This week was scheduled to be a District work week, but I returned to Washington to end the Republicans’ manufactured debt ceiling crisis by passing the Bipartisan Budget Act negotiated by President Biden and Speaker McCarthy. 

This week, Congress passed and the President signed the Bipartisan Budget Agreement (H.R. 3746 - The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023). For weeks now, I have called on House Republicans to stop holding the American economy hostage and raise the debt ceiling. However, they demanded draconian cuts through their Default on America Act and adoption of provisions in their Polluters over People Act in exchange for a vote raising the debt ceiling for one year. After intense negotiations, President Biden and Speaker McCarthy reached an agreement to raise the debt ceiling for two years while avoiding the devastating cuts and policy changes demanded by MAGA Republicans. 

There were several items in the bill that I did not like, including provisions to expedite completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline crossing from West Virginia into Virginia, through vulnerable communities, stripping Virginians of their land and livelihood. I filed an amendment to the House Rules Committee with my Virginia Democratic colleagues, Representatives Scott, Connolly, Beyer, Spanberger, and Wexton to strip this provision from the bill. Unfortunately, the Rules Committee did not even vote on the amendment. Senator Tim Kaine’s similar amendment failed in the Senate on a 30-69 vote. 

Overall, however, the compromise is the best we could achieve under the circumstances and is far better for my constituents, the American people, and our economy than the default we would certainly face if it failed. As a result, I voted yes to avert a catastrophic default that would have triggered a recession, cost millions of jobs, devastated retirement accounts and state budgets, and disrupted federal programs and benefits on which countless Americans rely.

The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, contains important safeguards for Americans:

• Locks in a two-year debt limit suspension and budget deal consistent with recent bipartisan budget agreements and rejects the 10-year caps House Republicans proposed.
• Rejects Republicans’ extreme discretionary cuts and locks in funding at current levels, which contains significant increases in investments for education, childcare, and cancer research.
• Rejects the cruel cuts House Republicans proposed to schools, childcare programs, food assistance, First Responders, and environmental protections.
• Protects Democrats’ economic growth agenda, including key legislative provisions included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, the PACT Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
• It maintains clean energy investments, corporate minimum tax, and prescription drug provisions, and rejects House Republicans’ attempt to strip clean-energy progress passed through the IRA.
• Rejects work requirements for Medicaid and adds new exemptions for SNAP to protect vulnerable Americans’ access to these crucial programs – including expanded eligibility for veterans, homeless individuals, and children who have aged out of the foster care system – and rejects House Republicans’ attempt to add burdensome work requirements to Medicaid.
• Protects Americans’ health care and retirement, safeguarding Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act, and rejects House Republicans’ proposal that would have caused roughly 600,000 Americans to lose their health coverage.
• Protects one-time student debt cancellation of up to $20,000 for eligible borrowers – 90% of whom make under $75,000 – and rejects Republicans’ attempt to block this relief.

You can read President Biden’s remarks on the Bipartisan Budget Agreement here.

June marks Gun Violence Awareness Month, and this weekend was National #WearOrange Weekend. Saturday, I attended a Richmond Moms Demand Action Wear Orange Event to hear gun violence survivors share their stories and encourage activists to keep up the fight to prevent gun violence.

I wore orange throughout the weekend to draw attention to the devastating impacts gun violence continues to have on our communities. From mass shootings to daily incidents of gun violence, this epidemic is a uniquely American problem, and it is imperative that we continue fighting to pass common sense gun reform policies. Since the start of 2023, there have been 275 mass shootings in America. That’s more than one mass shooting per day since the start of the year. As a mother to two school-aged kids, I am keenly aware that guns are the number one killer of children in our nation. And the trauma gun violence inflicts on survivors and witnesses can be debilitating. 

While in the Virginia General Assembly, I fought for commonsense solutions to reduce gun violence, including legislation to account for lost or stolen firearms, reinstate Virginia’s “one-gun-a-month rule,” implement universal background checks, allow localities to prohibit guns in certain public spaces, establish a red flag law, and establish a Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund to invest in community based programs combating the root causes of gun violence.

Now in Congress, I am a proud member of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and cosponsor of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2023 (H.R 698), The Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2023 (H.R.2403), The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2023 (H.R.715), The Keep Americans Safe Act (H.R.625), H.R.1699 to establish The Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and H.Res.348 declaring gun violence a public health crisis.

This weekend was a time to recommit to doing all we can to combat gun violence in our communities.

This week I continued meeting with local government leaders in the district by hosting a roundtable discussion with officials from Charles City, Dinwiddie, and Prince George counties. These localities are rural, and among their priorities are funding for infrastructure such as broadband, water and sewer projects, and economic development opportunities. All have a significant agricultural, military, and veterans presence. Hearing their priorities as Congress deliberates the National Defense Authorization Act and the Farm Bill helps me better represent our mutual constituents.

If you’re having an issue with a federal agency such as a missing tax return, disagreement over owed benefits, or delayed passport, my capable, experienced constituent services representatives are here to help. Although they are happy to engage virtually, they will be traveling throughout the district so constituents can come see them without having to drive to Richmond or my new satellite office in Brunswick through “Mobile McClellan” events.

We will be holding our first Mobile McClellan in Charles City County on June 14 from 2 to 4pm at the Charles City Branch of the Heritage Public Library at 10790 Courthouse Road, Charles City 23030 in the Conference Room. Please sign up in advance here if you plan to attend so we know how many constituents to plan for. 

We will host a Mobile McCellan in Emporia on June 20th from 10am to noon at Emporia City Hall, 201 South Main St, Emporia 23847 in the small conference room. You can sign up for the Emporia Mobile McClellan here.

Stay tuned for additional dates, locations, and times. My staff is eager to see you!

Remote Area Medical, a nonprofit provider of pop-up clinics will offer free dental, vision, and medical care at the Greensville County High School at 403 Harding Street in Emporia on June 24th and 25th starting at 6am each day. Free services provided include dental cleanings, fillings, extractions, and X-rays; eye exams, health screenings, eyeglass prescriptions and glasses made onsite; women’s health exams and general medical exams. No ID is required. Parking lots are open the night before for “early birds.” For more information, visit here.

Sincerely,

Rep. Jennifer McClellan

Member of Congress

Contact Me

Washington DC Office
2417 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6365

Richmond District Office
110 North Robinson Street

Suite 403
Richmond, VA 23220

Phone: (804) 486-1840