On the Issues

Investing in Education

Since day one, Schuyler’s top priority has been strengthening our public schools across the Commonwealth, and he is proud to be the only full-time public school teacher in the General Assembly. Since he was elected in 2017 to the House of Delegates, Schuyler has fought for increased public school funding, helped raise teacher pay by 5%, increased access to school counselors, and advocated for students day in and day out. But there is so much more work to do, like hiring support staff, reducing cost and increasing accessibility for community colleges as well as four-year programs, and making sustained investments to ensure every child has access to a world-class education in the Commonwealth.

Protecting Reproductive Rights

Every woman in the Commonwealth deserves to make her own reproductive healthcare decisions alongside her medical provider. The Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization has endangered the lives of women across the nation, and here in Virginia, this right is hanging on by a thread in the Senate majority. As the only pro-choice candidate in SD-16, Schuyler will always vote against extremist bans that threaten the fundamental rights of Virginian women.

Gun Violence Prevention

The gun violence epidemic in our nation is felt here in Western Henrico, and across Virginia. We owe it to our kids and neighbors to pass robust, meaningful gun violence prevention legislation. When Schuyler is elected to the State Senate, he promises to be a consistent vote for gun safety legislation and will re-introduce his Safe Storage Bill (HB 2141) that was killed by the House GOP in 2023 without debate. This bill would hold gun owners accountable when a minor gains access to a firearm under that owner’s control which is then used to commit a crime or cause harm to themselves or others. It would also hold gun owners accountable when a child brings their firearm to school. It’s time to get to work and protect our children – not pander to the gun lobby.

Healthcare
Every Virginian deserves access to high-quality, affordable healthcare. In 2018, Schuyler voted to expand Medicaid — which gave healthcare access to more than 500,000 Virginians. In the State Senate, he will continue to fight to lower prescription drug costs and improve our healthcare system so that it works better for patients and working families.

Creating Economic Opportunity

For years, Virginia has been consistently ranked one of the top states for business in the nation. To stay competitive, we need to invest in high-paying jobs and programs that provide clear pathways from school to the workforce, like the Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) Program. This program provides financial assistance to certain low and middle-income students who are enrolled in an educational program at an associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education that leads to employment in high-demand fields such as health care, I.T., and early childhood education.

In the General Assembly, Schuyler has helped to promote healthy economic competition and growth, like his bill to ban noncompete agreements for low-wage workers. In the State Senate, he’ll continue to ensure that Virginia remains a place where businesses and workers want to relocate by investing in site readiness, being economically responsible, and ensuring that workers are paid a livable wage and have dignity in the workplace.

Strengthening our Democracy

When more people vote and are engaged in the democratic process, our democracy and our Commonwealth are stronger. In 2020-2021, Schuyler chaired the committee that took Virginia from the second hardest state to vote into the 11th easiest. In 2021, Schuyler worked to pass the Virginia Voting Rights Act, an expansive and monumental piece of legislation that expanded early voting and vote-by-mail infrastructure and made Virginia a national leader in voting access. Schuyler has also been a leader in other democracy-protection measures, from campaign finance to gerrymandering reform. With attacks on our democracy coming from far-right extremists, he promises to continue to fight for voting rights in the State Senate.

Expanding Equality for All

In recent years, there has been a shocking increase in hateful rhetoric and policy across Virginia. In 2020, Schuyler helped pass the Virginia Values Act, which prevents denying a person a loan, refusing them service, and stops public employers from firing a person from a job based on their sexuality or gender identity.

In 2023, these hard-won rights are under attack. In the State Senate, the Virginia Values Act will be one of the first things extremists try to repeal. Schuyler is committed to defending this legislation and voting to expand protections for marginalized groups in our community.

Fighting Back Against Climate Change

There is no disputing the fact that climate change is happening, and we owe it to the next generation of Virginians to tackle this issue head-on. That’s why Schuyler was proud to support the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which puts Virginia on the path toward a 100 percent renewable-energy electricity supply by 2050.

We can work toward a clean energy future by investing in green energy innovations that will do three key things at once: protect our planet, reduce Virginians’ energy bills, and build new modern jobs.

Increasing Accountability in Campaign Finance

There is too much money in politics in Virginia. We need comprehensive campaign finance reform to fight against dark money groups that have a disproportionate influence on our elections. Schuyler is proud to support an anti-corruption and ethics reform agenda that focuses on banning the personal use of campaign funds, setting contribution limits for individuals and corporations, and requiring donor and spending disclosure from corporations, ‘dark money’ groups, non-profits, and other entities who spend money to influence our elections.