McClellan Statement on Being Sworn In to the 119th Congress

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) issued the following statement after being sworn in to the U.S. House of Representatives for the 119th Congress:

“Today, I took the oath of office to serve another term in the U.S. House of Representatives with a profound sense of responsibility to the people of Virginia’s Fourth Congressional District. 

“I was raised on stories of my parents and grandparents, who lived during the Great Depression in the Jim Crow South, which instilled in me the desire to serve others and help our nation live up to the ideals on which it was founded. As the first Black woman to represent Virginia in Congress, I stand on the shoulders of the brave trailblazers who came before me, like Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to serve in Congress, and John Mercer Langston, the first Black man to represent Virginia in Congress – also from Virginia’s Fourth. 

“The 119th Congress will undoubtedly be filled with challenges and uncertainty, but I remain optimistic about the future and determined to build on the progress I made in the 118th Congress. Despite dysfunction in Washington, my team and I worked every day to deliver for my constituents, closing thousands of cases, returning millions of dollars in missing benefits, and developing new legislation to address the greatest challenges we face. In this new term, we will remain laser focused on how to help people and solve problems, no matter what chaos or obstacles come our way.

“Thank you to my friends and family, especially my husband, David, and my children. Their love and support serves as a constant source of stability and motivation. I also thank the people of Virginia’s Fourth District who have entrusted me to serve as your voice in Washington. As I look ahead to this new term, I carry with me the values instilled by my family, the lessons from my years of public service, and the stories of the constituents who have shared their hopes, fears, and dreams with me. Together, we will pave a new path forward and continue our work to build a more perfect union.”