From the House Accountability War Room, CCAN Action Fund and Affordable Virginia:
PRESS CONFERENCE: Virginians Against Project 2025 live from Virginia Beach https://t.co/e9WroPFmYD
— Courage for America (@Courage4America) October 10, 2024
WATCH: Virginians Expose Project 2025 Plan to Give Massive Tax Breaks to the Ultra-Wealthy, Call on Rep. Kiggans To Oppose Project 2025
Veterans, environmental, and affordability advocates highlight how Project 2025 would devastate Virginia Beach communities.
Virginia Beach, VA — Today, advocates came together for a press conference in Virginia Beach to highlight how Project 2025’s massive tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy and corporations will hurt seniors, working families, veterans, and the environment. Virginians demanded that Rep. Jen Kiggans support H. Res. 1386 to stand against the dangerous policies of Project 2025.
Project 2025 is an unprecedented and dangerous takeover by MAGA Republicans and wealthy billionaire donors that rolls back Americans’ rights and freedoms, threatens our democracy, and hurts the middle class. Many of Project 2025’s policies have already been embraced by Representative Kiggans. Project 2025 shifts the tax burden from the wealthy onto the middle class.
Here is what Project 2025 would mean for Virginia families:
- The typical family-of-four in Virginia would see a tax increase of $2,743 per year.
- 897,300 Medicaid enrollees in Virginia would be at risk of losing coverage because they are low income and lack access to alternative, affordable coverage.
- 1,290,000 women in Virginia would lose guaranteed access to free emergency contraception.
- 13,445 low-income children in Virginia would be affected by the elimination of Head Start programs.
- Over 3,647 teaching positions could be cut if Title I is eliminated, hurting an estimated 49,597 students.
- Veterans currently eligible for a disability rating but who have not yet made claims could be denied benefits entirely, and those who have already made claims and been granted a disability rating could see their benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other safety net benefits slashed.
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would be gutted, making it harder for governments and residents to plan and prepare for hurricanes or other extreme weather events.
- The Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to protect Americans from pollution would be severely limited, as would the agency’s climate change initiatives.
Here’s what today’s speakers had to say:
Eddie Seay, Freedom Virginia Organizing Director said: “Virginia is for lovers. Virginia is for families. However, we can only pursue a family-friendly future if we reject the extreme Project 2025, and we’re asking Representative Kiggans to do that today. We urge Representative Kiggans to reject Project 2025, which plans to put corporations and the ultra-wealthy first and show her support for every day Virginians.”
Leianis Gunn, Chesapeake Climate Action Network Organizer said: “Hampton Roads is already one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in the country. We know what it’s like to face strong hurricanes, strong tropical storms, rising sea levels, and chronic flooding… Project 2025 would only accelerate the damage by doubling down on fossil fuel development, halting investments in clean energy, and pushing our planet closer to irreversible climate collapse.”
Maurice Hawkins, veteran and VA-02 Constituent, said: “I live here in Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District. I am a veteran of the United States Air Force. I am deeply concerned about Project 2025 and the impacts of this document on American democracy. Simply put, Project 2025’s primary goal is to dismantle and unravel American democracy as we know it. We call upon Rep. Jen Kiggans to reject any legislation attached to Project 2025. The vast majority of citizens here in Virginia’s 2nd congressional district do not support this document, and they do not support having their benefits eroded.”
Heidi Dragneff, veteran and VA-02 Constituent, said: “I’m seriously concerned about Project 2025 and the role that Rep. Jen Kiggans has played in supporting its most extreme policies. So, today, we’re raising our voices to call on Rep. Kiggans to reject Project 2025, and the extreme policy over hard working Virginians. It’s time to stand up for the people of Virginia, for the veterans, the families – the government works for them, not against them. Stand with us and reject this harmful agenda.”
Susan Hippin, VoteVets, retired Navy Master Chief, said: “Homelessness is something that afflicts many of my veteran brothers and sisters in Virginia Beach. We have a place called Vets House that takes veterans off the street, good living conditions, and gets them jobs. Project 2025 wants to end some of those programs, such as a project called Housing First that would imperil the financial security and the very life of the veterans that it serves. I call on Congresswoman Kiggans right now to support House Resolution 1386, which will denounce Project 2025.”
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About House Accountability War Room
House Accountability War Room is an independent rapid response operation. The war room will leverage research, deploy messaging and engage partners to hold House leadership accountable as the caucus moves to take away core freedoms, distort the truth, and put the profits of corporations above the wellbeing of working families.
About Affordable Virginia
Affordable Virginia is fighting to make Virginia an affordable place for all. Virginians work hard day in and day out to make ends meet and build a better future for themselves and their families. Affordable Virginia is fighting to hold Congresswoman Jen Kiggans accountable for neglecting the needs of Virginians. We want her to stop putting corporations ahead of families in Virginia.
About CCAN Action Fund
The mission of the CCAN Action Fund is to effect change in public policy at local, state and national levels to directly address the threat of global warming. Through voter education, lobbying and participation in the electoral process, we seek to move our country into a leadership position on the most urgent global issue of our time — the climate crisis.
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