WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Virginia, Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones, and Commonwealth Attorney for Fairfax, Virginia Steve Descano challenging their unconstitutional attempt to regulate federal law enforcement officers by criminally prohibiting federal officers from wearing masks, requiring individual identifiers, and functionally banning cooperative 287(g) agreements with numerous local law enforcement agencies dedicated to helping enforce this nation’s laws. Virginia Code, §§ 19.2-83.6:1, 15.2-1726.1.
Not only is the law an illegal attempt to regulate the federal government, but, as alleged in the complaint, the law threatens the safety of federal officers who have faced an unprecedent wave of harassment, doxing, and even violence. Threatening officers with prosecution for simply protecting their identities and their families also chills the enforcement of federal law and compromises sensitive law enforcement operations.
June 9, 2026 (Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Representative Don Beyer (VA-08) introduced a three-bill legislative package to prepare America’s rail system for the next generation of passenger and freight transportation by supporting the deployment of clean technologies, identifying electrification opportunities, and strengthening rail network planning.
“Rail remains one of the most efficient ways to move people and goods, and new technologies are creating opportunities to improve efficiency and reliability,” said Congressman Beyer. “We should be evaluating where it makes sense to implement these technologies, what barriers stand in the way, and how we can further support innovation to strengthen our transportation systems and improve operational flexibility. I am particularly invested in eliminating barriers between our Southeastern U.S. rail corridors and the Northeast Corridor to create a seamless connection, which my Rail Motive Power Source Integration Act and Southeastern Rail Technologies Mapping Act would both address. This slate of bills will help provide the data and assessments needed to guide those decisions and to make smarter investments in our rail corridors across the country.”
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today joined U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Jim Justice (R-WV), John Fetterman (D-PA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Chris Coons (D-DE), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Dave McCormick (R-PA), and Roger Wicker (R-MS) in sponsoring the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act, legislation allowing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants to purchase hot rotisserie chicken with their benefits.
“For families trying to stretch every dollar, it doesn’t make much sense that SNAP recipients can buy a rotisserie chicken once it’s cooled down, but not while it’s still hot,” said Sen. Warner. “This bipartisan legislation is a commonsense fix to an outdated rule that will make it easier for working families, seniors, and other SNAP recipients to put an affordable, nutritious meal on the table.”
Washington, D.C. — The Reservoir Center for Water Solutions, alongside Anacostia Riverkeeper, Anacostia Watershed Society, and Potomac Riverkeeper Network, today launched the Water Quality Monitoring Program — a groundbreaking, publicly accessible dashboard delivering real-time water quality data for the Anacostia, Potomac, and Shenandoah Rivers.
Operating like a weather app for local rivers, the next-generation monitoring tool pulls data from nine sensor sites to put real-time environmental information directly in the hands of the public. Now, everyone from weekend paddlers checking conditions before hitting the water to researchers tracking long-term river health, can access user-friendly data instantly.
RICHMOND, VA — In a letter sent to Senator L. Louise Lucas and Delegate Luke Torian — Chairs of the Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee and House Appropriations Committee, Governor Abigail Spanberger today shared the updated revenue forecast she directed state officials to conduct.
The updated revenue forecast projects a $1.5 billion increase in General Fund revenues for Fiscal Years 2026-2028. The reforecast projects that Fiscal Year 2026 revenues will exceed the official forecast by $585.5 million. For Fiscal Years 2027 and 2028, the revised outlook projects an additional $922.6 million in General Fund revenues, of which $582.4 million is identified for Fiscal Year 2027 and $340.2 million for Fiscal Year 2028.
RICHMOND, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger today announced that April revenues grew 6.9 percent compared to the previous April. On a fiscal year-to-date basis through the first ten months of Fiscal Year 2026, collections have grown 7.3 percent. Growth has been driven by strong individual income tax and strong sales tax receipts, while corporate income taxes have lagged. Compared to the official forecast assumed in the amended budget, revenues are ahead of expectations by 3.3 percent.
“Revenues for Fiscal Year 2026 are ahead of expectations entering the final months of the year, though continued national uncertainty warrants caution,” said Governor Abigail Spanberger. “I am concerned by both the sudden spike in inflation caused by the war in Iran and the job losses Virginia has seen since the start of the fiscal year — particularly in the wake of federal workforce cuts. With these developments putting additional strain on Virginians and contributing to significant uncertainty for the Commonwealth, I will continue to focus on doing everything in my power to provide stability for businesses, families, and investors.”
ARLINGTON, Va., May 8, 2026 — The U.S. Small Business Administration Washington Metropolitan Area District Office (WMADO) will recognize Good Company Doughnuts & Café as the 2026 National Small Business Week Small Business Person of the Year for Northern Virginia during a special event Friday morning in Arlington, Virginia.
The recognition honors the extraordinary growth and community impact of siblings and co founders Charles Kachadoorian and Kate Murphy, whose company has expanded from a single Arlington café in 2019 into a rapidly growing regional business serving customers throughout the Washington metropolitan area.
As a family-owned business since 1958, Mr Wash has deep roots in the communities it serves and remains committed to giving back to those who make a meaningful impact every day. “Teachers and nurses shape and heal our communities every single day,” said Mr. Wash President Evan Harris. “Their work is demanding, and it’s often thankless. As a family-owned business rooted in this community, we wanted to find a meaningful way to say what so many of us are thinking: thank you.”
This offer reflects Mr Wash’s ongoing commitment to community appreciation and service. The company invites all eligible teachers and nurses to take advantage of this special offer.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today applauded the Judiciary Committee’s passage of legislation authored by Sen. Warner to protect children from AI chatbots.
The Guidelines for User Age-verification and Responsible Dialogue (GUARD) Act, introduced by Sen. Warner along with Sens. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Katie Britt (R-AL), passed out of the committee unanimously.
RICHMOND, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger today celebrated new laws to protect workers during health and family emergencies, strengthen protections for working Virginians, and invest in Virginia’s workforce.
The General Assembly accepted the Governor’s amendments to landmark legislation creating Virginia’s new paid family and medical leave program, which will empower millions of workers throughout the Commonwealth to care for a loved one, recover from a serious illness, or welcome a new child without sacrificing their pay.
April 15, 2026 (Washington, D.C.) – Today, on Tax Day, U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-Va.) and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) reintroduced their Millionaires Surtax Act, legislation to address the growing income inequality gap between wealthy and working Americans and raise significant revenue to support everyday families and grow our economy.
This surtax would implement an additional 10-point tax to incomes above $2 million for married couples or above $1 million for individuals – applying equally to wages and salaries as well as to capital gains and other investment income. This is a simple, straightforward reform that avoids common loopholes that the wealthy often try to exploit to game the tax code. The nonpartisan Yale Budget Lab estimates that this proposal would raise $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years. This legislation is endorsed by a wide array of over 40 economic, labor, and nonprofit organizations.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) led a group of his DMV colleagues in pressing the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford for answers on two recent reports of equipment failure at the FAA Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility that caused evacuation of the facility, hospitalization of FAA personnel, and groundings and delays for aircraft at the covered airports in Virginia and Maryland.
Concerned about the Potomac TRACON facility impacting aviation traffic, the lawmakers wrote, “These incidents, along with the tragic accident of January 29, 2025, involving American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army helicopter, demand that Congress have a full accounting of the management, operations, maintenance and planned and completed improvements for the Potomac TRACON facility specifically, and the airspace management of the National Capital Region generally.”
