WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today released the statement below on a new proposed rule by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) governing the use of telemedicine to prescribe controlled substances. This proposal follows years of advocacy by Sen. Warner, who has been outspoken about the need to utilize telehealth to help address the dramatic shortage of mental health providers nationwide. In August, Sen. Warner once again called for the establishment of a special registration rule for providers, and blasted a reported proposal that would have significantly affected patients’ ability to access certain prescriptions through telemedicine.

“Since 2008, Congress has pushed the DEA to create a special registration that allows specially certified and trained prescribers to safely prescribe controlled substances via telehealth without requiring an in-person visit. Today, I applaud the DEA for listening to lawmakers and taking a huge step forward towards providing permanent certainty for the many patients who rely on telehealth prescribing and have done so for years, thanks to pandemic-era flexibilities. While the proposed tiered approach is generally commensurate with the increased risk of diversion and fraud, I am concerned that some of the proposed guardrails are overly restrictive and do not reflect the legitimate ways telemedicine is safely conducted today. I look forward to working with stakeholders, the DEA, and my colleagues in Congress to review this proposal and ensure that any final rule meets the needs of patients while aligning with commonsense 21^st century health care practices,” said. Sen. Warner.

During COVID-19, patients widely adopted telehealth as a convenient and accessible way to get health care services remotely, including mental health and substance use disorder treatment. This was made possible by the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, which allowed for a number of flexibilities, including utilizing an exception to the in-person medical evaluation requirement under the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act, legislation regulating the online prescription of controlled substances. Now that the Public Health Emergency has expired and temporary DEA flexibilities are set to expire at the end of 2025, patients will soon lose the ability to reap the benefits of a mature telehealth system whose responsible providers know how to take care of their patients remotely when appropriate.  

Since 2008, Congress has directed the DEA to set up a special registration process, another exception process under the Ryan Haight Act, that would permanently allow for quality health care providers to evaluate a patient and prescribe these medications over telehealth safely, as they’ve done during the pandemic. The new rule proposed by the DEA would allow medical providers to register to prescribe controlled substances through telehealth.

Sen. Warner, a former tech entrepreneur, has been a longtime advocate for increased access to telehealth. He is an original cosponsor of the CONNECT for Health Act, which would expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent, improve health outcomes, and make it easier for patients to safely connect with their doctors. He previously wrote to both the Biden and Trump administrations to urge the DEA to finalize regulations that allow doctors to prescribe controlled substances through telehealth. Sen. Warner also sent a letter to Senate leadership during the height of the COVID-19 crisis, calling for the permanent expansion of access to telehealth services. In September 2023, Sen. Warner led bipartisan partners to share serious concerns about an earlier version of DEA’s proposed rule, which would also have seriously curtailed access to prescriptions through telemedicine.

In 2018, Sen. Warner included a provision to expand financial coverage for virtual substance use treatment in the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018. In 2003, then-Gov. Warner expanded Medicaid coverage for telemedicine statewide, including evaluation and management visits, a range of individual psychotherapies, the full range of consultations, and some clinical services, including in cardiology and obstetrics. Coverage was also expanded to include non-physician providers. Among other benefits, the telehealth expansion allowed individuals in medically underserved and remote areas of Virginia to access quality specialty care that isn’t always available at home.

### 

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement on the passing of Colonel W. Gerald Massengill, former Superintendent of the Virginia State Police:

“I mourn the passing of Colonel W. Gerald Massengill, a true public servant, whose dedication and commitment to the Commonwealth of Virginia left an inedible mark on us all. As the superintendent of the Virginia State Police, Colonel Massengill was a steady hand during moments of crisis. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of working alongside him. Colonel Massengill’s service to Virginia and our country will never be forgotten, and we are all better for having known him.”

###

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded Senate passage of the Stop Campus Hazing Act, legislation they sponsored to improve the reporting and prevention of prevalent hazing on college campuses. Since 2000, there have been more than 50 hazing-related deaths on America’s college campuses, including that of Adam Oakes, a Virginia Commonwealth University student who died in a fraternity hazing incident in 2021.

“Our hearts are with the Oakes family, who lost their son Adam to a tragic incident of campus hazing in 2021,” said the senators. “No family should have to go through what they have been through. This law will improve transparency and accountability around incidents of campus hazing and hopefully help to prevent future tragedies like the one that claimed Adam Oakes’ life. We are proud to see it heading to the president’s desk.”

Specifically, the Stop Campus Hazing Act will:

• Improve hazing reporting by requiring colleges to include hazing incidents in their Annual Security Report;
• Prevent hazing by establishing campus-wide, research-based hazing education and prevention programs; and
• Help students and their parents make informed decisions about joining organizations on campus by requiring colleges to publish on their websites the institution’s hazing prevention policies and the organizations that have violated them.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long worked to stop the scourge of hazing. The Stop Campus Hazing Act incorporates provisions from their Report and Educate About Campus Hazing (REACH) Act, legislation they introduced in 2022.

###

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

“This agreement to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has killed thousands of people, is a welcome development for the region and should increase pressure on Hamas to reach a cease-fire agreement to end the fighting and destruction in the Gaza Strip, which has already claimed so many innocent lives. I applaud diplomatic efforts by the Biden administration and other international partners over many months in helping to reach this point.”

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement today after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the expected release of an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. This announcement follows strong advocacy by the Senators, who pushed DHS and DOL in October to release these visas – the maximum number authorized by congress for FY 2025.

“We are pleased to see the Department of Homeland Security plan to release these additional H-2B visas, which will allow workers to legally and temporarily fill seasonal job openings that would otherwise sit vacant. This move will help the small family businesses that make up Virginia’s seafood industry by ensuring they have the labor needed to get their product to market ahead of the commercial harvesting season.”  

The H-2B Temporary Non-Agricultural Visa Program allows U.S. employers to hire seasonal, non-immigrant workers during peak seasons to supplement the existing American workforce. In order to be eligible for the program, employers are required to declare that there are not enough U.S. workers available to do the temporary work, as is the case with the seafood industry, which relies on H-2B workers for tough jobs such as shucking oysters and processing crabs. 

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long advocated for the expansion of H-2B visas in order to ensure that seafood processors in Virginia have the seasonal workforce they need. Last year, the Senators pushed for DOL to reform the H-2B Visa process in order to help meet the need of Virginia’s seafood processors. In 2022, Sens. Warner and Kaine pushed for and secured the release of an additional H-2B visas for seasonal workers.

###

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine and U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (all D-VA) released the statement below following the release of a report by the Department of the Interior’s Office of the Inspector General on the use of deadly force by U.S. Park Police officers against Bijan Ghaisar.

“The death of Bijan Ghaisar remains a great tragedy. Despite the OIG’s findings that the officers who killed Bijan Ghaisar did not seemingly violate written U.S. Park Police policy and procedure in place at the time, it’s clear this incident should never have occurred. U.S. Park Police policy at the time of Bijan’s killing was outdated and inconsistent with the goal of safeguarding lives. This report – which we first requested more than two years ago – underscores that these officers’ actions would not have been acceptable under the DOI guidelines that govern vehicular pursuits today. As we approach the seven-year anniversary of Bijan’s death, we will continue to urge DOI to put policies in place to ensure that investigations around use of force incidents are handled with greater urgency and transparency.”

###

WASHINGTON – Today, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement on Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States:

“Americans made their choice, and while it wasn’t my favored candidate, I respect the democratic process and the outcome of this election. In the years to come, I am committed to working with President-elect Trump to get things done for Virginians, just as I did during his first term. Despite losing our majority, I will use my power in the Senate to push for progress – fighting to expand opportunity for the middle class, invest in national security priorities, protect democracy, expand access to reproductive care, and make housing and child care more affordable. I urge all who are disheartened or frightened by this outcome to spend the next four years organizing, building consensus, and fighting for a brighter future for our communities. Today, tomorrow, and every single day, I will be your partner in building a safer, stronger, and more prosperous Virginia.”

###

President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden wave to members of Fauquier County’s Canine Companions for Independence during the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Parade

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued a special message encouraging groups throughout Virginia to apply for participation in the 2025 Presidential Inaugural Parade, which will be held on Monday, January 20, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

“Presidential inaugurations are not just symbolic ceremonies – they are an instrument of democracy by which we execute the peaceful transfer of power in this country,” said Sen. Warner. “I encourage Virginia’s talented entities – including our many marching bands, floats, and equestrian groups – to take part in this time-honored tradition, dating back when President Jefferson rode his horse from the Capitol to the President's House in a procession that would become the Inaugural Parade we know today.”

The Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR) Parade Coordinator Office is now accepting applications through December 4, 2024 for the 60^th Inaugural Parade. The JTF-NCR is responsible for collecting and organizing all 2025 Presidential Inaugural Parade applications, which are then reviewed by the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC), a group tasked with organizing all Inaugural events at the discretion of the President-Elect.

In 2017, the parade consisted of 48 non-Department of Defense elements chosen from 141 applications. Groups interested in applying are encouraged to review the parade application guide before registering for an account, which can be done HERE.

###

WASHINGTON – Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued a statement on the death of Hamas terrorist Yahya Sinwar:

“Earlier today I spoke with Director Burns, who confirmed that Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and one of the masterminds of the October 7 terrorist attack, has been killed in Gaza. As a terrorist leader, Sinwar was responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocents, including Americans, Israelis and Palestinians. While justice has been served to Sinwar, let us not forget that the terrorist network he headed still holds dozens of people hostage in Gaza, and we must continue to press for their safe return.”

###

WASHINGTON – Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued a statement condemning Iran’s missile attacks against Israel:

“As Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I am closely monitoring Iran’s most recent missile attack against the state of Israel. America’s commitment to Israel’s security remains ironclad.”

###

Today, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after the Senate approved a temporary funding bill to prevent a government shutdown on October 1. This bill – passed earlier today by the U.S. House of Representatives – will keep the government open through December 20 by extending Fiscal Year 2024 spending levels.

“Nobody hurts more than Virginia when Congress fails to do its job of keeping the government open. With just a few days until the government funding deadline, we are glad Congress did the right thing and passed a stopgap bill that will renew funding until December 20. While we should not rely on continuing resolutions to govern, we are glad to know that this bill will help avoid a painful government shutdown. We look forward to working with our colleagues these next three months on long-term funding legislation, and we remain committed to ensuring that any final package includes dedicated dollars for specific projects in communities all throughout Virginia.”

###

WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement on the Senate’s failure to advance the Right to IVF Act, Warner-sponsored legislation that would establish the right to receive, provide or cover in-vitro fertilization (IVF) services and expand IVF insurance coverage nationwide:

“For many Americans who dream of starting a family, access to IVF can make all the difference. Unfortunately, in the years since Roe v. Wade was overturned, we’ve continued to see states and legislatures across the county chip away at a woman’s right to access reproductive care, including IVF. I am baffled and disappointed to see so many of my Republican colleagues vote to block this pro-family legislation, which would have protected the right to IVF, provided support to veterans who want to grow their families, and increase IVF affordability under insurance.”

The Right to IVF Act includes provisions from the Warner-cosponsored Access to Family Building Act, and would establish a right for individuals to access IVF and (assisted reproductive technology) ART services, as well as an adjacent right for doctors to provide these services. It also includes measures from the Veteran Families Health Services Act, which would improve fertility treatment and counseling options for veterans and servicemembers and promote research on servicemember and veteran reproductive health. It would also take several steps to increase affordability, including through mandating coverage of fertility treatments through employer-sponsored insurance plans and other public plans, as well as the Federal Employees Health Benefit (FEHB) Program.

Sen. Warner is a longtime advocate for comprehensive protections for reproductive care. In April, Sen. Warner urged the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to require all insurance carriers in the FEHB Program to cover in-vitro fertilization (IVF) medical treatments and medications. He also cosponsored and voted to pass the Right to Contraception Act, which would codify a right to birth control, and the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would protect abortion access, both of which have been blocked by Republicans.

###