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It is official. Goodbye, Jefferson Davis Highway. Hello, 21st Century.

Thursday morning, Arlington County employees Jacque Hull and Terrance Funchess (pictured below) rose above Route One on a crane, and took down the street sign bearing "Jefferson Davis Highway." They replaced it with "Richmond Highway," its former name, a very ordinary name that is identical to its name in Alexandria and Fairfax and one no longer offensive to Arlington values.

I mention Terrance and Jacque because the sign change was a good reminder that, as important as it is for elected officials to advocate for the values of the communities they represent, it is our public employees who truly put those values into action. 

Given my strong feelings that Donald Trump is not just a president I disagree with but the illegitimate embodiment of the greatest threat to American representative democracy in my lifetime, I cannot support him giving the keynote address at Jamestown today. Given my proud support for representative democracy, it is incumbent upon me -- as your representative, on its 400th anniversary here -- to protest Donald Trump's contempt for the United States of America and for all that makes us great as a nation, including our diverse population, our long history as a haven for immigrants, and our representative democracy, replete with freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and equality under the law.

My Democratic House colleagues and I, knowing House Republicans were unlikely to give any of our sensible gun-violence prevention proposals a fair hearing, used the standard "Morning Hour" - a time typically reserved for personal speeches and more ceremonial statements - to make the case for our legislative agenda. 

The Speaker, well aware that we were trying to do our jobs and actually prevent gun violence while his caucus was determined to do nothing and go home as soon as possible, insisted that no one speak longer than two minutes and that all of us speak no longer than hour.

Unfortunately, the short speeches we gave on the Floor in which we outlined our agenda would be the only opportunity we would have to discuss our bills. We didn't even get to mention all eight of them. That's because Republicans, just 90 minutes after the session began, voted to adjourn the session and ban any debate or discussion of gun bills until after Election Day (November 5, 2019).

Last Tuesday, June 11, was Primary Election Day. I want to congratulate the Democratic Primary winners across the Commonwealth, especially the three strong progressives whom I endorsed to represent people in the 45th District: Greg Parks for Alexandria Clerk of Court, Parisa Dehghani-Tafti for Arlington County and Falls Church Commonwealth's Attorney, and Steve Descano for Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney. I look forward to working with all of them. I also want to congratulate my colleagues in the General Assembly who won their primaries in the three localities I represent:  Senators Barbara Favola and Dick Saslaw, and Delegates Kaye Kory and Alfonso Lopez.