Rep. Don Beyer today sent a letter to House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) requesting a hearing on the status of Puerto Rico’s recovery from Hurricanes Maria and Irma. Beyer wrote: “Dear Chairman Bishop: I write to request that you hold a hearing regarding the status of Puerto Rico’s recovery. It is our responsibility as the primary committee of jurisdiction for Puerto Rico to provide the oversight the American people on the island badly need. Since Hurricanes Maria and I... Read more

New York Times A Washington consultant who was removed from President Trump’s transition team for using his business email address for government work played a central role last year in planning a trip to Australia for Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, and then took steps to disguise his role, new documents show. The consultant, Matthew C. Freedman, who is also a former lobbyist for foreign governments, runs his own corporate advisory firm and is treasurer of the Ame... Read more

Think Progress Even before he was sworn in as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Scott Pruitt was demonstrating the questionable judgment that has marked his 15-month tenure as head of the agency. Working with his soon-to-be chief of staff, Pruitt explored the possibility of establishing an EPA office in his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. If successful, Pruitt could have stayed in Tulsa to conduct much of his work. As it turned out, Pruitt was unable to get the office set up in... Read more

Rep. Don Beyer issued the following statement today after the resignations of EPA Senior Adviser Albert Kelly, who oversaw the Superfund program, and EPA security chief Pasquale “Nino” Perrotta: “Scott Pruitt should be the next to go. The exodus of Pruitt’s closest aides shows just how toxic his reign at EPA has become,” said Rep. Beyer. “Albert Kelly was never qualified to run Superfund, his banking ban was a huge red flag, and his resignation is a positive development. The EPA needs new leader... Read more

Rep. Don Beyer today wrote to Gail Stallworth Stone, the Acting Inspector General of the Social Security Administration (SSA), seeking an investigation to determine whether the SSA’s decision to close its Arlington field office complied with legal requirements imposed by Congress. Beyer wrote: “H.R. 1625, the Fiscal Year 2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act, contained language noting that your office is reviewing decisions to close field offices, including whether SSA has followed internal proce... Read more

Today, Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight, Congressman Donald S. Beyer Jr. (D-VA) and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Environment, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) sent two records request letters to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the General Services Administration (GSA). The letters request documents and communications regarding EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s efforts to establish a new EPA office in his homet... Read more

AP The two top officials in charge of security and toxic-waste cleanups at the Environmental Protection Agency have abruptly left their jobs, days after EPA administrator Scott Pruitt told lawmakers that his subordinates were to blame for alleged ethical lapses that have prompted more than a dozen federal investigations of the agency. In statements Tuesday, Pruitt praised the two men — security chief Pasquale “Nino” Perrotta and Albert Kelly, a former Oklahoma banker who ran the EPA’s Superfund ... Read more

USA TODAY Embattled EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is facing new criticism after it was revealed his controversial trip to Morocco was partially arranged by a lobbyist and cost $100,000 — more than double what was previously reported. The report in The Washington Postdetails more about the December trip, including that Richard Smotkin, a former Comcast lobbyist who is a longtime friend of Pruitt, accompanied him on the trip and served as a liaison. Originally, the trip was reported as costing ab... Read more

ABC News As investigations into alleged ethical misconduct at the Environmental Protection Agency heat up, two high-ranking aides to administrator Scott Pruitt have abruptly left their jobs this week. Democrats have raised questions about spending and security decisions made by the head of Pruitt's security team, Nino Perrotta, as well as about the professional background of Albert Kelly, a senior advisor to Pruitt who he put in charge of a task force on the agency's Superfund sites. Perrotta is... Read more

Washington Post — But the probes continue at the EPA’s internal watchdog... The EPA's inspector general confirmed last week it will investigate Pruitt’s controversial condo deal, The Post’s Brady Dennis reported. It’s the 10th federal investigation into the administrator. In a letter to Democratic Reps. Don Beyer (Va.) and Ted Lieu (Calif.), who requested the review, inspector general Arthur A. Elkins Jr. said the office had “received multiple requests from multiple members of Congress as well a... Read more