Richmond, Va – Attorney General Jay Jones announces today that his office intends to fully enforce new provisions of the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act, which require social media platforms to limit minors’ usage to one hour per day unless a parent opts to increase that limit. This announcement follows the office’s filing a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by NetChoice, a trade association for social media companies, which attempts to block Virginia’s law and allow their member companies to continue preying on minor users through unlimited access to addictive feeds.
Effective on January 1, 2026, Virginia law requires social media platforms to use “commercially reasonable methods, such as a neutral age screen mechanism, to determine whether a user is a minor younger than 16” and “to limit a minor’s use of social media platform to one hour per day, per service or application.” Verifiable parental consent is required to increase or decrease the daily time limit.
February 12, 2026 (Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) today introduced legislation to establish an Older Workers’ Bureau within the Department of Labor. The Bureau would be responsible for identifying the challenges faced by workers aged 55 and older, developing policies to improve their employment conditions, and expanding access to employment opportunities.
“Every American deserves the opportunity to succeed at every stage of their career. But as more Americans work into their later years and workplace conditions evolve, a larger share of our workforce faces challenges such as age discrimination and work-limiting health conditions,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “These workers need and deserve coordinated information and support. By establishing an Older Workers’ Bureau, we would provide a central office dedicated to supporting our older workers and ensuring they have the resources they need to be successful.”
February 6, 2026 (Alexandria, VA) – Congressman Don Beyer today issued the following statement:
“I have devoted my life to public service and making life better for Virginia families, and I remain as committed as ever to that mission. Last year I announced that I would seek reelection to Congress to protect our community against attacks from the corrupt Trump Administration and fight for fairness, justice, and affordability across the Commonwealth and the country.
Legislation to help rein in the cost of prescription drugs for Virginians passed the Virginia Senate today by an overwhelming 31-8 vote. An identical House bill was recommended for reporting by a House appropriations subcommittee this afternoon with a bipartisan 6-1 vote and should be taken up on the floor next week.
Senate Bill 271/ House Bill 483, called The Affordable Medicine Act, would extend the Medicare negotiated drug prices on 25 drugs to hundreds of thousands of Virginians not enrolled in Medicare. It would also establish a Prescription Drug Affordability Board that could look at other high-cost drugs and set upper payment limits on those medications that pose an affordability challenge to Virginians who need them. Twenty Senate Democrats and 11 Republicans voted to pass the bill, with just eight voting against. The bill’s chief patron is Senator Creigh Deeds (D-Charlottesville), and the House version is sponsored by Delegate Karrie Delaney (D-Centreville).
Preparing to combat that time of the year when, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality and Injury Reporting System Tool (FIRST), one-third (33%, 2023) of U.S. traffic deaths involve drunk drivers,* a local nonprofit organization announced today that free safe rides will be offered to would-be drunk drivers throughout the Washington-metropolitan area during this weekend’s Super Bowl LX.
Offered by the nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), the 2026 Super Bowl SoberRide® program will be in operation beginning a 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 8th and operate until 4:00 a.m. on Monday, February 9th as a way to keep local roads safe from impaired drivers during this traditionally high-risk period.
January 26, 2026 (Washington, D.C.) – Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) today released a video statement with his response to the Trump Administration’s federal occupation of Minneapolis, which culminated in the recent murder of 37-year-old mother Renee Good by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents.
Beyer called for the removal of ICE, CBP, and other DHS personnel from Minneapolis, a full, independent investigation of the killings of Pretti and Good, and the impeachment of Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
January 22, 2026 (Washington, D.C.) – Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) today issued the following statement on his votes in the U.S. House against both pieces of the FY26 appropriations “minibus,” including the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act and the Consolidated Appropriations Act:
“The Department of Homeland Security under Donald Trump and Kristi Noem is a lawless, corrupt organization that is bringing violence and mayhem to peaceful American communities. ICE, CBP, and other DHS entities are pursuing a mission to sow division and fear that is inflicting unimaginable cruelty on law-abiding immigrants and even U.S. citizens, sadly exemplified by the murder of Renee Good. They are engaging in deeply unlawful conduct, including breaking into homes without proper warrants, refusing to comply with court rulings, and blocking Congress from conducting meaningful oversight. DHS is fundamentally broken and completely out of control, and I certainly will not vote to fund their systematic violations of the Constitution.
RICHMOND, Va. – Today in a historic ruling, a federal judge found that Virginia’s Constitution broke federal law by stripping the voting rights of every Virginian with a felony conviction, paving the way for potentially hundreds of thousands of Virginians to have their voting rights restored.
“I am overjoyed at today’s ruling and what it means for thousands of Virginians,” said Tati King, plaintiff in King v. Youngkin. “After so many years of fighting for my rights, I will finally be able to participate in our democracy and exercise my vote as an American citizen.”
RICHMOND, VA — Today, the Virginia General Assembly passed House Joint Resolution 3 (Sickles), a constitutional amendment to protect marriage equality, with bipartisan support in both chambers. Senate Joint Resolution 3 (Ebbin), which also passed the Senate with bipartisan support, will head to the House next week for final votes. With the passage of HJ3, today’s vote sends the amendment to the November ballot, where Virginians will have the final say on enshrining marriage equality in the state constitution.
The amendment would repeal the Marshall-Newman Amendment, a ban on same-sex marriage passed in 2006 with 57% of the vote, and replace it with an affirmative right to marriage. If approved, this would ensure that marriages in Virginia would be recognized regardless if the Supreme Court of the United States overturns Obergefell v. Hodges, which made marriage equality the law of the land in 2015.
U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, released the following statement:
“The Fed was designed to operate independently, insulated from political pressure, so that it can make tough decisions based on data and the long-term health of the economy, not the whims of any one president. That independence provides the stability that markets, investors, and everyday Americans rely on. Using the threat of criminal prosecution to pressure the Fed over interest rates is a direct assault on that foundation and puts the economic security of millions of Americans at risk. Uncertainty and instability can ripple through the economy, affecting borrowing costs and making it harder for families to buy a home, run a small business, or afford everyday necessities like food, fuel, and diapers.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement:
“Our Constitution places the gravest decisions about the use of military force in the hands of Congress for a reason. Using military force to enact regime change demands the closest scrutiny, precisely because the consequences do not end with the initial strike.
Tysons, VA December 29 – Preparing to combat that time of year when according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, well over a third ( 34% New Year’s Day, NHTSA, 2023) of U.S. traffic deaths involve drunk drivers, a local nonprofit organization is readying for the year-end holiday by announcing that free safe rides will be offered to would-be-drunk drivers throughout the Washington-metropolitan area this New Year’s.
Offered by the nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) the 2025 Holiday SoberRide® program – which has run nightly since December 19th – will be in operation beginning at 10:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve (Wednesday, December 31, 2025) and operate until 4:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day (Thursday, January 1, 2026) as a way to keep local roads safe from impaired drivers during this traditionally high-risk holiday period.
