WASHINGTON – Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted 52-44 to confirm Joe Kent to head the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC):

“In May, Congress received clear written evidence that Mr. Kent, while serving as chief of staff to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, sought to manipulate intelligence to match a political narrative promoted by President Trump. His efforts to alter intelligence assessments in support of demonstrably false political claims is not only a gross violation of the solemn responsibility with which the intelligence community is charged, which is to speak truth to power regardless of politics, but it is also a threat to our ability to keep the nation safe. When intelligence is shaped to fit political agendas instead of hard facts, it blinds decision-makers to real threats, sows confusion among our allies, and emboldens our adversaries.

“With today’s party-line vote to confirm Mr. Kent to one of the nation’s most sensitive counterterrorism roles, the Senate missed an opportunity to hold the Trump administration accountable for openly politicizing intelligence – a precedent that, if left unchecked, threatens to erode trust in our intelligence agencies, compromise the integrity of national security assessments, and ultimately make Americans less safe.”

On May 21, the Senate Intelligence Committee received copies of emails indicating that Mr. Kent pressured career intelligence officials to revise and suppress analytical conclusions that contradicted public claims made by President Trump. Specifically, Kent pressed the National Intelligence Council (NIC) to rewrite findings about the relationship between Venezuela’s government and the criminal gang Tren de Aragua (TDA) “so this document is not used against the DNI or POTUS,” and to emphasize supposed ties between the Venezuelan government and TDA. Despite the pressure, the April 7 assessment issued by the NIC reaffirmed the original conclusion that Venezuela’s government “probably does not have a policy of cooperating with TDA and is not directing TDA movement to and operations in the United States.” Shortly thereafter, the senior career analysts leading the NIC were dismissed from their positions by DNI Gabbard.

Sen. Warner spoke in opposition to Mr. Kent’s nomination on the Senate floor prior to the vote. Video of those remarks is available here.  

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement after the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs voted to approve updated authorizations for 18 Veterans Affairs (VA) major medical facility leases – the final congressional committee needed to greenlight the leases, including one for a proposed outpatient clinic in Hampton Roads:

“We’re very pleased that all four congressional committees have now approved these much-needed VA leases, including the proposed new outpatient clinic in Hampton Roads. This is a major step forward in expanding access to high-quality, convenient care for the more than 60 percent of Hampton VA Medical Center patients who live on the south side of the region. For years, we’ve pushed to get these kinds of facilities authorized and built, because we refuse to accept a system where veterans are stuck with long wait times or forced to travel hours for basic appointments. With this final vote, we are one step closer to ensuring these long-overdue facilities become a reality.

“Now that the leases have cleared every hurdle in Congress, we’ll be pushing the VA and GSA to award these leases, and make sure these projects get off the ground without delay. Our veterans have waited long enough.” 

While these leases were originally authorized under the PACT Act, which both senators strongly supported, updated cost estimates and rent bids prompted the VA and the General Services Administration (GSA) to seek reauthorization from four congressional committees. With yesterday’s action by the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, the leases have now been reauthorized by all four needed committees: the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long fought to expand health care and benefits for Virginia’s nearly 700,000 veterans. Sens. Warner and Kaine began raising the alarm about the significant backlog of unapproved VA leases in 2016. After putting significant pressure on officials across the federal government, Congress unanimously passed the Providing Veterans Overdue Care Act, legislation written by Sen. Warner and supported by Sen. Kaine, to cut the backlog and get over two dozen delayed VA medical facilities’ leases approved.

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted to rescind federal funding for public broadcasting and national security programs, which had previously been appropriated by a bipartisan majority in Congress:

“It’s outrageous that enough Republicans caved to President Trump and OMB Director Vought’s pressure to go back on appropriations deals that a bipartisan majority of Congress had previously agreed to. A deal should be a deal. These cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the State Department, and USAID will make it harder for communities to access critical emergency alerts during disasters, and create more instability around the world by defunding initiatives that protect our national security. Republican efforts to defund faith-based charity organizations are particularly sickening. The Trump Administration and our Republican colleagues are not going to stop here, and we urge every American to continue to speak out against these attacks on the interests of the American people. We will continue to fight against further efforts by the Administration and Republicans to defund critical programs that Virginians rely on.”

The Republican rescissions package cancels funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, including $100 million for Virginia. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting was authorized by Congress in 1967 and supports more than 1,500 locally owned public radio and TV stations, nearly half of which serve rural communities. It also cancels funding for the State Department and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), including for global health programs, faith-based organizations, Afghan refugee programs, United Nations peacekeeping operations, the U.S. Institute for Peace, the Inter-American Foundation, and the African Development Foundation. The legislation will impact thousands of Virginia’s federal employees and contractors. A recent study found that if the current cuts to USAID continue through 2030, 14 million people could die.

Sens. Warner and Kaine filed a series of amendments in an attempt to improve the legislation, but none of them were added to the final legislation.

Sen. Warner’s amendment would have reduced cuts to assistance for African nations and helped strengthen trade, counter the malign influence of adversaries, and pursue economic development. The amendment would have helped ensure that China could not capitalize on the sudden vacuum of influence that will ensue if America withdraws its economic development initiatives on the continent.

Sen. Kaine’s amendments included eliminating cuts in funding for the Migration and Refugee Assistance and International Disaster Assistance programs, including funding for faith-based organizations; protecting funding for USAID and the Inter-American Foundation; preserving funding to defend against cyberattacks by Russia and Iran and keep fentanyl out of the United States; and eliminating cuts in funding for CPB for pre-K educational programming and any broadcasts and media stations that disseminate information during natural disasters and national emergencies.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) slammed efforts by congressional Republicans to defund public media and revoke more than $1.07 billion in previously-appropriated funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, including $100 million for Virginia. This move would cut federal support for more than 1,500 public radio and TV stations, nearly half of which serve rural communities.

“In yet another shortsighted effort, President Trump is now trying to gut public radio and broadcast TV news, which deliver impartial news, critical information, and educational programming to communities all across the country. As former governors, we are deeply disturbed by these efforts because we know that public media is often the only source of local news available to rural communities. We also know that public radio plays a key role in public safety, delivering emergency alerts during disasters like floods, hurricanes, and wildfires,” said the senators. “While our Republican colleagues in the House may be comfortable ceding their constitutionally-established authority over to a power-hungry president, we plan to fight this backwards legislation and protect the funding that was approved by both Democrats and Republicans in Congress.”

Since 2013, public TV stations have helped the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system deliver emergency alerts to people’s cell phones via the stations’ own transmitters when cell companies’ connections fail. In 2024, over 11,000 alerts were issued by federal, state, and local authorities via the PBS WARN system. Similarly, the Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS), which is managed by NPR, helps send presidential emergency alerts to local public radio stations nationwide—allowing critical communications to reach people, even when the internet or cellular connections fail.

The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the authority to approve and appropriate federal dollars. While a sitting president can propose the cancelation of appropriated funding, only Congress has the authority to revoke it, and must do so by passing a rescissions bill. The rescissions package being championed by Republicans comes in response to President Trump’s demand that Congress cancel $9.4 billion in federal funding, including $1.07 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which was authorized by Congress in 1967 in order to ensure universal access to non-commercial, high-quality content and telecommunications services. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting delivers funding to more than 1,500 locally owned public radio and TV stations and serves as the largest single source of funding for public radio, television, and related online and mobile services.

The legislation, passed by the House of Representatives earlier this month, is now under consideration by the Senate.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement after the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works voted to approve updated authorizations for 18 Veterans Affairs (VA) major medical facility leases, including a proposed lease for an outpatient clinic in Hampton Roads:

“We are very encouraged to see the Senate EPW Committee heed our request to quickly reauthorize 18 VA medical facility leases, including one for a new outpatient clinic in Hampton Roads. This facility would fill a critical gap, providing broader access and more convenient services for veterans on the south side of the region, who currently represent over 60 percent of the Hampton VA Medical Center's patient base. We will continue to press our colleagues in the House of Representatives to finalize the reauthorization process and ensure that our nation’s veterans are not forced to endure unacceptable wait times or travel burdensome distances to access the high-quality care they have earned through their sacrifice and dedication.”

While these leases were originally authorized under the PACT Act, which both senators strongly supported, updated cost estimates and rent bids prompted the VA and the General Services Administration (GSA) to seek reauthorization from four congressional committees. To date, the leases have been reapproved by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. One final approval, from the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, remains.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long fought to expand health care and benefits for Virginia’s nearly 700,000 veterans. Sens. Warner and Kaine began raising the alarm about the significant backlog of unapproved VA leases in 2016. After putting significant pressure on officials across the federal government, Congress unanimously passed the Providing Veterans Overdue Care Act, legislation written by Sen. Warner and supported by Sen. Kaine, to cut the backlog and get over two dozen delayed VA medical facilities’ leases approved.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner, Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement:

“Moving the FBI from the Hoover Building to the Reagan Building isn’t a plan, it’s a punt. For years, Democratic and Republican administrations alike have agreed on the need for a secure, purpose-built headquarters that actually meets the FBI’s mission needs. This announcement brushes aside years of careful planning, ignores the recommendations of security and mission experts, and raises serious concerns about how this decision was made. Unfortunately, it fits a broader pattern from this administration — one marked by indiscriminate firings, canceled leases, and a general disregard for the federal workforce.

“The law enforcement and intelligence professionals of the FBI deserve more than a hasty, improvised approach. They deserve a facility that matches the gravity of their work to keep Americans safe.”

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WASHINGTON – Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today released the following statement after voting in favor of Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA)’s war powers resolution:

“Article I of the Constitution is clear: the power to declare war belongs to Congress. Any decision by a president to commit the U.S. military to hostilities must be done in accordance with the Constitution and existing laws and statutes. Similarly, any authorization by Congress merits clearly articulated strategy, consideration of long-term implications for U.S. action, and robust debate.

“I applaud my friend Tim Kaine for his leadership on this resolution, which makes clear that President Trump does not currently have the congressional authorization needed for further U.S. insertion into hostilities with Iran.

“I have been clear since last week’s U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure that the administration’s complete lack of consultation ahead of the operation, combined with its lack of objective transparency since, in no way suggest a clearheaded and strategic plan for navigating this in the long term. The American people here at home – and our personnel deployed across the region – deserve far more in terms of a cogent strategy.”

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WASHINGTON – Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today released the following statement:

“President Trump came into office promising to ‘end the endless foreign wars.’ Tonight, he took steps that could drag the United States into another one, without consulting Congress, without a clear strategy, without regard to the consistent conclusions of the intelligence community, and without explaining to the American people what’s at stake.

“There is no question that Iran poses a serious threat to regional stability, and the United States must remain unwavering in our commitment to Israel’s security and in ensuring that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. But launching direct military strikes without authorization from or consultation with Congress raises urgent questions: What is the president’s objective? How is he measuring success? And what’s the plan to prevent this from dragging our country into another open-ended conflict in the Middle East that costs American lives and resources for years to come?

“The Constitution makes clear that the power to authorize war lies with Congress. There are more than 40,000 U.S. servicemembers deployed across the region, as well as American diplomats, contractors, and aid workers, and the safety of our personnel must be paramount. With American lives and our national security on the line, any action that could draw the United States into a broader conflict demands transparency, accountability, and a clear strategy. So far, the president has offered none of these.

“The American people deserve more than vague rhetoric and unilateral decisions that could set off a wider war. The president must come before Congress immediately to articulate clear strategic objectives and lay out how he plans to protect American lives and ensure we are not once again drawn into a costly, unnecessary, and avoidable conflict.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today applauded the Senate passage of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, bipartisan legislation to bring much-needed oversight and standards to the $250 billion stablecoin market, and released the following statement:

“For too long, stablecoins have operated in a regulatory gray area, putting consumers, markets, and national security at risk. The GENIUS Act changes that by creating guardrails for responsible innovation, setting high standards for issuers, and reining in potential abuses by big tech and bad actors.

“Many of us have deep concerns about how members of the Trump family have used crypto technologies to evade scrutiny, conceal financial entanglements, and profit off the public trust. We must remain vigilant in exposing and stopping these abuses. But our outrage over that corruption cannot prevent us from building a foundation for responsible innovation in this space. If we don’t lead, others will, and not in ways that reflect our interests or democratic values. With the GENIUS Act, the U.S. will finally begin to set the rules of the road to support innovation while protecting consumers and our national security.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and U.S. Representative Eugene Vindman (D-VA-07) slammed Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Deputy Director Dan Bongino’s proposal to move the FBI National Academy from Quantico, VA to Huntsville, AL. The National Academy is a 10-week training program for local, federal, and international law enforcement officials.

“As Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I expect Congress to be deeply skeptical of any plan to uproot the FBI's National Academy from its longtime home at Quantico and relocate it to Huntsville. This move raises serious questions, starting with why such a relocation is even necessary, and at what cost? Quantico is co-located with other critical FBI and national security assets and before we spend taxpayer dollars on a disruptive and potentially unnecessary move, the Bureau owes Congress and the American people a clear justification for this plan,” said Sen. Warner.

“Relocating the FBI Academy from Quantico to Huntsville makes no sense and is not an efficient use of taxpayer dollars,” said Sen. Kaine. “This is part of a larger effort by the Administration to dramatically politicize, reduce, and relocate the federal workforce. If Director Patel and Deputy Director Bongino want to move the FBI Academy, then they will have to explain to Congress and the American public why this is needed and how much it will cost.”

“Virginia’s Seventh District is home to Quantico’s state-of-the-art facility and remains the best place for local and state law enforcement to learn from our incredible agents at the FBI,” said Rep. Vindman. “As a former prosecutor, I know that the most efficient and impactful way for law enforcement to continue keeping our communities safe is to train at the world class facilities that have already been built by taxpayers at Quantico. This move raises serious questions and Congress needs answers.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today responded to a new analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) revealing that 16 million Americans would lose their health insurance under the Republican tax plan. The report highlights the devastating consequences of the GOP’s attempt to gut Medicaid and refusal to extend premium tax credits that help working families afford their health care. The senators issued the following statement:

“Sixteen million people. That’s the cost of the Republican plan. This is not just a number – it represents moms, dads, kids, veterans, and retirees who will be forced to choose between rent and life-saving care. At a time when costs are already too high for too many Americans, this plan would rip coverage away from millions just to hand tax breaks to the wealthiest. It’s cruel, it’s shortsighted, and we are going to fight like hell to stop it.”

Warner and Kaine have been sounding the alarm about the effects of the GOP plan on Virginia families if Republicans in Congress continue to insist on gutting vital programs in order to pay for tax breaks for the richest Americans, noting that the GOP bill would strip health insurance from Virginians, cut SNAP benefits, raise energy costs for Virginia households, jeopardize more than 20,000 Virginia jobs, raise taxes on minimum wage workers while giving the richest 0.1% a $188,000 tax cut, make tax filing more expensive, and explode the deficit.

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