Weekly Newsletter, 06.24.24
The House returns to Washington tomorrow after a week working in our districts and celebrating Juneteenth. We will consider a slate of FY25 appropriations bills for Homeland Security (H.R. 8752), The State Department, Foreign Operations and related programs (H.R. 8771), and the Defense Department (H.R. 8774).
While in the Fourth District last week, I celebrated the participants and winners of the 2024 Congressional Art Competition, presented Community Project Funding for projects in Southside, Virginia, and recognized the second anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
Check out what else you may have missed last week.
THE WEEK IN THE DISTRICT
Two Years after the Fall of Roe v. Wade, Reproductive Freedom Remains Under Attack
Today marks the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organizationoverturning Roe v. Wade and unleashing a wave of state abortion bans and extreme restrictions across the nation, including attacks on contraception and in-vitro fertilization. Thanks to my work as a state legislator, Virginia is the only state in the South that remains a safe haven for abortion access after the fall of Roe.
To discuss the impact of the fall of Roe on Virginia and the need for federal protections for abortion access, Director Melanie Fontes Rainer of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights visited Richmond for a roundtable with providers, advocates, and state legislators. As abortion bans have taken effect across the South, an increasing number of patients have traveled to Virginia from Georgia, Texas, and Florida. But all our work to protect reproductive freedom in Virginia can be wiped away by a simple majority vote in the General Assembly or Congress. Read more about our roundtable in this Virginia Mercury article.
Today, nearly half of the states in our nation restrict or outright ban access to abortion services, jeopardizing the health and well-being of millions of Americans. As a mother who nearly died during childbirth, I know firsthand the dangers women – particularly women of color – face while being pregnant and giving birth in the United States. That’s why I am fighting at the federal level as a member of the Pro-Choice Caucus to restore Roe, safeguard access to contraception and fertility treatments, and protect patients’ right to make their own health care decisions free from interference from politicians or judges. You can read my full statement on the second anniversary of Dobbs here.
New Community Project Funding Awards for Southside, Virginia
As you may recall, members can submit up to 15 local projects or priorities to the House Appropriations Committee for funding consideration in the annual appropriations process. In the fiscal year 2024 appropriations bills, I successfully secured over $15 million for all 15 local projects I submitted. Last week, I traveled to the southernmost portions of our district to provide Community Project Funding checks to Brunswick County and Southside Virginia Community College.
In Brunswick County, I delivered $500,000 to support the County’s Industrial Site Development Project, which will provide road, water and utility improvements to the Stonewall Industrial Site. This project will construct turning lanes and crossover improvements on U.S. Highway 58 to create an entryway for the park and 500 feet of on-site access roadway. The Industrial Site Development Project is part of Brunswick County’s 2035 Comprehensive Plan, which aims to recruit new industries and expand existing industries to spur job creation and economic growth. This federal funding will help ensure the Stonewall Industrial Site is shovel-ready and able to attract new businesses and investments in rural Brunswick County.
I then traveled to the Southside Virginia Education Center in Emporia to deliver $188,787 to Southside Virginia Community College. The federal funding supports the college’s In-Demand Technical Training Learning Project to purchase equipment and training tools for the school’s precision machining, electricity and HVAC, welding, and information technologies programs. These are all rapidly growing, in-demand fields that will provide Virginians with good-paying jobs of the future. This federal funding will allow the college to strengthen its curriculum and continue its invaluable hands-on learning strategies to prepare Virginia’s next generation of skilled trade workers.
These awards would not be possible without Brunswick County and Southside Virginia Community College’s collaborative partnership and diligent efforts to prepare and revise their applications to ensure they were as competitive and viable as possible. I look forward to seeing these federal funds be put to good use. I’m confident these projects will strengthen our rural communities and make a meaningful difference in the lives of Virginians.
Celebrating High School Artists at the 2024 Congressional Art Competition Reception
Last week, I had the honor of hosting the 2024 Congressional Art Competition Reception for high school students in Virginia’s Fourth Congressional District. I held the reception at the Petersburg Public Library to celebrate all the winners and participants in this year’s competition. My office received dozens of beautiful, thought-provoking, and inspiring works of art from high school students throughout the district.
This year’s winner was Ethan Hansen, a 10th-grade student at Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology, who submitted his hand-drawn piece titled “Poker Face.” His work will hang in the U.S. Capitol for one year. You can check out the other finalists’ and participants’ artwork here. Thank you to all of the teachers, parents, and students who helped make this program a success!
THE WEEK IN WASHINGTON
Leading a Bipartisan Push to Fund Nationwide Research into Traumatic Brain Injuries for Service Members and Veterans
Last week, I led a bipartisan Virginia delegation letter to the Defense Health Agency and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), calling for continued funding to support a collaborative nationwide research consortium focused on military combat exposure and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) for U.S. service members and veterans. I was grateful to be joined by Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Ben Cline (R-VA-06), Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11), Jennifer Kiggans (R-VA-02), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10), and Rob Wittman (R-VA-01). Funding for this nationwide effort will lapse at the end of the current grant cycle, and it’s imperative that we continue to support this initiative.
The Department of Defense (DoD) and the VA have funded research into TBIs for over a decade, including a $50 million investment in the Long-Term Impact of Military Relevant Brain Injury Consortium (LIMBIC). LIMBIC is a nationwide team led by Virginia Commonwealth University that consists of 100 researchers in 19 states, 16 universities, 15 VA Medical Centers, and 9 DoD facilities. This research is critically important, as TBIs are often difficult to diagnose and treat effectively; however, LIMBIC has made incredible strides in the past year to further research into these injuries and help ensure our service members and veterans have the resources and support they need. You can read our full letter here.
Major Biden-Harris Administration Announcements
Last week, the Biden-Harris Administration announced executive actions and newly available federal funding to address existing issues with our nation’s immigration system and methane emissions nationwide.
On Tuesday, President Biden announced a new slate of actions to help keep families together and provide peace of mind to mixed-status families and Dreamers. Under the Biden-Harris Administration’s new orders, the Department of Homeland Security will adopt new processes to allow certain noncitizen spouses and children to apply for lawful permanent residence without leaving the country. In order to be eligible, noncitizens are required to have resided in the United States for 10 or more years and be legally married to a U.S. citizen while satisfying all existing legal requirements. This is an important step in our continued efforts to address issues with our nation’s immigration system and help keep American families united.
On Friday, President Biden, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Department of Energy (DOE) announced applications are open for $850 million in federal funding, authorized through the Inflation Reduction Act, to help monitor, measure, quantify, and reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas industries. Methane, which is considered a “super pollutant,” is a major contributor to our planet’s rising temperatures. This new federal funding builds on the historic progress of the Biden-Harris Administration and congressional Democrats to comprehensively address the climate crisis and curb the impacts of climate change. You can find additional information about the Methane Emissions Reduction Program here.
REMINDERS
Brunswick County Veterans Resource Day
On July 20, 2024, my office will join Brunswick County for its Veteran Resource Day. Hosted by the Brunswick County Board of Supervisors, the Brunswick County Veterans Day Committee, Urban Grid, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and my office, this event will offer a variety of programs through military service-oriented vendors to further assist our service members, veterans, and their families. Register using the QR code below or by calling 434-848-2728 to RSVP.
Congressional App Challenge
Calling all Fourth District students interested in STEM! We are now accepting submissions for the Congressional App Challenge. Students are tasked with developing an original application to address a problem in our state, country, or across the globe. The deadline to submit is October 24, 2024. For more information or to submit your application, visit 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