Thursday marked the start of Black History Month. The annual observance was borne out of Negro History Week, first established in 1926 by famed historian Carter G. Woodson. As the first Black woman to represent Virginia in Congress – and only the fourth Black Member of Congress in our Commonwealth’s history – I am privileged to stand on the shoulders of so many who forged the path that allowed me to represent you in Congress today. As your Congresswoman, I am committed to eradicating lingering impacts of slavery and Jim Crow that impact every facet of life from education to health care. 

Throughout February, I will be highlighting influential figures and significant events in Black history that have impacted our Commonwealth and nation. Make sure to follow @RepMcClellan on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Threads. 

Here’s what else you may have missed this week. 

THIS WEEK IN WASHINGTON

We’ve Been Here Before… 

Happy belated Groundhog’s Day to all who celebrate! While all eyes were on Punxsutawney Phil and his prediction of an early spring, Virginia’s own Chesapeake Chuck took the day off while Orion the Deer predicted six more weeks of winter … and a Kansas City Chief’s Super Bowl victory. 

Meanwhile, Congress faces its own Groundhog’s Day as we barrel towards a fourth government funding cliff and potential shutdown at the hands of extreme MAGA Republicans. We have 25 days to pass a responsible budget to fund the government through Fiscal Year 2024. 

Unfortunately, House Republicans continue their pattern of petty, partisan politics and harmful messaging bills. Last week, Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee voted to advance baseless articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. On the floor, House Republicans passed three ineffective immigration bills that largely already exist in federal law and do nothing to meaningfully reform our system: H.R. 5585, the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act, H.R. 6678, the Consequences for Social Security Fraud Act, and H.R. 6976, the Protect Our Communities from DUIs Act. 

Democrats Deliver an Extended Child Tax Credit 

Despite Republicans’ continued dysfunction, House Democrats are working to pass legislation to support working families and grow our economy from the middle out and the bottom up. This week, the House managed to put partisanship aside as we considered H.R. 7024, the bipartisan Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, a sweeping tax-reform package that included an extended Child Tax Credit and other tax incentives to bolster American research and innovation, support small businesses, and increase our low-income housing supply. House Democrats ultimately delivered the necessary votes to pass the package, while nearly 50 Republicans voted against much-needed relief for families across the nation. 

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the expanded Child Tax Credit will benefit nearly 16 million children nationwide and lift almost half a million kids out of poverty next year. Estimates show that 298,000 children across Virginia – and 38,000 children in Virginia’s Fourth – will benefit from this expansion. 


Celebrating a Climate and Environmental Justice Win 

Last week, I joined congressional Democrats to celebrate the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic pause on pending approvals for Liquified Natural Gas (LNG). This pause will allow the Department of Energy (DOE) to update its process for determining whether new LNG approvals are in the public interest. In November 2023, I helped lead over 60 of my colleagues in a letter calling on DOE to include meaningful consideration of the climate, health, and environmental justice impacts new export licenses will have on our nation. I am thrilled the Administration heard our call, and I commend the environmental advocacy organizations and grassroots efforts that helped make it possible. 

You can watch my full remarks at the press conference here or below. 

Democratic Women’s Caucus Pushes the Administration to Protect Pregnant Patients

Following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, we have witnessed a startling increase in criminal charges against patients suffering from pregnancy-related complications and physicians providing life-saving care. One example is the case of Brittany Watts, an Ohio mother who was arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse, a felony, after suffering a miscarriage at home. While the charges were ultimately dismissed, her experience exemplifies the reality patients face in today’s post-Dobbs world. Last week, I joined Congresswoman Joyce Beatty and my Democratic Women’s Caucus colleagues to call on the Biden-Harris Administration to protect Americans like Ms. Watts from the criminalization of their pregnancies and pregnancy outcomes. We urged the Administration to investigate any prosecutions of people’s pregnancy or pregnancy outcomes, reiterate hospital and medical staff’s obligations to maintain patient privacy, and enforce anti-discrimination provisions under the Affordable Care Act. You can read our full letter here.

THIS WEEK IN THE DISTRICT

Child Care and Maternal Health Roundtable

Did you know Virginians face some of the most expensive child care rates of any state in America? On average, parents in Virginia pay $14,063 for infant care and $10,867 for child care annually. Mothers in America also face the highest rates of maternal mortality of any high-income country in the world – and the rates are even worse for Black mothers. Pregnancy-related deaths are largely preventable and often result from mental health conditions during the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period. While those times should be joyous and exciting, we know how physically and emotionally taxing they can be. 

Last week, I convened a roundtable discussion with advocates, community leaders, child care providers, and local parents to hear their experiences and share information about my work in Washington to solve these problems. My bipartisan Child Care Assistance for Maternal Health Act seeks to address these crises by establishing a grant program to expand access to short-term child care during the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period. My legislation prioritizes vulnerable populations, including low-income families, single-parent families, and families experiencing homelessness, and targets areas that face disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality. You can read more about our roundtable and my legislation in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. 


Visit to Marine Corps Base Quantico 

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have been touring military facilities across Virginia as often as I can. Last week, I visited Marine Corp Base (MCB) Quantico to meet Corp leadership. Established in 1917, MCB Quantico is home to the U.S. Marine Corps' Combat Development Command, which develops strategies for Marine combat, the Marine Corps Officer Candidates School, and the Marine Corps Research Center, which conducts equipment research and development. Over 12,000 military and civilian personnel, including families, are based at MCB Quantico.

During my visit, I toured one of MCB Quantico’s child development centers, which is at capacity with a long waiting list.  Like the civilian child care industry, MCB Quantico faces a significant staffing shortage impacting its ability to meet the needs of all service members with young children. I also toured one of the barracks to learn more about the Corp’s efforts to improve housing for its service members. These tours and discussions are helpful as we prepare for the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act process to begin later this year. 

Virginia Delegation Demands Answers from USPS

As I’ve reported before, my office has been inundated with reports of mail delivery issues in the Richmond area over the past few months. After meeting with Virginia District Manager Gerald Roane, I joined Senators Warner and Kaine in sending a letter demanding answers and requesting the postal service host a town hall to allow constituents to voice their concerns and get answers. Frustratingly, request was denied, and we continue to explore other oversight options and strategies to resolve these issues. Recently, there were reports that Richmond VA Medical Center received over 800 colon cancer screening tests that are unusable because they were not delivered within the 15-day testing window. In response, we led a bipartisan group of our Virginia congressional colleagues in a letter to Postmaster Louis DeJoy and Mr. Roane, demanding answers and requesting a tour of the Sandston Plant, which has experienced the worst operational challenges and mail delivery delays. I joined CBS6 and NBC12 to discuss the situation and our efforts in Congress. 

This latest instance is part of a concerning pattern of unreliable and inconsistent mail delivery issues in the Richmond area, and we will continue to pressure USPS to address them expeditiously. If you have been impacted by mail delivery issues, please reach out to my Richmond Office at 804-486-1840, my Brunswick Office at 804-690-5809, or fill out this privacy release form on my website to open a formal case with my office. We rely on our constituents to keep us informed of the issues they face, and will do everything in our power to advocate on your behalf and resolve them.

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