Press Releases
Warner Praises FAA Decision to Expand Unmanned Aircraft Testing Program to Include Airports
Warner called for pilot program to develop technology to defend sensitive spaces such as airports from “rogue” drones
Oct 08 2015
Sen. Warner praised the Federal Aviation Administration’s announcement that it will expand the Pathfinder Program – a public-private partnership to explore ways for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to operate safely in the U.S. – to include sensitive airport airspace.
Warner, Mikulski, Cardin, Kaine Praise Committee Passage of New Legislation to Improve Metro Safety
Oct 07 2015
Senators Mark Warner, Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), today announced that legislation they introduced to improve safety oversight of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) passed the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC) today.
“It’s important that the federal government strike an appropriate balance between ensuring vital public safeguards and imposing costly regulatory burdens."
Sen. Warner on Defense Authorization Vote
Defense authorization bill approved in bipartisan 70-27 vote
Oct 07 2015
Sen. Warner released the following statement after the Senate voted 70-27 in favor of final passage for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Warner, Kaine Announce More than $777,000 in Farm Bill Funding to Increase Access to Locally-Grown Food
Oct 06 2015
These grants will strengthen local economies across the Commonwealth, increase access to affordable, fresh and healthy food options and promote long-term sustainability.
Warner, Kaine Praise $17.5 Million in Grants to Expand Access to Preschool in Virginia
Federal funds will support efforts to expand access to voluntary, high-quality preschool in 11 Virginia communities
Oct 02 2015
Sens. Warner and Kaine praised today’s announcement by the U.S. Department of Education that Virginia will receive $17.5 million in funds under the Preschool Development Grants program to expand access to early childhood education.
Sens. Warner and Kaine urged Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus to develop a plan to stabilize the ship repair industry following a shortfall in workload requirements for the Hampton Roads area that has led to layoffs at BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair and Newport News Shipbuilding.
Sen. Warner Praises Administration Proposals to Strengthen Student Loan System
Proposals will improve student protections and ensure efficiency among federal
Oct 01 2015
"I’m very pleased the Administration has laid out proposals to ensure borrowers have the information and flexibility they need to pay back their loans in a manageable way."
Sen. Warner joined Ben Cardin (D-MD), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Brian Schatz (D-HI), to introduce the Iran Policy Oversight Act of 2015, legislation that builds upon the bipartisan commitment to oversight outlined in the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 that passed the U.S. Senate 98 to 1.
Sen. Warner indicated he would have supported lifting the oil export ban if it was part of a more comprehensive energy package.
Warner, Kaine Announce Nearly $7 Million in HUD Funding to Increase Access to Fair Housing
Sep 30 2015
Sens. Warner and Kaine announced that seven Virginia localities and organizations will receive nearly $7 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The funding will help local governments fight housing discrimination, improve economic conditions and increase access to affordable housing.
"It’s welcome news for Virginians that the Senate voted not to shut down the government on October 1, and we expect the House to follow suit shortly."
Warner, Kaine Announce More than $1.6 Million in DOJ Funding to Improve Virginia Drug Court Services
Sep 30 2015
Sens. Warner and Kaine announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded $1,695,445, in grant funding to multiple Virginia communities to improve and expand drug court operations.
Warner, Kaine, Manchin Introduce Sweeping Reforms to Black Lung Benefits Program
Legislation also introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Bobby Scott
Sep 29 2015
Today U.S. Sen. Warner and his colleagues proposed sweeping reforms to the federal program that provides benefits to coal miners suffering from black lung disease.
Warner, Kaine, Scott, Connolly, Beyer Advocate for Virginia College Students
Urge Senate leaders to support legislation ensuring Federal Perkins Loan recipients have predictability in their financial planning
Sep 28 2015
Today, Sens. Warner and Kaine (both D-VA) and Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA-3), Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11), and Don Beyer (D-VA-8) wrote to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), urging support for a one-year reauthorization of the Federal Perkins Loan Program.
Warner, Kaine Announce $450,000 in DOJ Funding for Sexual Assault Prevention Initiatives in Williamsburg
Sep 28 2015
Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced that the Department of Justice has awarded the James City County Police Department in Williamsburg, Virginia $450,000 through a grant to support programs that help prevent sexual assault and domestic violence.
Warner, Kaine on WMATA Corrective Action Plan
Sep 24 2015
Today's news is a step in the right direction for improving Metro, and the next step is to make sure that each and every action item is implemented, maintained, and seen through to completion.
Sen. Warner released the following statement on the announcement from the Office of Personnel Management that 5.6 million people's fingerprints were stolen as part of the data hacks that were disclosed earlier this summer.
Sens. Warner, Kaine Announce Federal Grants for Police Body Cameras
Local match, robust training & implementation plans required
Sep 22 2015
Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced today that the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded nearly $500,000 in federal grants to five Virginia localities to purchase law enforcement body cameras.
"Today, the Senate voted on a proposal to restrict women’s reproductive health. While I was unable to vote today, I would have opposed this bill. Important medical decisions should be made between a woman and her doctor, not politicians in Washington."
“We’re very pleased that Bristol and Harrisonburg have been awarded federal funds to advance public safety and crime prevention. Senator Kaine and I will continue to work to make sure Virginia communities have the resources they need to apply new personnel to issues related to violent crime, school safety, and building trust within the community.”
Democrats Push to Keep Federal Workers on the Job Despite Threats of a Shutdown
Preventing federal workers from doing their jobs doesn’t just harm them, it harms all Americans
Sep 18 2015
Sen. Warner and a group of Democratic Senators have introduced legislation that would end Republican plans to use federal workers as pawns in their effort to shut down the federal government as a means to defund the important health care services provided by Planned Parenthood.
In an effort to spur substantive and structural housing finance reform, U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-Va.), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), David Vitter (R-La.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), all members of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, today reintroduced the “Jumpstart GSE Reform Act.
Senators Warner and Kaine co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to ensure thousands of Navy veterans from the Vietnam War, known as "Blue Water" veterans for their service in waters off the coast, who were exposed to the powerful toxin Agent Orange will be eligible to receive disability and health care benefits they have earned for diseases linked to Agent Orange exposure.
Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, along with U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott, Randy Forbes, Rob Wittman, Gerry Connolly, Robert Hurt, Dave Brat, and Don Beyer released the following statement on the release of a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that makes clear Fort Pickett, Virginia is the best location for a Foreign Affairs Security Training Center (FASTC).
