WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded Senate passage of bipartisan legislation to fund federal programs under the Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Department of the Treasury (USDT), Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Department of Interior (DOI).

On a bipartisan 92-6 vote, the Senate approved the Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations package that covers funding for Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD); Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration; Interior and Environment; Financial Services and General Government; and all of their related agencies. The bill will now go to conference where it will be reconciled with a version passed by the House of Representatives. 

“This bipartisan package maintains key Virginia priorities and pushes back against the Administration’s attempts to impose draconian cuts to vital federal programs,” said the Senators. “The bill keeps federal commitments to help fund the Metro system, which is critical to the capital region, and maintain cleanup efforts for the Chesapeake Bay. In addition, these funds will help expand broadband access to rural communities in Virginia and provide support to the six Virginia tribes that earned federal recognition this year so they can finally access the services and benefits they are owed.”

The following list includes many of the provisions Sens. Warner and Kaine advocated for on behalf of Virginia that were included in the appropriations package:

•  WMATA: The bill includes the full federal funding of $150 million for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) capital improvement. Warner and Kaine previously urged Senate appropriators to fund WMATA at authorized levels.
• Virginia Tribes: Earlier this year, Congress passed and the president signed into law the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2017, legislation introduced by Sens. Warner and Kaine which for the first time granted federal recognition to six Virginia tribes: the Chickahominy, the Eastern Chickahominy, the Upper Mattaponi, the Rappahannock, the Monacan, and the Nansemond. The appropriations bill provides $1.12 million to largely help these Virginia tribes access the benefits and resources now available to them after their successful, decades-long effort to secure federal recognition.
• Chesapeake Bay: The bill provides $73 million for the Chesapeake Bay Program, a regional partnership that directs and conducts the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. It also includes $2.02 million for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Water Trails Network, which helps increase public access and the use of ecological, cultural and historic resources of the Chesapeake region.
• Broadband Grants: The bill provides $30 million to fund a grant program administered by the Rural Utilities Service that brings critical services to some of the most rural, underserved areas in America. The program provides financing to support new or improved broadband access across rural America and enable telecommunications providers to fill gaps where there is little or no broadband service. Broadband access has become a critical part of basic economic infrastructure for Virginians and is vital for job creation.
• FBI Headquarters: The bill does not include funding for the Trump Administration’s plan to demolish the existing FBI headquarters in Washington and build a new facility in its place. Senate appropriators specifically note in the bill that they will continue to be reluctant to provide additional funds for this project due to the unanswered questions from the Administration regarding their new plan, including the revision of longstanding mission and security requirements for the new facility.
• National Park Service: The bill provides $3.2 billion for operations of the National Park Service. In 2017, more than 24 million individuals visited Virginia’s 21 National Parks. National Park Service assets also fill critical transportation needs for Virginians, such as the link the Arlington Memorial Bridge, to visit historic sites like Arlington National Cemetery and the national monuments in the District of Columbia.
• Wolf Trap: The bill provides $2.2 million for the National Capital Performing Arts Fund, which provides the funding needed to operate Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Northern Virginia.
• Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG): CDBG helps communities develop projects that meet unique housing, infrastructure, and economic development needs and supports job creation. The bill provides $3.4 billion for CDBG, equal to the fiscal year 2018 level. The bill rejects the President’s proposals to increase rent for public housing residents and protects critical sources of funding for affordable housing such as the HOME program. Sens. Warner and Kaine have strongly opposed President Trump’s efforts to cut funding for affordable housing.
• Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT): The bill includes $500 million for payments to counties through the PILT program, in order to help local governments offset losses in property taxes due to non-taxable federal lands within their boundaries.
• Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program: The bill includes $270 million to assist individuals and families so they can quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis or homelessness.
• Unmanned Systems: The bill appropriates $6 million in matching funds for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) research. The original FY19 T-HUD base bill made $3 million available as matching funds for companies that partner with the UAS test sites like the one at Virginia Tech, which are working towards integrating UAS into the national airspace. After Sen. Warnerintroduced an amendment to boost UAS research funding levels, the final bill doubled that amount to $6 million.
• Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI): The bill provides $1 million to help bring grocery stores and other healthy food retailers to underserved urban and rural communities across America. Recent changes to the program included in the Senate-passed version of the 2018 Farm Bill closely follow Sen. Warner’s efforts in the Senate to eradicate food deserts.  
• Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants: The bill provides $33 million for this national competitive grant program that aims to help rural communities obtain the technology and training needed to connect educational and medical professionals with the teachers and medical providers who serve rural residents. USDA has awarded over $587,000 to Virginia telemedicine projects which provide health care services in rural areas, including mental health, drug addiction treatment, and funded two mobile health units that offer on-site care and telemedicine video conferencing with doctors and specialists. USDA also awarded over $215,000 to Pittsylvania County Schools to purchase video conferencing equipment to provide interactive distance learning services for students and educators.
• Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA): The bill includes a 1.9 percent salary boost for federal civilian employees.
• Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF): The bill provides $425 million for LWCF, which has helped preserve forests, trails, wildlife refuges, historic battlefields, and Chesapeake Bay lands and waters in Virginia. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, the Virginia outdoors industry supports approximately $21.9 billion in annual consumer spending and 197,000 direct jobs.
• BUILD infrastructure grants: The bill provides $1 billion for competitive transportation grants through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program, formerly known as “TIGER” grants. Virginia has previously used these grants for projects including I-95 Express Lanes, I-564 connector from Norfolk International Terminals at the Port of Virginia, I-64 Delta Frames Bridges in Rockbridge County, the Pulse bus-rapid transit system in Richmond, and Northstar Boulevard in Loudoun County near Dulles.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) introduced a bipartisan amendment sponsored by Sens. John Hoeven (R-ND) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) to the FY19 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) portion of the ‘minibus II’ spending package that would provide $6 million towards unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) research to safely integrate them into the national airspace. 

Currently, the FY19 T-HUD base bill makes $3 million available as matching funds for companies that partner with the UAS test sites working towards integrating UAS into the national airspace. Sen. Warner’s amendment would boost UAS research funding levels to $6 million. The text of the amendment can be found here.

“This amendment will ensure we continue supporting advancements in the safe and responsible integration of unmanned systems in our airspace. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure we provide the necessary funding towards research and development of this cutting-edge technology so that the U.S. can maintain our competitive edge,” said Sen. Warner.

Sen. Warner has been a strong supporter of research and investment in unmanned systems, including driverless cars, drones, and unmanned under water vehicles. He has introduced bipartisan legislation designed to advance the development of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and build on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) efforts to safely integrate them into the National Airspace System. Virginia is home to one of seven FAA-approved sites across the country where researchers are testing the safest and most effective ways to incorporate UAS into the existing airspace. In May 2018, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) announced the selection of Virginia to participate in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program (IPP).

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WASHINGTON – The Senate Intelligence Committee is honoring the courage and dedication of the men and women of the U.S. intelligence community by introducing a bipartisan resolution designating today, July 26, 2018 as “United States Intelligence Professionals Day.” A Senate resolution thanking intelligence officers, past and present, for their service and professionalism in protecting the United States was introduced by U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and co-sponsored by every member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Today is the 71^st anniversary of President Truman signing the National Security Act of 1947, which laid the foundation for today’s intelligence community and continues to govern its activities. 

“The men and women of the Intelligence Community work tirelessly and quietly, often risking their lives in defense of our nation. We rarely hear about their successes or their sacrifices, but the Senate Intelligence Committee sees the results of their hard work firsthand,” said Vice Chairman Warner. “Today is a rare opportunity to recognize these quiet heroes, and thank them for their sacrifice. They deserve not only our respect, but our gratitude.” 

“As Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I have had the opportunity to meet many of the brave men and women of the United States Intelligence Community, and understand the enormous sacrifice they make on behalf of our nation. Every day, intelligence professionals risk their lives to keep our homeland safe. They do so without public acknowledgment, credit, or thanks, but with the knowledge that their work is vital for America’s national security,” said Chairman Burr. “While much of their work must always go unrecognized, today we thank them for their service and express our support for their efforts.” 

 “I’ve served on the Intelligence Committee since 2001, a position that has allowed me to foster a deep sense of respect and appreciation for the work done by all the men and women of the intelligence community. These individuals are often nameless and faceless, but the work they do and the dedication they exhibit helps keep us safe, and for that I thank them,” Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said.

“The country does not know much about our intelligence community’s activities, by necessity, of course, but we all owe them a debt of gratitude for their work defending our national security and all Americans,” said Senator Jim Risch (R-ID). “I join my colleagues today in pausing to recognize these patriots.” 

“Every day, across our nation and around the world, the hard working men and women serving in the Intelligence Community make countless sacrifices to ensure the safety of our country and our citizens. I am consistently impressed by the high level of professionalism, patriotism, and courage that our intelligence professionals exhibit,” Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) said. “Our resolution will ensure that these Americans, who must operate in the shadows, receive well-deserved recognition for their public service.” 

“Our nation's intelligence professionals are dedicated, patriotic men and women who make real sacrifices to help keep our country safe and free. I am proud to recognize them for their public service,” said Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM).

“Intelligence professionals provide the critical information decision makers rely on to keep Americans safe,” said Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO). “We’ll always be grateful for their dedication and the sacrifices they make every day to protect our country.” 

“We live in a dangerous world, and America’s intelligence professionals are our first line of defense. These men and women are patriots who don’t serve any party or any individual – they serve the people of the United States of America. Their hard work and commitment to protecting our citizens deserves nothing less than our utmost gratitude,” said Senator Angus King (I-ME). 

“Our intelligence community works tirelessly every day to keep America safe. As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I recognize the commitment of our intelligence professionals. Most of them work in anonymity, so this is a small way for us to publically recognize them and the critical work they do to protect all of us,” said Senator James Lankford (R-OK).

“The brave men and women in our intelligence community selflessly serve our country in the shadows, most of the time with little recognition. This resolution aims to make up for that fact and recognize their service and commitment to protecting our country and our interests abroad. Their work is essential to the safety of the United States and has prevented tragedies, protected individuals and executed missions with the utmost professionalism and we all thank them for their sacrifice,” Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) said. 

“The work our intelligence professionals do to help us understand the threats we face as a nation is essential. Theirs can often be a thankless job, and today we recognize them for their service and patriotism,” Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) said.

“The brave men and women of our Intelligence Community do important work critical to keep our nation safe and secure often without any recognition or acknowledgement,” said Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA). “Their service, sacrifice and utmost professionalism must never be taken for granted, and so I’m proud to honor their work today and the contributions they make to our nation.” 

The full text of the resolution is available here. 

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate in support of the federal workforce, which has been subjected to unprecedented attacks under the Trump Administration.

“The way our federal government treats its workforce, the way we manage and invest in the human capital of our federal government is not some kind of parochial issue. This is an issue that impacts all American who pay their taxes, follow the laws, and expect their federal government to work for them, and to work well,” Sen. Warner said on the Senate floor. “That’s why, Mr. President, I also rise with great concern about the recent efforts by this Administration to scapegoat and undermine the work of our public servants. It started with the hiring freezes that threw a wrench into the day-to-day operations of nearly every federal agency — with no apparent benefit to the taxpayers. It continued with executive orders undermining workplace protections for federal workers and their ability to organize as part of a union. And it culminated last month, with the Trump Administration’s plan to freeze federal employee pay and cut retirement benefits for 2.6 million federal retirees and survivors. This is the thanks our federal employees get for their service!” 

On May 4, OPM Director Jeff Pon outlined an Administration plan to freeze federal employee pay and cut retirement benefits for 2.6 million federal retirees and survivors. On May 25, President Trump signed three Executive Orders that would roll back protections for our federal workforce by making it easier to fire federal employees, restricting time employees can be compensated for union work and directing agencies to negotiate tougher union contracts. Today is the first day of oral arguments in a lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenging the executive orders.

Sen. Warner also addressed the Administration’s relentless attacks on federal law enforcement and the intelligence community ahead of “Intelligence Professionals Day,” which will be recognized tomorrow, Thursday, July 26, the 71^st anniversary of President Truman signing the National Security Act of 1947.

“Unfortunately, in the months since Russia attacked the very institutions of our democracy, we’ve seen the most bizarre reaction from the President and his allies. Instead of uniting our country behind the cause of defending democracy and bringing our adversaries to justice, the President has led an all-out attack on the credibility of the FBI, the Justice Department, and our Intelligence Community,” said Sen. Warner.  “Demeaning career FBI officials who’ve saved countless American lives over their careers. Impugning the motives of Special Counsel Mueller, perhaps the most respected federal lawman of his generation. Worst of all, we saw the President of the United States stand onstage with Vladimir Putin last week and publically side with Putin over the career men and women of our intelligence community — many of whom risk their lives on a daily basis in order to keep our country safe.”

Below is the full text of his remarks as prepared for delivery.

Mr. President, I rise today with great gratitude for the men and women who serve all across our federal government.

Virginia is home to some 178,000 of these public servants, as well as over 90,000 active-duty members of our military.

And while many of those federal employees live in the national capital region, the truth is that the vast majority of federal employees — some 78 percent — live outside the beltway.

The way our federal government treats its workforce, the way we manage and invest in the human capital of our federal government is not some kind of parochial issue.

This is an issue that impacts all American who pay their taxes, follow the laws, and expect their federal government to work for them, and to work well.

That’s why, Mr. President, I also rise with great concern about the recent efforts by this Administration to scapegoat and undermine the work of our public servants.

It started with the hiring freezes that threw a wrench into the day-to-day operations of nearly every federal agency — with no apparent benefit to the taxpayers.

It continued with executive orders undermining workplace protections for federal workers and their ability to organize as part of a union.

And it culminated last month, with the Trump Administration’s plan to freeze federal employee pay and cut retirement benefits for 2.6 million federal retirees and survivors.

This is the thanks our federal employees get for their service.

President Trump campaigned on a promise to “drain the swamp.”

But the great irony is that the most glaring instances of failure and corruption at the federal level in recent months have not come from career federal employees.

They’ve come from the appointees installed by this administration.

Look no further than the EPA, where the American people saw some of the most blatant examples of waste and abuse from Mr. Pruitt.

We also saw that, with few exceptions, those at the EPA with the courage to stand up and say “this is not ok” were career federal employees.

And for that, some were demoted, some were reassigned in retaliation — all because they had the courage to speak up and do what was right.

This is the thanks our federal employees get for their service.

Unfortunately, Mr. President, these issues don’t appear to be confined to the walls of one agency with one rogue administrator.

We’ve seen disturbing reports of Trump political appointees purging career employees at the State Department and the VA.

These reports should concern all of us, Republican and Democrat alike, who believe in good, honest government, by and for the people. 

Before I close, I want to make another comment on this subject, because there is one part of our federal government in particular, where naked partisanship threatens not only the functioning of our government, but the rule of law itself. 

I’m speaking, of course, about the attacks on our federal law enforcement agencies and our intelligence community.

The Intelligence Community as we know it was founded 71 years ago tomorrow, when President Truman signed the National Security Act. That date, July 26, also marks the 110^th birthday of the FBI, as well as Intelligence Professionals Day — a time to show our gratitude to those brave men and women who keep us safe every day.

If only this gratitude were shared by our Commander-in-Chief.

Unfortunately, in the months since Russia attacked the very institutions of our democracy, we’ve seen the most bizarre reaction from the President and his allies.

Instead of uniting our country behind the cause of defending democracy and bringing our adversaries to justice, the President has led an all-out attack on the credibility of the FBI, the Justice Department, and our Intelligence Community. 

Demeaning career FBI officials who’ve saved countless American lives over their careers.

Impugning the motives of Special Counsel Mueller, perhaps the most respected federal lawman of his generation.

Worst of all, we saw the President of the United States stand onstage with Vladimir Putin last week and publically side with Putin over the career men and women of our intelligence community — many of whom risk their lives on a daily basis in order to keep our country safe.  

And this is the thanks they get for their service.

Mr. President, the men and women of the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the Intelligence Community deserve better.

All of our public servants deserve better than what we’ve seen from this Administration.

My advice for this President, if he’s really serious about “draining the swap,” is to leave our federal employees alone and take a good long look in the mirror.

Thank you, Mr. President, I yield back.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that Virginia communities will receive $1,465,474 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program. The grants will help develop urban communities across Virginia by providing affordable housing and improving infrastructure in order to expand economic opportunities.

“We are pleased that these funds will help local communities support Virginia families seeking stable and affordable housing” said the Senators. “These investments will help maintain affordable neighborhoods and expand economic opportunity in these communities.”

The following cities will receive funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development: 

• City of Colonial Heights will receive $94,495 in federal funding.
• City of Fredericksburg will receive $186,790 in federal funding.
• City of Harrisonburg will receive $559,588 in federal funding.
• City of Petersburg will receive $624,601 in federal funding.

The Trump Administration’s fiscal year 2018 budget proposed to eliminate funding for the Community Development Block Grants. Warner and Kaine advocated on behalf of keeping the program and voted to fund it in the Omnibus that passed in March.

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WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined their Senate Democratic colleagues in introducing a Senate resolution that would authorize Senate Legal Counsel to intervene in the Texas vs. United States lawsuit, on behalf of the U.S. Senate, to defend protections for people with pre-existing conditions, including 1.3 million Virginians.

After Congressional Republicans zeroed out the health insurance coverage requirement in their partisan tax legislation, the State of Texas and a coalition of 19 other states legally challenged the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, including the consumer protections for people with pre-existing conditions in a new suit: Texas vs. United States. Instead of defending the law and these vital health care protections, the Trump Administration’s Department of Justice announced in June that, in keeping with their continued, politically-motivated efforts to sabotage the American health care system to the detriment of middle-class families across the country, they are abandoning their responsibility to defend the laws of our country, siding with the 20 states challenging our health care law. 

“The Trump Administration continues to do everything it can to sabotage the Affordable Care Act and jack up healthcare prices. And now, in blatant disregard for the rule of law, the Trump Administration has decided it is going to pick and choose which of this country’s laws it feels like defending – a list that apparently doesn’t include protections against health care discrimination,” said Sen. Warner. “The Administration’s decision not to defend pre-existing conditions means we could soon return to the days when insurance companies could deny coverage or charge people more just for living with diabetes or being a cancer survivor. It’s now up to Congress to step in to protect the 1.3 million Virginians with a pre-existing condition.”

“By supporting this lawsuit, the Trump Administration is threatening health care for 133 million Americans with pre-existing conditions. Today, we’re joining our Democratic colleagues to demand a vote that would authorize the Senate to weigh in and defend the protections for people with pre-existing conditions, women, and older Americans that Republicans are trying to take away,” said Sen. Kaine.

Sens. Warner and Kaine—along with their Senate Democratic colleagues—urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans to sign on to the resolution to show that they truly support vital protections for people with pre-existing conditions. The resolution highlights the Trump Administration’s systematic dismantling of the American health care system, which has created a cloud of uncertainty for insurers all across the country, thereby increasing costs on hard-working American families. Given the urgent need to offset these actions, ensure pre-existing condition protections are here to stay, and lower health care costs for American families, the Democrats also urged Senate Majority Leader McConnell to immediately schedule a vote on the new resolution.

The text of the resolution can be found here. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, as companies gather at the White House committing to educate, train and reskill American workers, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Banking and Finance committees, pressed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to use its rulemaking authority to require companies to tell shareholders whether and how they are investing in their workforces through human capital management disclosures.

Human capital management disclosures provide a snapshot of how U.S. companies compensate, train, retain, and incentivize their employees. Several studies have found that human capital management disclosures are an important predictor of a company’s long-term success in a changing economy. For example, a 2015 McKinsey study found that firms that prioritize learning programs for their employees perform better overall than those that do not, and a recent Harvard report found a positive correlation between human capital management and investment outcomes. Requiring companies to disclose these indicators would provide investors with a better understanding of a firm’s performance and potential for long-term growth.

The SEC’s current human capital disclosure requirements are extremely limited, requiring disclosures only of the number of employees, their median compensation, and CEO compensation. Sen. Warner’s letter notes that because human capital investment is currently categorized by accounting rules under “administrative expenses,” it’s plausible that capital markets punish companies that invest in training and upskilling their workforce by treating long-term investments in people as an expense akin to high energy bills or spending too much on office supplies.

“Workers are the greatest assets we have in our economy,” said Sen. Warner. “Company disclosures should reflect the importance of human capital in the 21st-century economy, so that investors can evaluate whether a company is making the appropriate investments in its workforce to compete.”

In his letter, Sen. Warner urged the SEC to utilize its rulemaking authority to require companies across the board to provide further details relating to human capital management. Specifically, Sen. Warner encouraged the SEC to revise and modernize Regulation S-K to require public reporting companies to disclose more qualitative and quantitative information regarding human capital. While the SEC would be responsible for developing and finalizing the requirements, human capital disclosures could potentially require firms to make public information about workforce demographics; employee turnover; employee compensation; workforce compensation and incentives; and employee education and training programs.

A copy of the letter to the SEC can be found here. 

Shareholders are increasingly demanding more information on non-financial indicators covering a company’s ethical and social practices – what’s known as environmental, social, and government (ESG) reporting. ESG reporting provides transparency on a company’s governance practices, political spending, investment in workforce development and the effect of climate change on financial performance, along with other factors that allow investors to better evaluate potential risk in a tech-driven economy. The SEC has not issued comprehensive standards in this area, leaving it up to businesses to decide how much – if any – information to provide investors on ESG matters. In a companion letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Sen. Warner today asked for a study on the subject analyzing the extent to which firms currently report on ESG issues, and whether Congress and the SEC should act to require such disclosures. A copy of the letter to the GAO can be found here.

“As the United States continues to lead the world to a 21st century globalized economy, shareholders are increasingly expecting public companies to disclose material environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues affecting the businesses’ financial performance and communities,” Sen. Warner told the GAO. “Twentieth-century disclosure and accounting requirements be reformed to reflect a dynamic, innovative and sustainable economy.”

Advocates, workers and investors today praised the Senator’s requests to the SEC and the GAO:

“As investors increasingly call for companies to disclose more information on ESG issues, Senator Warner’s letters arrive at a crucial time to keep the conversation headed in the right direction. The Council of Institutional Investors is supportive of efforts by the SEC to consider enhancements to disclosures that include ESG issues and human capital management. We look forward to the results of the GAO study and to continuing to work with the SEC to consider these and other disclosure issues that have been identified by many long-term investors,” said Jeff Mahoney, General Counsel, Council of Institutional Investors.

“Aligning the interests of workers, shareholders, and managers is one of the essential elements of corporate long-termism. Senator Warner is right to make this a priority, and it’s past time the SEC act on the investor petition on human capital disclosures and more,”said Andy Green, Managing Director of Economic Policy, Center for American Progress.

“Investors and the public are increasingly focused on how companies manage human capital to improve business performance and contribute to the broader economy. Sen. Warner’s letters to the SEC and GAO raise important and timely issues. We look forward to the results of the GAO study and urge the SEC to move quickly to improve corporate disclosure of human capital issues,” said Damon Silvers, Director of Policy, Special Counsel, AFL-CIO.

“Public Citizen applauds Sen Warner's effort to promote corporate disclosures on human capital, environment, political spending and other critical issues. Investors understand that these factors figure at the center of value and have demanded enhanced disclosure, but thus far the SEC has done little to keep pace with this demand,” said Lisa Gilbert, Vice President of Legislative Affairs, Public Citizen.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) introduced bipartisan legislation to provide financial relief to certain civilian federal employees who move for work. TheRelocation Expense Parity Act would close a loophole that prevents certain federal workers from having additional taxes on their moving expenses fully reimbursed.

The tax bill passed last year eliminated the deduction for job-related moving costs, as well as the exclusion for reimbursements or in-kind contributions made by employers to defray the cost of moving. As a result, employer reimbursements for moving costs – which were previously excluded – are now generally taxed at the same rate as ordinary income. This situation is causing a particular burden for civilian federal employees who, after being assigned to a new duty station, have discovered that hundreds or even thousands of dollars have been withheld from their paychecks, often with little advance notice, in order to cover the cost of taxes associated with moving reimbursements from the federal government. While the law excluded active-duty service members, the approximately 25,000 civilian federal workers — from military civilian employees to law enforcement and teachers — who move each year would have extra money withheld to cover the taxes on this “income” following the changes in the law. 

After receiving a letter from Sens. Warner and Kaine on this issue, the U.S. General Service Administration (GAO) clarified their rulesso that agencies can now reimburse roughly 95 percent of the affected federal workers for this additional cost. However, a small slice of workers who receive moving reimbursements, generally new and retiring employees, are still not eligible. These federal workers owe taxes on their moving costs, and the government cannot cover the costs. The Relocation Expense Parity Act closes this gap by making any federal employee eligible for having moving costs paid also eligible for reimbursement for the additional taxes.

“Civilian federal workers uproot their entire lives and move to distant locations in service to their country. They shouldn’t have to pay a price for their commitment to public service,” said Sen. Warner. “This bipartisan legislation closes a remaining gap that prevents all federal employees from being fairly compensated for their willingness to serve our country.”

“Some hardworking families from Virginia are being stuck with a surprise tax bill when they begin or end their public service,” Sen. Kaine said. “We need to do something to fix this mistake. Additionally, this burden has made it harder for federal agencies to recruit and retain a talented workforce. Families shouldn’t be forced to foot the bill for these moves, and I’m proud we have a bipartisan effort to fix it.” 

“When federal employees are required to relocate to continue their public service in a different part of the country or the world, they should not have to pay additional federal taxes due to reimbursement for moving costs,” said Sen. Collins. “Although the vast majority of federal workers are fully reimbursed for this additional cost, our bipartisan bill would ensure that the remaining five percent of affected workers are fairly compensated for their moving expenses.” 

“Federal workers are tasked with the fundamental responsibility of serving to protect, promote, and preserve the rights and interests of the people of the United States. Employees ranging from FBI agents to teachers on our military bases can face a significant cost burden when moving to their duty stations or returning home,” said Sen. Van Hollen. “This legislation makes an important fix to ensure our federal employees are not doubly burdened through the new tax law. I was proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan legislation, and I will continue working to support our federal workforce with the resources they need to best serve the American people.”

“Hawaii’s civilian federal workforce plays a critical role in serving our veterans, protecting our environment, and keeping our country safe,” Sen. Hirono said. “Moving to Hawaii to assume a new role is often expensive, but our country is better off when our Federal workers are able to relocate for public service. At a time when Hawaii faces an overall provider shortage in our veterans’ health care system, this legislation helps to ensure that the cost of moving does not impede the important work federal employees do across the country every day.”

“The FBIAA supports the Relocations Expense Parity Act because it protects FBI Special Agents from new financial penalties resulting from mandatory relocation and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. As part of our work to protect the Nation, Special Agents sign mobility agreements that subject them to transfer to meet the needs of the FBI. These moves are often expensive for Special Agents and their families. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act eliminates the moving expense deduction, which historically offset this financial burden. Now, Special Agents who relocate to serve the FBI will face thousands of dollars unnecessarily withheld from their pay because moving reimbursement is considered ordinary income. Special Agents make sacrifices for the nation every day and should not confront financial penalties as result of being willing to serve anywhere they are needed,” said Thomas O’Connor, President of the FBI Agents Association.

“Taxing moving allowances and benefits for new hires into the Department of Defense Education Activity will create a huge financial burden for these individuals and make the task of recruiting and hiring qualified employees for overseas locations much harder. Why would anyone agree to uproot themselves – and, in many cases, their families – in order to move halfway around the world if doing so will cause them to incur thousands of dollars in tax liability? And that’s on top of the enormous expenses and stresses anyone agreeing to relocate overseas for government work already faces. The fact is, DoDEA will find it increasingly difficult to find top-tier educators to come work in its schools and the military dependents who have come to rely on such excellent educators staffing DoDEA schools will the ones who suffer as a result,” said H.T. Nguyen, Executive Director of the Federal Education Association. 

“I worked for DoDEA schools for decades, ensuring military dependents received a great education, and it was always with the understanding that the government would pay to move my family and our possessions back home when my DoDEA career ended. Suddenly, just months before I was set to retire, I learned the new tax law would make such moving assistance taxable, causing my tax liability for this year to increase by thousands of dollars. Being saddled with this tax debt is a huge unforeseen cost to retirees like myself. It deals a severe blow to my financial situation for retirement and I believe it will cause other current employees to delay their retirements because they cannot afford the tax bill they would incur by moving back home. We’ve been told throughout our careers that the government would pay to ship our stuff home when we left DoDEA. To suddenly make those moving services taxable to us is unfair and hurtful!” said Alex Veto, recently retired teacher from Vilseck High School in Germany, a Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) school.

“NTEU appreciates Senators Warner, Kaine, Collins, Van Hollen, and Hirono’s bipartisan recognition that the recent tax code changes penalize federal employees who are required to move for work purposes risking their ability to continue to afford to perform their duties on behalf of the US government,” said Tony Reardon, President of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU).

“NARFE appreciates the hard work of Sen. Warner and his colleagues to correct an unintended consequence of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The legislation inadvertently eliminated the tax deduction for work-related relocation expenses for federal employees. This saddled civil servants with heavy expenses as they were called upon to relocate in order to fulfill the American public’s needs. Although most of the burden has been alleviated, some public servants were not afforded relief by an administrative change and require a legislative fix. To that end, NARFE supports the Relocation Expense Parity Act, sponsored by Sens. Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, Susan Collins, Mazie Hirono and Chris Van Hollen, to provide relief to federal employees who are still not made whole from the increased tax expenses resulting from their work-related relocations. Federal employees should not have to foot the bill when they relocate in service to our nation,” said Richard Thissen, President of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE).

More information about this bill can be found here. For the text of the bill, click here. 

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WASHINGTON – Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) led a letter signed by seven members of the Virginia Delegation to United States International Trade Commission Chairman Johanson expressing serious concerns about tariffs that are impacting Virginia newspapers. This letter was signed by Senators Kaine and Warner as well as Representatives Beyer, Comstock, Connolly, Goodlatte, and Scott:

“We support efforts to fight illegal trade practices and guarantee a level playing field for American companies. However, we are concerned the tariffs on uncoated groundwood paper from Canada will cause long-term harm to domestic newsprint manufacturers and consumers. There are nearly 200 daily and weekly newspapers in Virginia. An increase of up to 35 percent in costs due to these tariffs cannot be absorbed by newspapers and printers; current tariffs are already reducing the frequency and size of publication for many newspapers. This leads to higher prices for readers, businesses and advertisers and is already causing a loss of jobs in the printing and publishing industry at the local level. If these tariffs become permanent, these harmful trends will become ever more pronounced,” wrote the Members of Congress. “Local newsgathering is also jeopardized by these tariffs, which is where so many small Virginia communities will be affected: they rely heavily on their local papers for coverage, and those papers are already struggling to operate on razor-thin margins. Our democracy cannot function unless citizens are informed and engaged; without strong community newspapers, that kind of engagement would be vastly more difficult.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the SIMPLE Plan Modernization Act, a bipartisan bill to provide small business employers and employees greater flexibility and access to the popular SIMPLE plans as an option for retirement savings. The legislation has the backing of the AARP.  

Congress established SIMPLE (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees) retirement plans in the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996 to encourage small businesses to provide their employees with retirement plans. However, retirement plans among small employers continue to be less commonly offered than those provided by medium and large employers. While these smaller businesses had access to tax-favored retirement savings plans, including traditional 401(k)s, those plans are more expensive to administer.

“The changing nature of work has redefined the employee-employer dynamic, making it harder for small businesses to offer traditional safety net protections for workers,” said Sen. Warner. “We should make it easier for small business owners and their employees to begin saving for their retirement. This legislation is one step towards helping the American workforce prepare for the future.”

“In my home state of Maine, the vast majority of businesses are eligible to sign their employees up for SIMPLE Plans.  Financial advisors from Presque Isle to Portland have shared their concerns that neither employees nor their employers are in a good position to save for retirement,” said Sen. Collins. “We must give small businesses and employees a better opportunity to save for retirement, and this legislation will provide such an opportunity.”

Businesses with 100 or fewer employees may currently create SIMPLE retirement savings accounts for their employees, so long as the employers do not have another employer-sponsored retirement plan.

The proposed legislation would increase the contribution limit for SIMPLE plans. Increasing the limit would achieve two basic goals: 1) Motivate more small business employers to offer a retirement savings benefit to their employees and 2) Allow small business employees to save even more each year on a tax-deferred basis. 

The SIMPLE Plan Modernization Act would: 

1. Raise the contribution limit for SIMPLE plans from $12,500 to $15,500 (halfway between current SIMPLE plans and traditional 401(k)s) for the smallest businesses (1 to 25 employees), with a corresponding increase in the catch-up limit from $3,000 to $4,500.
2. Give businesses with 26 to 100 employees the option of the higher contribution limits, and, in order to continue to encourage them to transition to 401(k)s when they can do so, increase their SIMPLE plan mandatory employer contribution requirements by one percentage point if they elect the higher limits. 
3. Allow for a reasonable transition period for employers who hire additional employees above 25.
4. Make the limit increases unavailable if the employer has had another defined contribution plan within the past three years (to encourage businesses that already have qualified plans to retain them).
5. Modernize SIMPLE plan form filing requirements and modify the transition rules from SIMPLE plans to traditional plans to facilitate and encourage such transitions.
6. Direct Treasury to study the use of SIMPLE plans and report to Congress on such use, along with any recommendations.

Sen. Warner has been a leader in finding solutions to the 21^st century generational and technological changes that have led to perhaps the most dramatic transformation in the American economy in decades. He has introduced legislation that encourages employers to invest more in quality skills training for their workers. In addition, he has proposed a bill that would test-drive programs that provide contingent workers with “portable benefits” that have many of the social insurance protections typically offered to workers through traditional full-time employment.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner hosted a roundtable with representatives of Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice America, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Virginia Latina Advocacy Network, and other women’s healthcare advocates to discuss President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh. 

“What I heard from physicians, community health organizations, and advocates is that communities across the Commonwealth fear for the future of safe access to women’s reproductive healthcare,” said Sen. Warner. “As the Senate considers Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination, it’s important for me to hear from Virginians about issues that could affect their freedoms and well-being.” 

President Trump has repeatedly stated that he will nominate candidates to serve on the Supreme Court who will vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. On Monday, July 9, President Trump nominated Kavanaugh to fill the Supreme Court vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Sen. Warner plans to closely examine Judge Kavanaugh’s judicial record thoroughly during the nomination process. Sen. Warner has warned that he cannot support a Supreme Court nominee who would undermine healthcare protections, women’s rights, workers’ rights, voting rights, or LGBT rights.

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