January was a challenging month for many Americans across our nation. Despite the rocky start to the year, I remain dedicated to working for you in Washington and am even more invigorated to achieve results for you as we move forward on our road to recovery.
That said, there were many positive things that happened in Washington last month that I would like to highlight for you now. Scroll below to see these great highlights from January 2021.
On January 20th, I had the pleasure to take part in one of the greatest traditions of our Republic, the swearing-in of the President of the United States. As we start the new Administration, while we may disagree politically, I am looking forward to what we can accomplish together. President Biden has begun implementing his plans of action for his first100 days. During the first 100 days and throughout my time in Congress, serving the constituents of the First District is my number one priority and I want you to know that I am listening. In 2021, I will be working on a bipartisan basis to expand broadband in rural areas, fix our broken health care system, increase opportunities for students, and rectify our broken budget system in Washington. While I will stand firm against unnecessary government overreach, I will always look for ways to work in a bipartisan fashion to get things done for you.
As with the nomination of Secretary Mattis in 2017, I was proud to support legislation allowing retired Army General Lloyd Austin to be confirmed as the 28th Secretary of Defense. The consideration of quality candidates for vital positions such as the Secretary of Defense is critical for the success of our military members around the globe. I had the chance to discuss with General Austin my priorities and concerns to ensure we continue to meet the China threat as well as adequately support a stronger and larger Navy and Marine Corps. I know that Secretary Austin will do his utmost in support of our warfighters, and I look forward to working with him in the coming years to ensure that we continue to meet the threats and challenges facing our nation with absolute resolve and continued vigor.
Secretary Austin served for 41 years with the United States Army, becoming the commander of CENTCOM in 2013 and was engaged in the fight against ISIS. He retired from active-duty service in 2016. Historically, General Austin is the first African American Secretary of Defense.
As we all know, one of the most important steps to getting our nation back to full recovery is the effective distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to Americans. Last month, the Virginia Department of Health began vaccine distribution on a larger scale across the Commonwealth. As of now, demand exceeds supply, so please be patient as the systems work to catch up, but I strongly encourage you to get the vaccine as soon as it is available to your group and as soon as supply allows. Over the coming weeks, information is critical to understanding the importance, availability, and release phases of the vaccine in Virginia. I continue to call on Governor Northam and his team to speed the vaccine distribution to all Virginians, especially those in rural areas, and will continue to work with him as much as possible to ensure all people in our region have access to the vaccine.
That said, I want to make sure you have seen the latest information from the Virginia Department of Health on the Commonwealth’s vaccination response and phases released across the state here. I will continue to share more information such as this as we all work together to bring our nation fully on the road to recovery. Review these important Frequently Asked Questions on “Why get vaccinated against COVID-19?” now: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-faq/vaccination/
Last month marked the 48th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court case of Roe v. Wade (1973). As we near almost fifty years since this ruling, my resolve and dedication to protecting life has only grown stronger. Like many Americans, I believe that life is precious and deserves to be protected – I hold the highest respect for human life and am doing all I can in Washington to uphold its sanctity. That is why, amongst other things, I have consistently voted to defund Planned Parenthood, and last Congress I was proud to support the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act and cosponsored the Second Chance at Life Act.
In fact, it was just announced in January that I received an A+ rating from the Susan B. Anthony List for the 116th Congress on their National Pro-life Scorecard, a tool for holding members of Congress accountable for their legislative records on abortion and highlighting leadership in the fight to protect unborn children and their mothers. My dedication to preserving life does not waver, and I will always fight for the right to life.
