Today marks the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act, signed into law by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. A critical part of our social safety net, Social Security remains an important lifeline for retirees, those living with disabilities, and other beneficiaries whose lives depend on it.

Here in Virginia, roughly 1.7 million people receive Social Security benefits, and a little over 10,000 Virginians receive that benefit by paper check. The Trump Administration recently announced that the paper check distribution system will be discontinued in favor of direct deposit or a pre-paid debit card. I encourage any Virginian affected by these changes to contact the Social Security Administration or visit the closest office to learn more and obtain assistance.

This change is just one of many that I expect will disrupt the lives of many beneficiaries. I am also deeply concerned about proposed changes to the program under discussion in Congress, including the introduction of an investment fund, that suggest opening the door to privatizing Social Security and increasing borrowing to keep the program solvent. The details will be important to understand as they take shape. I, along with millions of other Americans, believe that lifting the cap on income subject to payroll taxes, among other reforms, will be necessary to protect Social Security in the near term.

Most of the people in Washington who pose the greatest threat to Social Security will have no idea what it's like to depend on it to survive. So Virginia, use your voice to demand answers from your elected representatives about what they plan to do to protect the social security benefits you earned. Use your vote to create change if you don't like their answers.

Today marks the 60th anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson signing Medicaid and Medicare into law. Since then, these programs and others that spring from it, like CHIP (the Children's Health Insurance Program), have provided a literal lifeline for millions of Americans.

What makes our country a modern, developed, and progressive nation is a social safety net system that supports the poor, disabled, children, and elderly within our communities. Failing to do so is an indictment on us as a society and a myopic approach to protecting and building our economy. We must continue to fulfil our promise as a nation to those who have been dealt a harsh blow or who have aged into a system that is there to protect them.

The One Big Beautiful Law, passed on 4 July 2025, threatens to sever the lifeline for roughly 300,000 Virginians. As the next Governor of Virginia, it will be my top priority to protect and shore up our social safety net, including Medicaid and SNAP. That means implementing at the state and local levels programs that will assist recipients in navigating administrative hurdles and costs to accessing their Cardinal Care benefits.

While it may mean difficult decisions ahead, there is no greater honor than to serve every member of our community in a way that speaks to the promise of compassion, humanity, and community.

Since the Donna for Virginia© Campaign launched in May 2025, Donna Charles has emerged as an independent candidate who is responsive to the needs of Virginians who are often overlooked, unseen, and unheard election cycle after election cycle. Her campaign reflects the growing desire among Virginians for an alternative to divisive and corrupt party politics.

Donna Charles is running for Governor Virginia to give Virginians a real choice in November. Among establishment candidates who have been bought and paid for by special interests, dark money PACs, and corporations, Donna Charles emerges as a candidate with integrity who has pledged to run a transparent campaign accountable to everyday Virginians. That means she is focused on raising funds from individual donors whose small dollar donations can fuel a movement for change here in Virginia.

Donna's campaign is predicated on a bold new leadership approach that will make Virginia safer, brighter, more prosperous, and healthier. Donna's top priorities include: increasing the minimum wage to a living wage ($15/hr or higher); protecting Virginians from the harmful effects of the One Big Beautiful Bill by shoring up Cardinal Care for Medicare and Medicaid recipients; securing access to essential food assistance programs and other benefits; addressing the housing crisis through comprehensive reforms at all levels; increasing necessary resources for law enforcement and criminal justice professionals to reorient our system toward victim-centered approaches to public safety; diversifying Virginia's economy by enhancing access to training and reskilling opportunities in the trades, healthcare, and social service delivery; keeping our promise to rural communities by driving more state resources for social services, infrastructure development, and small business revitalization into underserved but deserving areas throughout the Commonwealth; diversifying Virginia's energy portfolio by introducing solar, wind, geothermal, and nuclear projects to complement existing energy sources, bring costs down for everyone, and protect Virginia's environment and residents from harmful toxins and pollutants; and restoring Virginia as the best place in the country to do business.