Congressman Don Beyer is serving his fourth term as the U.S. Representative from Virginia’s 8th District, representing Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, and parts of Fairfax County. He serves as the Chairman of Congress' Joint Economic Committee, and also serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, and on the House Committee on Science Space and Technology, where he chairs the Space Subcommittee. He is a Co-Chair of the New Democrat Coalition's Climate Change Task Force.
He was the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia from 1990 to 1998, and was Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein under President Obama. Rep. Beyer’s signature work as lieutenant governor included advocacy for Virginians with disabilities and ensuring protections for Virginia’s most vulnerable populations as the Commonwealth reformed its welfare system in the mid-1990s. Rep. Beyer was Virginia’s Democratic nominee for governor in 1997.
More than 76,000 federal employees call Virginia's 8th Congressional District home, a greater number than most states. They play critical roles in national security, transportation, commerce, food safety, and many other sectors.
I have worked to improve the treatment of our public servants by stopping government shutdowns, giving them earned pay raises to keep up with inflation, and treating them with greater respect than our nation has in its recent history, which I believe is essential if we are to attract the ablest or the most creative minds to lead our nation forward.
I am proud to be an original cosponsor of legislation to grant paid parental leave to federal employees for the birth or fostering of a child, and the FAIR Act, which would give significant pay raises to federal workers.
I will fight efforts to undermine the civil service and will continue to support and promote solutions and improvements for federal employees.