Donald S. Beyer, Jr.
DemocratU.S. Representative, VA-8| Age | 76 (b. 1950-06-20) |
| Gender | Male |
| In office since | 2015-01-06 (~11 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Christian (Episcopalian/Episcopal Church) |
| Education | Gonzaga College High School (1968, salutatorian); B.A. in Economics, Williams College (1972, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa); enrolled at George Mason University (2022) pursuing a master's in computer science (machine learning concentration). |
| Prior occupation | Automobile dealership owner/executive; co-owner of Beyer Automotive Group (Volvo and other brands) in Northern Virginia |
| Military service | No |
| Birthplace | Trieste, Free Territory of Trieste (now Italy) (foreign-born) |
| Marital status | Married — Megan Carroll Beyer |
| Children | 4 |
| Residence | Alexandria, Virginia |
| Notable relatives | Grandmother Clara Mortenson Beyer was a labor economist who served under Labor Secretary Frances Perkins during the New Deal; grandfather Otto S. Beyer Jr. chaired the National Mediation Board. Wife Megan Beyer is a journalist and women's advocate. |
Pending research: languages · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 2014 |
| Previous offices | Member, Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board (appointed 1986) · Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (1990-1998) · Democratic nominee for Governor of Virginia (1997, lost to Jim Gilmore) · U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein (2009-2013) |
| Committees | Committee on Ways and Means (Subcommittee on Trade; Subcommittee on Tax) · Joint Economic Committee |
| Caucuses | Congressional Progressive Caucus · New Democrat Coalition · Congressional Equality Caucus · Climate Solutions Caucus · Medicare for All Caucus · Congressional Freethought Caucus · Congressional Blockchain Caucus · Americans Abroad Caucus · Black Maternal Health Caucus · Congressional Arts Caucus |
| Leadership | Chair, Joint Economic Committee (2021-2023) · Vice Chair, Joint Economic Committee (2020-2021) |
| Ideology | Reliable Democratic vote; member of both the Progressive Caucus and the centrist New Democrat Coalition. Reported to have voted in line with President Biden's stated positions ~100% of the time (FiveThirtyEight, 2022). |
| Signature legislation | Humane Cosmetics Act (sponsor across multiple Congresses, to ban animal testing for cosmetics) · Digital Asset Market Structure and Investor Protection Act (2021, cryptocurrency regulation framework) · Assault Weapons Excise Tax proposal (2022, proposed 1,000% tax on assault-style weapons) · Cost of Police Misconduct Act (proposed federal database of police misconduct settlements) · Legislation to ban the trade of donkey-hide gelatin (ejiao) (2023) |
Financial
Net worth: estimate
| Beyer Automotive Group / Beyer dealership interests (commercial real estate and dealership operations in Northern Virginia) | business_owned · 2018 |
| Virginia College Building Authority municipal bond (4.375%, maturing 02/01/32; sold Feb 2023) | other · $15,001–$50,000 · 2023 |
Scandals & crimes ledger
No recorded incidents. Under the adjudicated-only methodology, an entry appears only when a court or official body has formally acted and the record is cited.