Friends,

Today, Congressman Gerry Connolly announced that this will be his last term in Congress. For over 40 years, Gerry has served his country, first as a congressional staffer and the last 30 in elected office representing his beloved Fairfax County. A passionate and pragmatic leader with a heart of gold, his work has made countless lives better. From my days as a state legislator to now serving as his colleague in Congress, I have learned much from him and am honored to be his friend. My prayers are with Gerry, Smitty and Caitlin in this next battle.

This Wednesday will mark 100 days of the Trump Administration. While Congress was in recess, I visited with constituents, educators, biomedical researchers, manufacturers, federal employees, and more across Virginia’s Fourth District to discuss how the chaos unleashed by the Trump Administration since January 20th impacts their lives and work.

They are all focused in their own way on building a community — ensuring every child can learn, play and thrive; supporting life-saving scientific research; preserving our history and the land upon which it occurred; feeding our communities; and so much more. In varying degrees they are concerned about what has happened since President Trump took office and the uncertainty that it has created for families, businesses, and our communities. They also are anxious about what the next 100 days will bring as Congressional Republicans begin in earnest to try to pass funding bills under a budget plan that threatens steep cuts to Social Security, Medicaid, food benefits, and more.

Read for more of what they shared with me last week.

LISTENING TO YOUR CONCERNS AND ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS

As Congressional Republicans continue avoiding town halls and answering to their constituents for their failure to stand up to the Trump Administration’s unconstitutional and unpopular actions, I participated in two in-person town halls last week to hear your concerns and answer your questions. First, I joined the Brunswick County Board of Supervisors for a town hall in Lawrenceville on Tuesday.

The next evening, I joined the Henrico NAACP for a town hall at Mosby Memorial Baptist Church.

At both events, we tackled a range of topics  — from Republican efforts to slash Medicaid and Social Security, to illegal moves by the Trump Administration to dismantle the Department of Education and eviscerate the federal workforce and funding. Constituents also expressed concerns about the erosion of due process rights, including the tragic case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and recent reports detailing inner turmoil at the Department of Defense that further underscore Pete Hegseth’s disastrous tenure as the least qualified Secretary of Defense in American history.

These conversations help me do the most important part of my job: listening to the people of Virginia’s Fourth District and amplifying your voice in Congress to tell my colleagues how actions in Washington impact your lives. They also help me share information on how I am taking action to address your concerns.

If you missed the town halls, you can watch the Brunswick County and Henrico NAACP town hall recordings on YouTube. Stay tuned for more in the weeks and months ahead. In the meantime, please call my office to share any thoughts or concerns. Your voice matters.

TOURING THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC TO SEE HOW FEDERAL INVESTMENTS IN RESEARCH SUPPORT LIFESAVING TREATMENTS IN VIRGINIA

For decades, Virginia has cultivated a thriving life sciences industry that enables innovative and lifesaving treatments across the globe. Last week, I toured Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Richmond bioanalytical lab facilities with Rep. Rob Wittman (VA-01) to see firsthand the groundbreaking research they do supporting clinical trials. Over 1,700 of Thermo Fisher Scientific’s nearly 2,500 Virginia employees work at the Richmond bioanalytical research facility. 

My visit to Thermo Fisher Scientific underscored the importance of federal investment in the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which helps power public-private collaborations that turns groundbreaking research into real-world treatments. Thanks to NIH funding, research institutions like the Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Virginia, and Virginia Tech lead the way on research into cancer, heart disease, maternal health and so much more. In 2024 alone, NIH funding helped generate more than $1.65 billion in economic activity in Virginia and supported nearly 7,000 jobs. Nationally, every dollar invested in NIH generates $2.56 of economic activity.

At a time when public health challenges are growing more complex, the work of NIH has never been more important. Whether improving cancer care, advancing treatments for chronic diseases or addressing health disparities, NIH delivers for the American people. Investments in NIH means healthier communities, a stronger economy, and a future where innovation works for everyone. That’s why I’m fighting back against the Trump Administration and Congressional Republican efforts to cut critical NIH funding. 

TOURING LEGO GROUP FACILITY TO SEE HOW CLEAN ENERGY POLICY SPURS ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND LEARNING THROUGH PLAY

In 2022, LEGO Group announced plans to invest more than $1 billion to build a new LEGO factory in Chesterfield County, Virginia. Virginia’s 100 percent carbon-neutrality commitment, as embodied in the Virginia Clean Economy Act I successfully sponsored in 2020, was one of the main reasons LEGO chose Virginia for its only United States-based factory.  

In 2023, I attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the LEGO facility. Last week, I returned with Rep. Rob Wittman to tour the currently operational packaging facility and construction site for the full factory expected to open in 2027. Once completed and fully operational, a complex the size of the Magic Kingdom will employ more than 1,760 people to manufacture, package, and distribute LEGOs across the United States. Designed to minimize energy consumption and use of non-renewable resources, the facility’s day-to-day energy needs will be matched by renewable energy generated by an onsite solar park. 

MY BRIGHT SPOT: CELEBRATING NATIONAL PARK WEEKS AT RICHMOND BATTLEFIELD PARK

Last week marked National Park Week, a change to celebrate the over 400 national parks and explore what the National Park Service (NPS) does to preserve natural and cultural heritage and provide recreational opportunities across the country. My love of history grew out of visits to some of the national parks at historic sites right here in Virginia, and three of them are in Virginia’s Fourth District: Petersburg National Battlefield, Richmond National Battlefield Park, and the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site.

To close out the week, I visited three of the thirteen locations contained in the Richmond Battlefield Park with NPS staff to learn more about how they preserve the sites and tell the stories about what happened there before, during, and after the Civil War. First, we visited the RPB Headquarters Chimborazo Visitors Center, which is on the site of a massive Confederate hospital during the war and a Freedmen’s Bureau camp providing food, health care, housing and education to thousands of formerly enslaved Richmonders during Reconstruction. We also visited Fort Harrison and Malvern Hill, two important locations in the race to capture Richmond and end the war.

And yes, I geeked out with NPS historian Michael Gorman — one of the best experts on Richmond history I’ve ever met — as he shared the stories he uncovered through years of research at these sites and through digitized photos and records. I continue to oppose any workforce or funding cuts that undermine this important research and preservation of a complete telling of our history. 

REMINDERS

On May 7, the federal government will begin enforcing the REAL ID Act, which requires domestic air travelers who use a driver’s license to present a REAL ID-compliant credential — or be turned away. Old Virginia driver’s licenses are not REAL IDs, so be sure to update your old license if you haven’t already. You can learn more here. Please call our Richmond office at (804) 486-1840 for more information or if you need assistance obtaining a REAL ID.

Unsubscribe from future messages.