U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, who represents Falls Church in the 8th District of Northern Virginia, told the News-Press in an exclusive interview yesterday that a whopping 14,000 constituents tuned into his telephone town hall earlier in the week. He said it was a stunning result, clearly in response to the disruptions and stress in the federal workforce that the first weeks of the Trump administration has caused.
But that kind of reaction is not limited to this area, he added. There were 12,000 on a similar call with a congressman in New Mexico.
Beyer led one of the first public demonstrations last week against the illegal “shock and awe” efforts to defund key U.S. programs and pressure layoffs of federal employees, speaking in front of the U.S. AID headquarters in D.C.
Beyer also pointed out that 25 lawsuits have already been filed to block the egregious Trump administration actions to disrupt the government and potentially wreak havoc on thousands of households and the local economies of Northern Virginia.
It was announced yesterday that State Del. Marcus Simon, who represents Falls Church in the current state legislative session in Richmond, was among 12 appointed to an emergency committee of Richmond lawmakers to evaluate and react to the “Trump impact” on Virginia.
The emergency committee is tasked with assessing potential impacts amid a buyout for federal workers and a looming pause on federal grants. The White House press secretary has said that a funding freeze is still planned.
Meanwhile, Falls Church Mayor Letty Hardi initiated discussion at the F.C. City Council’s work session this Monday about what the City could do under the present circumstances.
Mayor Hardi noted in an email summary to the News-Press, “There are two specific risks I’m worried about,” she said. “First, there is the uncertainty and panic that the executive order on the federal fund freezing caused last week. Despite it being rescinded, it might come back in some other way. I don’t want to be caught flat footed should we have projects, programs, or services – from transportation to education to human services – that depend on federal funds. We might need local dollars to plug those gaps should a freeze be introduced again.
“In addition,” Hardi added, “If federal employees lose their jobs, usually the first to go is a household’s discretionary spending which obviously impacts the local economy. That’s something we’ll watch closely as our next quarterly financial reports come out.”
During the formal Council work session, Mayor Hardi added the following context:
“I acknowledge that it’s been a difficult, chaotic week for all of us, especially for our most vulnerable residents and federal workers under attack. This is a good opportunity to emphasize that Falls Church remains committed to being a community where all are welcome. We want all residents and visitors to feel safe, supported, and valued. We take our responsibility seriously to comply with state and federal law – after all, all of us on the City Council swore an oath to uphold the Constitution.
“At the same time, the City will continue to uphold the civil rights of everyone. And I especially appreciate our public safety teams – police and sheriff departments – who carry out the duties of their offices with integrity, serving everyone equally regardless of their background, immigration status, or identity. We cherish the diversity of our community – from our schools to businesses to public servants – and will continue to uphold these values, ensuring our policies reflect our commitment to opportunity and dignity for all.”
The Trump administration offered buyouts to all federal employees who opt to leave their jobs by Thursday, Feb. 6. An email sent to millions of employees said those who leave their posts voluntarily will receive about eight months of salary. It’s being widely reported about 20,000 federal workers, or about one percent of the workforce, have accepted the offer.
Virginia is the top state in the nation for federal contract awards, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. In 2023, the state received $106 billion in contracts.Last week, regional managers for the General Services Administration received a message from the agency’s Washington headquarters to begin terminating leases on all of the roughly 7,500 federal offices nationwide, according to an email shared with The Associated Press.
Virginia’s U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner held a remote media availability from the Capitol where he reacted to the latest alarming moves by the Trump administration targeting the federal workforce. This week, USAID employees were banned from entering their Washington headquarters, senior officials were put on leave, and lifesaving humanitarian programs have been stalled. It has also been reported that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) gained access to sensitive Treasury data, including Social Security and Medicare customer payment systems, as well as personal data at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in their quest to gut the federal government.
Sen. Warner also discussed the latest developments with key Trump administration nominees. Last week, he took part in Tulsi Gabbard’s frustrating confirmation hearing to serve as Director of National Intelligence.
