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Dear Neighbor,
Tomorrow, Friday, marks six months of President Trump's war policies in Iran. He told the country to expect four or five weeks. Six months later, the conflict continues, American servicemembers and their families have paid a terrible price, and Americans here at home are absorbing the cost.
You can see it at the pump. Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee estimate that the average Virginia household has paid $702 more for gasoline since the war began, nearly $100 above the national average. That is money that does not go toward groceries, a utility bill, or a health care co-pay. And with the school year now underway, it lands on top of supplies, lunches, transportation, and after-school activities.
Throughout August, I traveled across Fairfax to community gatherings, health care facilities, research centers, and businesses feeling the effects of the President's tariff policies. I met families, workers, caregivers, scientists, and business owners. Their circumstances are different. Their concerns are the same, and I heard it nearly everywhere I went: everyday life is getting more expensive.
Higher prices are the result of decisions made in Washington.
At a time when families are stretched thin, and the national debt is approaching $40 trillion, pouring money into a forever war while cutting health care and food assistance reflects the wrong set of priorities.
When the House returns, I will carry those conversations back with me. And I will keep working to bring down costs for the people I represent, and for every American. If you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to live the American dream.
It is the honor of a lifetime to represent Virginia's 11th District. Thank you for the opportunity to serve, and I hope you enjoy this week's update.
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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Strong cybersecurity protects the essential services Fairfax families and businesses rely on, including hospitals, financial networks, water systems, and the electric grid. It is also vital to our national security and our region’s economy.
Yet as cyber threats continue to grow, the Trump administration’s DOGE policies pushed nearly 1,000 employees out of our nation’s top civilian cybersecurity agency, roughly one-third of its workforce. Now the administration is proposing to eliminate nearly 900 more positions. Many of them are our neighbors.
I led a group of Homeland Security Committee Democrats, including Ranking Member Bennie Thompson, the committee's top Democrat, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee Ranking Member Delia Ramirez, in pushing for an independent review by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
GAO serves as Congress’s nonpartisan watchdog. Its experts can determine how these cuts have affected our cyber defenses, identify gaps in the agency’s workforce, and give Congress the facts needed to demand corrective action.
Americans deserve full confidence that the federal government is prepared to protect the infrastructure and services we depend on. I will keep working to strengthen our cybersecurity workforce and hold the Trump administration accountable for policy decisions that put that mission at risk. |
America’s global influence depends on more than military and economic power. It also depends on whether other nations trust us to lead, keep our commitments, and confront shared challenges.
Many public servants in Fairfax know that firsthand. For decades, professionals at USAID, the State Department, and the CDC helped American global health programs save millions of lives, strengthen public health systems, and build partnerships around the world.
Now, the Trump administration's policies are withholding more than $3 billion that Congress approved for programs addressing HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, malnutrition, and other urgent health challenges. The administration has indicated that approximately $1.35 billion would instead cover costs associated with closing USAID.
The consequences could be devastating. If the funding expires September 30, it could contribute to nearly 170,000 preventable deaths and deny lifesaving nutrition products to 22.9 million children.
I led a bicameral coalition of more than 130 lawmakers, alongside Representatives Gabe Amo and Robin Kelly and Senator Ed Markey, in demanding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and OMB Director Russell Vought release these funds immediately. We are also demanding answers about changes to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the landmark bipartisan initiative that has saved more than 26 million lives by combating HIV/AIDS.
Withholding this funding threatens lives, discards years of public-service expertise, and weakens America’s credibility and influence. The administration must follow the law and release it before time runs out. |
Medicaid Eligibility Changes Begin October 1 |
Beginning October 1, new federal requirements will change full-benefit Medicaid eligibility for some noncitizen adults in Virginia. Current coverage remains in place through September 30.
The changes apply to adults who are not pregnant or within 12 months postpartum. Medicaid and FAMIS eligibility rules for children and pregnant or postpartum members are not changing.
Adults who lose full Medicaid coverage may still qualify for Emergency Services Medicaid or other health coverage.
Virginia Medicaid is mailing notices to members who may be affected. Make sure your contact information is current and carefully review any notice you receive. |
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I visited August Healthcare at Iliff to meet the care teams who support children and older adults with complex medical needs.
Their work helps patients receive specialized care while giving families confidence that their loved ones are supported.
Seeing this work firsthand informs my efforts in Congress to strengthen our health care workforce, improve access to quality care, and help families find the support they need at every stage of life.
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I visited the U.S. Geological Survey headquarters in Reston to meet with the scientists and public servants whose work helps communities prepare for natural hazards, manage water resources, map our nation, and understand the critical minerals essential to our economy and national security.
I am proud this important work happens here in Virginia’s 11th District, and I will keep fighting to protect the expertise and federal workforce that make it possible. |
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Many of the products families see on grocery-store shelves are supported by work happening here in Fairfax. I visited StarKist’s headquarters to meet with employees, tour their workplace, and learn how their work connects our community to operations and consumers around the world.
These conversations help me understand how decisions made in Congress about trade, supply chains, workforce policy, and food costs affect the people who live and work in Fairfax. I will keep listening to workers across our community and bringing their experiences with me to Washington. |
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From the morning commute to the security of our personal information, Fairfax families depend on transportation and digital systems that work.
I visited Parsons’ Chantilly headquarters to meet the people working on transportation, cybersecurity, and national defense projects.
Seeing that work firsthand helps me ask better questions and make better decisions in Congress about protecting critical infrastructure and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used effectively. |
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I toured Buckeye Partners’ Fairfax facility to meet with employees and learn how the site supports our region’s energy needs.
Safe, reliable energy infrastructure affects families, businesses, and emergency services across our community.
This helps inform my work in Congress on energy reliability, infrastructure safety, and keeping costs manageable for the people I represent.
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James Walkinshaw Member of Congress |
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