such a valuable tool for the Virginia business community."

Today's launch is the first step in a multi-phase program that will allow the system to expand to additional online services. The portal will be available to entrepreneurs "free of charge" for the first 90 days. For more information, please visit: business.virginia.gov.

"We believe this will keep Virginia competitive as a preferred place to start a business and help entrepreneurs reduce their transaction costs with government so they can instead focus on hiring talented employees, bringing their products to market and growing their bottom lines," said Bobbie Kilberg, President & CEO, Northern Virginia Technology Council. The NVTC was a strong supporter of the Business One Stop legislation. "We applaud Delegate Brian Moran for sponsoring the legislation and Governor Kaine for ensuring its successful implementation."

The Virginia Department of Business Assistance sponsored the project working with the Secretariat of Commerce and Trade, the Virginia Enterprise Applications Program, Virginia Information Technology Agency, State Corporation Commission, Virginia Employment Commission, DPOR and the Arlington and Franklin County local governments.

Brian Moran is Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus and a delegate representing Alexandria City and Fairfax County. He is a former Arlington County prosecutor. Moran has been named a "Friend of Business" by the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce and received the "Tech-10" award from the Northern Virginia Technology Council. He was recently named "Child Advocate of the Year" by the Virginia PTA.

This op-ed originally ran in the Virginian Pilot on May 11

A 1-cent sales tax increase can pay for investments in our roads, mass transit and rail.

Virginia needs bold action on transportation infrastructure investment to provide for a strong economic future. We need a long-term vision and a plan for a 21st century transportation system that helps grow our economy, gets traffic moving, and makes sure we can repair our roads and bridges.

The investment we need to jump-start our economy won’t come from raising the state’s gas tax. Hitting folks with higher prices at the pump at a time when gas prices are skyrocketing, putting the squeeze on middle-class families and those on a fixed income, is not the answer. Besides, soon Congress will increase fuel efficiency standards for our cars, and gas tax revenues will decline. The tax is not a sustainable revenue source on which to build our future transportation system.

More importantly, for too long this debate has been stalled in an ideological battle between proponents of the gas tax and those opposed to solutions. I’m offering another option that raises additional new funds for transportation without engaging in that old debate. First, we can get Virginia moving again by investing $1 billion in our statewide transportation system to ensure a bright economic future, strong job growth and a healthy economy. We can invest in our roads, mass transit and rail through a 1-cent sales tax increase. Estimates show that every $1 billion invested in transportation infrastructure could create 35,000 new jobs. To raise that much with a gas tax, the tax would need to increase 20 cents per gallon.

And, unlike a regressive gas tax that would raise the price of getting food to the market, this sales tax proposal would exempt food and prescription drugs.

Importantly, this new sales tax will apply to all the out-of-state visitors, from shoppers at Potomac Mills to tourists in Virginia Beach, to truck drivers traveling down route I-81.

More than one-third of the funds from this sales tax should be dedicated to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority for projects of regional significance, including new roadways, transit rail systems and our federal matching funds for Metro. This means the money will stay in Northern Virginia, and the decisions on how to use it will be made in Northern Virginia.

Nearly one-quarter of this investment should go directly to Hampton Roads for a series of major projects, many of which have already been identified through regional planning processes. This would relieve traffic congestion, ease cargo movement from the port and protect the ability for emergency evacuations.

The remaining funds -- nearly half -- should be invested in statewide road safety, repair and construction. We can fund vital new construction projects in every region of the commonwealth, including the Coalfields Expressway and I-73, as well as new rail and transit projects of statewide significance. A portion of the statewide funds should be earmarked for projects that will attract additional private dollars for transportation.

Second, it is clear that roads and rails alone won’t solve our transportation crisis. We have to break the gridlock where growth and development put more cars on the road and continue to require a larger road network. We need to plan high-density development along mass transit lines and link our land-use decisions to our transportation planning.

We can break this cycle by creating an Office of Responsible Growth that helps statewide transportation planning sync with local land-use decisions. A fixed percentage of the new funding should be dedicated to rail and transit improvements across the state to lessen dependence on our cars.

Third, for years Virginians have been worried that transportation funds are diverted to other areas of government. To address this problem, we need a constitutional amendment to lock our transportation trust fund and ensure that what we raise for transportation goes to improve that system.

If we do these three things, we will improve our quality of life by keeping folks in traffic less and at home with their families more. Additionally, companies will be more likely to locate here if we have the transportation infrastructure that meets their long-term needs.

More than 20 years ago, Gov. Baliles used the sales tax to invest in our transportation system. It’s time to do that again.