Dear Ward 5 neighbors,
It’s been a busy week with the Ward 5 Budget Forum, performance oversight hearings, and news from the federal government. I know that our community continues to feel the strain of layoffs within the federal government, and with the House passing a spending bill that may necessitate cuts to Medicaid, we know that strain may reach even further. For those experiencing uncertainty following recent layoffs, DC government has launched a new landing page (updated link!) for navigating unemployment compensation, federal employment guidance, and DC government employment opportunities.
New Legislation
Today, I was proud to introduce three new pieces of legislation: the PrEP DC Act of 2025, the Empower the DC State Board of Education Amendment Act of 2025, and a Cul-de-Sac and Dedication of Land for Alley Purposes Act of 2025.
Introduced on the heels of the observance of National Black HIV Awareness Day on February 8, 2025, The PrEP DC Act of 2025 is designed to aid in the District’s work to reduce HIV infections by creating more equitable and affordable access to HIV prevention treatment. According to a 2024 report from DC Health approximately 11,670 DC residents are living with HIV, with some of the highest concentrations of these residents in Wards 5, 7, and 8. Prevention treatments like PrEP have been shown to be a critical tool for preventing the spread of HIV. Explore the legislation more here.
