Henrico Times

Spanberger Sworn Into 118th Congress, Calls for Increased Bipartisanship in “New Era of Divided Government”

U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today released the following statement after being sworn into the 118th Congress to serve the people of Virginia’s Seventh District for a third term.

“As the new Congress begins, I’m honored to once again serve the people of Virginia’s Seventh District in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the weeks and months ahead, I look forward to further lowering costs for our region’s families, implementing the bipartisan infrastructure law, combatting the addiction crisis, championing the needs of Virginia’s farmers and producers, and growing our Commonwealth’s economy. Even in this new era of divided government, I believe that we can find common ground and deliver progress on these priorities.

“A divided government should not automatically mean a dysfunctional government — and it is the responsibility of every lawmaker to recognize how the combination of gridlock, hyper-partisanship, and grandstanding is only a recipe for slowing down the pace of meaningful progress for the people we serve. Since arriving in Congress, I have worked to build wide coalitions across the political spectrum — because that’s how we get things done and deliver long-lasting reforms.

“Going forward, my colleagues must be focused on finding new areas of agreement, even on issues where agreement has been hard to find and sustain — such as passing bipartisan immigration reform and reducing conflicts of interest. Additionally, we need to maintain strong bipartisan support for the people of Ukraine, find new opportunities to lower drug costs for seniors and families, invest in workforce training programs, and make sure both of our political parties are alert to the threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party.

“Today is also a bittersweet moment, as I no longer represent several of the counties I have proudly served for the past four years. During these past two terms, I’ve been proud to listen to their concerns, respond with commonsense legislation, and deliver real results to these communities. I want to thank them for their support, feedback, and ideas — and I know that our work as a Virginia delegation will continue to benefit their communities and make sure Virginia remains a special place to live, work, and raise a family.

“It remains the privilege of my life to be in this position of public trust — and I will keep working to serve in a transparent, accountable, and productive manner consistent with the values of the Virginians I represent.”

Original source can be found here