Weekly Newsletter 04.08.24
Tomorrow, Congress returns from a two week recess this week after finally passing a Fiscal Year 2024 budget, which President Biden recently signed into law. We have a lot on our plate, as the House considers reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and supplemental funding for Israel, Gaza and Ukraine.
Check out what you may have missed over the District Work Period.
IN THE DISTRICT
Navy League Luncheon
Hampton Roads is home to several military installations and shipbuilding yards that support the United States Navy, including Naval Station Norfolk, the largest Naval base in the world. Since 1961, the Navy League of Hampton Roads has supported sea servicemembers, developed programs to support military families, and advocated for critical policy priorities to strengthen the Navy. Over the district work period, I attended the Navy League of Hampton Roads’ annual Congressional Luncheon with Representatives Rob Wittman (VA-01), Jen Kiggans (VA-02), and Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03). Each of us represents a portion of Hampton Roads, and three of us serve on the House Armed Services Committee, which is responsible for developing the National Defense Authorization Act(NDAA), the annual package that sets recommended funding levels and policies for the Department of Defense and the United States military.
During the luncheon, we heard from the Navy League of Hampton Roads’ leadership about their priorities and gave an update about our work in Washington. We also discussed President Biden’s FY2025 Budget Request and the upcoming FY 2025 NDAA. I discussed my priorities as a member of the Armed Services Committee’s Seapower Subcommittee, particularly my efforts to improve quality of life for our service members and their families.
USPS Office of the Inspector General Report on Richmond Mail Issues
Last week, the USPS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) issued its long-awaited report on its investigation of ongoing mail processing issues at the Richmond Regional Processing and Distribution Center (Richmond RP&DC) that are impacting service throughout Virginia’s Fourth Congressional District. As the first consolidated mail processing center in the country opened as part of the postal service’s 10-year Delivering for America Plan, the Richmond RP&DC experienced clear failures and gaps in processes and training that contributed to significant mail delayed for the Richmond region. USPS OIG’s report identifies ten recommendations to help resolve these issues. I will continue working with my fellow Virginia delegation members to monitor implementation of these recommendations. You can read our joint statement on the report here.
$5.6 Million Headed to Emporia to Support Energy-Efficient Affordable Housing
Recently, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced $173 million in federal investments to make homes more energy-efficient and climate-resilient for low-income Americans. The awards are part of HUD’s Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, which provides grants and direct loans to improve water and energy efficiency, enhance indoor air quality, and implement low- and zero-emission building materials or processes. I am thrilled that Emporia’s Trinity Woods, Inc. will receive $5,680,000 to make their homes more energy-efficient and climate-resilient. This federal funding will help advance environmental justice, reduce harmful pollutants, and improve public health outcomes as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative targeting 40% of federal investment benefits to historically disadvantaged and marginalized communities.
IN WASHINGTON
What’s in the $1.6+ Trillion Government Funding Packages?
It was a long and winding road to pass the Fiscal Year 2024 budget … nearly six months late due primarily to House Republican infighting. What’s in it?
The two bills total over $1.6 trillion and provide funding for federal agencies, federal social safety net programs, American research and development, national parks and public lands, and more. Despite Republicans’ best efforts, congressional Democrats successfully rejected their proposed draconian cuts and poison pill policy riders that sought to restrict reproductive freedom, undermine Social Security and Medicare, and roll back progress addressing the climate crisis.
While the packages were ultimately a bipartisan compromise, Democrats secured major wins in the legislation, including robust funding for early childhood education like Head Start and Child Care and Development Block Grants; the National Institutes of Health, the CDC, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; HBCUs and Title I grants; cancer and Alzheimer’s research; and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). We provided increased funding to address border security and immigration, the Department of Defense, and to provide new visas to Afghan allies who assisted the U.S. in the war on terror. Comprehensive summaries of the packages are available here and here. Check out other Democratic victories here.
I also successfully secured over $15 million for fifteen local projects and priorities in Virginia’s Fourth Congressional District. These projects include water infrastructure upgrades, support for victims of domestic violence, transportation modernization efforts, universal broadband deployment, and other critical priorities throughout Virginia’s Fourth. You can learn more about the fifteen projects here.
Ep. 5: Moments with McClellan Featuring Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi
To close out Women’s History Month, the newest episode of Moments with McClellan features Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. An undeniable trailblazer, Speaker Emerita Pelosi shattered the “marble ceiling” to become the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House – and she excelled in the position, becoming the most consequential Speaker in recent history. Under her leadership, Congress passed historic legislation that improved Americans’ lives, including the Affordable Care Act, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and more!
Check out our conversation to hear Speaker Pelosi’s advice to young women and girls, her love of chocolate and ice cream, and more.
The Future of At-Home Abortion Medication and Emergency Abortion Care
After Trump-appointed judges overturned Roe v. Wade and stripped Americans of their constitutional right to an abortion, we have witnessed widespread attacks on reproductive health care, including abortion bans, extreme abortion restrictions, attacks on contraception, and most recently, fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization. At this point, Virginia is the only state in the South without an abortion ban or extreme abortion restriction, thanks to the Reproductive Health Protection Act that I championed while in the Virginia General Assembly. Our Commonwealth is increasingly serving as a safe haven for abortion care in the South, and we must ensure it remains that way.
These extreme attacks are playing out in our court systems, and the Supreme Court will issue decisions on two crucial cases in the coming months that will determine the future of at-home abortion medication and emergency abortion care. During the recess, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the Food and Drug Administration v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine. This case will determine Americans’ future access to mifepristone, a safe, effective at-home abortion medication. For now, mifepristone remains accessible and on the market to Americans in states where abortion is still legal, but its future is in jeopardy. Last year, I filed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court, urging them to protect access to mifepristone.
In late April, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a consolidated case: Moyle v. United States and Idaho v. United States. These cases will determine the future of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), which requires hospitals to provide emergency medical care and all necessary stabilizing treatments – including emergency abortion care – to anyone who needs it. In anticipation of those oral arguments, I helped file an amicus brief with over 250 of my congressional Democrat colleagues, urging the Court to enforce EMTALA and require hospitals to provide comprehensive emergency medical care to all patients. I will continue fighting alongside congressional Democrats to protect reproductive health care for every American.
REMINDERS
Constituent Services – Help with a Federal Agency
As a reminder, my office can assist you with any issues you have with a federal agency. In my first year as your Congresswoman, my office successfully closed over 1,100 constituent cases and returned over $1,000,000 in missing benefits to residents of Virginia’s Fourth Congressional District. We can help with issues related to Social Security, the VA, passport renewals, tax filing, missing benefits, or more. Please contact my Richmond Office at 804-486-1840, my Brunswick Office at 804-690-5809, or visit my website to open a case online.
Summer Travels? Follow These Passport Tips!
Do you need a new passport for your summer travel plans? If so, I encourage you to get the process started now! Here are some helpful tips to ensure your travels aren’t interrupted.
Tip #1: Check your passport expiration date! If it is expired or expiring within 1 year, submit for renewal whether you have travel or not to travel.state.gov
Tip #2: Have a valid passport before you make irreversible travel plans. Even expedited service takes longer than most people expect.
Tip #3: Pay extra for 1-2 day return delivery and use traceable mail to send, so you can track your application before it enters our system.
Tip #4: Check application status online at passportstatus.state.gov and sign up for emailed updates. If you applied online, log into MyTravelGov to check the status of your application.
Tip #5: Use the form filler tool and online photo information to submit a good application.
Have other questions about best practices when dealing with a federal agency? Check out my new Casework Tips on my website.
Mobile McClellan in Surry County
Looking for help with a federal agency without having to travel to my Richmond or Brunswick offices? My staff hosts Mobile McClellan events throughout the district – opportunities to meet one-on-one with a constituent caseworker at a location near you!
My office’s next Mobile McClellan will be in Surry County on Tuesday, April 9th from 9:30-11:30am ET. You can RSVP here.
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