Richmond, Virginia—Advocates for affordability and healthy communities celebrated as legislation to help low-income households lower their energy bills and improve home safety has passed out of the House Labor and Commerce committee on a vote of 8-1. HB3, sponsored by Delegate Destiny LeVere Bolling, would establish a one-year Energy Efficiency and Weatherization Task Force to identify […]
Press Releases
Press Release
Workers Celebrate As A Bill To Raise and Extend the Minimum Wage Passes the General Assembly
Richmond, Virginia–Workers are celebrating today as legislation to make the minimum wage sustainable for working families has passed out of the House Labor and Commerce Committee on a vote of 15-7. HB 1, sponsored by Delegate Jeion Ward, would raise the minimum wage to $13.75 an hour in 2027 and $15 an hour in 2028. It […]
Press Release
PRESS ADVISORY: Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights To Hold Press Conference on Session Priorities
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 Contact: Kelsey Cowger, kelsey@progressva.org, 434-484-2795 For Comment: press@vacir.com PRESS ADVISORY: Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights To Hold Press Conference on Session Priorities Richmond, Virginia—The Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights (VACIR) will host a press conference to outline its session priorities and provide context for its priority legislation. The press conference will […]
Press Release
In A Stunning Rebuke of Republican Overreach, Democrats Win Statewide Trifecta, Increase Legislative Majority
Richmond–In an election widely perceived as a national bellwether for voter sentiment, the voters of Virginia arrived at the polls this election season with a clear goal: to overwhelmingly reject the abuse of power, attacks on the rule of law, and naked corruption that have become a hallmark for so many conservative politicians. Though early […]
Press Release
Redistricting Amendment Passes Both Chambers; Advocates Look Ahead To 2026
Richmond– In a decisive move to protect democracy and ensure fair representation, both chambers of the legislature have passed a constitutional amendment that allows the Commonwealth to respond to national efforts to undermine voting rights through partisan redistricting. The amendment, which cleared its third and final reading in the Senate this morning, preserves Virginia’s independent […]
Press Release
ICYMI: Virginia’s Economic Growth Collapses Under Trump, Now Among The Lowest In US
Richmond, Virginia—Yesterday, Cardinal News published a sobering piece about Virginia’s long-vaunted economic growth and how it has radically reversed under the Trump regime. Just a year ago, Virginia’s GDP was tied with New Hampshire for 6th-fastest GDP growth in the nation; it has now fallen to among the lowest growth rates in the US, at just 1.7%. Northern Virginia […]
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Press Release: Republican Shutdown Politics Endangers Health Care Access Across Virginia
Richmond, VA—As we enter week three of the federal government shutdown, the Senate has gaveled into session every morning to vote on two bills: the measure passed by the House to fund the government until November 21, and a second measure, offered by Democrats, to extend the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits and restoring […]
Press Release
Earle-Sears Brings Chaos, Conspiracies, and Confusion to Virginia’s Only Gubernatorial Debate
Norfolk, VA—Last night, Virginia gubernatorial candidates Abigail Spanberger and Winsome Earle-Sears squared off at Norfolk State University for their first and only debate of the campaign. The hour-long debate was marked by constant interruptions by Lieutenant Governor Earle-Sears and even more baffling responses to the moderator’s questions. “Our community deserves a governor who takes the […]
Press Release
Winsome Earle Sears Claims Firing Employees for Sexual Orientation Is Not Discrimination
Norfolk, Virginia—On the debate stage tonight, candidate for Governor Winsome Earle-Sears interrputed her opponent, Abigail Spanberger, to claim it is not discrimination to fire an employee for being gay. The law would beg to differ. “If Winsome Earle-Sears doesn’t think being fired for being gay is discrimination, what she’s really saying is that LGBTQ+ people don’t deserve […]
Press Release
Republicans Force Government Shutdown, Play Politics With Virginians’ Health Care
Washington, DC—Tonight, Congressional Republicans shut down the federal government, leaving thousands of workers across the Commonwealth in limbo and causing thousands more to worry about their continued ability to access health care. It is appalling but not surprising that Republicans have chosen the needs of millionaires and billionaires over the hardworking families they supposedly represent. […]