congress | ARLnow.com

Virginia Democrats will try to reshape US House districts in counter to Trump’s redistricting push

Published October 24, 2025 at 8:30AM

FILE - The state and U.S. flags fly over the Virginia State Capitol as the 2024 session of the Virginia General Assembly gets underway, Jan. 10, 2024, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Democrats are taking steps to redraw their state’s U.S. House districts, hoping to boost their party’s chances in next year’s midterm elections and counter President Donald Trump’s push for more partisan districts in Republican-run states.

Virginia House Speaker Don Scott sent a letter Thursday to members telling them to convene Monday for a special session but did not state a reason. The purpose includes congressional redistricting aimed at gaining more Democratic-held seats, according to four sources with direct knowledge of the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because they are not authorized to publicly discuss them.

News

Senate rejects bills to pay federal workers during shutdown

By The Associated Press

Published October 23, 2025 at 2:30PM

The Capitol is seen at nightfall on day 22 of a government shutdown in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Thursday rejected dueling partisan bills to pay federal workers during the government shutdown, with both Republicans and Democrats deflecting blame as many employees are set to miss their first full paycheck at the end of this week.

With unpaid staff and law enforcement standing nearby, Republicans objected as Democrats proposed a voice vote on their legislation to pay all federal workers and prevent President Donald Trump’s administration from mass firings. Democrats then blocked a Republican bill to pay employees who are working and not furloughed, 54-45.

News

Troops will miss paychecks next week without action on the government shutdown

By The Associated Press

Published October 9, 2025 at 4:45PM

Aerial view of the Pentagon (staff photo)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Heather Campbell lost her job working for a food bank over the summer because of federal funding cuts. Her husband serves as an officer in the Air Force, but now he’s facing the prospect of missing his next paycheck because of the government shutdown.

If lawmakers in Washington don’t step in, Campbell’s husband won’t get paid on Wednesday. Because the couple lacks the savings to cover all their expenses, they expect to survive on credit cards to pay the mortgage and feed their three children, racking up debt as the political stalemate drags on.

News

What the government shutdown means for Arlington’s federal workers and federal sites

By Dan Egitto

Published October 2, 2025 at 3:45PM

The U.S. Air Force Memorial is closed for the government shutdown (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

As the government shutdown brings a major portion of Northern Virginia’s economy to a halt, the commonwealth’s senators are doubling down on demands to strike a deal.

After months of upheaval, thousands of Arlington’s federal workers are facing renewed uncertainty as the shutdown that began yesterday (Wednesday) forces several agencies with local headquarters to furlough employees — all while the Office of Management and Budget is threatening another round of mass firings.

Opinion

Poll: Should the number of flights at DCA be reduced?

By ARLnow.com

Published September 22, 2025 at 10:00AM

An airplane takes off from Reagan National Airport (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Maybe it seemed like a good idea at the time.

In 2023, amid debate about a bill adding 28 daily flights and easing restrictions on long distance flights at Reagan National Airport, ARLnow ran an unscientific poll asking readers what they thought.

News

How N. Va. Democrats came tantalizingly close to ousting their Republican congressman in 1964

By Scott McCaffrey

Published August 28, 2025 at 3:45PM

Augustus Johnson with President Lyndon Johnson (via Charlie Clark Center for Local History)

The following in-depth local history feature was supported by the ARLnow Press Club. Join to support local journalism and to get an exclusive version of our afternoon newsletter, plus an early look at what we’re covering each day.

To Northern Virginia Democrats, 1952 will be remembered as the year victory slipped narrowly away.

News

Beyer proposes overhaul of congressional maps to combat gerrymandering

By Scott McCaffrey

Published August 5, 2025 at 2:45PM

Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

A new bill with the backing of U.S. Rep. Don Beyer is seeking to redraw congressional lines to combat gerrymandering and improve representation.

The measure, called the Fair Representation Act, was introduced by Beyer and Maryland Democrat Jamie Raskin on July 23. It would involve creating larger congressional districts with multiple representatives, elected through ranked-choice voting.

News

Shirlington’s WETA faces multimillion-dollar cuts after Congress slashes public broadcasting

By Dan Egitto

Published July 23, 2025 at 3:45PM

WETA headquarters in Shirlington (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Tough times are ahead for WETA, the Shirlington-based producer of the “PBS News Hour” and other public programming, following millions of dollars in federal funding cuts.

Congress’s decision to withdraw $1.1 billion from public broadcasting nationwide will cost WETA $9 million in previously allocated funds during both of the next two fiscal years — a roughly 7% cut to the station’s budget.

News

Cuts to Medicaid and food assistance raise alarm bells for Arlington’s safety net

By Vernon Miles, Scott McCaffrey and Katie Taranto

Published July 8, 2025 at 10:00AM

An Arlington Free Clinic nurse administers a COVID-19 vaccine (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Federal cuts to Medicaid and food-assistance programs are expected to place greater strain on Arlington’s most vulnerable residents and the social services that support them.

Arlington County officials, health-care workers and nonprofits are still scrambling to determine the local impacts of the new federal spending bill approved last week.

News

Beyer announces reelection bid, pledging to wield influence to keep fighting Trump

By Ryan Cole

Published June 27, 2025 at 8:30AM

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) speaks on the House floor, April 2024 (via Rep. Don Beyer/Twitter)

Rep. Don Beyer is pursuing another term in office, promising to keep fighting “abuses of power” while his party plots strategies to take back Congress.

The Democrat representing Virginia’s 8th Congressional District, which includes all of Arlington, acknowledged to ARLnow that his party has struggled to resist dramatic policy changes under President Donald Trump while Republicans control the legislature.

News

Rep. Beyer calls for limiting military involvement in Israel-Iran conflict

By Dan Egitto

Published June 18, 2025 at 11:45AM

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) speaks at a press conference in April 2023 (courtesy photo)

Arlington’s congressman has pledged to support a resolution limiting U.S. military involvement in Iran.

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D) cast his support yesterday (Tuesday) for a war powers resolution that would prohibit any use of the U.S. military in “hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran” without a declaration of war or explicit authorization.

News

Town hall with Rep. Beyer and state lawmakers happening this month in Va. Square

By ARLnow.com

Published April 15, 2025 at 2:30PM

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) speaks at a press conference in April 2023 (courtesy photo)

Arlington’s congressman and several state legislators are hosting a town hall at Central Library later this month.

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, state Sen. Barbara Favola and Dels. Adele McClure and Alfonso Lopez (all D) will participate in the program, to be held on April 29 at 6 p.m. in the Barbara Donnellan Auditorium (1015 N. Quincy Street).