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 6th 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.
The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) today announced the selection of the Long Bridge Rail Partners – a joint venture comprised of Trumbull Corp., Fay, S&B USA Construction, and Wagman Heavy Civil, Inc. – as construction partner for the Long Bridge Project-South Package. VPRA separated the Long Bridge Project, a new two-track bridge across the Potomac River, into two procurements, a North Package and a South Package. The North Package was awarded to Skanska/Flatiron Joint Venture in December 2023.
“The selection of Long Bridge Rail Partners completes the team that will build the largest of our Transforming Rail in Virginia projects, which will significantly change the way Virginians travel,” said DJ Stadtler, Executive Director of VPRA. “Our efforts to provide Virginians with expanded passenger rail service would not be possible without the continued support of Governor Youngkin and Secretary of Transportation Miller. We thank them for their support in making our vision a reality.”
January 15, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) – Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) issued the following statement today on the announced ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas:
“I am glad that this agreement has finally been reached, and that the hostages who have endured horrific captivity will be coming home. All parties must implement this ceasefire and abide by its terms to prevent any resumption of bloodshed.
Passengers at Reagan National and Dulles International Airports should be prepared for additional crowds and congestion from Friday, January 17, through Tuesday, January 21. The 2025 presidential inauguration is expected to bring an influx of passengers to both Washington, D.C., airports. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend travelers will also contribute to increased passenger loads. Traffic volumes and wait times may be greater than usual during this timeframe.
The Airports Authority is working with airlines and airport partners to make the passenger experience as smooth as possible during the inauguration. With the opening of the Silver Line two years ago serving Dulles International, Metrorail is now available at both airports, providing a convenient travel mode. Other ground transportation options are posted on the Reagan National and Dulles International websites. Additionally, drivers are encouraged to avoid airport roads if they do not have business at the airport.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined colleagues in a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Chair of the Senate Finance Committee Mike Crapo (R-ID) urging Senate Republicans to work in a bipartisan way to reduce the deficit and protect the middle class from tax hikes.
This letter comes ahead of the upcoming expirations of the federal debt ceiling and many provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). In the letter, the senators urge Republican leadership to work across the aisle to find reasonable, commonsense solutions that protect hardworking Americans by reducing unnecessary spending and reforming the tax code to protect the middle class.
