WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), released the statement below after Federal Drug Administration (FDA) today authorized the over-the-counter sale of Narcan, a nasal spray drug that rapidly reverses the effects of opioid overdose and is the standard treatment for opioid overdose. Prior to today’s action by the FDA, this lifesaving medication was available by prescription only.

“This announcement is welcome news for the communities in Virginia and across the country that have been torn apart by the opioid epidemic, including deaths from fentanyl. As we continue pursuing a comprehensive range of solutions to tackle the opioid epidemic, I applaud the FDA for acting to put this lifesaving medication in the hands of more Americans – a move that is sure to fight overdose deaths and save lives.” 

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CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO OF SEN. WARNER SPEAKING ON THE FLOOR 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement after the Senate voted to repeal the 1991 and 2002 authorizations for use of military force (AUMFs) against Iraq:

“It’s long past time that Congress re-assert its authority to responsibly wield the power to declare war, and I’m proud to support repealing the outdated authorizations for use of military force against Iraq.

“That we have reached this moment at all is thanks largely to the determined leadership of my friend and colleague Tim Kaine. Over years of steady, relentless focus, he has been a consistent and, at times lonely, voice of clarity calling for Congress to pay attention to its constitutional prerogatives, and through will and hard work, he and Sen. Young have corralled the bipartisan coalition that made today’s vote possible. Tim’s staunch stewardship of this legislation is a credit to his unwavering commitment to our troops and honoring the many sacrifices we ask of them in defense of our freedoms.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement ahead of TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew’s testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee tomorrow:

“While I appreciate Mr. Chew’s willingness to answer questions before Congress, TikTok’s lack of transparency, repeated obfuscations, and misstatements of fact have severely undermined the credibility of any statements by TikTok employees, including Mr. Chew. Congress needs to give the administration the tools to review and mitigate the harms posed by foreign technology products that come from adversarial nations. I’m proud to say that 20 senators have already signed on to the RESTRICT Act, our bipartisan legislation that would do just that.”

Sen. Warner recently introduced the RESTRICT Act along with Sen. John Thune (R-SD) to address the threat posed by the use of technology, like TikTok, from foreign adversaries. The legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Susan Collins (R-ME), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Thom Tillis (R-NC). 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement ahead of the Senate vote on a resolution of disapproval regarding changes to DC’s criminal code:

“Both the city council chairman­—who has withdrawn the legislation—and the mayor have suggested that these changes to the DC criminal code are not ready for prime time. We will vote for the resolution of disapproval and urge the mayor and council to work together to create a safer city for all, including the many Virginians who commute to DC for work every day.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement after President Biden awarded a medal of honor to retired U.S. Army Col. Paris Davis, a Virginian and a Black Vietnam War veteran and Special Forces officer, who was first nominated to receive the medal in 1965:

“We are extremely heartened to see President Biden finally award Colonel Paris Davis with the Medal of Honor for his heroism in Vietnam. Nearly six decades later, this long-overdue recognition serves as a reminder of the lives saved and families made whole thanks to Colonel Davis’ bravery. Davis’ leadership and his willingness to place himself in harm’s way to save others represent the highest values espoused by our military and serve as a model for our servicemembers.”

In 1965, during a battle against North Vietnamese forces, a wounded Colonel Davis led his patrol through two days of fighting against better-positioned enemy forces. Then-Captain Davis engaged in hand-to-hand combat and exposed himself to intense enemy fire in order to save two wounded non-commissioned officers and ultimately extract all members of his Company.

Following his heroic actions, Colonel Davis was twice nominated for the Medal of Honor – once in 1965 and later in 1969. Unfortunately, a final determination on his nomination packages appeared to never have been made because the packages went missing.

In 2016, Sens. Warner and Kaine wrote the Secretary of the U.S. Army, urging him to review the Medal of Honor nomination package for Colonel Davis. After ongoing advocacy by the Senators, the Secretary of Defense wrote to Sens. Warner and Kaine in December of last year notifying them that the Colonel’s actions merit the Medal of Honor.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today released the following statement on a new proposed rule by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) governing the use of telemedicine to prescribe controlled substances:

“Given the dramatic shortage of mental health providers nationwide, expanded access to prescribers through telehealth is key to making sure that patients can continue getting their medications, including those that treat opioid use disorder, as they have for the past three years. More than half of U.S. counties don’t have a single psychiatrist. While folks once had to take time off work, commute to a medical facility, and sit in a waiting room, they now can get in front of a prescriber quickly, from nearly any location, and through a single click thanks to pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities.

“Unfortunately, despite what Congress has been directing it to do since 2008, the rule proposed by the DEA once again neglects to set up a special registration allowing specially certified and trained prescribers to continue to safely prescribe controlled substances virtually without requiring an in-person visit. I worry that this rule, as written, overlooks the key benefits and lessons learned during the pandemic, and could counterproductively exacerbate the opioid crisis and encourage more risky behavior by pushing patients to seek dangerous alternatives to proper health care, such as self-medicating, if they cannot access an in-person appointment with a specialized provider.”

During COVID-19, patients widely adopted telepsychiatry as a convenient and accessible way to get psychiatric care remotely. This was made possible by the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, which allowed for a number of flexibilities, including utilizing an exception to the in-person medical evaluation requirement under the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act, legislation regulating the online prescription of controlled substances. With the Public Health Emergency set to expire, patients will soon lose the ability to reap the benefits of a mature telehealth system whose responsible providers know how to take care of their patients remotely when appropriate.  

Since 2008, Congress has directed the DEA to set up a special registration process, another exception process under the Ryan Haight Act, that would open up the door for quality health care providers to evaluate a patient and prescribe these medications over telehealth safely, as they’ve done during the pandemic. This special registration process has yet to be established, and DEA wrote they believe this proposed rule fulfills those Congressional mandates, despite not proposing such a registration.

Sen. Warner, a former tech entrepreneur, has been a longtime advocate for increased access to telehealth. He is an original cosponsor of the CONNECT for Health Act, which would expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent, improve health outcomes, and make it easier for patients to safely connect with their doctors. He previously wrote to both the Biden and Trump administrations, urging the DEA to finalize regulations long-delayed by prior administrations allowing doctors to prescribe controlled substances through telehealth. Sen. Warner also sent a letter to Senate leadership during the height of the COVID-19 crisis, calling for the permanent expansion of access to telehealth services.

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

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WASHINGTON – Today, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement on the release of a declassified Intelligence Community Assessment on Anomalous Health Incidents (AHIs), or “Havana syndrome”:

“The Senate Intelligence Committee received this morning the Intelligence Community’s Assessment on Anomalous Health Incidents and is currently reviewing it to understand the Community’s analytic perspective.

“Make no mistake: the priority of this Committee remains the safety, security, and well-being of the intelligence workforce and their families. We will continue to hold the Intelligence Community accountable for ensuring that those officers who have reported being affected by AHIs are being treated with the respect, dignity, and care they deserve, as required by Congress under the HAVANA Act.”

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

“In accordance with our responsibility to oversee the Intelligence Community and protect our national security, today we met with leaders from the IC and the Justice Department to discuss the exposure of classified documents. While today’s meeting helped shed some light on these issues, it left much to be desired and we will continue to press for full answers to our questions in accordance with our constitutional oversight obligations.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued a statement after the Department of Commerce released the first Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for CHIPS Act incentives, welcoming the announcement:

“The projects that will be made possible by the CHIPS Act will strengthen our national security and create good-paying manufacturing jobs here in the United States. With limited funding available, I urge the Department of Commerce to be strategic in selecting projects in order to ensure that funding advances U.S. economic and national security objectives.”

Nearly everything that has an “on” switch – from cars to phones to washing machines to ATMs to electric toothbrushes – contains a semiconductor, but just 12 percent of these ‘chips’ are currently made in America. The CHIPS and Science Act includes $52 billion in funding championed by Sen. Warner to manufacture chips here on American soil – a move that will increase economic and national security and help America compete against countries like China for the technology of the future.

Sen. Warner, co-chair of the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus and former technology entrepreneur, has long sounded the alarm about the importance of investing in domestic semiconductor manufacturing. Sen. Warner first introduced the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) for America Act in June 2020 along with Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX).

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Banking Committee and a lead author of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, which created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), released the following statement after the Supreme Court announced it will hear arguments next term in a case with far-reaching implications for the constitutionality of the CFPB, CFPB v. Community Financial Services Association of America:

“Congress created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau after the financial crisis to enforce consumer protection laws and make sure the banks, credit card companies and other financial institutions aren’t abusing their powers to take advantage of everyday Americans. If the Fifth Circuit’s decision, which could make every rule put forward by the CFPB unconstitutional,  is permitted to stand, there will be financial chaos as all sorts of transactions governed by CFPB policies could grind to a halt, and consumers would be left without the protections they expect and deserve.”

Since its creation in 2010, the CFPB has recovered nearly $15 billion in financial relief for customers.

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Mike Crapo (R-ID), co-chairs of the bipartisan Senate Community Development Finance Caucus (CDFC), released the following statement after the Treasury Department’s CDFI Fund announced that it would update its timeline for rolling out the new CDFI Certification Application and likely revise the version that was released for public comment in the Federal Register on November 4, 2022:

“We are pleased to see the CDFI Fund postpone the launch of the new CDFI Certification Application beyond the previously anticipated April timeline in order to carefully review and weigh all public comments. As we indicated in our letter to Treasury, it is critical that the CDFI Fund provide adequate time to receive and consider comments on the proposed changes to avoid unintended consequences and ensure that its programs reflect the perspectives, and meet the needs of the low-income, underserved and rural communities the Fund was created to serve.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement following the release of a congressionally-mandated declassified report on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP):

“Today’s report reflects a step forward in understanding and addressing risks to aviators. Overall, I am encouraged to see an increase in UAP reporting – a sign of decreased stigma among pilots who are aware of the potential threat that UAPs can pose. I’m proud to have passed language in the FY23 Intelligence Authorization Act that will empower the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to rigorously investigate and bring resources to bear on this challenge. I look forward to seeing continued cooperation between the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, and other key government partners as we work to focus resources on UAP reports that remain uncharacterized and unattributed.”