On Wednesday morning, contracted workers at Reagan National and Dulles International Airports will be available for interviews when the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority (MWAA) votes on a new policy that would increase workers’ hourly wages from $12.75 to $15 by 2023. Over 8,000 contracted baggage handlers, wheelchair attendants, lobby agents, skycaps, cabin cleaners, airport concessions and airline catering workers are part of the National Fight for $15.
Before the first-of-a-kind MWAA policy, which passed in 2017, contracted airport workers earned as little as Virginia’s minimum wage of $7.25.
Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), founder and co-chair of the bipartisan House Suicide Prevention Task Force, today praised the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) unanimous vote to approve a proposal designating 9-8-8 as the National Suicide Prevention & Mental Health Hotline.
“Creating a National Suicide Prevention Hotline will save lives. The growing epidemic of Americans lost to suicide is an emergency, and establishing this hotline makes that fact clear and takes meaningful action to address it,” said Rep. Beyer. “Congress should support the FCC’s action and strengthen the National Suicide Prevention Hotline by passing my bipartisan legislation to create an education campaign to tell people about the hotline. Our bill would also promote a better discourse around suicide prevention. I will continue to press for Congress to take action on this and other suicide prevention measures in 2020.”
Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today issued the following statement regarding articles of impeachment against President Donald John Trump:
“For nearly three months, I have listened to accounts of the President’s abuses of power. I read testimony, watched hearings, and weighed the growing mountain of evidence indicating historic presidential misconduct. I received messages from thousands of constituents, most of whom expressed the opinion that President Trump should be impeached.
Rep. Don Beyer today released the following statement after the House Judiciary Committee introduced articles of impeachment against President Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress:
“I encourage all Americans to read the articles of impeachment against President Trump for themselves.
December 10, 2019 (Washington, D.C.) – Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), a member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade, today issued the following statement upon the announcement that negotiators had reached an agreement in principle on the substance of the US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement:
“The announcement of an agreement on USMCA is an important and positive step forward.
December can be a difficult time for families spending their first holiday without a loved one. For those who’ve suffered loss–whether recently, or even years prior–the holiday stress can make the season more difficult.
To help those grieving in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia during the holidays, Capital Caring Health, a local non-profit, offers a wide range of free counseling and support services.
Virginia Delegate Elizabeth Guzman (HD-31) and 16 Delegates have signed a letter urging the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority to ensure contracted workers at Reagan National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport reach $15 per hour by 2023. Their $12.15 hourly wages are far lower than D.C.’s $15 minimum wage and many East Coast airports, where workers already earn $15 or more. On December 18, MWAA board members will hold a vote to determine wages for over 6,000 immigrant contracted baggage handlers, wheelchair attendants, lobby agents, skycaps and cabin cleaners among others.
The letter reads: “As you deliberate an extension of your wage policy, we strongly urge you to ensure that all airport workers receive an hourly wage of at least $15 by 2023. We believe that this wage level is critical to improving public safety and to maintaining the robust economic benefits that airports provide to our state. MWAA’s current policy has already had a significant impact on decreasing employee turnover. However, turnover levels remain unacceptably high. For example, at the DCA airline-catering kitchen, almost 87 percent of the turnover in 2018 was from employees making below $15 an hour.
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) are ready to celebrate the holiday season with a variety of performances, giveaways and surprises for passengers throughout the month of December.
1. Attend a musical performance – Local bands and choirs will be performing throughout the month of December at Dulles International and Reagan National. Scheduled performances include Beltway Brass (DCA, IAD), Flint Hill School (IAD), Ft. Hunt Elementary School choir (DCA), the Georgetown University Superfoods a cappella group (IAD), Lunsford Middle School strings (IAD), Sandburg Middle School orchestra (DCA), Stone Bridge High School jazz band and jazz choir (IAD). Performances are held pre-security in the main terminal at both airports.
Majority Leader-elect Charniele Herring has appointed key leadership positions within the House Democratic Caucus. The whips and policy chairs will help guide the new Democratic majority through the 2020 legislative session as well as long-term policy goals, and the campaign chair and inclusion officer will work to ensure a diverse, robust, and inclusive caucus in years to come.
Majority Leader-elect Herring announced the following appointments on Monday:
The big exodus is on. With each passing day, the Thanksgiving holiday-related traffic back-ups and traffic delays will become progressively worse along freeways and major corridors across the Washington metropolitan area. Then there is the spill-over effect, as mind-numbing gridlock is visited upon “all types of roadways across the metro area, such as arterial roads, highways and city streets,” details INRIX, a global transportation analytics company. The worst of the worst travel delays on area freeways is yet to come, warns AAA in collaboration with INRIX.
That dubious distinction both becomes and befalls Thanksgiving Eve. That is to be expected as nearly 1.35 million people depart the area for the holiday. Here is the thing, of that tally, 1,221,000 Washington metro residents are expected to travel to their Thanksgiving holiday destinations by automobiles. This represents an increase of 2.1% from the 1,195,500 area residents who traveled by automobile over the Thanksgiving holiday in 2018. Thanksgiving also means “crowded airports and bus and train stations.”
Governor Ralph Northam today highlighted his administration’s progress in enhancing the quality, availability, and affordability of housing in the Commonwealth.
Speaking at the 2019 Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference in Hampton, Governor Northam announced several accomplishments since he signed Executive Order Twenty-Five in November 2018. The executive order outlined the administration’s priorities to confront the Commonwealth’s unmet housing needs by increasing the supply of permanent supportive housing, addressing the shortage of quality, affordable housing, and reducing the rate of evictions across Virginia.
As Virginians take to the roads this Thanksgiving to celebrate the holiday with family and friends, Virginia State Police is urging motorists to put down their phones and buckle up so everyone makes it safely to the holiday table.
With the onset of the 2019 winter holiday season, state police is proud to support the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Highway Safety Office and AAA Mid-Atlantic with its new traffic safety campaign aimed at heightening awareness of the deadly dangers of distracted driving. Earlier this month, Virginia State Police Superintendent, Col. Gary T. Settle, and Trooper-Trainees of the 131st Basic Academy Session signed a banner to pledge their support to the “Don’t Drive Intoxicated. Don’t Drive Intexticated” campaign and its life-saving messaging.
