House Republican Caucus leaders issued the following statements regarding Governor Youngkin’s State of the Commonwealth address:

House Republican Leader Todd Gilbert:

“Republicans recognize that Virginia families are still reeling from years of inflation that has made the essentials of life such as food, shelter, and energy more unaffordable than ever. At a time when Virginia collects billions of dollars in surpluses, we have an obligation to help by lowering Virginians’ tax burdens further. I look forward to working with Governor Youngkin to reduce the car tax for hard-working families, ending the tax on tips for those in the service industry, and reducing regulatory burdens that unnecessarily drive up costs.”

House Republican Caucus Chair Amanda Batten:

“If we want Virginia’s economy to continue growing, we must ensure the Commonwealth has reliable and affordable electricity. As noted by the Governor, we import 40 percent of our power, a huge increase since the Virginia Clean Economy Act became law in 2020. Now is the time to stop taking existing power stations offline and begin the critical work of adding ‘all of the above’ to our power mix. If we fail to do so, economic growth will not be the only casualty. Hard working Virginians will be forced to spend even more of their paychecks to keep the lights on.”

House Republican Whip Michael Webert:

“Economic success means nothing if Virginians aren’t safe in their communities. Governor Youngkin is right that we have an obligation to work with our Federal partners to deport illegal aliens who commit violent felonies. Mandating local law enforcement cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement will save lives.”

Deputy House Republican Leader Israel O’Quinn:

“I want to thank Governor Youngkin for his repeated and ongoing efforts to help our communities rebuild and refurbish schools as part of our joint effort to improve education for all of Virginia’s students. As we heard today, we have made tremendous progress, but there is much left to do. I look forward to working with him and our entire Republican team to make it happen.”

House Republican Leader Todd Gilbert issued the following statement:

“The safety of our communities cannot be sacrificed just so that Democrats can feel good about themselves at cocktail parties. Today’s proposal from the Governor is a common-sense approach that will ensure local governments cooperate with Federal officials to deport criminals who are in this country illegally. I look forward to working with him to see it enacted into law.”

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House Republican Leader Todd Gilbert issued the following statement:

“Today’s Supreme Court order isn’t just a victory for the Commonwealth of Virginia: it’s also a victory for common sense. Noncitizens cannot vote in our elections, and as such, people who self identify as noncitizens should be required to clarify their citizenship status. Without this order, the Biden-Harris administration would have forced as many as 1,600 self-identified noncitizens back onto the voting rolls. Congratulations to Governor Youngkin and Attorney General Miyares on a job well done.”

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