Richmond, VA – Yesterday, the Virginia General Assembly met for the Reconvene Session, following a winter session bookended by MAGA extremism and GOP inaction on some of the top issues facing the Commonwealth. Through session and beyond, the Democratic Caucus championed the Vision for Virginia: protecting our freedoms, keeping our communities safe, creating an economy for hardworking Virginians, and providing a world-class education.
Governor Youngkin and the MAGA Republicans have made a mockery of this vision, both during session and in the time since, pushing personal politics and moving us towards a Virginia reminiscent of Jim Crow – women without control over their own decisions, eliminating the restoration of rights, and policing bathrooms and books. They are working to disenfranchise and silence the next generation to ensure that their extremist agenda can proceed without opposition.
“The MAGA extremists have taken over,” said Leader Don Scott. “They want the Commonwealth of Virginia and America to work for them – not for the people. They want to take away education and resources from the next generation so they can push their MAGA agenda without being challenged.”
“Time and time again, they have shown us who they are and what they stand for,” Chair Charniele Herring said. “As we see legislators being expelled for advocating for common sense gun policies in Tennessee and partisan Texas judges banning abortion – we see exactly how the Virginia Republican Party wants to move us backward. It is our job to stand up and fight for the people of Virginia.”
2023 Reconvene Session Recap:
- Since session, Governor Youngkin secretly worked to undo the work of the previous three administrations to streamline the restoration of rights process, disenfranchising an overwhelming percentage of returning citizens.
- Ahead of reconvene, Governor Youngkin only vetoed three bills – one House and two Senate – each of which were sponsored by Democrats.
- Instead of advocating for the rights of all Virginians by protecting a woman’s right to choose, upholding the restoration of rights, and ensuring a properly-resourced education for our children, Governor Youngkin chose to take his cues from MAGA extremists and put partisan politics above hardworking Virginians.
ICYMI 2023 Session Winter Recap:
While Democrats filed hundreds of bills this session on the issues hardworking Virginians care about most, Republicans spent it taking up ideas from the MAGA movement, proving themselves incapable of governing:
- Republicans pushed to ban abortion, threatening the safety of women across the Commonwealth
- Republicans voted to uphold a ban on gay marriage here in Virginia
- The Republican Administration was so focused on removing MLK from our history standards that they lost $200M from the education budget
- Republicans have yet to pass a budget after proposing an initial draft that gives corporations over $350M in tax breaks, while the majority of Virginia households will get less than $50.
- The Governor used his State of the Commonwealth address to proudly announce that he gave away 2,500 jobs to Michigan that should have gone to hardworking Virginians
- Republicans refused to address our teacher recruitment and retention issue or our healthcare staffing shortage.
- Republicans sided with big pharma and killed legislation to bring down the cost of prescription drugs
- Republicans killed nearly two dozen gun violence prevention bills
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