Weekly Newsletter 03.11.24
It was an exciting and busy week that marked my one-year anniversary as your Congresswoman, the President’s State of the Union Address, and the passage of a fiscal year 2024 funding bill covering half the appropriations bills needed to keep the government up and running. We have 11 days to pass legislation to fund the rest before another partial shutdown deadline. And President Biden will introduce his fiscal year 2025 budget today.
In the meantime, here is what you may have missed last week.
THIS WEEK IN WASHINGTON
Fiscal Year 2024 Funding Bill Passes With $15 Million in Funding for Community Projects in the Fourth District
Five months into Fiscal Year 2024, Congress passed The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024 (H.R. 4366), which adopts 6 of the 12 appropriations bills necessary to fund the federal government, which the President signed over the weekend. Yet again, House Democrats delivered the necessary votes to pass the package and avoid a devastating government shutdown. We also held the line and defeated Republicans’ extreme draconian cuts and poison pill policy riders.
The funding package will boost our economy and fight inflation, support our continued efforts to address the climate crisis, protect reproductive freedom, and uphold our commitment to our veterans. You can read my statement on the vote here and a detailed summary of the legislation here.
The bill also provides Community Project Funding for the Fourth District of over $15 Million! This year, House members were given the opportunity to submit up to 15 local projects to the House Appropriations Committee for funding consideration. After my swearing-in last year, my team and I had roughly two weeks to coordinate with our localities and eligible organizations to submit requests before the committee’s submission deadline. I’m thrilled that our efforts were successful!
This federal funding will support major infrastructure and community development projects throughout our district – everything from addressing Richmond’s combined sewage overflow system to upgrading the Ettrick Train Station and more! You can check out details about the federal funding and the projects here. I am confident this funding will make a meaningful difference in the lives of Virginians, and I look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition.
The State of Our Union Is Strong… And Getting Stronger!
Thursday, President Biden and Vice President Harris traveled to Capitol Hill for the President’s third State of the Union Address. President Biden laid out his Administration’s accomplishments on behalf of the American people and his vision for 2024 and beyond. The Biden-Harris Administration has achieved more in three years than many previous administrations have accomplished in two terms. If you missed it, you can find the speech here.
After the speech, I spoke with Sinclair Broadcast Group about the speech and the BBC about the Republican response provided by Senator Katie Britt:
President Biden and Vice President Harris led our nation through the coronavirus pandemic, rebuilt and strengthened our economy, and created over 15 million jobs in their first three years in office. Under their Administration, we passed historic legislation to rebuild our nation’s roads, highways, and bridges (the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act), the largest federal investment in climate and clean-energy technologies in history (the Inflation Reduction Act), supercharged our research and development and domestic technology manufacturing capabilities (the CHIPS and Science Act), and capped insulin at $35 per month and gave Medicare the power to negotiate prescription drug prices.
President Biden and Vice President Harris are fighting to protect Americans’ freedoms and liberties. During his State of the Union, President Biden reiterated his commitment to protecting patients’ right to reproductive freedom and vowed to sign a bill to make Roe v. Wade the law of the land and restore our ability to make our own health care decisions. As President Biden said, “The State of our Union is strong and getting stronger!”
Some of you may have seen this photo from the Washington Post of Representative Shontel Brown (OH-11) taking a selfie of several of us on the floor prior to the address:
Here is the picture she took:
You can more behind the scenes views of the State of the Union Address on my social media accounts at @RepMcClellan.
Celebrating My One-Year Anniversary as Your Congresswoman
Thursday also marked the one-year anniversary of my swearing-in to Congress. It is the honor of my lifetime to be your voice in Washington and fight for the priorities that matter to our district. Despite Republicans’ chaos and inability to govern, I am proud of what I accomplished on your behalf during my first year in Congress. Over the past year, I have introduced nine bills, closed over 1,100 constituent cases, returned over $1 million to constituents through successful casework, secured $15 million for local projects in our district, and visited every locality in our district. I will continue fighting for you in Washington, and I look forward to all we will accomplish in 2024. I shared my reflections on the past year with CBS6, which you can watch here:
THIS WEEK IN THE DISTRICT
First Telephone Town Hall of 2024
In honor of my one-year anniversary in Congress and ahead of the 2024 tax filing deadline, I held a Telephone Town Hall with constituents throughout my district last Monday. Over 6,000 people joined the call to hear updates about my work in Washington and the district and to ask questions. Representatives from the Internal Revenue Service and the Taxpayer Advocate Service were also on the line to provide helpful tax filing tips. The conversation touched on various issues, including reproductive health care, the mental health crisis, mail delivery issues, gun violence, local environmental justice issues, and more. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to speak with you directly, hear your concerns and priorities, and answer your questions. If you missed our conversation, you can listen to a recording here.
Launching the 2024 Congressional Art Competition
I am excited to announce the launch of the 2024 Congressional Art Competition for Virginia’s Fourth! Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school art competition to recognize students’ artistic talents and promote interest in the arts. The competition is open to all high school students in Virginia’s Fourth.
I encourage any interested student to participate! The winning piece will hang in the U.S. Capitol for one year, and I’ll get to see it every day as I walk to the House floor for votes. Last year’s participants created some truly incredible pieces. I can’t wait to see what students will submit this year!
The deadline to submit is Monday, April 22 by 5pm ET. Additional information, including submission guidelines and requirements, can be found on my website.
Team McClellan Out in the District for Read Across America
Last week, members of my district team collaborated with the Virginia Education Association for Read Across America Week! My staff joined students at William Fox Elementary School, JH Blackwell Elementary School, Sussex Central Elementary School, and Barack Obama Elementary School to read them stories and tell them about their work as congressional staffers. I commend and thank the public school teachers who helped make Read Across America Week a success in Virginia’s Fourth!
REMINDERS
Upcoming Mobile McClellans
My staff hosts regular Mobile McClellans throughout the district – opportunities to meet with my constituent caseworkers and get answers to your questions without having to drive to my Richmond or Brunswick offices. Last week, we hosted one in partnership with DARS Area Agency on Aging in Brodnax. It was a huge success with over 50 attendees who came out for assistance!
If you need help with a federal agency, I encourage you to attend one of these upcoming Mobile McClellans:
- Tuesday, March 12th from 10:30am - 1:30pm ET in Henrico: RSVP here.
- Tuesday, April 9th from 9:30am - 11:30am ET in Surry County: RSVP here.
As always, if you need assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to my Washington, D.C. office at 202-225-6365, my Richmond office at 804-486-1840 , my Brunswick satellite office at 804-690-5809, or you can open a case through my website.
I look forward to hearing from you. Make sure to follow @RepMcClellan on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads to stay up-to-date on my work in Washington and Virginia’s Fourth and to catch the next episode of Moments with McClellan!
Sincerely,
Rep. Jennifer McClellan
Member of Congress