SBHS Students Meet Rep

SBHS Students Meet Rep. Jen Wexton

Stone Bridge US History students met with Rep. Jen Wexton. Rep. Wexton was able to participate in a Q&A as she was in between committee hearings. This discussion took place in the Rayburn House Office building. Shaniyah showed our appreciation by presenting a Stone Bridge t-shirt to Rep. Wexton. Thanks to Cassandra Donohue for joining us and the Wexton staffers for arranging our meeting. They also helped with going to the Crypt, Rotunda, Statuary Hall and we observed the House of Representatives debating whther the Mueller Report should be made public. Thanks to Courtney Callejas, Arsalan Ahmad and Chloe Stavrianos for making that happen. This meeting took place on March 13th, 2019.

Prior to our meeting with Rep. Wexton, Sydney met with Rep. Denver Riggleman. Sydney may be working in his office this summer.

I asked the first question. The last time I saw you we were at the ceremony where Pastor Michelle Thomas became the President of the NAACP. Phyllis Randall was there as was Marty Martinez, Justin Fairfax and your friend and my friend Mark Herring. A couple days later all the controversy started with the blackface. What is your sense of that story a couple months past that? ANSWER- It shows Virginia has a long way to go. I'm glad our sensitivities have changed because it wasn't that long ago this was going on. Last weekend I went with Congressman John Lewis to Selma, Alabama. It was a great learning experience.

Chris (center) Do you regret having one of your campaign aides dress up like a police officer in one of your ads? ANSWER- Yeah and in fact that was not my idea. But yes I do. I've worked with law-enforcement for many years. I certainly would not want to disrespect any law enforcement. I did have plenty of law enforcement say that supported me, but they can't do that publically.

Ben (3rd right) So as illegal immigration has become more prevalent especially in the southern states, what do you propose as the best solution? ANSWER- There are a lot of things that need to be done. We need comprehensive immigration reform not just for illegal immigration. I don't think building a giant wall across the border is the answer. We need to maintain humanitarian aid to those countries that are war torn.

Sophia (right) What was it like making campaign ads and did your kids enjoy that experience? ANSWER- I have a fifteen year-old son and a thirteen year-old son. My thirteen year-old was cool with it. But my fifteen year-old did not want to be in it. And I was like "all you have to do is have your ear buds and look at your phone which is what you always do in the car." He said "I can do that."

Mike (left) What's your prediction on the outcome of the Mueller investigation? ANSWER- I don't make predictions on things like that. I look forward to seeing that and hope we do get to see it. The American people deserve to see the report.

Anne (front right) On January 11th you voted for appropriating money for various federal departments. When you cast that vote did our national debt cross your mind and in general how do we get back to a surplus and reduce our debt? ANSWER- I came from a state government where we had to balance our budget ever year. So this is a different kind of world to me here. But when you give tax cuts in trillions of dollars to people who don't need them and don't give anything to the middle class, it makes a difficult situation and puts it on roller-skates and pushes it down the hill.

Malika- Does it seem fair to you that a woman can sneak into our country, immediately give birth and that child is a citizen when it takes years for people who legally enter our country to become citizens? ANSWER- So we have birthright citizenship in this country. There's a lot of things we can do to speed up the legal immigration process.

Connor- Is there a crisis or emergency at our border with Mexico? ANSWER- I would not call it a crisis but it is a very difficult situation because we have not been able to accommodate the children that come into our life.

Luke- When you decided to run for congress was your main motivation opposition to Barbara Comstock or policies you wanted to see enacted? ANSWER- It was to do positive things for the people. Had she been doing the kinds of things I think she should have been doing, like trying to get rid of Obamacare I might not have run.