Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) and a group of over 70 Members of Congress today wrote to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to extend the comment period to revise or rescind the Clean Water Rule. Their letter noted that the previous Clean Water Rule’s comment period included substantial outreach efforts to solicit input from stakeholders and the public, and lasted over 200 days, whereas Pruitt afforded the new rule only 30 days for public comment. The Representatives asked f... Read more

Rep. Don Beyer and special guests Tom Wheeler, former Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and Jonathan Sallet, former FCC General Counsel held a town hall discussion on the future of net neutrality last night in Arlington, Virginia. The event was attended by over 200 people, many of whom came armed with deep knowledge of FCC policy and complex questions about next steps for FCC’s proposed changes for regulation of broadband internet. “Without strong net neutrality protection... Read more

Rep. Don Beyer today issued the following statement today in response to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt announcement of an upcoming proposal to repeal the Clean Water Rule: “With every new act to loosen protections for clean air and, today, clean water, it becomes clearer and clearer that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt considers environmental protection an inessential component of his job. The Clean Water Rule protects public health and natural resources, which ... Read more

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today introduced the Fair Representation Act, a bill which would enact a series of measures designed to reform congressional elections. “The Fair Representation Act is designed to restore the faith which so many Americans have lost in our political system,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “This bill would ensure that every voter has their voice represented in Congress, and make real progress towards bipartisan focus on getting results for the American people.” Rep. Beyer was joined by... Read more

Rep. Don Beyer issued the following statement today after Senate Republican leaders lifted the veil of secrecy on their draft “health care” legislation: “All legislation begins with goals. The goal of the Senate GOP bill unveiled today, like that of the House bill already passed, is not to improve health care, but rather to deliver a massive tax cut to the super-rich and eliminate health care for millions of Americans. Nearly 70 million Americans are enrolled in Medicaid today, a program which w... Read more

Rep. Don Beyer issued the following statement today in response to the Trump Administration’s rescission of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program: “Last night, following the tragic events in Alexandria, members of both parties gathered at the Congressional Baseball Game to put partisanship aside with a celebration of friendship and unity. Before the game had even finished, the Trump Administration shattered this spirit of good feelings by anno... Read more

Rep. Don Beyer, a member of the bipartisan Cuba Working Group in the House of Representatives, today condemned the Trump Administration’s decision to impose renewed restrictions on travel and trade with Cuba. “Donald Trump is looking to the past on Cuba,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “President Trump’s Cuba policy, which he contrived for political purposes in a back room with a few Members of Congress from Florida, is a rollback of the long overdue opening initiated by President Obama. President Trump i... Read more

Rep. Don Beyer today joined Arizona Representative Martha McSally today to introduce legislation to phase out and ultimately end the practice of testing the safety of cosmetics on animals in the United States. The Humane Cosmetics Act would prohibit selling or transporting any cosmetics in interstate commerce if any component of the final product was developed or manufactured using animal testing. “Congress should permanently end the painful and unnecessary process of testing cosmetics on animal... Read more

Rep. Don Beyer today sent a letter to White House Counsel Don McGahn demanding that the White House revoke the security clearance of Jared Kushner, Senior Adviser and son-in-law of President Trump. “Jared Kushner’s actions are incompetent if not criminal, and he cannot be trusted,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “I filled out an SF-86 form to become a US Ambassador. Thousands of Americans complete it successfully and honestly every year to obtain clearances. Kushner’s story about ‘accidentally’ omitting m... Read more

Reps. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) and Don Beyer (D-VA), co-chairs of the Congressional Safe Climate Caucus, today denounced the decision by the Trump White House to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. “Pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Change Accord is not leadership. It is an act of cowardice,” said Rep. Lowenthal (D-CA). “The Trump administration has a blatant disregard for the truth and is determined to turn the misleading claims and tired talking points of a handfu... Read more