Bill Text: VA SR82 | 2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending the Honorable Jennifer Wexton.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2024-02-19 - Bill text as passed Senate (SR82ER) [SR82 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-SR82-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, the Honorable Jennifer Wexton has been serving the Commonwealth for over two decades as a prosecutor, attorney, advocate for abused children, Senator of Virginia, and United States Congresswoman; and
WHEREAS, a native of the Washington area, Jennifer Wexton graduated with honors from the University of Maryland in College Park and earned her law degree in 1995 from The College of William and Mary; she lives in Leesburg with her husband, two sons, and two unruly, but exceedingly sweet rescued lab mix mutts; and
WHEREAS, from 2001 to 2005, Jennifer Wexton served as an assistant Commonwealth's attorney for Loudoun County, prosecuting felony and misdemeanor criminal and traffic cases in all of the Loudoun courts; she successfully prosecuted hundreds of trials, including those of criminals who committed domestic violence, sexual offenses, and murder; and
WHEREAS, after leaving the prosecutor's office, Jennifer Wexton went into private law practice, but remained committed to public service; she served as a court-appointed guardian ad litem, representing children who had been abused or neglected and also served as a special justice in mental commitment hearings and as a substitute judge in proceedings in Loudoun County's district courts; and
WHEREAS, Jennifer Wexton took her passion for protecting others to the Senate of Virginia, winning a special election in January 2014; in her five years in Richmond, she passed more than 40 bills and found bipartisan support for legislation that made children safer online, combats the heroin and opioid epidemic, increases access to affordable health care, prepares children for jobs of the future, eases traffic congestion, and brings more businesses to Northern Virginia; and
WHEREAS, during her time in the Senate of Virginia, Jennifer Wexton served on the General Laws and Technology, Rehabilitation and Social Services, and Transportation committees; she also served on the State Executive Council for Children's Services, the Joint Commission on Technology and Science, the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, the Substance Abuse Services Council, and the Board of Veterans Services; and
WHEREAS, Jennifer Wexton has represented the Commonwealth's 10th District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2019, where she has found success in working across the aisle to deliver results to improve the lives of Virginia's children and families; and
WHEREAS, Jennifer Wexton has been a leader on many issues, including supporting survivors of abuse and domestic violence, enhancing research for childhood cancer, holding the Chinese government accountable on human rights, expanding mental health resources for the U.S. Capitol Police, standing up for transgender rights, and protecting the integrity of the federal workforce; and
WHEREAS, Jennifer Wexton passed bipartisan legislative initiatives to expand funding for opioid addiction research, safeguard Americans' retirement savings during the COVID-19 crisis, protect leave benefits for federal workers, modernize the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, allow student veterans to use their benefits to study overseas, and ensure that leaders receive information about foreign disinformation campaigns on social media aimed at undermining U.S. elections; her team has successfully helped more than 11,000 constituents receive assistance from federal agencies, returning more than $20 million to taxpayers; and
WHEREAS, Jennifer Wexton serves on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, where she is responsible for securing funding for all of the government's spending programs; specifically, her subcommittee assignments focus on funding for transportation and housing and the legislative branch; she is also a member of the House Budget Committee, which provides oversight of the legislative budget process; and
WHEREAS, Jennifer Wexton is the founder of the Congressional Task Force on Digital Citizenship, which aims to help better equip Americans with tools and resources to use technology and engage online responsibly in an increasingly digital world, and the bipartisan Congressional Agritourism Caucus, which supports the agritourism industry and highlights its importance to local economies and communities; she is also a member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, where she has worked to combat human rights abuses; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That the Honorable Jennifer Wexton hereby be commended for her service as a prosecutor, attorney, advocate for abused children, Senator of Virginia, and United States Congresswoman; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Honorable Jennifer Wexton as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's admiration for her dedication to the Commonwealth and the country.
