October Newsletter
The Monthly Rundown
Beginning this month, our office will be providing monthly updates to keep you up to date with what’s going on in Richmond and around the District. As we did last year, during the General Assembly session in January and February, we’ll resume sending weekly updates. I look forward to providing you with these updates and making them accessible to all – so if you know of something happening in the District you think your neighbors should know about, share it with our office! We will be happy to consider it for an upcoming newsletter! With that, here are our updates from the (very busy!) month of September:
Legislative Special Session
Earlier last month, the General Assembly returned to Richmond for a special session on September 7th. This session was called to confirm new judges, including the extremely important vacancy on the State Corporation Commission (SCC). The SCC plays a key role in consumer protection in our Commonwealth by regulating the rates for utilities in our state, and ensuring a new judge could be appointed that recognized this important role was critical. However, the end result of the Special Session was an adjournment with no new SCC judge confirmed due to the divided nature of our state legislature. To compound the issue, the House adjourned sine die and the Senate went into recess, which is technically still in session. This chaos all could have been avoided through leadership from our governor, yet Governor Youngkin decided to travel to Maine on the day of the special session to campaign for GOP gubernatorial candidate Paul LePage, despite LePage’s past history of using racially incendiary rhetoric. Governor Youngkin’s frequent leaves of absence in Virginia is nothing new as he continues to stump across the country for extremist candidates like Kari Lake of Arizona and Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia.
Disability Commission
Following the special session, I attended a meeting of the Disability Commission in relation to HJ85, which was a piece of legislation I introduced during the 2022 regular legislative session that would push for solutions that would allow members of the developmental disability community to have the dignity of employment after independent living. The meeting was productive and I remain optimistic that the members of the commission will make meaningful strides to address this issue. Here is a recording of the meeting for those interested.
Governor Youngkin’s Latest Policies...
Last month, Governor Youngkin released an array of policies, with two major ones being changes to the education standards and Virginia’s LGBTQ+ policy for students in grades K-12.
First, State Superintendent Jillian Barlow, back in mid-August, recommended that the Board of Education delay a vote on the new standards of learning for the state’s new history and social science standards. On Wednesday, September 14th, the VBOE announced they will plan to vote on proposed revisions to the state standards for history and social studies lessons early next year. My concern remains that Superintendent Barlow announced that she would be working with the Fordham Institute for the revisions, and for those who do not know, the Fordham Institute is a conservative think-tank. The presence of a conservative think-tank leading the revisions of our education standards could lead to an effort to minimize the full breadth of Virginia’s history, including slavery and other issues, among a host of other critical topics of discussion..
Second, a little over a week ago, Governor Youngkin rolled out a newly rewritten model for Virginia’s model policies in regards to the treatment of transgender students. This new policy rolls back previous legislation created to provide protections for transgender students. Under the Governor’s new model policy, transgender students will no longer be allowed to use facilities that match their gender identity. Furthermore, teachers were formerly required to acknowledge and honor students’ preferred pronouns and gender identities, but now teachers can deadname students in the name of "religious freedom." The rollback of the former policies will lead to a dangerous and unaffirming environment for our transgender and queer students and a major disruption in their learning. Currently, suicide and homelessness rates among transgender youth are exponentially higher than the rest of the population – and moves like this only serve to put more kids at greater risk.
Both policies represent a dangerous shift that seeks to undermine the educational standards of Virginia’s top tier education system and an aggressive attack and politicization of already marginalized students.
Attorney General Miyares and the Hunt for Nothing
Attorney General Jason Miyares has appointed a twenty-person task force with the intention of seeking out and prosecuting cases of voter fraud throughout Virginia. One large caveat is that there were not any documented cases of voter fraud during the 2020 election and that the Republicans made no fuss about "widespread fraud" during their wins in the 2021 state elections. A taskforce dedicated to seeking out election fraud is nonsensical, a waste of taxpayer resources, and a downright pathetic attempt to appease conspiracy theorists. What makes this senseless effort more ridiculous is that during the legislative session, Attorney General Miyares had requested additional funding for what was framed as an "underfunded" office, but he has turned around and used the money to pull a pure political stunt. The establishment of this unnecessary unit is comical at best and actually dangerous at worst.
Student Debt Relief
Roughly 60% of Virginia college students graduated with student loan debt over the last decade. The average cost of a degree from a Virginia university last year was $35,347 — $10,000 more than it was a decade ago. It is estimated that Virginia students carry an average of more than $39,000 in student loan debt. The executive order by President Biden will cancel $20,000 in debt for Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 for individual borrowers who make less than $125,000 a year. I was relieved to see this much-needed relief given to the 1+ million Virginians who carry student debt, more than half whom are under 35. You can find more information about if you qualify for relief here.
Inflation Reduction Act
The Inflation Reduction Act recently passed by Congress will have huge implications here in the Commonwealth and for Virginians’ lives. The extension of critical tax credits by the Inflation Reduction Act will help the 34,000 people in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District currently enrolled in the ACA by saving them an average of $950 in premiums starting next year. 3,000 Medicare recipients will now have their insulin capped at $35! A family of two adults, two children, and a household income of $75,000 could save $2,832 in their premiums next year. Without this groundbreaking legislation, medical insurance premiums could have increased as much as 71% for families..
In terms of environmental impact, the bill has plenty to be excited about; $3M for air quality monitoring in low-income and disadvantaged communities, $400M to upgrade school buses, garbage trucks, and transit buses in overburdened communities, and an estimated $12 billion in new tax credits. It’s key to both fund personal and public transportation, as extensive clean vehicle tax credits without sufficient investment in public transportation locks in dependence on private transportation, which in turn puts additional stress on our Commonwealth’s infrastructure.
Delegate Mark Keam's Retirement
I want to extend a huge congratulations to former Delegate Mark Keam and his family on his new role in the Biden-Harris Administration.
Delegate Keam was the 1st Korean-American elected to the Virginia General Assembly and created a path for me and so many other Asian Americans across the Commonwealth. I can not thank him enough for his trailblazing leadership and years of service and sacrifice to our community. I know he will continue to make us proud in his new position!
Beanstalk Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
In the Town of Herndon, Beanstalk Farms opened their new vertical farm. The farm utilizes hydroponic technology—which is soilless—and heirloom seeds to grow their products. I was thrilled to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony as this unbe-leaf-able company puts down their roots in our community! Agriculture is Virginia’s largest private industry and a huge part of our economy. Beanstalk and its vertical farming method will set the standard for sustainable, pesticide-free farming. You can catch them at the Herndon Farmers Market on Thursday mornings or visit their storefront at 251 Exchange Place.
Sully Community Center Opening
The Sully Community Center opened its doors on September 12, 2022. The facility will provide an array of services, programs, and activities for individuals and abilities. Offerings will include fitness classes, sports, teen programs, rental facilities, special camps, meeting spaces, youth camps, therapeutic recreation services, and technology and computer instruction.
The facility also offers approximately 4,000-square-foot Healthcare Suite that provides comprehensive primary healthcare with the focus on serving communities that have faced barriers to accessing healthcare in the past.
Our community is so lucky to have this state-of-the-art Center right here in our neighborhoods to serve a breadth of generations, abilities, and needs. Find more information about their programs and schedule here.
Build Your Own Bill Session
I was excited to host my first ever Build Your Own Bill session on September 4th . BYOB is a series to help community members engage more deeply with the legislative process and learn how to be an effective advocate for the issues they care about.
By the end of this series, I hope to foster more civic engagement in our community and a greater understanding of our state’s legislative process.
Announcements
Page Applications Now Open
House Page applications are currently open! Click on the link to learn more about how to apply and what this wonderful program has to offer! Deadline to submit applications is October 31, 2022.
Early Voting Has Begun
Election Day is November 8th this year and fast approaching, but voting season is already underway!.
Here is a useful link for finding in-person early voting locations across Fairfax County: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/early-voting
Here is a useful link for finding in-person early voting locations across Loudoun County: https://www.loudoun.gov/5392/Early-Voting-Information
You can also request an absentee ballot at: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/registration/voter-forms/
Changes to Metro Stations
Last month saw the Metro implement five station name changes on signage and maps across the system as requested by local jurisdictions and approved by the Metro Board of Directors.
White Flint will become North Bethesda
Largo Town Center will become Downtown Largo
Tysons Corner will become Tysons
Prince George’s Plaza will become Hyattsville Crossing
West Falls Church secondary name VT/UVA will become VT only.
Cox Broadband Affordability Program
Cox Broadband service has announced an affordability program. Their Connect2Compete Internet package provides low-cost internet with WIFI to low-income families with children. Click for program details
BYOB Session #2
Session #2 will be happening on October 11th @ 397 Herndon Pkwy, Herndon, VA 20170, USA (Suite 110) from 6-8pm.
Remember to bring your materials and notes from last time.
Herndon Homecoming Parade
The Herndon Homecoming Parade is happening this year on Saturday, October 8th. As usual, the parade route will be along Elden Street, starting at Locust Street, and ending on Lynn Street. Get all the details here, including street closures for that day. Go Hornets!
Virginia’s Youth in Action - Voices for Virginia’s Kids
The Voices for Virginia’s Children has established a cohort of young changemakers for the new advocacy council, Virginia’s Youth in Action (VAYA). This youth program will enhance the ability of our young people to assist them in better engaging with legislators and decision-makers as to help advance the interests of the youth community through advocacy, storytelling, and community management.
Deadline to apply is 11:59pm on October 9, 2022.
History Exhibit at ArtSpace Herndon
Calling all history buffs!
The Herndon Historical Society is having another history event in October. The event will be a photograph exhibit of historic Herndon at the local arts gallery, ArtSpace Herndon. The exhibit, Sights and Sounds of Early Herndon, will be on display from October 6-27 and a FREE reception will take place on Friday, October 14th at 6:30pm.