U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10th) returned home Saturday morning. Recently redistricted, Wolf is the most senior of the 11 Virginia congressmen in the House of Representatives. At his first Herndon town meeting since regaining the town in his 10th Congressional district, Wolf introduced himself to the packed Council Chambers last weekend. "I've returned to my political roots," he told the audience. "This is not an unfamiliar area to me — three of my children graduated from Herndon High School."
Former Herndon Mayor and current delegate Tom Rust (R-86) welcomed his old friend, Wolf, back to Herndon. "Frank represented this area for many, many years," Rust said. "His roots go way back."
Before Wolf, who lives in Vienna with his wife, could get to comfortable in his old home, international issues, especially relating to the ongoing war on terror and a potential war with Iraq, took center stage throughout the hour and half public meeting. In fact, Wolf's Herndon homecoming was exactly one year to the day after he led the first congressional delegation to Afghanistan. Here are a few of the highlights from the congressman's Herndon visit:
o "There will be an economic stimulus package. We have to stimulate jobs and not just tax breaks."
o "We do need a major overhaul of the tax system and I think there will be a window of opportunity for the next president, hopefully it is still President Bush, to revamp the system. I believe that the lower the taxes, the better."
o "No, I am not doing anything to 'restore' the second amendment. I am a supporter of the Brady Bill, but I have always been a big supporter of hunters, as well. I think the background check is very important and I support the 3-day waiting period. I think the Brady Bill has saved lives."
o "We passed, what I think was, a good prescription drug bill, but it died in the Senate. Now that we have the House and the Senate, I definitely think there is an incentive to pass it this year and I think Congress will."
o "In regards to the war, I do not think that it is good to go it alone. The president made the right decision. We can't go it alone. We have to be very, very careful. You want your freedom, but a little humility is good, too .... The more we bring our allies along, the better it is."
o "Saddam Husein is not dumb. I think we know he has chemical and biological weapons, but he doesn't have nukes. North Korea is equally dangerous, but there is a sensitivity there because North Korea has at least two nuclear weapons. We definitely don't want Iraq to get them."
o "My hope and belief is that there will not be a war."