Dear Friend,
This week’s newsletter discusses the dire threat that the loss of Medicaid support presents to Virginians and the need to appropriately fund education in Virginia. The newsletter also provides details on upcoming community town halls, shares information on the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities PIP Program, highlights select community engagements from this past week, and shares a Ramadan message for all who are observing the month-long fast. Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter and for staying informed.
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Federal Government Actions on Medicaid will Impact the Commonwealth
Congress is poised to make significant cuts to essential programs such as Medicaid and Social Security in order to fund the massive tax breaks proposed for the extremely wealthy. The loss of federal Medicaid dollars will have serious impacts in Virginia. Medicaid provides healthcare coverage, particularly through the Medicaid expansion program that Virginia adopted in 2019, to low-income residents, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. What will the loss of Medicaid mean to Virginians?
Loss of Coverage for Low-Income Residents: Medicaid covers a large portion of Virginia's low-income population. Without federal funding, the state faces the difficult decision of either cutting back eligibility for Medicaid or finding other sources of funding to maintain coverage. These changes will lead to a loss of healthcare coverage for hundreds of thousands of Virginians, including many families, children, individuals with disabilities, and the elderly.
Increased Financial Burden on State Budget: Medicaid is jointly funded by the state (10%) and the federal government (90%). If the federal share is reduced or eliminated, Virginia will face the decision of how or if to cover a larger portion of the program’s costs, putting pressure on the state budget. Placing more funding into our health care impacts other areas of public good, such as education, transportation, infrastructure, and public safety.
Hospital and Healthcare Provider Strain: Many hospitals and healthcare providers in Virginia, most especially in rural areas, rely heavily on Medicaid reimbursements. A reduction in federal Medicaid funding will result in financial strain for these providers, potentially leading to increased closures or reduced services. These closures will disproportionately impact rural communities where access to healthcare is already limited and where Virginia has been long struggling with healthcare deserts.
Health Disparities: A loss of Medicaid funding will exacerbate existing health disparities in Virginia. Low-income populations and rural residents are more likely to rely on Medicaid, and a reduction in funding will worsen health outcomes in these communities. People might delay seeking care due to costs, leading to more severe health issues that could have been prevented with earlier treatment. These delays in treatment already place great strains on our emergency departments and result in higher costs for the state. Without Medicaid, the essential preventative protocols such as access to routine dental care, medical checkups, screenings for cancer, prenatal and postpartum care, and immunization are all at risk.
Impact on the Economy: Medicaid funding undergirds our entire healthcare system by supporting jobs in the healthcare sector, including doctors, nurses, administrators, and support staff. If funding is cut, the state will likely see a loss of healthcare jobs, training programs, and a negative ripple effect throughout the economy.
The recent coverage in Virginia Public Media provides further details about the crisis points that we are facing. |
Effectively Funding Education in Virginia
I have frequently shared about the 2023 report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) that focused on the severe underfunding of public education in Virginia since 2008. At that time, the economic fallout of The Great Recession led to budget decisions which pulled state dollars away from our most essential public good: our schools. This underfunding has continued to the present moment, despite the economic strength of the Commonwealth. The underfunding was, according to the JLARC study, in excess of $6 billion, resulting in economic pressures on localities and significant education disparities across localities.
This Session’s budget, agreed to by both the Senate and the House, reflects a strong recommitment to supporting public education once again in Virginia. The budget bill includes: -
$53 million in new funding for students with disabilities — a critical, long-overdue investment to support those who have suffered some of the worst NAEP score declines.
- $12 million in funding for mathematics instructional support to help students recover from unprecedented learning loss.
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$223 million to finally lift the Great Recession-era “support cap,” which will bring thousands of support staff — including instructional aides — back into Virginia’s classrooms.
This budget bill is now in front of the governor. Given the attacks on public education and the efforts to dismantle the US Department of Education that we are witnessing at the federal level, I hope that the governor will agree to these critical dollars so that we can focus effectively on learning outcomes, student achievement, teacher recruitment and retention, and strong educational opportunities for all students in Virginia, regardless of where they live.
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Upcoming Town Halls
The General Assembly is scheduled to return to the Capitol for Reconvened Session on Wednesday, April 2. During that session, we will take action on any amendments or vetoed legislation that the Governor will return to us. In the meantime, many of us are eager to share policy and budget updates from the 2025 session with constituents. On Tuesday, March 11, members of the Chesterfield County General Assembly Delegation will hold a 2025 Post-Session Town Hall. Registration is now open for the event, and we welcome Chesterfield constituents for this important discussion.
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On Monday, March 17, members of the City of Richmond General Assembly Delegation will also hold a 2025 Post-Session Town Hall. Registration is now open for the event, and we welcome Richmond constituents for this important discussion. |
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Virginia Board for People with Disabilities PIP Program
The Virginia Board for People with Disabilities is now accepting applications for their Partners in Policymaking (PIP) Program. Through PIP, Virginians with developmental disabilities and their families learn leadership and advocacy skills to drive change directly from state and national experts. Topics include the history of the disability rights movement, independent living, legislative advocacy, building inclusive communities, and more. Applications will be accepted until Friday, March 14, at 5:00pm.
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| Select Community Engagements |
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This past Wednesday, I joined Henry Graff with NBC12 to highlight my legislative and budget work during the recent General Assembly session. I also shared my priorities as a candidate for Lieutenant Governor. It is more important than ever before that Virginia has strong leadership, particularly at a time of the federal unraveling of critical structures that support our health systems, education, infrastructure, public safety, national security, and more. |
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On Wednesday evening, I joined the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors to honor Supervisor Jim Holland with a resolution passed by the General Assembly commending his service to Chesterfield and to the Commonwealth (HJ677). Supervisor Holland is a trailblazer, serving as the first African-American to Chair the Board of Supervisors in Chesterfield. He has served as a mentor to many across Virginia who are seeking to be history makers in their own right.
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On Saturday morning, I joined the Lancaster, Northumberland, and Westmoreland County Democratic Committees for their Northern Neck Candidate Forum to share my vision for the office of Lieutenant Governor. Communities across the Commonwealth are looking for leaders who are focused on real solutions to the issues impacting Virginians such as the need to increase access to affordable health care, improving public education, and responding to the housing crisis. |
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Later that afternoon, I joined the Mount Vernon Democrats for another gathering of candidates. For our Northern Virginia communities, the unchecked and unconstitutional dismantling of our essential federal workforce is of prominent and profound concern. Governor Youngkin has done nothing thus far to address and respond to the crisis; the ripple effects on the personal lives of Virginians and across the state’s economy will be shattering over the next several months. |
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Ramadan Mubarak On Friday evening, Muslims across Virginia and the world began the observance of Ramadan. During this month of fasting, contemplation, and prayer, I wish all who are observing ease in their time of hunger and thirst, peace of heart and mind, and compassion for all who suffer. |
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Connecting With My Office My office can be reached at the following: Email: [email protected]
Phone: 804.698.7515
If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive my office’s weekly newsletter here. — Ghazala |
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