To the Editor:
This week’s mail delivered the most recent Comstock Connection, the newsletter our Delegate, Barbara Comstock, uses to keep her constituents informed of her activities down in Richmond.
In her opening statement, Ms. Comstock wisely notes, "Many bills we pass never make the headlines, but they do impact our everyday lives." I agree completely. We are aware of the bills
that made news during the last legislative session, however, it is just as enlightening to find out about the bills that didn’t receive as much publicity, and I just wish that the newsletter had gone
further to give a true picture of her positions on issues important to the voters in her district.
For example: The newsletter highlights Ms. Comstock’s support of legislation that would ensure that our tax dollars are being spent on transportation solutions for our local traffic woes. But the fact is, Ms. Comstock also supported several bills that take away local control of comprehensive transportation planning. If there is no local control, the state can continue to use Northern Virginia’s economic success as a cash cow for the rest of the state. This seems at odds with the successes Ms. Comstock touts in her newsletter.
Ms. Comstock claims that she supports legislation that cracks down on crime. In fact, bills supported by Ms. Comstock may make Virginia a much more dangerous state. Legislation she supported would now allow concealed firearms to be carried in cars, and into bars and restaurants serving liquor. In addition, she supported a bill that lifted the limit on the number of firearms that can be purchased in a 30-day period. Does this make you feel safer?
Finally, another area Ms. Comstock highlights as an achievement is in the area of women’s health. While it is true that she co-sponsored a bill mandating disclosure of the health risks posed
by dense breast tissue, it is a stretch for Ms. Comstock to say she "supports" women’s health. She has consistently voted to defund organizations devoted to providing health services to poor
and at risk women. During this last session, she supported a bill prohibiting the use of Medicaid benefits to pay for abortions even in the cases of fetuses that a physician certifies would be born with a "totally incapacitating" physical deformity or mental deficiency.
Ms. Comstock is our Delegate, and she is supposed to be representing our values. Even though she is not up for re-election this November, it is important to know where she stands, and how she votes, on all of the issues, and to make our opinions of her actions known.
As Ms. Comstock urges, look beyond the headlines, but get the full picture. You may be surprised at what you see.
Jeff Cosby
McLean