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VA Sen. Majority Leader Scott Surovell Announces Creation of Senate Democratic Workgroup on School Mobile Phone Policy

By
Blue Virginia
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2

From VA Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell:

Majority Leader Surovell Announces Creation of Senate Democratic Workgroup on School Mobile Phone Policy

RICHMOND, VA—Yesterday, Governor Youngkin issued an executive order requiring the issuance of guidance for school divisions to adopt policies that establish “cell-phone free education” in our public schools.

The Governor’s intentions are appreciated, and student use of mobile phones in schools is a critical issue that must be addressed, but this issue requires a General Assembly input and a consensus solution. The Constitution of Virginia and Code of Virginia vests statewide education policy decisions with the Board of Education subject to restrictions in the Code of Virginia subject to the ultimate authority of the General Assembly and ultimately to be implemented by Virginia’s local school boards.

Therefore, today Majority Leader Surovell asked three Senate Democratic education policy leaders to develop legislation addressing mobile phone use in Virginia’s public schools. The members of this workgroup will be:

  • Senator Ghazala Hashmi, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and a former university and community college professor;
  • Senator Stella Pekarsky, a former teacher and school board member and Chair of the largest school system in the Commonwealth – the Fairfax County Public Schools; and
  • Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg, a full-time teacher in the Henrico County Public Schools.

We look forward to working with the Governor and his administration to craft consensus bipartisan mobile phone legislation.

Majority Leader Scott Surovell said: “I am confident that this workgroup—made up of senators who have dedicated their careers to education and improving the lives of Virginia’s students—will work to come up with a long-term policy on mobile phone use to help ensure that students remain focused on learning while in school and also preserve access to lines of communication with parents in the case of emergencies or other situations. We look forward to working with the Governor and House of Delegates to develop a consensus policy on guidance to our local school boards for mobile phone policy.”

“As a former educator myself, I fully understand how devices such as cell phones can be immensely distracting, even at the collegiate level. While technology can be an asset, it also interferes with focus,  engagement, and active learning. As members of the General Assembly, we are committed to developing effective solutions that address this pervasive issue, ensuring our students achieve and succeed,” said Senator Ghazala Hashmi.

“As a public school teacher, I see firsthand how cell phones disrupt the classroom and hinder learning. Our priority should be fostering an environment conducive to academic achievement and student growth, and I look forward to collaborating with the workgroup to develop a comprehensive legislative solution,” said Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg.

“As a former teacher, I know firsthand how cell phones can be a major distraction in the classroom. However, as a parent, I understand the need for children to have their phones for emergencies or when they provide accommodations for different learning needs. As the former School Board chair of the largest school division in the Commonwealth, I understand it is imperative that we strike the right balance through legislative action to enhance learning outcomes for all students. This is an issue I have been working on the last few months and am committed to tackling head-on to ensure our children’s success,” said Senator Stella Pekarsky.

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Trump’s Project 2025: Gutting the National Weather Service (Bad!)

By
Blue Virginia
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3

From the Biden-Harris campaign:

Trump’s Project 2025: Gutting the National Weather Service (Bad!)

This is really important. Texans are living in the dark (literally) during a life-threatening heat wave. Donald Trump still won’t acknowledge climate change is real and is running a campaign to make it even worse:

  • Donald Trump is selling out America’s energy future to oil and gas barons for $1 billion in campaign donations – so they can raise prices on middle class families.
  • Oil and gas lobbyists are drafting executive orders for Trump to sign.

And his Project 2025, well, it pushes: “gutting key agencies that oversee environmental protection and unwinding most, if not all, of Biden’s marquee climate rules.”

Hell, just look at page 674 and its goals of gutting the National Weather Service:

For folks’ awareness – including Donald Trump’s – eliminating the National Weather Service is opposed by 82% of Americans.

Statement from Biden-Harris 2024 Spokesperson James Singer:

“Donald Trump’s Project 2025 will politicize federal storm tracking and climate science, endangering millions of Americans who rely on the science, data, and warnings that the National Weather Service provides. Donald Trump doesn’t just deny climate change exists, he’s planning to destroy the parts of our government that track it.”

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Paid for by Biden for President

Wednesday News: “Biden aimed to prove US and global doubters wrong with NATO speech”; Trump’s “Lie-Filled Return To Campaign Trail,” “extremist agenda for America”; “Spanberger wants Biden focused on one thing: ‘Ensure that Donald Trump is defeated'”

By
lowkell
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26

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, July 10.

Sen. Mark Warner: “The best thing Americans can do to help safeguard our election is avoid succumbing to nefarious foreign efforts to create division and sow chaos”

By
Blue Virginia
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4

From Sen. Mark Warner’s office:

STATEMENT OF SENATE INTELLIGENCE CHAIRMAN MARK R. WARNER

~ On threat landscape briefing ~ 

WASHINGTON – Today, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the statement below, following a press briefing from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on the foreign threat landscape ahead of the election. 

“I have long pushed the Intelligence Community to be more open with the public about the complex and serious foreign influence threats targeting the United States – particularly in the context of U.S. elections. Today’s press briefing is a strong step in that direction. I applaud the ODNI, FBI, and CISA for commencing these regular public updates on foreign efforts to manipulate our democratic processes and undermine our election. There is no doubt that these updates – in addition to efforts by civil society and the private sector – will serve to better inform and prepare the public.

“As the Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I would encourage all Americans to stay informed and alert. Social media, in particular, continues to be a popular vector for foreign covert influence attempts, and our adversaries remain focused on stoking social, racial, and political tensions among Americans. The best thing Americans can do to help safeguard our election is avoid succumbing to nefarious foreign efforts to create division and sow chaos. I am committed to working with the Intelligence Community to declassify more information and further increase transparency.”

Youngkin Issues Executive Order with Goal of “Cell Phone-Free Education in Virginia’s K-12 Public Schools”

By
lowkell
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3

Thoughts on this executive order by Gov. Glenn Youngkin (see below)?  My initial reaction is that cell phones are problematic for kids, and that non-academic use of them during school hours almost certainly should be restricted or prohibited (other than emergencies or whatever?); see this, for instance:

In 2015, 66 percent of schools in the United States prohibited non-academic use of cellphones during school hours, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By 2020, that percentage had jumped to 77 percent.

Many educators blame students’ cellphone use for being the top distraction in schools and classrooms. The constant use of the devices has also been linked to students’ worsening mental health.

In general, social media and cellphones are a great example of technologies that were theoretically supposed to IMPROVE people’s quality of life, but in the end led to some improvements but also some serious problems – including/especially for kids. But here’s the thing; even assuming you agree with the perfectly reasonable goal of getting cellphones out of classrooms, is it really the governor’s place to be issuing an executive order on the topic? Is this the proper process/legality to follow, or is this more about Youngkin mostly (only?) caring about getting credit? Knowing what a politically ambitious (e.g., wanting to be Trump’s running mate) – and heavyhanded – guy Youngkin is, it’s really hard at this point to assume he’s acting in good faith on ANY issue, including this one…

P.S. Note how most of the media just acts as stenographers on this stuff, basically republishing Youngkin’s press release without much (if any) added value?

Governor Glenn Youngkin Issues Executive Order Establishing Cell Phone-Free Education in Virginia’s K-12 Public Schools 
RICHMOND, VA — Given the increasing evidence of the impact cell phone and social media usage has on education and youth mental health, Governor Glenn Youngkin today issued Executive Order 33, which directs the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to draft guidance for public school divisions to adopt local policies and procedures establishing cell phone-free education.

The EO directs VDOE to initiate a robust public engagement effort with parents, students, teachers, local school leaders and other stakeholders to develop collaboratively policies and procedures that establish the age-appropriate restriction or elimination of cell phone use during instructional time, as well as to establish protocols allowing parents to contact their children in emergency and other important situations.

In addition, the Governor announced today that the VDOE and the Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services (DBDHS) will make a combined $500,000 available from existing funds to support implementation of this mental health and safety initiative.

“This essential action will promote a healthier and more focused educational environment where every child is free to learn. Creating cell phone and social media-free educational environments in Virginia’s K-12 education system will benefit students, parents, and educators,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “Today’s Executive Order both establishes the clear goal to protect the health and safety of our students by limiting the amount of time they are exposed to addictive cell phones and social media and eliminates clear distractions in the classroom. It also kicks off the robust conversations among parents, students, teachers, and school and community leaders necessary to design and implement these policies and procedures at the local level.”

Implementing cell phone-free education in Virginia’s K-12 public schools is critical, especially given youth chronic health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, that are driven in part by extensive social media and cell phone use. Children spend an average of 4.8 hours a day on social media, and recent studies indicate that spending more than three hours a day on social media doubles the risk of poor mental health for adolescents. Most alarming is the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention data from 2019-2021, reporting that the rate of suicide has increased 167% since 2010 for girls and 91% since 2010 for boys. In the same timeframe, boys and girls experienced a spike in depression of 161% and 145%, respectively.

“The data is clear, and it is time for Virginians to come together to address the damage of social media and screens to healthy childhoods. Government cannot be the sole solution to this crisis; school communities – especially parents and teachers – must work together to discuss and develop common sense approaches to limit screen time, prioritize open channels of communication, and re-establish norms that reinforce healthy and vibrant learning communities,” said Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera.

“Many parents and teachers struggle to balance socializing and social media, play or learning time and screen time, and true human connection and internet connection,” said Secretary of Health and Human Resources Janet Kelly. “The more we learn, the more we know that too much screen time – especially time spent on addictive apps – is harmful to kids’ physical and mental health. A few weeks ago, the Surgeon General of the United States issued a formal advisory suggesting that tech companies be required to put a warning label on social media apps. Governor Youngkin’s Executive Order 33 complements that advisory well. Too many childhoods have ended because of the wild west of addictive apps, and it is time we work together to bring childhood back.”

The Executive Order directs VDOE to publish their draft guidance by August 15. After considering feedback from stakeholders, VDOE will issue final guidance in September for local school divisions to adopt cell phone-free education policies and procedures by January 1, 2025.

Nothing in this Executive Order is intended to prohibit school divisions from adopting age-appropriate policies and procedures ahead of this date or that are more comprehensive than the guidance issued by VDOE.

The Department of Education will facilitate listening sessions and other stakeholder engagement opportunities over the next six weeks to solicit public input on this policy, gather feedback on best practices currently underway in Virginia public schools, and receive input for the draft guidance establishing cell phone-free education in K-12 public schools.

“Cell phones and digital media have caused pre-teens and teens to disconnect from the real world, have increased mental health challenges, and have caused significant disruption in the important daily learning opportunities in their classrooms,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons. “Parents and teachers understand the importance of creating cell phone-free education in our schools so that students can focus on instruction and learning during the school day. We look forward to facilitating conversations around the danger to our children of cell phones, social media, and the impact of screen time and will focus on creating guidance that protects the health and safety of our students.”

Funding from VDOE and DBDHS will support state and local efforts to facilitate family nights and community engagement on the youth mental health crisis and cell phone use best practices as well as enable school divisions in need of assistance to receive microgrants to help implement best practices in their local community. As part of the Back-to-School Season, there will be a series of Commonwealth Conversations across Virginia to provide opportunities for discussion on how schools and communities can build new norms around phone usage.

While some school divisions in Virginia have already implemented cell phone limitation protocols, this Executive Order is the first statewide effort to enhance the learning environment by eliminating or severely restricting cell phone devices during instructional time. Recent studies indicate that students who use their phones during class learn less, achieve lower grades, and can face a cumulative, lasting, and detrimental impact on their ability to focus and engage in their studies.

Learn more about ways to engage and provide input here.
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Tuesday News: “A Dangerous Double Standard”; “The media has been breathlessly attacking Biden. What about Trump?”; “The Supreme Incompetents”; “JD Vance is a rightwing troll disguised as a populist. He could be our next vice-president”

By
lowkell
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29

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, July 9.

Sen. Mark Warner: “With so much at stake in the upcoming election, now is the time for conversations about the strongest path forward.”

By
lowkell
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15

From Sen. Mark Warner’s office:

STATEMENT OF U.S. SEN. MARK R. WARNER 

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement:

“Another Trump term would be perilous for rule of law and for our democracy. President Biden has made America stronger, guiding the nation through some of our most difficult days. I am proud of my work on his agenda.

“With so much at stake in the upcoming election, now is the time for conversations about the strongest path forward.

“As these conversations continue, I believe it is incumbent upon the President to more aggressively make his case to the American people, and to hear directly from a broader group of voices about how to best prevent Trump’s lawlessness from returning to the White House.”

P.S. Also, see below for comments by Sen. Tim Kaine, who says “of course that’s what [Biden] feels today,” but “it is the 8th of July, and it is early in this discussion in the aftermath of the debate – so we’ll see” 

Trump Is Running On The Extreme, Ultra-MAGA Project 2025 Agenda

By
lowkell
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6

From the DNC War Room:

Trump Is Running On The Extreme, Ultra-MAGA Project 2025 Agenda
In response to the Republican Party Platform Committee adopting Donald Trump’s extreme, out-of-touch platform ahead of the Republican National Convention, DNC Rapid Response Director Alex Floyd released the following statement: 

“Let’s be clear: Donald Trump is running to enact his far-right Project 2025 agenda crafted by his top allies, and if given the chance, he’d implement the most extreme, out-of-touch, and dangerous proposals in his MAGA platform that would let him fulfill his pledge to be a dictator on ‘day one.’ From rigging the economy for the ultra-wealthy again to banning abortion nationwide to gutting access to health care and earned benefits to ending our democracy’s basic checks and balances, Trump and Project 2025’s agenda will hurt hardworking Americans while putting Trump over our basic values and the rule of law. The American people want nothing to do with his ultra-MAGA platform, and will reject it again in November — just like they did in 2020.”

Here’s a look at the extreme agenda Trump is running on:

Undermining our democracy with dangerous election denialism and threats of political violence — all while pledging to be a dictator on “day one.”

Trump: “He says, ‘You’re not going to be a dictator, are you?’ I said, ‘No, no, no, other than day one.’”

Barbara Barr, WGAL: “There have been other close races and men have said, ‘listen, for the betterment of the country, we’re going to move on, we’re going to accept the results of the election.’ Would that have been the right course of action?”

Trump: “No, it would’ve been a terrible thing.”

Barr: “Would you accept the results of this election?”

Trump: *refuses to say yes*

NBC News: “Trump says there will be a ‘bloodbath’ if he loses the election”

TIME: “Donald Trump Says Political Violence ‘Depends’ on ‘Fairness’ of 2024 Election”

MSNBC: “Trump again floats the idea of serving a third presidential term”

Banning abortion nationwide and ripping away reproductive freedoms from millions of women.

Rolling Stone: “Trump Wants to Ban Abortion Nationwide: Report”

Trump: “There of course remains a vital role for the federal government in protecting unborn life. And it’s very important.”

Trump: “I was proudly the person responsible for the ending of … Roe v. Wade.”

Trump: “We broke Roe v. Wade and we did something that nobody thought was possible. We gave it back to the states, and the states are working very brilliantly … But they’re working, and it’s working the way it’s supposed to.”

Pushing a MAGAnomics scam that gives tax handouts to the ultra-wealthy at the expense of working Americans and supercharges inflation.

Trump: “You’re all people that have a lot of money … You’re rich as hell. … We’re gonna give you tax cuts.”

Vanity Fair: “Donald Trump Wants to Give His Favorite Corporations Another Giant Tax Cut in a Second Term: Report”

CBS News: “Two years after Trump tax cuts, middle-class Americans are falling behind”

The Guardian: “Donald Trump’s $1.5tn tax cuts have helped billionaires pay a lower rate than the working class for the first time in history.”

Axios: “Sixteen Nobel prize-winning economists are jumping into the presidential campaign with a stark warning: Former President Trump’s plans would reignite inflation and cause lasting harm to the global economy if he wins in November.”

Project 2025: “The corporate income tax rate should be reduced to 18 percent.”

The Atlantic: “Trump’s Plan to Supercharge Inflation”

Gutting Social Security and Medicare, repealing the Affordable Care Act, and ending protections for millions of Americans with preexisting conditions.

Joe Kernen, CNBC: “Have you changed your outlook on how to handle entitlements, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid?”

Trump: “So first of all, there is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting.”

Trump: “We’ve really decimated Obamacare.

“We’ve done a great job, but we’re going to be getting rid of it entirely.”  

Daily Beast: “Trump Revives Plan to Dismantle Obamacare if Elected in 2024”

Spectrum News: “The ACA protects more than 100 million people with preexisting conditions from being denied care, plus it requires insurance plans to cover things like preventive care and limit out-of-pocket costs.”

Defunding law enforcement, doubling down on his failed record of making it easier for dangerous individuals to carry guns while failing to address gun violence, and putting his political gain over bipartisan efforts to secure our border.

Sahil Kapur: “Donald Trump pressures Republicans to defund the (federal) police.”

Vox: “Donald Trump is defunding the police”

“President Trump has repeatedly proposed cuts in federal funding for police, criticized landmark legislation that boosted financial support for police departments, and is currently involved in blocking legislation that would greatly reduce pressure on local governments to cut police funding. 

“In layman’s terms, he’s been trying to defund the police.”

New York Times: “Conceding to N.R.A., Trump Abandons Brief Gun Control Promise”

“President Trump on Monday abandoned his promise to work for gun control measures opposed by the National Rifle Association, bowing to the gun group and embracing its agenda of armed teachers and incremental improvements to the background check system.”

The Hill: “The [Trump] White House on Monday issued a statement warning that President Trump would veto proposed legislation to enhance background checks for gun purchases if it passes the House and Senate.”

Politico: “Trump quietly used regulations to expand gun access”

Vox: “Trump made this clear when he reportedly urged Republicans in Congress to turn against the bipartisan Senate border security bill scheduled for a vote Wednesday so that he could keep the issue alive through the presidential election. His supporters have largely fallen in line.”

Putting dictators over our allies, ceding America’s leadership abroad, and making the world less safe, just as he did in his first term.

Politico: “Trump says he would ‘encourage’ Russia to attack NATO allies who don’t pay up”

New York Times: “America’s Allies Fear That Traditional Ties No Longer Matter Under Trump”

Politico: “Trump’s approach is hurting the U.S., foreign policy experts say”

CNN: “Trump sides with Putin over US intelligence”

Forbes: “Trump said of his relationships with dictators, ‘the tougher and meaner they are, the better I get along with them,’ which he insisted is ‘not a bad thing.’ 

“‘The easy ones,’ Trump said, referring to America’s allies, ‘I maybe don’t like as much or don’t get along with as much.’”

Washington Post: “Former president Donald Trump has privately said he could end Russia’s war in Ukraine by pressuring Ukraine to give up some territory… Some foreign policy experts said Trump’s idea would reward Russian President Vladimir Putin and condone the violation of internationally recognized borders by force.

“Trump has consistently complimented Putin, expressed admiration for his dictatorial rule and gone out of his way to avoid criticizing him, most recently for the death in jail of political opponent Alexei Navalny. He has not called for the release of Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter held in Russia for a year without charges or a trial.”

New York Times: “Much of the world has soured on American leadership since President Trump took office, a loss of faith that has opened up opportunities for other countries like China, Russia and Germany to assert themselves on the international stage, according to an extensive new survey of people living around the globe.”

To be clear: Trump and Project 2025 share close ties and have collaborated on an extreme blueprint for a second Trump term.

Politico: “On Tuesday, the Trump campaign sent a letter to pro-Trump, external organizations asking them to attend an ‘entirely off-the-record, private,’ and “invite-only” meeting with senior campaign officials, according to a copy of the letter obtained by POLITICO. The sit-down, which the letter describes as a ‘meeting of the political minds,’ is aimed at discussing ‘collaborat[ion]’ and ‘priorities and plans’ for the general election. […]

“By holding the meeting, the Trump operation and the third-party entities could conceivably get on the same page about their plans. Two people familiar with the planning for the event said Heritage Action and Turning Point Action were among the pro-Trump groups invited.”

Axios: “This is undeniably a Trump-driven operation. The biggest tell: Johnny McEntee — one of Trump’s closest White House aides, and his most fervent internal loyalty enforcer — is a senior adviser to Project 2025. One of the most powerful architects is Stephen Miller, a top West Wing adviser for the Trump administration.”

New York Times: “Roberts told me that he views Heritage’s role today as ‘institutionalizing Trumpism.’ This includes leading Project 2025, a transition blueprint that outlines a plan to consolidate power in the executive branch, dismantle federal agencies and recruit and vet government employees to free the next Republican president from a system that Roberts views as stacked against conservative power. The lesson of Trump’s first year in office, Roberts told me, is that ‘the Trump administration … simply got a slow start. And Heritage and our allies in Project 2025 believe that must never be repeated.’”
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As Project 2025 Chief Calls For “Second American Revolution,” Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA02) Falls Silent

By
lowkell
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6

See below for a press release from the DCCC. Bottom line: silence by someone in Congress (or who wants to be in Congress) regarding something as heinous, extreme and threatning as “Project 2025” is 100% unacceptable. In Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA02)’s case, though, it’s sadly unsurprising, as she’s gone full Trump/MAGA cultist in the past couple years, definitely NOT in sync with her “purple”/”swing” district at this point…

As Project 2025 Chief Calls For “Second American Revolution,” Jen Kiggans Falls Silent

Last week, the president of the Heritage Foundation – the far-right think tank infamous for unveiling a treatise designed to dramatically destroy the United States federal government – proudly referred to a “Second American Revolution” that could be “bloodless if ‘the left’ allows it to be.”

Kiggans – who has stood behind Donald Trump – has refused to speak out against this violent rhetoric.

Even worse, Kiggans has fallen silent on Donald Trump’s co-called “Project 2025” manifesto that would:

DCCC Spokesperson Lauryn Fanguen:
“By refusing to condemn these far-right pledges from the Heritage Foundation and Donald Trump, Jen Kiggans is joining extreme actors to force the American public to accept their violent agenda. This is not normal. She should be disqualified for allowing this rhetoric to be common-place in our politics.”

Virginia Legislative Black Caucus Statement in Support of the Biden/Harris Campaign

By
lowkell
-
4

Check out the following press release from the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus “in Support of the Biden/Harris Campaign.” Personally, I’d argue that many Dems’ concerns (including my own) aren’t about a second Biden term’s policies, they’re about whether Biden can win (or has the best chance of winning) in November. At this point, really, that’s the entire “ballgame” – because if Trump wins, it’s “game over” for our democracy, the American experiment, etc.

Virginia Legislative Black Caucus Statement in Support of the Biden/Harris Campaign

RICHMOND, VA—Today the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus issued the following statement regarding the candidacy of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris:

“As a Caucus whose focus is on the good of the Commonwealth and 9 million Virginians, our decision to support Joe Biden and Kamala Harris is based solely on shared policy positions, which will continue to grow our economy and build a country with viable futures for our youth.

As policy makers, we need support and allies at every level to truly deliver for constituents across the country. This administration has ushered in historic economic and job growth, record unemployment, and long overdue investments in healthcare coverage and our infrastructure. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have demonstrated their values. They have fought for and won policies that protect real, working class people from exploitative corporate interests in the pharmaceutical industry, overwhelming student debt, and the threats our changing climate brings.

This administration has proven that they care for the millions of Virginians who voted them into office. The person who we elevate to lead us as a nation must have respect for the democratic process that empowers them to make decisions for the good of the people. The only candidate we trust with this responsibility is Joe Biden.

The choice is between two visions. A second Trump presidency would set us back a generation. We have full faith that a second Biden presidency would keep us moving forward.”

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