COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

HOUSE OF DELEGATES
RICHMOND

TERRY G. KILGORE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS:

POST OFFICE BOX 669 COURTS OF JUSTICE
GATE CITY, VIRGINIA 24251 LABOR AND COMMERCE
RULES
FIRST DISTRICT

April 24, 2020

The Honorable Ralph Northam

Governor of Virginia
Patrick Henry Building
P.O. Box 1475
Richmond, VA 23218

Dear Governor Northam:

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced all Virginians to make adjustments as we work to
limit the spread of this virus. With less than 100 reported cases in our region, we hope it is clear
that Southwest Virginians have followed the guidance coming from your office as well as the
Virginia Department of Health to our best ability and we thank you for working with us as we
navigate this difficult time.

We write today to ask that you consider the actions recently taken by the Governors of
Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia and how they will further affect the
economy in Southwest Virginia.

The people in our towns and cities along our state borders rely on each other for
economic activity. If businesses in our border states are reopened significantly ahead of
Southwest Virginia’s businesses, we fear that many of our small businesses will not be able to
recover from this pandemic. Bristol, for example, will have a situation where businesses on one
side of the street are open and closed on the other side. However, if businesses are allowed to
reopen, we believe they are fully capable of doing so while continuing to fight against the further
spread of this virus.

Additionally, our offices have heard from countless self-employed or contract workers
who have been denied unemployment insurance and have still yet to receive it from the Virginia
Employment Commission.

We sincerely hope that you and your administration will keep our businesses owners and
constituents in Southwest Virginia in mind as you consider any future actions related to the
pandemic.

DISTRICT: (276) 386-7011 • RICHMOND: (804) 698-1001 • EMAIL: DELTKILGORE@HOUSE.VIRGINIA.GOV

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Sincerely,

Delegate Terry G. Kilgore Delegate Will Morefield Delegate William C. Wampler III
First District Third District Fourth District

Delegate Israel O’Quinn Delegate Jeff Campbell

Fifth District Sixth District

Senator Ben Chafin Senator Todd Pillion

38th District 40th District