Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Today, bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) to address the $12 billion maintenance backlog at the National Park Service (NPS) cleared a major legislative hurdle. The Restore Our Parks Act, which is cosponsored by Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Angus King (I-ME), and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), passed the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on a bipartisan 19-4 vote. The consensus proposal is the product of bipartisan discussions among the senators who had previously introduced bills to address the Park Service’s deferred maintenance backlog. The bipartisan bill, which will now be referred to the full Senate, is supported by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, the National Parks Conservation Association, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Outdoor Industry Association, and dozens of additional conservation and recreation organizations.

“For over a year, I’ve led bipartisan efforts in the Senate to address the state of disrepair of critical infrastructure in the National Park System. It’s alarming the rate at which the maintenance backlog at the Park Service continues to grow, with Virginia adding $250 million in the last year, surpassing a billion dollars and ranking third among all states in total deferred maintenance,” said Sen. Warner. “We can no longer wait to fix the $12 billion maintenance backlog at our national parks and ignore the long-term effects of allowing these national treasures to simply crumble. I’m very pleased that the bipartisan, consensus bill we introduced earlier this year has now cleared this important hurdle and look forward to working with my colleagues from across the aisle and the Administration to make sure it becomes law.”

“Today’s committee approval is good news and an important step forward in our efforts to address the long-delayed maintenance projects at our national parks,” Sen. Portman said. “For more than a century, the National Park Service has been inspiring Americans to explore the natural beauty of our country. But in order to keep that work going, we need to ensure that they have sufficient resources to maintain our national parks. This bipartisan legislation will help tackle the more than $100 million maintenance backlog at Ohio’s eight national park sites. I’d like to thank Senators Warner, Alexander, and King as well as the cosponsors of this legislation for their leadership on this issue and urge my colleagues to support it when it comes to the floor.”

“Rebuilding National Parks infrastructure has been at the top of my priority list since before I was even sworn in to office. I'm happy to see the Restore our Parks Act pass with such strong bipartisan support. We have 417 national parks across the country, unfortunately we also have a $12 billion backlog in maintenance needs spanning everything from roads and bridges to visitors centers and restrooms. Thanks to Senators Portman, Warner, Alexander, and King national parks are one step closer to getting the vital funding they need to rebuild the aging infrastructure,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke.

The importance of preserving our history, culture and public lands is something we can all agree on,” said Theresa Pierno, President and CEO for National Parks Conservation Association. “Tackling the deferred maintenance in our national parks is not a political issue but an American one, and all who are supporting this important legislation recognize that. We commend the dedication and leadership of Senators Portman, Warner, Alexander and King for working to push this important bill through congress, and making a strong investment in our national parks.”

"Key committees in the Senate and House of Representatives have given their bipartisan stamp of approval to legislation to fix our aging and deteriorating national parks,” said Marcia Argust, who directs The Pew Charitable Trusts’ campaign to restore America’s parks. “With strong bipartisan support for our parks not only on Capitol Hill but in communities across the nation, Congress should act now to get the legislation over the finish line this year.”

“OIA applauds this bipartisan effort to solve the National Park Service backlog issue and appreciates the dedication of Senators Portman, Warner, Alexander and King to this effort,” said Amy Roberts, Executive Director of the Outdoor Industry Association. “The backlog impacts the recreation economy and Americans’ ability to explore and enjoy their public lands. As we know, and passage of bills like the Restore Our Parks Act out of committee shows, the health and vitality of America’s public lands system is a bipartisan issue that unites us. We look forward to continued progress and appreciate the Senate bill Sponsors’ focus on the critical infrastructure that supports the growing $887 billion outdoor recreation economy.”

“Our nation’s parks can be key economic engines for many gateway counties across the country,” said National Association of Counties Executive Director Matthew Chase. “With National Park Service infrastructure in need of repair, the visitor experience is diminished, and surrounding communities see declines in tourism. We thank Senators Portman, Warner, Alexander and King for sponsoring the Restore Our Parks Act. Counties urge action on this legislation to strengthen our national parks, support conservation and cultivate outdoor experiences that are second to none.”

Due to years of chronic underfunding, NPS has deferred maintenance for a year or more on visitor centers, rest stops, trails and campgrounds in Virginia, as well as transportation infrastructure operated by NPS such as Blue Ridge and George Washington Memorial Parkways. In the last year, the maintenance backlog at Park Service sites in Virginia grew by $250 million, to over a billion dollars and the Commonwealth now ranks third among all states in total deferred maintenance, trailing only California and the District of Columbia. That figure includes roughly $80 million of overdue maintenance at Shenandoah National Park, one of the crown jewels of our nation’s park system.

Over the past decade, Congressional financial support for park maintenance has decreased by 40 percent, and the last time Congress directly addressed the infrastructure needs of the park system was in 1956. The Restore Our Parks Act would establish the “National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund” to reduce the maintenance backlog by allocating existing revenues the government receives from on 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, providing up to $6.5 billion over the next five years specifically to address deferred maintenance needs of the National Park Service.

Virginia contains 22 national parks and affiliated areas that are spread throughout the Commonwealth. In addition, the Park Service maintains over 120 National Historic Landmarks throughout Virginia, including Mount Vernon, Montpelier, Monticello, and the State Capitol Building. In 2017, over 24 million individuals from around the world visited national parks in Virginia, spending over $1 billion. National parks in Virginia helped support more than 15,000 jobs and contributed over $1.4 billion to the Commonwealth’s economy.

A list of Virginia organizations supportive of addressing the NPS backlog can be found here.

Full text of the bill can be found here.

VA National Park Deferred Maintenance as of 2017*

Appomattox Court House National Historical Park	$1,998,224
Assateague Island NS	$2,774,577
Blue Ridge Parkway	$186,619,608
Booker T Washington National Monument	$1,370,913
Cedar Creek and Belle Grove NHP	$327,072
Colonial National Historical Park	$421,872,932
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park	$1,848,864
Fort Monroe National Monument	$2,280,548
Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania Battlefields Mem NMP	$10,371,731
George Washington Birthplace National Monument	$1,306,614
George Washington Memorial Parkway	$233,441,316
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park	$64,760
Maggie L Walker National Historic Site	$531,648
Manassas National Battlefield Park	$6,516,560
Petersburg National Battlefield	$11,754,041
Prince William Forest Park	$18,619,932
Richmond National Battlefield Park	$6,581,205
Shenandoah National Park	$79,208,621
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts	$31,149,289
Total	$1,018,629,457

*Due to the continuously changing nature of facilities data, only final, year-end data is reported by the National Park Service. The last year for which data is available is FY 2017.

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WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) applauded passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through 2023. The bill also incorporates several provisions of the Safe DRONE Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by Sen. Warner to advance the development of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and encourage American innovation and competitiveness.

“This compromise bill provides robust reforms that will allow further innovation in unmanned aircraft systems technology and advance research, providing a five-year extension of the FAA-designated test site at Virginia Tech. I’m also pleased that other major pieces of legislation I’ve introduced are part of the bill, which will promote the safe and responsible use of UAS technology while creating a pipeline of skilled workers in this transformative industry,” said Sen. Warner. “And once again, we have successfully prevented the addition of more slots at Reagan National, an effort that would have fundamentally undermined the balance among Northern Virginia’s airports and the economy that is based upon that balance.”

The legislation includes a directive for the FAA to develop a plan for commercial package delivery by drone within a year. Current regulations prohibit carriage of property by drone for compensation or hire, a rule that stifles innovation and growth in this emerging industry. Authorizing the practice will unlock an important application of this technology by allowing companies to develop package delivery services. A 2015 report by the Teal Group, an aerospace and defense market analysis firm based in Fairfax, VA, estimated that UAS production accounts for more than $4 billion of total economic activity annually and is expected to grow to $14 billion annually by 2025, totaling $93 billion. The bill also includes language to codify the Department of Transportation’s UAS Integration Pilot Program, which was announced last fall and for which Virginia Tech was selected as a participant. Inclusion of this provision provides Congressional backing and formalizes the pilot program.

Provisions from Sen. Warner’s bipartisan Safe DRONE Act included in the FAA bill will:

Extend authorization of FAA-designed UAS test sites—including Virginia Tech—for five more years, through fiscal year 2023;
Advance the FAA’s development of Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) systems and technology to assist with increased safe integration of UAS operations into the national airspace;
Require a multi-agency assessment of current spectrum demands and challenges for use by the UAS industry; and
Create a Center of Excellence for Community Colleges to offer training for UAS operations and maintenance to build a skilled workforce.

In addition, the FAA bill maintains the current High Density (“Slot”) and Perimeter rules at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, preserving the regional balance among Reagan, Washington Dulles International Airport, and Thurgood Marshall Baltimore Washington International Airport – a significant victory for the National Capital Region.

Other measures included in the FAA reauthorization legislation include:

Consumer Protections: The bill includes a requirement that FAA develop minimum standards for aircraft seat size, as well as a prohibition on involuntary bumping of passengers who have already boarded.
Geospatial Data Act: The bill includes bipartisan legislation introduced by Sens. Warner and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) to improve coordination, reduce duplication, and increase data transparency in the acquisition of geospatial data.
Reauthorizations: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is reauthorized for three years and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for four years.
Emergency appropriations: $1.68 billion of federal emergency funds for disaster and hurricane relief efforts.

Sen. Warner has been a strong supporter of research and investment in unmanned systems, including driverless cars, drones, and unmanned maritime vehicles. He has introduced bipartisan legislation designed to advance the development of UAS and build on the FAA’s 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 – including the first-ever package delivery by drone to take place in the United States. The UAS test site at Virginia Tech has also developed a partnership with Google’s parent company to research package delivery using drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles.

In May 2018, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) announced the selection of Virginia to participate in the FAA’s UAS Integration Pilot Program.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined Senators Tom Carper (D-DE), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) in requesting that the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigate a decision by the General Services Administration (GSA), made at the request of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to rescind a long-studied proposal for consolidation of the FBI Headquarters at a new facility in either Springfield, VA, Greenbelt, MD or Landover, MD. Specifically, the Senators are asking DOJ to examine the extent to which President Trump and the White House were involved in the abrupt decision to reverse course on plans for the FBI consolidation project, and whether that involvement was appropriate.

Warner and Kaine have for years worked with the Maryland Senators as well as the bipartisan Virginia delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives to secure funding for a new FBI headquarters to replace the current, deteriorating J. Edgar Hoover building in Washington D.C., which was built in 1974. In 2014, the General Services Administration (GSA) announced that a site in Springfield, VA was one of three finalists for a consolidated HQ that would house all 11,000 area FBI employees, who are currently scattered across multiple sites in D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. However, in July 2017, the Trump Administration abruptly backed away from more than five years of government preparations to relocate the FBI HQ, announcing instead in February 2018 plans to demolish the existing FBI headquarters in Washington and build a new facility in its place.

“Many resources have been devoted over the last decade to this project for which there is consensus that the FBI’s existing Headquarters building is in serious disrepair and must be replaced,” the Senators wrote. “Despite reaching significant milestones in this process, earlier this year, the GSA reversed course and revised its plan for the FBI Headquarters consolidation project. This announcement was met with much confusion and skepticism.”

The Senators continued, “In light of the [GSA] IG’s findings, we believe it is critical that your office conduct an investigation into the decision-making process the FBI used to produce the revised plan for consolidation of the FBI Headquarters, as well as the extent to which influence from or communications with the White House impacted this process.”

The Senators’ request follows a formal review of the GSA’s decision-making process by the GSA Inspector General that found that a GSA Administrator’s testimony before the House Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee may have been misleading with regard to the White House’s involvement in the project. The review also found discrepancies in the cost comparisons between previous cost estimates and the revised plan for consolidation.

A copy of the letter can be found here, and the full text of the letter is below:

September 20, 2018

The Honorable Michael Horowitz

Inspector General

U.S. Department of Justice

950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20530-0001

Dear Mr. Horowitz,

We write today to request that you initiate an audit of the recent decision by the General Services Administration (GSA), made at the request of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to rescind a long-studied proposal for consolidation of the FBI Headquarters. Specifically, we ask that you examine the extent to which President Trump and the White House were involved in the abrupt decision to reverse course on plans for the FBI consolidation project, and whether that involvement was appropriate.

In 2011, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report stating “the FBI’s headquarters facilities—the Hoover Building and the headquarters annexes—do not fully support the FBI’s long-term security, space, and building condition requirements.” In response, the GSA and the FBI conducted a thorough review of FBI’s facility needs.

Many resources have been devoted over the last decade to this project for which there is consensus that the FBI’s existing Headquarters building is in serious disrepair and must be replaced. Despite reaching significant milestones in this process, earlier this year, the GSA reversed course and revised its plan for the FBI Headquarters consolidation project. This announcement was met with much confusion and skepticism.^[1]

In reaction to this reversal, and the issuance of a revised FBI Headquarters consolidation plan, the GSA Inspector General (IG), Carol Ochoa, reviewed the GSA’s decision-making process. The IG’s review^[2] found^[3] that GSA Administrator Emily Murphy’s testimony before the House Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee “was incomplete and may have left the misleading impression that she had no discussions with White House officials in the decision-making process about the project.”^[4] In addition, the IG found discrepancies in the cost comparisons between previous cost estimates and the revised plan for consolidation, concluding that officials are greatly underestimating the cost of keeping the headquarters in the District. Specifically, the GSA excluded the $750 million value for the J. Edgar Hoover Building exchange in its total shortfall calculation, and did not acknowledge the $65,000 per person increase associated with rebuilding in a new location.

In light of the IG’s findings, we believe it is critical that your office conduct an investigation into the decision-making process the FBI used to produce the revised plan for consolidation of the FBI Headquarters, as well as the extent to which influence from or communications with the White House impacted this process. Specifically, we request your office assess the following:

1. The detailed process the FBI followed to determine, over a matter of months, that rebuilding in place at the J. Edgar Hoover Building was preferable to its original plan to move to a consolidated campus.

2. How the new plan accounts for prior documentation outlining unresolvable security deficiencies at the J. Edgar Hoover Building. The GAO highlighted these issues in its November 2011 report, “Actions Needed to Document Security Decisions and Address Issues with Condition of Headquarters Buildings”.^[5] In response to that report, the FBI agreed and wrote: “[T]he operations impact of a fragmented workforce located at multiple sites across a wide geographic area is the FBI’s primaryconcern and is the driving force behind our urgency of finding a long term resolution to this situation. . . . The FBI’s current headquarters is both inefficient and expensive. The inadequate design of the J. Edgar Hoover Building does not support an agile workforce in the 21^st Century. This poor design coupled with the redundancies and the inefficiency associated with 22 separate locations, 3,092,654 Rentable Square Feet (RSF), costing $170 million annually in rent and operating expenses support the need for a new FBI headquarters.”

3. Whether the cost justifications provided support the revised plan.

4. The sequence of events that led to the current state of affairs, beginning, with the issuance of the GSA prospectus in 2016.

5. The origin of the revised plan at the FBI:

o Who was involved in the decision to reverse course?

o Did the proposal to remain at the current FBI location emanate from or was influenced by entities outside the FBI or the Department of Justice? If so, who, when, and in what manner?

o Who first brought forward the idea to keep the FBI Headquarters at its current location, and when and under what circumstances?

6. Whether the Director or any Department of Justice or FBI official received direction or suggestions from the President of the United States or senior White House staff with regard to this project. If so, who? What was the specific direction or suggestion?

7. Whether the FBI participated in the preparation for Ms. Murphy’s testimony regarding this project. If so, which staff participated and what counsel did they provide?

8. Whether the testimony of Mr. Richard L. Haley, II, Assistant Director, FBI Finance Division, to Congress on February 28, 2018 was complete, accurate, and transparent.

It is our hope that these questions can begin to provide transparency on the decision-making process for the consolidation of the FBI Headquarters. The process is rife with inconsistencies and questions, and raises concern that there is a coordinated effort to conceal facts or mislead members of Congress. For these reasons, we request that your office conduct a thorough investigation. If you have any questions regarding this request, please contact Michal Freedhoff and Kenneth Martin on the Environment and Public Works Committee staff at 202-224-8832.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) met with David Vela, President Trump’s nominee to be the Director of the National Park Service (NPS) to discuss the need to address the $12 billion NPS maintenance backlog. Due to years of chronic underfunding, the Park Service has deferred maintenance on tens of thousands of visitor centers, rest stops, trails, and campgrounds, as well as thousands of miles of roads and countless bridges. In Virginia, the backlog has grown to more than $1 billion and the Commonwealth now ranks third among all states in total deferred maintenance, trailing only California and the District of Columbia.

Sen. Warner is the author of the Restore Our Parks Act, a bipartisan bill that would address the growing maintenance backlog. Over the years, Sen. Warner has been a strong advocate for protecting NPS infrastructure, originally introducing the legislation that became the basis for this consensus proposal. The Restore Our Parks Act is the product of months of bipartisan discussions among senators who had previously introduced legislation and the Trump Administration. The bipartisan bill is supported by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, the National Parks Conservation Association, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Outdoor Industry Association, and dozens of additional conservation and recreation organizations.

“For years, I’ve been sounding the alarm on the need to address the growing NPS maintenance backlog and urging the Senate to pass our bipartisan bill,” said Sen. Warner. “I was pleased to hear that Mr. Vela understands the devastating effects this chronic underfunding can have on an already old and crumbling NPS infrastructure and has vowed to be a partner so we can work with the Administration to get this done. If confirmed, I look forward to working with Mr. Vela to draw down the maintenance backlog and find a long-term maintenance funding structure for the Park Service that preserves our national treasures for generations to come.”

On August 31, 2018, President Trump announced David Vela as his nominee to lead the National Park Service. If confirmed, Mr. Vela would be the first Hispanic Director of the National Park Service. His nomination was formally submitted to the Senate on September 6, 2018. A confirmation hearing has not yet been scheduled.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded congressional passage of bipartisan legislation to fund federal programs and build new military construction and facilities under the Department of Veteran Affairs (V-A), the Department of Energy (DOE), and the Department of Defense (DoD).

The conference report to accompany the Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations package that covers funding for energy and water development, military construction and veterans affairs (MilCon-V-A), the legislative branch, and all of their related agencies, passed in both chambers and now heads to the President’s desk for signature.

“We are proud to have worked with our colleagues on a bipartisan funding agreement that upholds our promise to our nation’s veterans,” said the Senators. “Although the President has threatened to pull funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission time and time again, this legislation will continue to support this critical federal partnership to boost economic opportunity in Southwest Virginia. Additionally, this bill provides necessary funding for military maintenance, construction of new military facilities, and makes new investments to support research and development at J-Lab.”

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

Appalachian Regional Commission: Following President Trump’s attempts to defund ARC, the bill fully funds this successful federal-state partnership by providing $165 million to continue its efforts to increase employment and economic opportunities for those living in Appalachia, strengthen and maintain the region’s infrastructure, and provide additional educational and workforce opportunities for citizens of Appalachia so that they can compete in a 21^st century global economy.

Military Construction: Provides more than $131 million in new construction throughout the Commonwealth.

Joint Base Langley-Eustis: Funds nearly $23 million on three projects at the base.
Forts A.P. and Belvoir: Receive nearly $18 million to build new training facilities.
Portsmouth Ship Maintenance: Provides $26 million for a ship maintenance shop in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Both Senators advocated for these projects, and more, when the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act passed the Senate.

Veterans Affairs: Provides $86.4 billion in funding for the V-A, an increase of $5 billion above fiscal year 2018. The bill would increase funding to several Veteran Health Administration priority areas, including $1.1 billion for electronic health record modernization and $8.6 billion to increase mental health services for veterans. It includes $1.8 billion for homelessness programs like the Supportive Services for Veterans and Families program, which provides assistance to homeless veterans; $206 million to increase suicide prevention outreach; $78 billion to help provide high-quality and timely health care services to veterans; $174 million to improve the veteran appeals process; and more than doubles FY18 funds to provide $1.8 billion for the construction of new V-A medical facilities.

Jefferson Lab Nuclear Physics Research: Provides $615 million for nuclear physics research within the Department of Energy’s Office of Science in order to fulfill DOE’s Long Range Plan for Nuclear Science. The funds will enable scientists at labs across the country, including at Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, VA, to engage in critical research that will maintain U.S. leadership and preeminence in this field.

Hampton Roads Infrastructure:

Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Projects: Provides $2.18 billion for construction of water infrastructure projects and $3.74 billion for operations and maintenance of existing infrastructure related to harbor maintenance, flood and storm damage control, and aquatic ecosystem restoration. Total funding for the Corps of Engineers is $171 million above the FY2018 enacted level and $2.2 billion above the President’s budget request.
Donor and Energy Transfer Ports: Provides $50 million to ensure that ports like the Port of Virginia receive equitable levels of funding to reinvest in and modernize their infrastructure.
North Landing Bridge: Provides $1.6 million for the Army Corps of Engineers to continue studying the feasibility of replacing the federally-owned North Landing Bridge, which connects Chesapeake, VA, and Virginia Beach, VA. Two years ago, Warner and Kaine were instrumental in securing federal funding to replace a similar Army Corps asset, the Deep Creek Bridge, which was a safety hazard and regional traffic bottleneck.
Norfolk Harbor: Includes $300,000 to conclude the study phase of – and advance to construction – the deepening and widening of navigation channels in Norfolk Harbor and tributaries, which will allow the largest deep-draft container ships to call on the Port of Virginia. This project, in concert with the expansion and new marine terminal at the Craney Island Dredged Material Management Area (CIDMMA), will be a generational investment in the infrastructure and economic competitiveness of the Port of Virginia.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced a total of $5,524,852 in federal funding for Washington Dulles International and Warrenton-Fauquier Airports through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

“We are pleased to support upgrades at airports in Northern Virginia that will improve travel for Virginians and visitors. These are long-term investments in cleaner technology and upgraded infrastructure,” the Senators said.

Washington Dulles International will receive $4,000,000 to install 112 electrical recharging stations for electrical ground support equipment. The project aims to implement clean technology infrastructure to reduce ground emissions and improve air quality through the Voluntary Airport Low Emissions (VALE) Program.

Warrenton-Fauquier will receive $1,524,852 to complete the construction of an airplane ramp and finish the new terminal area.

The funding was awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program within DOT. The program supports infrastructure improvement projects at airports across the country, including runways, taxiways, aprons, terminals, aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles, and snow removal equipment. Warner and Kaine have long fought for funding for Virginia’s airports and pushed back against the Trump Administration’s suggested budget cuts to DOT to ensure that critical upgrades like these can happen. The Senate is expected to consider an FAA reauthorization measure in the coming weeks.

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WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to expedite disaster relief efforts in Virginia ahead of Hurricane Florence, which is projected to have a significant impact on the Commonwealth in the coming days. The Senator, along with the entire Virginia congressional delegation, previously requested that President Trump issue a federal emergency declaration for the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Administration took this step yesterday, allowing FEMA and other federal agencies to begin offering preemptive assistance ahead of the storm.

“Even as the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and localities continue their precautionary efforts, I am concerned about the potential of severe flooding in the Commonwealth. Hurricane Florence is expected to cause serious flash flooding, mudslides, and river flooding in parts of Virginia that do not have a history of flooding and have already received large amounts of rainfall this year. These areas may not have the resources available to immediately respond to large scale flooding. I urge you to work with VDEM and localities in Virginia to coordinate disaster relief efforts and ensure that these communities have the resources and technical assistance they need to respond to this storm,” wrote Sen. Warner in a letter to FEMA Administrator Brock Long.

Gov. Northam has declared a state of emergency in Virginia in preparation for Hurricane Florence, and has ordered the evacuation of more than 200,000 residents living in affected areas. Sen. Warner and Sen. Tim Kaine have been requesting coordination and assistance from federal agencies in preparation for the hurricane, including the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), following reports that Naval Station Norfolk warned its employees of potential flooding at the base, and will continue monitoring additional storm developments that may require increased federal assistance.

The full text of the letter can be found here and below:

Dear Administrator Long,

I write to you today to express my concerns about the potential effects of Hurricane Florence on the Commonwealth of Virginia. Hurricane Florence remains an exceptionally powerful storm that is expected to make landfall in the Carolinas and Virginia later this week. On Tuesday, September 11, 2018, President Donald J. Trump declared a state of emergency in Virginia, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal agencies to offer preemptive assistance to the Commonwealth. I urge you to move expeditiously to implement disaster relief efforts to ease the hardship for Virginians who will be impacted by this storm.

Even as the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and localities continue their precautionary efforts, I am concerned about the potential of severe flooding in the Commonwealth. Hurricane Florence is expected to cause serious flash flooding, mudslides, and river flooding in parts of Virginia that do not have a history of flooding and have already received large amounts of rainfall this year. These areas may not have the resources available to immediately respond to large scale flooding. I urge you to work with VDEM and localities in Virginia to coordinate disaster relief efforts and ensure that these communities have the resources and technical assistance they need to respond to this storm.

Hurricane Florence has the potential to cause significant damage in certain areas of Virginia. I urge you to act quickly to make all necessary resources available to alleviate the impacts of this dangerous storm. Thank you for your attention to this matter and please let me know how I can work with you to ensure a swift and effective recovery effort.

Sincerely,

Mark Warner

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration for awarding Accomack County Airport $3,649,906 in federal funding. Accomack County will use the funding to rehabilitate and improve lighting on the runway.

“These federal dollars will help make improvements to ensure safer travel to and from Accomack for both Virginians and visitors,” the Senators said.

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WASHINGTON— U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that Hampton Roads Transit will receive a total of $2,290,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

“This federal funding ensures that Hampton Roads can invest in newer and more energy-efficient public buses,” the Senators said. “These upgrades will help modernize the public bus fleet and reduce our carbon footprint while improving the reliability of the public transit network for a region that is in critical need of new transportation investments.”

The funding was awarded through the U.S. DOT Federal Transit Administration’s Low or No Emission Program (Low-No). The federal funding assists state and local governments in purchasing or leasing zero-emission and low-emission transit buses and supporting facilities for recharging, refueling and maintaining their fleet. In the Senate, Sens. Warner and Kaine continue to advocate for funding to improve transportation and mass transit priorities. In 2015, Sens. Warner and Kaine voted in favor of the FAST ACT, a bipartisan House-Senate agreement that funds national transit and highway projects over five years. In August 2018, Sens. Warner and Kaine voted in support of a spending package that provides $26.6 billion in discretionary spending for U.S. DOT for FY2019. The spending bill will now go to conference where it will be reconciled with a version passed by the House of Representatives.

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WASHINGTON— U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that nine Virginia airports will receive a total of $10,669,159 in federal funding from the Department of Transportation (DOT).

“We are pleased to announce these funds that will allow Virginia airports to make the necessary improvements to ensure safer travel to and from the Commonwealth,” the Senators said. “This federal funding will not only help to revitalize our airports, but will also help boost tourism across Virginia.”

Airports and project amounts are listed below:

Norfolk International Airport—$5,974,019. These funds will go towards rehabilitating Concourse A and to help construct a 5,000 square foot general aviation customs inspection facility.
Tappahannock-Essex Airport—$274,050. These funds will go towards an environmental study to evaluate any potential environmental impacts related to the proposed extension of the parallel taxiway and a non-aeronautical development area identified on the airport's layout plan.
New Kent County Airport—$991,901. These funds will help to rehabilitate 24,000 square yards of the existing terminal apron pavement.
Washington Dulles International Airport—$492,188. These funds will go towards acquiring 75 Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) squitter units for airport ground vehicles to improve surface situational awareness and safety. ADS–B is a surveillance technology in which an aircraft determines its position via satellite navigation and periodically broadcasts it, enabling it to be tracked.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport— $492,188. These funds will go towards acquiring 75 Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) squitter units for airport ground vehicles to improve surface situational awareness and safety. ADS–B is a surveillance technology in which an aircraft determines its position via satellite navigation and periodically broadcasts it, enabling it to be tracked.
Louisa County/Freeman Field Airport—$346,500. These funds will help the construction of perimeter fences to deter unauthorized persons and vehicles from entering onto the airfield, thereby increasing airport safety.
Ingalls Field Airport (Bath County, VA)—$81,000. These funds will help to construct a 360 square foot hangar building to assist the airport in being revenue-generating and in turn self-sustaining. Funds will also go towards construction of a similarly sized snow removal equipment building that will help extend the life of the equipment by protecting it from adverse weather conditions.
Luray Caverns Airport—$184,230. These funds will go towards the construction of a 12,500 square yard terminal apron to provide aircraft parking.
Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional/Woodrum Field Airport—$1,833,083. These funds will go towards the implementation of additional security enhancements.

The funding was awarded through the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program within DOT. The program supports infrastructure improvement projects at airports across the country, including runways, taxiways, aprons, terminals, aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles, and snow removal equipment. Sens. Warner and Kaine have long fought for funding for Virginia’s airports and pushed back against the Trump Administration’s suggested budget cuts to DOT to ensure that critical upgrades like these can happen. The Senate is expected to consider a long-term FAA reauthorization measure in the coming weeks.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), David Perdue (R-GA), and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) sent a letter to the Secretary of the Army raising concerns over a recent report about lead poisonings and dangerous lead levels in housing on U.S. Army installations, endangering military families.

“We write to you today concerned about recent reports of lead poisoning at a number of Army installations. The health and safety of our servicemembers and their families are of the utmost importance,” the Senators said.

While the sale of lead-based paint is banned in the United States, many older homes still have the old paint on walls, which can become dangerous to children as it peels and chips. Young children are most susceptible to lead poisoning and face long-term developmental delays.

The report highlights cases of lead poisoning at on-base housing at Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Polk, Louisiana; Fort Hood and Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Knox, Kentucky; and a 2015 Department of Defense IG report that found lead paint hazards at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. In the letter, the Senators ask Army Secretary Mark Esper to provide a detailed briefing about what the Army is doing to keep military families safe and what they need from Congress to address this problem.

“We ask that you provide our offices with a detailed briefing as soon as possible outlining the immediate and long-term mitigation strategy to keep military families safe, provide medical treatment for those potentially or previously affected, make long-lasting repairs, and finally, provide legislative proposals or guidance on legislation needed to hold maintenance contractors accountable,” the Senators concluded.

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Secretary Esper,

We write to you today concerned about recent reports of lead poisoning at a number of Army installations. The health and safety of our servicemembers and their families are of the utmost importance.

A recent Reuters report highlighted cases of lead poisoning at on-base housing at Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Polk, Louisiana; Fort Hood and Fort Bliss, Texas; and Fort Knox, Kentucky. This follows a 2015 DoD inspector general report that found significant lead paint hazards at Ft. Belvoir in Virginia. At Fort Benning, Reuters conducted tests at five homes using methodology designed with a Columbia University geochemist. All five homes contained hazardous levels of deteriorating lead paint with one home far exceeding the federal threshold. Fort Knox contained levels 100 times the federal threshold. According to Reuters, records from Brooks Army Medical Center in Texas show that from 2011 to 2016 more than 1,050 small children on bases nationwide tested positive for traces of lead higher than the Centers of Disease Control’s elevated threshold. The report also raises concerns that the Army has discouraged certified testing to identify deteriorating lead paint in base homes and that base hospitals have not properly reported incidents of children with high lead tests to state health departments.

As the report points out, these on-base homes, managed and operated largely through private partnerships, are putting families and children at risk. We ask that you provide our offices with a detailed briefing as soon as possible outlining the immediate and long-term mitigation strategy to keep military families safe, provide medical treatment for those potentially or previously affected, make long-lasting repairs, and finally, provide legislative proposals or guidance on legislation needed to hold maintenance contractors accountable.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON— U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced today that nearly twenty Virginia airports will receive a total of $11,725,371 in federal funding from the Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program.

“We are pleased these funds will allow Virginia airports to continue improving their infrastructure and making air travel safer for all Virginians,” the Senators said. “This federal funding will help these airports to expand travel options, increase local tourism, and attract more businesses.”

Airports and project amounts are listed below:

Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport - $447,742. These funds will help expand the existing terminal apron to 40,000 square yards to accommodate increased use of the terminal facilities.
Farmville Regional Airport - $382,500. These funds will help reconstruct an existing runway lighting system to enhance safe airfield operations during low visibility conditions and rehabilitate 4,400 feet of the runway payment.
Franklin Municipal-John Beverly Rose Airport - $180,000. These funds will help update the airport master plan narrative report and airport layout plan to address key issues, objectives and goals pertinent to the airport's future development.
Front Royal-Warren County Airport - $153,000. These funds will help update the airport master plan narrative report and airport layout plan to address key issues, objectives and goals pertinent to the airport's future development.
Leesburg Executive Airport - $130,000. These funds will go towards rehabilitating runway and taxiway lighting to enhance safe airfield operations during low visibility conditions.
Lonesome Pine Airport (Wise, VA) – $303,300. These funds will help construct a 210 foot taxiway to provide access to aircraft hangars.
Louisa County/Freeman Field Airport - $630,000. These funds will help install a new taxiway lighting system to enhance safe airfield operations during low visibility conditions.
Lynchburg Regional/Preston Glenn Field Airport - $1,800,000. These funds will help construct a 17,000 square yard general aviation apron to provide aircraft parking for users of the airport and acquire a new passenger loading bridge to improve the efficiency of operations and meet passenger needs.
Middle Peninsula Regional Airport (West Point, King and Queen, VA) - $200,000. These funds will go toward rehabilitating 4,000 feet of the existing taxiway at the airport.
New River Valley Airport (Dublin and Pulaski, VA) - $427,787. These funds will help expand the existing general aviation apron to 25,180 square yards to provide additional space for aircraft parking.
Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport - $400,000. These funds will help construct a 6,100 foot service road to enable the safe movement of vehicles and ground service equipment.
Richmond Executive-Chesterfield County Airport - $1,053,000. These funds will help remove non-hazard tree obstructions from a runway in order to meet Federal Aviation Administration design standards.
Richmond International Airport - $675,000. These funds will help construct a 5,200 foot taxiway to enhance aircraft movement on the airfield.
Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional/Woodrum Field Airport - $1,068,850. These funds will help rehabilitate 26,450 square yards of the existing general aviation apron to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement.

Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport – $506,692. The first grant of $232,632 will help conduct an environmental study of impacts of proposed projects identified on the airport's layout plan and five-year capital improvement plan. The second grant of $274,060 will help reconstruct 40 of the existing airfield guidance sign fixtures.
Stafford Regional Airport - $1,260,000. These funds will help extend 6,000 feet of an existing runway at the airport.
Twin County Airport (Galax, Hillsville and Carroll, VA) - $180,000. These funds will go towards updating the airport master plan strategy and airport layout plan to address key issues, objectives and goals pertinent to the airport's future development.
Warrenton-Fauquier Airport - $1,150,000. These funds will help reconstruct 1,100 feet of the existing taxi lane pavement.
Winchester Regional Airport - $277,500. These funds will help meet operational needs of the airport by supporting demolition efforts and the relocation of new taxiways.
Commonwealth of Virginia - $500,000. In addition, Virginia will receive funds to conduct a statewide obstruction study to evaluate existing obstructions at six airports.

The funding was awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program within the Department of Transportation (DOT). The program supports projects that improve airport infrastructure. Warner and Kaine have long fought for funding for Virginia’s airports and pushed back against the Trump Administration’s suggested budget cuts to DOT to ensure that critical upgrades like these can happen. The Senate is expected to consider a long-term FAA reauthorization measure in the coming weeks that would provide increased funding certainty to allow for further aviation infrastructure investment.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $456,000 in federal funding to support the James River Expansion Project. The funding will be used to purchase equipment to assist in the expansion around the Richmond Marine Terminal.

“We’re pleased to announce funding to increase shipment capacity at the Port of Virginia and ensure that it continues to serve as an important economic hub in the region,” the Senators said.

The funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD).

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) met with the I-81 Corridor Coalition, a group of leaders from local Chambers of Commerce looking to facilitate interstate commerce, improve safety, and reduce congestion in the western portion of Virginia. In their meeting, the local Chamber leaders updated the Senators on their efforts to find solutions to the safety and congestions challenges plaguing the corridor. Interstate-81 is a heavily trafficked freight corridor that serves as a key route for transportation and commerce for the eastern United States. In recent years, the interstate has faced multiple bottlenecks and heavy congestion that result in decreased efficiency and higher transportation travel times and costs for the region. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has reported at least a 12 percent increase in traffic and a 55 percent increase of delays from crashes, construction, or bad weather in just the past five years.

Most federal funding for infrastructure projects is distributed to states by a fixed formula, with decisions made primarily by the Commonwealth Transportation Board and VDOT. Additional federal dollars can be obtained by states through competitive grants, such as those awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program. Last year, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe submitted an INFRA program application for nearly $53 million for improvements to I-81 in the Shenandoah Valley, which Sens. Warner and Kaine supported. Virginia Transportation Secretary Shannon Valentine recently outlined plans to begin a study on putting such tolls on the highway. While Congress can no longer earmark funds for projects like this, Warner and Kaine discussed how the local business leaders can join them in pushing the Trump Administration to introduce a real infrastructure plan with direct federal funding. Through additional direct federal dollars, there would be more funding available to states to use toward projects like I-81.

“We support the coalition’s goal to improve travel conditions on I-81, which is in desperate need of repairs after years of congestion and safety concerns,” said the Senators. “We’re hopeful that the Trump Administration will see the need for improving roads and bridges across the country and support an infrastructure plan with real federal investment to help communities like those along I-81 who cannot necessarily afford to create toll roads and raise taxes. As former Governors, we will continue lending our expertise to state legislators and local leaders so they can find a viable, long-term solution to the funding challenges facing this crucial transportation route for the region.”

The I-81 Corridor Coalition was created to improve the safety and efficiency of freight and passenger movement through the sharing of information and coordinated decision making, management, and operations. They represent the I-81 corridor and have membership from Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New York. The group meeting with both Senators today included Richard Kennedy, CEO of the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber (Clarke County, Frederick County and Winchester); Annette Medlin, President and CEO of the Greater Augusta Chamber; Rebekah Gunn, Vice President of Public Policy & Strategic Issues for the Roanoke Regional Chamber; and Cally Smith, Vice President of Membership and Brand Strategy for the Roanoke Regional Chamber.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have been longtime advocates of innovative financing mechanisms for the Commonwealth’s infrastructure. Sen. Warner is the lead sponsor of bipartisan legislation to create a national infrastructure financing authority and as Governor, he began a process for improving I-81 by securing U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) approval for a slot in a pilot program that would allow tolling on a limited basis. As Governor, Sen. Kaine supported transportation projects to address traffic congestion and expand transportation options in the Commonwealth.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and Congressman Bob Goodlatte announced $750,000 in federal funding to help the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission bring new non-stop service from Roanoke Regional Airport to Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas, Denver, Colorado, and/or Detroit, Michigan. The Commission can use the funds for a revenue guarantee, a marketing program, and fee waivers. This effort was a community collaboration where the Roanoke Regional Chamber and the Botetourt Chamber of Commerce worked with local businesses, who are frequent users of Roanoke Regional Airport, to secure pledges to match these funds. The Roanoke Regional Airport Commission led the process to secure the public sector funding. This funding will be formally announced at the Roanoke Regional Chamber today at 10:00 AM.

“Roanoke Regional Airport is vital to the economic health of the entire region and Virginia as a whole. We are proud to announce these grant dollars that will ensure the airport continues to offer flights that attract tourism and business and offer Virginians more travel options,” the Senators and Congressman said. “Congratulations to the Airport Commission and the local Chambers that worked so hard together to secure these funds.”

“The Roanoke Regional Airport Commission is thrilled to have been awarded a Small Community Air Service Development Grant. We sincerely appreciate the support from the community and our stakeholders, including Sens. Kaine and Warner and Rep. Goodlatte. We are hopeful that given two and a half’s years of passenger growth, these funds will help secure additional service to Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver and/or Detroit. Air service is a critical component for economic development and we feel this is a significant step in the right direction,” Tim Bradshaw, Executive Director of the Roanoke Blacksburg Regional Airport, said.

“Better connectivity from ROA will open new markets throughout the country for existing businesses and help attract new investment in the Roanoke region. We are excited to see how this grant will improve service from ROA, and we appreciate the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission’s commitment to supporting our community’s needs and economic growth,” Joyce Waugh, Roanoke Regional Chamber President & CEO, said.

“Collaborative efforts such as this support existing business travel needs, ensure our region remains attractive to new business, and create new economic opportunities. We look forward to continuing to work with our regional partners and our elected representatives to bring more opportunity to rural areas in Virginia’s Blue Ridge,” Sheri Winesett, Botetourt Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, said.

The funding was awarded through the Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP) under the Department of Transportation. These funds help smaller communities address air service access and high fares.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that Virginia has received $9,807,162 in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency responsible for AmeriCorps and other national service programs.

These grants will ensure 1,448 AmeriCorps members can continue to volunteer their service to communities across the Commonwealth through nonprofits, schools, public agencies, and faith-based groups.

Since 2017, the Trump Administration advocated for drastic cuts to critical national service programs, including CNCS. Earlier this year, Sens. Warner and Kaine supported the omnibus spending bill that included more than $1 billion in funding for CNCS.

“AmeriCorps members across Virginia help create positive change for the communities they serve,” said the Senators. “From helping to tackle the opioid crisis, to protecting our historic public lands, their volunteer work goes a long way to building a better, stronger Commonwealth. We are pleased to announce continued funding for this important work.”

The projects funded by the AmeriCorps grants are:

American National Red Cross DC, Red Cross Corps—Fairfax, Va.—$1,066,400 AmeriCorps Funding; $473,600 Education Awards: members will install and test smoke detectors in neighborhoods vulnerable to natural disasters, especially wildfires.
City of Richmond-Human Services Commission, Richmond Area Healthy Futures Project—Richmond, Va.—$138,186 AmeriCorps Funding; $59,200 Education Awards: members will help expand services geared towards the prevention of opioid and heroin addiction and assist in recovery efforts.
CARITAS, CARITAS AmeriCorps—Richmond, Va.—$235,106 AmeriCorps Funding; $100,640 Education Awards: members will help provide services to individuals and families who are homeless achieve affordable housing, assist with job placement efforts, and mentorship programs to help substance abuse recovery.
Institute for Advanced Learning & Research, Dan River Year AmeriCorps—Danville, Va.—$235,444 AmeriCorps Funding; $93,655 Education Awards: members will assist with STEM literacy among children and adults.
Catholic Charities USA, CCUSA AmeriCorps Peer Navigators—Alexandria, Va.—$118,400 Education Awards: members will help veterans and military families with accessing their benefits and ensuring their educational, social services, and physical/emotional needs.
Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Charities USA Refugee Resettlement—Alexandria, Va.—$271,491 AmeriCorps Funding; $142,080 Education Awards: members will assist with the resettlement of 3,000 refugees and other eligible populations, by helping them to assimilate in the U.S.
Student Conservation Association, Inc., SCA AmeriCorps—Arlington, Va.—$321,602 AmeriCorps Funding; $2,505,102 Education Awards: members will engage in a number of projects that aim to protect, restore, and enhance public lands and waterways.
Student Conservation Association, Inc., SCA AmeriCorps Stewardship Teams—Arlington, Va.—$177,600 Education Awards: members will help inspire future leaders to become good stewards of the environment.
The Nature Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy National AmeriCorps—Arlington, Va.—$328,504 AmeriCorps Funding; $130,240 Education Awards: members will engage in local, state, and national environmental conservation work.

CNCS will also provide an additional $3,800,517 in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards, a post-service benefit that can be used to cover the costs of post-secondary education or help pay off student loans. In addition, the federal investment announced today will help generate an additional $18,211,236 from the private sector, foundations, and other sources – further increasing the return on the federal investment.

The federal investment today also includes $3,409,912 for the Virginia Office of Volunteerism and Community Service, the Governor-appointed state service commission, to support additional AmeriCorps programs in the state.

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WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Rob Portman (R-OH), Angus King (I-ME), and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) introduced the Restore Our Parks Act, bipartisan legislation to address the $12 billion maintenance backlog at the National Park Service (NPS). The consensus proposal is the product of bipartisan discussions among the senators who had previously introduced bills to address the Park Service’s deferred maintenance backlog. The legislation has been praised by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, the National Parks Conservation Association, the Pew Charitable Trusts’ restore America’s parks campaign, and the Outdoor Industry Association.

Due to years of chronic underfunding, NPS has deferred maintenance for a year or more on visitor centers, rest stops, trails and campgrounds in Virginia, as well as transportation infrastructure operated by NPS such as Blue Ridge and George Washington Memorial Parkways. In the last year, the maintenance backlog at Park Service sites in Virginia grew by $250 million, to over a billion dollars. That figure includes roughly $80 million of overdue maintenance at Shenandoah National Park, one of the crown jewels of our nation’s park system.

“In the last year, the maintenance backlog at Park Service sites in Virginia grew by $250 million, to over a billion dollars. Virginia now ranks third among all states in total deferred maintenance, trailing only California and the District of Columbia. The longer we wait to address the crumbling infrastructure in our national parks, the worse the problem gets. Today’s introduction marks a step forward in the process of finally fixing the $12 billion maintenance backlog at our national parks. I will continue to work with my colleagues to get this bill passed so that we can make much-needed investments in national treasures like Shenandoah National Park, which has nearly $80 million in overdue maintenance needs,” said Sen. Warner.

“For more than a century, the National Park Service has been inspiring Americans to explore the natural beauty of our country,” Sen. Portman said. “But in order to keep that work going, we need to ensure that they have the right resources to maintain our national parks. This bill will create the Legacy Restoration Fund to provide the National Park Service with funds for deferred maintenance projects. This legislation will help tackle the nearly $75 million in maintenance backlog at Ohio’s eight national parks and will ensure the National Park Service can continue preserving American treasures like Cuyahoga Valley National Park.”

“Senators Portman and Warner deserve great credit for their leadership in developing this compromise legislation, which could do more to restore our 417 national parks than anything that has happened in the last half century. The bipartisan legislation that I developed with Senator King and other senators is now part of the Portman-Warner compromise legislation, which should have near unanimous support. The end result is $6.5 billion toward eliminating the national park maintenance backlog, $215 million of which is in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,” said Sen. Alexander.

“Our national parks amaze, astound, and awe millions of Americans each year – but in order to accommodate so many visitors, the parks need to be well-maintained,”Sen. King said. “The existing $12 billion maintenance backlog threatens to prevent future generations from accessing these beautiful public lands, which is simply unacceptable. This bipartisan legislation would help address this backlog, and ensure that parks from Acadia to Zion will remain open and available for years to come.”

“Since my confirmation hearing, I’ve been adamant that we must address the nearly $12 billion maintenance backlog in our National Parks. I’m happy to see Senators Portman, Warner, King and Alexander teamed up to craft a very strong and historic bill to rebuild our national parks,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke.“Park infrastructure is about access for all Americans. In order for families, children, elderly grandparents, or persons with disabilities to enjoy the parks, we need to rebuild basic infrastructure like roads, trails, lodges, restrooms and visitors centers. This is not a Republican or Democrat issue, this is an American issue, and I think that the bipartisan body of lawmakers who put this bill forward is proof. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Administration and Congress to see this come to fruition.”

NPS maintains more than 75,000 assets across the country, including campgrounds, natural lands, historic trails, irrigation and electrical systems, as well as thousands of miles of roads. More than half of these are in need of repairs. In Virginia, NPS operates 34 parks, trails and battlefields and historic sites, including Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Assateague Island, Booker T. Washington National Monument, Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park, Colonial National Historical Park, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Fort Monroe National Monument, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania Battlefields Memorial National Military Park, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Petersburg National Battlefield, Prince William Forest Park, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Shenandoah National Park, and Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts.

Last year, Sens. Warner and Portman introduced the National Park Service Legacy Act, which would have eliminated the NPS maintenance backlog by creating a thirty-year designated fund that would address NPS maintenance needs. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Interior announced its own proposal, which bore substantial similarities to the Warner-Portman bill. However, the Administration proposal – which was introduced in the Senate as the National Park Restoration Actby Sens. Alexander and King – would not have established a dedicated funding stream for NPS maintenance, instead relying upon a massive expansion of offshore drilling or a significant increase in the price of oil in order to provide additional funding to the NPS. Prior to that, the Administration had pressed – unsuccessfully – to dramatically increase entrance fees at national parks as a way of funding overdue maintenance.

The Restore Our Parks Act, introduced in the Senate late Thursday, is the result of months of negotiations among Sens. Warner, Portman, Alexander, King, and the Trump Administration to find a consensus proposal to address the NPS backlog.

“National parks bring people together and help bridge political party lines. Under the leadership of Senators Warner and Portman, this compromise legislation will put a significant investment into the National Park Service’s maintenance backlog needs. We commend the leadership of these two park champions for their bill that makes a strong investment in our parks that they desperately need and deserve. America’s national parks include our most treasured landscapes and historic and cultural sites that must be protected and maintained so that future generations have the opportunity to learn about the people and places that have shaped our nation’s legacy,” said Theresa Pierno, President and CEO, National Parks Conservation Association.

“Pew has been committed to ensuring that the best provisions of the various deferred maintenance measures are incorporated into a final proposal that can be enacted and will provide a significant reduction to the national parks backlog,” said Marcia Argust, project director for The Pew Charitable Trusts’ restore America’s parks campaign. “The compromise bill introduced today by Sens. Portman, Warner, Alexander, and King meets that goal.”

“OIA applauds this bipartisan effort to solve the National Park Service backlog issue and appreciates the dedication of Senators Portman, Warner, Alexander and King to this important issue. The backlog impacts the recreation economy and Americans’ ability to explore and enjoy their public lands. As we know, and the support for bills like National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund shows, the health and vitality of America’s public lands system is a bipartisan issue that unites us. We look forward to progress on the issue and appreciate the Senate Bill Sponsors’ attention to this critical infrastructure issue that supports the growing $887 billion outdoor recreation economy,” said Amy Roberts, Executive Director, Outdoor Industry Association.

A list of Virginia organizations supportive of addressing the NPS backlog can be found here.

Full text of the bill can be found here.

VA National Park Deferred Maintenance as of 2017*

Appomattox Court House National Historical Park	$1,998,224
Assateague Island NS	$2,774,577
Blue Ridge Parkway	$186,619,608
Booker T Washington National Monument	$1,370,913
Cedar Creek and Belle Grove NHP	$327,072
Colonial National Historical Park	$421,872,932
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park	$1,848,864
Fort Monroe National Monument	$2,280,548
Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania Battlefields Mem NMP	$10,371,731
George Washington Birthplace National Monument	$1,306,614
George Washington Memorial Parkway	$233,441,316
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park	$64,760
Maggie L Walker National Historic Site	$531,648
Manassas National Battlefield Park	$6,516,560
Petersburg National Battlefield	$11,754,041
Prince William Forest Park	$18,619,932
Richmond National Battlefield Park	$6,581,205
Shenandoah National Park	$79,208,621
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts	$31,149,289
Total	$1,018,629,457

*Due to the continuously changing nature of facilities data, only final, year-end data is reported by the National Park Service. The last year for which data is available is FY 2017.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded Senate passage of bipartisan legislation to fund federal programs and build new military construction and facilities under the Department of Veteran Affairs (V-A), the Department of Energy (DOE), and the Department of Defense (DoD).

On a bipartisan 86-5 vote, the Senate approved the Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations package that covers funding for energy and water development, military construction and veterans affairs (MilCon-V-A), the legislative branch, 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.

“Despite President Trump’s relentless attempts to drastically cut support for vital programs, this bipartisan bill fulfills the federal government’s commitment to supporting our nation’s military and veterans,” said the Senators. “It puts a stop to the Administration’s misguided efforts to cut or eliminate outright funding for the Appalachian Regional Commission and gut groundbreaking renewable energy R&D at the Department of Energy. It also funds new infrastructure projects that will help improve transportation networks and military facilities in the Commonwealth, and makes new investments to support the cutting-edge research at J-Lab.”

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:

Appalachian Regional Commission: Following President Trump’s attempts to defund ARC, the bill fully funds this successful federal-state partnership by providing $155 million to continue its efforts to increase employment and economic opportunities for those living in Appalachia, strengthen and maintain the region’s infrastructure, and provide additional educational and workforce opportunities for citizens of Appalachia so that they can compete in a 21^st century global economy.

Military Construction: Provides more than $131 million in new construction throughout the Commonwealth.

Joint Base Langley-Eustis: Funds nearly $23 million on three projects at the base.
Forts A.P. and Belvoir: Receive nearly $18 million to build new training facilities.
Portsmouth Ship Maintenance: Provides $26 million for a ship maintenance shop in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Both Senators advocated for these projects, and more, when the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act passed the Senate.

Veterans Affairs: Provides $86.4 billion in funding for the V-A, an increase of $5 billion above fiscal year 2018. The bill would increase funding to several Veteran Health Administration priority areas, including $800 million for electronic health record modernization and $8.6 billion to increase mental health services for veterans. It includes $1.9 billion for homelessness programs like the Supportive Services for Veterans and Families program, which provides assistance to homeless veterans; $196 million to hire V-A mental health providers and increase suicide prevention outreach; $78 billion to help provide high-quality and timely health care services to veterans; $174 million to improve the veteran appeals process; and more than doubles FY18 funds to provide $1.8 billion for the construction of new V-A medical facilities.

Jefferson Lab Nuclear Physics Research: Provides $710 million for nuclear physics research within the Department of Energy’s Office of Science in order to fulfill DOE’s Long Range Plan for Nuclear Science. The funds will enable scientists at labs across the country, including at Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, VA, to engage in critical research that will maintain U.S. leadership and preeminence in this field.

Hampton Roads Infrastructure:

Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Projects: Provides $2.3 billion for construction of water infrastructure projects and $3.8 billion for operations and maintenance of existing infrastructure related to harbor maintenance, flood and storm damage control, and aquatic ecosystem restoration. Total funding for the Corps of Engineers is $100 million above the FY2018 enacted level and $2.1 billion above the President’s budget request.
Donor and Energy Transfer Ports: Provides $50 million to ensure that ports like the Port of Virginia receive equitable levels of funding to reinvest in and modernize their infrastructure.
North Landing Bridge: Provides $1.6 million for the Army Corps of Engineers to continue studying the feasibility of replacing the federally-owned North Landing Bridge, which connects Chesapeake, VA, and Virginia Beach, VA. Two years ago, Warner and Kaine were instrumental in securing federal funding to replace a similar Army Corps asset, the Deep Creek Bridge, which was a safety hazard and regional traffic bottleneck.
Norfolk Harbor: Includes $300,000 to conclude the study phase of – and advance to construction – the deepening and widening of navigation channels in Norfolk Harbor and tributaries, which will allow the largest deep-draft container ships to call on the Port of Virginia. This project, in concert with the expansion and new marine terminal at the Craney Island Dredged Material Management Area (CIDMMA), will be a generational investment in the infrastructure and economic competitiveness of the Port of Virginia.

Other Virginia Water Infrastructure:

Hydroelectric Licenses: Extends authorization for hydroelectric projects at John W. Flannagan Dam in Dickenson County, VA, and Gathright Dam in Alleghany County, VA.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $55.985 million in new federal funding for communities in Hampton Roads, Richmond, and on the Eastern Shore for water infrastructure improvements. The funding is awarded through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ “Work Plan,” a source of funds provided by Congress for the Corps to allocate to ongoing projects. Warner and Kaine advocated directly to Army Corps leadership on behalf of many of these projects in Virginia.

“We fought for these key infrastructure projects because Virginia’s waterways play a critical role in the economies of coastal communities,” the Senators said. “From dredging and beach replenishment to cleaner rivers to new oyster habitats to new infrastructure for the Port of Virginia, these investments will help us protect coastal communities and the environment while growing the regional tourism and port commerce economies.”

In response to the funding for Virginia Beach projects, Mayor Louis Jones said, “Each project will have substantial positive impacts on the City of Virginia Beach, its businesses and residents. We appreciate Senator Kaine, Senator Warner and Congressman Taylor advocating so effectively for these projects in our city.”

Earlier this year, Warner and Kaine helped successfully include over $51 million for Virginia projects in the Army Corps civil works program as part of the recent omnibus government funding bill.

The $55.985 million in funding will be awarded as follows:

Project	Location	Type of Funding	Allocation	Summary of Work
Lynnhaven River Basin	Virginia Beach, VA	Construction	$10 million	This funding will help restore wetlands and fish habitat, reduce nutrient and sediment pollution, provide flood control benefits, and reestablish impaired oyster and scallop populations in the Lynnhaven River and tributaries.
Norfolk Harbor and Channels - Craney Island	Portsmouth, VA	Construction	$5 million	This funding will expand the dredge fill capacity of the Craney Island Dredged Material Management Area, which will pave the way for a future Craney Island Marine Terminal that will nearly double the capacity of the Port of Virginia.
Norfolk Harbor and Craney Island	Portsmouth, VA	Operations and Maintenance	$5.35 million	This funding will support maintenance to reduce shoaling in Norfolk Harbor and around Craney Island, as well as perform dike maintenance and replace one of six primary spillboxes at the Craney Island Dredge Material Management Area.
Virginia Beach Hurricane Protection	Virginia Beach, VA	Construction	$17.6 million	This funding will support dredging and beach re-nourishment to ease impacts of previous extreme weather events.
Donor and Energy Transfer Ports	Port of Virginia	Operations and Maintenance	$3.96 million	This funding will be provided to a dedicated account for ports around the nation that either pay more into the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund than they receive in benefits from it or ports that are critical to the movement of energy commodities, of which the Port of Virginia is one.
Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway North Landing Bridge	Chesapeake, VA	Investigations	$400,000	This funding will continue the study that will culminate in a plan to replace this obsolete 1955 bridge over the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal connecting Chesapeake and Virginia Beach.
Rudee Inlet	Virginia Beach, VA	Operations and Maintenance	$200,000	This funding supports maintenance dredging to remove shoals from the inlet.
James River Channel	James River	Operations and Maintenance	$10.7 million	This funding supports maintenance dredging to remove shoals that accumulate as much as 8 feet annually in portions of the James River. It will also fund surveys to monitor and react to changing river conditions.
Chincoteague Inlet	Chincoteague, VA	Operations and Maintenance	$250,000	This funding supports maintenance dredging to remove shoals in the inlet and surveys to monitor and report channel conditions to users, and to coordinate with the Coast Guard on buoys and channel markers.
Lynnhaven Inlet	Virginia Beach, VA	Operations and Maintenance	$325,000	This funding supports maintenance dredging to remove shoaling in the entrance channel and turning basin.
Hampton Roads Prevention of Obstructive Deposits	Hampton Roads, VA	Operations and Maintenance	$450,000	This funding will help patrol, investigate and coordinate with state and federal agencies to upgrade facilities to detect and prevent deposit of refuse and hazardous materials into navigable waterways.
Waterway on the Coast of Virginia	90-mile channel from the MD-VA line in Chincoteague Bay to the Chesapeake Bay	Operations and Maintenance	$1.75 million	This funding supports maintenance dredging to provide vessels a protected 90-mile north-south route connecting Eastern Shore harbors to one another and to the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean.

Additional details on each type of funding are below:

Construction funds are granted to build current projects.

Investigations funds are granted to advance projects through the study phase, which will end with a document analyzing what specific infrastructure is needed for a project, how much it will cost, and what percentage the federal government will fund.

Operations and Maintenance funds are granted to operate and maintain federal navigation channels and other permanent Army Corps infrastructure projects.

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WARNER & KAINE ANNOUNCE $94.8 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR HOUSING & INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ACROSS VIRGINIA

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $94,819,202 in federal funding to help Virginia communities with housing and infrastructure projects. The funding, which will go to more than 30 locations across Virginia, will be awarded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG), Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA), HOME, and Housing Trust Fund (HTF) programs.

“We are pleased to announce funding that will help provide many Virginia families with the safe and affordable housing they need,” the Senators said. “These grants will help strengthen the well-being of communities throughout our Commonwealth.”

President Trump’s FY 2019 budget proposes eliminating the Community Development Block Grant, HOME, and Housing Trust Fund programs. The budget also proposes cutting ESG by 5.6% and cutting HOPWA by 12%. Warner and Kaine have opposed President Trump’s budget cuts to Virginia priorities and will continue fighting for this important HUD funding in Congress.

The $94,819,202 in funding will be awarded through HUD grants as follows:

Recipient	CDBG18	HOME18	ESG18	HOPWA18	HTF18	Total
Alexandria	$941,853	$536,873	$0	$0	$0	$1,478,726
Blacksburg	$482,932	$672,718	$0	$0	$0	$1,155,650
Bristol	$254,487	$0	$0	$0	$0	$254,487
Charlottesville	$408,417	$624,013	$0	$0	$0	$1,032,430
Chesapeake	$1,182,627	$550,827	$0	$0	$0	$1,733,454
Christiansburg	$111,703	$0	$0	$0	$0	$111,703
Colonial Heights	$94,495	$0	$0	$0	$0	$94,495
Danville	$865,416	$270,868	$0	$0	$0	$1,136,284
Fredericksburg	$186,790	$0	$0	$0	$0	$186,790
Hampton	$1,156,814	$557,513	$0	$0	$0	$1,714,327
Harrisonburg	$559,588	$0	$0	$0	$0	$559,588
Hopewell	$177,848	$0	$0	$0	$0	$177,848
Lynchburg	$733,913	$438,772	$0	$0	$0	$1,172,685
Newport News	$1,257,434	$786,711	$0	$0	$0	$2,044,145
Norfolk	$4,323,842	$1,278,608	$351,181	$0	$0	$5,953,631
Petersburg	$624,601	$0	$0	$0	$0	$624,601
Portsmouth	$1,557,075	$452,783	$0	$0	$0	$2,009,858
Radford	$165,992	$0	$0	$0	$0	$165,992
Richmond	$4,442,476	$1,500,301	$366,794	$1,050,009	$0	$7,359,580
Roanoke	$1,732,287	$606,064	$139,611	$0	$0	$2,477,962
Suffolk	$466,234	$377,689	$0	$0	$0	$843,923
Virginia Beach	$2,000,832	$1,122,655	$164,230	$1,524,127	$0	$4,811,844
Waynesboro	$193,586	$0	$0	$0	$0	$193,586
Winchester	$231,081	$615,483	$0	$0	$0	$846,564
Arlington County	$1,363,320	$762,215	$0	$0	$0	$2,125,535
Chesterfield County	$1,390,089	$558,425	$0	$0	$0	$1,948,514
Fairfax County	$5,574,509	$2,103,044	$447,834	$0	$0	$8,125,387
Henrico County	$1,692,829	$897,341	$138,560	$0	$0	$2,728,730
Loudoun County	$1,334,299	$0	$0	$0	$0	$1,334,299
Prince William County	$2,504,696	$919,946	$201,653	$0	$0	$3,626,295
Funds for Virginia to administer to lower population areas	$18,289,253	$10,094,628	$2,771,457	$962,389	$4,672,562	$36,790,289
Total	$56,301,318	$25,727,477	$4,581,320	$3,536,525	$4,672,562	$94,819,202

Additional details on each program from HUD:

The Community Development Block (CDBG) Grants program provides annual grants to states and local units of government to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.

The HOME program helps to expand the supply of decent, affordable housing to low- and very low-income families by providing grants to states and local governments to fund housing programs that meet local needs and priorities.

The Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program provides funding to engage homeless individuals and families living on the street; improve the number, quality, and operations of emergency shelters for homeless individuals and families; provide essential services to shelter residents, rapidly re-house homeless individuals, and families, and prevent families and individuals from becoming homeless.

The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program provides housing assistance and related supportive services to local units of government, states and non-profit organizations for projects that benefit low-income persons medically diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and their families.

The Housing Trust Fund (HTF) is a new affordable housing production program that will complement existing Federal, State and local efforts to increase and preserve the supply of decent, safe, and sanitary affordable housing for extremely low- and very low-income households, including homeless families.

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WASHINGTON- Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) selection of Virginia to participate in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program (IPP).

“I have been happy to work closely with Virginia Tech and the MAAP for several years now in promoting the safe use and development of drones in Virginia, which has included the first package delivery by drone in the country. Today’s award is recognition that this team has assembled some of the strongest expertise in the nation, and has put forward a proposal that will prove critical to shared efforts to safely integrate drones into our communities and airspace,” said Sen. Warner. “To reap the full benefits of all this technology has to offer, we need to be leaders - not laggards - in safely integrating it into our daily lives. Today’s announcement is an important step in again putting the U.S. in the lead, and our work in getting Virginia selected means that Virginia will be at the forefront of this revolution.”

DOT’s UAS Integration Pilot Program is an opportunity for state, local, and tribal governments to partner with private sector entities, such as UAS operators or manufacturers, to accelerate safe UAS integration. Virginia’s application was a coordinated effort spearheaded by Virginia’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Authority (IEIA) with cooperation from the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP).

Sen. Warner has been a strong supporter of research and investment in unmanned systems, including driverless cars, drones, and unmanned submersibles.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 six FAA-approved sites across the country where researchers are testing the safest and most effective ways to incorporate UAS into the existing airspace. In 2016, the UAS test site’s partnership with Google’s parent company Alphabet X’s Project Wing tested its first burrito drone delivery.

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced bipartisan legislation that would rename the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The change would accurately reflect the Department’s increasing focus on improving the quality of life of more than 45 million Americans living in rural areas. The Department already provides significant financial resources and technical assistance to rural communities in the form of loans, loan guarantees, and grants that help support economic development in these areas. Renaming the agency would help highlight its mission of providing rural communities with access to critical infrastructure, broadband, telecommunications connectivity, capital, healthcare, and other essential resources.

“President Lincoln called USDA ‘The People’s Department’ because, dating back to its founding in 1862, it has always been the primary government entity charged with boosting economic development in rural communities. But at the time of USDA’s creation, nearly half of all Americans lived on farms, compared to just 2 percent today,” said Sen. Warner. “This bipartisan bill would highlight the USDA’s ongoing efforts to help rural communities thrive and underscore that part of its mission is increasing economic opportunity in rural America.”

“USDA plays an instrumental role in improving the lives of millions of Americans living in rural areas—especially in states like West Virginia,” said Sen. Capito. “The department has provided West Virginians access to increased broadband connectivity, improved health services, and critical infrastructure, and remains an important partner in these and other efforts. Renaming USDA will make it possible to recognize the agency’s role in creating more economic opportunity in rural communities, as well as its increasing role in rural development.”

“Today, the Department of Agriculture does more than provide assistance to farmers, it provides residents in rural areas in West Virginia with financial and technical assistance to confront the challenges many areas currently face,” said Sen. Manchin. “That’s why I believe the Department should be renamed and known for the services it should be focusing on, such as improving access to critical infrastructure, broadband, telecommunications connectivity, capital, healthcare, and other essential resources. Last year, I co-chaired the Appalachia Initiative where I discussed ways to address the challenges the rural communities in West Virginia face. This legislation will help shine a light on the Department of Agriculture’s vital work to ensure rural America does not get left behind.”

“USDA plays a critical role in promoting infrastructure and economic development in rural America. Too many rural communities lack clean drinking water, reliable broadband internet, and adequate health and transportation resources,” said Sen. Kaine. “The rural development mission of USDA is just as important as its agriculture, food safety, and nutrition missions and should be reflected in its title.”

President Abraham Lincoln signed into law an act of Congress in 1862 that established the United States Department of Agriculture. Currently, USDA is made up of 29 agencies and offices with nearly 100,000 employees who serve the American people at more than 4,500 locations across the country and abroad. The Department is the federal agency in charge of meeting the needs of farmers and ranchers, promoting agricultural trade and production, working to assure food safety, protecting natural resources, fostering rural communities and ending hunger in the United States and internationally. In 2012, USDA commemorated its 150^th anniversary.

“Rural communities are a key pillar of America, however, they are often challenged by geographic isolation and persistent poverty. For the residents of rural America that continue to feel left behind in today’s economy, The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Act of 2017 offers a renewed focus on the economic matters specific to their community. BPC Action hopes this step by Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Joe Manchin (D-WV) will better focus federal efforts around conditions in rural America and produce pragmatic solutions such as those recommended by BPC’s Appalachia Initiative,” said Michele Stockwell, Executive Director of BPC Action.

“The National Cotton Council greatly appreciates the work and support of Sen. Warner to help address economic challenges facing the cotton industry and broader concerns in agriculture and across rural America. We support the Senator’s efforts to highlight the critically important role of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in providing rural development support and economic opportunities in our rural communities,” said Reece Langley, VP of Washington Operations of the National Cotton Council.

"America's turkey farmers appreciate Sen. Warner's support for the rural communities that supply our farm inputs and where many of the facilities that process the turkeys we raise are located. This effort to rename the Department of Agriculture "the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development" reinforces the importance of rural development in the mission of the Department and to rural communities. The National Turkey Federation thanks Sen. Warner for working to ensure the communities where our families, friends and neighbors work and go to school have access to the infrastructure and resources needed to thrive and grow" said Joel Brandenberger, President of the National Turkey Federation.

“Historically, Rural Development programs have not been a priority within the Agriculture Department, regardless of political party in charge. We believe renaming the Department would elevate the Rural Development mission area and better reflect the importance of these programs for rural communities across the country,” said Robert A. Rapoza, Executive Secretary of the National Rural Housing Coalition.

Sens. Warner and Manchin, along with Sens. David Perdue (R-GA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), are co-chairs of the bipartisan Appalachia Initiative, a task force convened with the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) to find pragmatic, bipartisan solutions to Appalachia’s challenges. Last year, they released a report with a set of bipartisan recommendations to boost economic growth in Appalachia. Sens. Warner, Capito, and Manchin, along with Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), have also introduced bipartisan legislation to expand economic opportunity in Appalachia.

The text of the bill can be found here.

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-Va.) joined a group of Senators in a letter to Senate appropriators calling on them to commit to using the full $2 billion that was allocated in last month’s bipartisan budget agreement for its intended purpose of repairing and modernizing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) infrastructure.

While that Congressional framework established how much money should be provided to address veterans’ hospital maintenance and backlogged construction projects, leaders of Congressional appropriation committees are in charge of deciding how that funding is allocated. Facing a shortfall in funding for the Veterans Choice Program, which allows certain veterans to seek medical care outside of the VA system, the VA has proposed diverting dollars meant for infrastructure improvements to cover the program. Warner and Kaine believe that appropriators must fund both initiatives to hold up our nation’s bargain to veterans.

“It is important that Congress not enable VA to continue to cannibalize one aspect of its budget to pay for another,” wrote the Senators in a letter to Senate appropriators. “Our veterans deserve better than a VA that cannot invest in their future long term because they are constantly repurposing funding to address short sighted budget decisions. Increased funding for VA medical facilities will make significant progress in reducing the nationwide backlog in VA construction and infrastructure work that has impacted veterans’ access to critical medical and long-term care services. VA is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, yet many of its facilities are over 50 years old and are in desperate need of modernization. As VA facilities deteriorate, veterans are left without accessible care.”

Other Senators joining Sens. Warner and Kaine in signing the letter include Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jon Tester (D-MT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Chairman Moran and Ranking Member Schatz:

As you review appropriations for fiscal year 2019, we ask that you honor the commitments made under the Bipartisan Budget Agreement Act of 2018 to provide $2 billion in fiscal year 2019 for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) infrastructure repairs and modernization. In February, Congress reached a comprehensive bipartisan budget agreement that included $4 billion to be spent in fiscal year 2018 and 2019 for investments in VA infrastructure. We are deeply concerned by the VA’s proposal to divert this funding to the Veterans Choice Program and ask that you ensure that the $2 billion granted under the Bipartisan Budget Agreement for fiscal year 2019 be used for its original purpose. While we support providing additional healthcare options for veterans in the community, private sector programs should not be funded at the expense of the specialized care at VA.

Increased funding for VA medical facilities will make significant progress in reducing the nationwide backlog in VA construction and infrastructure work that has impacted veterans’ access to critical medical and long-term care services. VA is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, yet many of its facilities are over 50 years old and are in desperate need of modernization. As VA facilities deteriorate, veterans are left without accessible care. It is not a choice when veterans are forced to seek care through the private sector because they cannot seek care safely within the VA.

Likewise, investing in VA infrastructure repairs and modernization will recruit talented medical professionals at a time when the VA is grappling with maintaining adequate staffing levels. Strong funding for infrastructure modernization will set VA facilities apart from their counterparts in the community and improve hiring and retention efforts. The importance of ensuring VA has high quality providers cannot be understated and Congress must pursue all solutions to bolstering the VA’s recruitment efforts – including upgrading VA facilities to attract top talent. Used wisely, federal funding for VA infrastructure could resolve a litany of challenges and must not be repurposed.

In fiscal year 2018, you supported the Bipartisan Budget Agreement Act and appropriated $2 billion as the first down payment to improving VA infrastructure. Of the $2 billion, $1 billion was allocated for nonrecurring maintenance of VA medical facilities; $425 million for minor construction; and $575 million for grants for construction of State Extended Care Facilities. We applaud the Committee’s action and urge you to continue to provide funding for deferred maintenance on crumbling hospitals and unfinished construction projects, as well as funding to address the approximately 70,000 identified code deficiencies at hospitals and clinics nationwide in fiscal year 2019.

Congress agreed to provide the VA with $2 billion in fiscal year 2019 with the understanding that it will be used to rebuild and improve VA hospitals and clinics. The VA’s proposal to repurpose this funding to the Veterans Choice Program not only disregards this intent, but it is another troubling example of the agency’s history of poor financial management. It is important that Congress not enable VA to continue to cannibalize one aspect of its budget to pay for another. Our veterans deserve better than a VA that cannot invest in their future long term because they are constantly repurposing funding to address short sighted budget decisions.

Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to working with you to ensure our veterans receive the best quality care possible.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced today that three major Virginia bus transportation systems will receive $8.64 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The bus transportation systems receiving funding are: The Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC), the Blacksburg Transit, and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).

“We are pleased to announce direct federal funding to help improve the commute for thousands of Virginians,” said the Senators. “These critical dollars will help connect our communities and ensure continued access to reliable and affordable public transportation for riders across our region.”

Bus systems and grant amounts are listed below:

The Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) – $3,600,000.00 – This grant funding will help purchase newer buses to replace their aging fleet.
The Blacksburg Transit – $1,440,000.00 – This grant will help add buses to its fleet to keep up with ridership demands of the region.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) – $3,600,000.00 – This grant will replace bus shelters across Northern Virginia to ensure rider safety and security.

This funding was granted through USDOT’s Bus & Bus Facilities Infrastructure Investment Program, a program that provides federal resources for bus systems to rehabilitate, replace, or purchase buses and bus-related equipment.

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Sen. Warner met with ARC Co-Chair last month in his Senate office in Washington

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement after the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Tim Thomas, President Trump’s nominee to be the Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission:

“I was proud to support Mr. Thomas’ nomination to lead federal efforts to foster economic development in Appalachia,” said Sen. Warner. “Despite the Administration’s attempt to defund the Appalachian Regional Commission, I worked with my colleagues on a bipartisan funding agreement this week that just increased its funding by $3 million—the highest level approved in decades. Now that he has been confirmed as its co-chair, I trust Mr. Thomas will carry out his duties with a clear focus on expanding economic opportunities in the region and I look forward to working together to achieve this.”

The Appalachian Regional Commission is a federal-state partnership that has invested in 25,000 projects across Appalachia’s 420 counties. For more than fifty years, ARC has provided funding and support for job-creating community projects across the 13 Appalachian states, producing an average of $204 million in annual earnings for a region often challenged by economic underdevelopment. Since its inception in 1965, ARC has generated over 300,000 jobs and $10 billion for the 25 million Americans living in Appalachia.

A bipartisan Congressional budget agreement passed by Congress this week included a $3 million increase in additional funding for ARC, for a total of $155 million in FY18. In his budget plan, President Trump had proposed eliminating funding for the ARC entirely. In response, Sen. Warner and a bipartisan coalition of Senators who represent Appalachian states called on President Trump to reverse his proposal to zero out funding for this important federal-state partnership. In 2017 alone, Sen. Warner announced over $7 million in ARC grant funding for projects in Virginia’s Appalachian counties.

Sen. Warner serves as a co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Appalachia Initiative, which has laid out a roadmap for bipartisan legislation to jumpstart economic growth in the region. He has introduced bipartisan legislation to support and encourage public-private partnerships in Appalachia that improve regional infrastructure, encourage entrepreneurship, and create jobs.

Mr. Thomas served on the state staff of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as a field representative based in the Senator’s Bowling Green office. A native Kentuckian, Thomas previously served in the administration of former Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher as a special assistant to the secretary of the Kentucky Environmental Cabinet, handling matters including legislative initiatives for the agency, according to the ARC In a meeting last month, Sen. Warner and Thomas discussed their shared priorities for Appalachia, including workforce development and combatting the opioid crisis.

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DOT grants will provide funding to improve infrastructure and increase safety at local airports

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