In a significant advancement for heart care, UVA Health has proudly announced the completion of a comprehensive two-year renovation at its Prince William Medical Center. The hospital’s first cardiac catheterization lab, established in 2011, has been transformed into a state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology (EP) lab.

A state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology (EP) lab.

This renovation marks a pivotal upgrade in the facility’s capabilities, incorporating cutting-edge technology and equipment. The modernized lab is set to enhance the treatment of complex heart conditions and elevate the level of care for heart attack patients within the community.

Donna Staton, the Chief Operating Officer at UVA Health’s medical centers in Manassas, Haymarket, and Culpeper, emphasized the impact of the upgrades, stating, “We are thrilled to bring this state-of-the-art technology to patients right here at home, reducing the need to travel anywhere else in the region for this level of complex care.”

The newly introduced EP technology is a first for any cath lab across the UVA Health System, reflecting the organization’s commitment to pioneering patient care. The Prince William cath lab team has collaborated closely with electrophysiology staff from UVA Health University Medical Center to integrate and optimize these advancements.

Andrea Klosinski, director of emergency services, cath lab, and cardiopulmonary lab at Prince William Medical Center, shared her pride in the team’s effort and dedication. “The opportunity to offer expanded services in a more efficient, comfortable, best-in-class environment right here in Prince William County has inspired us—to learn, to grow, and to keep hope alive,” she remarked.

In addition to the renovated lab, a second cath lab was introduced in 2020 to cater to the increasing demand for heart and vascular services. This expansion ensured continuous service provision as the original lab was being upgraded.

UVA Health Prince William Medical Center has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a “Best Hospital” for heart attack care. It also boasts the American Heart Association’s Stroke Gold Plus Award. BlueCross BlueShield has designated it as a center of distinction for knee and hip replacement.

With both cardiac cath labs now operational, UVA Health began welcoming patients to the renovated facility on April 25th, promising enhanced care capabilities and continued excellence in health services for the community.

These are the events being presented by the Youth Services Department at Samuels Public Library during the month of May 2024.  More information about Samuels Library and the programs and services available can be found at www.samuelslibrary.net or by calling (540) 635-3153.

The Library will be closed for Memorial Day, Monday, May 27th.

 Wednesday, May 1

10:15 AM – Toddler Story Time.  Bring your toddler to a potpourri of simple stories, fun songs, and a cute craft on Bears. Siblings welcome. Registration is required.

11:00AM – Preschool Story Time.  Come for an enjoyable hour filled with Bear stories, exciting sing-alongs, finger plays, and a nifty craft. Registration required.

 Monday, May 6

11:00 AM – Music & Movement for Babies & Toddlers. Join our relaxed and joyful time with your little ones as we listen to music while learning some basic movements and multisensory activities designed to delight your baby. Registration is required.

Tuesday, May 7

10:30 AM – Homeschool Hub. For ages 6-11. Children will work together as they go through the scientific method, gathering data, and drawing conclusions.   The topic this week is Building Bridges. Registration is required.

Wednesday, May 8

10:15AM – Toddler Story Time.  Bring your toddler to a potpourri of simple stories, fun songs, and a cute craft about Trains! Siblings welcome. Registration is required.

11:00AM – Preschool Story Time. Come in for an enjoyable hour filled with Train stories, exciting sing-alongs, finger plays, and a nifty craft! Registration is required.

Saturday, May 11

All Day – come find us at Family Fun Day and learn about our Summer Reading events!

Monday, May 13

11:00 AM – Music & Movement for Babies & Toddlers. Join our relaxed and joyful time with your little ones as we listen to music while learning some basic movements and multisensory activities designed to delight your baby. Registration is required.

Tuesday, May 14

4:30 PM – Science Scouts. For ages 6-11.  Children will investigate a different STEM-related topic bi-weekly. This week’s theme is Building Bridges. Registration is required.

Wednesday, May 15

10:15AM – Toddler Story Time.  Bring your toddler to a potpourri of simple stories, fun songs, and a cute craft about Green! Siblings welcome. Registration is required.

11:00AM – Preschool Story Time. Come in for an enjoyable hour filled with Green stories, exciting sing-alongs, finger plays, and a nifty craft! Registration is required.

Saturday, May 18

11:00 AM – Unpacking the Garden with Wee Ones.  Join the Master Gardeners as they teach about preparing the garden for planting, doing a scavenger hunt and planting a sunflower. For ages 3-6, with a parent. Registration is required.

12:00 PM – Unpacking the Garden with Green Thumbs.  Join the Master Gardeners as they teach about preparing the garden for planting, doing a scavenger hunt and planting a sunflower.  For ages 6-11. Registration is required.

 Monday, May 20

11:00 AM – Music & Movement for Babies & Toddlers. Join our relaxed and joyful time with your little ones as we listen to music while learning some basic movements and multisensory activities designed to delight your baby. Registration is required.

Tuesday, May 21

10:30 AM – Homeschool Hub. For ages 6-11. Children will work together as they go through the scientific method, gathering data, and drawing conclusions.   The topic this week is Dissect a Flower. Registration is required.

Wednesday, May 22

10:15AM – Toddler Story Time.  Bring your toddler to a potpourri of simple stories, fun songs, and a cute craft about Gardening. Siblings welcome. Registration is required.

11:00 AM – Preschool Story Time.  Read With the Sheriff! This week we will have a special guest from the Sheriff’s office!  Come in for an enjoyable hour filled with Garden stories, exciting sing-alongs, finger plays, and a nifty craft! Registration is required.

Saturday, May 25

2:30 PM – Teens Connect.  For ages 12-18.  Join us for a Mystery Event!  Will it be games?  Will it be crafts?  Come find out!  Registration is required.

Monday, May 27

The Library will be closed for the holiday.

On Thursday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a sweeping set of rules aimed at cutting air, water, and land pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants.

Environmental and clean energy groups celebrated the announcement as long overdue, particularly for coal-burning power plants, which have saddled hundreds of communities across the country with dirty air and hundreds of millions of tons of toxic coal ash waste. The ash has leached a host of toxins — including arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium, radium, and other pollutants — into ground and surface water.

AES Indiana’s Petersburg Generating Station in Petersburg, Indiana, has been burning coal since the 1960s but will shutter all of its coal-firing units over the next few years. On Thursday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a sweeping set of rules aimed at cutting air, water, and land pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants. (Robert Zullo/States Newsroom)

“Today is the culmination of years of advocacy for common-sense safeguards that will have a direct impact on communities long forced to suffer in the shadow of the dirtiest power plants in the country,” said Ben Jealous, executive director of the Sierra Club, one of the nation’s oldest and largest environmental organizations. “It is also a major step forward in our movement’s fight to decarbonize the electric sector and help avoid the worst impacts of climate change.”

However, some electric industry and pro-coal organizations blasted the rules as a threat to jobs and electric reliability at a time when power demands are surging. They also criticized the rule’s reliance on largely unproven carbon capture technologies.

America’s Power, a trade organization for the nation’s fleet of about 400 coal power plants across 42 states, called the number of new rules “unprecedented,” singling out the new emissions standards that will force existing coal plants to cut their carbon emissions by 90% by 2032 if they intend to keep running past 2039. Michelle Bloodworth, the group’s president and CEO, called the rule “an extreme and unlawful overreach that endangers America’s supply of dependable and affordable electricity.”

‘This forces that’

Many experts expect the regulations to be litigated, particularly the carbon rule, since the last time the EPA tried to restrict carbon emissions from power plants, a group of states led by West Virginia mounted a successful legal challenge that went to the U.S. Supreme Court.

But Julie McNamara, deputy policy director with the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the agency took great pains to conform the rule to the legal constraints outlined by the court.

“This rule is specifically responsive to that Supreme Court decision,” she said. “Which doesn’t mean that it won’t go to the courts but this is so carefully hewn to that decision that it should be robust.”

The four rules EPA released Thursday mainly target coal-fired power plants.

“By developing these standards in a clear, transparent, inclusive manner, EPA is cutting pollution while ensuring that power companies can make smart investments and continue to deliver reliable electricity for all Americans,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said.

In some ways, they attach a framework to a sea change in electric generation that is already well underway, McNamara said.

Coal accounted for just 16% of U.S. electric generation in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In 1990, by comparison, it comprised more than 54% of power generation. However, some states are more reliant on coal power than others.

In 2021, the most coal-dependent states were West Virginia, Missouri, Wyoming, and Kentucky, per a 2022 report by the EIA.

“This rulemaking adds structure to that transition,” McNamara said. “For those who have chosen not to assess the future use of their coal plants, this forces that.”

Heather O’Neill, president and CEO of the clean energy trade group Advanced Energy United, said the new regulations are a chance for utilities to embrace cheaper, cleaner and more reliable options for the electric grid.

“Instead of looking to build new gas plants or prolong the life of old coal plants, utilities should be taking advantage of the cheaper, cleaner, and more trusty tools in the toolbox,” she said.

The carbon rule

In 2009, the EPA concluded that greenhouse gas emissions “endanger our nation’s public health and welfare,” the agency wrote, adding that since that time, “the evidence of the harms posed by GHG emissions has only grown and Americans experience the destructive and worsening effects of climate change every day.”

The new carbon emissions regulation will apply to existing coal plants and new natural gas plants. Coal plants that plan to operate beyond 2039 will have to capture 90% of their carbon emissions by 2032. New gas plants are split into three categories based on their capacity factor, a measure of how much electricity is generated over a period of time relative to the maximum amount it could have produced. The plants that run the most (more than 40% capacity factor) will have to capture 90% of their carbon emissions by 2032. Existing gas plants will be regulated under a forthcoming rule that “more comprehensively addresses GHG emissions from this portion of the fleet,” the agency said.

Michelle Solomon, a senior policy analyst for Energy Innovation, an energy and climate policy think tank, predicts that most coal plants will close rather than install the costly technology to capture carbon emissions.

“Climate goals aside, the public health impacts of the rules in securing the retirement of coal-fired power plants is so important,” she said. Coal power in the U.S. has been increasingly pressured by cheaper gas and renewable generation and mounting environmental restrictions, but some grid operators have still been caught flat-footed by the pace of coal plant closures.

“I think the role of this rule, to provide that certainty about where we’re going, is so crucial to get the entities that have control over the rate of the transition to start to take action here,” she said. But the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s CEO, Jim Matheson, called the rules “unlawful, unrealistic and unachievable” noting that it relies on technology “that is not ready for prime time.”

And Todd Snitchler, president and CEO of the Electric Power Supply Association, a trade group for competitive power suppliers, called the rule “a painful example of aspirational policy outpacing physical and operational realities” because of its reliance on unproven carbon capture and hydrogen blending technologies to cut emissions.

A beefed-up Mercury and Air Toxic Standards rule

The EPA called the revision to the Mercury and Air Toxic Standards “the most significant update since MATS was first issued in February 2012.” It predicted the rule would cut emissions of mercury and other air pollutants like nickel, arsenic, lead, soot, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and others. It cuts the mercury limit by 70% for power plants fired by lignite coal, which is the lowest grade of coal and one of the dirtiest to burn for power generation.

For all coal plants, the emissions limit for toxic metals is reduced by 67%. The EPA says the rule will result in major cuts in releases of mercury and other hazardous metals, fine particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide.  The agency projects “$300 million in health benefits,” including reducing risks of heart attacks, cancer and developmental delays in children and $130 million in climate benefits.

Stronger wastewater discharge limits for power plants

Coal fired power plants use huge volumes of water, and when the wastewater is returned to lakes, rivers and streams it can be laden with mercury, arsenic and other metals as well as bromide, chloride and other pollution and contaminate drinking water and harm aquatic life.

The new rule is projected to cut about 670 million pounds of pollutants discharged in wastewater from coal plants per year. Plants that will cease coal combustion over the next decade can abide by less stringent rules.

“Power plants for far too long have been able to get away with treating our waterways like an open sewer,” said Thomas Cmar, a senior attorney at Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization, during a briefing on the new rules earlier this week.

Closing a coal ash loophole

Coal ash, what’s left after coal has been burned for power generation, is one of the nation’s largest waste streams. The 2015 EPA Coal Combustion Residuals rule were the first federal regulations for coal ash. But that rule left about half of the ash sitting at power plant sites and other locations — much of it in unlined disposal pits — unregulated because it did not apply to so-called “legacy impoundments” that were not being used to accept new ash.

“We’re going to see a long-awaited crackdown on coal ash pollution from America’s coal plants, and it’ll be a huge win for America’s health and water resources,” said Lisa Evans, a senior attorney with Earthjustice. “They are all likely leaking toxic chemicals like arsenic into groundwater and most contain levels of radioactivity that can be dangerous to human health.”

Groundwater monitoring data shows that the vast majority of ash ponds at coal plants are contaminating groundwater, said Abel Russ, a senior attorney with the Environmental Integrity Project. But under the old rule, Russ said, facilities could dodge cleanup requirements by blaming contamination on older ash dumps not covered by the regulation.

“This is a huge loophole,” Russ said. “You can’t restore groundwater quality if you’re only addressing half of the coal ash sources on site.”

However, several attorneys on the Earthjustice briefing said the new rules, which will require monitoring at clean up and hundreds of more ash sites, will only be as good as the enforcement.

“It’s meaningful only if these utilities obey the law. Unfortunately to date, many of them have not,” said Frank Holleman, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center.

by Robert Zullo, Virginia Mercury

Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com. Follow Virginia Mercury on Facebook and Twitter.

RICHMOND, Va. — Karlee Clements was six months pregnant, “full on into addiction,” and begging to go to jail because she was afraid she would kill her child.

Soon after, she was incarcerated at Riverside Regional Jail for a violation. Because of her baby’s low heart rate, she was sent to Chippenham Hospital, where she spent the remainder of her pregnancy.

Zip-tied to a hospital bed, with a Riverside officer next to her, Clements gave birth to a baby girl and spent three days with her, per Virginia law. Restraints are no longer allowed on inmates during labor, except under certain circumstances.

Clements went back to jail, and her baby experienced withdrawal for 30 days. Once she was released, Clements gave her baby up for adoption and started using drugs again.

“It became a way of living,” Clements said. “That’s the way I got through life.”

She went to rehab and stopped using heroin but began using methadone, a synthetic opioid often prescribed as part of recovery treatment and to combat withdrawal symptoms.

“Even though I love that baby, and I don’t want to hurt that baby, there’s just something inside of me where I can’t stop using,” Clements said.

The number of jailed pregnant women fighting addiction has increased amid the skyrocketing opioid use in the past decade that led Virginia to declare a public health emergency in 2016. While the state has started to fund more recovery and treatment efforts, incarcerated mothers have fewer resources. Women in jail say facing motherhood and addiction is a specific struggle that needs more attention, in addition to more uniform prenatal care.

There is no official census of how many pregnant women are incarcerated or their overall maternal health, a data gap the U.S. Department of Justice acknowledges and is addressing.

Approximately 3% of women admitted to U.S. jails are pregnant, according to a 2020 peer-reviewed study published in the Obstetrics & Gynecology journal. If that number was applied to the national jail population, there could be an estimated 55,000 pregnant women in jail.

Spike in Rates of Pregnant Women Using Opioids

Clements is now incarcerated at Chesterfield County Jail and involved in its recovery program, Helping Addicts Recover Progressively. She said security is the most beneficial thing she’s gotten out of HARP.

“I’m actually learning to love myself, and my feelings are coming back,” Clements said. “It’s okay to feel; I’m not used to feeling at all.”

The number of women with opioid-related diagnoses at the time of delivery increased by 131% between 2010-2017, according to a JAMA Network study. In Virginia, the number of infants exposed to a substance — including drugs and alcohol cases — rose 533% between 2000-2018, with a spike that also parallels the increased use of opioids.

Nearly 30% of females incarcerated at a state and federal level were charged with a drug offense, according to 2016 Bureau of Justice data, the most current available.

Almost half of incarcerated persons in the U.S. have a substance use disorder, according to the same 2016 data. And nearly half of state and federal inmates are parents of a minor.

Finding Recovery Behind Bars

Chesterfield County Sheriff Karl Leonard started the HARP program after annual overdose deaths in the county hit double digits on March 8, 2016.

People would get clean and sober in jail and then return to the community. In reality, nothing was being done to help them, Leonard said.

“We wanted to start releasing recovered addicts back into the community with the tools, the knowledge, the equipment to be able to deal with all those issues that led them to use drugs before they got into the jail,” Leonard said.

HARP currently does not offer programs geared towards pregnant women but does offer parenting classes.

The Chesterfield jail does not provide prenatal care, so pregnant inmates are sent to Riverside in Prince George's County. Riverside had 475 pregnant inmates in a little over eight years, according to the jail.

HARP predates the Opioid Abatement Authority, created by the General Assembly in 2021 to handle incoming opioid lawsuit settlement money. Virginia is beginning to receive millions of what will be an estimated $1.1 billion, according to the OAA.

“One of the rules for the use of the funds, which we disagree with very much, is that the funds cannot be used for any existing programs,” Leonard said.

According to its website, a locality cannot use OAA money to supplant existing expenditures but can receive funding if they expand existing programs or implement new programs.

Support for Incarcerated Pregnant Women

Many women do not even know they are pregnant when they enter jail, according to Henrico County West Jail Capt. Pamela Dismuke. Female inmates are required to take a pregnancy test when they enter.

“I like to say a lot of the time jail kinda saved them because had she not known she was pregnant, she’d probably still be doing drugs and hurting the baby even more,” Dismuke said.

Dismuke started a program for pregnant inmates two years ago. She contacted someone who works for the Department of Corrections and is a doula or a person who provides guidance and support to a pregnant woman during labor.

Incarcerated pregnant women need specific food, supplements, exercise, and even postpartum help that is not common practice throughout the system.

The nonprofit Virginia Prison Birth Project pairs pregnant women in the Henrico jail with a doula, shares nutritional food and information on a baby’s development and care, and a weekly yoga class. Doulas also offer support by delivering breastmilk to the baby’s caretaker.

According to its website, the organization provided the first doula-supported birth for a pregnant inmate in Virginia in 2019.

Many women learn through the program how drugs hurt their babies, and it helps them take better care of themselves, Dismuke said.

Bobbie Jo Lashway, a pregnant inmate at Henrico County West Jail, said there are few programs aimed at her subgroup despite large numbers of incarcerated pregnant women.

Lashway enjoys the yoga program and is thankful people take time out of their day to share experiences.

“It’s good on a human connection level that we don’t get in here,” Lashway said.

Funding Efforts to Combat the Epidemic

The OAA distributes 55% of incoming settlement funds to state agencies and localities that apply for funding, according to OAA Director of Finance Adam Rosatelli. A grants committee decides how to distribute the funds in line with opioid abatement efforts and the Virginia code.

The OAA has not funded any programs related to incarcerated pregnant or parenting women but has funded jail programs, according to Rosatelli.

“It was a pretty powerful thing to observe the work we do and how it is being put into action,” Rosatelli said about a visit last year to an OAA-funded recovery center for women in Washington County.

The OAA has distributed about $34 million, which has been used for initiatives such as recovery homes, education and prevention efforts, and marketing campaigns, according to Rosatelli.

Parental Drug Abuse a Top Cause of Child Home Removal

Henrico County received over $700,000 from the OAA to begin a treatment program for pregnant or parenting women with substance use disorders. The program will assist mothers and their children with housing costs, medical care, and behavioral health support.

Henrico also received $100,000 from the OAA to study gaps in service and resources for pregnant and nursing mothers in the region.

Neglect is the leading cause of a child’s removal from their home, followed by parental drug abuse. There was a 60% increase in children being removed from their homes due to parental drug abuse from 2010-2019, according to the Virginia Department of Social Services.

Over 1,600 kids were in foster care for this reason as of April 2024, according to VDSS data.

Clements has traveled a long road since she first stole pain pills from her mother. Now, she works through HARP to confront and heal the trauma that pushed her toward substance use. The program is helping her build back her self-esteem so that she can face continued challenges.

“This is literally the first time I’ve ever even said that story, but I’m able to say that without crying and feeling bad and feeling like it is my fault,” Clements said.

VCU InSight journalist Jimmy Sidney contributed to this report.

By Alyssa Hutton, Capital News Service
Video by Jimmy Sidney, VCU InSight

Capital News Service is a program of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Robertson School of Media and Culture. Students in the program provide state government coverage for a variety of media outlets in Virginia. VCU InSight is the capstone broadcast news program.

The House was back in session last week, with an extra day of session on Saturday to finish out the week. House Republicans brought forward various separate spending bills to address ongoing conflicts around the world. In addition to funding, we also considered several measures to demonstrate our support of Israel and take action against Iran. I also had the pleasure of recognizing some of Virginia’s Sixth District student-athletes. As always, I enjoyed meeting with organizations, businesses, and friendly faces in D.C. and back home. As we finish a district work week, followed by four consecutive weeks back in session, I will continue fighting for the best interests of Virginia’s Sixth District and our great Nation.

Supporting Our Allies

The Biden administration’s weakness on the global stage has only emboldened our adversaries, which has in turn only escalated violent conflicts worldwide. Under this administration, we’ve witnessed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s alarming threats against Taiwan, and most recently, Iran’s unprecedented direct assault on Israel. The challenges facing Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine are distinctly separate, demanding separate responses and separate votes on spending bills to address them individually.
Israel stands as our foremost ally in the Middle East, and they are currently fighting the Hamas, Houthi, and Hezbollah terror groups, as well as Iran – the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. I voted in support of providing military aid to Israel to help them in their fight against these terror groups and ensure their nation continues to exist.
At the beginning of this year in his New Year’s address, Chinese President Xi made a troubling declaration that he aims to take action against Taiwan. I also voted in favor of providing Taiwan with military aid to help deter Chinese aggression and preserve peace in the region.

Regarding my vote against additional Ukraine funding, I condemn Russian aggression and pray for peace in the region. However, we have already given over $100 billion to Ukraine without sufficient accountability from the Biden administration as to where the money has gone. While financially supporting our allies can sometimes be in America’s best interest, we must exercise fiscal responsibility and demand some accountability for American tax dollars from this Administration.

To assist Ukraine, I voted for the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, which gives the president the authority to confiscate Russian sovereign assets frozen in America and transfer them to assist in Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts. This legislation also prohibits the release of funds to sanctioned Russian entities until Russia withdraws from Ukraine and agrees to provide compensation for harm caused by this unprovoked war. This bill has passed the Senate and has been signed into law.

America’s Broken Border

Last week, I also voted in favor of H.R. 3602, the End the Border Catastrophe Act, which would have fixed our broken asylum system, hired more Border Patrol agents, and provided them with the resources they need while reinstating Trump-era policies like Remain in Mexico, and forced the Biden administration to resume the border wall. Unfortunately, the bill failed to get the ⅔ majority required by leadership to pass under suspension of rules.

We need strong, common-sense border security measures to protect the American people. For years now, House Republicans have been calling on President Biden to secure America’s border. We have not only been trying to negotiate with President Biden to fix the problem, but we also passed legislation, like H.R. 2, which has been deemed the strongest border security bill that has passed Congress, and it has been over in the Senate since last year.

Failure To Hold Mayorkas Accountable

Unfortunately, the Senate voted down both articles of impeachment against DHS Secretary Mayorkas after the House sent over articles of impeachment last week. We did our job in the House by passing the articles of impeachment, and I am disappointed that Democrats in the Senate unanimously voted to bypass their constitutional duty and hold a trial. Secretary Mayorkas has lied to Congress and ignored his statutory responsibility to secure our nation’s borders. Every day that Mayorkas has been at his job, Americans are less safe. He deserved to be held accountable.
Joe Biden and Mayorkas’ policies have effectively rolled out the welcome mat for millions of illegal immigrants to enter our country unchecked. Among those entering are people on the terrorist watch list, only a fraction of whom have been apprehended. This leaves an unknown number of people who have successfully entered our country. House Republicans will continue to force this issue, bring legislation to the floor, and pressure the Senate to take up this critical issue.

Watch my interview on WSET, where I discussed my disappointment with the Senate dismissing the Mayorkas impeachment trial.

Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversaries
I voted favor H.R. 8028, the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act, which also included H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. As you might remember, the House passed this TikTok bill in March, a crucial step in safeguarding our nation’s security and ensuring that the American people are not targets of foreign manipulation, surveillance, or targeting through online applications like TikTok. The bill prohibits marketplaces—like app stores and web hosting services—from hosting applications controlled by foreign adversaries of the United States. It offers ByteDance, which owns TikTok, a specific window to divest, or the application will face a prohibition in the U.S.

The new bill includes some small but important changes from the bill in March that strengthen the bill’s fight with judicial scrutiny and extend the length of time given to ByteDance to divest. This legislation is crucial to protect the well-being and national security of the American people and our country from foreign adversaries.
Standing with our Ally, Israel

This week, we took significant legislative steps to reaffirm our unwavering support for Israel and to hold Iran accountable for its actions. The measures we’ve passed, alongside other crucial pieces of legislation ignored by Leader Schumer in the Senate, offer a robust strategy to address the threats posed by Iran.

These measures, which I supported, include:
• H.R. 6046, the Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act, which redesignates the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization after the Biden Administration removed them from the list.
• H.R. 6323, the Iran Counterterrorism Act, requires Iran to cease support for acts of international terrorism as a condition for the President to waive secondary sanctions and provides for a congressional review process for national security interest waivers of these sanctions.
• H.R. 4691, the Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act, provides for tighter congressional oversight of any Administration attempt to weaken sanctions imposed on Iran.
• H.R. 5947, which ensures Iran cannot gain access to funds that could be used to support terrorism, including funding the Biden Administration has tried to make available to the Iranian regime.
By supporting Israel’s defense efforts, imposing sanctions on Iranian leaders, severing their financial lifelines, and targeting their allies and terrorist networks, we’re sending a clear message. Our commitment to Israel’s security and our determination to counter Iran’s malign activities remain steadfast.

Recognizing Sixth District Student-Athletes

I was pleased to congratulate the Christendom College women’s basketball team on winning the United States Collegiate Athletic Association Division II National Championship in Petersburg, Virginia. The Christendom Crusaders won the trophy by scoring 76-65 in the championship game against Johnson and Wales Charlotte, bringing home the first women’s basketball national title in school history. Congratulations to all of these champions whose hard work paid off.

Watch my floor speech recognizing Christendom College’s Women’s Basketball Team.

Another outstanding performance by Sixth District athletes was the Blue Ridge Christian girls’ basketball team, which won the Virginia Association of Christian Athletics, VACA, State championship. The team had a tremendous performance throughout the season, finishing 18-2 and going on to win the championship, their second VACA title in 3 years.

Watch my floor speech congratulating Blue Ridge Christian’s Girl’s Basketball Team.

Meeting on the Hill

Meeting with the American Academy of Pediatrics was a pleasure to discuss ways to ensure important access to care for children in the Sixth District.

It was great to meet Crystal Cupp, who works with Christians United for Israel. We discussed the recent attacks on Israel and how we can continue to support our ally.

I enjoyed meeting local representatives from the National Beer Wholesalers Association and learning more about the challenges to the industry, including the shortage of commercial drivers.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Congressman. If my office can ever be of assistance, please get in touch with my Washington office at (202) 225-5431.

For the latest updates from Washington and across the Sixth District, please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest updates.

Dive deep into the poignant story of Judah, an enslaved cook at Belle Grove, in a special 30-minute presentation in the historic winter kitchen of the Belle Grove Manor House. This insightful program draws on rare primary sources from the Hite family archives, offering a unique glimpse into Judah’s life and her significant role within the manor until she died in 1836.

This is a pastel portrait of Judah by artist Megan Whitfield, who imagined her appearance based on historical context.

Program Details:

• Location: Winter Kitchen, Belle Grove Manor House (entry under the front porch)
• Schedule for 2024:
  • May 31, June 28, July 26, August 30, September 27, October 25
  • Time: 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM

Admission to this program is free; however, donations are greatly appreciated. For those interested in exploring more of Belle Grove, regular admission rates apply for tours of the Manor House either before the presentation at 1:15 PM or afterward at 3:15 PM. Tickets can be purchased at the Welcome Center upon arrival.

This presentation, a recurring event since 2016, also inspired Dr. Brian C. Johnson to write “Send Judah First: The Erased Life of an Enslaved Soul,” a historical novel that breathes life into Judah’s story. Published in August 2019 by Hidden Shelf Publishing House, the book is available in the Museum Shop or on Amazon.

Don’t miss this chance to connect with history in the very space where Judah once lived and worked. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a local explorer, or a visitor looking to understand the deeper stories of the past, this presentation at Belle Grove offers a profound and educational experience.