Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) sent a letter to the Postmaster General raising concerns that he’s heard directly from Virginians regarding delayed mail service following structural and operational changes at the Postal Service. The current public health crisis has resulted in an unprecedented rise in Americans relying on mail service to receive prescription drugs, groceries, and other basic necessities in an effort to reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus. However, since Postmaster General Louis DeJoy implemented sweeping operational changes to the agency last month under the guise of cost-saving measures, mail service has been significantly delayed.

“I have heard from many of my constituents in Virginia that vital packages, including medicine, are being delayed and some constituents report that they are going days without any mail delivery at all. This sudden decline in USPS quality of service poses a significant hardship in the context of COVID-19, when so many Americans are depending on the mail for delivery of groceries, household necessities, and medications. Even in the best of times, many seniors, some people with disabilities, and those living in rural areas particularly rely on the Postal Service as a critical link to vital resources. I strongly urge you to rescind any policy changes that are contributing to delays in mail delivery,” wrote Sen. Warner to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.

In his letter, Sen. Warner also notes that like many Virginians, he worries that new policies that have already delayed mail delivery across the Commonwealth could also jeopardize timely distribution and processing of mail-in ballots for the upcoming November elections. 

“My constituents have also raised concerns that recent delays in mail delivery are part of the administration’s broader effort to erode the effectiveness of, and confidence in, voting by mail. Millions of Americans are expected to vote by mail in November so as not to risk their health by voting in-person. I am gravely concerned that instead of working to dispel misinformation about the security of voting by mail and supporting states in expanding access as a public health measure, the Trump administration is instead casting doubt on the integrity of mailed ballots and accusing states that seek to expand it of “cheat[ing]”. It is imperative that we do everything possible to protect our electoral process from political interference and ensure that the process of voting by mail during the pandemic runs as seamlessly as possible. I urge you in the strongest possible terms to rescind any policy that might hamper the delivery and processing of mail-in ballots,” continued Sen. Warner.

In his letter, Sen. Warner also calls on the Postmaster General to answer a series of questions after the Postal Service’s Appalachian District erroneously posted notices at some Virginia Post Offices indicating that they would be closing in late August 2020.

“I heard from constituents in Danville real-time that the closure notification had appeared suddenly and without following statutory and regulatory processes. Although it was later communicated to my office that the postings were made in error, I remain concerned that established processes could break down so easily and spark such concern in the community,” wrote Sen. Warner.

A copy of the letter is found here and below.

 

Mr. Louis DeJoy
Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer
United States Postal Service
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4012
Washington, DC 20260

Dear Mr. DeJoy:

I write to express deep concern about a number of issues related to the United States Postal Service (USPS or Postal Service) that my constituents have raised with me in recent weeks.

Several of my colleagues have written to you with questions and apprehension about operational changes implemented since your tenure as Postmaster General began on June 15, 2020. These abrupt changes are resulting in widespread delays in mail delivery and appear to have been implemented without proper consultation with Congress or key postal stakeholders, including unions. I echo these concerns and urge you to respond to their inquiries promptly and meaningfully.

I have heard from many of my constituents in Virginia that vital packages, including medicine, are being delayed and some constituents report that they are going days without any mail delivery at all. This sudden decline in USPS quality of service poses a significant hardship in the context of COVID-19, when so many Americans are depending on the mail for delivery of groceries, household necessities, and medications. Even in the best of times, many seniors, some people with disabilities, and those living in rural areas particularly rely on the Postal Service as a critical link to vital resources. I strongly urge you to rescind any policy changes that are contributing to delays in mail delivery.

My constituents have also raised concerns that recent delays in mail delivery are part of the administration’s broader effort to erode the effectiveness of, and confidence in, voting by mail. Millions of Americans are expected to vote by mail in November so as not to risk their health by voting in-person. I am gravely concerned that instead of working to dispel misinformation about the security of voting by mail and supporting states in expanding access as a public health measure, the Trump administration is instead casting doubt on the integrity of mailed ballots and accusing states that seek to expand it of “cheat[ing]”. It is imperative that we do everything possible to protect our electoral process from political interference and ensure that the process of voting by mail during the pandemic runs as seamlessly as possible. I urge you in the strongest possible terms to rescind any policy that might hamper the delivery and processing of mail-in ballots.

I also continue to have concerns and unanswered questions about the series of events that led to the Postal Service’s Appalachian District erroneously posting notices at some Virginia Post Offices indicating that they would be closing in late August 2020. I heard from constituents in Danville real-time that the closure notification had appeared suddenly and without following statutory and regulatory processes. Although it was later communicated to my office that the postings were made in error, I remain concerned that established processes could break down so easily and spark such concern in the community. I respectfully request a detailed accounting of how many Post Offices nationwide and in Virginia were affected by similar inaccurate notifications; from what list(s) or based on what characteristic(s) these Post Offices were identified; what steps have been taken to correct the record and inform the general public that these Post Offices are, in fact, remaining open; and how many Post Offices are currently being considered or evaluated for closing, consolidation, or having their operating hours reduced. For all of the reasons detailed above, it is unconscionable to me that USPS would seek to limit access to postal services, and I seek your commitment that no such closings, consolidations, or reductions in hours will be pursued before the November 2020 election or before the COVID-19 public health emergency ends, whichever is later.

In addition to playing a vital and constitutionally mandated role in the life of every American, the Postal Service also directly supports nearly 17,000 jobs in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I strongly oppose any policy change or other effort to undermine the mail delivery that countless Virginians will continue to rely on to exercise their democratic right to vote and safely access groceries, medication, and other basic necessities in the midst of the pandemic. I urge you in the strongest possible terms to reverse course and commit to strengthening and defending the Postal Service for the remainder of your tenure as Postmaster General.

Sincerely,

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Washington - U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) were joined by 31 U.S. Senators in sending a letter asking President Trump to restore full funding to states for the National Guard forces responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last week the President reduced FEMA reimbursement for National Guard units from 100 percent to 75 percent, with no explanation, and with the unexplained exception of Florida and Texas. Since March, National Guard units in every state and territory have supported response to help Americans, from distributing much-needed food, to running remote testing locations, to standing up alternate medical care facilities. After initial reluctance, the White House authorized using federal dollars to support the mission to provide states flexibility and members of the Guard equal benefits. On Aug. 3, without warning or explanation, the White House changed that, with two exceptions. After a press inquiry, a White House official said the reason was a personal appeal from those governors. Three additional states last Friday received a short-term additional federal match to reach full federal cost share until Oct. 1.


In the letter, the Senators said: “Congress has demonstrated repeatedly that we understand 32 USC 502(f) to include the ability for the National Guard, under command of state and territory governors, to respond with Federal resources to disasters that endanger Americans…. This new determination to reduce the cost share comes at the worst possible time, as positive cases continue to rise, and food security and other basic needs increase due to the ongoing economic impact of the pandemic… We ask that you re-authorize one hundred percent cost share for all states and territories through at least December 31.”

The letter shares a similar goal to a call from the National Governors Association Friday.

A copy of the letter can be found here and below:

Dear Mr. President:

We write to request you restore one hundred percent Federal cost share to all states and territories for use of the National Guard under Title 32 of U.S. Code for responding to coronavirus, which was terminated by your August 3 memorandum for all states and territories except Florida and Texas. The National Guard response has been critical within our states to supporting the health and well-being of millions of Americans. 

Congress has demonstrated repeatedly that we understand 32 USC 502(f) to include the ability for the National Guard, under command of state and territory governors, to respond with Federal resources to disasters that endanger Americans. Most recently, the CARES Act included funding specifically for COVID-19 response for the Army and Air National Guards, as requested by the Department of Defense. You determined to use reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency at one hundred percent cost share, and the resulting mission has lessened the negative impacts for Americans.

This new determination to reduce the cost share comes at the worst possible time, as positive cases continue to rise, and food security and other basic needs increase due to the ongoing economic impact of the pandemic. Further, by singling out Florida and Texas for a full cost share as other states face challenges of similar magnitude, the decision appears arbitrary and without justification. Exacerbating the arbitrary and capricious decision, the White House on August 7 extended a short term restoration for some states to a one hundred percent cost share through September 30.  This inequity among states is irrational.

We ask that you re-authorize one hundred percent cost share for all states and territories through at least December 31.

 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $8,978,420 in federal funding to help Virginians access affordable housing across the Commonwealth. The funding was awarded through the Housing Choice Voucher Program and authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act supported by Warner and Kaine.

“As housing insecurity continues to rise for many Virginians, now more than ever, Congress needs to offer critical assistance to those in need,” the Senators said. “We’re pleased to announce these federal funds that will go directly towards supporting some of the most vulnerable communities right now.”  

Through the CARES Act, Congress provided $1.25 billion for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, which funds the Housing Choice Voucher program that helps lower-income families, the elderly, and disabled individuals afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing. This funding includes $400 million for increased subsidy costs and $850 million for administrative and other expenses incurred by public housing authorities (PHAs), including activities to support or maintain the health and safety of assisted individuals and families, and costs related to retention and support of participating owners.

The funding will be awarded as below:

Recipient                                                                                          City                            Amount

Abingdon Redevelopment and Housing Authority                                 Abingdon                  14,067

Accomack-Northampton Regional Housing Authority                            Accomack                  70,053

Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority                                  Alexandria                384,750

Arlington County Dept. of Human Services                                         Arlington                   382,489

Big Stone Gap Redevelopment and Housing Auth.                               Big Stone Gap           14,895

Bristol Redevelopment & Housing Authority                                        Bristol                       44,015

Buckingham Housing Development Corp. Inc.                                     New Canton              12,112

Charlottesville Redevelopment & Housing Authority                             Charlottesville           60,969

Chesapeake Redevelopment & Housing Authority                                Chesapeake              273,293

County of Albemarle/Office of Housing                                               Charlottesville           68,308

Covington Redevelopment & Housing Authority                                   Covington                 6,188

Danville Redevelopment & Housing Authority                                      Danville                    202,837

Fairfax County Redevelopment & Housing Authority                             Fairfax                      1,343,712

Franklin Redevelopment and Housing Authority                                   Franklin                     39,053

Hampton Redevelopment & Housing Authority                                    Hampton                   546,358

Harrisonburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority                              Harrisonburg              118,122

Hopewell Redevelopment & Housing Authority                                   Hopewell                    83,304

James City County Office of Housing                                                 Williamsburg               26,718

Lee County Redevelopment & Housing Authority                                 Jonesville                   60,122

Loudoun County Department of Family Services                                Leesburg                   141,428

Lynchburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority                                 Lynchburg                102,166

Marion Redevelopment & Housing Authority                                     Marion                       32,611

Newport News Redevelopment & Housing Authority                          Newport News           457,534

Norfolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority                                    Norfolk                      670,205

Norton Redevelopment & Housing Authority                                    Norton                       13,554

People Inc. of Southwest Virginia                                                   Abingdon                  18,907

Petersburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority                              Petersburg                120,138

Portsmouth Redevelopment & Housing Authority                             Portsmouth               332,279

Prince William County Office of HCD                                              Woodbridge               467,993

Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority                               Richmond                  506,406

Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority                                 Roanoke                    250,704

Scott County Redevelopment & Housing Authority                           Duffield                     28,438

Staunton Redevelopment & Housing Authority                                Staunton                   26,821

Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority                                Suffolk                      158,077

Virginia Beach Dept. of Housing & Neighborhood Pres.                     Virginia Beach          363,274

Virginia Housing Development Authority                                         Richmond                 1,381,408

Waynesboro Redevelopment & Housing Authority                           Waynesboro              46,973

Wise County Redevelopment & Housing Authority                            Coeburn                    90,291

Wytheville Redevelopment & Housing Authority                               Wytheville                17,848

 

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced legislation to encourage Americans to seek preventive care in order to avoid an increase in more serious health conditions down the line. The Getting Early Treatment and Comprehensive Assessments Reduces Emergencies (GET CARE) Act would authorize a public awareness campaign to educate the public on the importance of resuming routine procedures and screenings – something Americans were discouraged from doing for a period of time during the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Preventive health care and screenings can significantly reduce serious medical emergencies and improve long-term health outcomes,” said Sen. Warner. “In the initial days of the COVID-19 pandemic, health providers rightly encouraged patients to avoid non-essential care, but now we have to make sure the American public is aware of the importance of getting their regular health check-ups.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a troubling decline in vital screenings and immunizations, undermining efforts to ensure prevention, early diagnosis, and effective treatment for dangerous diseases,” said Sen. Scott. “Drops in immunization and screening rates are particularly problematic for some of our most vulnerable populations, including our seniors. This bipartisan legislation would encourage Americans to safely and responsibly seek out the preventive care they need.”

During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans were discouraged from seeking non-emergency care in order to prevent the spread of the virus and free up needed capacity at overwhelmed hospitals that were struggling to administer life-saving care to individuals with COVID-19. During this time, many states put executive orders in place to suspend elective procedures, and health care providers all across the country worked to limit face-to-face interactions, restricting office appointments to emergency needs. As a result of these necessary measures, there has been a significant decrease in routine health visits that normally play a crucial role in detecting a number of conditions and diseases that can be effectively treated when caught early.

Reuters has reported that diagnostic panels and cancer screenings fell by 68 percent nationally, with even more dramatic drops in COVID-19 hot spots. Additionally, the Epic Health Research Network estimates that over the span of three months, between March 15 and June 16, Americans missed about 65 percent of breast, colon, and cervical exams, which are essential in detecting cancer. There has also been an alarming decrease in childhood vaccination rates, which experts worry could trigger an epidemic of other infectious but vaccine-preventable diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that the health care system could save over 100,000 additional lives per year if every person received recommended preventative care.

According to the CDC, preventative care is also essential in reducing health care costs. In fact, estimates show that avoidable chronic diseases account for more than 75 percent of the nation’s health care spending.

With many Americans still reluctant to seek non-emergency care, the GET CARE Act would authorize a public awareness campaign in order to bring attention to the importance of resuming preventive. Specifically, this legislation would direct the CDC to make competitive grants available to public or private entities in order to carry out a national, evidence-based campaign.

This campaign would:

  • Increase awareness of the importance of recommended preventive care services for the prevention of and control of diseases, illness and other medical conditions during and after the COVID-19 pandemic;
  • Combat misinformation about seeking preventive care during the pandemic;
  • Disseminate scientific, evidence-based preventive care-related information to increase the utilization of preventive care services; and
  • Ensure the public awareness campaign is appropriately tailored to medically underserved communities, racial and ethnic minorities, and communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic;

This legislation has the support of a number of organizations, including American College of Preventive Medicine, American Public Health Association, American Hospital Association, Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association and Ballad Health System.

“We thank Senators Warner and Scott for introducing the GET CARE Act, which will help to educate the public about the importance of prevention and preventive care. This is especially important for individuals living with, or at risk of getting, preventable chronic diseases, which may place them at increased risk for serious health complications due to COVID-19,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, Executive Director, American Public Health Association.

“The American College of Preventive Medicine strongly advocates for this initiative to support prevention as the cornerstone of our health care system. Increased adoption of preventive services will reduce the burden of disease, especially in communities facing racial, demographic, and economic disparities in care and worsening health outcomes, and make our health system more sustainable and equitable. The power of prevention is to better prepare individuals, communities, and the nation for health crises of all types by building resilience through better health,” said Stephanie Zaza, MD, MPH, President, the American College of Preventive Medicine. 

“Prevention has the power to save lives, create healthier communities, and transform our healthcare system. Increased use of preventive services makes health care systems and communities more resilient and better prepared to fight disease. It is of critical importance that we balance efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic with innovative and safe approaches to continuing essential preventive services, such as childhood vaccination and flu vaccination,” said Donna Grande, MGA, CEO, the American College of Preventive Medicine.

“During the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, health care facilities across the Commonwealth voluntarily postponed non-emergency scheduled procedures to free up additional treatment capacity to accommodate incoming patients and to preserve personal protective equipment as part of the strategy to fight this deadly virus,” said Sean T. Connaughton, President and CEO, Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association. “Taking these necessary, proactive steps meant that many Virginians had to forgo care for conditions including cancer and cardiac care and preventive screenings and treatment services such as vaccinations, mammograms, and colonoscopies. While many hospitals and health care facilities resumed scheduled procedures in early May, data indicates that many patients are avoiding or delaying care, perhaps due to fears associated with COVID-19. The GET CARE Act of 2020 is important legislation that will help spread the word that health care facilities are open and ready to safely care for patients. It’s important that all Virginians who need care, whether for a routine check-up, a vaccination, or care for a serious medical condition, get the care they need without delay.”

“Our entire team applauds Sen. Mark Warner and Sen. Tim Scott for proposing bipartisan support for America’s health systems and hospitals as we strive to save lives and serve our communities,” said Alan Levine, Chairman and CEO, Ballad Health. “The Get Care Act would create a public awareness campaign underscoring the importance of preventative health screenings and seeking routine medical care.   Among other things, this bill provides important resources and templates to help hospitals and health systems initiate and sustain public service communications efforts.  This effort follows a similar initiative provided by Ballad Health, in which resources were provided by Ballad Health for free to any rural, not-for-profit health system for use in their communities. This effort by the Senators brings scale to something desperately needed. Right now, many Americans are forgoing not only preventative health screenings but even treatment of acute health conditions because of concern about the COVID-19 pandemic. Ballad Health has witnessed this trend firsthand, as our hospital and outpatient volumes have decreased by as much as 70% during the past several months. Like other healthcare providers, we are concerned about the long-term impacts for patients who are not seeking the routine care they need. Healthcare providers everywhere have established detailed and deliberate safeguards to protect their patients during the pandemic, and this bill would help reassure patients that it is safe to seek both routine and emergency care. I congratulate the Senators for this important bipartisan effort.”

“Inova has made significant investments in technology and procedures to ensure patients feel and are safe managing their health, whether they seek care in person or through telehealth,” said J. Stephen Jones, MD, FACS, President & CEO of Inova Health System. “I thank Senator Warner for championing this timely and proactive initiative encouraging all Americans to make their preventative health a priority.”     

A summary of this bill is available here. Bill text can be found here.  

 

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) joined Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (N.J.-09) and a number of colleagues in introducing bicameral legislation to establish an Inspector General (IG) for the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to provide independent oversight, and increase transparency and accountability at the agency which has recently come under increased scrutiny over reports and allegations of political favoritism, inconsistent policy implementation and conflicts of interest.

“Americans deserve honest and transparent trade policy,” said Sen. Menendez. “Recent reports of political favoritism, opaque decision-making, and conflicts of interest highlight just how dangerous it can be when an Administration hides public business from the American people. This bill will help ensure that trade policy is determined by our country’s economic interests – and no one else’s.”

“Sunlight remains the ultimate disinfectant, and that is especially true when it comes to our trade policy,” said Rep. Pascrell. “Our nation’s trade policies impact virtually every aspect of our economy and so Americans deserve to know that they are being formulated free of tainting influences and double-dealing. The opaqueness and outright corruption of Trump’s regime has revealed the need for a watchdog in all corners of our government. Our bill will ensure our trade policy will not be wielded for personal or political gain.”

In a June hearing, Sen. Menendez confronted USTR Robert Lighthizer over allegations that President Trump asked Chinese President Xi to make agricultural purchases to help him in the election. "Because if it's true, it shows how clear it is that the administration doesn't really have any intention of actually solving our trade problems with China,” Menendez said.

USTR’s Section 301 China tariff exclusion process has raised concerns over its lack of transparency, inconsistent decision-making, and political favoritism. Further, in June, Bloomberg reported that two USTR employees who helped negotiate USMCA may have violated federal law barring conflicts of interest when they offered their services as private-sector advisers to future clients while still on the federal payroll.

USTR is one of the only cabinet-level agencies without an IG, which means decisions that impact billions of dollars in trade are currently without the same degree of oversight as other federal agencies.

The legislation is co-sponsored by all the Democratic Finance Committee members, Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.). Reps. Sanford Bishop (Ga.-02), Peter DeFazio (Ore.-04), Alcee Hastings (Fla.-20), Marcy Kaptur (Ohio-09), Jim McGovern (Mass.-02), Frank Pallone (N.J.-06), Jose Serrano (N.Y.-15) and Judy Chu (Calif.-27) are cosponsoring the companion bill in the House.

The USTR Inspector General Act of 2020 would:

  • Establish a statutory IG for the United States Trade Representative under the Inspector General Act of 1978, similar to IGs for the Departments of Commerce, Defense, State, Justice, Treasury, etc. to perform independent oversight, improve transparency and accountability, and crack down on waste, fraud, and abuse;
  • Require the president to appoint an individual to serve as USTR IG, subject to advice and consent of the Senate, not later than 120 days after enactment; and
  • Direct the USTR IG to commence an audit of the Section 301 China tariff exclusion process within 180 days of enactment.

A copy of the bill can be found here.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced legislation to reduce prescription drug costs for children, while bringing in savings for states. The Fair Drug Prices for Kids Act would give states the ability to purchase prescription drugs at the lowest price possible, lowering the cost of prescription drugs for children and saving state dollars.

“This commonsense legislation will improve health care for our nation’s children by allowing states that have standalone Children’s Health Insurance Programs get the same prescription drug discounts as traditional State Medicaid programs,” said Sen. Warner. “There’s no reason we should pay more for the drugs our kids depend on. This bill will fix that and improve care for the more than four million children nationally enrolled in a standalone CHIP program.”

“Health care – including access to affordable prescriptions drugs – is a fundamental right, but skyrocketing prescription drug prices drive up costs and threaten to limit access to coverage and care, including for our nation’s children,” said Sen. Booker. “Our bill will make important changes to bring down prescription drug costs for standalone CHIP programs, therefore strengthening these programs for the families who rely on them.”

The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides low-cost health coverage to low-income children who would otherwise be uninsured. Currently, states can either have a standalone CHIP that is separate from Medicaid, or they can expand Medicaid eligibility to achieve the same goal of providing health insurance to low-income children. States can also have a combination CHIP, where they receive federal funding to implement both, a Medicaid expansion program and a separate CHIP.

However, states that have a standalone CHIP are not allowed to participate in the Medicaid Drug Rebate program (MDRP), which allows state Medicaid programs to purchase products from drug manufacturers at “Medicaid best price” – the lowest price offered to any other commercial payer. This means that these states are forced to pay higher prices for the same prescription drugs, which can result in higher costs for families and reduced access to medicines and other forms of needed care.  

The CHIPS for Kids Act would give states the option of purchasing prescription drugs for their standalone CHIP through the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program. This would generate immediate savings for individual CHIP programs and the federal government, opening the door for states to use those excess dollars to ensure additional families and children have access to essential medical care and prescription drugs.

This legislation has the support of Patients for Affordable Drugs Now as well as Little Lobbyists.

“States and families across the country are suffering from the high prices of prescription drugs. Medicaid and CHIP make it possible for some families to get the medication they need to live,” said Sarah Kaminer Bourland, Legislative Director, Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “The Fair Drug Prices for Kids Act will extend basic drug pricing provisions so all CHIP programs get the medication patients need at the lowest possible price. We are grateful to Senators Warner and Booker for introducing this important legislation.”

“All children have a right to the health care they need to survive and thrive. The Fair Drug Prices for Kids Act offers the 4.1 million children covered under separate CHIP programs more affordable access to the medications they need. Additionally, it frees up CHIP funds so that this critical program can be expanded to cover all families who are struggling to afford their children's health care. Little Lobbyists is proud to support the swift passage of the Fair Drug Prices for Kids Act,” said Erin Gabriel, Director of Advocacy, Little Lobbyists.

A one-page summary of the bill is available here, and bill text can be found here.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Steve Daines (R-MT), members of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced legislation to improve orthotic and prosthesis care for seniors with Medicare health coverage. The Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act would make sure Medicare patients continue to have access to safe orthosis or prosthesis care through healthcare specialists while helping to reduce government fraud and waste.

“Under current law, the provision of highly specialized orthotic and prosthetic care is improperly regulated in the same way as durable medical equipment (DME), which does not reflect the service our seniors receive under the Medicare program,” said Sen. Warner. “This commonsense legislation redesigns the way Medicare delivers orthotic and prosthetic care to ensure seniors have safe access to the care they need without adding any additional cost to the Medicare program.”

The majority of orthoses and prostheses are custom fabricated or custom fitted and require the expertise of a certified or licensed orthotist or prosthetist. However, under existing Centers of Medicaid Services (CMS) regulation, these highly trained practitioners are unfairly treated in the same manner as durable medical equipment (DME). The Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act protects patients by differentiating the clinical, service-oriented manner in which orthoses and limb prostheses are provided in contrast to DME, a commodity that is not service-oriented.

Specifically, the Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act would:

  • Create separate statutory requirements for the provision of orthoses and prostheses to reflect the distinction between the clinical, service-oriented nature of orthotics and prosthetics care and the commodity-based nature of DME. 
  • Restore Congress’ intended meaning of the term “minimal self-adjustment,” to more clearly define off-the-shelf orthoses that subject to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ competitive bidding program.
  • Ensure that patients have access to the full range of orthotic care from one orthotic/prosthetic practitioner rather than requiring patients to visit multiple providers in the case where the treating orthotist or prosthetist does not have a competitive bidding contract.
  • Prohibit the practice of “drop shipping” – shipping a custom orthoses and prostheses to Medicare beneficiaries without the involvement of a clinically-trained specialist – and prohibit drop shipment of off-the-shelf orthoses. 

In a report to Congress, prohibiting the practice of “drop shipping” would help reduce the likelihood of Medicare waste, fraud, and abuse of orthotics and prosthetic benefits by operators of late-night advertisements and telemedicine companies. Just last year, the Department of Justice revealed a $1.2 billion telemedicine scam targeting orthotic and prosthetic beneficiaries.  

In addition to Sens. Warner and Daines, the legislation is sponsored by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and John Cornyn (R-TX). Companion legislation was also introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA), Glenn Thompson (R-PA), and G.K. Butterfield (D-NC).

This legislation has the support of Virginia Prosthetics & Orthotics and the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA).

“Distinguishing Orthotics and Prosthetics from Durable Medical Equipment is the most pressing issue in my profession. The provision of orthotic and prosthetic care includes a professional service component that is simply not the same as DME. The majority of orthoses and prostheses are custom –fabricated or custom-fit and require the expertise of a licensed and certified orthoptist or prosthetist whom must earn a Master’s of Science degree(s) and complete a clinical residency before becoming certified and/or licensed practitioners. Simply put, there is a great deal- sometimes years- of personalized patient care provided by orthotists and prosthetists, and lumping them into DME makes little sense,” said J. Douglas Call, CP, President of Virginia Prosthetics & Orthotics. “I also appreciate Sen Warner’s efforts to reduce Medicare waste, fraud and abuse in the orthotic and prosthetic benefit by banning “drop-shipping” of orthotics. Recently, in the midst of the pandemic, some bad actors have been charged with submitting false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for orthotic braces that were medically unnecessary, ineligible for Medicare reimbursement or not provided as represented. This hurts our profession, but more importantly it hurts patients and must be stopped.”

“The provision of orthotics and prosthetics care requires clinical services provided by highly trained practitioners. Currently, it is unfairly regulated through a DME lens instead of the clinical care lens,” said Jeff Lutz, CPO, President of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA). “By differentiating the clinical care in which orthoses and limb prostheses are provided from the provision of durable medical equipment, this important legislation will ensure patients get the safe, quality care they deserve.”

Full text of the bill can be found here.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced legislation to strengthen the public’s ability to evaluate the impacts of natural gas pipelines being considered by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). This bill makes it easier for the public to offer input and clarify the circumstances under which eminent domain should and should not be used. Among other guidelines, this bill requires public comment meetings to be held in every locality through which a pipeline would pass, at every stage of the review process, in order to minimize situations where individuals are forced to commute long distances with very little time to comment. It also strengthens landowners’ rights by improving the processes in which landowners are notified of a pipeline application and bolstering their ability to intervene to ensure any concerns about their property are given fair consideration and compensation. This bill builds upon an earlier version of legislation the Senators introduced last Congress.

While Congress does not decide on the merits of individual gas pipeline projects, Congress provides the legal authority under which FERC is tasked with evaluating the benefits and drawbacks to energy infrastructure proposals.

Each of the FERC reforms outlined in this bill is directly based on input submitted by Virginia residents to Warner and Kaine during FERC’s consideration of the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) and Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP).

“During the public comment periods for the ACP and MVP, we heard a whole series of legitimate complaints about FERC’s flawed process – from inadequacy of notice for the comment period, to public hearings that were held too infrequently and too far away from where impacted Virginians live. Simply put – FERC did not give people enough opportunity for input and did not ensure all affected landowners were given a fair deal. Based on the concerns that we heard, we’ve drafted our bill to improve the way FERC gathers public input on matters of such importance as to whether their land is taken. We have to make a commitment on something as important as this to have a better process to listen to the public and ensure communities have a real say in these decisions,” said the Senators.

 

“The Appalachian Trail Conservancy applauds Senator Kaine and Warner’s leadership in ensuring poorly planned energy infrastructure does not degrade the essential values of our National Scenic Trails,” said Sandra Marra, President and CEO of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. “As stewards of the Appalachian Trail, we must examine the big picture impacts of proposed developments, and the Pipeline Fairness Act will require that same perspective and commitment from FERC. We will continue to work with the Senators to protect the values of our National Scenic Trails, which benefit millions of visitors, thousands of volunteers, and hundreds of trailside communities.”

Specifically, the legislation would:

  • Improve the process by which landowners are notified of a potential pipeline project affecting their property;
    • Require that FERC review companies’ notices to landowners  to ensure notices meet the requisite criteria;
  • Require that applicants for a FERC Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (e.g., companies with pipeline proposals) provide clear and complete instructions to all affected landowners on how to request an appeal or “rehearing” through FERC, including the deadline to file, no later than 60 days before the deadline to intervene. The notice must make it clear to landowners that they must appeal in a timely manner to FERC for a rehearing to preserve certain rights to seek judicial review;
  • Prevent pipeline projects from exercising eminent domain or commencing construction until:
    • the project has received all requisite permits, certifications, or other permissions from necessary federal and state agencies
    • FERC has issued rulings on all timely landowner rehearings. This process improvement comes in response to a public request by two FERC Commissioners;
  • State that it is the policy of the United States that eminent domain be limited to situations in which the taking of property for natural gas pipelines is for public, not private, use. This language is modeled after a 2006 Executive Order by President George W. Bush clarifying the scope of federal eminent domain authority;
  • Help ensure fair appraisals and offers of compensation for affected property owners by giving landowners the opportunity to accompany appraisers during the inspection of property, which must be completed prior to an offer of compensation. That offer of compensation must be of fair market value or better;
  • Require a single programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS) if two gas pipelines are proposed within one year and 100 miles of one another, and provide that if there is more information that comes out after a draft EIS than is in a draft EIS, FERC must do a supplemental EIS, with another public comment period;
  • Mandate public comment meetings in every locality through which a pipeline passes, at every stage in the process (draft EIS, final EIS, supplemental EIS) so members of the public do not have to drive long distances to meetings where they are only able to speak for just a few minutes;
  • Specify that eminent domain takings of land under conservation easement be given fair compensation not just for the land value but for the lost conservation value of the land;
  • Ensure that plans to mitigate unavoidable impacts be subject to public comment so the public can verify that the mitigation is fair and proportionate;
  • Require cumulative analysis of visual impacts on National Scenic Trails (including the Appalachian Trail) for multiple pipelines that cross the same trail within 100 miles, in order to prohibit any downgrading of National Scenic Trail scenic integrity requirements in current law if the project represents a net degradation to the trail;
  • Codify the end of “tolling orders—” a longstanding practice that allowed FERC to place landowner rehearing requests in limbo while pipeline constructions were allowed to continue — and strengthen landowners’ ability to proceed to court should FERC not rule on grievances in a timely manner. The “tolling orders” practice was recently struck down by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit;
  • Extend the deadline in which FERC must consider landowners’ rehearings from 30 days to 45 days to ensure the Commission has a reasonable amount of time to address landowner concerns.

###

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Steve Daines (R-MT), members of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced legislation to improve orthotic and prosthesis care for seniors with Medicare health coverage. The Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act would make sure Medicare patients continue to have access to safe orthosis or prosthesis care through healthcare specialists while helping to reduce government fraud and waste.

“Under current law, the provision of highly specialized orthotic and prosthetic care is improperly regulated in the same way as durable medical equipment (DME), which does not reflect the service our seniors receive under the Medicare program,” said Sen. Warner. “This commonsense legislation redesigns the way Medicare delivers orthotic and prosthetic care to ensure seniors have safe access to the care they need without adding any additional cost to the Medicare program.”

The majority of orthoses and prostheses are custom fabricated or custom fitted and require the expertise of a certified or licensed orthotist or prosthetist. However, under existing Centers of Medicaid Services (CMS) regulation, these highly trained practitioners are unfairly treated in the same manner as durable medical equipment (DME). The Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act protects patients by differentiating the clinical, service-oriented manner in which orthoses and limb prostheses are provided in contrast to DME, a commodity that is not service-oriented.

Specifically, the Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act would:

  • Create separate statutory requirements for the provision of orthoses and prostheses to reflect the distinction between the clinical, service-oriented nature of orthotics and prosthetics care and the commodity-based nature of DME.
  • Restore Congress’ intended meaning of the term “minimal self-adjustment,” to more clearly define off-the-shelf orthoses that subject to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ competitive bidding program.
  • Ensure that patients have access to the full range of orthotic care from one orthotic/prosthetic practitioner rather than requiring patients to visit multiple providers in the case where the treating orthotist or prosthetist does not have a competitive bidding contract.
  • Prohibit the practice of “drop shipping” – shipping a custom orthoses and prostheses to Medicare beneficiaries without the involvement of a clinically-trained specialist – and prohibit drop shipment of off-the-shelf orthoses.

In a report to Congress, prohibiting the practice of “drop shipping” would help reduce the likelihood of Medicare waste, fraud, and abuse of orthotics and prosthetic benefits by operators of late-night advertisements and telemedicine companies. Just last year, the Department of Justice revealed a $1.2 billion telemedicine scam targeting orthotic and prosthetic beneficiaries. 

In addition to Sens. Warner and Daines, the legislation is sponsored by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and John Cornyn (R-TX). Companion legislation was also introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA), Glenn Thompson (R-PA), and G.K. Butterfield (D-NC).

This legislation has the support of Virginia Prosthetics & Orthotics and the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA).

“Distinguishing Orthotics and Prosthetics from Durable Medical Equipment is the most pressing issue in my profession. The provision of orthotic and prosthetic care includes a professional service component that is simply not the same as DME. The majority of orthoses and prostheses are custom –fabricated or custom-fit and require the expertise of a licensed and certified orthoptist or prosthetist whom must earn a Master’s of Science degree(s) and complete a clinical residency before becoming certified and/or licensed practitioners. Simply put, there is a great deal- sometimes years- of personalized patient care provided by orthotists and prosthetists, and lumping them into DME makes little sense,” said J. Douglas Call, CP, President of Virginia Prosthetics & Orthotics. “I also appreciate Sen Warner’s efforts to reduce Medicare waste, fraud and abuse in the orthotic and prosthetic benefit by banning “drop-shipping” of orthotics. Recently, in the midst of the pandemic, some bad actors have been charged with submitting false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for orthotic braces that were medically unnecessary, ineligible for Medicare reimbursement or not provided as represented. This hurts our profession, but more importantly it hurts patients and must be stopped.”

“The provision of orthotics and prosthetics care requires clinical services provided by highly trained practitioners. Currently, it is unfairly regulated through a DME lens instead of the clinical care lens,” said Jeff Lutz, CPO, President of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA). “By differentiating the clinical care in which orthoses and limb prostheses are provided from the provision of durable medical equipment, this important legislation will ensure patients get the safe, quality care they deserve.”

Full text of the bill can be found here.

 

###

 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) joined Chris Coons (D-Del.), Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch (R-Idaho), and Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), along with Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), in a joint statement ahead of the 22nd anniversary of the bombings of the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania on August 7, 1998. The Senators called on the Trump Administration and Congress “to deliver justice to the victims and their families and appropriately and equitably address terrorism-related claims against Sudan.”

“On August 7, 1998, twin explosions at the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania claimed the lives of over 250 people – including 12 American embassy personnel – and wounded over 5,000 people in attacks later linked to al-Qaeda, which had been given safe haven in Sudan. On this anniversary of a tragedy that shocked our nation’s conscience, we honor those killed and injured in the Embassy bombings as well as all the dedicated individuals – from our diplomats to security guards – who make enormous daily sacrifices to serve and protect our nation overseas.  Our hearts are with the victims and their family members who continue to bear the wounds of these heinous attacks.

“The murderous regime of former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir that for years harbored terrorists and terrorist organizations was toppled by a peaceful revolution in April 2019, which has put Sudan on the path toward democracy and opened the possibility of resolving certain longstanding issues in Sudan’s relationship with the United States. It is critical that the Trump Administration and Congress redouble efforts to deliver justice to the victims and their families and appropriately and equitably address terrorism-related claims against Sudan.

“As we mark this solemn day for our nation, let us continue honoring the legacy of all who perished in these attacks by recommitting ourselves to end the scourge of terrorism and seeing the perpetrators of this and other attacks on Americans brought to justice.  We must never forget those who died in service to the United States.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) introduced legislation to allow for the construction of a new Long Bridge across the Potomac River – a move that would double the capacity of the rail crossing between Virginia and the District of Columbia (D.C). The Long Bridge Act of 2020would authorize the National Park Service (NPS) to transfer to Virginia and D.C. the land needed for the construction of the new commuter rail and pedestrian bridge adjacent to the existing bridge. 

“Adequate rail infrastructure is an essential aspect of our Commonwealth’s economy. It helps ensure fast and convenient transportation for passengers and commuters and facilitates commerce by providing a reliable way to move and ship goods,” said Sens. Warner and Kaine. “This legislation will allow NPS to transfer the needed land to Virginia so that it can build the new Long Bridge and double the amount of rail capacity in this important passageway.”  

“The legislation introduced by Senators Warner and Kaine is a significant milestone in transforming passenger and freight rail service along the East Coast,” said Virginia Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine. “The construction of the Long Bridge is a project of national significance – unlocking the gridlock across the Potomac, expanding rail capacity, creating essential rail redundancy, and supporting economic recovery and growth.”

The existing Long Bridge is one of the most significant choke points along the East Coast. It’s the only rail bridge connecting Virginia to D.C. and serves as the main rail connection between the Southeast and the Northeast for passenger and freight rail, carrying almost 80 CSX, Amtrak and VRE commuter trains per day.  

The construction of the new Long Bridge is at the center of an investment by the Commonwealth of Virginia, which recently reached a landmark $3.7 billion rail agreement with CSX, which includes acquisition of 350 miles of rail and 225 miles of track, and allows Virginia to double VRE and state-supported Amtrak service. Under current law, NPS does not have the legal authority to convey the needed land to Virginia and D.C. without an act of Congress.

This legislation would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to transfer approximately 4 acres of land to Virginia and the D.C. for the construction of rail and other infrastructure relating to the Long Bridge Project. 

U.S. Reps. Rob Wittman (R-VA) and Don Beyer (D-VA) have introduced similar legislation in the House of Representatives to facilitate the construction of the new Long Bridge.

The text of this legislation is available here

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WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate unanimously approved a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and John Boozman (R-AR) to help address the alarming rate of veteran suicide. Provisions of the IMPROVE Well-Being for Veterans Act, a bill to expand veterans’ access to mental health services, were included as part of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act to help the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reduce veteran suicides.

“Today, Congress came together in a bipartisan fashion to make sure our veterans receive the tools and resources they need to heal from the invisible wounds of war. Right now, too many veterans still die by suicide long after having completed their tours of duty. This important legislation will help tackle the alarming rate of veteran suicide by ensuring our military heroes have the support they need after faithfully serving our country. It’s my hope that the President quickly signs this critical life-saving bill into law,” said Sen. Warner.

“We can’t take our focus off the veteran suicide crisis even with all that is going on in the world right now. In recent years, Congress has increased funding to reach at-risk veterans, yet the number who commit suicide each day has remained largely unchanged. It’s clear a new strategy is necessary and the approach that Senator Warner and I have proposed in this bill is a key part of that. Coordinating and sharing information between the VA and veteran-serving organizations that have the common goal to save lives will have a positive impact,” said Sen. Boozman.

The IMPROVE Well-Being for Veterans Act creates a new grant program to enable the VA to conduct additional outreach through veteran-serving non-profits in addition to state and local organizations. Additionally, the bipartisan bill enhances coordination and planning of veteran mental health and suicide prevention services and better measures the effectiveness of those programs in order to reduce the alarming number of veteran suicides.

The VA estimates that around 20 veterans die by suicide each day. Unfortunately that number has remained unchanged despite Congress more than tripling the VA’s funding for suicide prevention efforts over the last ten years to nearly $222 million in FY20.

Only six of the 20 veterans who die by suicide each day receive healthcare services from the VA before their death. That’s why Sens. Warner and Boozman are empowering the VA to share information with veteran-serving non-profits and requiring it to develop a tool to monitor progress so that resources can be concentrated on successful programs.

The IMPROVE Well-Being for Veterans Act was introduced in June 2019. Days later, at a committee hearing, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie called the bill “key” to unlocking the veteran suicide crisis. In January, provisions of the Warner-Boozman legislation were included in the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, and the bill was unanimously approved by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. Additionally, the IMPROVE Well-being for Veterans Act was included as part of the President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide (PREVENTS) Act, which was unveiled last month.

Sen. Warner has been a strong advocate of improving care for Virginia’s veterans. In January, he  sent a letter to the four VA medical facilities providing care for Virginia’s veterans requesting an update on their suicide prevention efforts. He’s also recently met with senior leadership at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center and Hampton VA Medical Center (VAMC) to discuss wait time reduction at their facilities and suicide prevention efforts.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today announced $1,787,477 in federal funding for fire departments in Virginia through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. The AFG program supports local fire departments by providing funds for new equipment and training.

“We are pleased to announce this critical funding to support Virginia’s firefighters. We must ensure they are always equipped with the tools and training necessary to keep them safe as they protect us from fires and other dangers in the community,” the Senators said. 

The following Virginia fire departments will receive funding for operations and safety under the AFG program:

  • The Wintergreen Fire Department will receive $203,809;
  • The Warren County Fire and Rescue will receive $725,454;
  • The Fries Volunteer Fire Department will receive $34,077;
  • The Stephens City Fire & Rescue Company will receive $94,285;
  • The Lynchburg Fire Department will receive $88,941
  • Richmond County Fire and Emergency Services will receive $640,909.

The primary goal of FEMA’s AFG program is to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire-related hazards by providing direct financial assistance to eligible fire departments, nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Services organizations and State Fire Training Academies for critically-needed resources to equip and train emergency personnel, recognize standards, enhance operations efficiencies, foster interoperability, and support community resilience.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Mark Warner (D-Virginia) and Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) introduced the Governors Broadband Development Fund

The legislation:

·        Allocates $10 billion to the Broadband Development Fund to prioritize funding for areas that currently lack service.

·        Supports the deployment of advanced technologies in areas where there is greatest need.

·        Encourages projects that can provide internet service quickly.

“Before this crisis, we saw that broadband access was a precondition to full participation in the digital economy,” said Sen. Warner. “But with this crisis we’ve seen that it’s more than that: it’s the enabling technology for remote education, tele-work, and tele-medicine; it’s the means by which Americans apply for and access critical government benefits; and it provides us with the ability to stay close with loved ones we can no longer be in direct contact with. States like Virginia are leading the way in identifying and closing broadband gaps and this legislation will help expand and strengthen those important efforts.”

“There are places in South Carolina you might as well be on the moon when it comes to getting high speed internet service,” said Sen. Graham.  “The benefits of broadband technology – as it relates to education, medicine, and business – are endless. There is bipartisan support for expanding broadband access and our legislation dramatically improves access in rural and underserved areas. I’m cautiously optimistic we can get this done and signed into law soon.” 

“Too many South Carolinians lack access to the global economy, telehealth, and educational tools due to the lack of broadband technology,” said Senator Scott. “This bipartisan legislation gives governors the opportunity to effectively deploy broadband in the parts of their state that need it most. It is critical that we continue to find pathways to increase connectivity for all Americans to ensure that they are equipped with the tools necessary to thrive.”

According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), about 21 million Americans do not have access to 25/3 mbps internet, which is the FCC’s standard for high speed broadband. Of that 21 million, 16 million live in rural areas, while 5 million live in urban areas. 

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The Governors’ Broadband Development Fund 

  • The legislation will be introduced this week in the United States Senate.  Original co-sponsors will be Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tim Scott (R-SC).
  •  The legislation allocates $10 billion to the Broadband Development Fund. 
  • Each state is provided a minimum of $75 million and the rest of the funding is distributed based on state populations.
    • 30 percent of a state’s funding must be used in Opportunity Zones.
    • South Carolina would receive roughly $170 million from this program.
    • Virginia would receive roughly $237 million from this program.
    • Funding can be used for infrastructure development, providing free or reduced cost broadband service, community center improvements and other applications.
  • The Governors’ Broadband Development Fund prioritizes funding for areas that currently lack service, supports the deployment of advanced technologies, and encourages projects that can provide internet service quickly.
  • This block grant is designed off of the successful USDA ReConnect program, which has seen more than three times the demand than funding available.

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced the Mixed Earner Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Act of 2020 to help ensure Americans who earn a living through a mix of traditional (W-2) and independent employment income (1099) can fully access the financial relief made available under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Program.

Following March passage of the CARES Act, states were directed to establish PUA to distribute benefits to workers who would normally not be eligible for unemployment assistance, such as self-employed workers or freelancers, to help them stay afloat during the COVID-19 economic crisis. However, the program has unintentionally disqualified these non-traditional workers from participating in the PUA program if they have mixed sources of income that make them eligible to receive the minimum benefit in regular unemployment insurance. This affects any primarily self-employed or independent worker who receives a secondary source of W-2 income, such as working part-time as a server or caterer, retail worker, entertainment worker, or otherwise are hired by a company part-time as an employee.  

“As the nation continues to deal with the economic devastation caused by COVID-19, we’ve got to ensure that workers have the assistance they need to cope with the dire financial straits many are unexpectedly finding themselves in,” said Sen. Warner. “While Congress extended a lifeline under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program, a large swath of gig and independent workers were unexpectedly left out from receiving the full benefits they are entitled to. Today, we’re introducing a commonsense fix to help millions of independent, freelance, and entrepreneurial workers who were left out of this critical safety net at no fault of their own.”

“In the current economic crisis we must do all we can to support Americans who have been forced to go without work," said Sen. Smith. "Earlier this year, Congress enacted a historic expansion of unemployment insurance, but some people who worked multiple jobs have found themselves in an unintended no man’s land between unemployment programs that has resulted in drastically reduced unemployment compensation. I’ve heard directly from several Minnesota workers caught in this position who are now struggling to get by. That’s why I’m working to fix this problem and help these families get the assistance they need during difficult times.”    

According to recent figures by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as many as 1 in 10 American workers may presently participate in the labor market with gig, independent, and self-employed work as their primary form of occupation. Last week, based on the unadjusted data released by the U.S. Department of Labor, 2 million Americans filed new unemployment claims – 1.2 million for regular unemployment insurance and almost 1 million for the PUA program. The data also indicates that 33.8 million Americans are either receiving unemployment benefits or have applied and are awaiting approval. Out of the total number of unemployment claims, more than 15 million have been for the PUA program. 

The Mixed Earner Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Act would:

·       Allow workers who earn a minimum of $7,250 independent (e.g. 1099) income to request reconsideration into receiving PUA benefits instead of regular state unemployment compensation.

·       Allow states to opt-in to implement this expanded coverage for mixed earners, acknowledging that not every state will be ready to implement this change.

The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM)and Chris Coons (D-DE). A copy of the bill text can be found here. Companion legislation was also introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Judy Chu (D-CA).

The Mixed Earner Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Act is endorsed by the Actors’ Equity Association, All Creative Writes – New York, Alternate ROOTS, American Association of Independent Music, American Federation of Musicians, Americans for the Arts, American Photographic Artists, Artist Rights Alliance, Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston, Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, Arts in a Changing America, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts – Tennessee, Asian American Arts Alliance, Association of Performing Arts Professionals, Atlanta Contemporary – Georgia, The Authors Guild, BMI, C4 Atlanta, California Lawyers for the Arts, CERF+- the Artists Safety Net, Chocolate Factory Theater – New York, Chorus America, Christian Music Trade Association, Copyright Alliance, CreativeFuture, Dad’s Garage Theatre Company – Georgia, Dance/NYC – New York, Department for Professional Employees – AFL-CIO, Digital Media Association, Dramatists Guild of America, The Field – New York, Fourth Arts Block – New York, Freelancers Union, Future of Music Coalition, Graphic Artists Guild, Guild of Italian American Actors, Halau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine – Hawaii, Independent Music Professionals United, International Documentary Association, The Laundromat Project – New York, Lawyers for the Creative Arts – Chicago, League of American Orchestras, Live Nation, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, Mississippi Center for Cultural Production, More Art Inc – New York, Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Art, Music Artists Coalition, Music Business Association, Music Workers Alliance, Musicians for Musicians Inc., The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), National Coalition for the Art’s Preparedness and Emergency Response, National Employment Law Project, National Press Photographers Association, National Writers Union, Naturally Occurring Cultural Districts – New York, New Yorkers for Culture and Arts, New York Foundation for the Arts, North American Nature Photography Association, Opera American, PA’I Foundation – Hawaii, Peters Valley School of Craft – New Jersey, Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, Power Haus Creative – Georgia, Recording Academy, the Recording Industry Association of America, SAG-AFTRA, Songwriters Guild of America, Songwriters of North America, SoundExchange, Southeast Community Cultural Center – Georgia, Springboard for the Arts, Minnesota Lawyers for the Arts, St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts, True Colors Theatre Company – Georgia, Universal Music Group, UrbanGlass – New York, Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts, and the Writers Guild of America – East.

The legislative fix comes on the heels of a letter Sens. Warner and Smith led, along with Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Coons (D-DE), to urge Senate leaders to ensure that these workers who have mixed forms of income can access the PUA program – which is available through December 2020 – as negotiations between Senate Republicans and Democrats continue.

It is clear that allowing workers in alternative work arrangements to access the PUA program is an important lifeline for many during this crisis,” the Senators wrote in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Finance. “However, for workers whose primary source of income is independent, freelance, or self-employed work but who also receive some W-2 wages as a secondary source of income – such as working part-time as a server or caterer, retail worker, entertainment worker, or otherwise are hired by a company part-time as an employee – an exclusion leaves them without access to a safety net for their primary source of income. Specifically, we hope that modification of the PUA program can be made to allow individuals with over $7,250 in self-employed income to request a reconsideration of their PUA eligibility, where both their 1099 and W-2 income will be aggregated for their weekly benefit calculation. Acknowledging that some states will be better positioned than others to implement this, participation in the fix to the PUA process should be optional for individual states.”

A copy of the letter can be found here.

 

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Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Acting Chairman Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) released the following joint statement after the Committee voted to adopt the classified version of the fifth and final volume of the Committee’s bipartisan Russia investigation:

“Today, the Senate Intelligence Committee voted to adopt the classified version of the final volume of the Committee’s bipartisan Russia investigation. In the coming days, the Committee will work to incorporate any additional views, as well as work with the Intelligence Community to formalize a properly redacted, declassified, publicly releasable version of the Volume 5 report. We want to thank the Committee’s Russia investigative staff for their years of diligent, hard work on this critical matter.” 

Read the Senate Intelligence Committee’s previous reports:

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine cosponsored the Real Economic Support That Acknowledges Unique Restaurant Assistance Needed to Survive (RESTAURANTS) Act of 2020, legislation that would establish a $120 billion revitalization fund to help independent restaurants deal with the long-term structural challenges facing the industry because of COVID-19 and support the reemployment of 11 million workers.

“Virginia’s independent restaurants have been especially hurt by the coronavirus emergency and require much-needed relief,” the Senators said. “This bill can help save restaurants across the Commonwealth by offering the critical assistance needed to cover costs of operations and supporting staff. We’re glad this effort has bipartisan support to help millions of restaurants from closing their doors for good.”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the restaurant industry has lost over 6.1 million jobs – the most of any industry and double the figure from the next most affected industry. Without further action from Congress, over 11 million independent restaurant workers are at risk of permanently losing their jobs. Restaurants are facing months of massive revenue losses because of social distancing, rising costs of supplies, new expenses for personal protective equipment, and a decrease in the public’s willingness to dine out.

The National Restaurant Association estimates that more than 237,000 restaurant employees in Virginia have been laid off or furloughed since March – representing at least 78 percent of the 305,000 employees that were working at Virginia’s eating and drinking places in February.

The Senate bill was led by Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and was cosponsored by Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chris Coons (D-DE), Doug Jones (D-AL), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Bob Casey (D-PA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV).

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement after President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law. The bipartisan legislation includes Sen. Warner’s Restore Our Parks Act, which would help tackle the $1.1 billion in deferred maintenance at Virginia’s parks and could create up to 10,340 jobs in the Commonwealth alone. The legislation overwhelmingly passed in the House of Representatives earlier this week and was approved by the Senatein June. 

“As the economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to financially strain communities across the country, this new law will help create tens of thousands of jobs and make a positive economic impact for gateway communities that depend on our national parks,” said Sen. Warner“Now that this bill is the law of the land, Virginia’s historical sites will finally start receiving crucial repairs that have been postponed for years. I want to thank my colleagues for joining me in my years-long effort to create jobs and make sure our nation’s historical treasures are around for years to come.”

Today’s bill signing comes nearly three years after Sen. Warner’s initial effort to provide relief to national parks in Virginia, where the maintenance backlog currently sits at $1.1 billion dollars.

In June, the National Park Service released a report that estimated that an average of 40,300 direct jobs and 100,100 direct and indirect jobs would be supported nationally by the Restore Our Parks Act if passed as part of the Great American Outdoors Act. In Virginia, it is estimated that 10,340 jobs would be created or supported as a result of Sen. Warner’s push to address the national parks backlog.  

In addition, a recent NPS study highlighted the financial impact national parks sites have on Virginia’s economy. Last year, 22.8 million individuals from around the world visited national parks in Virginia, spending $1.2 billion. Additionally, national parks in Virginia helped support 17,300 jobs and contributed over $1.7 billion to the Commonwealth’s economy. Because of the economic impact national parks have on communities across the country, more than 800 organizations have pledged their support for the Great American Outdoors Act.

Sen. Warner’s effort to address the maintenance backlog began in March 2017, when he worked with Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) to introduce the National Park Legacy Act, which would have eliminated the NPS maintenance backlog by creating a thirty-year designated fund to take care of maintenance needs at visitor centers, rest stops, trails and campgrounds, as well as transportation infrastructure operated by NPS such as the George Washington Memorial Parkway and Arlington Memorial Bridge. That same year, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced its own proposal, drawing heavily on the initial proposal from Sens. Warner and Portman. However, the Administration proposal – which was introduced in the Senate as the National Park Restoration Act by Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Angus King (I-ME) – would not have established a dedicated funding stream for NPS maintenance.

In March 2018, after extensive negotiations among Sens. Warner, Portman, Alexander, and King, the bipartisan group introduced the Restore Our Parks Act, a bipartisan consensus proposal endorsed by the Trump Administration, to invest in overdue maintenance needs at NPS sites. The bill would reduce the maintenance backlog by establishing the “National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund” and allocating existing revenues from onshore and offshore energy development. This funding would come from 50 percent of all revenues that are not otherwise allocated and deposited into the General Treasury, not exceeding $1.3 billion each year for the next five years. In February 2019, Sen. Warner reintroduced the Restore Our Parks Act and, the bill was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in November.

In March 2020, following the President’s announcement that he would back the bipartisan Restore Our Parks Act as well as full and permanent funding for LWCF, Sen. Warner, along with Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Steve Daines (R-MT), Portman, King, Alexander, and Richard Burr (R-NC) introduced the Great American Outdoors Act, which would provide $9.5 billion over five years to the National Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Indian Education to address the deferred maintenance backlog at these agencies. The legislation would also provide permanent, mandatory funding for the LWCF, which provides states and local communities with technical assistance, recognition, and funding to help preserve and protect public lands. Virginia has received approximately $368.5 million in LWCF funding over the past four decades to help protect dozens of national parks, wildlife refuges, forests, trails and more. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee sent a letter demanding that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provide information to the Committee about the role that its Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) has played in responding to the protests in Portland, OR. The letter was signed by Committee Vice Chairman Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Angus King (I-ME), Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Michael Bennet (D-CO).

“We have grown increasingly concerned about the role and operations of the Department of Homeland Security, and the Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) in particular, with regard to the protests in Portland, Oregon.  As a member of the Intelligence Community, I&A is obligated by statute to keep the congressional intelligence committees fully and currently informed of its operations.  Given the intense national as well as congressional interest in DHS activities related to protests in Portland and around the country, documents and other information related to I&A’s operations should be provided to the Committee pro-actively, and not merely in response to repeated requests or following revelations in the press,” wrote the Senators in the letter, which was addressed to Acting Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis Brian Murphy.

The Senators posed a series of 25 questions to the Department, setting an August 6, 2020 deadline to reply:

1.      Of the I&A personnel deployed to, or otherwise who have been assigned to missions connected to the Portland protests, how many are analysts and how many are collectors?  What I&A mission centers do they work for?  What backgrounds and training do they have that are relevant to the Portland mission? 

2.      Has I&A employed any contractors for the Portland mission?  If yes, please describe their roles.

3.      Where have I&A personnel in Portland physically worked and with whom have they been co-located?

4.      Please provide a breakdown of the DHS components I&A personnel have supported and a description of the support provided to each such component.  To what extent does the chain of command of I&A personnel include those components, as opposed to I&A Headquarters?

5.      Please describe interactions and coordination between I&A personnel in Portland and state and local law enforcement and political authorities.

6.      Please describe interactions and coordination between I&A personnel in Portland and federal law enforcement, including elements of the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security.

7.      A July 9, 2020, I&A document describing “Portland Surge Operation” states that I&A personnel may “collect from incarcerated, detained, or arrested persons” so long as the collection is conducted overtly.  You stated during a briefing for Committee staff on July 23, 2020, that I&A personnel have not engaged in custodial debriefings.  Please confirm.  Have I&A personnel been indirectly engaged with detainee operations, for example, by providing collection requirements or requests, or suggested lines of questioning, to detaining authorities or otherwise requesting or receiving information related to detainees?

8.      You also stated during the July 23, 2020, briefing that I&A personnel have not interacted with protesters in any way.  Please confirm.

9.      During the July 23, 2020, briefing, you stated that I&A had neither collected nor exploited or analyzed information obtained from the devices or accounts of protesters or detainees.  Please confirm.

10.  Please describe I&A’s open source collection.  What rules of engagement apply to open source collection in the context of protests in which the vast majority of participants are exercising their First Amendment rights?  What rules or guidance does I&A follow to distinguish actual threats of violence or vandalism from political hyperbole, and what training do I&A personnel receive on the implementation of that guidance?

11.  What processes does I&A have to vet the authenticity of open source threat reporting?  What processes does I&A have to vet the authenticity of social media accounts in which individuals take credit for acts of violence or vandalism, on their own behalf or on behalf of an ideology?  How has this vetting been conducted prior to disseminating this information, or using it as a basis for analysis?

12.  Have I&A operations in connection with the Portland protests been reviewed by an I&A Intelligence Oversight Officer, DHS’s Privacy Office and Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, or any other DHS personnel responsible for reviewing the impact of I&A operations on the privacy and civil liberties of U.S. persons?  If yes, please describe those reviews.

13.  The “Job Aid” document authorizes collection of information that “informs an overall assessment that threats to [law enforcement] personnel, facilities, or resources will materialize.”  The document includes a similar explicit authorization with regard to public monuments, memorials and statues.  Can I&A collect information on U.S. persons who are not threatening violence and, if so, under what circumstances?

14.  Has I&A conducted network analysis linking individuals suspected of violence?  If yes, please describe how that analysis has been conducted while not collecting on U.S. persons not suspected of violence?  Please provide any such analysis.

15.  During the July 23, 2020, briefing, you stated that I&A is able to track those who engage in violent acts because “it is the same people who come out after midnight.”  Please describe how I&A is able to differentiate between peaceful protesters exercising their First Amendment rights and those individuals who have planned or conducted acts of violence, and what information or intelligence is used in making this determination.

16.  Has I&A produced or contributed to targeting packages or dossiers on particular suspects?  If yes, please provide these to the Committee.

17.  On July 16, 2020, the FAA put in place flight restrictions over Portland to prevent drones from flying below 1000 feet.  The FAA cited a DHS conclusion that private drone use presented a threat.  Please provide any intelligence to support that conclusion.

18.  Have I&A personnel obtained or analyzed data from overhead surveillance of protests?  If yes, please describe.

19.  On July 25, 2020, you sent a memo to I&A personnel in which you stated that individuals in Portland committing acts of violence are “VIOLENT ANTIFA ANARCHIST INSPIRED (VAAI).”  Please describe the origin of this designation and the analytical process whereby it was developed and applied.

20.  Your July 25, 2020, memo stated that the VAAI designation was informed by FIRs, OSIRs, “baseball cards” and FINTEL.  Please provide these documents to the Committee.

21.  Please describe how I&A has applied its retention guidelines to information related to the Portland protests.  What information has been marked for indefinite retention?  How has I&A sought to apply its 180-day retention limitation to information it has disseminated?

22.  Please describe what I&A raw reporting has been disseminated to what entities, whether DHS, federal law enforcement, state or local or municipal law enforcement, or the Intelligence Community.

23.  Are there limits to I&A’s role in protecting public monuments, memorials or statues absent threat of violence to persons?  Does it matter whether such monuments, memorials or statues are on federal, state, local, or private property?

24.  What other cities has I&A deployed to, or plans to deploy to in response to protests or associated threats of violence?  Please provide any documentation or guidance related to any such deployments.

25.  According to press accounts, I&A disseminated Open Source Intelligence Reports on a journalist and a legal scholar who had written about I&A.  If that is accurate, provide those reports, a complete description of who they were disseminated to, and an explanation of the purpose and basis for the reports and their dissemination under law and I&A’s intelligence oversight guidelines, including with regard to the identification of any U.S. persons within them.

A copy of the letter is available here

 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and 28 of their Senate colleagues in urging Senate leadership to reject the Trump Administration’s desire to condition education funds in the next coronavirus relief package on the reopening of elementary and secondary schools for in-person instruction. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL), and Appropriations Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the Senators said that the Senate should not be complicit in President Trump’s demands that would risk the health and lives of students and school personnel, and that Congress should instead provide federal assistance to schools in need and support for local officials to base reopening decisions on facts and science.

“Instead, Congress should provide federal assistance to elementary and secondary schools that gives state and local officials the tools and resources they need to ensure a safe and effective learning environment for students, including students from low-income families and students of color, and a safe and effective working environment for educators and staff—whether it be in-person, remote, or a hybrid model,” the Senators wrote. “Every one of us wants schools to reopen when it is safe to do so.  But, facts and science must drive those decisions, not Presidential pipedreams or impatience.” 

The Senate Republican proposal, unveiled this week by McConnell, would provide only $70 billion to elementary and secondary education – with an estimated two-thirds of that federal funding held hostage unless schools reopen to in-person learning.  Durbin and other Senate Democrats, led by Senator Patty Murray of Washington, have proposed the Coronavirus Child Care and Education Relief Act, which would provide $175 billion to elementary and secondary education without regard to the operating status of schools. 

In addition to Sens. Warner and Durbin, the letter was signed by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ron Wyden (D-OR),  Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA),  Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ed Markey (D-MA), Debbie Stabenow (D_MI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV),  Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Gary Peters (D-MI). 

Text of this letter is available here.

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) joined Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and a bipartisan group of Senators in sending a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urging them to include maximum telework requirements for federal employees and contractors in the next coronavirus relief package. 

“As the Senate considers the next coronavirus relief package, we urge you to include requirements to ensure maximum telework for federal employees and contractors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal employees and contractors have been teleworking successfully throughout the COVID-19 public health emergency, many of whom have been keeping vital services running and implementing relief measures to support the economy and stop the spread of COVID-19,” the Senators begin.

“As new waves of COVID-19 cases continue to hit areas across the country, it is especially important for federal agencies to have a clear mandate that sets a positive example for employers to keep their workforces and communities safe. Plans to bring federal employees back into offices prematurely would threaten to erase the progress made against the coronavirus and increase community spread,” they continue. 

They emphasize the public health benefits of telework, writing, “All federal employees and contractors who can perform their duties remotely should be doing so. Agencies should enable telework for as many federal workers and contractor personnel as possible, and should continue to maximize telework throughout the pandemic. Telework protects not only federal employees from the spread of COVID-19, but also their families and the communities across the country in which they work.”

Along with Sens. Warner and Van Hollen, the letter was signed by Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Angus King (I-Maine), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.). 

The full text of the letter is available here and below.

 

Dear Leader McConnell and Leader Schumer: 

As the Senate considers the next coronavirus relief package, we urge you to include requirements to ensure maximum telework for federal employees and contractors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal employees and contractors have been teleworking successfully throughout the COVID-19 public health emergency, many of whom have been keeping vital services running and implementing relief measures to support the economy and stop the spread of COVID-19.

As new waves of COVID-19 cases continue to hit areas across the country, it is especially important for federal agencies to have a clear mandate that sets a positive example for employers to keep their workforces and communities safe. Plans to bring federal employees back into offices prematurely would threaten to erase the progress made against the coronavirus and increase community spread.

All federal employees and contractors who can perform their duties remotely should be doing so. Agencies should enable telework for as many federal workers and contractor personnel as possible, and should continue to maximize telework throughout the pandemic. Telework protects not only federal employees from the spread of COVID-19, but also their families and the communities across the country in which they work.

We appreciate your past support for federal employees and the funding provided in the CARES Act to help agencies expand telework. We ask that you continue this support by requiring maximum telework in the federal government during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the next coronavirus relief package. 

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) took to the Senate floor to request immediate passage of the States Achieve Medicaid Expansion (SAME) Act to allow states – including Virginia – to further benefit from expanding Medicaid, and to further incentivize states who have not yet expanded to do so. Immediately after Sen. Warner requested to pass the SAME Act by unanimous consent, Senate Republican objected and thereby blocked the immediate passage of this crucial legislation, which would have brought in additional federal Medicaid dollars for states during the greatest public health crisis in generations.

Sen. Warner’s request comes as the nation surpasses four million COVID-19 cases and Americans find themselves increasingly without health care after having lost their jobs and their employment-connected benefits.

“I can think of no better time to pass this legislation than right now, when more than 5 million Americans find themselves having lost their health care coverage in the last three months alone. In fact, some reports actually estimate that nearly 27 million Americans have lost their employer-sponsored health insurance and are now in jeopardy of becoming uninsured,” Sen. Warner said on the Senate floor. “Estimates show that if every state were to expand its Medicaid program, about 3 million additional Americans would have health care coverage. This is not a political argument nor a philosophical exercise – this legislation has a real-world impact and it’s clear that Americans want and need this legislation to pass.”

He continued, “Across our nation, Americans are making clear they want expanded access to health coverage – and Congress needs to listen. With all due respect to my Republican colleagues, you can’t say you want to help Americans in this devastating time and simultaneously oppose this bill, which would do just that. As we stand here in this chamber, we have the privilege of knowing that we and our families have access to the health care coverage we need. That if anything were to go wrong, we would be covered. So why shouldn’t we ensure that same access for more Americans?” 

The SAME Act would allow states like Virginia that expanded Medicaid after 2014 to receive the same full federal matching funds as states that expanded earlier under the terms of the Affordable Care Act. Under this legislation, the 14 states that have not expanded Medicaid would also be eligible for increased federal funds once they choose to expand the program. 

The Affordable Care Act provides financial support to states that have expanded their existing Medicaid programs to provide healthcare coverage to all individuals up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. The federal government covers the full cost of expansion for three years, phasing down to a 90 percent match rate for the sixth year of the expansion and in subsequent years. Currently, states choosing to expand coverage after 2014 do not receive the same federal matching rates as those that expanded immediately. This is due to the Supreme Court’s holding in National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) v. Sebelius, which made expansion optional for states, despite intentions to make Medicaid expansion national in 2014. The SAME Act would ensure that any states that expand Medicaid receive an equal level of federal funding for the expansion, regardless of when they chose to expand.

In his remarks, Sen. Warner noted the $14,000 median cost of a COVID-19-related hospitalization and stressed this cost could mean bankruptcy for the 30 million Americans without health insurance.  

“I know my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to do right by their constituents and the millions of Americans that need help. So today, I ask you to come together to support the SAME Act,” stressed Sen. Warner. “No one should go bankrupt because they got sick and sought medical care. But more importantly, no one should go bankrupt when this legislative body has the opportunity to act. Let’s do the right thing here – put politics aside and pass this commonsense legislation.”

 

Sen. Warner’s floor remarks as originally prepared for delivery are available below:

Madam President, I rise today to talk about an issue that is weighing on too many American families right now, and that’s access to health care coverage. 

We’re in the midst of the greatest public health crisis in generations. And this unprecedented time calls for equally unprecedented action from this Congress.  

Today, I come to the floor to pass legislation I introduced along with Senator Doug Jones and several of our colleagues – legislation that could provide access to quality and affordable health care coverage for millions of Americans.

To be clear, the SAME Act is the bill I’ve been pushing for more than three years. This bill was a good idea before this pandemic, but the need for it has become even greater in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The SAME Act would ensure that states like Virginia – that have expanded their Medicaid programs to serve more Americans – can get their fair share of federal matching dollars. It would also incentivize additional states – who haven’t yet expanded Medicaid – to expand this critical program to millions more Americans. 

I can think of no better time to pass this legislation than right now, when more than 5 million Americans find themselves having lost their health care coverage in the last three months alone.

In fact, some reports actually estimate that nearly 27 million Americans have lost their employer-sponsored health insurance and are now in jeopardy of becoming uninsured.

My legislation would provide much-needed financial support to states that are seeing an increase in Medicaid enrollment, as folks face the fallout of this crisis. And for those millions of people, the SAME Act would provide a significant lifeline.

Estimates show that if every state were to expand its Medicaid program, about 3 million additional Americans would have health care coverage.

This is not a political argument nor a philosophical exercise – this legislation has a real-world impact and it’s clear that Americans want and need this legislation to pass. 

Take Oklahoma, for example. Just a few weeks ago, Oklahomans voted to expand their Medicaid program to provide broader access to coverage. We have seen similar actions from citizens in Utah, Maine, Idaho, and others. 

Across our nation – Americans are making clear they want expanded access to health coverage – and Congress needs to listen.

With all due respect to my Republican colleagues, you can’t say you want to help Americans in this devastating time and simultaneously oppose this bill, which would do just that.  

As we stand here in this chamber, we have the privilege of knowing that we and our families have access to the health care coverage we need. That if anything were to go wrong, we would be covered. So why shouldn’t we ensure that same access for more Americans? 

The median cost of a hospitalization due to COVID-19 is $14,000. For Americans without health insurance – the nearly 30 million and growing – that could mean losing their house or their car… It could mean bankruptcy. 

I know my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to do right by their constituents and the millions of Americans that need help. So today, I ask you to come together to support the SAME Act.

No one should go bankrupt because they got sick and sought medical care. But more importantly, no one should go bankrupt when this legislative body has the opportunity to act.  

Let’s do the right thing here – put politics aside and pass this commonsense legislation. Thank you. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) joined Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) Bob Casey (D-Pa.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) wrote a letter to the Appropriations Committee leadership urging the Committee to include funding to modernize federal information technology within the next COVID-19 relief package.

The Senators begin, “As the Senate begins the process of negotiating and considering the next coronavirus pandemic relief supplemental appropriations bill, we urge you to include significant additional funding to modernize federal information technology (IT) systems through the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF).”

They go on to urge the need for updated federal IT in order to best serve individuals and businesses seeking help from federal agencies at this time. They write, “The federal COVID-19 response has dramatically exposed the failures of outdated, legacy federal IT systems and shone a light on the need for agencies to more quickly modernize their networks. For example, in its June 2020 report, the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee identified multiple agencies where IT systems struggle to accommodate large percentages of teleworking federal employees, causing system problems that slow the place of normal functions like claims processing, increasing security risk, and making telework inefficient and frustrating. In other cases, small business owners and citizens were deeply frustrated by poorly functioning claims systems.”

The Senators stress the relevance of the TMF to address current IT needs, stating, “Congress authorized the TMF specifically to rapidly advance projects that can have an impact quickly, subject to oversight of a board of experts and specific criteria. We should provide a major funding allocation to the TMF now for projects that will provide the bandwidth, security, and functionality needed to make teleworking federal workers just as productive at home as in the office, and for other urgent COVID-19 response needs...”

They conclude, “As you are aware, the HEROES Act, passed by the House of Representatives on May 15, 2020, included $1 billion for the TMF, to remain available until the end of Fiscal Year 2022. We urge you to include the same level of funding for TMF in the next COVID-19 supplemental spending bill to help address technology and related risks identified during the ongoing COVID-19 response.”

The full text of the letter is available here and below.

 

Chairman Shelby, Vice Chairman Leahy, Chairman Kennedy, and Ranking Member Coons:

As the Senate begins the process of negotiating and considering the next coronavirus pandemic relief supplemental appropriations bill, we urge you to include significant additional funding to modernize federal information technology (IT) systems through the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF).

Congress created the TMF in 2017 through the Modernizing Government Technology Act to help federal agencies rapidly execute IT modernization projects that meet specific criteria. The TMF is governed by an eight-member board of federal IT, financial management, and acquisition experts with significant transparency and ample opportunity for Congressional oversight, including periodic reports to Congress and submission of spending plans. Since 2018, the TMF has sponsored a range of IT system modernizations with specific benefits to citizen services and transitioning outdated systems to more modern platforms.

The federal COVID-19 response has dramatically exposed the failures of outdated, legacy federal IT systems and shone a light on the need for agencies to more quickly modernize their networks. For example, in its June 2020 report, the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee identified multiple agencies where IT systems struggle to accommodate large percentages of teleworking federal employees, causing system problems that slow the place of normal functions like claims processing, increasing security risk, and making telework inefficient and frustrating. In other cases, small business owners and citizens were deeply frustrated by poorly functioning claims systems. While some federal agencies are to be commended for heroic efforts to address these challenges using small amounts of funding in the CARES Act, their individual successes highlight the scale of the remaining needs.

Congress authorized the TMF specifically to rapidly advance projects that can have an impact quickly, subject to oversight of a board of experts and specific criteria. We should provide a major funding allocation to the TMF now for projects that will provide the bandwidth, security, and functionality needed to make teleworking federal workers just as productive at home as in the office, and for other urgent COVID-19 response needs such as scaling claims processing systems, improving the security of citizen information, enhancing fraud prevention, and addressing long-delayed and well documented enterprise legacy IT systems modernizations.

As you are aware, the HEROES Act, passed by the House of Representatives on May 15, 2020, included $1 billion for the TMF, to remain available until the end of Fiscal Year 2022. We urge you to include the same level of funding for TMF in the next COVID-19 supplemental spending bill to help address technology and related risks identified during the ongoing COVID-19 response.

Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to working with you on this and other matters.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) urged President Trump to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to create and deploy teams of epidemiologists to the immigration detention center in Farmville, Va., where nearly every detainee has contracted COVID-19. This disastrous situation comes despite repeated requests by Sens. Warner and Kaine, who have urged the Trump Administration time and time again to cease the transfer of detained individuals during the current public health crisis.

“In early June, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, ICE transferred over 70 detainees to Farmville ICA from COVID-19 hotspots in Florida and Arizona. Within two weeks of their transfer, more than half of these detainees tested positive for COVID-19. There are now 287 confirmed cases of COVID-19 amongst detainees, which is approximately 80% of the population housed at Farmville, and 26 confirmed cases amongst staff members,” wrote the Senators.

They continued, “The Farmville ICE facility and surrounding community now face a dire situation where almost every detainee at the Farmville facility has tested positive for COVID-19. This presents a clear risk to individuals within the facility, but also endangers the broader community as facility staff and released detainees have interaction with the general public.”

In the letter, the Senators requested that the Trump Administration bring teams of epidemiologists to Farmville to conduct an overall assessment of the situation at the immigration detention facility – a request that has been backed by Virginia Governor Ralph S. Northam. 

Sens. Warner and Kaine have repeatedly pushed this Administration to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Virginia detention facilities. In June, after a transfer that resulted in a spike of more than 50 COVID-19 cases at Farmville, the Senators urged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prioritize the health of detainees and workers. Nearly a month later, with approximately 80 percent of the Farmville population testing positive for COVID-19, the Senators once again pressed ICE and DHS to stop transfers between facilities. They also posed a series of questions regarding the measures in place to safeguard the health of people in custody, staff members, and the community.

Full text of today’s letter is available here or below.

 

The Honorable Donald J. Trump

President of the United States

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Trump: 

On July 16, 2020, we sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Matthew Albence regarding the outbreak of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) at the ICE detention facility in Farmville, Virginia.  Among other things, we asked Acting Secretary Wolf and Acting Secretary Albence to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to create and deploy teams of epidemiologists to conduct an overall assessment of the situation at the Farmville facility.  We write today to reiterate that request, which Virginia Governor Ralph S. Northam also supported in a July 22, 2020 letter to you.

In early June, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, ICE transferred over 70 detainees to Farmville ICA from COVID-19 hotspots in Florida and Arizona. Within two weeks of their transfer, more than half of these detainees tested positive for COVID-19. There are now 287 confirmed cases of COVID-19 amongst detainees, which is approximately 80% of the population housed at Farmville, and 26 confirmed cases amongst staff members. 

The Farmville ICE facility and surrounding community now face a dire situation where almost every detainee at the Farmville facility has tested positive for COVID-19.  This presents a clear risk to individuals within the facility but also endangers the broader community as facility staff and released detainees have interaction with the general public.  It is incumbent upon your administration to work with the CDC to create and deploy teams of epidemiologists to conduct an assessment of the pandemic’s impact at the Farmville ICE facility. State and local officials stand ready to support the CDC in efforts to help contain the current outbreak before it spreads to the surrounding Farmville community.

We must prioritize the health and well-being of the detainees and staff at the Farmville ICE facility as well as the Farmville community. We appreciate your attention to these issues and look forward to working together to address the public health crisis at the ICA Farmville detention facility.

Sincerely,

Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine

Cc: Dr. Robert Redfield, Director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

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WASHINGTON – Members of Congress representing the Delmarva region led a bicameral and bipartisan letter to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) highlighting the severe impacts COVID-19 is having on the seafood industry and requesting that USDA consider establishing a short-term purchasing program for shellfish products. The letter was signed by U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and U.S. Representatives Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Elaine Luria (D-Va.), Bobby Scott (D-Va.),  Rob Wittman (R-Va.), Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Andy Harris, M.D. (R-Md.), John Sarbanes (D-Md.), Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.), and Anthony Brown (D-Md.). 

“The shellfish industry has been significantly impacted by the disruption in normal supply chains and these products are ideally positioned to aid USDA’s efforts to address food insecurity during this difficult time. We request that USDA consider establishing a short-term purchasing program for shellfish products, including farmed and wild-caught oyster and clam products, as part of AMS’s Section 32 authority,” wrote the members of Congress.

The full letter is available here.

“Delmarva and the Chesapeake Bay region’s seafood industries generate billions of dollars in economic activity and support tens of thousands of jobs throughout the region. In particular, clam and oyster operations across Delmarva and throughout the Chesapeake Bay region are important to local economies and help support regional seafood supply chains. Nearly 70 percent of all seafood consumed in the United States is sold at restaurants and hospitality venues. As restaurants were forced to close and continue to adhere to restrictions decreasing service capacity, our local seafood industries, many of which are small businesses, have suffered extreme losses due to substantial reductions in demand.“

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