Current Affairs Students Meet Rep. Tom Garrett

and a visit to the Jefferson Memorial

Rep. Garrett has been helping families from Sudan acclimate to America. Part of that process is providing books about America and American history and culture. In appreciation for meeting with us Aidan presented Rep. Garrett with American Teacher-Adventures in the Classroom and Our Nation's Capital and a volume of various Mark Twain stories. Rep. Garrett discussed recent political and historical events as well as votes as a member of Congress and the Virginia State Senate. This discussion took place November 16th, 2017.

Brian thanks and shows our appreciation to Scheduler Marissa Mullen for arranging our meeting with Rep. Garrett.

We ambushed Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Ca), Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. We asked him what these students should know about the Trump/Russia investigation.  He said "There is still a lot of information to uncover about the trump and Russia investigation. There is information that lead towards members of the trump administration plotting against Clinton in the 2016 presidential election with Russia. The people investigating just want to get to the bottom of it and make sure we know who was involved in the scandal."

Jasniny "Jazzy Jazz" (right)-regarding your vote on the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, if local law enforcement told you it would make it harder to get gang members or other criminals because locals were afraid to approach the police would you still support that legislation? ANSWER- The community is usual victimized by the people who are here illegally. The reality is that there is  gang violence against people who are undocumented because they know they won’t report it. It’s a tough place, you try to help people but when you help people we don’t want to hurt people. Here’s how I see the whole immigration loop hole, number one if you’re here and you came here as a child and you’ve been here the entire life that you can remember and we pretend you’re not here it’s stupid. Having said that the role of the nations to protect the borders nation.

Brian (2nd left)- How do we make sure N. Korea does not have nuclear weapons while at the same time making sure the city of Seoul will not be destroyed? ANSWER- North Korea has nuclear weapons, no doubt. There is no sure way to insure the city of Seoul will be safe. But the involvement of other countries such as China and South Korea will hopefully make sure the city of Seoul will remain safe.

Stephanie (left) - Would you be willing to end gerrymandering even if you knew it might result in fewer Republican seats? ANSWER- I don't believe in non-partisan panels, whoever appoints nonpartisans will appoint partisans and say they aren’t. This is how it can be done, the parties get together and find the geographical compactness in an area and agree on the terms and put the data in a computer. Gerrymandering is very dumb and I'm very skeptical about it, Just agree on what the words mean and let the computer draw the districts.

Don (2nd right)- We know you were in the army and we thank you for your service. When you were in the former Yugoslavia did you face dangerous situations?  ANSWER- it was dangerous there and you had to be careful where you walked or else you get a foot shot off.

Julianna (second left)- After we're finished here we are going to the Jefferson Memorial and you're welcome to join us. Do you feel an extra responsibility representing Thomas Jefferson’s district? ANSWER- Yes, but there is more to it than that. Patrick Henry "Give me liberty and give me death" was from my district. Chief Justice John Marshall was from my district. James Madison and James Monroe are from my district. Appomattox where Grant and Lee ended the Civil War is in my district. I told Speaker Paul Ryan that I have the best district in the country. He said "everybody says that." I told him what I just told you and he said "Well we make a lot of cheese in my district."

Olivia (2nd right)- With the Thin Blue Line Act, are you comfortable saying some groups of people such as police and first-responder are worthy of having their killers get the death penalty but say teachers, like Mr. Graney or members of congress like you are not? ANSWER- Morally I don't agree with the death penalty but it can be debated on a case-by-case basis. I don't understand how the government  can decide which groups deserve it. So if there is a death penalty I guess those that kill those groups should get it.

Celeste (right)- Besides abortion are there any other medical procedures you think federal funds should not be used for?  For example I think  federal fund should not be used for Viagra should not receive federal funds, which it does. ANSWER-

Aidan (right)- One of the charges against the Obamacare law was the idea you could keep your policy or doctor if you wanted but in some cases that turned out not to be true. So if someone said to you “I like my Obamacare policy and I don’t want you to take it away” what would your response that person be? ANSWER- I believe that one should have the exact policy that one desires within reason of the law itself. I believe that my job as a representative is to help give everyone an equal opportunity to choose on their own.

Mike (right)- I really dislike President Trump and find him an embarrassing representative of our nation. Can you help me deal with this situation? ANSWER- Yeah! So what you need to do is get engaged. You need to do what you can do that his tenure as POTUS within the legal construct established within our law is as short as it can be. But let me say something about that... I’m going to lecture you and I apologize.. diversity that you can see is amazing and good. Diversity is good when diversity is tolerant of diversity. Trump to be completely candid is a bad messenger, he says stuff you can say a different way. He offends people he shouldn’t be offending.

But be respectful of those who think differently of you, take the time whether you’re a democrat or republican, independent or libertarian or whatever, to try to understand the other persons side... not that it will change your mind but so it will make you stronger in your arguments of beliefs I love Love Trumps hate (button student was wearing) but F trump is stupid. You can do better. When you make the argument make it about facts, passion and opinion. When I ran against my opponent we had 9 debates, that had 3 interruptions I interrupted twice and she interrupted me once.  In the presidential debates Hillary wouldn’t let him finish a sentence and he wouldn’t let her finish a sentence.

I watched the republican primary debates and they were talking about the size of hands and feet. Who cares? What’s your tax policy right? You’re not taking them on a date, you want them to be a good leader for our nation, so work hard and be engaged but remember diversity is not what you can see but it’s also what you have between your left and right ears but you should be tolerant of who disagree. The respect is what makes us different from Bosnia. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Understand that you’re not always right. Listen to people. Process it. If it doesn’t change your mind, at least it will make you stronger in what you believe in, don’t go low.   

Hezha (left)- I'm related to the recent leader of the Kurds, Mahmoud Barzani. Do you think U.S. policy should support the Kurds or the Iraqi's? And even though I'm Kurdish, I'm all-American too. (Hezha then displayed his socks above and below). ANSWER-I supports the Kurds. I think the Kurds are cool because they always try to protect, they never try to attack anyone. They are peaceful but Congress is split on who to support. The Kurds have been oppressed multiple times. Unfortunately U.S. taxpayer money has armed others to attack the Kurds. 

 Rebecca (right)- Regarding Prohibiting Cities from increasing the minimum wage, is that something that a self-described small government conservative should support?  Why not let the locals decide that? ANSWER- I do not support letting cities increase the minimum wage. This is because, for example, if a business was trying to grow to other locations in Northern Virginia, they would need to hire many lawyers to help them in the many counties that are so close together. One minute you can be in Fairfax County and the next you’re in Prince William County. Consequently, the business would be paying their employees in different counties different wages.

Ashley(2nd right)-What do you think of the recently elected governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam? ANSWER- I like him as a person but we don't agree on a lot of things. But that's ok, so long as we don't demonize each other that how politics should work.

Nestor- Mr. Graney’s students voted 84-18 to keep the DACA program. What would you say to those DACA students, like me? ANSWER-DACA is beneficial but also it doesn't make sense because we are letting people be here but we are not giving them any participation. What we have to do first is make our border safe so no one could enter again, and then figure out something for those who are here. 

Maham aka Mayhem (left)- I'm sure you’ve had this question before but if you’re going to drug test welfare recipients because they are receiving taxpayer money, should we also drug test congressman like you or teachers like Mr. Graney because they receive taxpayer money? ANSWER- We should not drug test. The drug laws are not fair. The police could do a drug raid at UVA and arrest many people. But that's not going to happen. What will happen is people in a poor neighborhood get arrested. We need to change our drug laws.

Erica (2nd left) - What do you say to a boy who tries out for the football team and doesn’t make it because a boy who doesn’t go to his school is able to play on the football team, that is a home-schooled kid? ANSWER- He should work harder and train better if he wants to beat out the homeschooled kid. Since the homeschooled child's parents pay taxes, the student should be able to play. That said, the homeschooled boy should be held to the same standards as the kid who attends the school.

Toufiq (center)-What is the scenario whereby you think it is appropriate for private adoption agency’s to refuse adoptions for religious reasons? ANSWER- In the establishment clause of the First Amendment it says we are not able to interfere with these entireties. These private agencies are able to pick whoever they view eligible to be a foster parent and able to reject anyone who they do not deem eligible.

Jefferson Memorial

Melanie and Julianna

Mike contemplates Thomas Jefferson

Many thanks to Mrs. Campiglia, Ms. Anderson and Ms. Shaikh for helping out on this trip