Weekly Newsletter, 3.17.25
It was a tense week in Washington as the clock ticked towards a government shutdown. House Republicans completely cut Democrats out of the process to ram through a 6-month funding bill that gave Elon Musk and Donald Trump a blank check to continue raiding federal agencies and traumatizing the federal workforce to ultimately fund tax cuts for billionaires. Unfortunately, the Senate went along with the plan. It was a lose-lose situation, as both a government shutdown and the funding bill to avoid it would hurt Virginia.
In the midst of all this, the Trump Administration slashed half the workforce at the Department of Education, which protects the civil rights of students - particularly for students with disabilities - and fills gaps in state and local support for public schools. As a mother of two kids in Richmond Public Schools, daughter and granddaughter of educators, and former state legislator who focused on ensuring every child had access to a good education, I spoke with Local News 8 about these cuts.
We also lost a dear colleague, Congressman Raul Grijalva, from Arizona who passed after a battle with cancer. Rep. Grijalva was a steadfast leader and environmental justice champion, who partnered with my predecessor, the late Donald McEachin, to develop the A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act. They are both missed.
Read more about what happened last week below.
REPUBLICAN FUNDING BILL HARMS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
Rather than working on a bipartisan basis to fund the federal government through the end of the fiscal year on September 30th, House Republicans rammed through a funding bill that gives the Trump Administration, Elon Musk and his DOGE bros a free reign to continue their unprecedented assault on federal government agencies and workers.
The Republican funding bill betrays our veterans exposed to toxic substances, abandons communities devastated by natural disasters, and lays the groundwork for massive cuts to critical healthcare and safety net programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security.
House Republicans shirked their responsibility to the American people by blocking any attempt to check President Trump’s irresponsible trade war with our allies through tariffs that will raise the price of everything from groceries to gasoline, housing to healthcare, toys to technology, and more.
Here’s what’s at stake for the Commonwealth:
Threats to Jobs and Economic Growth – By freezing federal investment at outdated levels, the finding bill jeopardizes funding for infrastructure projects, transportation improvements, and workforce development programs that fuel Virginia’s economy. Our shipyards, tech hubs, and research institutions stand to lose critical support, slowing job growth and innovation.
Cuts to Health Care and Social Services – The funding bill limits funding for Medicaid, SNAP, and other essential services. Without proper investment, our community health centers, hospitals, and social programs will struggle to keep up with demand. The funding bill also cuts funding for veterans exposed to toxic substances like Agent Orange and burn pits.
Risks to Military and Federal Workers – With Virginia home to one of the largest populations of federal workers and military personnel in the nation, the funding bill disrupts pay and resources for those who serve our country. This will have severe consequences for the Pentagon, defense contractors, and the thousands of families who depend on these jobs. This, coupled with the ongoing attacks from the Trump Administration and Elon Musk, will lead to severely detrimental impacts for the 170,000 federal workers and government contractors in Virginia and those who rely upon the services they provide.
Rolling Back Climate and Clean Energy Investments – The funding bill ignores the urgent need for climate action and could stall Virginia’s growing clean energy sector. Instead of moving forward with bold investments in offshore wind, solar energy, and environmental protections, we risk losing ground to corporate polluters and climate deniers, as the Trump Administration and Musk seek to undermine historic investments made by President Biden and the 117th Congress.
Housing - The funding bill underfunds core housing programs that local communities rely on for housing assistance, affordable housing construction, community development, infrastructure, and homeless services. You can read more detail on the impact the bill has on these programs here.
You can read a fact sheet on the funding bill prepared by House Appropriations Committee Democrats here.
HOUSE DEMOCRATS UNITE AGAINST TRUMP’S CHAOS
Last week, House Democrats convened for our annual issues conference to discuss our priorities for the 119th. During this time, the various caucuses also held press conferences to outline our priorities.
As a Leadership Representative for the New Democrat Coalition (New Dems) – the largest ideological caucus in the House with nearly 115 Members – I joined our leadership team to discuss the New Dem priorities for the 119th Congress and the impact of the chaos unleashed by the Trump Administration and Elon Musk on the economy. I focused on the continuing assault on the federal workforce. Virginia is home to one of the largest federal workforce populations in the nation, who are being traumatized by these mass terminations, federal funding freezes, and the dismantlement of federal agencies.
As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) leadership team, I joined my colleagues to underscore the devastating impacts of President Trump’s tariffs, taxes, and terminations on Black communities across the nation. As the Conscience of the Congress, the CBC continues to fight to ensure the ideals upon which this country was founded ring true for everyone as we fight back against the Trump Administration’s efforts to roll back progress and undermine the gains of the Civil Rights Movement.
MY BRIGHT SPOT: HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF JAMES SOLOMON RUSSELL
In 2020, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation designating March 28th of each year as James Solomon Russell Day. Born enslaved in 1857, James Solomon Russell lived his life in service to others as a priest, educator, and the founder of what would become St. Paul’s College in Lawrenceville.
Russell played a vital role in leading Virginians through their faith journey, starting his ministry in Lawrenceville in 1882. Through his ministry, he recognized local residents’ desire to learn and obtain education, but there were few options available to Black Virginians at that time. In 1888, he founded St. Paul’s Normal and Industrial School, which offered students a three-year curriculum. His relentless efforts transformed the educational landscape for Black Virginians after the Civil War. Today, his legacy lives on in the James Solomon Russell/St. Paul’s College Archives in Museum, which shares a building with my Brunswick satellite office. Each year, the Museum holds a dinner to celebrate his life and legacy.
Just in time for James Solomon Russell Day, I filed legislation to rename the Lawrenceville Post Office as the “James Solomon Russell Post Office.” I look forward to advocating for this legislation and uplifting the incredible work of Mr. Russell.