Mollohan Visits WPHS
By JOSELYN KING Political WriterArticle Photos
WHEELING - The U.S. president "can't spend a penny unless it's approved by the House," U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan told students at Wheeling Park High School on Friday.
"It's an incredibly powerful organization," Mollohan, D-W.Va., said of the White House administration. "And the only way to reign in power is the power of the purse."
Mollohan also noted he's a member of the House Appropriations Committee and chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies. In this role, he is responsible for crafting the annual budget bill containing funding for the departments of Justice and Commerce, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation, among other agencies.
Every bill pertaining to federal spending must start in the U.S. House, he said.
Friday marked Mollohan's first visit to WPHS since being elected in 1982. His wife, Barbara, has worked as a speech pathologist for Ohio County Schools.
Mollohan addressed a gathering of senior social studies students at the school, who came prepared with questions pertaining to his duties and recent issues before Congress. Mollohan was asked to describe a typical day for him as a congressman.
He told the students he typically has "six to eight meetings" scheduled on a Monday and that the days "get busier by mid-week."
"My schedule tracks the budget process," Mollohan continued. "We'll have budget hearings most every legislative day through April."
Representatives from such agencies as NASA and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency come before Mollohan's subcommittee each year to explain their requests for budget allocations.
"In between, I try to meet with constituents," he said.
Recently, Mollohan said, constituents have been wanting to speak to him about proposed health care reform legislation.
"It's probably because everyone is touched by health care or will be someday," he said.
The students asked him what his view was on proposed health care reform.
"I supported health care," he said. "I voted for it, and obviously I'm for it - at least enough to vote for it. I'm very much in favor of reform."
He acknowledged there are concerns about balancing the need to provide health care with its costs.
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seeingred
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11-14-09 1:04 PM
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We do not need health care reform. We need insurance and malpractice reform. The way the government is trying to control everything I am beginning to wonder what happened to the morals and values this country was founded on. Not one of us knows what is in that health care bill, besides the fact they passed all kind of crap into the stimulus bill without us knowing about it. Watch Fox news (while we are still allowed) to find out the real truth.
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Reactionary
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11-14-09 12:50 PM
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Ellis,K'man,'Works. We're all saying the same thing. But trying to get die-hard ideologues to understand is another story. Mollohan is part of the problem. So are ALL 435 Representatives up for RE-election next year, along with about a third of the Senate. A substantianl "turn-over" in representation would send a very powerful message to Congress. We don't need any laws, "We the People" A R E term limits! And to all that ask for same should remember that on election day. WE are the ones that can make a difference. We are the ones that can make "CHANGE, T H E Y can believe it"!
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clarrk
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11-14-09 12:35 PM
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While we are argueing and fighting over ,,,,,,,,, they ......have rode away into the sunset with (plus) twelve TRILLION dollars. That was/is some smoke screen. Mr.Mo. say its not true, if you can??????
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EllisWyatt
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11-14-09 12:06 PM
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CONGRESS is responsible for spending. The Social Democrat Party has controlled both houses of Congress since 2006. The Recession began in 2008. Even a liberal can follow that!
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Kubotaman
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11-14-09 11:36 AM
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Mollohan's message to the students should have been: " I screwed your parents and I'm still around to screw you!"
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1whoworks
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11-14-09 10:52 AM
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There IS enough blame to go around. Folks need to wake up and start voting in representatives that will take care of the country first and their own personal agendas second. The cash comes from the Congress the Pres spends it. Depending on how well or poorly that spending laws are written the Pres has some leeway as to where and how to spend it. Ultimately it comes down to Congress. Period!
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Reactionary
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11-14-09 10:47 AM
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Hoopie---You are an insufferable A S S ! What can you possibly mean by your 7:25 post? I'd like you to explain it. 1whoworks--8:37 post. I agree! I wasn't a big Bush fan either, but still felt 'let down' by the Republican program. They had a Golden Opportunity to do amething grand and p*ssed it away. Then they let the Demokrats call the tune for them/ That's what cost them the election last year.........STUPIDITY!! And they'll continue to lose until they get their act together. And I don't know if America can last that long!
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weshatch
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11-14-09 10:46 AM
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So, He finally is admiting he is a part of the problem?
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Reactionary
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11-14-09 10:37 AM
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It's nice to see that Mr. Mollohan enlightened students on the inner workings of Federal Spending. S O !! That being said , all the libbies that keep beating on BUSH for SPENDING; remember that! If Barry Hussein can't spend money without the consent of Congress, then neither did Bush. And he had a democrat controlled Congress for his last two years! There's enough "Blame" to go around.
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Graysongs
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11-14-09 9:33 AM
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Hoopie - Former speaks the truth as to the role of the Congress in spending us into oblivion and you question his belief in the rule of law and call him names. Could you be merely defending a well-known member of your Democrat American (phony) Catholic Church?
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rover1958
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11-14-09 8:54 AM
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West Virginia Wins Again! A Gallup Poll on 'Well Being' (happiness) of the people in each state places West Virginia 50th or last. With guys like Mollohan as the people's rep, it's easy to see why.
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1whoworks
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11-14-09 8:37 AM
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I am not nor ever was a Bush fan. We didn't have much to choose from as alternative though. Myself the perceived losses of liberties though the Patriot Act are minuscule compared to what the current Congress and Administrations have up their sleeves. So I disagree with you on the Constitutional issues. There just hasn't been any proof of abuses with respect to true privacy issues. However, once the government runs health care, the auto industry, the electric industry, and whatever else they get their claws into real choice and opportunity will go away. Opportunity already has..........
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popeye
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11-14-09 8:23 AM
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1whoworks- It depends om what type of conservative you are referring to. If you are referring to Bush and his neocon buddies you are incorrect. They did more to dismantle our Constitution that any other Administration. Don't be fooled, Bush was a disgrace to our republic. BTW, I'm a true conservative.
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1whoworks
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11-14-09 8:04 AM
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hoopie, I hate to break it to you but it is the conservatives that follow the laws as written. It is the liberals that always want and "living" document that can be flexible so that they can twist it in whatever way they feel is right at the time.
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1whoworks
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11-14-09 8:02 AM
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Mollohan is right! And they sure like spending it. Trillions and trillions of dollars that have not been earned yet. Borrowed from the Chinese or printed by the administration. My Grandfather always said "A fool and his money soon part". We have 435 of them taking care of us...........
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tmoore
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11-14-09 7:38 AM
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Perhaps he will get an adjoining cell with 90K Jefferson. Thats power
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wvhoopie
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11-14-09 7:24 AM
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former, your prior post shows that you do not beieve in the rule of law. What a surprise!! Conservatives never do believe in the rule of law unless it pertains to them. Idiot.
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formerohvalleyresident
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11-14-09 2:13 AM
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The U.S. president "can't spend a penny unless it's approved by the House,’ Oh Yeah? Well then you BUFFOONS in Congress have done a phenomenally pathetic job of spending this country into a projected debt of $12 TRILLION dollars! Mollohan should be ashamed to show his face in public for the job he has done since he seems to have stuffed several million of that into his pocket along the way. John Adams: “ In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one USELESS man is a shame, TWO is a law firm and THREE or more is a Congress”!!
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