The Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce is the leading convener for businesses in Planning District 16 – Stafford, King George, Caroline, Spotsylvania counties and the city of Fredericksburg. The Chamber works closely with policymakers at the local, state, and federal level to ensure we have a healthy business environment.

The Chamber commends Representative Abigail Spanberger and Supervisor Yesli Vega for their commitment to public service. One of these leaders will represent our region in Congressional District 7 following the November election. The Chamber does not endorse candidates. The Chamber looks forward to working with the winner.

In lieu of a public forum or debate, the Chamber shared a business-focused questionnaire with both candidates. Each candidate’s responses is below.

Inflation: Given today’s historic levels of inflation, what are your ideas, and what will you support, in terms of policy initiatives to lower inflation?

 

SPANBERGER: As a lawmaker, I have focused on finding solutions that will lower costs for Virginians and address outstanding supply chain issues in our economy. That’s why I am proud to once again earn the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 2022.

 After hearing directly from local Chambers of Commerce here in Virginia about this issue, I voted in support of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act. This law will help grow Virginia’s economy, support Virginia’s semiconductor industry and workforce, keep America competitive with the Chinese Communist Party, and prevent the shortages of microchips that we’ve seen drive up costs for consumers – from cars to computers to all the other devices today that rely on these chips.

Additionally, I’ve worked with Democrats and Republicans on delivering smart investments that will support the region’s economy during this moment of uncertainty. The bipartisan infrastructure law – which I helped negotiate with Members of Congress and Governors from both parties – will help reduce congestion on I-95, support thousands of jobs here in Virginia, and provide necessary fixes to Virginia’s roads, bridges, ports, and water infrastructure. My opponent would have voted against these laws.

Finally, as we’ve seen the rising cost of higher education outpace inflation for several years, I’ve been an advocate for alternatives to four-year degrees – such as workforce training and apprenticeship programs – that lead to good-paying jobs and meet the workforce needs of our region.

 

VEGA: Our economy is hurting, and people are struggling to make ends meet with soaring gas and food prices. With inflation rising, my top priority will be working to relieve the burden of increasing costs on our nation’s citizens and to reduce unnecessary taxes and regulations that crush our small businesses.

Famous conservative economist Milton Friedman described inflation as “too much money chasing too few goods”. Having too much money floating around the economy reduces the value of the currency.

We need to return to a limited government that doesn’t over-print currency, which is the root cause of inflation. In congress, I will work diligently to get government printing and spending under control so U.S. citizens can keep more of their hard-earned money.

Supply Chain: Domestic supply chain and labor shortages are impacting everything from baby formula to new vehicles to the electric grid. If elected, what personal actions would you take as our Congresswoman to remedy these scarcity problems and the inflation that accompanies them?

 

SPANBERGER: I’ve heard about these issues directly from the Virginians I serve — and addressing these issues remains a top priority. I believe that we tackle these challenges by building bipartisan coalitions around practical ideas, and my record in the U.S. House speaks to this mission.

Last year, American trucking companies reported a shortage of approximately 80,000 drivers. This shortage impacts consumers, as trucks move more than 72% of our nation’s goods.

Additionally, many trucking companies have struggled to hire drivers without offering bonuses or much higher wages to qualified drivers.

To further compound these issues, the median age of American truck drivers right now sits between 51 and 52 years old. It’s a simultaneously aging and shrinking workforce, meaning our driver shortage is here to stay — unless we act.

That’s why I introduced the bipartisan Strengthening Supply Chains Through Truck Driver Incentives Act earlier this year. I teamed up with Congressman Mike Gallagher — a Republican from Wisconsin — in introducing this commonsense bill. By creating a refundable tax credit for America’s truckers, our bill would encourage more young people — from Virginia to Wisconsin and everywhere in between — to enter this industry. Our legislation would also reduce some of the headaches faced by trucking businesses, and it would reward experienced drivers for their loyalty. I’ve heard directly from Virginia trucking organizations about their strong support for our bill.

When the baby formula crisis began hitting Virginia’s young families, I immediately sounded the alarm and acted with urgency. I was the lawmaker responsible for pressing the White House — after numerous direct calls — to invoke the Defense Production Act to speed up baby formula production, increase imports of safe formula from abroad, and cut burdensome red tape to get closed facilities up and running.

I do not want to see continued challenges in this sector. That’s why I teamed up with Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) to prevent future shortages. Our bipartisan Formula Shortage Reporting Act would ensure the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) receives timely information from manufacturers about anticipated disruptions of infant formula supply. With proper warnings and oversight, the formula shortage could have been prevented. Importantly, the FDA needs accurate and timely information about potential shortages of ingredients or supply chain disruptions — and the American people, particularly parents, deserve this information.

 

VEGA: Years ago, many companies adopted a “just-in-time” approach to supply chain management, where what you needed arrived exactly when you needed it. This helped to keep down storage and inventory costs. However, the pandemic complicated this approach.

Most of our country’s manufacturing has been shifted overseas due to lower labor and production costs. However, disruptions in the supply chain process have led to a greater need for American manufacturing. We need to bring production back to the United States and to countries near the United States to reduce long transportation times.

Labor shortages have played a role in supply chain backups as well. Although the economy has recovered, many companies are still having issues getting people back to work which makes it difficult to appropriately staff their businesses.

In congress I will work to reform our unemployment benefits system to encourage people to get back to work so our businesses can reach their full potential.

 

National Security & Domestic Production: The United States has substantially off shored its domestic production capabilities and capacity. What risk to the US economy and people and our national security does this pose, and what will you do to mitigate this risk?

 

SPANBERGER: I remain focused on passing important legislation that is vital, not only for strengthening our economy, but also in securing our chip and semiconductor supply chain. I have been doggedly committed to getting a bill that contains the CHIPS and Science Act passed – and I was proud that Congress and the White House got it done. The law matters to businesses and consumers across our Commonwealth and our country.

This legislation will boost semiconductor research and manufacturing in the Commonwealth — thereby creating new jobs, lowering costs for consumers, and helping us win our global competition with China. This is a priority I have long heard about from organizations like the Chamber, just as I did during negotiations for the bipartisan infrastructure law. We need to focus on smart investments that are good for our business community and good for our workforce.

I am also focused on reducing our dependence on foreign nations like China when it comes to prescription drug manufacturing. That’s why I’ve led and championed bipartisan legislation — the PREPARE Act — to strengthen domestic production of pharmaceutical ingredients here in America. My legislation would also create an emergency supply of key ingredients used in generic medicines. We saw the need for homegrown manufacturing of these products during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is much more we can do to limit our dependency on the Chinese Communist Party for the lifesaving medications Virginians need.

 

VEGA: The Biden Administration’s haphazard decision to shutdown the Keystone XL pipeline while lifting sanctions on Putin’s Nordstream pipeline is the most glaring example of the failure of this ideological approach and the substantial negative impacts it can have on the economy and national security for the U.S. and the world.

We must become energy independent once again, for the economic well-being of American families and the security of peace seeking nations throughout the world. This requires having an all of the above approach to American energy which provides an equal playing field for all, but favoritism towards none.

Allowing hostile actors in Russia and the Middle East to have a strategic advantage in the world’s energy production is no longer an option.

 

Business Priorities: Assuming your victory, what single issue affecting business would you prioritize in the coming term – name it and describe what you want to accomplish.

 

SPANBERGER: Virginia’s small businesses know they have someone in Congress who will fight for their livelihoods and their employees.

When PPP was too restrictive, I fought to cut red tape. When restaurants needed additional support during the pandemic, I worked to successfully move the Restaurant Revitalization Fund forward. And when Virginia businesses needed more export opportunities, I was a Democrat who actually worked with the Trump Administration — specifically then-Vice President Mike Pence — to get USMCA across the finish line.

As the only Virginian who sits on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, I am working on supporting Virginia’s agricultural producers. For example, I’ve heard directly from Virginia livestock producers about the problems of consolidation and price-gouging in the meat and poultry packing industry. My bipartisan Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act would create an Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters in the U.S. Department of Agriculture tasked with ensuring and promoting free-market competition in the sector.

Going forward, I’m focused on moving solutions forward that businesses know will help all Virginians get ahead — like strengthening support for workforce training programs, cutting burdensome and unnecessary red tape, and expanding high-speed broadband internet access.

 

VEGA: Labor shortages and supply chain issues will be my top focus.

Labor shortages have been caused by bad government policies. We need to be incentivizing people to get back to work and not giving handouts to people that choose not to work.

Shortages in staffing are causing many of the supply chain issues we see around the country. Fixing these shortages will help curb the problems we’re seeing now in the supply chain.

Since the pandemic, teleworking has taken over many industries. This has helped lower costs for some companies but has made it harder for others to hire. Manufacturing plants, restaurants, and grocery stores are a few examples of industries affected by teleworking because their employees don’t have the option to stay home. The new teleworking environment is making it more difficult for manufacturers and others to compete in the hiring process which is causing shortages. Teleworking is more convenient, and the jobs often pay more which leads to staffing shortages in firms that can’t utilize it.

In Congress, I will work with our businesses to reduce labor shortages and speed up our supply chain process.

Electric Transportation: Public policy is rapidly advancing the adoption of electric vehicles with tax credits, subsidies, and incentives, including charging infrastructure. Energy security, capacity and delivery systems will require vast investment to meet this policy objective. What will you do to ensure our energy stays reliable and affordable?

 

SPANBERGER: This Congress, we took several steps to bolster domestic clean energy deployment and help more Virginians take advantage of new vehicles on the market — most notably, through the passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which invests in electric vehicle charging infrastructure and electricity grid resiliency. My vote for this law will help make sure that America — not other countries — leads the way in both responsibly addressing climate change and producing these cutting-edge technologies.

Our growing economy also requires physical infrastructure improvements that will keep us competitive with other countries around the world. To support Virginia’s jobs and grow the Commonwealth’s physical infrastructure, I helped lead negotiations with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to pass the bipartisan infrastructure law, which will deliver billions in critical investment to our Commonwealth. And the bipartisan infrastructure law is already paying dividends. Recently, Spotsylvania County was awarded $3 million in federal grant funds through the infrastructure program to help with the cost of planned U.S. 1 improvements. But there is still more infrastructure work to be done. In the wake of last winter’s I-95 backup, I am focused on ensuring that Virginia is taking proper precautions to prevent future disasters on our roads and keep Virginia’s drivers safe.

 

VEGA: The best thing we can do to ensure our energy stays reliable and affordable is for all sources and types of energy to compete against one another on a level playing field. This means an all of the above energy approach, with favoritism towards none. Allowing wind, solar, electric, oil, gas, and other types of energy sources to compete against one another is the purest and most efficient way to drive down costs and increase production and availability for Virginia consumers.

Cybersecurity: While many larger firms can afford an internal IT team and a CIO or CISO, most small and medium-sized companies outsource this service to a Managed Services Provider. If a ransomware hits a small business, it could potentially shut their doors down. What will you do to improve protection for small businesses?

 

SPANBERGER: Given my background as a CIA case officer and my current role on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I have been and will remain focused on protecting our country. My work to date has included strengthening our cybersecurity (including addressing critical infrastructure vulnerabilities to attacks like the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack), improving the security of America’s rapidly developing 5G networks, and defending the values of the United States in the face of the aggression we see from autocracies around the world. This year, President Biden signed into law my bipartisan legislation — the Better Cybercrime Metrics Act — that will help our nation’s law enforcement departments prevent cybercriminals from targeting America’s businesses and government agencies.

VEGA: Many cyber-attacks originate from outside the United States – especially China. These cyber criminals, even if they are identified, are often able to carry out these attacks with complete impunity. This is unacceptable. It is the job of the federal government to protect Americans – especially business owners – from these attacks.

As a member of Congress, I’ll support legislation that gives federal agencies the tools they need to investigate these types of threats and the power to punish individuals or organizations that participate in this behavior.

Workforce: With a slowing economy that sees many workers displaced from the job market, how can we reskill and reemploy individual if their knowledge and skills are no longer relevant? How can we continue to prepare for the future of work?

 

SPANBERGER: One step to boost our Commonwealth’s workforce is ensuring that civilians – and Veterans who are transitioning to the civilian workforce – have access to the technology they need to apply to jobs. My bipartisan Computers for Veterans and Students (COVS) Act — which passed unanimously in the U.S. House — would direct hundreds of thousands of out-of-service computers from the federal government to nonprofit refurbishes for repair and distribution to Veterans, students, and low-income consumers. This bipartisan bill is one step towards ensuring workers can get reemployed into the workforce.

To prepare for the future of work, we need to keep making sure Virginia’s students who choose not to go to college for a four-year degree have access to affordable workforce training and apprenticeship programs. That’s why I introduced bipartisan legislation with U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) to allow Virginia students and workers to use their 529 savings to pay for workforce training and credentialing programs. My Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act would give Virginia students and workers the ability to use their 529 plans to cover tuition, books, and testing costs related to these training programs. We need to make sure Virginia students and workers receive the training required to remain competitive and successful. 529 savings plans have long ensured that the next generation of Virginia workers can afford a higher education — but students are currently constrained from using these accounts to pay for necessary credentialing programs and exams.

 

VEGA: We need to ensure that our educational institutions are focused on the skills that our students will need for the future. Our economy is changing. The types of jobs we need people to fill are evolving. We must adapt our education programs to fit the needs of a changing country.

We need to make investments in science and technology education programs, so we develop a workforce that can work in those fields now and in the future. Additionally, I will support national initiatives in math, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and aerospace as these are areas that our country needs to be able to compete in.

Additionally, there are a few ways we can reskill and reemploy individuals that have been displaced.

On-the-job training programs can give folks an opportunity to observe trained professionals and learn new skills from them.

Investing in online learning could be another solution that would allow people to develop new skills anytime and anywhere. It’s a much more convenient way to expand your skill set and it’s usually faster to complete certain requirements.

Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce logo

The Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to build relationships and create competitive advantages for a healthy business environment.

The Chamber’s vision is to be the leading convener for the business community assuring that the Fredericksburg region is a major economic center in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

We represent businesses of all sizes and industry throughout Stafford, King George, Caroline, and Spotsylvania counties and the city of Fredericksburg.

 

 

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