This week, Congress was back in session for votes, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a Joint Session of Congress, the House Armed Services Committee took up the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, and House Republicans censured Representative Adam Schiff in retaliation for his leading investigations into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia. This week also marked the one year anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and I published an op-ed in The Hill about clean energy deployment.  Here’s an overview of what you may have missed.

Thirteen years ago, I became the first member of the Virginia House of Delegates to be pregnant while in office. That experience opened my eyes to how abortion laws impact access to reproductive healthcare. I learned that because gestational age is determined by the first date of your last period, many people don’t even know they are pregnant until six to eight weeks into the pregnancy. I learned about how abortion laws apply to miscarriage management and how abortions after the first trimester are often because something has gone horribly wrong. These stories made me fight even harder against abortion restrictions.

Three years ago, as a state senator, I passed the Reproductive Health Protection Act, making Virginia the first state in the South to proactively expand access to abortion by removing medically unnecessary restrictions. 

One year ago, the United States Supreme Court issued the Dobbs v. Jackson decision, overturning Roe v. Wade and stripping Americans of the federal right to an abortion that existed for over 50 years. 

I became the first generation of my family to lose a constitutional right.

In the year since Dobbs, we've seen states ban abortion, with devastating effects on pregnant people across the country, particularly in the South. Virginia remains a safe haven for abortion access - for now. But your right to an abortion should not depend on where you live.

The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed nation in the world, especially for low income, Black and Brown communities. Inserting politicians into the reproductive health decisions of patients and their providers is dangerous, cruel, undermines the efficacy of our healthcare systems, and forces doctors to make impossible choices between providing critical, life-saving care or following extreme laws.

This week, as a proud member of the House Pro Choice Caucus, I signed a discharge petition to demand a vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act. I am an original cosponsor of this critically important bill, which  will codify the legal framework of Roe into federal law. I also cosponsored The Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act to provide grant assistance for people who travel long distances to receive reproductive health care, including abortion care as a result of abortion bans.

Because of Dobbs, today I am fighting the same fight that our mothers and grandmothers fought for reproductive freedom. But I will never stop fighting because I don’t want my daughter to have fewer rights than I did when she was born.

Wednesday, the House Armed Services Committee considered the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. This crucial  legislation sets the recommended funding levels and policies for the Department of Defense (DOD). This year’s NDAA includes important provisions to support our servicemembers and their families, invest in cutting-edge research and innovation, and protect our national security priorities both domestically and around the world. As we continue to see rising aggression from Russia and the Chinese Communist Party, it is imperative that we invest in our nation’s armed forces while strengthening our strategic partnerships with our international allies. The NDAA reported from committee 58-1 after over 14 hours of debate over more than 1,000 proposed amendments. It was the first time the committee ever used electronic voting!

I offered four amendments to improve the quality of life of our servicemembers and address the alarmingly high suicide rates that our active-duty military members and veterans experience:

• A Traction Alopecia Study directing DOD to conduct a study into the feasibility of implementing novel treatments for service members, particularly Black women, who suffer from traction alopecia and scalp damage caused by the military’s strict grooming standards; 

• An extension of the  deadline for  the U.S.S. George Washington Investigation to provide the DOD Office of the Inspector General the necessary time to conclude its investigation into the factors behind Navy sailors’ suicides aboard the U.S.S. George Washington in Newport News, Virginia; 

• A Mental Health Awareness & Suicide Training Study directing the Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to  study  mental health awareness and provide suicide prevention training in the military while offering recommendations to close existing gaps; and 

• A Military One Source Study directing DOD to study the efficacy, utility, and accessibility of the One Source Program, which aims to connect servicemembers, veterans, and their families with various services and resources.

Republicans on the committee offered a number of amendments to insert the culture wars into the national defense discussion. For example, we spent several hours debating their efforts to eliminate the DOD’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) training and program. I spoke against two such amendments.

You can read more on this year’s NDAA in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. 

A summary of the FY24 NDAA prepared by committee staff is available here.

This week, the world watched as the Wagner Mercenary group pulled away from the Ukrainian frontlines and marched on Moscow in open rebellion to President Vladimir Putin. Led by Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the abrupt turn of events appeared like a potential coup; however, within twenty-four hours, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko squashed the tension and brokered an agreement between Putin and Prigozhin. 

These developments were telling and displayed Putin’s collapsing control over the Russian state. President Putin has shown a blatant disregard for international order and Ukraine’s sovereignty. Against all odds, President Volodymr Zelensky and Ukrainian forces continue to successfully counter and hold Russian troops. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, my colleagues and I continue to assess Ukraine’s needs as they launch their counteroffensive to beat back invading Russian troops. 

This morning, I joined Fox 5 DC to discuss these latest developments and their implications in the broader Russia-Ukraine war. Watch my interview here. 

On Tuesday, June 27th I will host my first tele town hall from 5:30-7:00 p.m. I will share updates on my first 100+ days in Congress and answer your questions. I’m very eager to hear from constituents and to discuss the issues of the day. While this is an opportunity to update you, it is also an opportunity for me to hear from you about your priorities and concerns which are critically important to how I do my job. To join, you can call (855) 821-1685 or watch on my website at http://mcclellan.house.gove/live.

Join Team McClellan for the ribbon cutting for our new satellite office in Lawrenceville, Virginia on Thursday, June 29th from 2:30-3:30 pm at the Brunswick County Conference Center, 100 Athletic Field Road. The office will be open every Thursday from 10 am to 4:30 pm or by appointment. For more information, call (804) 690-5809.

This week, I hosted a reception for participants and winners of the VA-04 Congressional Art Competition. This annual event is hosted by the Congressional Institute and seeks to promote interest and participation in the arts.

We received over thirty entries from ten different high schools. I was incredibly impressed by the thoughtfulness and level of skill demonstrated by our participants. I got to meet this year’s winner, Joshua Crenshaw, in Washington, and he was featured on CBS6 News. 

Enrolling in Medicare can seem daunting, and many people have questions or concerns. The AARP has developed a free tool to help people navigate the enrollment process. The tool can be found here: https://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/enrollment-guide/ and it provides a step-by-step guide with other useful information..

I want to make sure that everyone who is eligible has access to healthcare coverage so I am hopeful this AARP website will make it easier for constituents to receive the healthcare they deserve.

Sincerely,

Rep. Jennifer McClellan

Member of Congress

Contact Me

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