WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) issued a report that for the first time in years provided a snapshot of the contingent and alternative worker population.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Contingent Worker and Alternative Work Arrangement Supplement (CWS) to the Current Population Survey (CPS)  is considered the gold standard of measuring who is doing what in the American workforce, but data about the size and scope of the contingent workforce had not been collected since 2005 after its funding was eliminated. Since then, the federal government had struggled to keep up with an explosion in new technology and changes to the nature of work that have increased the range of opportunities for workers to pursue flexible arrangements. In the Senate, Sen. Warner led the charge in restoring funding to help collect this data and requesting the Department of Labor to relaunch the survey that culminated in this report.

 “The federal government and the general public have lacked for many years reliable data to help paint a clear picture of our contingent workforce and their future. Without this crucial information, policymakers and experts are in the dark about the size and needs of this population, making it harder to find common ground on solutions that will help them navigate our intricate labor market. For this reason, I urged the federal government to re-establish these best practices and issue this report, which will help provide us with a direct understanding of what this part of our workforce looks like.

“Today’s news show that contingent workers play a significant role in our economy, with tens of millions of Americans - more than one in ten workers - identified as independent contractors, temps, and contract-firm workers. An while the data shows that there’s been a downward shift in the number of people who rely on contingent work as their main job, we still don’t know how many of them do so in order to supplement their income. Without this crucial piece of data, it will be tough for us to make an accurate assessment of the best way to help this dynamic segment of workers receive more training and resources, access a system of portable benefits they can carry from job to job, and file their taxes and claim deductions and credits. I will continue pushing the federal government and outside experts to fill-in these gaps and provide a full picture of this part of our workforce, and expect to seek more information on the tax challenges of these workers in the near future.”    

For years, Sen. Warner has been urging the federal government to collect better, more complete data on the number and type of workers who are part of the contingent workforce economy. Estimates of the contingent labor force range from a few percentage points to nearly a third of the American labor force engaging in some type of independent work arrangement. 

Last year, Sen. Warner introduced bipartisan legislation to test and evaluate innovative portable-benefits models for independent workers. He is also the author of bipartisan legislation aimed at increasing the availability of job training to lower- and moderate-income workers, in an effort to stay on top of the rapidly changing technology and skills requirements for today’s workforce.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), released the following statement on the passing of Gene W. Adkins, Chief of the Chickahominy Indian Eastern Division:

“I’m very sad to learn Chief Adkins of the Chickahominy Indian Eastern Division passed away this weekend. I had the privilege of working with Chief Adkins for many years to secure federal recognition for the Chickahominy, and I’m glad he lived to see his and five other tribes win that battle for justice and respect earlier this year. My heart is with Chief Adkins’ family and the Chickahominy people during this tough time.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement on the annual reports to Congress from the Medicare and Social Security trustees:

“These reports share some of the hard truths I have laid out since I first came to Congress. We need to work together to strengthen Social Security and Medicare so they can still be here for future generations. But it is a sad state of affairs when my Republican colleagues seem to only be concerned about deficit spending and exercise fiscal discipline when they don’t control Congress or the White House. This became clear when they abandoned common sense and embraced fantasyland economics to pass  $2.5 trillion in unpaid tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthy and corporations, who continue to spend their tax cuts on share buybacks instead of investing in our workforce. It is time for members of both parties to come together to address our long-term fiscal situation and find a balanced solution that assures the success of these two vital entitlement programs.”

Washington, DC – Today, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) sent a letter to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray requesting that the Department of Justice confirm that they have not given the President’s outside counsel, White House staff or the President access to the same classified information briefed to Congress. 

“We remain deeply troubled by President Donald Trump and his legal team’s persistent efforts to interfere with the Special Counsel’s ongoing investigation and undermine your agencies’ lawful activities,” the Members wrote in the letter. “These developments leave us concerned that, through his legal team or otherwise, the President will continue to pressure your agencies to divulge investigative information which he, his attorneys, and his congressional allies then could manipulate or even disclose publicly for the President’s benefit. That would be a terrible abuse of power.”

In the letter, Schumer, Pelosi, Warner and Schiff also request confirmation that the DOJ and FBI have no plans to convey such information to the same individuals in the future outside of appropriate judicial proceedings, and that going forward, the DOJ will not brief additional Members of Congress beyond the “Gang of 8” on these matters.

After the May 24 briefing to the “Gang of 8,” Schumer, Pelosi, Warner and Schiff released the following statement: “Nothing we heard today has changed our view that there is no evidence to support any allegation that the FBI or any intelligence agency placed a ‘spy’ in the Trump Campaign, or otherwise failed to follow appropriate procedures and protocols.”

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The full letter is below:

Dear Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein and Director Wray:

We remain deeply troubled by President Donald Trump and his legal team’s persistent efforts to interfere with the Special Counsel’s ongoing investigation and undermine your agencies’ lawful activities.     

Most recently, Rudy Giuliani, one of the President’s personal attorneys, repeated publicly that the White House and the President’s lawyers expect access to classified information of the utmost sensitivity related to the Special Counsel’s ongoing investigation. Executive agencies earlier had briefed this information to select Members of Congress in response to a publicly-announced directive from President Trump.  Giuliani also said that the President will refuse to be interviewed by the Special Counsel, unless the President’s attorneys are permitted to review related classified documents.

These demands, if fulfilled, would grossly violate our system of checks and balances, established procedure and fundamental norms. Although he has not been indicted, President Trump’s own conduct reportedly remains under examination by the Special Counsel. And absent an indictment, the subjects of federal investigation cannot access law enforcement or related national security information for any reason.

As the President’s attorney has made clear, his legal team wishes to obtain the classified information at issue, not for any legitimate purpose—but instead to frustrate and discredit publicly the work of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  

These developments leave us concerned that, through his legal team or otherwise, the President will continue to pressure your agencies to divulge investigative information which he, his attorneys, and his congressional allies then could manipulate or even disclose publicly for the President’s personal or political benefit. That would be a terrible abuse of power. 

We thus respectfully request that the Department of Justice confirm, in writing, by no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, June 11:  

(1)   that the following parties have not been given access to the classified information, which executive branch agencies briefed to the “Gang of 8” on May 24, 2018:

·         Rudy Giuliani, Jay Sekulow, or any other attorney who represents or has represented President Trump in his personal capacity;

·         White House staff, including attorneys from the White House Counsel’s office;

·         President Donald J. Trump;

(2)   that DOJ and FBI have no plans to convey such information in the future to the President and his attorneys outside of an appropriate judicial proceeding; and

(3)   that going forward, DOJ and FBI will not brief additional Members of Congress who are not part of the “Gang of 8” on these matters.

Thank you for your immediate attention to our concerns, which are of the utmost urgency.  We look forward to your reply. 

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined top Senate Democrats in sending a letter to President Trump outlining conditions for lifting sanctions as part of any deal with North Korea. The new letter comes ahead of the expected summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to discuss North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, and specifically lists five principles through which the Senators plan to evaluate any deal the President makes with North Korea. The Senators also say that Congress must act as a check on any agreement that does not live up to these principles by imposing tougher sanctions and oversight and the Trump administration must engage Congress throughout any diplomatic process – both before and after the possible summit - given the magnitude of this effort.

In order to earn the support of these Senate leaders for any deal that provides sanctions relief to North Korea, Sen. Warner and others specifically outlined in the letter to President Trump that a deal with North Korea must:  

1. Dismantle or remove every single one of North Korea’s nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons; 

2. End the production and enrichment of uranium and plutonium for military purposes, and permanently dismantle North Korea’s nuclear weapons infrastructure. This includes the destruction of test sites, all nuclear weapons research and development facilities and enrichment facilities;

3. Suspend all of North Korea’s ballistic missile tests and disable, dismantle and eliminate all of North Korea’s ballistic missiles and programs.  

4. Commit to robust compliance inspections including a verification regime for North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Inspections must have complete access to all nuclear related sites and facilities with real time verification of North Korean compliance.  A separate compliance regime for its chemical and biological weapons that prevents, detects and punishes cheating on the part of North Korea is also necessary.  These compliance regimes must include “anywhere, anytime” inspections and snap-back sanctions if North Korea is not in full compliance;  

5. Be permanent, without any sunsets.

In addition to Sen. Warner, the letter was signed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Bob Menendez, Assistant Senate Democratic Leader and Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Ranking Member Dick Durbin, Senate National Security Working Group Co-Chair Dianne Feinstein, Senate Appropriations Committee Vice-Chair and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Ranking Member Patrick Leahy, and Senate Committee on Banking Housing and Urban Affairs Ranking Member Sherrod Brown. 

The full text of the letter appears below.

The Honorable Donald J. Trump

President of the United States

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC  20500

Dear Mr. President: 

As you prepare for your June 12 meeting with Kim Jong Un, we write to express our desire for a diplomatic solution which provides for the complete dismantlement of North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, as well as a broader process to address North Korea’s extensive military arsenal and to set the conditions for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.  A successful diplomatic agreement with North Korea, along with our allies South Korea and Japan and in cooperation with China, would represent an historic accomplishment for our nation.

It is widely recognized that North Korea has been seeking to develop the ability to launch a nuclear attack against the United States and Kim Jong Un has threatened to do so. In his May 24 testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Secretary Pompeo stated that the goal of the administration’s policy is that “we are looking for the complete dismantlement of their weapon systems, the delivery capability associated with that, and all of the elements of their program that would lead them to have material that could be used at some time to build out a weapon system.” 

In order to achieve the goal of the complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement of North Korea’s nuclear weapons and key missile programs, and as you develop your administration’s policy and strategy in advance of your on-again, off-again, and now seemingly on-again meeting with Kim Jong Un in Singapore, we therefore urge you to consider the following principles and goals for U.S. diplomacy and policy with regards to North Korea.

First, any agreement with North Korea must build on the current nuclear test suspension and ultimately include the dismantlement and removal of all nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons from North Korea.  Sanctions relief by the U.S. and our allies should be dependent on dismantlement and removal of North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.  Any deal that explicitly or implicitly gives North Korea sanctions relief for anything other than the verifiable performance of its obligations to dismantle its nuclear and missile arsenal is a bad deal.

China, we believe, will continue to play a critical role if North Korea moves to halt, dismantle, and remove its nuclear weapons, and we urge you to maintain a tough approach to China to assure that it, in turn, will do all it can to help secure an agreement and then insist on strict North Korean compliance with such an agreement.

Second, our goal must be the full, complete and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea. This must include the removal of all nuclear weapons and military-related fissile material from North Korea; ending the production and enrichment of uranium and plutonium for military programs; and permanently dismantling its nuclear weapons infrastructure, including test sites, all nuclear weapons research and development facilities, particularly with respect to advanced centrifuges, and nuclear weapons enrichment and reprocessing facilities.  North Korea must also put forward a full, complete and verifiable declaration of all its nuclear activities. Robust restrictions should also be in place to assure that nuclear material, technology, and expertise are not exported, and that North Korea will be unable to attempt to reverse course.

Third, North Korea must continue its current ballistic missile tests suspension, including any space launch. Ultimately, since North Korea’s nuclear weapons program is so advanced, any agreement must include the dismantlement of ballistic missiles and a prohibition on all ballistic missile development. In addition, sufficient safeguards must be in place to assure that no ballistic missiles and associated technology are proliferated or exported.   

Fourth, North Korea must commit to robust compliance inspections including a verification regime for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.  Inspectors must have complete access to all nuclear-related sites and facilities with real time verification of North Korean compliance.  A separate compliance regime for its chemical and biological weapons programs that prevents, detects and punishes cheating on the part of North Korea is also necessary.  These compliance regimes must include “anywhere, anytime” inspections, including of all non-declared suspicious sites, and snap-back sanctions if North Korea is not in full compliance.

Finally, to be truly complete, verifiable and irreversible, any agreement with North Korea must be permanent in nature.

To be successful in such an ambitious undertaking, our regional allies – in particular the Republic of Korea and Japan – are indispensable to our success.  No concessions should be granted that could undermine our core alliance commitments or our posture in the region. 

We likewise believe, given the complexity of this effort, that the Administration should engage Congress throughout any diplomatic process. To ensure that Congress remains fully informed as negotiations proceed, we would therefore like to work with you and your administration to establish a process for regular and substantive briefings, including classified briefings, on U.S. policy and strategy both prior to your meeting with Kim Jong Un as well as regular briefings thereafter, including full engagement with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the National Security Working Group.  Should your administration develop any agreements requiring Senate consideration we of course look forward to working with you to assure appropriate review and disposition in Congress.

Meeting the challenge of North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, building peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and addressing other critical matters, including North Korea’s human rights practices, are issues of longstanding concern to the American people as well as our allies and partners. We believe that Congress therefore has an important role to play in working with the administration to support your efforts and to shape U.S. policy toward North Korea.  However, we also believe that Congress must act as a check on any agreement that does not live up to these principles by imposing tougher sanctions and oversight. Democrats will look to the standards outlined in this letter as we examine whether North Korea should be granted sanctions relief.

We look forward to your thoughts both on the substance of policy and the principles we have outlined, as well as on how to best proceed with establishing a regular and substantive process for congressional engagement and consultation with your administration on these issues.  We look forward to working alongside you in the weeks and months ahead in pursuit of an agreement that effectively addresses the threat of a nuclear-armed North Korea in a manner that enhances the security of the United States, our allies, and the world.

Sincerely,

Robert Menendez

United States Senator

Charles E. Schumer

United States Senator

Richard J. Durbin

United States Senator

Mark R. Warner

United States Senator

Dianne Feinstein

United States Senator

Patrick Leahy

United States Senator

Sherrod Brown

United States Senator                        

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and cofounder of the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, released the following statement after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Commerce issued a joint report on how the federal government can combat botnets and other threats to the internet ecosystem:

“This report concludes that current market incentives do too little to promote security in internet-connected products, corroborating a longstanding concern I have had with the burgeoning market of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The failure of these market forces to reward security over cost or convenience has led to devastating DDoS attacks (like the Mirai botnet) that contribute to internet-wide insecurity to this day.

“I am pleased to see the Departments of Commerce and Homeland Security acknowledge that the federal government should lead by example by requiring the acquisition of far more secure and resilient services and products; Congress should take the next step and pass bipartisan legislation I have introduced with Sen. Gardner that would set minimum security requirements for federal procurements of IoT devices.” 

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a former Governor and a current member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following statement after the Virginia Senate voted to expand the Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) 

“I’m thrilled that the Virginia Senate has decided partisan politics should no longer stand in the way of thousands of Virginia families getting the healthcare they need. I look forward to the House of Delegates soon doing the same.  

“Governor Northam and supporters of Medicaid expansion should be proud of this bipartisan achievement, but the real winners here are the hardworking Virginians who will finally have healthcare for their families.” 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced bipartisan legislation to protect horses from the abusive practice known as “soring” – in which show horse trainers intentionally apply substances or devices to a horse's limb to make each step painful, forcing a horse to perform an exaggerated high-stepping gait that is rewarded in show rings. While soring is prohibited under federal law, a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Inspector General (IG) report has found that some horse trainers often go to great lengths to continue this inhumane practice. 

“For more than 400 years, horses have been a part of Virginia’s culture. But despite a federal ban, horse soring—an act that deliberately inflicts pain on these animals—continues in some segments of the walking horse industry,” said Sen. Warner. “This bipartisan bill will finally put an end to this cruel and abusive practice.”  

“We commend Senators Crapo and Warner for introducing the PAST Act to crack down on the terrible cruelty of horse soring. This legislation won’t cost taxpayers any additional money but it will fix gaping holes in the current federal law that have enabled this abuse to persist for almost half a century.  It’s time for Congress to enact these urgently-needed reforms – to get rid of the failed system of industry self-policing, eliminate the devices that are integral to the soring process, and establish meaningful penalties for perpetrators,” said Sara Amundson, President of Humane Society Legislative Fund.  

“The American Horse Council - the voice of the nation’s equine sector which directly supports nearly one million U.S. jobs and contributes $122 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - applauds the leadership of Sens. Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Mark Warner (D-VA) for introducing the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act of 2018.   Although “soring” - which is the practice of inflicting pain on a horse’s limb to produce an accentuated gait - has declined since Congress enacted the Horse Protection Act in 1970, the PAST Act will build on this progress by modernizing inspection and revising penalties for violations,” said Julie M. Broadway, President of the American Horse Council. 

 “We are very pleased that the Prevent All Soring Tactics Act is being introduced in the Senate, and would like to thank Senators Warner and Crapo for their leadership on this important horse welfare issue. The AVMA condemns the act of soring and feels that the current system of inspection and enforcement is not sufficient to stop this inhumane practice,” said Dr. Michael Topper, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 

“Soring is an intentional, cruel act which must end. As doctors of veterinary medicine, the AAEP will continue to support the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act and work to eliminate this inhumane practice on horses,” said Dr. Margo Macpherson, President of the American Association of Equine Practitioners. 

The Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act would: 

• Eliminate self-policing by requiring the USDA to assign a licensed inspector if the show's management indicates its intent to hire one. Licensed or accredited veterinarians, if available, would be given preference for these positions.

• Prohibit the use of action devices and pads on specific horse breeds that have historically been the primary victims of soring. Action devices, such as chains that rub up and down an already-sore leg, intensify the horse's pain when it moves, so that the horse quickly jolts up its leg.

• Increase the penalties on an individual caught soring a horse from a misdemeanor to a felony which is subject to up to three years' incarceration, increase fines from $3,000 to $5,000 per violation, and permanently disqualify three-time violators from participating in horse shows, exhibitions, sales or auctions.

In 2017, the USDA Office of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) incorporated some of the major tenets of the PAST Act in a rule meant to strengthen certain aspects of the Horse Protection Act. However, the rule was not finalized before the end of the Obama Administration and the Trump Administration halted that process. The PAST Act would codify these changes into law.

Numerous groups have endorsed the bill, including the Humane Society of the United States, the American Horse Council, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, and the American Association of Equine Practitioners. The PAST Act was introduced in previous years by Sen. Warner and former Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH).

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, released the following statement after President Trump signed his regulatory reform bill, S. 2155, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, into law:

“The bipartisan Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act will provide meaningful relief to Main Street. It will roll back unnecessary and burdensome regulations on credit unions and small community banks while ensuring that larger banks remain subject to the rules I helped put in place after the financial crisis. This bill is the result of years of tough negotiations between Democrats and Republicans and will help small lenders provide mortgages and other credit to hardworking Virginians and small businesses. While this bill does not include everything Democrats wanted nor everything Republicans wanted, I’m proud of my colleagues for putting differences aside, finding common ground, and working together to pass this sensible, bipartisan bill into law.”  

The legislation is the result of bipartisan negotiations among Warner, Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Banking Committee members Sens. Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and Jon Tester (D-MT).

The legislation was endorsed by a number of Virginia banking institutions including the Virginia Bankers Association (VBA) and the Virginia Association of Community Banks (VACB).

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine have cosponsored the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, a bipartisan bill that would legalize and clearly define hemp as an agricultural commodity, removing it from the list of controlled substances. Currently, hemp falls under the definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act and, while it is cultivated for research purposes in Virginia, the agriculture industry cannot currently grow it for commercial use. Hemp is distinct from marijuana in that it has a miniscule concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and thus no narcotic capability. The plant is estimated to be used in more than 25,000 products spanning agriculture, textiles, recycling, automotive, furniture, food, nutrition, beverages, paper, construction materials and personal care.

“The American agricultural industry should not be held back by outdated restrictions on hemp production that prevent us from creating more jobs and growing our economy,” Warner said. “Hemp products are already bought, sold, and consumed right here in the United States. This bipartisan bill will help Virginia farmers, manufacturers and small businesses benefit from the economic growth we have seen in this industry.”

“Agriculture is Virginia’s leading economic sector, and I am always on the lookout for ways to support our agricultural economy,” Kaine said. “Hemp was grown in Virginia by Thomas Jefferson, and research and input from Virginia agricultural stakeholders, agricultural scientists at JMU and Virginia Tech, and economic development leaders like the Tobacco Commission have shown that it is safe and holds economic promise for rural Virginia. I’m satisfied that this bill takes sensible steps to address law enforcement concerns and, in turn, that it makes sense to remove industrial hemp from the federal controlled substance list.” 

The legislation will also give states the opportunity to become the primary regulators of hemp; allow hemp researchers to apply for competitive federal grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture; and make hemp farmers eligible to apply for crop insurance. The legislation also addresses law enforcement concerns about hemp’s similarity to marijuana by requiring states to submit hemp growth and production plans for USDA approval. The 2014 farm bill authorized industrial hemp to be made available for agricultural research purposes. Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the University of Virginia, and James Madison University have been active in hemp research in recent years.

View full text of the bill, here.

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