Taking action on guns is a top priority for Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-10, Loudoun, Prince William).
“The time has finally come to do something about it,” said Wexton, Wednesday at the Prince William Chamber of Commerce. Her comments come after a recent string of mass shootings in Texas, California, Ohio, and Virginia Beach.
Short on details on how she would address the issue, Wexton said gun show loophole legislation passed by the House of Representatives, after the mass shooting death of nine people in a Charleston, S.C. church waiting for action by the Senate, would help.
Wexton also denounced the NRA. “The NRA has morphed into an organization that no longer represents responsible gun owners and now represents gun manufacturers,” she said.
On mental health, Wexton said the expansion of Medicaid could lead to more funding for mental health services in Virginia. She said it would require a federal, state, and local partners to do more for those suffering mental health issues.
On Memorial Day, Virginia law enforcement had nowhere to turn as zero beds were available for people who had been temporarily detained for mental issues.
Also on healthcare, Wexton said she doesn’t support Medicaid for all. “A lot of people have private insurance they like,” she said.
She does support giving people more federally funded options for people who live in communities with no or one healthcare provider on the public exchange.
Keeping the Federal Government open is another top priority. Short of a new budget deal, Wexton said to expect a continuing resolution to temporarily fund the government through December.
Wexton also talked about expanding rural broadband access to the state, and agrotourism in the region, for farmers that have been affected by “rock bottom” prices on grocery store produce. Farmers have started to host festivals and tourists on their farms.
“As the areas develop, and we have more of the suburban encroachment, a lot of people in the suburbs — you know, they’re young families — they wanna take their kids out and show them where the produce grows and see the animals…,: said Wexton.
Wexton took office in January, replacing Republican Barbara Comstock. Before that, she served in the Virginia House of Delegates State Senate in Richmond.
