I am closely following the mass firing of thousands of federal workers by the Musk/Trump Administration. These firings are wrong and deeply damaging to families and communities throughout Virginia.

Virginia is home to nearly 145,000 federal workers in addition to countless federal contractors and grantees. As a former civil servant at the US Department of Labor, I know firsthand the dedication, expertise, and professionalism with which our federal workers serve our nation and embody the values of public service.

Constituents have reached out to me to share their concerns, from how they will be able to put food on the table to paying their rent or mortgage to caring for their families. We also know that the decimation of the federal workforce will affect the availability of a range of government services upon which Virginians depend. The impacts on the people of Virginia and to our communities are real and severe.

I will always stand up for Virginia’s hardworking public servants.

The Virginia House of Delegates Emergency Committee on Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions has begun its work. I look forward to its legislative and budgetary recommendations and am committed to doing everything we can to provide relief to impacted Virginians and our communities.

House of Delegate’s Emergency Committee on Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions

In January, Speaker Don Scott established the bipartisan Emergency Committee on the Impacts of Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions to assess and give recommendations on how we can help impacted workers and communities, maintain essential services, and safeguard Virginia’s economy.

About 145,000 federal civilian employees live in Virginia, and thousands more are federal contractors or work for nonprofit organizations funded by federal grants. The proposed blanket cuts to federal agencies and federal spending is stressful for many constituents and people across Virginia. 

The new committee is the first of its kind in the nation. It is chaired by Democratic Delegate David Bulova and co-chaired by Republican Delegate Rob Bloxom. The committee is assessing and giving recommendations on how we can help impacted workers and communities, maintain essential services, and safeguard Virginia’s economy.

Resources for Impacted Federal Workers

I hope the resources below are helpful as you navigate these difficult times. Please know that my office is always available to help you if you encounter any issues with unemployment insurance or navigating state government agencies. You can reach us by email at delktran@house.virginia.gov or by phone at 703-539-2066.

Applying for Unemployment

• Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE)

• Virginia Employment Commission Site for Federal Employees

Finding a New Job

Federal Resources

• Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Reemployment and Transition Programs

State Resources

• “Virginia Has Jobs” Program

• Virginia Career Works Centers

• NOVAnext Scholarships for Impacted Federal Workers

Local Resources

• Fairfax County Economic Development Authority Open Position Database

• Fairfax County Department of Family Services - Employment and Training

• Fairfax County Government Open Positions

• Transitioning from Federal Work to Fairfax County Public Schools

Health Care Resources

• Virginia Health Benefit Exchange

• Virginia Medicaid Program

  • Apply through your local Department of Social Services agency, you can find that here

• Neighborhood Health (Federally Qualified Health Center that takes patients on a sliding fee scale)

• Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (provides primarily mental health and substance use disorder crises)

• Other low-cost or free medical providers in the Fairfax County area

Family Services Assistance

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program

• Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning

• Fairfax Child Care Assistance and Referral (CCAR) Program

Housing and Rental Assistance Agencies

• Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development

• Fairfax County Housing and Community Development

Other Resources

• Virginia Department of Social Services

• Fairfax County Human Services Resource

• Fairfax County Department of Family Services

• Local Community Organizations

  • Capital Area Food Bank (partners with local food banks)

  • Northern Virginia Family Service

  • ECHO – Ecumenical Community Helping Others

  • Lorton Community Action Center

  • Good Shepherd Housing

  • Koinonia Foundation

Capital Area Food Bank Support for Federal Workers

The Capital Area Food Bank is holding pop-up distributions twice a week, including at the Giant in the 18th House District. The pop-up distributions will have pantry items and fresh produce every Thursday from 5-7pm and Saturday from 9-11am, or while supplies last. You can learn more information about the program and other ways to get help from Capital Area Food Bank here. They will be distributing at the following locations:

• Giant: 6364a Springfield Plaza in Springfield, Virginia

• Safeway: 4215 Cheshire Station Plaza in Dale City, Virginia

Capital Area Food Bank will be reassessing the program after June and hope to continue pop-up distributions after then as well.