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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.