The LAW Way

Introduction to My Voice Counts, Inc. and the VAA

Being an active volunteer with My Voice Counts, Inc. has been an amazing experience. This organization, led by Mildred Rodriguez, is dedicated to promoting the Venezuelan Adjustment Act (VAA) bill (See https://lissiealbornoz.com/blog/f/the-venezuelan-adjustment-act-a-path-to-stability-and-prosperity) In June 2023, the bill was reintroduced in Congress with bipartisan support. Since then, Mildred has organized events in Congress to raise awareness about the bill and inform as many congress members as possible in hopes of gaining their support.

Participating in Congressional Events

I had the honor of participating in the last two events, on June 3-5 and the most recent one on July 29-30. We visited all 435 representatives’ offices and the 100 senators’ offices in teams of two. The goal was to provide information about the bill and update the census of Venezuelan professionals living in the U.S. who would benefit from this law and represent valuable human capital for the nation.

Representatives and Senators We Visited in June

My group, which included me and Rafael Hicks, a Venezuelan engineer living in New York, visited 19 representatives’ offices and 4 senators’ offices in June.

Representatives (Rayburn House Office Building)

1. Darrell Issa (R) – California

2. Stephen Lynch (D) – Massachusetts

3. Vern Buchanan (R) – Florida

4. Diana DeGette (D) – Colorado

5. Richard Hudson (R) – North Carolina

6. Warren Davidson (R) – Ohio

7. Jerrold Nadler (D) – New York

8. Barry Loudermilk (R) – Georgia

9. Patrick McHenry (R) – North Carolina

10. Andre Carson (D) – Indiana

11. James Himes (D) – Connecticut

12. Bill Posey (R) – Florida

13. Danny Davis (D) – Illinois

14. Scott Perry (R) – Pennsylvania

15. Michael Burgess (R) – Texas

16. Maria Salazar (R) – Florida

17. Rick Larsen (D) – Washington

18. Tony Cardenas (D) – California

19. Brian Mast (R) – Florida

Senators (Russel Senate Office Building)

1. Hawley, Josh (Republican – Missouri)

2. Welch, Peter (Democratic – Vermont)

3. Lummis, Cynthia M. (Republican – Wyoming)

4. Ricketts, Pete (Republican – Nebraska) ​

We entered each office in pairs, wearing our uniforms and showing respect, to explain what the bill is about and why we represent important human resources for the country.

Representatives and Senators We Visited in July

In the second event, Rafael and I visited 24 representatives and 6 senators. Every time I go to Congress, I am amazed by how open it is—anyone can enter after passing through security, which I believe speaks volumes about the true nature of this country.

Representatives: (Rayburn House Office Building)

1. Angie Craig (D) – Minnesota

2. Ben Cline (R) – Virginia

3. Andy Kim (D) – New Jersey

4. Jared Huffman (D) – California

5. Mark Green (R) – Tennessee

6. Jefferson Van Drew (R) – New Jersey

7. Veronica Escobar (D) – Texas

8. Joe Courtney (D) – Connecticut

9. Dean Phillips (D) – Minnesota

10. Thomas Massie (R) – Kentucky

11. Ted Lieu (D) – California

12. Ken Buck (R) – Colorado

13. W. Steube (R) – Florida

14. Jahana Hayes (D) – Connecticut

15. Dan Bishop (R) – North Carolina

16. Virginia Foxx (R) – North Carolina

17. Cori Bush (D) – Missouri

18. Dina Titus (D) – Nevada

19. David Valadao (R) – California

20. Bennie Thompson (D) – Mississippi

21. Robert Latta (R) – Ohio

22. Kevin McCarthy (Vacancy) (R) – California

23. Mike Rogers (R) – Alabama

24. Barbara Lee (D) – California

Senators (Russel Senate Office Building)

1. Deb Fischer (R) – Nebraska

2. Tommy Tuberville (R) – Alabama

3. Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D) – New York

4. Roger Marshall (R) – Kansas

5. James E. Risch (R) – Idaho

6. Ben Ray Lujan (D) – New Mexico

Experiencing Congressional Support and Encouragement

Each office had a different energy, but we were received warmly everywhere, and they showed interest in the information we provided. During the second event, the recent presidential elections in Venezuela and the electoral fraud by the dictatorial regime had just taken place, and literally, every office we visited was aware of the situation and offered words of encouragement. Many people said things like, “My neighbor is Venezuelan; I know how hard they work,” or “My best friend is Venezuelan; we graduated from high school together, so I know about the struggles they are facing.” We were even approached in the hallways by people who offered words of support when they saw the name “Venezuela” on our shirts.

Special Moments and Observations

On the second day, we visited the offices of representatives Darren Soto (FL), Jim Jordan (OH), Tom McClintock (CA), and Mike Johnson (LA) as a full group in the morning. In the afternoon, I had the honor of attending scheduled interviews with the staff of representatives Chuck Edwards (NC) and Anthony D’Esposito (NY), witnessing firsthand the dedication, preparation, and professionalism of Francisco and Mildred Rodriguez as they presented the bill flawlessly to the staff.

Touring the Capitol

Additionally, I was able to take a guided tour inside the Capitol during the first event in June. Standing under the dome and the Apotheosis of Washington was indescribable. The energy of the Capitol is powerful but welcoming; it embraces you and draws you into its elegant corridors. I was in awe, feeling the immense history contained within those walls.

During this second trip in July, I had the privilege of visiting the Galleries of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Although the House of Representatives was in recess, the feeling of entering such a sacred chamber was overwhelming. The Senate was in session, and we were able to observe what was happening for a few minutes.

Final Reflections

For a lawyer, being in a place where the laws of a functioning country are born is more than a dream come true. I am grateful to Life and My Voice Counts for allowing me to be part of this historic movement and to experience the legislative process of this country.

Lissie Albornoz

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Get Involved

The next event is in September. If you want to support this cause, sign the petition at www.leydeajustevenezolano.org/en/ and join the “Work Table” to be added to the volunteer team. If you can’t attend, remember that you can still contribute by sponsoring someone who has the time to go.