Dear Friend,

This week’s newsletter discusses the devastating impacts that the recently-passed Congressional budget will have on Virginians, provides information from recent Committee and Commission meetings on which I sit, includes details on this past week’s Shadowing the Senator experience as well as the upcoming Mobile Office Hours, highlights select community engagements, and shares a message for Memorial Day. Thank you for reading this newsletter and for staying informed. 

The House GOP passed a Budget Bill that will be devastating for Virginians – and not one GOP Representative from Virginia stood up for us

Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans are calling it "One Big Beautiful Bill” because they are about to line the pockets of the ultrawealthy with billions while they unleash a wave of economic destruction and hardship on middle- and lower-income families all across the country. The impacts will also affect small businesses, interstate commerce, farmers, and more. I guess beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.

The budget bill is a $4 trillion package that will extend and expand tax cuts from Trump's 2017 tax reform and pay for these tax cuts by a massive reduction in government spending. The bill narrowly passed the House by a 215–214 vote and is now under consideration in the Senate.

Key Elements of the Republican Budget Bill

Tax Cuts

• Extension of 2017 Tax Cuts: The bill extends the individual tax rate cuts that were set to expire at the end of 2025.
• Wealthy Beneficiaries: The legislation includes provisions that primarily benefit high-income individuals and families, such as increasing estate tax exemptions and expanding deductions for pass-through entities. Pass-through entities are businesses that pass their generated revenue directly to owners, shareholders, or investors. 

Spending Cuts

• Mandatory Spending Reduction: The bill sets a goal of cutting $2 trillion in mandatory spending over the next decade, including $880 billion from Medicaid. 
• Defense and Border Security: While vital healthcare services are slashed, the bill allocates $300 billion in new spending, including $150 billion for defense and $150 billion for border security and immigration enforcement .
• Medicaid and Social Programs: The dramatic cuts to Medicaid will also be accompanied by slashed funding to other vital social programs that provide housing and food assistance.

Fiscal Impact

• Debt Increase: The Congressional Budget Office projects that the bill will likely add $3.8 trillion to the national debt over the next decade. 

Impacts on Virginia’s Families Will be Severe and Long-Term

Medicaid and Healthcare Access

Virginia's Medicaid program, which covers approximately 1.8 million residents—including 35% of Virginia’s mothers and newborns— faces substantial risks. Trump and the Republicans are planning to slash $880 billion for health programs over the next decade. Under Virginia's "trigger" law, any reduction in federal Medicaid funding (even just 1%) will automatically disenroll up to 630,000 Virginians. Who will be hit the hardest? Our rural hospitals and clinics and the communities that they serve. In Virginia, these areas are all represented by Republicans – John McGuire, Ben Cline, Morgan Griffith, Rob Wittman, and Jen Kiggans – who have collectively turned their backs on their own constituents. 

Cuts to Food Assistance

This supposedly beautiful bill also slashes $230 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) over the next 10 years. For Virginia, these cuts represent approximately $480 million annually in food assistance and impact 6,400 businesses and farmers. Additionally, the harsh work requirements force elderly recipients to work longer hours to meet new eligibility criteria. 

Poor children join the vulnerable elderly as “losers” in the callous calculus of the “beautiful bill.”  Nearly 1 in 7 children in Virginia live in food-insecure households. Under the Republican bill, the programs that rely on federal funding such as SNAP, free school meals, WIC, Summer EBT (SUN Bucks), Summer Food Service Program, and Afterschool Meals Programs will all be affected by dramatic losses in federal funding.

Tax Policy and Economic Impact

The budget bill extends Trump-era tax cuts and benefits higher-income households. At the same time, the cuts will likely lead to increased state and local taxes for Virginia families, all triggered by the loss of essential federal funds.

The so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” and its absurdly childish moniker are Orwellian in design, scope, and purpose. Unless Republicans in the US Senate join with the minority Democrats to substantially amend the legislation and fight to protect Medicaid, Medicare, housing and food assistance, critical research funding, and more, every community will feel the ripple effects of a bill driven by crass political and personal gain agendas.

Committees and Commissions

This past week was busy as several of the committees and commissions on which I serve held meetings, both in Richmond and in Alexandria.

Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee

In light of the massive changes proposed by Trump and Congressional Republicans, the Virginia Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee (SFAC) received economic updates and revenue forecasts from the Secretary of Finance Stephen Cummings. As we navigate unprecedented and tumultuous disruptions to Virginia’s economy with the large number of layoffs of the federal workforce, the loss of funding for essential programs for Medicaid, housing, food assistance, and other critical services, I challenged Secretary Cummings to share with us how Governor Youngkin plans to respond to the looming crisis. 

The Secretary’s presentation did not do a deep and necessary dive into two areas that are top of mind: the massive loss of federal jobs that impact large numbers of Virginia’s families, and the billions of research dollars that have been frozen or cut entirely and that have already begun to affect critically ill patients, hospital research centers, and our colleges and universities, and more. 

SFAC members also received presentations on the efforts to overhaul Virginia’s Integrated Revenue Management System (IRMS); additionally, the Transformation Office presented its ongoing efforts.

The meeting was held Tuesday morning, in Alexandria, on the campus of Northern Virginia Community College.

Joint Commission on Health Care

Wednesday’s meeting of the Joint Commission on Health Care (JCHC), for which I serve as Vice Chair, was informative and highlighted the ongoing work of the closure of Hiram Davis Medical Center, provided a comprehensive overview of the 2025 General Assembly Session and the Appropriations Act, and also shared an update on the study examining policy solutions to the fentanyl crisis. 

We also defined the 2025 Work Plan for the JCHC: further addressing the fentanyl crisis, access to pharmacy services, transportation-related barriers to health care access, implementation of a Medicaid in lieu of service food nutrition benefit in Virginia, and legislative oversight of Medicaid spending. 

Virginia Housing Commission’s Neighborhood Transitions, Local Land Use and Community Living Workgroup

On Thursday, the Neighborhood Transitions, Local Land Use and Community Living Workgroup on which I serve also met to begin discussions on four topics having come forward during the 2025 legislative session: HOA versus property owners rights, homeowner concerns in communities in which development projections have been abbreviated or canceled altogether, local control for manufactured home zoning ordinances, and the parameters for the rights of first refusal. The workgroup will reconvene in July to further analyze and work to find solutions ahead of the 2026 legislation session. 

Shadowing the Senator 

Last week my office hosted a “Shadowing the Senator” program participant: Veronica. A graduate of George Mason University, Veronica sought out the shadowing opportunity to learn more about state government, the duties of elected officials, and career opportunities in public service. Her shadowing day consisted of attending the Virginia Housing Commission’s Neighborhood Transitions, Local Land Use and Community Living Workgroup, a tour of the General Assembly Building and the Capitol, and one-on-one meetings with me and my staff. Veronica shared these reflections on her experience with my office:

After having spent the day with Senator Hashmi and her staff, I saw a whole new side of politics. Having witnessed the effects of a new administration being handled by Senator Hashmi and her staff right before my eyes was unreal—almost jarring. I truly learned that the breaking news I see daily are being handled by real life people, that who we vote for on a state and local level is so incredibly important. If I could shadow Senator Hashmi again, I would. It was a fantastic learning experience.

Mobile Office Hours - Thursday, May 29

This Thursday, May 29, my staff will host the second 2025 Mobile Office Hours at Meadowdale Library in Chesterfield County. Staff will be able to assist with casework involving state agencies, discuss legislative concerns, and receive feedback from constituents on issues that matter to them. Registration is open. ¿Necesita servicios en español? Haga clic aquí. Future mobile office hours will be announced in this newsletter, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and X. 

Select Community Engagements

On Tuesday evening, I was delighted to join old and new friends for a fundraiser in Falls Church in support of my campaign for Lieutenant Governor. I appreciate our host, Holly Hazard, for all her work and support. With early voting already underway and just over 20 days until Election Day, our campaign continues to gain momentum across the Commonwealth.

On Wednesday evening, my campaign was welcomed by wonderful Richmond-area hosts to a meet and greet. I enjoyed meeting with many new friends and sharing my vision for the office of the Lieutenant Governor.

On Thursday, my staff joined soldiers of the National Guard’s Petersburg-based 276th Engineer Battalion to hear about their experiences. National Guard members balance civilian life while protecting our country and responding to state and national emergencies. This past Session, I collaborated with the Virginia National Guard to pass legislation that will help Guard members access higher education by eliminating their out-of-pocket costs for tuition and expenses.

On Thursday evening, I headed to the debate stage to share my work for the past six legislative sessions in the Virginia Senate. I have been dedicated to bringing relief to working-class Virginians and being a strong voice for diverse communities. We have weathered the worst of Glenn Youngkin's efforts to dismantle public education, roll back environmental protections, voting rights, gun safety, and access to abortion, all thanks to our Senate majority. Given my experience and legislative record, I stand ready to serve as Lieutenant Governor on Day One.

On Friday morning, my Legislative Assistant joined students at Bensley Elementary School’s Career Day to share his experience and opportunities in state government and how elected officials use our democratic process to pass legislation. The students were curious, engaged, and asked wonderful questions.

On Friday, my Chief of Staff attended the Chesterfield County Police Department's 89th Basic Academy Graduation. This year’s class of nine officers hail from Trinidad, New York, Maryland, and Virginia, and have all chosen to serve in Chesterfield County and call it home. I thank this cohort of new officers for their dedication and service to public safety.

The weather this weekend was beautiful and ideal for knocking on doors as we share more about my campaign for Lieutenant Governor. Thank you to Delegate Mike Jones, who hosted a canvass launch in House District 77 and to all of the incredible volunteers who spent their Saturday with us.

On Saturday evening, I traveled to Lexington for a lovely gathering with the Lexington-Rockbridge-Buena Vista Democratic Committees. Across Virginia, Democrats are ready to expand our majority in the House of Delegates and elect a strong Democratic statewide slate that will stand up for Virginians in the face of the harm coming from the Trump administration.

Memorial Day

This Memorial Day, we join families and communities across the Commonwealth in honoring those Virginians who sacrificed their lives for our nation and the freedoms we hold dear.

Connecting With My Office

My office can be reached at the following:

Email:  [email protected] 

Phone:  804.698.7515

If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive my office’s weekly newsletter here. 

— Ghazala

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