CONGRESSMAN
For years, I have warned about the serious consequences posed by unvetted migrants to American citizens and the Sixth District. Just last week, we saw a prime example of this issue unfold within our own community. The Department of Homeland Security announced that Jaan Shah Safi, an Afghan national who entered the United States under the Biden Administration’s “Operation Allies Welcome,” was taken into federal custody. Read my full statement below on the ICE Arrest of an Alleged ISIS-K Terrorist in Waynesboro.
Stopping Communist China’s Indoctrination in Our Schools
China’s influence has seeped into America’s K–12 classrooms, including right here in Virginia, and it comes at the direct expense of our children’s education and our Nation’s future. For years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has used backdoor financing and deceptive partnerships to gain a foothold in schools. Today, 164 Confucius Classrooms operate across the country, including programs that have reached Virginia’s education system. These efforts are designed not to enrich learning, but to subtly shift how young Americans view the world and, ultimately, how they view China. House Republicans will not stand by while the CCP attempts to shape the minds of the next generation of American lawyers, doctors, servicemembers, and lawmakers. Our schools exist to teach and prepare our children, not to serve as an open door for a foreign adversary intent on undermining the United States.
Last week, House Republicans passed three common sense bills to push back against the CCP’s relentless attempts to influence our classrooms. First, we passed legislation prohibiting federal education dollars from flowing to any elementary or secondary school that receives direct or indirect support from the Government of China. Virginia families expect their tax dollars to support American education, not foreign propaganda. Next, we barred public schools from accepting funding, entering partnerships, or signing contracts with the CCP or its proxies. No loopholes, no workarounds, and no excuses. If a school accepts Chinese government funding, it will forfeit federal support. And finally, we required local educational agencies to notify parents of their right to know exactly where foreign influence exists in their children’s schools. Virginia parents deserve full transparency; these notifications ensure parents have the information they need to protect their child’s education.
We owe it to every parent and every student across the nation to keep our schools free from foreign manipulation. I was proud to support these measures, which send a clear message: the CCP cannot buy its way into influencing Virginia’s education system.
Cutting the Red Tape. Delivering for Main Street.
Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, but for too long they have been buried under layers of bureaucracy and growing federal red tape. I am proud to support legislation passed last week that gives these job creators the relief they deserve. The DUMP Red Tape Act provides small business owners with a direct line to report unnecessary or costly regulations and ensures their concerns are documented and addressed. By creating a dedicated “Red Tape Hotline” at the SBA, this bill makes it easier for small businesses to flag burdensome rules by phone, email, or web form and ensure their voices reach Congress.
House Republicans also delivered relief for Main Street with the Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act last week, which requires the SBA to identify and report the true costs of federal regulations on small businesses each year. After years of runaway overregulation that added trillions in new costs and millions of hours in paperwork under the Biden Administration, this bill is a critical step toward rolling back harmful rules and restoring a climate where entrepreneurs can grow, hire, and invest in their communities. Together, these two pieces of legislation strengthen transparency, cut red tape, and put Main Street back at the center of our economy.
Empowering Franchises Across the Commonwealth
Inconsistent joint-employer rules have long created uncertainty for franchise small businesses, leading to confusion, costly lawsuits, and missed job opportunities. The American Franchise Act fixes this by returning to a clear, consistent standard: franchisors are considered joint employers only when they exercise substantial and direct control over essential employment decisions, such as hiring, firing, wages, and discipline.
I cosponsored this bipartisan bill because it protects franchise independence while giving owners the confidence to invest in their communities. Since 2015, the joint-employer standard has changed four times, creating confusion and costing franchise businesses over $33 billion a year, along with hundreds of thousands of lost jobs. This bill affirms that franchisees are small businesses whose independence must be protected. It ensures franchisors can support their franchisees, often first-time business owners, without fear of overly broad liability, keeping the franchise model strong and helping small businesses thrive.
Speaking Straight to the New Media: Republicans Delivering in Congress
The Republican Study Committee is the largest conservative caucus of the House with over 150 members. I was pleased to speak with several different outlets at the RSC’s new media row last week. Influencers and news media outlets from across the country came together to discuss how Congressional Republicans, alongside President Trump, are unified in our efforts to make life more affordable for hardworking Americans in every corner of the country, an effort that we have delivered on. Biden-era overregulation and runaway spending have been passed along to the American consumer, leaving them to bear the burden.
Republicans represent a sea change in government approach. There’s so much that has been accomplished, including working with the administration to pass transformative legislation that provides historic tax cuts for American families and addresses the affordability crisis created by Democrats. Looking ahead to 2026, I will continue working to cut red tape and downsize the federal bureaucracy in Washington while always putting America First.
Casework Success: Helping a Recent Widow
A constituent recently visited our Roanoke District Office after the recent passing of her husband, a TSA employee. She was facing serious challenges with the processing of his annuity, his Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account, and with establishing her own health care coverage.
My staff connected her with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the National Finance Center, which helped guide her through the obstacles preventing her from accessing the benefits her husband earned through his service. I’m glad that this work resulted in this constituent getting answers, therefore resolving the roadblocks she ran into. If you or someone you know has ever had difficulty with a federal agency, my local district offices are here to advocate for you.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Congressman. If my office can ever be of assistance, please contact my Washington office at (202) 225-5431.
