I’m a RIF’d federal government employee. Foreign Service. I have a lot of experience and skills that I can bring to the Virginia state government. Employment with the state will help keep my skills and economic activity in Virginia. You have a lot of highly skilled former federal government employees in VA. It’ll make VA look good and benefit the state economy

The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) strongly supports House Bill 494, which establishes a hiring preference within the Commonwealth of Virginia for former federal employees who were terminated as a result of federal budget reductions or administrative restructuring. Federal employees—including members of the Foreign Service—bring extensive experience in public administration, policy implementation, fiscal management, and service to the public interest. When these individuals are involuntarily separated due to broad budgetary or organizational decisions, Virginia stands to benefit by ensuring their skills and institutional knowledge are not lost to the workforce. AFSA represents some 12,400 U.S. Foreign Service personnel serving overseas and in the United States from six U.S. Government agencies, including nearly 4,000 retirees. We are both a professional association and the official representative for members of the U.S. Foreign Service. Our members include Foreign Service employees from the Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Foreign Commercial Service, the Foreign Agricultural Service, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Thank you.

I'm writing on behalf of HB 494 which provides Virginia hiring preference for those federal employees who have lost their jobs. While I am a retired fed and this would not impact me, I spent 34 years in the U.S. Foreign Service working for the Department of State. My colleagues were some of the most highly trained, skillful, and dedicated people in the workforce today. If they have the opportunity to bring their problem-solving skills and work ethic to the state of Virginia, our fellow residents can only benefit. Foreign Service officers in particular possess unique skillsets in foreign languages as well as management in crisis situations. Most federal employees have gone through extensive clearance and training processes. They are ready to make a contribution from the first day and represent an amazing potential resource for the state. I hope that this bill would allow the state to take advantage of this terrific opportunity.

As a federal contractor who has personally witnessed the chaos and harm caused by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), I am writing the General Assembly to voice my strong support for HB494. DOGE-driven budget cuts and contract cancellations have displaced thousands of highly skilled federal employees and contractors through no fault of their own. These workers, many of whom I call friend, provided essential public services, maintained critical infrastructure, and upheld national security- all for their love of mission and country. The arbitrary firings have destabilized families, damaged American soft power, and nearly tanked Virginia’s economy, all in service of tax cuts for the oligarchy. HB494 offers a sensible solution to Northern Virginia's new skilled labor challenges by granting hiring preference in state government to qualified former federal employees who were terminated due to DOGE initiatives or federal budget reductions. This bill ensures that Virginia can retain and enjoy top-notch professionals in its state government while helping families remain financially stable amidst the chaos coming from Washington. HB494 is a necessary corrective action that will strengthen the Commonwealth's workforce, and restore dignity to public servants who were displaced by the oligarchy. General Assembly members, I respectfully urge your passage of HB494.