Media should report more local congressional votes

On Thursday, March 16, the House of Representatives voted some $68 billion to continue military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of a supplemental emergency appropriation bill.

As a Maryland voter, I was curious to know how my own representative in Congress, Chris Van Hollen, voted. Many of Van Hollen’s constituents believe that only when members of Congress develop the courage to vote “No” to any further funds for military operations can this illegal and immoral war on Iraq be brought to an end.

I subsequently learned that Rep. Van Hollen voted for the appropriation to continue funding for the Iraq war. But I learned this from a source on the Internet, with no help from the local media.

Voters are entitled to know how their representatives in Congress voted on the emergency supplemental military appropriations bill to spend billions more on the war in Iraq. Some voters might decide that it is time for new leadership — but they cannot decide intelligently if they do not have the facts.

The public has the right to be informed as to the voting records of their elected representatives.

Deborah A. Vollmer

Chevy Chase

Illegal immigrants should be deported

RE: “Marches aren’t policy-makers,” editorial, April 12

Yes, Congress should require all illegal aliens to provide identification and documentation. However, the more important thing is that the identification and documentation must be authentic. And those who don’t have identification or documentation — as well as the ones who do have identification but are proven to be here illegally — must be deported. No excuses.

Most of these illegal immigrants come from developing countries such as Mexico, South and Central American countries, Indonesia, Pakistan and the Middle East. I am a U.S. citizen who came here from Indonesia. In developing countries, including Indonesia, bribery and corruption are terrible and systemic. People can buy any form of identification and documentation they want.

There are thousands of illegal aliens from Indonesia who currently live here. Many work as waitresses for restaurants or as live-in housekeepers for middle-class families in the D.C. area. They earn less than $1,000 a month. What kind of burden does that place on our public facilities?

I believe that all illegal aliens must be deported right away. They are lawbreakers. They have no respect for our law. The United States should only encourage and welcome those who respect our sovereignty.

Tri Mobley

Silver Spring

Metro needs to expand to Dulles Airport

We’ve been talking about extending Metro to Tysons Corner and Dulles International Airport for more than 40 years. It’s time to stop talking and start building.

Our region has some of the worst congestion in the country. The number of cars on the Dulles Toll Road has nearly doubled in the last decade. And far too many of us spend more time sitting in traffic than home with our families.

We need another option — and quick.

But recent articles describe continued political bickering over the details of the project. Will there be a tunnel in Tysons or not? Who’s in charge of the project? Who will pay for pedestrian bridges?

At the end of the day, only one thing matters to the people who live and work in the region — getting Metro to the Dulles Corridor. We don’t need more discussion. We don’t need another study. And most of all, we don’t need any more delays.

I hope that project officials will move quickly to end these discussions and get the project back on track. Remember, while you’re talking and talking and talking, we’re still sitting in traffic.

Suresh Narasimhan

South Riding