While Brian is concentrating on the transportation session right now, some are starting to look ahead to what comes after the session. The News Virginian has a great profile of Brian in today's issue, looking at the broad experience that has made him such an effective leader in the Assembly.

One of seven children, including brother Jim, a U.S. congressman, Moran worked numerous odd jobs while earning degrees from Framingham State College in Massachusetts and Catholic University Law School in Washington, D.C.

He bagged groceries, worked construction, tended bar and was a gas station attendant.

“It’s the American dream. You can apply yourself and work hard and be all you want to be,” he said.

Elected to the state House in 1995 after being urged to run by friend Mark Warner, the former governor and U.S. Senate candidate, Moran was named Democratic Caucus chairman in 2001.

Since Moran took over that post, Democrats have picked up 12 state House seats.

And Brian's leadership has extended beyond political success as he's been a leader in the Assembly on a number of issues that are key to Virginians.

Moran said he is pleased to see such major companies as Northrop Grumman and CGI come to Southwest Virginia.

He also spoke about the federal government’s presence in Northern Virginia and the port of Hampton Roads.

“The port is an enormous natural asset which generates more and more export-import business,” he said.

Moran said education is still Virginia’s top issue.

“Education resonates in every area of the commonwealth,” he said. “Everyone wants their kids to receive the best education. Only with a first-class education will they be able to compete for jobs.”

He said Virginia’s transportation woes are keenly felt in traffic-clogged Northern Virginia.

“This hurts job creation,” he said.

Moran believes Virginia can be an attractive state to manufacturers because of its employment base.

“We have excellent product, hard-working Virginians,” he said. “China is producing products but they are unsafe. They don’t meet our standards of quality.”