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Dear Friend,
This week’s newsletter discusses how federal-level cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will harm Virginians and their families, shares information on our upcoming Joint Meeting of the Richmond General Assembly Delegation and the Richmond City School Board, provides information on the Senate Page Program , and reflects on select community engagements from this past week. Thank you for reading this newsletter and for staying informed.
The Impact of SNAP Cuts on Virginians
Last Monday, I joined Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan and community partners to sound the alarm on how the $187 billion in federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) [[link removed]] included in Trump’s disastrous budget bill will hurt hundreds of thousands of Virginians and their families. SNAP serves 42 million Americans [[link removed]] , including over 800,000 Virginians [[link removed]] across the Commonwealth. According to a recent report from Voices for Virginia’s Children, nearly 447,000 families in Virginia are at risk of losing at least some of their SNAP benefits [[link removed]] because of the Trump cuts.
Analysis by The Commonwealth Institute [[link removed]] shows that $352 million in SNAP funding will be shifted to Virginia’s state budget, requiring the state to pick up $89 million in costs beginning October 1, 2026, and the remaining costs by October 1, 2027. This burden on the state budget is an additional cost to states as our state governments also grapple with Trump’s $1 billion in Medicaid cuts. As I have shared in previous newsletters, the Medicaid cuts will result in 323,000 Virginians losing Medicaid or ACA marketplace coverage [[link removed]] .
The end result is that states are facing a series of crises generated by Trump and Congressional Republicans. Under the guise of “fiscal conservatism,” these slashes to vital safety net programs are exerting harm on healthcare services and on the most vulnerable in order to fund dramatic tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy; these tax cuts are predicted to add – not subtract – to the national debt to the tune of another $3 trillion. Rather than stand up to these cruel, fiscally irresponsible policies, our Governor fully supports the harm coming to Virginia [[link removed]] .
At a time when rising costs are impacting hundreds of thousands of families, food assistance programs are lifelines that stave off hunger and support local farmers, as well as area grocery stores that serve under resourced communities. The most grievous harm will be felt by children in poverty, seniors living on fixed incomes, and the disabled.
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Also joining the press conference were Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (CD-04); Freddy Mejia, Policy Director at The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis; Rachael Deane, CEO of Voices for Virginia’s Children; and Derek Houston, CEO of The Market at 25th in the Church Hill neighborhood of Richmond. Members of SEIU also joined in support, recognizing the importance of SNAP benefits to working families across Virginia.
Joint Meeting of the Richmond General Assembly Delegation and School Board
Tomorrow, September 5, from 4:00 - 5:30 pm, I have invited members of the General Assembly’s Richmond City Delegation to the Second Annual Joint Meeting with Richmond City School Board members and Superintendent. The meeting initiates conversations between state and local officials representing Richmond City Schools in preparation for the 2026 legislative session. These discussions are designed to help us collaborate on delivering effective policy and budget measures to support Richmond’s students and their families. The joint meeting is open to the public. Registration is required. [[link removed]]
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The 2026 Senate Page Program
The application form for the 2026 Senate Page Program [[link removed]] is now live. The Senate Page Program offers a unique opportunity for young Virginians to learn about policy making and state government processes. Applicants must be residents of the Commonwealth and either 13 or 14 years old on January 14, 2026, the first day of the new session.
Pages perform administrative duties, participate in team building, undergo rigorous civics education, and help with day-to-day operations of the General Assembly. While immersed in the program, Pages live in Richmond throughout the duration of the General Assembly, visiting home on the weekends. The well-structured program provides time for Pages to keep up with schoolwork while also engaging in General Assembly activities.
The deadline to apply is Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at 5:00 pm. Questions may be directed to [email protected] [[email protected]] or (804) 698-7410.
Select Community Engagements
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Last Tuesday, I joined our Democratic House of Delegates candidate May Nivar in Henrico County for the opening of the coordinated campaign office. Early voting begins on September 19, and Election Day is now just weeks away. Volunteers are focused on getting out our collective message that Democrats will tackle increasing costs of housing, childcare and other essentials, protect health care, including reproductive health care, fully fund public education, and fight for the critical programs on which our constituents rely.
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Pictured: Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Office of Alphabet and Google
On Wednesday, my team attended Google's announcement of a new data center in Chesterfield County. The announcement also highlighted the expansion of existing facilities in Loudoun and Prince William Counties, as well as partnerships with Virginia’s four-year colleges and the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) in the development of artificial intelligence programs. The project was approved by the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors. [[link removed]]
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Later on Wednesday morning, my office team hosted our final Mobile Office Hours of the summer at Chester Library. My staff have had wonderful conversations with constituents in Chesterfield and the City of Richmond over these past several months, and we look forward to continuing community engagement events into the autumn.
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On Thursday, I traveled to Fairfax to participate in the South Asians for America’s Roadmap to 2025 in Virginia - Fireside Chat . Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are the fastest growing demographic in the Commonwealth. Our discussion focused on a variety of issues and concerns, including language access, support for small businesses, engagement in the political process, and much more. Joining me on the panel were Democratic Asian Americans of Virginia (DAAV) Chair Shyamali Hauth, DNC Vice Chair Shasti Conrad, Fairfax Young Dems Chair Sabrina Mattin, and Virginia High School Democrats Chair Jack George.
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On Saturday afternoon, I joined Senator Tim Kaine and the Liberal Women of Chesterfield County (LWCC) in Midlothian for a community town hall. Senator Kaine spoke about the work he and other Congressional Democrats are doing to fight against cuts to vital programs such as Medicaid and SNAP, attacks on public education, and efforts to erode core democratic structures.
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On Sunday, I joined elected officials, labor leaders, and constituents from across the Northern Virginia region for NoVA Labor's Annual Labor Day Picnic . Labor unions have been crucial partners in passing legislation to increase the minimum wage, expand collective bargaining rights, and establish worker protections.
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Later on Sunday evening, the Spanberger-Hashmi-Jones ticket joined the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Democrats,Young Democrats, and the James Madison University Democrats for their annual Labor Day dinner. The Shenandoah Valley is energized and ready to expand our majority in the House of Delegates and elect Democrats in the Commonwealth’s three executive positions.
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Monday, Labor Day, was event-filled, starting with the Buena Vista community breakfast and Labor Day Parade. Hundreds of local residents came out to celebrate the holiday weekend and rally in support of our Democratic ticket.
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On Labor Day in the Richmond area, my Legislative Assistant joined the members of IBEW 666 for their annual Labor Day picnic which also included elected officials and candidates.
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That same afternoon, our statewide ticket stopped by the Newport News Station 2 to deliver pizzas as a small token of our appreciation for the commitment of emergency first responders as they work hard to keep our communities safe every day.
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The weekend’s travels wrapped up as I joined Democrats from across the Commonwealth for Congressman Bobby Scott’s Annual Labor Day Cookout. This acclaimed Labor Day event is an annual favorite, attracting energized and enthusiastic Democrats for a day of celebration honoring workers and our communities.
We’re Taking a Break!
Next week, we are taking a break and will return the following week with our regular newsletter.
Connecting With My Office
My office can be reached at the following:
Email: [email protected] [gmail.com]
Phone: 804.698.7515
If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive my office’s weekly newsletter here [[link removed]] .
— Ghazala
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