Don Beyer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Don Beyer
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Official portrait, 2023
|
|
| Chair of the Joint Economic Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023 |
|
| Preceded by | Mike Lee |
| Succeeded by | Martin Heinrich |
| Vice Chair of the Joint Economic Committee | |
| In office January 16, 2020 – February 3, 2021 |
|
| Preceded by | Carolyn Maloney |
| Succeeded by | Martin Heinrich |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 8th district |
|
| Assumed office January 3, 2015 |
|
| Preceded by | Jim Moran |
| United States Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein | |
| In office September 8, 2009 – May 29, 2013 |
|
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Peter Coneway |
| Succeeded by | Suzan G. LeVine |
| 36th Lieutenant Governor of Virginia | |
| In office January 13, 1990 – January 17, 1998 |
|
| Governor | Douglas Wilder George Allen |
| Preceded by | Douglas Wilder |
| Succeeded by | John Hager |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 20, 1950 Trieste, Free Territory of Trieste (now Italy) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Carolyn McInerney
(m. 1972; div. 1986)Megan Carroll
(m. 1987) |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Williams College (BA) George Mason University |
| Signature |  |
| Website | |
Donald Sternoff Beyer Jr. (born June 20, 1950) is an American politician, businessman, and diplomat. Since 2015, he has been a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Virginia's 8th district. His district is in Northern Virginia and includes the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Before becoming a congressman, Beyer had a long career in business and public service. He owned several car dealerships and was involved in many community groups. From 1990 to 1998, he was the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. He also served as the U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein from 2009 to 2013 under President Barack Obama.
In 2014, Beyer decided to run for Congress when the representative for his district, Jim Moran, retired. Beyer won the Democratic primary election and then won the main election. He has been reelected five times since then.
Contents
Early Life and Schooling
Don Beyer was born in Trieste, Italy. His father was an officer in the U.S. Army. His grandmother, Clara Mortenson Beyer, was a government worker who fought for workers' rights. His grandfather was also a government official. Beyer grew up in Washington, D.C.
He graduated from Gonzaga College High School in 1968, where he was the salutatorian (the student with the second-highest grades). In 1972, he graduated from Williams College with high honors in economics. He was a Presidential Scholar and won a National Merit Scholarship.
Even while serving in Congress, Beyer decided to go back to school. In 2022, he started taking classes at George Mason University. He is working toward a master's degree in computer science, focusing on machine learning.
Career in Business
After college, Beyer started working at a Volvo car dealership that his father bought in 1973. In 1986, he and his brother bought the business from their parents. They expanded it into the Beyer Automotive Group, which included nine dealerships selling brands like Volvo, Land Rover, Kia, and Volkswagen. Beyer sold his part of the business to his brother in 2019.
He also served on the boards of several other companies, including a soccer software company and a history research company.
Helping the Community
For almost 20 years, Beyer has been a leader in many community and charity groups. He has worked with organizations like the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce and the American Cancer Society. He has won many awards for his service.
Beyer was the head of the board for Jobs for Virginia Graduates, a program that helps high school students avoid dropping out. He was also president of the board for Youth for Tomorrow, a home for troubled teenagers founded by football coach Joe Gibbs. He currently serves on the board of Jobs for America's Graduates.
Political Career
Beyer's political career began in 1985 when he helped with a campaign for governor. In 1986, he was appointed to the Commonwealth Transportation Board, which decides how to spend money on roads and highways in Virginia.
Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
In 1989, Beyer was elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. He was reelected in 1993. As lieutenant governor, he was the president of the Virginia Senate. He worked on many issues, including improving the economy and helping people with disabilities. He also helped create the Northern Virginia Technology Council to support high-tech businesses.
In 1997, Beyer ran for governor of Virginia but lost to Republican Jim Gilmore.
Working with National Leaders
Beyer was very involved in national politics. He was the national treasurer for Howard Dean's presidential campaign in 2004. He later chaired John Kerry's campaign in Virginia.
In 2008, he was a strong supporter of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. After Obama won, Beyer was asked to help with the transition at the Department of Commerce.
Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein
In 2009, President Obama appointed Beyer to be the U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein. During his time as ambassador, he became known for warning the Swiss government about WikiLeaks, a website that publishes secret information. He also won an award for his service to Americans living overseas. He left his post as ambassador in 2013.
Gun Control Proposal
In June 2022, after several mass shootings in the U.S., Beyer announced a plan to make certain types of guns much more expensive. He proposed a 1,000% tax on assault-style weapons. He said the goal was to make it harder for people to buy these guns.
U.S. House of Representatives
.jpeg)
In 2014, Beyer ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for Virginia's 8th district. This district is strongly Democratic, so winning the party's primary election was the biggest challenge. Beyer won the primary with 45.7% of the vote and easily won the general election in November. He has won every election since.
Time in Congress
Beyer has been a critic of some government actions. In 2017, he was the first member of Congress to say that Jared Kushner, a senior White House advisor, should lose his security clearance. Beyer was concerned that Kushner had not listed all of his contacts with foreign officials on his application.
Beyer has also worked on laws related to police reform. He wrote the Cost of Police Misconduct Act. This proposed law would create a public database of complaints and settlements involving police officers.
He has also focused on animal welfare. He introduced a law to ban the trade of ejiao, a gelatin made from donkey hides, because of concerns about how the animals are treated. He also wrote the Humane Cosmetics Act, which would stop companies from testing makeup on animals in the United States.
As of 2022, records showed that Beyer voted in line with President Joe Biden's positions 100% of the time. After the October 7 attacks in Israel, Beyer voted to provide support to the country.
Committee and Caucus Memberships
Beyer serves on important committees in the House of Representatives:
- Committee on Ways and Means (which deals with taxes and trade)
- Joint Economic Committee
He is also a member of many groups in Congress called caucuses, which focus on specific issues. Some of these include:
- New Democrat Coalition
- Climate Solutions Caucus
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
- Rare Disease Caucus
Personal Life
Beyer is married to Megan Beyer. They have two daughters, Clara and Grace. He also has two children, Don and Stephanie, from a previous marriage, and two grandchildren. He is a member of the Episcopal Church.
