Virginia’s 8th congressional district is home to more federal employees than any other congressional district. Federal employees keep this country moving, they are the backbone of national security, safe transportation, safe food, and clean water. In my stints as a federal employee—my first job as a ranger with the National Park Service, my four years as ambassador to Switzerland, and my time since 2015 as a member of Congress—I have been deeply impressed by the intelligence and work ethic of so many of my colleagues and staff. Over the years, I’ve successfully fought to increase federal employees’ pay and expand their paid leave.

But today our federal workforce is under attack by the very people who are supposed to lead and support it. President Trump and his administration have treated civil servants with wanton cruelty, with massive purges aimed at hollowing out or eliminating key federal agencies, often in clear violation of the law. 

I’ve been fighting them every step of the way. I’ve organized and spoken at rallies and events at federal agencies to stand up for workers, I’ve joined lawsuits to challenge Trump and Elon Musk’s illegal attacks on federal agencies, I’ve introduced legislation to facilitate the rehiring of federal workers, and I’ve hosted resource fairs, a financial guidance workshop, and a jobs fair to help civil servants and contractors who lost their jobs. While the need has been staggering, it has been heartwarming to see our region step up to support and help those in our community who need it most.

During the 2025 shutdown, the longest in history, I shared resources to assist federal employees and contractors experiencing financial hardship, offered legislation to support furloughed workers, challenged utilities to ensure workers didn’t have services turned off amid the pay lapse, and fought to ensure all furloughed workers received back pay.