Equality

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) issued the following statement today after newly-appointed U.S. Park Police (USPP) Chief Pamela Smith announced that the U.S. Park Police would prioritize “implementing a body-worn camera program within [her] first 90 days:” “I want to welcome Chief Smith, and thank her for announcing that the U.S. Park Police will finally adopt body-warn cameras. This long overdue… Read more »

This month is Black History Month, a time when we celebrate all that Black Americans have done to make our country a more perfect union. It is also a time when we reflect on the progress Black Americans have made—despite the scourge of systemic racism—and the challenges they continue to face. Economic inequality is but one of these challenges—one that the coronavirus pandemic has thrown… Read more »

Today, Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA) and Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) announced the formation of the Egypt Human Rights Caucus to mark the 10th anniversary of the Egyptian revolution. “The Egyptian people’s hopes for self-determination, freedom, and social justice inspired the world in 2011. Unprecedented repression and grave human rights violations have not extinguished those hopes,” Rep. Beyer said.… Read more »

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) issued the following statement today on the announcement that a Virginia commission had selected Barbara Johns as the subject of a statue to replace Confederate General Robert E. Lee in the National Statuary Hall Collection of the U.S. Capitol: “Barbara Johns was a pioneer in the Civil Rights movement who helped desegregate schools in Virginia and across the… Read more »

A new bill would make all police misconduct allegations and settlements public By Sean Collins  Dec 15, 2020, 5:10pm EST First published at Vox State, local, and federal governments have spent billions of dollars over the past decade settling police misconduct cases, which include everything from deadly shootings to neglect. For example, the… Read more »

Rep. Don Beyer today introduced federal legislation to remove the designation of Arlington House as a memorial to Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The legislation, which was partially inspired by the request of descendants of people who were enslaved at Arlington House, was cosponsored by Virginia Representatives Gerry Connolly and Jennifer Wexton, and by D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor… Read more »

Today, Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), the incoming Chair of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), introduced the Cost of Police Misconduct Act—legislation that would require federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to report to the Department of Justice how much they spend on judgements and settlements related to police misconduct. The first-of-its-kind legislation… Read more »

Today, top Democrats in both the House and the Senate introduced the Keeping All Students Safe Act to protect students from dangerous seclusion and restraint discipline practices in school.    The bill is sponsored by Congressman Don Beyer (VA-08), Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Senate Health, Education,… Read more »

Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA) and Pete Olson (R-TX), the sponsor and co-lead of the Jabara-Heyer National Opposition to Hate, Assault, and Threats to Equality (NO HATE) Act responded with statements today after the annual release of FBI hate crime statistics showed that 2019 saw the highest level of hate crimes in over a decade and the highest number of hate-related killings on record. “While… Read more »

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) applauded last night’s Department of Justice (DOJ) decision to allow local police officers who are on federal task forces to wear body cameras. Norton and Beyer have introduced two body camera bills: The first bill, which passed the House this year, would require all uniformed federal police officers to wear body… Read more »