Dear Friends,

This weekend, Virginia inaugurated a new Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General. I was excited to participate in the historic celebrations as Abigail Spanberger became the first woman Governor in the Commonwealth’s history. I wish her and fellow history-makers Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi and Attorney General Jay Jones the best as they begin a new chapter in Virginia.

In Congress, the House made progress in the appropriation process by passing the Financial Services and General Government and National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2026. This keeps our federal agencies open and supports foreign affairs and humanitarian aid funding through the State Department.

Meanwhile, as communities gathered across our nation to mourn the tragic killing of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent, the Trump Administration escalated threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota. This is yet another example of the Trump Administration’s partisan executive overreach. We cannot normalize the use of federal force to intimidate our immigrant communities, silence dissent or blur the line between public safety and political retaliation. I’ve worked to push legislation that will rein in ICE and demand accountability from the Department of Homeland Security, and will continue to stand up for the communities that have been targeted.

Tensions abroad also continued to escalate. Just weeks after unauthorized military strikes on Venezuela, the Trump Administration ratched up its desire to take Greenland from the Kingdom of Denmark, going so far as to say that anything less than Greenland in U.S. hands is “unacceptable.” Repeatedly threatening the sovereignty of another nation, especially a NATO ally, erodes the trust and respect the United States has built on the global stage.

Amidst the heaviness that we are feeling, please continue using your voice to share your concerns with my team and others. I am staying focused on delivering for Virginia’s Fourth and keeping you informed in every step along the way. Read on for what else you may have missed last week.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY: CHOOSING COMMUNITY OVER CHAOS

January 15th marked Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 97th birthday. Throughout the weekend and culminating on Monday’s MLK national holiday, I joined several celebrations to honor his life and legacy.

You may be surprised to learn Dr. King had deep ties to Virginia, from Virginia natives like Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker serving in his leadership team to several visits to Virginia in the 1950s and 1960s. When Dr. King embarked on a tour of Virginia in 1959, he reminded us that “Virginia, in this critical hour, has the opportunity to give direction and destiny to our troubled South. As Virginia goes, so goes the South, perhaps America, and the world.” As Chair of the Virginia Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Commission from 2014 to 2023, I led efforts to commemorate Dr. King’s ties to Virginia, keep his legacy alive and build on his work to build the Beloved Community. Now, in Congress, I strive to do the same.

Dr. King’s words remain as relevant today as they were in his lifetime, particularly the question he pondered in the final year of his life: “Where do we go from here: chaos or community?” Over the past year since we last celebrated Dr. King Day, which coincided with the inauguration of Donald Trump to his second term, chaos has been unleashed. Throughout the weekend, I called on Virginians to remain focused on building community in the midst of fighting chaos.

On Friday, I attended the 48th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Leaders Breakfast at Virginia Union University, where we honored those who have worked in our Commonwealth to embody the values Dr. King espoused and the causes he championed throughout his life.

Over the weekend, I joined Rev. Al Sharpton and Rep. Horsford on MS NOW’s PoliticsNation to discuss Dr. King’s legacy, the road ahead for Virginia and more.

On Monday, I joined Mount Level Baptist Church in Dinwiddie County to honor Dr. King’s life and legacy, and to commemorate his 1962 visit there as part of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference “People to People” tour of the Fourth Congressional District. On March 28, 1962, Dr. King spoke to a standing room only crowd at the church about the importance of voting as a pathway to equality for all.

As part of Monday’s celebration, church and community members unveiled a historic marker commemorating Dr. King’s visit.

Later that afternoon, I joined the Eastern Province of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.’s 18th Annual John T. Lanier, Sr. Virginia Kappa Legislative Day to deliver keynote remarks at the 4th Annual A. Donald McEachin Luncheon in Richmond.

There, I connected Dr. King’s words and work to the challenges we face as a community, Commonwealth and nation today, and how we can remain focused on community in the midst of chaos as we fight attempts to roll back progress we have made towards the Beloved Community.

Dr. King’s words feel especially relevant, urgent and concerningly timeless today. His presence in Virginia and his call for moral leadership remain a powerful reminder that our Commonwealth has a responsibility to choose “love and trust over fear and hatred.”

ENERGY & COMMERCE COMMITTEE UPDATE: FIGHTING TO PROTECT THE FIRST AMENDMENT, ENERGY SECURITY AND AFFORDABILITY

In Washington, the Energy & Commerce Committee remains hard at work.

Last week, the Communications and Technology Subcommittee held an oversight hearing focused on the Federal Communication Commission (“FCC”). One of the FCC’s most important roles is to center the public, not political interference, in our evolving communications ecosystem.

Last January, as the full committee adopted an oversight plan, I offered an amendment to ensure we remain committed to investigating any instances of the FCC squashing freedom of speech or freedom of the press. Unfortunately, the Republican majority defeated the amendment. Since then, the FCC under Chairman Brendan Carr has instead weaponized regulatory authority and consolidated executive power to suppress speech and press that falls out of favor with the President.

During the hearing, I scrutinized the actions of the FCC over the past year and emphasized that the rights to freedom of speech and freedom of the press remain fundamental to our nation’s republic. I will continue to fight for these liberties and pressure the FCC to work for the benefit of the American people, not corporate or political interest.

The Energy Subcommittee held a hearing focused on protecting America’s electrical infrastructure in the face of evolving threats. There, I questioned Alex Fitzsimmons, Acting Undersecretary of the Department of Energy, on the Trump Administration’s cancellation of critical grants which would have helped make Virginia’s electrical grid more efficient and secure.

Undersecretary Fitzsimmons claimed in his testimony to be furthering President Trump’s agenda of “lowering energy costs for Americans and strengthening our national security,” but we know this is not the reality for Virginians: energy prices rose 13% in 2025. As more and more data centers are built in our state, I questioned how this cancellation of funding to improve our grid and the lack of staffing at the Department of Energy are putting Americans at risk.

MY BRIGHT SPOT: CELEBRATING DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INC.'S FOUNDERS DAY ON CAPITOL HILL

Last Tuesday, I joined my Sorors in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. on the House steps to celebrate our Founders Day! On January 13th, 1913, 22 women joined together at Howard University to found a sorority focused on social action. In the first public act as a sorority, members marched in the Women Suffrage Procession on March 3, 1913 in Washington, D.C.

Now, 113 years later, nine women serve as members of the U.S. Congress and many more work on Capitol Hill. To celebrate 113 years of sisterhood and social action, we gathered on the Capitol steps for a photo.

REMINDERS

The 2026 Black History Month Essay Contest for middle and high school students across Virginia’s Fourth is now open! Essays can be submitted to [email protected] by Monday, February 9th. You can find more information here.

The 2026 Valentines for Veterans Program is now collecting Valentine’s Day cards to be distributed to veterans in the Fourth District. You can submit Valentines by mail or in person to my Richmond or Brunswick District Offices by Monday, February 9th for distribution on February 13th. Residents unable to send their cards to either office may coordinate a pick-up by calling the Richmond District Office at (804) 486-1840. You can find more information here.

Stay tuned for more updates and keep the faith, friends!

Make sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and YouTube to stay up-to-date on my work in Washington and Virginia’s Fourth!

Sincerely,

Rep. Jennifer McClellan
Member of Congress

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