Dear Friends,

Republicans’ government shutdown continues, and time is running out to avoid a catastrophic hit to our health care system. House Republicans refuse to come to Washington, despite the urgent need to extend enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act.

We are feeling the toll of Republicans’ government shutdown in our local economies, communities and more. As more and more people miss their paychecks, military families and furloughed federal employees have turned to food banks for relief, further straining food assistance groups that don’t have the supply to meet a growing demand. In Virginia, where we have the second highest number of federal employees of any state, our friends, loved ones and neighbors now struggle to pay bills and make ends meet.

Republicans’ callous disregard for our public servants, service members and their families now reaches a fever pitch. We’re faced with a question: what will it take for Republicans in Congress to end their shutdown?

Read on to learn more about what you may have missed last week.

FOOD BANKS, SNAP BENEFITS PUT AT RISK BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS’ SHUTDOWN

This prolonged government shutdown — the second-longest in U.S. history — has caused a food insecurity crisis. As we rapidly approach November, funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is set to run out. This would leave 42 million Americans without reliable access to food on the table… just in time for Thanksgiving and the holiday season.

At least half of all states say they are forced to pause SNAP benefits for November as long as the shutdown continues. Virginia is now in a state of emergency because these benefits may run out, affecting nearly 800,000 Virginians. The state announced that it will cover the cost of meal assistance to keep SNAP recipients fed — but this is not a sustainable solution, and our state government only has so much money it can offer to keep SNAP benefits running.

Last week, I joined Virginia State Senator Danica Roem (D-Prince William) and advocates in a virtual press conference to sound the alarm and urge the Trump Administration’s Department of Agriculture to tap into its $6 billion contingency fund to extend SNAP benefits into November. We also called on the Trump Administration to find additional funding to ensure that SNAP benefits are fully covered for the month, and demanded that Congressional Republican leadership end the shutdown to eliminate this concern altogether. 

I also joined 213 House Democrats in a letter led by Rep. Jahana Hayes (CT-05) urging USDA to use the contingency reserve fund to extend SNAP funding.

Yet the Trump Administration has outright refused to do so, prompting 25 state attorneys general to sue to compel the USDA to use those contingency funds appropriated by Congress to keep the program running. I joined Rep. Vindman (VA-07) and Democratic members of the Virginia delegation to call on Virginia’s Attorney General to do the same.

If Trump can gift $20 billion to Javier Milei, the President of Argentina and Trump’s ultra right-wing friend, his Administration should have no problem finding the funds to keep food on the table for millions of Americans. 

Families are already rationing out their October benefits to try and make them last as long as possible with an uncertain road ahead. Under Republicans’ so-called leadership, children will go hungry in the coming weeks if nothing is done to change course. To make sense of this, I joined the Joy Reid Show on Friday to discuss what must be done to stop this.

Then on Sunday, I joined the Reverend Al Sharpton on MSNBC’s PoliticsNation to discuss SNAP benefits running out, the shutdown and more. You can watch the full interview here.

I’ve cosponsored the Feed Our Families Act introduced by Rep. Emilia Sykes (OH-13) that would extend funding for SNAP in the event of a shutdown for three months. That bill has languished in committee since March because Republicans refuse to bring it to a vote. I’ll continue advocating for solutions that can keep families fed as this shutdown continues.

EMPORIA RURAL HOSPITAL PUT AT RISK BY MEDICAID CUTS

Democrats have made clear our commitment from day one to support our health care system and safety nets that provide care to communities that oftentimes go overlooked — especially rural ones. Then, earlier this year, Republicans passed their Big Ugly Law enacting drastic cuts to Medicaid and imperiling millions of Americans’ ability to get the care they need.

The effects of these cuts have been felt across our safety net providers that operate in care deserts, where residents have limited options and access to health care. In Virginia, three health centers closed explicitly because of the Big Ugly Law. Experts identified six rural hospitals at severe risk as a result of these Medicaid cuts. One of them, the Southern Virginia Medical Center, provides health services to residents of Emporia and surrounding counties.

Last week, I visited the Southern Virginia Medical Center and spoke with hospital leadership about the challenges they face and the worries they have for the future of health care in their region. They remain determined as ever to keep their doors open and serve their community, but also acknowledge that Medicaid cuts make that exponentially more difficult for them.

Hearing the concerns of Southern Virginia Medical Center hospital leadership — and providers across the Commonwealth who echo them — further solidifies my commitment to addressing this health care crisis. Inaction is not an option. I’m standing firm with my Democratic colleagues to demand that Republicans do their part to bring relief to those affected by the devastation they created.

I brought these and other stories back to Washington to share with House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark.

MY BRIGHT SPOT: CELEBRATING 90 YEARS OF THE NAACP VIRGINIA STATE CONFERENCE

Amidst chaos in Washington, we must continue to foster community and remind ourselves why we fight this fight. Over the weekend, I joined the Virginia NAACP Conference to celebrate its 90th anniversary of making strides in pursuit of equality, liberty and justice for all people.

This celebration served as a reminder that even in the face of a backlash to progress, I alongside so many others still fight from a position of more privilege and power than our ancestors ever dreamed. It humbles me to know that we have a long road ahead, but we can continue to push forward and carry that torch — so that the next generation won’t have to.

REMINDERS

Join me TONIGHT at 6 PM for a telephone town hall! There, we’ll discuss the shutdown, the looming health care and food insecurity crisis, resources for affected Virginians and more. You can tune in to the livestream and submit questions on my Facebook page and website. Follow my social media accounts for updates and links to the tele-town hall.

TODAY, October 30th is the deadline to apply for the Congressional App Challenge and for a Service Academy Nomination!

Applications for Spring 2026 internships are open! College students, graduate students and recent graduates can apply for legislative, press and district internships in both my D.C. and Richmond offices. You can apply here.

If you have any concerns or questions about the shutdown, visit the government shutdown resources page on my website.

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