News & Press Releases
June Newsletter
I can’t believe it is already June! School is wrapping up and summer is getting off to a great start. I hope you are planning some time to rest, relax, and GO VOTE! 🗳️ Election Day for Virginia’s 2024 Congressional Primaries is fast approaching. Here are some important dates and resources to help you make your plan to vote!
May Newsletter
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. My colleagues and I have been on the road together this month, with events in Hampton Roads, in central Virginia and of course right here in northern Virginia — lifting up AAPI voices and experiences across our great commonwealth.
April Newsletter
To kick off this month’s newsletter, I want to take a moment to share with you just how excited I am about the eclipse on Monday! It looks like about a 30% chance of rain but in hopes that clears up, here are some resources from our friends at NASA that I hope will be helpful…
Team Irene Newsletter: Sine Die Edition!
As the dust settles on the 2024 General Assembly Session, and as we await the Governor’s actions on the whopping 1,098 bills that have landed on his desk, I wanted to take some time this week to dive into some of the issues that I heard about the most from constituents and that could have an impact on the 8th District.
Week 9 of the 2024 General Assembly Session
That’s it! We have officially adjourned sine die. The votes have been cast; the bills have been sent to the Governor’s desk. The ball is now in his court as we await his actions.
I will share my reflections on all of that (and more!) in next week’s newsletter. For now, I would like to focus on updating you on where my bills landed, plus some updates on issues that I was hearing the most about from friends and neighbors in the 8th House district.
Week Seven and Eight of the 2024 General Assembly Session
As we close out week eight of the General Assembly, we are in the home stretch with just one more week to go. I apologize for not sending out a newsletter last week–I came down with the flu and it took me a few days to get back on my feet. But fret not, this week’s newsletter is jam-packed with updates covering the last two weeks!
Week Six of the 2024 General Assembly Session
The mid-point of each legislative session brings both crossover and a welcome dose of festivity to the Virginia House of Delegates with the arrival of Valentine's Day. While the pace in the General Assembly Building is extraordinarily hectic at crossover, it is always sweet to find the corridors adorned with decorations, flowers, and tasty treats in observance of this holiday. I hope you also had an enjoyable Valentine's Day and took a moment away from your routine to celebrate. I am always grateful for the cheerful pause during an otherwise intense time in Richmond!
Week Five of the General Assembly Session
This past week of the legislative session has seen a flurry of activity, with many bills advancing through committees and to the House floor, in the final days before crossover. [Crossover is the day when all of the House bills that have been passed will get sent to the Senate for their consideration.] In past years, we’ve been on the floor till 9p or 10p before crossover, and I expect this year to be similar. I would not be surprised if we were on the floor till very late on Monday, possibly even Tuesday, to make sure we can see final passage of the remaining house bills.
Week Four of the 2024 General Assembly Session
Happy February! To kick off this week’s newsletter, I wanted to share some links to the Fairfax County Public Library and the Fairfax County Park Authority – they have some great programming this month in celebration of Black History Month.
Week Three of the 2024 General Assembly Session
As unseasonably warm weather arrives, legislative activity is intensifying quickly here in Richmond. I am pleased to provide some updates on the progress of my introduced bills through subcommittees this week as they advance through the legislative process.
Second Week of Session!
With the first full week of the 2024 General Assembly Session behind us, I wanted to provide you with some updates from Richmond and information about the work the General Assembly has undertaken thus far.
First Week of Session 2024!
With the first week of the 2024 Session officially behind us, I wanted to send you some information about the General Assembly and updates from the past few days. We kicked off on Wednesday, January 10th and will be in session for 60 days, as it is a budget year. I am thrilled to be back in Richmond and especially happy to be in the new General Assembly Building, which is not only beautiful but also welcoming and accessible. I am proud to have joined my colleagues in electing the first Black Speaker of the House of Delegates, Delegate Don Scott, and I look forward to all that the new Democratic House Majority will accomplish under his leadership.
New Year’s Newsletter
Happy New Year! I hope your holiday season has been filled with good cheer, and that you're just as excited as I am to head into 2024.
October Newsletter
As the weather is turning cooler and the leaves are beginning to change, I wanted to take a moment to wish you and your family a lovely start to fall! While there is an increase in yard signs, commercials and all sorts of other political advertisements popping up around the district, the work of legislating still continues, and to that end, I wanted to provide you with a few updates on my work in Richmond and the district, and to share some great upcoming events happening in the area.
August Newsletter
It’s hard to believe that summer is almost over and we’re already in the middle of the back-to-school season! While it’s been a record hot summer, with no signs of slowing down, I still hope you and your family found a chance to rest and recharge! I’ve been out and about throughout the district this past month and wanted to share an update on my activities, some great community events coming up, a few helpful resources and take a moment to address the recent catastrophic action by the Youngkin Administration to pull Virginia out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
July Newsletter
As we enter into the thick of summer, I wanted to take this opportunity to connect with you to provide some news related to the District as well as keep you updated as well as share some great opportunities for local businesses and keep you up to date on what I’ve been up to around the 86th. I hope you and your family are enjoying the warm weather and staying cool!
New Laws Going Into Effect
As the heat ramps up here at home, there’s a lot going on in Virginia politics. In particular, today (July 1) is the day when the bulk of the legislation passed during session takes effect. For your awareness, I’ve provided a brief summary of some important ones below.
June Newsletter
It’s hard to believe it’s already June! It’s been a busy first half of the year, and I wanted to reach out to share some updates and resources with you.
Reflecting on AAPI Heritage Month 2023
With Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month coming to a close, I wanted to reflect on the past month and what AAPI heritage means to me. As the daughter of Korean immigrants, this month is especially important to me, and I take great pride in my identity as an Asian-American.
Session Week 7
The last week of the Regular Session 2023 Virginia General Assembly has ended. Two of my bills, HB 2038 and HB 2041 have passed the House and Senate and have been sent to the Governor for his consideration. I eagerly await his signature to make it official!