WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $44,606,006 in federal funding for Virginia airports. Funds were made available through the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) FY 2023 Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which funds airport infrastructure projects such as runways, taxiways, airport signage, airport lighting, and airport markings.

“Local airports are crucial for travel to, from, and throughout Virginia,” the Senators said. “We’re glad to see this funding continue to support investments at airports across the Commonwealth that will improve safety and efficiency for travelers.”

The funding is distributed as follows:

• $13,670,853 for Norfolk International for runway rehabilitation.  
• $7,572,150 for Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport for runway rehabilitation.  
• $7,384,892 for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to reconstruct a runway and rehabilitate runway lighting.
• $5,553,842 for Richmond International Airport to shift or reconfigure an existing runway.
• $4,718,069 for Blue Ridge Airport to shift or reconfigure an existing taxiway and extend its runway.
• $4,000,000 for Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport/Woodrum Field to construct, improve, or extend its safety area.
• $658,200 for Richmond Executive Airport/Chesterfield County to extend its runway.
• $423,000 for Virginia Highlands Airport  to rehabilitate runway lighting.
• $325,000 for Front Royal-Warren County Airport to conduct an airport-related environmental assessment.
• $300,000 for Virginia Tech Montgomery Executive Airport to update the Airport Master Plan.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have been consistent supporters of efforts to improve Virginia’s airports. This announcement comes in addition to $4.2 million awarded to Virginia airports last month through the AIP. Earlier this year the senators also announced $29.4 million in federal funding for improvements to three airports awarded through the bipartisan infrastructure law.

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 WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement on the appointment of Tannia Talento, his Northern Virginia Regional Director, to the Arlington County Board:

“Tannia’s commitment to public service is evident in her day-to-day work, in her extensive experience, and in her ongoing involvement with Arlington County. I’m proud to see Tannia step up to fill this vacancy on the Arlington County Board and have no doubt that her strong leadership skills, deep ties to the community, and hardworking disposition will serve her well in this temporary role.” 

Talento, who was appointed by the board to fill the seat vacated by Katie Cristol, will serve temporarily through the remainder of the term, which expires on December 31, 2023. She will continue to serve as Sen. Warner’s Northern Virginia Regional Director while recusing herself from official Senate business involving the county.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), and U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) introduced bicameral legislation to help first-time, first-generation homebuyers – predominately Americans of color – build wealth much more rapidly. By offering new homeowners a 20-year mortgage for roughly the same monthly payment as a traditional 30-year loan, LIFT will allow individuals traditionally underrepresented in the housing market to grow equity twice as fast. 

“Homeownership is one of the key ways Americans build capital and wealth. Unfortunately, racism and systemic discrimination in our housing laws have put this opportunity out of reach for far too many families of color,” said Sen. Warner. “The LIFT Act will help narrow the racial wealth gap by allowing qualified home buyers to build equity – and wealth – at twice the rate of a conventional 30-year mortgage.”

“It’s about time Congress took bold steps to support the American dream of homeownership for working class families that for too long have been left behind, which will not only allow more hardworking Americans to build generational wealth but also help close the racial wealth gap,” said Rep. Cleaver. “The LIFT Act builds upon President Biden’s economic agenda that focuses on building our economy from the bottom up and middle out, allowing more families to qualify for homeownership and build equity and stability in their home at an accelerated rate. As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Warner and his colleagues in the Senate, as we seek to ensure every American has an opportunity to share in the prosperity of this great nation.”

“Homeownership is a key tool for Americans to grow their wealth and build economic stability, but for far too many people, this goal remains out of reach. This is especially true for people of color – which is why we need to address the legacy of discrimination in our housing policy. This bill will help level the playing field for first-time, first-generation buyers and empower them to build more wealth,” said Sen. Van Hollen.

“Housing is dignity and security for hardworking families in Georgia and across the nation, and owning a home is a long-held pathway to building generational wealth. But too many families have been left out of the American dream of buying a home, and Congress should act to make it a reality for more people,” said Sen. Reverend Warnock. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the LIFT Act to help put the dream of homeownership in reach for working families in Georgia and nationwide, boosting our economy and helping provide families safety and security. Let’s get this done.”

“This is about helping first-time homebuyers pay down their mortgages and build wealth in their homes more quickly. I'm teaming up with Senator Warner to help low-income Georgians and first-time homebuyers build generational wealth,” Sen. Ossoff said.

“Homeownership is not only a key part of the American dream but also one of the best ways to build generational wealth,” said Sen. Kaine, a former fair housing attorney. “I’m proud to be joining my colleagues in introducing this bill to help first-generation homebuyers, particularly those from communities of color, build wealth and help address the racial wealth gap in our country.”

First introduced in 2021, the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act would establish a program at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, to sponsor low fixed-rate 20-year mortgages for first-time, first-generation homebuyers who have incomes equal to or less than 120 percent of their area median income. Treasury would subsidize the interest rate and origination fees associated with these 20-year mortgages so that the monthly payment would be in line with a 30-year Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured mortgage.

For example: A first time homebuyer of modest means who purchases a property for $210,000 is likely to put down $10,000 and take out a $200,000 mortgage. In today’s market, a lender would offer this borrower a 6.5% 30 year FHA insured mortgage, for which the borrower would pay an annual 0.55% FHA insurance fee and a 1.75% up-front insurance fee, which would be folded into the mortgage. The borrower would have a monthly payment of $1,377. Under the LIFT program, the lender would instead offer this homebuyer a 5.5% 20-year FHA insured mortgage, which would include an up-front 4.00% FHA fee that would be folded into the loan and no annual FHA premium. The borrower would have a monthly payment of $1,430. By paying roughly the equivalent monthly payment, a borrower with a LIFT loan would build equity more than twice as fast.

By allowing borrowers to build equity through their homes at twice the rate of a comparable 30-year loan without meaningfully increasing the monthly payment, LIFT will improve the power of homeownership for millions of families. Coupled with well-targeted down-payment assistance, the LIFT program will make meaningful progress in narrowing the racial wealth gap, expanding and greatly strengthening the wealth-building benefits of homeownership in communities too long left behind by our existing financial structures.

A copy of the legislation is available here. A summary is available here.

This legislation has the support of a number of organizations including the National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients), the Center for Responsible Lending.

“The LIFT Act would be a groundbreaking new approach to help close the nation’s significant and troubling shortfall in homeownership among people of color and the associated substantial wealth racial gap.  Focusing eligibility on first-time, first-generation homebuyers would target this assistance to families and individuals most in need of assistance while also narrowing racial homeownership gaps. And the use of subsidies to make a 20-year mortgage as affordable as a 30-year loan puts homebuyers on a path to rapidly accumulate home equity while also making homeownership less risky. The proposed approach is also highly cost effective by leveraging federal subsidies to enable homeowners to build wealth over time more quickly and effectively,” said Chris Herbert, Managing Director, Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

“Homeownership is the major source of wealth and assets for most American families. Senator Warner's proposed LIFT Act is a worthy initiative that can help families build equity faster and Opportunity Finance Network is pleased to endorse this legislation,” said Jennifer A. Vasiloff, Chief External Affairs Officer, Opportunity Finance Network.

“Homeownership is the best way to build wealth, especially for lower and moderate income households and families of color, and LIFT supercharges that wealth-building. By helping homeowners get a 20-year mortgage with a lower monthly payment consistent with a 30-year mortgage, LIFT preserves affordability and supports homeownership, but also allows homeowners to rapidly accumulate equity in their homes. LIFT is among the most effective ways policymakers have to address the nation’s pernicious problem of large and widening economic disparities,” said Mark Zandi, Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics.

“One of the most important benefits of homeownership is the ability to build wealth. In fact, it is the primary way millions of middle-income Americans have achieved economic stability for 75 years. While legally sanctioned racial discrimination seems like a thing of the past, outlawed in the 1968 Fair Housing Act, the reality is that the housing wealth affect continues to disadvantage people of color whose parents and grandparents never benefitted from a wide range of government programs that made homeownership possible to most Americans,” said David Dworkin, President and CEO, National Housing Conference. “The LIFT bill evens that playing field and will not only help close the wealth gap, but it will strengthen the economy for all Americans. Senator Warner has a long history of thinking outside the box and writing legislation that makes a difference in new and innovative ways. The LIFT Act is another example of his leadership.”

“The LIFT Act allows more first-time, first-generation prospective homeowners to realize their American Dream. This creates more generational wealth across different communities and supports low to middle-income Americans. AREAA is proud to support the continued efforts by Senator Warner to pass this legislation,” said Kurt Nishimura, President, Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA).

“NAHREP is pleased to support the re-introduction of the LIFT Homebuyers Act. The bill’s goal of helping homeowners expedite earning equity in their properties means the opportunity to build intergenerational wealth is all that more achievable,” said Gary Acosta, Co-Founder & CEO, NAHREP. “NAHREP is committed to helping Latinos realize their economic potential through homeownership and is encouraged by Senator Warner, Senator Kaine, Senator Warnock, Senator Ossoff, and Senator Van Hollen’s commitment to the same goal as evidenced in the LIFT Homebuyers Act.”

“The Virginia Housing Alliance applauds Senator Warner’s leadership and commitment to ensuring that the wealth building opportunity of homeownership becomes a reality for many more Americans through the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers Act (LIFT Act). In Virginia, the homeownership rate for non-Hispanic white households is 73% compared to just 48% for Black households. The LIFT Act will provide a transformative opportunity to close this gap and make the American dream of homeownership a reality for thousands of first time homebuyers in Virginia,” said Brian Koziol, Executive Director, Virginia Housing Alliance.

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement following reports of a breach of Microsoft email accounts at over two-dozen organizations, including government agencies, by China-based hackers:

“The Senate Intelligence Committee is closely monitoring what appears to be a significant cybersecurity breach by Chinese intelligence. It’s clear that the PRC is steadily improving its cyber collection capabilities directed against the U.S. and our allies. Close coordination between the U.S. government and the private sector will be critical to countering this threat.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $15,500,000 in federal funding for clean energy improvements for Nottoway County and Alexandria City Public Schools that will lower energy costs. The funding was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Renew America’s Schools Program, a first-of-its-kind program that aims to help schools make clean energy upgrades that will lower utility costs, improve indoor air quality, and foster healthier learning environments.

“After decades of politicians talking about upgrading our nation’s infrastructure, this vision is now a reality thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law we helped pass,” said the Senators. “We’re glad to see federal dollars from this law are headed to Nottoway County and Alexandria City Public Schools to help make clean energy upgrades that will save money for the schools and improve air quality for students, teachers, and staff.”

The funding will be distributed as follows:

• $11,500,000 for Nottoway County Public Schools to make energy efficient improvements, including LED lighting upgrades, unit building automation upgrades, high efficiency boiler and hot water heater replacement, high efficiency window replacement, roof replacement, and installation of a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) HVAC system with a dedicated outdoor air system.
• $4,000,000 for Alexandria City Public Schools to replace aged HVAC boilers with high efficiency electric water heat pumps, replace existing lighting with LED fixtures, use thermal scanning to pinpoint areas where unconditioned air may enter the building, and purchase new efficient rooftop units and building automation controls at William Ramsey Elementary School. The building systems at the elementary school have exceeded their operational life expectancy and need to be replaced to reduce energy consumption.

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Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following statement on the Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposal by its Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to amend current federal standards to better protect the nation’s miners from health hazards related to exposure to respirable crystalline silica, or silica dust. 

“We applaud the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s new proposed silica rule to enhance health protections for miners across the country. We urge swift implementation of this rule because protecting our hard-working miners from dangerous levels of silica cannot wait. After decades of declining rates of black lung deaths, we have seen the number of reported cases rapidly increase over the last 20 years - especially in Appalachia. America’s coal miners have risked their lives to power our great nation for generations, and we are committed to using every tool possible to protect miners from developing debilitating diseases that are entirely preventable.”

Earlier this month, the Senators sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young, seeking additional information on the delayed announcement of a new silica standard for miners across America and urging prompt promulgation.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) sent a letter to the CIM Group, a real estate owner and developer, highlighting the concerns of tenants at an affordable housing complex in Alexandria, who have reported declining conditions and increases in evictions and rents.

“We write to share troubling concerns we have heard from constituents regarding conditions of the Southern Towers apartment complex in Alexandria, Virginia since your firm, the CIM Group (CIM), took ownership of the property,” wrote the Senators. “Tenants have shared with our offices that, under CIM ownership, they have been subjected to eviction filings during the eviction moratorium, changes in how utilities are billed combined with rent increases that have led to substantial price hikes, and unaddressed maintenance issues that pose health and safety risks. Further, tenants have voiced that CIM issued unclear eviction notices indicating that tenants who were late on their rent payments had only five days to ‘pay rent or, alternatively, to terminate lease and vacate premises’ – only mentioning later in the notice that tenants located on a ‘covered property’ as defined by the CARES Act were entitled to a 30-day notice before vacating.”

The Senators urged CIM to quickly address these concerns directly with residents and work with tenants to resolve any outstanding concerns. The Senators highlighted the need to tackle these issues in the midst of a nationwide affordable housing crisis. Virginia alone is facing a shortage of over 170,000 units for extremely low-income households with the supply shortfall particularly pronounced in Alexandria, which lost an estimated 90 percent of its market-affordable units between 2000 and 2017.

They continued. “As a federally-backed property, it is incumbent upon CIM to manage Southern Towers in alignment with the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s mission to promote quality affordable housing. At a minimum, federally-backed properties should be well-maintained and free from health and safety risks, and have a responsive management team with transparent rent and utility pricing procedures. Moving forward, we urge CIM to meet regularly with tenants to hear their concerns, clearly communicate plans regarding deferred maintenance issues or pricing changes, and work directly with tenants to address issues in a timely manner.”

Sens. Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long supported efforts to increase accessibility to affordable housing. Earlier this year, they announced over $98 million in federal funding for affordable housing, community development, and homelessness assistance throughout the Commonwealth. They’ve introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close widening wealth and homeownership gaps. Sen. Kaine has also introduced legislation that would protect veterans and low-income families from housing discrimination.

A copy of the letter is available here and text is below:

Dear Ms. Chang,

We write to share troubling concerns we have heard from constituents regarding conditions of the Southern Towers apartment complex in Alexandria, Virginia since your firm, the CIM Group (CIM), took ownership of the property. Tenants of Southern Towers have raised concerns regarding declining conditions, unresolved maintenance requests, and significant pricing changes. As such, we urge you to take immediate action to address these issues by engaging directly and frequently with the tenants and working quickly to resolve outstanding concerns.

As you know, Southern Towers is a five-building apartment complex located in Alexandria, Virginia. For years, it has been home to generations of immigrants and has become a haven of affordable housing where families can achieve economic stability. In 2020, CIM purchased the property with significant financial backing from Freddie Mac. Tenants have shared with our offices that, under CIM ownership, they have been subjected to eviction filings during the eviction moratorium, changes in how utilities are billed combined with rent increases that have led to substantial price hikes, and unaddressed maintenance issues that pose health and safety risks. Further, tenants have voiced that CIM issued unclear eviction notices indicating that tenants who were late on their rent payments had only five days to “pay rent or, alternatively, to terminate lease and vacate premises”  – only mentioning later in the notice that tenants located on a “covered property” as defined by the CARES Act were entitled to a 30-day notice before vacating.  

These issues are all the more staggering when considering that our nation is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. Virginia alone is facing a shortage of over 170,000 units for extremely low-income households with the supply shortfall particularly pronounced in Alexandria, which lost an estimated 90 percent of its market-affordable units between 2000 and 2017.  As the vast share of the undersupply is concentrated in low-income, high-opportunity markets, we know that the burden of this crisis is falling largely on low- and moderate-income families. It is more important than ever that our existing affordable housing stock is safe and available for those that need it most, including complexes like Southern Towers.

As a federally-backed property, it is incumbent upon CIM to manage Southern Towers in alignment with the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s mission to promote quality affordable housing. At a minimum, federally-backed properties should be well-maintained and free from health and safety risks, and have a responsive management team with transparent rent and utility pricing procedures. Moving forward, we urge CIM to meet regularly with tenants to hear their concerns, clearly communicate plans regarding deferred maintenance issues or pricing changes, and work directly with tenants to address issues in a timely manner. As CIM refers to itself as a “community-focused real estate investor”, we also urge CIM to offer assistance to tenants at risk of eviction by connecting them with government resources in an effort to keep more individuals and families in their homes. 

It must be a priority that our most vulnerable communities are protected from displacement and have access to safe and affordable housing. We look forward to working with you to ensure that Southern Towers is a quality, affordable community for the tenants that call it home.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today announced a whopping $1,481,489,527.87 in federal funding to deploy broadband and expand access to high-speed internet in Virginia. This funding was awarded though the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which was created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – landmark legislation authored and negotiated by Sen. Warner.

“This whopping $1.4 billion investment brings us a giant step closer to achieving our goal of universal broadband coverage in Virginia,” said Sen. Warner. ”We all know that access to fast, reliable, and affordable internet is crucial to ensuring our rural communities grow and thrive, and I’m thrilled that Virginia is receiving the investment we need to deploy broadband all across the Commonwealth. This funding is in no small part thanks to the Virginians that took time out of their day to report their connectivity status. Because of these efforts, we were able to accurately report our coverage and access every cent to which Virginia was entitled.”

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), seeks to expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment and adoption programs. Specifically, today’s funding will be utilized by the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) to reach unserved and underserved locations throughout the Commonwealth – those lacking 25/3 internet speeds and 100/20 internet speeds.

Sen. Warner has long fought to expand access to broadband in Virginia, including by advocating for the accurate reporting of Virginia’s connectivity status. Last year, he called on Virginians to contact the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding internet coverage in their communities. Following the FCC’s reporting deadline, Sen. Warner called attention to a significant number of locations in Virginia that were incorrectly reported on the FCC broadband coverage map.

As an author and negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure law, Sen. Warner secured $65 billion in funding to help deploy broadband and decrease costs associated with connecting to the internet. As part of that funding, Virginia received $5 million to help make a strategic plan to deploy coverage.

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WASHINGTON — Ahead of tomorrow’s one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s devastating decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined Sen. Cortez Masto (D-NV) and a number of their colleagues in introducing the Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act. As legislatures and governors across the country continue to target and undermine reproductive freedoms, this legislation would block anti-choice states from limiting travel for abortion services. It would also empower the Attorney General and impacted individuals to bring civil action against those who restrict a woman’s right to cross state lines to receive legal reproductive care. 

“One year ago, we watched as the Supreme Court rolled back decades of precedent, leaving women in America with fewer rights than they were born with. Since then, we’ve seen a patchwork of statewide abortion policies and have heard horrifying stories from women who’ve had their safety and long-term health compromised by these policies. As legislatures across the country pass increasingly oppressive laws policing women’shealth, we’re introducing legislation to clarify that women cannot be prosecuted for traveling across state lines to seek the care they need,” said Sens. Warner and Kaine.

Anti-choice politicians in states like Idaho, Tennessee, Texas, and Missouri are working to punish both women for leaving their state for reproductive care and the doctors and employers who help them. The Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act underscores the Constitutional protections for interstate travel and provides redress for women whose rights are violated. The legislation would also protect health care providers in  states like Virginia, where abortion is still legal in most cases, from prosecution and lawsuits for serving individuals traveling from other states. 

In addition to Senators Warner, Kaine, and Cortez Masto, this legislation was cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), as well as Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ben Cardin (D-MD) Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ) Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tina Smith (D-MN), Tom Carper (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

This legislation is endorsed by NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, National Women’s Law Center, Center for Reproductive Rights, Physicians for Reproductive Health, National Partnership for Women & Families, Catholics for Choice, Power to Decide, National Council of Jewish Women, and the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association.

High-Quality Photo Available for Download Here 

WASHINGTON — Today U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus and Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement following Prime Minister Modi’s address to a joint session of Congress:

“Prime Minister Modi’s address to Congress today emphasized the strong friendship that has been built between our two countries, fostered by a range of close economic ties and shared opportunities. I’m pleased to see President Biden and Prime Minister Modi utilize this visit to continue to deepen the bonds between our countries and expand our cooperation on defense, trade, technology, and innovation. It’s also more important than ever – in the face of rising global authoritarianism – that we respect and reaffirm the shared values that form the foundations of our respective nations, such as democracy, universal human rights, tolerance and pluralism, and equal opportunity for all citizens. As the Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, I look forward to this continued partnership because I know that the U.S.-India relationship is one that’s worth investing in.”

Earlier this week, Sen. Warner introduced legislation to streamline the United States’ ability to consider defensive military sales to India under the U.S. Arms Export Control Act (AECA). This legislation would support ongoing security cooperation between the two nations by adding India to a list of counties outlined under the AECA – like Australia, Japan, Israel, New Zealand and South Korea – that have access to an expedited 15-day consideration and a higher financial threshold for deals that trigger Congressional review. He also joined his colleagues in introducing a resolution celebrating the relationship between the U.S. and India.

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WASHINGTON – Today, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official state visit, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and John Cornyn (R-TX), co-chairs of the Senate India Caucus, introduced legislation that would streamline consideration of defensive military sales to India under the U.S. Arms Export Control Act (AECA), supporting ongoing security cooperation between the two nations.

The AECA outlines requirements for Congress to be notified prior to the finalization of foreign military sales. Under standard consideration, a presidential administration is required to notify Congress 30 calendar days before any deal for defense articles, services, or training above a certain financial threshold becomes final. However, for certain countries outlined under the AECA – like Australia, Japan, Israel, New Zealand and South Korea – the law provides an expedited 15-day consideration period for Congress, and raises the financial threshold for deals that trigger that review. Sens. Warner and Cornyn’s legislation would list India as one of the countries that receives expedited consideration, reflecting the importance of this security relationship, and ultimately supporting more resilient defense supply chains. This legislation does not intend to address membership in any formal alliances, and instead addresses domestic U.S. arms export regulation.

“The relationship between the United States and India is a crucial one,” said Sen. Warner. “Streamlining our nation’s ability to consider defense sales to India will strengthen our defense partnership as well as our supply chains – both of which are crucial as we grapple with threats to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”

“India’s transition from Russian-made weapons to military equipment made in the U.S. and India is a step towards ensuring this critical ally has the defense capabilities it needs without enriching one of our adversaries,” said Sen. Cornyn. “By increasing investment by U.S. companies and expediting the process of purchasing military equipment, we can remove barriers to U.S.-India cooperation and increase our own national security at the same time. ” 

As co-chairs of the India Caucus, protecting and advancing the partnership between the United States and India is a priority for Sens. Warner and Cornyn. The Senators have introduced a version of the legislation as an amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act every year since 2019.

A copy of the bill text is available here. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $4,285,652 in federal funding to make infrastructure improvements at airports across Virginia. The funding was awarded by the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) FY 2023 Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which funds airport infrastructure projects such as runways, taxiways, airport signage, airport lighting, and airport markings.

“Our local airports make it easier to travel and play an important role in our economies,” said the senators. “We’re glad this funding will make improvements at airports across the Commonwealth and help ensure Virginians and visitors can safely get where they need to go.”

The funding is distributed as follows:

• $1,229,342 for the Lynchburg Regional Airport/Preston Glenn Field in Timberlake to construct an apron.
• $819,000 for the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport in Newport News to reconstruct its taxiway.
• $774,000 for the Farmville Regional Airport in Farmville to reconstruct its taxiway.
• $501,300 for Ingalls Field in Hot Springs to update the Airport Master Plan and seal pavement surfaces and pavement joints on its runway.
• $270,000 for the Dinwiddie County Airport in Sutherland to seal pavement surfaces and pavement joints on its apron and taxiway and repair signs and markings on its runway.
• $270,000 for the New Kent County Airport in Quinton to seal pavement surface and pavement joints on its runway and $161,010 to mark, remove, or light non-hazardous obstructions like nearby buildings and towers in its airspace.
• $261,000 for the Twin County Airport in Hillsville to rehabilitate its taxiway.

Warner and Kaine have long supported efforts to improve airports across the Commonwealth. Earlier this year, the senators announced $29.4 million in federal funding to make improvements at three Virginia airports. The senators have also announced over $1 million in funding for the Luray Caverns Airport in Luray and over $13 million in federal funding for regional airports in Abingdon, Suffolk, Manassas, Danville, Chesapeake, & Chesterfield County.