Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2026 transportation appropriations bill, which includes an additional $17 million in federal funding for safety and capacity improvements along Interstate 81. The measure received bipartisan support from both chambers of Congress. Interstate 81, constructed over five decades ago, has faced growing congestion and safety concerns as traffic and freight demands have increased. According to Congressman Ben Cline, “This funding brings us closer to delivering much-needed improvements that will make the interstate safer and better suited to serve commuters, families, and the truck drivers who help keep our regional economy moving.” The proposed funding would allow for widening certain bottlenecked segments of I-81 from two to three lanes.
Tax season began last week with expectations that Americans will see significant savings and larger tax refunds this year. Congressman Cline stated, “These numbers and statistics represent real relief for American families, workers, and seniors who have worked hard and earned every dollar.” He highlighted H.R. 1 as legislation he supported that could provide an average return increase of up to $3,000 in 2026 for taxpayers across all states. Middle-class families are expected to benefit further from these changes. Senior citizens will also see relief through the elimination of taxes on Social Security income.
Additional tax benefits include breaks on auto loan interest for vehicles built in America—up to $10,000—and a permanent increase in the Child Tax Credit to $2,200 per child. These measures aim to help more than 40 million families plan for their children’s future.
Congressman Cline also addressed national security concerns related to commercial surrogacy agreements involving foreign adversary nations. He cosponsored the SAFE KIDS Act which seeks to invalidate such agreements and hold brokers accountable if they facilitate abusive arrangements. “Foreign adversaries are increasingly exploiting America’s largely unregulated surrogacy industry,” said Cline. He emphasized that these actions could threaten the integrity of U.S. citizenship while exposing women and children to potential exploitation.
To support rural communities, Cline highlighted his work on the Bridge the Gap for Rural Communities Act. This legislation temporarily suspends payment limits on Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) programs for 2025 crops while allowing farmers a partial payment option by year-end instead of waiting until October 2026. Rising costs in seed, fuel, fertilizer, labor, and interest have squeezed farm budgets since 2020; commodity prices have not kept pace with these increases according to USDA projections.
Cline noted improvements made by Republicans in strengthening PLC and ARC programs: raising reference prices across commodities; updating price escalators; improving revenue guarantees; increasing maximum payments; with reforms taking effect October 2026 but providing immediate relief through this act.
A new initiative called Trump Accounts was also introduced at the federal level: every American child born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028 is eligible for a $1,000 Treasury contribution into an account managed by parents until age eighteen—with optional family contributions up to $5,000 annually allowed as well as employer matches pledged by some companies.
Cline’s office recently assisted a local veteran whose daughter lost her CHAMPVA coverage due to a Department of Veterans Affairs administrative error affecting her college scholarship eligibility tied to sports participation requirements. After intervention by his Roanoke district office via congressional inquiry with VA officials,”her school certification was corrected…CHAMPVA coverage was reinstated…and more than ten outstanding medical claims were resolved.” Cline encouraged constituents facing issues with federal agencies in Virginia’s Sixth District—which he has represented since replacing Bob Goodlatte in Congress in 2019—to contact his offices located throughout Winchester,Harrisonburg ,Staunton,and Roanoke.Ben Cline is currently serving in Congress representing Virginia’s Sixth District. Before joining Congress,Cline served sixteen years in Virginia’s House of Delegates.He previously served from 2002-2018. Born Stillwater,Oklahoma,in1972,Cline now livesin Fincastle.He was born there before movingtoVirginia. He holds degrees from Bates College(BA1994)and UniversityofRichmond(JD2007).
