Press Releases

Congressman Don Beyer released the following statement on his vote against the Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act:

“I’m proud that my amendments to reform source selection processes at the Department of Defense and to begin quieting the skies over Northern Virginia were successfully included in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act. 

However, this bill undermines President Obama’s support for our troops on front lines around the globe; erodes important LGBT civil rights protections President Obama announced for federal workers and contractors in his 2014 executive order; and, continues to block widely supported efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay prison.

In addition, two other important amendments I offered were wrongly ruled out of order -- one supporting Defense Department actions in response to the global threat from climate change, and another to secure funds to rehabilitate Memorial Bridge, an important access road to Arlington National Cemetery.

Thanks to the budget agreement negotiated last year, House Republicans had the opportunity to present a bipartisan defense bill that guaranteed robust support for our troops, upheld our nation’s values, and did not erode important and popular civil rights protections.  Instead they presented us with a partisan attack on our core principles.  I cannot support this bill.”