3 Things We Learned from the Shutdown

1. Federal paydays are maximum pressure days. For federal employees expected to work without pay, that's when it hurts the most.

2. Senator Lindsey Graham has a lot of influence with President Trump. The agreement announced at the end of the week that ended the shutdown was his idea announced at the beginning of that week.

3. The FAA may put more pressure on political leaders than federal paydays. When a New York airport was facing delays, that was a lot of pressure on a Senate minority leader and a President, both from New York.

Issues for Sanders 2020

After the agreement to temporarily re-open the government was announced, Senator Bernie Sanders was among the first to the Senate floor to make comments.

A repeated refrain in his remarks was, “Border security is an important issue, but so is…” and then he would cite an issue.

He cited health insurance, prescription drug costs, guaranteeing health care “to all people as a right,” minimum wage, climate change, criminal justice reform, and comprehensive immigration reform.

With news this weekend being Sanders is set to announce another presidential campaign, it makes sense that his speech sounded more like a campaign speech than a policy speech.

State Senator Surovell's Legislative Agenda

Summarizing the points from Sen. Surovell's piece in the Fort Hunt Herald, wording his:

the budget — $1 billion excess revenue “to appropriate” (spend)

carrying twenty-five bills, the limit in the Senate

Governor Northam’s coal ash bill — ban leaving ash in place

Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment — one more state to 38 for ratification in the U.S. Constitution

clean up the Code of Virginia’s provisions for same-sex couples who use assisted conception.

provide temporary driving permits to all Virginians regardless of immigration status

Fairfax County Drone Racing

Fairfax County is exploring the possibility of using drones for recreational purposes including, “Virtual reality, children’s camps and UAS racing.”

Sign me up!

The county is accepting feedback until February 8.

Pelosi & Presidents

When Speaker Pelosi assumed the gavel last week, she mentioned two U.S. Presidents in her opening remarks, both of them Republicans.

As President Reagan said in his last speech as president: “If we ever closed the door to new Americans, our leadership in the world would soon be lost.”

I close by remembering a cherished former Member of this body, who rose to become a beloved President, and who, last month, returned once more to lie in state. That week, we honored President George Herbert Walker Bush with eulogies, tributes and tears. Today, I single out one of his great achievements – working with both Democrats and Republicans to write the Americans With Disabilities Act into the laws of our land.