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My name is Angie Whitehurst. And your name is? My name is Don Beyer. Nice to meet you. What can I call you? Don is fine.

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We're going to ask you a question today. Everyone has something they have worked on in their life. What is something valuable you have contributed to and can share with others? When thinking about the work thus far, what are you proud of? Angie, I think the most important thing that I'm proud of are my four children. And yeah, I've done lots of different public service work, and lots of work in business that I'm proud of. But I do think the most enduring legacy that I could have would be to raise four children, who are kind who are thoughtful. Who are courageous, who will do the right thing. And then in my professional life, I spent 40 years building the family business. And while it's been fun to sell a lot of cars and learn management skills, the most important part of that was watching people come in as young men and women with very little skills, often brand new immigrants from El Salvador or Russia or Sub-Saharan Africa, and learn how to be auto mechanics or parts people or accountants or car salesman, and go on to buy homes and raise children and send them off to college and create whole lives because of the job opportunity that was there. There's, there's lots of things that I've enjoyed in public service, but it—when you're, whether the senator of Virginia, when Congress or, or working with the state department, they're always collaborative efforts. It's you just want to be—you're generally one of many, many trying to to get accomplished in data specific, legislative goal or policy. And I had the joy of being part of many of those little and big victories. What do you consider the greatest accomplishment of your life?

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So far in my lifetime, well, in the time that I've been there, in the last six and a half years. I think the greatest accomplishment has been investing 250 and 300 dollars per child every month, lifting for 90% of the the kids. We're talking, now in September of 2021, last month in August 91 million American children got this direct government check and they used it for groceries, and rent and school books and clothes. We're doing more to address poverty in America that we've done since the passage of the Social Security Act. And I'm intensely proud of that. Just want to make sure that this continues in the years to come. That sounds outstanding and I'm all for that. That is about family. Have people come and said thank you to you? Or acknowledged it? Yeah, it's here and there. But that's okay. I don't expect that. In fact, when somebody does say thank you to me. I'm usually embarrassed because I know that I'm just sometimes just the front man, the mouthpiece for many tens of thousands of other people who want an elective office, who are working for the exact same goals. And some are knocking on doors and some are having fights at the dinner table, and some are giving $25 checks. And every one of them is important. What would you suggest to people that they do to bring more value to our society?

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I guess the biggest thing I'd recommend is for people to stay engaged. As I've gotten older I look at where are the things that really bring me happiness? And it's almost always in being able to help other people and then the friendships I have. And not accidentally, the friend that I like the most, enjoy the most are people who also are really interested in helping other people. And we are always trying to I think should be trying to build something that that will last after we're gone that that is enduring. And so if you have the choice between staying home and watching TV or going out and volunteering at a homeless shelter or a food bank or many, many, many, many nonprofit activities where you're helping other people. Skip the TV. That's probably a good idea. Thank you so much for this interview.