Press Releases

Senator Warner announced today that two of his proposals to promote more rapid and cost-effective expansion of broadband networks will be advanced through an Executive Order to be signed by the President.

Senator Warner, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, told Virginia reporters during a conference call on Wednesday that his Memorial Day recess travels to the Middle East have revealed both “dramatic transformation” and “serious challenges ” for the region.

Senators Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) today introduced bipartisan legislation, Startup Act 2.0, to help jumpstart the economy through the creation and growth of new businesses and jobs. It is based upon research showing that for close to three decades, companies less than five years old have created almost all of the net new jobs in America.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta today instructed the Air Force to restrict F-22 flight activities, and to work with NASA and the Navy to find solutions to F-22 oxygen-deprivation issues. These actions were a direct result of Sen. Warner’s and Rep. Kinzinger’s continued pressure on the Secretary of the Air Force to take action.

Senator Warner (D-VA) and Rep. Adam Kinzinger (IL-11) today requested additional information from the U.S. Secretary of the Air Force to further determine the scope of safety concerns raised by several pilots of the USAF F-22 Raptor.

“Today, the House passed the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act – an important piece of legislation that will establish a new era of transparency for the federal government. I want to thank Chairman Darrell Issa and Ranking Member Elijah Cummings for their bipartisan work on this legislation."

Postal reform legislation adopted by the Senate today included an amendment written by Senator Warner that aims to accelerate and improve a federal benefits processing system that still relies on the hand-processing of paper records. Virginia is home to an estimated 250,000 federal retirees, and hundreds of them have contacted Senator Warner about delays, sometimes as long as 12-18 months.

U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), the Senate co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease, today introduced a bipartisan Senate resolution affirming the national goal of preventing and treating Alzheimer’s by 2025.

“On this fifth anniversary, I join the entire Virginia Tech community in pausing to reflect upon and celebrate the lives that were lost and those that have been forever changed. We salute the strength and resilience of the entire Hokie community, and we celebrate Tech’s positive and continuing commitment to public service as an appropriate way to honor all of those who were touched by the April 16th tragedy."

Senator Warner led a group of 30 Senators today calling on Acting Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Edward DeMarco to provide Congress with an accurate analysis of the effects on taxpayers of using principal forgiveness versus other mortgage modification options such as principal forbearance for loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Senator Warner today urged the U.S. House to take up a bipartisan Senate transportation bill before the March 31st cut-off of federal funding impacts jobs and ongoing transportation projects across Virginia and the rest of the country. The Senate’s two-year proposal supports an estimated 39,800 highway construction and transit jobs in Virginia, and nearly two million transportation-related jobs nationwide.

Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID), Mark Warner (D-VA), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Tom Carper (D-DE) and Bob Corker (R-TN) today introduced bipartisan legislation that provides for the implementation of the Volcker rule after the agencies have issued their final rules, rather than two years after the date Dodd-Frank was signed into law.

Senator Warner today joined colleagues in a bipartisan 74-22 vote to adopt the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), which reauthorizes highway, transit, and safety programs for two fiscal years at current funding levels. It includes several of Sen. Warner’s proposals, including improved federal safety standards for rail transit systems such as Metro, and specific programs that will enhance transit-friendly development.

"Col. Barfoot was a remarkable man who demonstrated tremendous bravery in military service to his country during three wars. The actions that earned Col. Barfoot the Medal of Honor, the Silver Star and the Bronze Star still have the power to inspire. We all saw a bit of that same determination and grit when Col. Barfoot fought his neighbors over a flagpole he constructed in his front yard."

Senator Warner today was awarded the 2012 Congressional Champion Award from the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators for his leadership in promoting college campus safety issues. Sen. Warner was honored for introducing legislation that would create a National Center for Campus Public Safety.

"We are reaching a point where GAO reports on government duplication and redundancy are becoming duplicative and redundant. The 2011 report made more than 80 specific recommendations to reduce overlap and duplication, but we have implemented only four of those recommendations so far."

Today the House Financial Services Committee passed with strong bipartisan support legislation that would make it easier for growing firms to access the public markets so they can expand and create jobs. The proposal is co-sponsored in the Senate by Sens. Charles Schumer (D-NY), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Tom Carper (D-Del.).

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn., and Senator Mark Warner, D-Va., issued the following statement after the Committee received the Administration’s formal request for authority to reorganize government agencies.

Senator Warner announced today in a speech on the Senate floor that he will be voting against the payroll tax cut deal conference report.

"The Pentagon is making difficult but responsible choices as military planners work to cut a half-trillion dollars in defense spending. Due to the consistent, coordinated and bipartisan efforts of Virginia’s congressional delegation, and our strong partnership with state and local officials, the Navy has made the correct decision by committing to maintain the current number of carriers in Norfolk through the year 2020."

U.S. Sens. Jim Webb (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) today sent a joint letter to the Secretaries of Defense, Transportation and the NASA Administrator urging them to select the Virginia/Maryland region to host an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) test range.

Sen. Warner praised today’s passage of a bipartisan, four-year reauthorization for the Federal Aviation Administration that will improve airline service and safety for travelers. The compromise legislation, H.R. 658, allows airports to move forward on critical improvement projects, gives FAA tools to modernize the nation’s outdated air traffic control system, and authorizes eight additional daily round trip flights from Reagan National Airport to the West Coast.

Senators Webb and Warner today announced $3,247,990 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds will go to the Louisa County School Board (LCSB) to pay for new school construction following damage caused by the August 2011 earthquake. After FEMA initially refused to provide disaster aid in October 2011, both Senators objected and intervened.

Senator Warner joined colleagues on both sides of the aisle in passing legislation out of the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs to make improvements to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s public transportation programs.

Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner today again urged the Obama Administration, in a letter to the Secretary of the Interior, to include areas off the coast of Virginia in the Department's upcoming leasing plan. The letter also called on the Department to revise the map of the mid-Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf to more accurately reflect Virginia’s energy resources.

Press Releases

~ Initiatives will reduce cost of installing broadband, save taxpayer dollars, and help Virginia businesses stay competitive ~

Jun 13 2012

~ Intelligence Committee delegation visits Israel, Egypt, Djibouti ~

May 30 2012

~ Bipartisan ‘Startup Act 2.0’ addresses tax & regulatory policies, STEM visas and R&D ~

May 22 2012

~ Following meeting with Air Force officials, bipartisan duo says more work to be done ~

May 15 2012

~ Follows meeting with Virginia Air Guard pilots featured on CBS’ “60 Minutes” ~

May 10 2012

Apr 25 2012

~ Amendment speeds cumbersome process with more technology, transparency, accountability ~

Apr 25 2012

~ Supports Goal of Prevention, Treatment Plan by 2025 ~

Apr 24 2012

Apr 16 2012

Taxpayers and homeowners deserve fair and complete answers, the Senators wrote

Apr 04 2012

~ Further delays could harm Virginia road projects ~

Mar 28 2012

Links effective date to regulators completing their work

Mar 22 2012

~ Legislation includes Warner proposals ~

Mar 14 2012

Mar 03 2012

Receives 2012 Congressional Champion Award from Int’l. Assoc. of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators

Mar 01 2012

~ GAO’s 2012 Report Also Shows Little Progress on 2011 Recommendations ~

Feb 28 2012

Feb 17 2012

Feb 16 2012

Feb 16 2012

Feb 13 2012

~ “Mid-Atlantic provides existing test ranges, personnel and expertise” ~

Feb 08 2012

~ Senator Warner successfully worked for compromise to limit additional West Coast-DC slots ~

Feb 06 2012

Feb 03 2012

Feb 02 2012

Jan 27 2012