WASHINGTON – Today, as the Beijing Winter Olympic Games near their conclusion, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee focused on democracy and human rights, sent a letter urging the Biden Administration to press the Chinese government to halt the harassment of their constituents — Ziba Murat from Reston, Adalet Sabit from Alexandria, and Subi Yuksel from Manassas — and seek the release of their Uyghur family members who have been forcibly and wrongfully detained in China’s Xinjiang region. For years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has forcibly detained more than 1 million ethnic Uyghurs and other minorities in internment camps in Xinjiang, a devastating assault on individual freedoms and basic human rights.

“We write to urge you to seek the immediate release of the Uyghur family members of our constituents, including Ziba Murat, Adalet Sabit, and Subi Yuksel, whose family members are detained forcibly or otherwise targeted by the CCP in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang), and who may be targets of harassment themselves,” wrote the Senators. “We also ask that the Department of State raise each of these cases at the highest levels of the Chinese government.

“Virginia is home to one of the largest Uyghur American diasporas in the United States, and we will continue to advocate on behalf of these named cases, as well as those of other constituents. These are citizens and residents who are our neighbors and friends,” concluded the Senators. “While China attempts to whitewash its horrific crimes against Uyghur Muslims, including presently during the Olympics in Beijing, we must ensure that the world does not forget that one of worst atrocities of our era remains ongoing.”

Last year, Kaine held a joint hearing, where Dr. Rushan Abbas of Herndon was a witness, to highlight China’s atrocities against the Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang province and discuss additional ways to pressure China to end this horrific genocide.

In June 2021, Kaine’s bipartisan amendment, co-sponsored by Senator Romney, to diplomatically boycott the Beijing Olympics as a way to highlight human rights issues in Hong Kong and with China’s Uyghur population passed as part of the bipartisan Endless Frontiers Act. Following Kaine and Romney’s urging, the Biden Administration announced a diplomatic boycott in November.

In March 2021, Kaine helped introduce a bipartisan Senate resolution condemning China’s human right abuses against the Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and calling for an international investigation into the abuses and crimes committed there. In January 2021, Warner and Kaine co-sponsored the bipartisan Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, legislation to ensure that goods made with Uyghur forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) do not enter the United States. A version of this legislation was ultimately passed through the Senate on a unanimous basis, and signed into law by the President in December 2021.

In December 2019, as a response to the Chinese Community Party (CCP)’s mass internments, Warner introduced the UIGHUR Protection Act, which would place export controls on critical technologies to China, such as facial recognition software, that can be used to facilitate mass surveillance and detention.

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

Dear Secretary Blinken:

We write to urge you to seek the immediate release of the Uyghur family members of our constituents, including Ziba Murat, Adalet Sabit, and Subi Yuksel, whose family members are detained forcibly or otherwise targeted by the CCP in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang), and who may be targets of harassment themselves. We also ask that the Department of State raise each of these cases at the highest levels of the Chinese government.

For years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has forcibly detained more than 1 million ethnic Uyghurs and minorities in internment camps in Xinjiang – a devastating assault on individual freedoms and basic human rights. The U.S. government and countless human rights organizations have documented the tools of oppression the Chinese government has deployed against Uyghur Muslims, including: abduction from third countries and forced disappearances within China, mass detentions, secret trials, forced labor, forced sterilization, separating families, banning the use of Uyghur language in schools, banning many religious practices, and political indoctrination.

The United States has rightly labeled the Chinese government’s attempts to essentially erase the Uyghur identity as genocide and has sanctioned various Chinese officials who have perpetrated these crimes. Even so, the CCP’s desire to punish those who speak against the crimes being committed in Xinjiang goes beyond the country’s borders. As a 2021 Freedom House report notes, “China conducts the most sophisticated, global, and comprehensive campaign of transnational repression in the world.” For our constituents here in Virginia, the CCP’s campaign of repression against Uyghur Muslims is personal and has often come as direct retaliation for their advocacy in support of the Uyghur community.

In September 2018, Ziba Murat’s mother, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, a medical doctor who had spent her career caring for patients in Xinjiang, was detained, secretly tried, and then sentenced to 20 years in prison on phony charges. Dr. Abbas’ detention occurred after Ms. Murat’s aunt, Rushan Abbas – a former Radio Free Asia journalist – publicly denounced China’s use of detention camps in Xinjiang. For more than three years after Dr. Abbas’ imprisonment, the Chinese government refused to answer any questions about her whereabouts. To this day, the CCP refuses to disclose details about her physical well-being. Dr. Abbas is unjustly suffering the consequences of her family’s public advocacy against the Chinese government’s brutal treatment of Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang.                         

On April 29, 2017, Ms. Subi Yuksel’s father, Mamat Abdullah, was arbitrarily detained on the day of his expected departure to the U.S. to visit his newborn grandchild. Mr. Abdullah, who is nearly 80 years old and was the Chief of the Xinjiang Forestry Department, had retired in 2008. During his trial in 2019, Mr. Abdullah was convicted – without evidence – of “bribery, two-facedness, and separatism,” and was sentenced to life imprisonment. Ms. Yuksel notes that Chinese officials told her family that they are at fault for Mr. Abdullah’s detention because they live in the U.S. near “politically active communities.” Ms. Yuksel contends that in reality, in the eyes of the Chinese government, prominent and well-educated Uyghurs like her father are considered a threat to the regime.

The Chinese government has also targeted Ms. Adalet Sabit’s husband, Abulimiti Abuliz, who is a Uyghur living in Xinjiang. Although Mr. Abuliz is not in an internment camp, the CCP has effectively banned him from travel. Following their marriage in 2017, Ms. Sabit left for the United States, and Mr. Abuliz expected to follow soon after. However, Chinese authorities seized his passport before his departure and never returned it, essentially barring him from leaving China for the last four years. CCP officials have also threatened Mr. Abduliz and told him that he would never see his wife again and never meet his now four-year-old daughter. The Chinese government has even threatened Ms. Sabit’s family here in the U.S., signaling the CCP’s desire to once again reach beyond China’s borders to silence dissent.

The heartbreak these detentions and harassment have caused is immeasurable. We applaud the State Department’s efforts to raise the plight of Uyghurs both publicly and with Chinese government officials directly. Similarly, we recognize that the agency continues to engage with our constituents on their respective cases. Still, it is vital that the U.S. maintain strong pressure on China to ensure that our constituents’ family members are free and that their basic human rights are respected.

Virginia is home to one of the largest Uyghur American diasporas in the United States, and we will continue to advocate on behalf of these named cases, as well as those of other constituents. These are citizens and residents who are our neighbors and friends. While China attempts to whitewash its horrific crimes against Uyghur Muslims, including presently during the Olympics in Beijing, we must ensure that the world does not forget that one of worst atrocities of our era remains ongoing.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – With millions of Americans struggling to get answers from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today continued his push to reduce delays and ensure that Virginians are able to get through the 2022 filing season as smoothly as possible.

In a joint letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, Sen. Warner and a number of his Senate colleagues today urged the IRS to take immediate action to reduce its massive backlog and improve its customer service during the 2022 tax filing season. Specifically, the lawmakers called on the IRS to consider pursuing maximum overtime options for its staff, expanding its surge teams to address processing and correspondence delays, and seeking fast ways to train additional employees and volunteers.

“As the IRS works to eliminate the current backlog of returns and correspondence, we request you to pursue additional actions to maximize the IRS’ current workforce to address the backlog in order to reduce disruptions this filing season,” wrote the lawmakers to IRS Commissioner Rettig.

“We continue to hear from constituents who are still waiting for their 2020 tax returns, have received confusing notices about overdue payments they already paid, and cannot reach anyone at the IRS for assistance. Many of these problems stem from the millions of unprocessed correspondence items from 2021,” the lawmakers added. “We understand the long-term solution to ensure the IRS can manage its workload and provide timely and high-quality service to taxpayers is additional resources to hire and train employees across several departments and modernize technologies. However, those investments will take time, and taxpayers require more immediate relief, especially with the 2022 filing season already underway.”

Additionally, in a Senate Finance Committee hearing today, Sen. Warner questioned IRS National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins about the IRS backlogs and about the measures being taken to address the situation.

Specifically, Sen. Warner touched on the possibility of extending the tax filing deadline, asking whether an extension would be beneficial in light of the ongoing backlogs. He also asked whether the IRS is setting appropriate expectations and whether the IRS can and should do more right now to better communicate issues to taxpayers.

A copy of the letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig is available here. High-quality audio and video of the hearing exchange is available here or above.

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WASHINGTON– Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, Senate Republican Whip John Thune, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman and Ranking Member Jack Reed and Jim Inhofe, Senate Banking Committee Chairman and Ranking Member Sherrod Brown and Pat Toomey, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman and Ranking Member Robert Menendez and Jim Risch, and Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman and Vice Chairman Mark Warner and Marco Rubio today released the following joint statement that the U.S. Senate stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine:

“In this dark hour, we are sending a bipartisan message of solidarity and resolve to the people of Ukraine, and an equally clear warning to Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin.

“Should Vladimir Putin further escalate his ongoing assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty, Russia must be made to pay a severe price. We are prepared to fully support the immediate imposition of strong, robust, and effective sanctions on Russia, as well as tough restrictions and controls on exports to Russia, and we will urge our allies and partners in Europe and around the world to join us.

“In the face of Russian escalation against Ukraine, we will continue to support robust security, economic, and humanitarian assistance for the people of Ukraine. The United States and our partners should also move quickly to ensure that the Government of Ukraine receives sustained emergency assistance to defend against an illegal Russian invasion.

“Make no mistake: the United States Senate stands with the people of Ukraine and our NATO allies and partners most threatened by Russian aggression. Our troops stand ready to reinforce the defenses of our Eastern European allies and we are prepared to respond decisively to Russian efforts to undermine the security of the United States at home and abroad.  We also call upon our allies to join us in bolstering NATO’s eastern flank.

“The international order established in the aftermath of World War II has not faced such a grave threat since the Cold War. This order, which protects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations, has enabled an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity for the United States and its allies. Unfortunately, Russia is threatening this system, and the United States is prepared to meet this challenge with bipartisan and unified resolve.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, joined Sens. Tammy Baldwin, Chris Murphy, and Jeanne Shaheen, as well as 35 of their Senate colleagues, in a letter urging Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to limit the sale and availability of short-term, limited-duration insurance (STLDI) plans, also known as “junk plans.” These plans fail to provide adequate, comprehensive health insurance coverage and weaken provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

“It is our responsibility to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable and comprehensive health care coverage. In order to strengthen that commitment, HHS must act quickly to limit the proliferation and promotion of STLDI plans, and undue the sabotage caused by the previous administration,” said the Senators.

In 2018, the Trump Administration made junk plans more widely available to consumers in an effort to sabotage the ACA. Since then, the plans have continued to proliferate. However, they are not required to adhere to important standards, including prohibitions on discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions, coverage for the 10 essential health benefit (EHB) categories, and annual out-of-pocket maximums.

The letter was also signed by Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Tom Carper (D-DE), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jon Tester (D-MT), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Charles Schumer (D-NY), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long fought to protect the ACA and expand access to quality health care. In 2020, they sent a letter led by Kaine calling on the Trump Administration to end efforts to sabotage the ACA. In 2019, they introduced a Congressional Review Act resolution  led by Warner, which would have prevented the Trump Administration from pushing junk health plans to 3 million Virginians with pre-existing conditions. Later that year, Sen. Warner successfully filed a discharge petition to force the Senate to vote on the CRA, which was ultimately defeated by Senate Republicans.  

The full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Secretary Becerra:

This year, 14.5 million Americans signed up for comprehensive health insurance coverage during Open Enrollment, a new record. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, four out of five consumers who receive health insurance from the marketplace are finding quality coverage for less than $10 per month, and a majority of those enrollees are also receiving subsidies to decrease their co-pays, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket spending. We write to congratulate you and your entire department for this significant achievement and encourage you to take additional steps to ensure that even more Americans are protected from substandard plans that do not provide coverage for pre-existing conditions. Now is the time to issue new regulations limiting the sale and availability of short-term, limited-duration insurance (STLDI) plans, also known as “junk plans” because of their failure to provide adequate coverage.

Despite the important gains that we have made in providing comprehensive and affordable coverage for more Americans, STLDI plans continue to sow confusion and cause harm to patients. These plans, which are not required to adhere to important standards, including prohibitions on discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions, coverage for the 10 essential health benefit (EHB) categories, and annual out-of-pocket maximums, have continued to proliferate. In 2018, the Trump administration issued a rule to sabotage the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by promoting STLDI plans and that same year all Senate Democrats and one Republican Senator voted to block the rule. Unfortunately, this effort to undermine critical patient and consumer protections has yet to be undone.

We were pleased to see the Biden administration include amending regulations concerning STLDI plans in the Fall 2021 Unified Agenda and Regulatory Plan, and are proud of the historic coverage gains that we have seen as a result of President Biden’s and your leadership. However, it is past time for us to take action. STLDI plans undermine the integrity of the ACA and put those with pre-existing conditions at risk. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) should immediately restore the three-month duration limit for plans, limit plan renewability, and reduce the ability to purchase back-to-back STLDI plans. We also urge you to consider additional efforts to protect patients and consumers such as banning sales during Marketplace Open Enrollment, limiting internet and phone sales, establishing a prohibition on retroactive coverage rescissions, and requiring additional consumer disclosures about plan coverage.

It is our responsibility to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable and comprehensive health care coverage. In order to strengthen that commitment, HHS must act quickly to limit the proliferation and promotion of STLDI plans, and undue the sabotage caused by the previous administration.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Angus King (I-ME) in urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to work with the Department of Labor (DOL) to quickly make available an additional 44,716 H-2B visas, the maximum number of Congressionally-authorized visas in order to ensure that seafood processors and other businesses in Virginia have the workforce they need ahead of the seasonal start date on April 1.

“American businesses from industries such as tourism and hospitality, landscaping, fairs and carnivals, seafood processing, golf courses, reforestation, contractors and horse racing depend on seasonal employment to meet the demand across many industries,” the senators wrote. “Without meaningful H-2B cap relief, many seasonal businesses will be forced to scale back operations, cancel or default on contracts, lay off full-time U.S. workers and, in some cases, close operations completely. By taking action to release and process additional H-2B visas, seasonal businesses and U.S. workers across the country will avoid these harmful consequences and instead help contribute to the American economy.”

“Given the growing demand for H-2B workers as our economy continues to reopen and employers continue to struggle with staffing shortages, we urge DHS to promptly make available all 64,716 additional H-2B visas authorized under law and urge DOL to allow employers to utilize emergency procedures for their applications to expedite processing times,” they continued. “These vital American businesses depend on access to a sufficient number of seasonal H-2B workers on April 1.”

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

Along with Sens. Warner, Kaine, Rounds, and King the letter was signed by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Rob Portman (R-OH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Tom Carper (D-DE), John Cornyn (R-TX), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Mike Crapo (R-ID), John Thune (R-SD), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Susan Collins (R-ME), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Rand Paul (R-KY), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), John Barasso (R-WY), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Tim Scott (R-SC).    

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long advocated for the seafood processing industry – a community largely made up of rural, family-owned operations. Last year, the Senators urged the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to release additional H-2B visas needed to support local seafood businesses in Virginia and Maryland. In December 2021, Sen. Warner applauded the release of an additional 20,000 H-2B visas for seasonal workers.

Sens. Warner and Kaine are committed to providing long-term relief for seasonal seafood processors through reform of the H-2B program. The release of these additional visas is an important step in ensuring that seafood processors in Virginia are able to meet their staffing needs in the upcoming season.

A copy of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Secretary Mayorkas and Secretary Walsh:

We write on behalf of seasonal businesses in our states to urge you to provide expeditious H-2B cap relief to address the seasonal labor shortages caused by the inadequate H-2B visa cap. Specifically, we urge that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of Labor (DOL), utilize the authority provided by Congress to release the maximum allowable number of additional H-2B visas for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22).  We further request that your agencies take steps to process pending H-2B applications in advance of the start of the April 1 hiring period for the second half of FY22, including by instituting emergency procedures previously used by DOL to address labor certification processing delays. 

American businesses from industries such as tourism and hospitality, landscaping, fairs and carnivals, seafood processing, golf courses, reforestation, contractors and horse racing depend on seasonal employment to meet the demand across many industries. Without meaningful H-2B cap relief, many seasonal businesses will be forced to scale back operations, cancel or default on contracts, lay off full-time U.S. workers and, in some cases, close operations completely. By taking action to release and process additional H-2B visas, seasonal businesses and U.S. workers across the country will avoid these harmful consequences and instead help contribute to the American economy.

As Congress has allowed in each of the past five fiscal years, the current FY22 Continuing Resolution continues to provide the Department of Homeland Security the authority to lift the existing annual 66,000 H-2B visa cap.  In the past year, DHS has provided supplemental cap relief in the amounts of 22,000 in May 2021 and 20,000 in January 2022. While these supplemental visas helped some employers, they were not sufficient to satisfy the total need for H-2B workers. Additionally, the release of these visas did not occur until well into many businesses’ peak seasons, which caused significant harm to these employers.

We urge you to release all allowable additional visas as soon as possible to make certain workers can begin working on April 1, 2022, the start date for the second half of FY22. According to your Departments’ January 28, 2022 temporary final rule titled “Exercise of Time-Limited Authority to Increase the Fiscal Year 2022 Numerical Limitation for the H-2B Temporary Nonagricultural Worker Program and Portability Flexibility for H-2B Workers Seeking To Change Employers,” DHS is authorized to release a total of 64,716 additional visas this fiscal year.

As you know, the first half H-2B visa cap for FY22 was reached on September 30, 2021, almost two months earlier than previous years. The urgency and high level of need for nonagricultural worker visas prompted your agencies to announce, for the first time ever, the release of an additional 20,000 H-2B visas in the first half of the fiscal year. This leaves tens of thousands of additionally authorized visas available for the remainder of FY22. 

As a result, we encourage you to release and process the authorized 44,716 additional visas in a manner that will make certain all H-2B workers can begin work on the April 1, 2022 start date for the second half of FY22. These additional visas are imperative, as evidenced by the Office of Foreign Labor Certification announcement that between January 1-3, 2022, the Foreign Labor Application Gateway System for the peak filing season received 7,875 applications from employers for more than 136,555 worker positions with an April 1, 2022 or later work start date. This is more than quadruple the number of H-2B visas currently available for the second half of the fiscal year.

In a December 20, 2021 press release, DHS outlined the agency’s intention to “implement policies that will make the H-2B program even more responsive to the needs of our economy.” It is clear from the number of applications received during the filing period for the second half of FY22 that the release of the remaining H-2B worker visas would be responsive to the needs of our economy.

We are also concerned that the unprecedented demand for the program has led to delays in processing labor certifications at DOL that, without emergency procedures, will prevent employers from completing the H-2B application process before the April 1, 2022 start date for the second half of FY22. In the second half of FY21, employers assigned to the final review group did not receive a first action from DOL until late February and a labor certification until March. This year, DOL is already running a week behind compared to last year, with a larger group of total applications to process. At this rate, it appears DOL may not finish processing labor certifications for the final review group until late March, making it impossible for employers to complete the full H-2B process before April 1. In 2016, due to similar processing delays, DOL instituted emergency procedures to allow employers to begin U.S. worker recruitment prior to receiving their first actions from DOL. We request that DOL again institute these emergency procedures, which will allow employers to submit their recruitment reports immediately upon receiving a Notice of Acceptance from DOL, saving two weeks.

Given the growing demand for H-2B workers as our economy continues to reopen and employers continue to struggle with staffing shortages, we urge DHS to promptly make available all 64,716 additional H-2B visas authorized under law and urge DOL to allow employers to utilize emergency procedures for their applications to expedite processing times. These vital American businesses depend on access to a sufficient number of seasonal H-2B workers on April 1. We thank you in advance for your attention to this pressing matter.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) is calling on Congress to pass an omnibus spending bill for FY 2022 ahead of February 18, when existing funding is scheduled to expire. This comes as Congress weighs yet another stopgap bill to temporarily fund the government until March 11^th – a move that would avert a government shutdown but prevent Virginia and states across the country from accessing hundreds of millions of dollars in crucial funding available under the bipartisan infrastructure law passed by Congress in November.

In a letter to the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Sen. Warner highlighted that many programs authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that he helped to negotiate will not be fully funded until Congress approves a new spending package for 2022. The federal government is currently operating under a continuing resolution which simply funds existing programs at the same levels as last year without adjusting or authorizing new spending – a kick-the-can-down-the-road maneuver that disproportionately hurts states like Virginia, which has a significant federal footprint.

“If Congress is unable to come to an agreement on full-year appropriations for Fiscal Year 2022, Virginia alone could lose approximately $364 million in roads and bridges funding and $53 million in transit funding. This is unacceptable, and I have repeatedly urged my colleagues to come together and pass an omnibus FY 2022 appropriations bill rather than squander these funding opportunities with another CR,” Sen. Warner wrote.

Additionally, without a new congressional spending deal, there is no funding to stand up new transportation grant programs approved by Congress as part of the infrastructure law.

“To better understand the full impact of another CR on these critical projects, I respectfully request that the Office of Management and Budget outline in detail, by Monday, February 14, all IIJA programs that are at risk of losing funding relative to funding levels authorized in IIJA, or having funding delayed under the CR framework,” he continued.

Sen. Warner has previously spoken out about the importance of avoiding painful government shutdowns and spending lapses. He introduced the Stop STUPIDITY (Shutdowns Transferring Unnecessary Pain and Inflicting Damage In The Coming Years) Act, which would end the threat of future government shutdowns by keeping the government running in the case of a lapse in funding.

A copy of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Acting Director Young,

I write today with concerns over the potential loss of important new infrastructure funding due to Congress’ continued inaction in passing an FY22 omnibus appropriations bill.

Last year, the Senate passed and President Biden signed a historic bipartisan infrastructure package that will help deliver on the decades-old promise of serious investment in our nation’s infrastructure. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) includes $110 billion in new funding for roads and bridges, nearly $40 billion in new funding for public transit, and billions more for essential  infrastructure improvements. I was proud to be part of a bipartisan group of ten Senators – five Democrats and five Republicans – who helped put this package together with the support of the Administration.

However, I am concerned that Congress’ continued inaction on Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations could undercut many of the investments provided under the new law. Significant increases to Highway Trust Fund programs to construct roads, bridges, and transit cannot take effect under a Continuing Resolution (CR). Due to a constraint of the CR, the obligation limit on contract authority for Highway Trust Fund programs that are the largest areas of highway and transit investment distributed annually, which were authorized in the IIJA for significant funding increases, are stuck at lower Fiscal Year 2021 levels. Additionally, due to the “No New Starts” provision of the CR, newly created programs in the IIJA cannot begin.

In particular, the newly established Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Grant Program, which received $7.3 billion in formula funding and $1.4 billion in competitive grants to improve the resiliency of transportation infrastructure in the IIJA, cannot begin to distribute funding without a full-year appropriations bill. Just this fiscal year, that means the potential squandering of $1.4 billion nationwide, and approximately $36 million in Virginia. This would prevent coastal communities, like those in Hampton Roads, from accessing critical funds that would support the resiliency of their transportation networks.

Similarly, the Carbon Reduction Program, another program approved on a broadly bipartisan basis to lower carbon emissions in our transportation system, stands to lose $1.2 billion nationwide this fiscal year, including $31 million in Virginia. This program will go a long way in Virginia towards helping us meet our climate goals, whether it is supporting the electrification of the Port of Virginia, truck stop electrification along the I-81 corridor, or installing bicycle and pedestrian facilities in cities and towns across the Commonwealth.

If Congress is unable to come to an agreement on full-year appropriations for Fiscal Year 2022, Virginia alone could lose approximately $364 million in roads and bridges funding and $53 million in transit funding. This is unacceptable, and I have repeatedly urged my colleagues to come together and pass an omnibus FY 2022 appropriations bill rather than squander these funding opportunities with another CR. Unfortunately, I am concerned this may just be the tip of the iceberg.

To better understand the full impact of another CR on these critical projects, I respectfully request that the Office of Management and Budget outline in detail, by Monday, February 14, all IIJA programs that are at risk of losing funding relative to funding levels authorized in IIJA, or having funding delayed under the CR framework.

I thank you and your staff for your tireless efforts in implementing the IIJA and your work in allocating and distributing these funds to communities across the country.  Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, and I look forward to continue working with you to support these critical projects for Virginia and the country.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today announced $22,790,000 in Fiscal Year 2022 funding to reclaim abandoned mine lands (AML) in Virginia – an effort that will strengthen coal communities by promoting economic opportunity and addressing dangerous hazards that threaten the health of Virginians and the long-term wellbeing of communities. The funding, awarded through the Department of the Interior (DOI), was made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act negotiated by Sen. Warner and supported by Sen. Kaine.  

“This investment into Virginia mining communities will not only create good paying jobs, but will also revitalize energy communities by reclaiming abandoned, unsafe lands for new use,” the Senators said. “We are proud to see Virginia’s mining communities continue to reap the benefits of the infrastructure law passed by Congress and signed by President Biden.”

AML reclamation projects supported by this funding will close dangerous mine shafts, reclaim unstable slopes, improve water quality by treating acid mine drainage, and restore water supplies damaged by mining. The projects will eliminate dangerous environmental conditions and pollution caused by past coal mining, including by remediating abandoned mines that are leaking methane – a key contributor to climate change. Through these projects, hazardous lands can be reclaimed into recreational facilities and targeted for other economic redevelopment uses like advanced manufacturing and renewable energy deployment.

These investments will work to supplement traditional annual AML grants, which are funded by coal operators and ensured to be provided through 2034 thanks to language and appropriated funds of $11.3 billion over 15 years in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

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WASHINGTON – Today, as the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing begin, Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Rick Scott (R-FL) led their colleagues to introduce a bipartisan resolution calling on the Chinese Communist Party to guarantee the safety and freedom of tennis star Peng Shuai, and rebuking the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for its failure to clearly and forcefully challenge the Chinese Communist Party’s claims about Peng Shuai’s safety. The resolution was cosponsored by Senators Shelly Moore Capito, Sherrod Brown, John Hoeven, Ron Wyden, Ted Cruz, Jeff Merkley, Mike Braun, Chris Van Hollen, Marsha Blackburn, Bob Casey, Tom Cotton, Raphael Warnock, Ron Johnson and Jeanne Shaheen.

A companion resolution led by Congressman Michael Waltz and Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton unanimously passed the U.S. House of Representatives in December 2021.

Senator Mark Warner said, “The disappearance and silencing of Peng Shuai, following her allegations of sexual assault, serve as a disturbing reminder of the countless human rights abuses by the Chinese Communist Party. The International Olympic Committee’s unwillingness to clearly and forcefully stand up to the CCP and call for independent assurance into the safety and freedom of Peng Shuai strongly suggests that the committee is willing to prioritize a relationship with China over athlete well-being. As the Olympic Games get underway, we must not turn a blind eye towards the disturbing human rights abuses by the CCP, and the IOC must join the broader diplomatic push for the freedom and well-being of Peng Shuai.” 

Senator Rick Scott said, “The recent disappearance of Peng Shuai has shocked the world and exposed the disturbing lack of basic rights and human decency experienced by the Chinese people at the hand of General Secretary Xi’s ruthless communist regime. No one, especially the IOC, should ignore what happened to Peng Shuai or attempt to move past this horrifying incident simply to avoid confrontation with Communist China. This bipartisan resolution, which has already unanimously passed the House, makes clear that the United States will not tolerate these kind of gross abuses and continues to stand for freedom for all people. I’m thankful for all of my colleagues’ support on this resolution, and I look forward to its quick passage in the Senate.”

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WASHINGTON – Following a January announcement by the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DoL) Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) launching a Miner Vaccine Outreach Program to deliver free vaccinations and provide educational outreach to mining communities in Kentucky and Arizona, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) are calling on the DoL to include Southwest Virginia in the plans.

In a letter to the MSHA, the senators highlighted that while the Commonwealth has a high vaccination rate as a whole, many mining counties in Southwest Virginia are vaccinated at much lower rates and would greatly benefit from increased vaccination efforts.

“Virginia’s counties vary widely in terms of vaccinations rates, and mining communities in Southwest Virginia are quite similar to the neighboring counties in Kentucky that the Miner Vaccine Outreach Program is serving. In Virginia, mining communities are centered in Dickenson, Buchanan, Wise, Tazewell, Lee, and Russell counties, where the adult population has a fully-vaccinated rate of less than 57%. It is clear that these communities are in critical need of targeted outreach to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates,” the senators wrote.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have been leaders in the push to get Virginians vaccinated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes securing $8.8 million in federal funding to support the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

In addition, Sens. Warner and Kaine strongly supported the passage of the American Rescue Plan, which included $7.5 billion in funding for the CDC and public health departments to expand vaccine distribution and administration.

A copy of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Acting Assistant Secretary Galanis:

Thank you for your work to provide safety protections and health services to our miners in Virginia and nationwide. As the Biden administration continues to ramp up efforts to get more Americans vaccinated, we are writing to request that the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) expand its newly launched Miner Vaccine Outreach Program into Southwest Virginia mining communities.

On January 25, 2022, the Department of Labor announced MSHA’s Miner Vaccine Outreach Program to deliver free COVID-19 vaccinations and provide educational outreach to mining communities. In selecting Kentucky and Arizona, MSHA notes the “Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that vaccination rates are below 60 percent in two states where a substantial number of mining operations exist.”

Mining communities in Virginia are seeing similar challenges increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates. Virginia’s counties vary widely in terms of vaccinations rates, and mining communities in Southwest Virginia are quite similar to the neighboring counties in Kentucky that the Miner Vaccine Outreach Program is serving. In Virginia, mining communities are centered in Dickenson, Buchanan, Wise, Tazewell, Lee, and Russell counties, where the adult population has a fully-vaccinated rate of less than 57%. It is clear that these communities are in critical need of targeted outreach to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates.  

Miners have been essential workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and MSHA’s Miner Vaccine Outreach Program is one critical way to support their health and safety. We urge you to expand this program into Southwest Virginia so that coal miners there receive the medical services and support they need and deserve. Thank you for the consideration of our request.

Sincerely,

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement today:

“It’s only a matter of when, not if, we face another widespread cyber breach that threatens our national security. I was glad to see this NTSB-like function included in the President’s May 2020 executive order on cybersecurity, and this is a good first step to establishing such a capability.  I look forward to monitoring how this board develops over the coming months.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the below statement on the bomb threats against historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs):

“I am deeply disturbed by the bomb threats that have been made against more than a dozen historically Black colleges and universities. These acts of attempted terror, issued as we enter Black History Month, underscore the alarming reality that racially-motivated violence and extremism is on the rise across the country. Although at this time no explosive devices have been found, FBI and their local law enforcement partners are taking these hate crimes extremely seriously. As Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I have requested and expect to receive a briefing at the appropriate time, and I remain committed to combatting extremism and hate violence in all of its forms.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine joined U.S. Sens. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and 212 colleagues in a bipartisan, bicameral letter calling on the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to provide penalty relief for taxpayers and help reduce processing backlogs at the IRS, after hearing from Virginians who are still waiting on their refunds from the 2021 filing season. Taxpayers may qualify for relief from penalties if they made an effort to comply with legal requirements but weren’t able to meet their tax obligations due to circumstances beyond their control, including processing backlogs. The lawmakers noted the delayed processing of amended returns has been particularly devastating to small businesses whose applications for emergency loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA) have been caught in limbo nearly two years after the pandemic began.

“While the COVID-19 pandemic has strained every federal agency, the impact on the IRS has been particularly severe,” wrote the lawmakers. “As of December 23, 2021, the IRS continued to have a backlog of 6 million Forms 1040 (Individual Income Tax Returns) and 2.3 million amended individual tax returns. In addition, the IRS has 2 million Forms 941 (Employer Quarterly Tax Returns) that must be processed before the nearly 500,000 amended Forms 941 can be processed.”

“Recognizing the extraordinary challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to the IRS operating with antiquated technology and a constrained budget, we find the current situation alarming. We stand ready to support the IRS and look forward to hearing how we can help you address any obstacles facing the agency,” the lawmakers added. “However, we respectfully request the IRS consider the following measures to bring immediate relief to taxpayers, and reduce the backlog, during this tax filing season. ...While we recognize no single action will alleviate issues that have resulted from difficulties at the IRS spanning administrations of both political parties, these steps would provide our constituents with greater certainty as we enter this year’s filing season.”

Last week, Senator Warner raised concerns with the IRS after hearing from Virginians who are still waiting on their refunds from the 2020 filing season, following a February 2021 letter addressing the same issue of persistent processing delays at the IRS. As members of the Senate Budget Committee, Senators Warner and Kaine are currently pushing for legislation to substantially increase funding for the IRS and help the agency improve operations in the long term.

In addition to Sens. Warner, Kaine, Menendez, and Cassidy, the letter was signed by Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

This effort is supported by the Tax Professionals United for Taxpayer Relief Coalition, which includes the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA), Padgett Business Services, H&R Block, Latino Tax Professional Association, National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP), National Society of Tax Professionals (NSTP), National Society of Accountants (NSA), National Society of Black Certified Public Accountants (NSBCPA), National Conference of CPA Practitioners (NCCPAP), Diverse Organization of Firms Advocacy Committee, National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), and Prosperity Now.

Full text of the letter can be found here and below. 

Dear Secretary Yellen and Commissioner Rettig,

As the 2022 tax filing season fast approaches, we are concerned about the unprecedented challenges facing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the ongoing impact on our constituents. While the COVID-19 pandemic has strained every federal agency, the impact on the IRS has been particularly severe. As of December 23, 2021, the IRS continued to have a backlog of 6 million Forms 1040 (Individual Income Tax Returns) and 2.3 million amended individual tax returns.  In addition, the IRS has 2 million Forms 941 (Employer Quarterly Tax Returns) that must be processed before the nearly 500,000 amended Forms 941 can be processed.

In many cases, the delayed processing of amended returns has been devastating to small businesses in our communities whose applications for emergency loans from the Small Business Administration have been caught in limbo nearly two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began. The situation has deteriorated to a point that the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) will no longer accept cases solely involving the processing of amended returns^] This has made it impossible for frustrated taxpayers to find any help.  When our constituents cannot get assistance from the IRS and TAS, they contact us, and we have our hands tied at this point as well. 

Recognizing the extraordinary challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to the IRS operating with antiquated technology and a constrained budget, we find the current situation alarming. We stand ready to support the IRS and look forward to hearing how we can help you address any obstacles facing the agency. However, we respectfully request the IRS consider the following measures to bring immediate relief to taxpayers, and reduce the backlog, during this tax filing season:

• Halt automated collections from now until at least 90 days after April 18, 2022;
• Delay the collection process for filers until any active and pending penalty abatement requests have been processed;
• Streamline the reasonable cause penalty abatement process for taxpayers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic without the need for written correspondence; 
• Provide targeted tax penalty relief for taxpayers who paid at least 70 percent of the tax due for the 2020 and 2021 tax year; and
• Expedite processing of amended returns and provide TAS and congressional caseworkers with timely responses.

While we recognize no single action will alleviate issues that have resulted from difficulties at the IRS spanning administrations of both political parties, these steps would provide our constituents with greater certainty as we enter this year’s filing season. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter and the dedication of the IRS and Treasury personnel to improving the filing process in these extraordinary times.

Sincerely,

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