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Dear Neighbor,
The final weekend of summer break is here, and families across Fairfax are getting ready for a new school year.
Fairfax County Public Schools will welcome students back for the 2026-27 school year on Monday, August 24. That means earlier alarms, packed lunches, school buses back on the roads, and more activity in neighborhoods across our community.
If you are traveling around Fairfax Monday morning, give yourself some extra time. Slow down around schools and bus stops, and keep an eye out for students crossing the street.
Families can find official schedules, updates, and other back-to-school information through the FCPS website.
For parents and caregivers, this weekend can be a mix of excitement and preparation, along with trying to enjoy one last quiet stretch of summer. I hope you and your family have a peaceful and restful weekend before the first bell rings.
Getting ready for school also means working through a long checklist. Backpacks, notebooks, lunchboxes, groceries, shoes, clothes, and all the other essentials add up quickly.
This year, they are adding up even faster.
Families are paying nearly 8% more to stock backpacks than they did a year ago and close to $400 more per child to pack lunches over the school year. Lunchboxes alone are up 27%.
The Trump administration’s tariff policies and the economic uncertainty coming from the Oval Office are being felt at the checkout counter. School supplies, clothing, groceries, and other necessities are taking a bigger bite out of family budgets.
Families should not have to pay the price for economic policies that make everyday goods more expensive. In Congress, I am fighting to lower costs and give working families more breathing room.
Parents should be able to focus on helping their children start the school year strong, not wondering at the checkout counter what they may have to leave behind.
To our students, families, teachers, bus drivers, crossing guards, cafeteria workers, custodians, and everyone working to make Monday a successful first day: enjoy these last few days of summer. I hope you have a smooth start and a wonderful school year ahead.
Make sure to follow me on X, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and Threads to stay up-to-date.
Please continue reading below to learn more about how I’ve been serving you.
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As I mentioned above, getting ready for a new school year is bringing a lot of excitement to families across Fairfax, but it is also bringing another round of sticker shock.
In a new op-ed for the Fairfax Connection, I share more about what parents are seeing at the checkout counter and why back-to-school costs are climbing.
I also go into detail about the concrete steps I am taking in Congress to make life more affordable, including pushing back on tariffs that raise prices, protecting food assistance, expanding the Child Tax Credit, and lowering child care costs.
Families should be able to enjoy these milestones without constantly worrying about what rising prices mean for the household budget. |
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Folks from across Fairfax made their way to the West Springfield Government Center for our second Passport Day, with parents, children, and travelers moving through appointments, asking questions, and getting help with passport applications close to home.
Throughout the day, families checked in, met directly with passport professionals, worked through their applications, and got one more important task off their list without leaving Fairfax. |
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For many, that meant avoiding an extra trip into Washington, spending less time on the road, and saving money on gas, parking, and other travel costs.
We organized this event because I believe that government services should be as accessible and convenient as possible, and sometimes that means bringing them directly into the communities we serve.
A special thank you to the Washington Passport Agency and everyone who helped make the event possible.
We will keep looking for opportunities to bring federal services closer to home and make it easier for families across Fairfax to get the help they need. |
When an ICE agent points a gun at a member of our community without justification, Congress cannot look the other way.
This week, I joined Representatives Don Beyer and Suhas Subramanyam in opening a congressional investigation into an August 10 encounter in Bailey’s Crossroads, where video shows a masked ICE agent pointing a firearm at Carolina Molina, a U.S. citizen and Northern Virginia resident.
We were joined by the top Democrats on the House Oversight, Judiciary, and Homeland Security Committees, Representatives Robert Garcia, Jamie Raskin, and Bennie Thompson, in demanding a full accounting of what happened.
We are calling on the FBI to formally investigate the incident and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to review the agents’ conduct. We are also demanding that DHS preserve and turn over body-camera footage, incident reports, and other records, and explain whether the agents followed ICE’s own use-of-force and body-camera policies.
As a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, I take seriously my responsibility to oversee DHS and the agencies under its authority. Federal law enforcement officers are entrusted with significant power. That power must come with accountability, transparency, and respect for constitutional rights.
What happened in Bailey’s Crossroads demands answers, and I will keep using every oversight tool available to get them. |
Virginia Railway Express Adds Special Sunday Service |
Heading into Washington this weekend? Virginia Railway Express will run special service on Sunday, August 23, giving Fairfax-area residents another way to avoid expected traffic and road closures surrounding the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.
VRE will operate northbound trains in the morning and southbound trains in the afternoon and evening, allowing riders to leave the car behind and travel into Washington at standard VRE fares.
With significant congestion and parking restrictions expected in the city, this is a useful option for anyone planning to head into Washington on Sunday.
If you are traveling that day, check the VRE schedule and ticket information before you head out. |
If you know a student in Fairfax who dreams of serving our country, applications are now open for my 2026 U.S. Service Academy nominations.
The U.S. Service Academies prepare future military officers through a rigorous academic and leadership education. Students seeking appointments to most academies must receive a nomination from an authorized source, including their Member of Congress.
I may nominate eligible students who live in Virginia’s 11th District. Completed applications for the Class of 2031 are due October 2, 2026, and applicants who submit a complete package may be invited to interview with our Service Academy Advisory Boards this fall.
I encourage interested students and families to start the process early and make sure all required materials are submitted before the deadline.
Learn more, download the application, and submit your materials here. |
James Walkinshaw Member of Congress |
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