Virginia Democrats now have the power and responsibility to fix gerrymandering By Rep. Don Beyer - 01/02/2020 Across the country, people are talking about election reform. It’s not hard to figure out why. In all my years in public service, I’ve never seen our political institutions tested as they are now. Hardened partisanship and vitriol rule our collective public discourse, and both are driven b... Read more »
How Congress can take action on climate change today BY REP. DON BEYER - 11/25/2019 (OP-ED) The president’s recent decision to pull out of the Paris agreement, the international climate agreement by which each nation voluntarily committs to addressing climate change in their own country, is an intentional choice to bury his head in the sand. We can’t ignore reality, and we don’t have the luxury of... Read more »
Our millionaires surtax is a simple way to help more people achieve the American dream BY CHRIS VAN HOLLEN & DON BEYER (OP-ED) - 11/20/2019 We have all heard President Donald Trump crow about how his tax cuts have dramatically boosted our economy. But once you look past the very wealthy in our country, it’s apparent that the Republican tax law passed in 2017 has done very little for working Americ... Read more »
The Hill | Last week I traveled with colleagues to Central America’s Northern Triangle — Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador — where we spent five days meeting with heads of state, law enforcement, business leaders, U.S. ambassadors and diplomatic staff, USAID officials, and working people. The trip, organized by Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware, was highly informative, particularly given the ongoing ... Read more »
Roll Call | For speaker of the House, we support Nancy Pelosi, the most effective legislative mastermind and political tactician in modern history. The only woman ever to serve in the top leadership of Congress, Nancy is also one of the most able and multi-skilled leaders in House history. Yes, she has been demonized by untold millions of dollars of political attack ads — but nonetheless she led t... Read more »
Morning Consult A business model should not be based on profiting from customers’ misery. Yet payday and car-title loans are designed to trap borrowers in a cycle of re-borrowing and debt, often charging interest rates of more than 300 percent. Four out of five payday loans are renewed or “rolled over” within 14 days. There is an array of better credit options, including credit cards and small loa... Read more »
I wanted to update you on the recent efforts I have made to address the problem of helicopter noise in Northern Virginia. I appreciated the thoughtful feedback I received from constituents during my Fairlington community forum in January, and I have tried to address those complaints with amendments I introduced this past week to H.R. 4, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act... Read more »
Earlier this month, four other Members of Congress and I held a press conference on the importance of protecting our oceans and waterways. Just as it affects what happens on land, climate change can have serious impacts on the aquatic environments and the life that resides within them. The world’s oceans cover more than two-thirds of the Earth’s surface and absorb more than 90 percent of the heat ... Read more »
We are full of grief for the 17 lives lost in Parkland, Fla., last month. As representatives of communities – Isla Vista, Calif.; Newtown, Conn.; and Alexandria, Va. – which have been the site of major mass shootings, we are keenly aware that their loss is shared by too many families across the country every year. Nationally, the epidemic of gun violence claims tens of thousands of American lives ... Read more »
Since the election, I have heard from many constituents who are concerned about the Trump presidency or uncertain about his policies and plans. I share many of these concerns and questions. As ever, I will listen to my colleagues from across the aisle, and will consider reasonable policy proposals, even if I do not fully agree with them. But I will not compromise on our basic values. I will forcef... Read more »
