Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine and U.S. Reps. Bobby Scott, Gerry Connolly, Don Beyer, Jennifer McClellan, Suhas Subramanyam and Eugene Vindman (all D-VA) pushed the Trump administration to reverse staffing cuts at the National Park Service (NPS), outlining the effect directives to eliminate employees and rescind and delay job offers will have on safety at Virginia’s 22 national park units, which serve 22 million visitors and contribute $1.5 billion to local economies each year.

“We write today to express our deep concern over alarming directives issued to eliminate roughly one thousand full-time employees, rescind hundreds of offers for full-time positions, and delay thousands of offers for seasonal positions at the National Park Service (NPS). These roles are critical to protecting America’s treasured natural assets, maintaining public safety, and promoting exceptional standards expected at national parks across Virginia and the nation,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “We urge you to reverse these directives and prevent additional cuts to existing staffing going forward given the critical role that the vast majority of NPS staff play in ensuring public safety. If these directives are not reversed, we fear it will significantly undermine the Park Service’s ability to protect both visitors and park resources, particularly as we approach peak visitation season.”

February 20, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) – Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), today issued the statement below responding to the reported firing of thousands of federal employees at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Beyer serves on the House Ways and Means Tax Subcommittee, and represents a Northern Virginia district containing one of the largest concentrations of federal employees in the U.S. House.

Beyer released resources for federal employees last week. He also highlighted a recent hearing exchange in which a tax law expert testified that unauthorized access of sharing of taxpayers’ personal information held by the IRS could be a crime punishable by up to five years in prison, with a statute of limitations that could run past the Trump presidency.

Arlington, Va. — Marymount University has reached a significant milestone in its Strategic Plan trajectory as it has been designated a Research University for 2025 by the American Council on  Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation. This recognition reflects the institution’s  commitment to advancing knowledge, fostering innovation and addressing pressing societal challenges through impactful research initiatives.

The classification was determined based on Marymount’s 2023 annual research expenditures of  $2.6 million and the awarding of 63 research doctorates. This marks a significant step towards  the University achieving Research 2 (R2) status, a longtime strategic goal. R2 institutions are  distinguished by high levels of research spending and doctorate production, requiring an annual  expenditure of at least $5 million and the awarding of at least 20 research doctorates.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD), along with U.S. Reps. Don Beyer, Gerald Connolly, Suhas Subramanyam (all D-VA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today requested answers and commitments from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on its plans to protect the flying public in the wake of the January 29 collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines airplane. In the letter, the lawmakers applauded the precautionary safety measures put in place by the FAA, as well as the agency’s collaboration with the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) investigation into the causes and factors behind the collision. They also stressed the need to carefully review existing protocols to ensure that flight operations do not simply return to business as usual.

The lawmakers also expressed serious concern with potential interference with the FAA by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has caused mayhem across the government, from attempting to push out nonpartisan civil servants, to reportedly accessing the U.S. Treasury’s payment system, as well as systems at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Love is in the air at Amazon HQ2, and we are excited to invite you and your readers to a day of family-friendly festivities for the whole community. On Friday, February 14th, come to Met Park and enjoy giveaways, tasty food, creative crafts, and great photo opportunities.

Here’s what’s happening:

Arlington, Virginia – The Virginia NAACP, the Arlington Branch of the NAACP, and the Arlington Civic Federation each endorsed HB 2768 this week, calling on the Arlington County Board, Arlington Senators Barbara Favola and Adam Ebbin to “stand with us in strengthening democracy” by supporting the legislation to expand Arlington County’s ability to self-govern.

In a letter of support, Rev. DeLishia A. Davis, president of the Arlington Branch of the NAACP, wrote:

February 6, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) – Rep. Don Beyer, who represents a Northern Virginia congressional district with one of the largest concentrations of federal employees in the country, published an open letter today to federal workers as they weigh the administration’s so-called “deferred resignation” offer. He wrote: 

Dear Federal Employees, 

Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, along with Ron Wyden (D-OR), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Angus King (I-ME), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), wrote to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles about the risks to our national security of allowing unvetted DOGE staff and representatives to access classified and sensitive government materials. The Committee members demanded that the administration provide details to Congress about how DOGE staff and representatives are being vetted, which systems, records and information are being shared, and what steps the administration is taking to safeguard them from misuse or disclosure.

“According to press reports, DOGE inspectors already have gained access to classified materials, including intelligence reports, at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), sensitive government payment systems, including for Social Security and Medicare, at the Treasury Department, and federal personnel data from the Office of Personnel Management. Further, as of today the scope of DOGE’s access only seems to be expanding, as reports indicate DOGE has now entered the Department of Labor and other agencies,” the senators wrote. “No information has been provided to Congress or the public as to who has been formally hired under DOGE, under what authority or regulations DOGE is operating, or how DOGE is vetting and monitoring its staff and representatives before providing them seemingly unfettered access to classified materials and Americans’ personal information.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led a group of his colleagues in issuing a letter to Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Dorothy A. Fink, M.D. and Acting Director of the Office of Head Start Captain Tala Hooban expressing concern about the acute financial impacts and lingering uncertainty faced by Head Start programs in Virginia and across the country as a result of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) memo that imposed a government-wide hiring freeze.

While the White House later clarified that Head Start would not be targeted by the funding freeze and the OMB later rescinded memo, Head Start programs were temporarily unable to access the Payment Management System (PMS) to use their allocated federal funds. As a result, Head Start programs nationwide have not had funding disbursed in a timely manner – imperiling their ability to pay staff and keep educational and child care programs up and running.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today blasted the Trump administration for halting all federal grants and loans disbursed by the federal government in a statement:

“President Trump’s reckless and illegal order to stop all federal grant and loan programs will have an immediate and profound negative impact on Americans all over the country. This is money that builds roads and bridges, helps small businesses make payroll, and makes our communities healthier, safer, and more economically competitive.

January 21, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) – Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), who represents a Northern Virginia district that was home to many of those who protected the Capitol on January 6th including Officers Sicknick, Smith, DeFreytag, and Fanone, issued the following statement today on President Donald Trump’s pardons and commutations for the perpetrators of the violent January 6^th attack on the U.S. Capitol:

“With these pardons and commutations Donald Trump embraced violence and lawlessness.

Erik S. Siebert was sworn in today as the Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA).

As Interim United States Attorney, Mr. Siebert supervises the prosecution of all federal crimes and the litigation of all civil matters in EDVA in which the United States has an interest. He leads a staff of approximately 300 prosecutors, civil litigators, and support personnel across four divisions in Alexandria, Richmond, Norfolk, and Newport News. The District serves over six million residents.