Dear friends, 

With so many challenges facing us these days, the arrival of springtime in Virginia has been a beautiful display that I hope has brought you great joy.  As your State Senator I have been active in the community while the Senate is adjourned, and I have several updates to share.

Thank you to everyone who came out for my 2nd annual Eid al-Fitr Celebration Dinner!  What made this event so successful is that we brought members of the community who celebrate Eid every year together with friends and neighbors from other traditions who did not know the meaning of Eid.  Fairfax County has been building a diverse community for many years, and I am humbled to carry that vision forward at a time when some are denying the value of diversity itself.  I hope we are joined by many more first time celebrants next year!

Trump at 100 Days

The first one hundred days of a presidential term are usually the most impactful of the entire four years.  Fresh off their electoral victory, most presidents ride that wave of popular support to implement their agenda and deliver on campaign promises.  President Trump came into office with Project 2025, a plan his supporters developed during his four years out of office to maximize the impact of a potential second term.

What was promised was the cutting of "waste, fraud and abuse" which would save tax dollars for everyone that could then be given back in the form of both tax cuts and better services.  What has been delivered so far is hundreds of millions of dollars in lost grant funding for our research institutions.  Not "waste, fraud and abuse" at research institutions, but valuable research programs like cancer treatments, environmental initiatives, even advanced energy technologies.  Many states are suing the federal government in an effort to protect valuable research institutions in their state, but so far Virginia's Attorney General Jason Miyares has declined to do so.

Another campaign promise was the mass deportation of undocumented migrants, prioritizing threats to "national security or public safety."  The mass deportation is underway - with no sign of any emphasis on violent criminals.  Targets for deportation include people with tattoos, spouses and parents of citizens, and any other non-citizen who happens to come in contact with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  There have been many stories of deportations of migrants who had legal status, others who had their legal status revoked, and even American children deported, all without due process.  The Trump administration boasts that they have deported 139,000 people, on their way to a reported goal of one million deportations in his first year.

The U.S. Department of Education has also come under assault as promised.  Long a vehicle for ensuring special education and other essential programs are available in the poorest school districts, the Department's priority so far has been opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion - an effort which has already run afoul of federal courts.  The Secretary of Education signaled to employees that her goal is to wind the Department down as promised in Project 2025.  School districts across Virginia rely on both funding and programmatic support from the Department of Education to serve our students - and already Virginia's schools were ranked last in the nation, 51st, in math recovery from 2019-2024.  The new administration has done nothing to help our students catch up.

Many voters who were uncomfortable with some of Trump's social and cultural views supported him on the theory that he would be good for the economy.  At 100 days the S&P 500 is down 7%, largely driven by tariffs that, as he has said, no other president would have done.  

While the entire nation is reeling from these policies, our Northern Virginia community continues to be the most directly impacted by unprecedented, haphazard reductions the federal workforce.  In addition to the resources linked below I hope you will reach out to my office at [email protected] if you are dealing with these or other challenges and are in need of information or assistance.

Congressman Gerry Connolly

We were all surprised and saddened this week by the announcement that our beloved Congressman Gerry Connolly will not seek re-election in 2026.  First elected to Congress after a nine-year stint on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Gerry has dedicated his career to serving our community, and he has done so with determination and humility.  As he continues his fight with cancer, I hope he and his family are uplifted by the gratitude and appreciation of the entire Northern Virginia community.

My Endorsement of Ghazala Hashmi for Lieutenant Governor

Today I was pleased to endorse my colleague, State Senator Ghazala Hashmi, in the race to be Virginia's next Lieutenant Governor.  Senator Hashmi has been in office since 2019, and since joining her two years ago I've seen her fight for our public schools, to protect reproductive rights, defend healthcare, and uplift every part of our community.  She's unstoppable - and I'm with her all the way.

Senator Hashmi is in a competitive primary to be the Democratic Party nominee.  Early voting in the 2025 Primaries starts this Friday, May 2nd.  You can learn more by visiting the Fairfax County Democratic Committee's Early Voting page.

Commissions, Boards, and Interim Activities

In my second year representing you in the Senate of Virginia, I have been appointed to serve on several boards and workgroups where I can continue to work on issues of concern outside of the legislative session.  I want to make sure you are aware of these appointments, and encourage you to reach out to my office with your perspectives on the issues before each of these bodies.

JCOTS Blockchain Advisory Committee - "To advise JCOTS on the topics of blockchain technology, digital asset mining, and cryptocurrency."  I have been appointed Chairman of this subcommittee, with meetings to be held four times annually.

Child Support Guidelines Review Panel - "The Panel shall determine the adequacy of the guideline for the determination of appropriate awards for the support of children by considering current research and data on the cost of and expenditures necessary for rearing children, and any other resources it deems relevant to such review."  Meetings at the call of the chair.

Electric Vehicle Rebate Program Advisory Council - "The Advisory Council shall consider the goal of increasing electric vehicle awareness and adoption in developing and making its recommendations. The Advisory Council shall annually evaluate and recommend an increase or decrease in the amount of the rebates to reflect the rate of inflation, as defined by the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the relative price of electric motor vehicles compared with the price of traditional motor vehicles."  Meetings at the call of the chair.

Joint Commission to Oversee the Transition of the Commonwealth into a Cannabis Retail Market - Created by legislation this year to oversee the transition of the Commonwealth into a retail cannabis market.  Meetings at the call of the chair.

I also continue to serve on the three bodies I was appointed to last year:

Information Technology Advisory Council - "The ITAC shall be responsible for advising the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Secretary of Administration on the planning, budgeting, acquiring, using, disposing, managing, and administering of information technology in the Commonwealth."  Meetings at the call of the chair.

Virginia Commission on Intergovernmental Cooperation - "To encourage and arrange conferences with officials of other states and other units of government; carry forward the participation of Virginia as a member of the Council of State Governments, both regionally and nationally; formulate proposals for cooperation between Virginia and other states; establish such committees as it deems advisable to conduct conferences and formulate proposals concerning subjects of interstate cooperation; monitor and evaluate the Commonwealth's participation in interstate compacts; review, evaluate, and recommend suggested uniform state legislation; require, at its discretion, from any appointee representing Virginia on any interstate compact, commission, committee, or board, a report on that organization's work and accomplishments; and review, evaluate, and make recommendations concerning federal policies that are of concern to the Commonwealth."  Meetings at the call of the chair.

Northern Virginia Transportation Commission - "Manage and control the functions, affairs, and property of the Northern Virginia Transportation District."  Commission meetings on the first Thursday of the month.

Commonwealth Spotlight

As always it is an honor to continue to represent you.

Sincerely,

Senator Saddam Azlan Salim

Virginia Senate District 37

Democrat for Virginia's Future