Press Releases

Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner released the following statement regarding the release of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) report that confirmed significant deficiencies in care at the Washington, D.C. VA Medical Center that threatened the health of veterans:

“I am deeply concerned by the recent VA OIG report that identified unacceptable conditions at the DC VA Medical Center. Among other issues, the report found that the DC VA was unable to execute basic hospital functions, including maintaining an appropriate inventory of medical supplies and sanitary storage facilities. These failures were the direct result of years of inadequate leadership at various levels of the VA. Thankfully, due to the herculean efforts of the health care professionals at the medical center, no veterans lost their lives as a result of these conditions.

“Secretary Shulkin recently addressed the breakdown in leadership at the DC VA Medical Center and has announced his plans to rectify the failures at this facility and at other underperforming medical centers across the country. I look forward to pressing the VA and working with my colleagues in Congress to ensure that we are able to offer the best possible care for our veterans.”

Last year, Sens. Warner, Tim Kaine, and Jon Tester wrote to Secretary Shulkin, expressing their concern over the OIG’s initial interim report that detailed many of the deficiencies identified in the full report. The senators demanded immediate action be taken to ensure sufficient and sanitary supplies are available, and they requested that the VA review any patients who may have been exposed to unsafe practices and called for critical senior staff positions to be filled quickly to ensure these issues can be promptly remedied.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement after President Trump accepted an invitation to meet with North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un:

“Diplomacy is the right path forward to deal with North Korea. At the same time, due to Pyongyang’s history of obfuscation and international defiance, the United States must proceed with caution. I am deeply concerned that the White House has not laid the necessary diplomatic groundwork and coordination for direct talks with North Korea. Even President Trump’s own Secretary of State appeared to be taken aback by this announcement. President Trump’s record of cozying up to authoritarian governments, his consistent failure to appoint, empower or value the expertise of professional diplomats, and his overall lack of focus on critical details also give me pause. The Administration must go into any meeting with a plan to ensure that negotiations with Kim Jong-un produce real results, not a photo op that lends legitimacy to North Korea’s murderous regime.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced today that Loudoun County will receive $25 million in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to help alleviate traffic congestion. The grant will allow Loudoun County to construct a new 1.6-mile segment of Northstar Boulevard to complete a 14-mile north-south corridor connecting to U.S. Route 50 – a key transportation route within the County. Sens. Warner and Kaine sent letters last year to DOT in support of Loudoun County’s TIGER grant application.

“In the past ten years, the population of Loudoun County has increased by more than 32 percent, faster than any other county in the Commonwealth,” said the Senators. “Over the next ten years, the County’s population is expected to grow by another 20 percent. This growth in population and jobs is only possible with continued investment in roads and other transportation infrastructure, and that’s why it is so important that we continue the TIGER grant program and continue to invest in our nation’s infrastructure. These federal funds will help Loudoun County upgrade its transportation network so it is better prepared to meet the needs of its increasing population and workforce.”

The new Northstar Boulevard segment will be designed as a controlled access thoroughfare comprised of a four-lane divided roadway located within a proposed six-lane right-of-way. It will include a 10-foot wide shared-use path and 6-foot wide sidewalks, three signalized intersections, and two new bridges. The $25 million in federal funds represents more than one-third of the total cost of the project, according to the County.

The funding was provided through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grant program, which provides a unique opportunity for the DOT to invest in road, rail, transit and port projects that promise to achieve national objectives.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) sponsored a set of bipartisan bills to help curb gun violence, including the Fix NICS Act, legislation which would ensure federal and state authorities comply with existing law and accurately report relevant criminal history records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). This bill penalizes federal agencies who fail to properly report relevant records and incentivizes states to improve their overall reporting. In addition, it directs more federal funding to the accurate reporting of domestic violence records.

“Throughout my career, I’ve been a proud supporter of the Second Amendment and have always advocated for responsible gun ownership. My commitment to those principles remains, but it is also past time to put an end to these mass shootings,” said Sen. Warner. “While these commonsense reforms are not themselves enough, they will strengthen our background checks system and keep deadly weapons out of the hands of violent individuals and terrorists. No single law will end all gun violence, but we must begin attempting to address this crisis.”

The Fix NICS Act:

Requires federal agencies and states to produce NICS implementation plans focused on uploading all information to the background check system showing that a person is prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms under current law—including measures to verify the accuracy of records.

Holds federal agencies accountable if they fail to upload relevant records to the background check system through public reporting and prohibiting bonus pay for political appointees.

Rewards states who comply with their NICS implementation plans through federal grant preferences and incentives, while increasing accountability through public reporting for those who do not comply with their plans.

Reauthorizes and improves important law enforcement programs to help state governments share relevant criminal record information with NICS.

Creates a Domestic Abuse and Violence Prevention Initiative to ensure that states have adequate resources and incentives to share all relevant information with NICS showing that a felon or domestic abuser is excluded from purchasing firearms under current law.

Sen. Warner is also a cosponsor of the Terrorist Firearms Prevention Act, bipartisan legislation to help keep guns from terrorist by preventing people who are on the “No Fly List” or the “Selectee List” from purchasing firearms.

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WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate voted 67-32 in favor of starting debate on S. 2155, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act, bipartisan legislation to grow the economy and protect consumers that was negotiated in part by Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA). Today Sen. Warner called for swift passage of the legislation, which will provide targeted relief for community banks and credit unions so they can improve access to capital and increase economic prosperity in the Commonwealth.

The legislation addresses some of the unintended consequences of the Dodd-Frank Act in order to make it easier for smaller community banks and credit unions to lend to Virginia businesses and families, which is good for households and the economy.

“The Senate is on the verge of passing major bipartisan legislation aimed at providing relief for small community banks, credit unions, and the customers they serve. As someone who helped put together the Dodd-Frank legislation, I know there are areas where we can help improve access to capital for consumers, farmers, and small businesses so they can grow the economy and create jobs,” said Sen. Warner. “Virginia’s community banks and credit unions did not cause the financial crisis, and they should not be held back by regulations intended for the big banks. I look forward to seeing the Senate pass this package of bipartisan measures that will provide relief for Main Street, strengthen consumer protections, and keep Wall Street accountable.”

Following the 2008 financial meltdown, Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to crack down on the worst Wall Street abuses and institute strict regulations to prevent another crisis. Sen. Warner played an important role in negotiating and drafting major portions of this legislation, which created new safeguards to protect our financial system and hold Wall Street accountable.

However, as with any major reform, the law also had some unintended consequences. Virginia has lost over a quarter of its community banks and nearly a third of its credit unions since Dodd-Frank was passed. In some cases, the law resulted in unnecessary and burdensome regulations on credit unions and small community banks that made it harder for them to lend money to help local businesses grow and create jobs.

“As a credit union, we have to adhere to the same regulations as large banks do. But we have to do it with a much smaller base – we only have 10,000 members and 20 employees – adhering to the same regulations that a behemoth like Bank of America has to adhere to,” said Lisa Lambrecht, President & CEO of Entrust Financial Credit Union in Henrico County. “I wish the federal government would understand that these one-size-fits-all regulations don’t work for credit unions. You have to remember; credit unions were formed to fill that gap that the larger established financial system was not serving.”

“In the rural areas, the larger institutions across the whole country have reduced their branches. The smaller banks have held their own, but we’re operating with 2000 less community banks a day than we were 12, 15 years ago. That’s over one fourth of community banks are gone — and I think a primary reason for that is regulatory fatigue,” said Lyn Hayth, President & CEO of the Bank of Botetourt.

“Every dollar we spend on increased compliance really doesn’t go to our capital. And if we could put that extra dollar into our capital, we could lend it back out into the community on a tenfold basis. So, our hope is that regulation can be decreased, and that we are able to take that capital that we save and invest it back into our communities,” said Alice Frazier, President & CEO of Bank of Charles Town in Middleburg.

“I think that community banks are the backbone of our country, and many of our rural markets. And not just our rural markets – but I think we serve a vital role to the growth of the economy,” said Mark Hanna, President of Farmers & Merchants Bank in Timberville.

The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act (S.2155) ensures that small lenders can provide mortgage and other credit to hardworking Americans, helping them and their families grow and start businesses. The bill also institutes several important consumer protections:

Allows consumers to get one free year of fraud alerts, which will help consumers who have been impacted by situations like the Wells Fargo scandal or whose identities or personal information has been stolen.
Unlimited free credit freezes and unfreezes, which helps consumers impacted by data breaches like the Equifax hack that compromised the personal information of approximately 145 million Americans.
Provides free credit monitoring for all active-duty servicemembers.
Protects the credit ratings of veterans wrongly penalized by medical bill payment delays by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This measure would prohibit medical debt from services received through the Choice Program and other VA community care programs from being reported to credit reporting agencies for one year. In addition, it would establish a dispute process for veterans seeking to remove adverse actions already on their report.
Prevents mortgage companies from immediately kicking tenants out of their rentals if the landlord is foreclosed upon.
Encourages banks to report suspicious behavior if seniors could be getting financially scammed.
Allows seriously delinquent private student loan borrowers a one-time offer to remove negative reporting from their credit reports after making a series of on-time payments.

The legislation was introduced in November after years of bipartisan negotiations among Sen. Warner, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Banking Committee members Senators Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and Jon Tester (D-MT). It is also co-sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA).

WASHINGTON — Today U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, questioned Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jay Powell about the impact of S. 2155, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act. This bipartisan bill would reduce regulatory burdens on community banks and credit unions and provide new protections to consumers. It is expected to come up for a vote in the Senate as soon as next week.

During Senator Warner’s questioning, Chairman Powell dispelled spurious claims that the bill would weaken the Fed’s oversight of regional banks with assets between $100 billion - $250 billion. This had previously been a core argument advanced by special interest opponents of the bipartisan bill. Following the hearing, Senator Warner released the following statement:

“Chairman Powell’s testimony confirms what I’ve been saying all along: our bipartisan bill provides relief for main street consumers and small community banks and credit unions, while maintaining Dodd-Frank’s strong oversight of Wall Street and larger financial institutions,” Senator Warner said. “As the Chairman testified today, under our bill, the Federal Reserve will continue to administer strong and frequent periodic stress testing of regional banks with assets between $100 and $250 billion and will implement a framework that applies tailored, enhanced prudential standards to those same banks. Anyone who says otherwise does not have their facts straight.”

A transcript of Senator Warner’s questioning of Fed Chairman Powell follows:

Senator Warner: I want to ask you two very important questions. Let me preface this by saying that, in my first year here, one of the most important pieces of legislation I have ever worked on was the Dodd-Frank legislation. I think Dodd-Frank, for all its challenges, has made our system remarkably stronger. But we are eight years later, and there is a broad bipartisan group of us, and we are going to debate next week legislation that would make some modifications. In this legislation, S. 2155, we have not changed the requirements of that the Fed perform annual tests on banks above $250 billion in assets. I think that’s terribly important to maintain. We do give, after an appropriate period of time, the Fed the ability to do a rulemaking, the ability to look at those banks between $100 and $250 billion in assets to continue to undergo stress tests on a periodic basis. In my view is that stress testing is the most important prudential standard, and that frequent stress tests are some of the best tools we have to prevent another financial crisis.

Can you give us your views on stress testing including how rigorous they should remain and how frequently should remain on banks between $100 and $250 billion dollars in assets?

Chairman Powell: We do believe that supervisory stress testing is the most successful regulatory innovation of the post-crisis era. We are strong believers in this tool, including for institutions of $100 - $250 billion. It would be our intent, if this bill is enacted, that these institutions would continue to have meaningful, strong, regular periodic stress tests – frequent stress tests. We see it as a very important tool for these institutions.

Senator Warner: I hope folks listening to this understand we are not touching anything on the largest institutions above $250 billion, on annual stress tests. And as the Chairman of the Fed has indicated, even amongst those banks between $100 and $250 billion, we are still going to have frequent periodic stress tests that are still going to be strong. And the legislation lays out, into some detail, some of the requirements that we would have in those stress tests.

My last question is this: In terms of overall enhanced prudential standards, we do move in this legislation from $50 billion to $100 billion. We give you in the group of institutions between $100 and $250 billion about an 18-month period to tailor those potentially standards more appropriately. As you indicated, we are ready have an institution below $250 billion that qualifies as a Systemically Important Financial Institution (SIFI). I would like to clarify for the record for folks who will watch the debate next week, that you will take this responsibility of this 18-month rulemaking and do a thorough examination of the banks that fall into that category. And those who are claiming that somehow all enhanced prudential regulations of banks that fall into that category are going to suddenly magically disappear — that sure as heck is not the intent of this individual, and I hope it is not the intent of the Fed.

Chairman Powell: What I see us doing is creating a framework. We’ll be looking at all of the institutions are in that area and all of the risks that might arise in banks between $100 billion and $250 billion. And we will create a framework for assessing where systemic risk might be, where there might be regional risks. We will look at everything, and that framework will then be in place in 18 months. If there are institutions that are currently in that population or, over time, become systemically risky or even risky to themselves – the way the legislation is written it gives us a lot of flexibility to do that – and we will have that in place. We have not been shy about finding systemic risk [in banks with total assets] under $250 billion. We will feel comfortable doing this job I believe.

Senator Warner: I look forward to the debate next week. A lot of members have different views, but I think it is very important when people go about talking about you doing away with stress tests or eliminating any kind of enhanced prudential regulations, that is not our intent. There may be some tailoring that goes on in this new category, but particularly for the larger institutions, the status quo is going to remain.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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WASHINGTON – On Net Neutrality National Day of Action, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined a group of Senate and House Democrats in introducing a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) partisan decision on net neutrality. The Senate CRA resolution of disapproval stands at 50 supporters, including Republican Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME). The House resolution currently has 150 co-sponsors.

The FCC’s Open Internet Order prohibited internet service providers from blocking, slowing down, or discriminating against content online. Repealing these net neutrality rules could lead to higher prices for consumers, slower internet traffic, and even blocked websites. A recent poll showed that 83 percent of Americans do not approve of the FCC’s action to repeal net neutrality rules.

“From the start, the FCC’s process to determine whether to keep previously established rules that guarantee a free and open internet was marred by partisan fights and troubling irregularities in the public comment system,” said the Senators. “By repealing these open internet principles, we believe the agency greenlighted potential anti-competitive practices that could negatively impact consumers. We will continue urging our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stand together to protect the integrity of our nation’s most crucial information network.”

Last week, the FCC’s rule repealing net neutrality was published in the Federal Register, leaving 60 legislative days to seek a vote on the Senate floor on the CRA resolutions. In order to force a vote on the Senate resolution, the Senators will submit a discharge petition, which requires a minimum of 30 Senators’ signatures. Once the discharge petition is filed, Senate Democrats will demand a vote on the resolution. A simple majority of 51 votes is needed to pass a CRA resolution in the Senate.

A copy of the CRA resolution can be found here.

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WASHINGTON – In celebration of the achievements and contributions that African-Americans have made as part of Black History Month, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner cosponsored a bipartisan resolution to honor the “Buffalo Soldiers,” African-American soldiers who served in the United States Army following the Civil War and made invaluable contributions to the fabric of our nation’s history.

Following the conclusion of the Civil War, the United States Army allowed African-Americans to serve in segregated units. Two of these units, the 9th and 10th Horse Cavalry, produced the “Buffalo Soldiers.” The soldiers received their nickname from Native Americans as a testament to their fearlessness in battle. In spite of being allocated inadequate resources and facing prejudice, the Buffalo Soldiers earned more Congressional Medals of Honor and had the lowest desertion rate of any unit in the Army. Five of those Medal of Honor recipients hailed from Virginia – Isaiah Mays (Carters Bridge, Va), Fitz Lee (Dinwiddie County, Va), Henry Johnson (Boydton, Va), Clinton Greaves (Madison County, Va), and Benjamin Brown (Spotsylvania County, Va).

“These brave Americans were among the first to answer the call to service at a time when African-Americans frankly weren’t treated as full members of our society,” said Warner. “We owe a debt of gratitude to the Buffalo Soldiers, and this resolution is an important way to honor their service to the United States.”

The resolution was introduced by Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and is cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tim Scott (R-SC), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bill Nelson (D-FL), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

The text of the Senate resolution follows and can also be viewed here:

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued a statement following today's release of the Democratic House Intelligence Committee memo:

"It is deeply unfortunate that House Republicans decided to the release classified information in order to mislead the American people for partisan political purposes. Americans deserve an accurate picture of the actions taken by the FBI, which were fully appropriate and entirely lawful. This memo makes clear that there is no reasonable basis to suggest otherwise, except to undermine the Special Counsel’s investigation. Now that the Nunes memo has been thoroughly debunked, the White House and its allies in Congress must put a stop to the dangerous partisan sideshows that jeopardize classified sources and methods and focus on Russia’s unprecedented interference in our election, which is a real and ongoing threat to our national security.??"

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WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) led a bipartisan letter signed by 44 Senators to President Trump expressing support for United 2026 – a bid by the United States, Canada, and Mexico to jointly host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“We believe this effort presents an exceptional opportunity to showcase our nations’ shared passion for soccer and its positive impact in local communities and on the international stage,” the Senators wrote. “Dozens of U.S. cities that we represent have already conveyed their interest in being part of the United Bid effort that will showcase America, promote tourism, and stimulate economic growth.”

“Through a united World Cup bid, we have the opportunity to promote and celebrate the positive impact soccer has had for millions of Americans,” they continued. “We welcome your support for the United Bid to bring the 2026 FIFA World Cup to North America, and we look forward to working with you to advance this important effort.”

As part of the United 2026 effort, cities across the nation are pursuing opportunities to be part of the combined bid to host teams from around the world as well as matches drawing thousands of fans to the United States. If selected, this would be the first World Cup to be hosted in three countries. The Senators will continue to work with their colleagues in both the Senate and the House to further expand bipartisan support for the effort to bring the World Cup to the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2026.

Senators Van Hollen and Blunt were joined by Senators Mark Warner (D-Va), John McCain (R-Ariz), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.). Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Christopher Coons (D-Del.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Angus King (I-Maine), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-N.M.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Patty Murray (D-Wash.).

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

Dear Mr. President,

We write to express our support for the United Bid by Canada, Mexico and the United States to jointly host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. We believe this effort presents an exceptional opportunity to showcase our nations’ shared passion for soccer and its positive impact in local communities and on the international stage.

Millions of Americans play or watch soccer at youth, collegiate, recreational and professional levels today. The sport spans generations, cultures, and languages – connecting fans and athletes with others across the globe who have a common love for the game. Comprising a melting pot of identities, cultures, and races, Americans proudly unite behind their team in the World Cup competition, and enjoy ties to the multiplicity of nationalities that come together for this tournament every four years.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, with a total of 48 participating national teams and 80 matches, will be the largest in the history of the competition. As one of three host nations, the United States would have the opportunity to deepen the relationship between our citizens and the extended global soccer community, and to further foster the spirit of sportsmanship and inclusivity that defines the sport. It would build on a successful legacy for our three nations, which together have hosted 13 FIFA-sponsored tournaments. Dozens of U.S. cities that we represent have already conveyed their interest in being part of the United Bid effort that will showcase America, promote tourism, and stimulate economic growth.

Through a united World Cup bid, we have the opportunity to promote and celebrate the positive impact soccer has had for millions of Americans. We welcome your support for the United Bid to bring the 2026 FIFA World Cup to North America, and we look forward to working with you to advance this important effort.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced today that Virginia localities and organizations in Alexandria, Danville, Chesapeake and Harrisonburg will receive $2,301,433 in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The grants will help these entities hire or retain service coordinators to assist public housing residents in finding jobs and educational opportunities, and achieving economic and housing independence.

“These funds will strengthen Virginia communities and improve quality of life for public housing residents,” said the Senators. “This investment will help residents obtain higher paying jobs so they can be self-sufficient and regain financial independence.”

The funding, provided through HUD’s Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency – Service Coordinators Program (ROSS-SC) helps grantees hire or retain "service coordinators" who work directly with residents to assess their needs and connect them with education, job training and placement programs, and/or computer and financial literacy services available in their community to promote self-sufficiency.

A list of grant recipients and amounts is included below:

Can I Live, Inc. (Alexandria) - $940,033
Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority - $246,000
Cardinal Village Tenant Association, Inc. (Danville) - $231,000
Pleasant View Tenant Association, Inc. (Danville) - $231,000
Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority - $231,000
Chesapeake Redevelopment & Housing Authority - $246,000
Harrisonburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority - $176,400

The purpose of HUD’s ROSS-SC program is to encourage innovative and locally driven strategies that link public housing assistance with public and private resources to enable HUD-assisted families to increase earned income; reduce or eliminate their need for welfare assistance; and promote economic independence and housing self-sufficiency. These grants provide funding to hire and retain Service Coordinators who will assess the needs of residents of conventional Public Housing or Indian housing and coordinate available resources in the community to meet those needs. In addition, ROSS-SC grants help improve living conditions for seniors, enabling them to age-in-place.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement today after the Special Counsel announced the indictment of 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies for criminally interfering with the 2016 U.S. presidential election:

“The Senate Intelligence Committee, as a part of our bipartisan investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election, has been focused on uncovering and exposing the role that social media disinformation played in that effort.

“I'm glad to see that work vindicated today by the Special Counsel’s indictment of the ‘Internet Research Agency,’ the Russian troll farm that was a key component of Russia’s attempts to interfere in the U.S. elections in 2016, and which continues to spew divisive and false content aimed at undermining the United States. With this indictment, the Special Counsel and his team have taken an important step to hold Russia accountable.

“As we heard this week from the nation’s top intelligence officials, Russia is still using social media to attack our democratic institutions and sow division amongst Americans. In Tuesday’s hearing, I was frustrated to hear that there is still no one leading a coordinated, organized effort within the intelligence community to monitor and combat Russian disinformation campaigns on social media. As Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I will continue pressing the nation’s intelligence leaders and the social media companies to be far more aggressive and proactive in responding to this threat.

“While platforms like Facebook and Twitter are allowing Americans to communicate and share ideas in ways unimaginable just a decade ago, we’re also learning that we each bear some responsibility for exercising good judgment and a healthy amount of skepticism when it comes to the things we read and share on social media.”

Sen. Warner has been a leader in recognizing the challenges posed by Russian use of social media. While companies like Facebook and Twitter initially denied that Russia used their platforms to influence the 2016 election, Warner publicly and privately pressed the companies to conduct thorough internal investigations of Russian misinformation and disinformation. In September, Facebook announced that the Internet Research Agency purchased approximately $100,000 worth of advertisements in connection with the 2016 election. Later estimates from the company found that as many as 150 million Americans may have been exposed to content from the Internet Research Agency. Twitter has also announced that at least 1.4 million people on Twitter engaged with content created by Russian trolls during the 2016 presidential election, and Google has uncovered evidence of Russian ad purchases and other activity on its platforms such as YouTube.

Russian use of misinformation and disinformation was the prime topic of the very first public hearing held by the Senate Intelligence Committee as part of its investigation. On March 30, 2017 – almost one year ago – the Committee held an open hearing on “Disinformation: A Primer in Russian Active Measures and Influence Campaigns.” On November 1, 2017, the Senate Intelligence Committee held a public hearing with the top legal officials from the three companies on “Social Media Influence in the 2016 U.S. Elections.”

In October, Sen. Warner introduced bipartisan legislation, the Honest Ads Act, to help prevent foreign interference in future elections and improve the transparency of online political advertisements.

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, joined a group of 18 U.S. Senators in a letter to President Trump expressing concern about the many vacant senior positions and extensive attrition at the State Department.

“As Senators who believe that diplomacy is critical to the national security and prosperity of the United States, we write once again to express our concern regarding the large number of key diplomatic positions that remain vacant and the reduction in the ranks of the Foreign Service,” the Senators wrote.

They added, “This decline, coupled with an ongoing external hiring freeze and lower than average Foreign Service Officer intake, compromises American global leadership and undermines our national interests. The absence of U.S. ambassadors in critical parts of the world leaves a number of our allies and strategic partners seeking assurances that America is committed to diplomacy.”

“We urge you to consult with Congress regarding measures that impact the recruitment, staffing and retention of State Department,” they concluded. “We ask that you quickly put forward qualified nominations for all vacant diplomatic posts.”

In addition to Sen. Warner, the letter was also signed by Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tina Smith (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), and Gary C. Peters (D-MI).

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

Dear Mr. President,

As Senators who believe that diplomacy is critical to the national security and prosperity of the United States, we write once again to express our concern regarding the large number of key diplomatic positions that remain vacant and the reduction in the ranks of the Foreign Service.

According to the American Foreign Service Association, since January 2017, the ranks of Career Ministers, three-star equivalents, has declined from 33 to 19. Following Labor Day, the number of Minister Counselors, two-star equivalents, declined from 431 to 369 and continues to decline.

This decline, coupled with an ongoing external hiring freeze and lower than average Foreign Service Officer intake, compromises American global leadership and undermines our national interests. The absence of U.S. ambassadors in critical parts of the world leaves a number of our allies and strategic partners seeking assurances that America is committed to diplomacy.

For instance, the North Korean nuclear crisis presents one of the gravest threats to our national security. The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Mike Pompeo recently asserted that North Korea could be capable of striking the United States with a nuclear weapon in a “handful of months.” In this perilous moment, the United States must urgently work with our regional allies to exert the pressure needed to get North Korea to the negotiating table. However, the administration has not nominated a U.S. Ambassador to South Korea.

In the Middle East, the Islamic State and other terrorist groups threaten the security and stability of individuals, institutions and governments. Now more than ever, it is in our interest to maintain strategic partnerships in the region, including with Egypt, Jordan, and the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Yet, our ambassadorships in Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia are currently vacant. To support U.S. interests and our allies in the region, including Israel, these positions must be filled.

Although Turkey is a longtime NATO ally, bilateral ties have been strained in recent years due to Turkey’s role in the conflict in Syria and Iraq and the systemic, anti-democratic consolidation of power by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Persistent anti-American rhetoric emanating from Turkish leaders and state media outlets has increased our concerns about the future of our bilateral relationship. At a time when American influence is vitally needed in Turkey, we lack an ambassador.

The administration has also not nominated a U.S. Ambassador to the European Union (EU). European leaders are struggling with domestic challenges, including independence movements and populism, and transnational issues such as the ongoing refugee crisis and Russian aggression. However, they are also seeking to move forward with key EU priorities, including NATO, trade, climate change, and the preservation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran. While the administration may not align with EU members on every issue, a strong ambassador to the EU could highlight and build upon shared values and priorities, and reassure nations that are concerned about the strength of the transatlantic relationship.

In Washington, there are critical posts that urgently need filling including the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, and the Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, who is now responsible for both Afghanistan and Pakistan. Like too many high-level positions at the State Department, both are currently filled by “acting” assistant secretaries rather than permanent appointments.

We urge you to consult with Congress regarding measures that impact the recruitment, staffing and retention of State Department. We ask that you quickly put forward qualified nominations for all vacant diplomatic posts, including those referenced above.

Respectfully,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released a statement on today’s White House nomination of Thomas T. Cullen to serve as United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia:

“Tom Cullen is an experienced federal prosecutor who has practiced in North Carolina and Virginia. He will make an excellent U.S. Attorney, and we are proud to support his nomination to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Western District,” said the Senators.

Cullen was one of two candidates recommended to the White House by Sens. Warner and Kaine in July. Cullen’s nomination was supported by a panel of attorneys from across the Commonwealth selected by Sens. Warner and Kaine to interview all candidates who applied for the position.

Mr. Cullen is currently a Principal/Partner at Woods Rogers PLC in Roanoke, where his practice focuses on white-collar defense and government investigations. He entered the private sector following a career with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District, where he served as Deputy Criminal Chief at the request of former U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Heaphy. Mr. Cullen previously served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, North Carolina. He also served as an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force prosecutor during his time in Charlotte. Mr. Cullen began his legal career as a clerk for U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne in the Eastern District, followed by a clerkship with Circuit Judge Roger L. Gregory in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Mr. Cullen received his law degree from William and Mary School of Law in 2004 where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif and a B.A. cum laude from Furman University.

The Western District of Virginia has offices in Roanoke, Charlottesville, Abingdon, Lynchburg, Danville, Big Stone Gap and Harrisonburg.

# # #

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement after the Senate failed to advance bipartisan legislation to protect young immigrants known as Dreamers:

“I’m extremely disappointed that our reasonable, bipartisan compromise failed to garner the 60 votes needed to move forward. I will continue to work with my colleagues to protect the Dreamers, who know no other home but America.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined colleagues in a letter to the chair and ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security asking that they include funding in the Homeland Security appropriations bill to reimburse Richmond International Airport for screening systems purchased to increase security following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Richmond’s airport took this step in 2005 to protect passenger safety and was promised a reimbursement, but has yet to be paid.

“In response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and with the encouragement and oversight of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), several airports installed in-line baggage screening systems with the expectation and promise that they would be reimbursed for their early action. Regrettably, these airports have still not been repaid,” the Senators wrote. “With the costs now validated, it is appropriate to begin providing funds for reimbursement.”

Warner and Kaine first asked Boozman and Tester to include funding for Richmond International Airport in the FY 2018 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill in May 2017. Preliminary data shows that a number of airports are still owed more than $217 million.

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

February 7, 2018

The Honorable John Boozman, Chairman
The Honorable Jon Tester, Ranking Member
Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Boozman and Ranking Member Tester:

As you work to finalize the FY 2018 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill, we urge you to include funding to begin reimbursing airports that took early action to install in-line baggage screening systems but have not yet received compensation for these critical security investments.

In response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and with the encouragement and oversight of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), several airports installed in-line baggage screening systems with the expectation and promise that they would be reimbursed for their early action. Regrettably, these airports have still not been repaid.

We are grateful for the Subcommittee’s inclusion of report language this year and in prior years to require the TSA to quantify the amount the affected airports are owed and to establish a plan to repay these costs. That process has confirmed that airports are owed at least $217 million but has not identified any resources to begin reimbursements. With the costs now validated, it is appropriate to begin providing funds for reimbursement. We urge you to commit as much funding as possible for that purpose in the final Homeland Security appropriations bill for FY 2018.

Thank you for your consideration of this request and your efforts to help our airports receive what they are owed.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Chicken Caucus, joined a bipartisan group of Senators to introduce theFair Agricultural Reporting Method (FARM) Act. The bill would protect farmers, cattlemen, and livestock markets from burdensome EPA reporting requirements for animal waste emissions. These requirements were not intended to affect animal agriculture and instead were meant to address dangerous industrial pollution, chemical plant explosions, and the release of hazardous materials into the environment.

“Virginia cattlemen and farmers should not be burdened by regulations that were designed to apply to industrial pollution and toxic chemicals – not farms and production facilities,” said Sen. Warner. “Our local agricultural industry is an economic driver and job creator in the Commonwealth and this commonsense fix balances strong environmental protections with the needs of these hardworking livestock producers.”

“On behalf poultry farmers in Virginia, we greatly appreciate Senator Warner for his leadership on the FARM Act. This bill will ease the burden of Virginia turkey and chicken farmers from having to report low-level ammonia emissions from the natural decomposition of animal manure,” said Hobey Bauhan, President, Virginia Poultry Federation.

“The Virginia Cattlemen's Association is pleased that Senator Warner joined in patronizing the FARM Act and supporting a common sense approach to deregulation when unintentional targets like livestock production are included in a rule written for other industries. We appreciate Senator Warner and others who signed on showing their commitment to making sure regulation is efficient and supportive of results over unnecessary bureaucracy,” said Jason H. Carter, Executive Director, Virginia Cattlemen's Association & Virginia Beef Industry Council.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) are laws on the books that require entities to notify authorities when they release large quantities of hazardous materials. In 2008, the EPA published a final rule exempting most livestock operations from the laws’ reporting requirements.

In April 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled EPA did not have the authority to create this exemption for agriculture, creating confusion and uncertainty for America’s Ag producers.

The FARM Act would:

Maintain the exemption for certain federally registered pesticides from reporting requirements within CERCLA.
Exempt air emissions from animal waste on a farm from reporting requirements under CERCLA.
Provide agriculture producers with greater certainty by reinstating the status quo producers have been operating under since EPA’s 2008 final rule.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

###

Click HERE to read the text of the amendment

Washington, D.C. — A bipartisan group of 16 Senators unveiled legislation this evening to protect “Dreamers” and to strengthen border security. The Senators are part of the Common Sense Coalition, a group of 25 Republican, Democratic, and Independent Senators convened by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), who have been meeting nearly every day in Senator Collins’ office to develop a framework to address Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and other immigration issues.

The lead sponsors of the legislation are Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Angus King (I-ME), and the original cosponsors include Senators: Collins, Manchin, Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), and Mark Warner (D-VA).

“This is a bipartisan solution that will provide a path to citizenship for Dreamers whose status in this country was left in limbo when the administration announced it was ending the DACA program,” said Senator Warner. “This amendment certainly isn’t perfect, but I believe it is a suitable compromise and the best path forward for the Senate to advance legislation on this critical issue.”

“Our bipartisan proposal takes meaningful steps to enhance border security, adds limits to chain migration and permanently deals with DACA recipients,” said Senator Rounds. “The $25 billion allotted for border security is a historic investment in our nation’s borders that will strengthen our ability to keep bad actors out of the country and keep Americans safe. It is a significant improvement from the status quo and will allow us to continue the dialogue as we seek to keep our borders safe and reform our immigration system to one that is merit-based.”

“Nearly everybody involved in this process has expressed a desire to help these young people, and that’s exactly what our bipartisan group, under the leadership of Senator Collins, has been working towards. Let’s help them, rather than getting bogged down in complicated, comprehensive and unrelated changes to our immigration policy,” said Senator King. “I hope our amendment will get the votes we need to take these young men and women out of limbo and ensure their legal status in the country they call home.”

“Following the reopening of the government last month, members of our Common Sense Coalition saw that immigration was beginning to fracture along partisan lines. We met continuously so that Senators could discuss this important issue and reach consensus,” said Senator Collins. “Our legislation underscores the broad, bipartisan commitment to creating a path to citizenship for Dreamers, who were brought to this country illegally through no decision of their own, while strengthening border security to help stop the flow of illegal immigrants as well as drugs like heroin that are ruining lives.”

“This compromise shows the American people what Congress can get done when we work in a bipartisan way and put politics aside. I’m glad we could work through these complicated issues in a constructive way in order to secure our border and solve some difficult immigration issues that I think both sides can support,” Senator Manchin said.

“Our proposal would represent the most significant change to immigration law in the past thirty-five years,” said Senator Graham. “Providing President Trump with $25 billion for the Wall system he campaigned on is a giant step forward for border security. As to the DACA population, we mirror President Trump’s proposal allowing DACA eligible individuals to obtain legal status and over a ten to twelve-year period, they can become green card holders. This will allow them to pursue their lives with certainty and stability in the United States – the only country they know. This is a substantial down payment on fixing a broken immigration system and truly is a win-win.”

“We’ve reached a deal that gives us the best chance to protect Dreamers against deportation from the only country they know as home,” said Senator Kaine. “This is a true compromise, which includes the significant boost in border security funding our Republican colleagues and President Trump have been asking for. I’ve worked across the aisle for weeks with this large group of Republicans and Democrats to reach this deal, and I hope my colleagues will join us in showing that the Senate can solve tough problems.”

“I’m pleased to be part of this group of Republicans and Democrats who are working together to make a law, rather than a point,” said Senator Flake. “A broadly-supported, bipartisan bill that protects DACA recipients and strengthens border security ought to be able to get 60 votes in the Senate. Let’s put it on the floor and work together to get it passed.”

“This bipartisan legislation represents our best opportunity to make long overdue changes to our immigration laws that will allow 1.8 million Dreamers to live without fear of deportation, make robust investments in border security, and ensure that family reunification remains one of the core values of our immigration system,” said Senator Coons. “This process has not been easy, and this bill is not perfect, but Delawareans sent me to the Senate to not only fight for our values, but to also work across the aisle to get things done. While this isn't the bill I would have drafted, I believe this is a good, honest compromise, and I will support it on the Senate floor tomorrow.”

“Our immigration system is broken and we need to fix it,” said Senator Gardner. “There are many children who came to this country without documentation and we need to allow them the opportunity to remain here lawfully. This legislation addresses some of the largest challenges our broken immigration system faces, including a major boost to border security, and I urge members on both sides of the aisle that want a solution to support our bipartisan approach.”

“This agreement is full of tough compromises, but it shows that when senators really want to find bipartisan solutions, it’s possible,” said Senator Heitkamp. “That’s the whole purpose of the Common Sense Coalition – to work together, Republicans and Democrats, to reach results for the American people – and I hope Congress passes our deal. I’m proud to have been part of this group that worked together to reopen the government in 2013 and last month. And now we’re doing it again by forging a deal that both provides a permanent solution to those who came to our country as children through no fault of their own while boosting border security at all of our borders.”

"I am proud to be part of this bipartisan effort," said Senator Murkowski. "The amendment seeks to protect the Dreamers while strengthening our border security and I am encouraged by the time and effort we have spent as a group trying to achieve a consensus on this difficult issue. I hope we can get to a final bill that protects the Dreamers and look forward to the debate."

“This bipartisan agreement finally allows DREAMers a pathway to citizenship so that they no longer have to live in fear of deportation,” said Senator Shaheen. “Time is of the essence and I urge lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to support this proposal so that DREAMers can finally move on with their lives. This agreement further demonstrates the necessity of good faith bipartisan discussions and the need for compromise to get things done. I look forward to continued participation with the Common Sense Caucus to make further progress on the many challenges facing our country.”

“My goal is to get a result on both border security and DACA so I will cosponsor and vote for Senator Grassley's legislation implementing the president’s proposal. I will also cosponsor and vote for this narrower bipartisan proposal offered by Senators Rounds and King because it too solves the DACA problem and provides the $25 billion the president requested to improve border security,” said Senator Alexander.

"We can't wait any longer to find a solution for the DREAMers and this bipartisan agreement - which was a product of working across the aisle with my colleagues for the past several weeks - includes a path to citizenship. I am hopeful it can get strong bipartisan support in the Senate,"said Senator Klobuchar.

“We have a real opportunity to secure our borders and address some of the issues in our immigration system,” said Senator Isakson. “I’m committed to continuing to work toward real solutions, and this legislation will help meet many of these goals.”

Highlights of the bipartisan proposal include:

Legal Status and Path to Citizenship for Young People Brought to the US as Children.

The amendment provides legal status and a path to citizenship to individuals who were brought to the U.S. as children. Individuals who are registered under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program automatically qualify, if they arrived in this country by June 15, 2007, unless they have engaged in conduct that would make them ineligible. To obtain legal status, individuals not enrolled in the DACA program must:

Have been continuously present in the U.S. since June 15, 2012, the date of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Executive Order;

Have been under age 18 when they entered the U.S., and under age 38 on June 15, 2012;

Meet educational requirements or be serving in the U.S. Armed Forces (or have been honorably discharged from military service); and

Pass background checks, medical exams, and register for the Selective Service, if applicable.

Individuals do not qualify if they are convicted of a felony, a significant misdemeanor, or three or more misdemeanors. Individuals are required to pay any federal tax liability incurred while working legally in the U.S.

Beneficiaries can apply for citizenship after 12 years, and up to 2 years of credit will be given for time with DACA.

PROHIBITION ON DACA BENEFICIARIES SPONSORING THEIR PARENTS FOR CITIZENSHIP

The amendment includes language prohibiting parents from using their Dreamer children’s newly granted citizenship to apply for citizenship themselves.

BORDER SECURITY

The amendment authorizes and appropriates $25 billion in funding for Northern and Southern border security over the next 10 years. The bill requires DHS to provide detailed reports to Congress on its security plan, including physical barriers, fencing, tactical infrastructure, technology, personnel, and the milestones for implementing this plan.

Funding after the first year is released each year once the DHS Secretary certifies that at least 75 percent of the goals for the prior year have been reached. Sixty votes would be required in order to prevent funding for each fiscal year.

The bill also directs the Secretary to prioritize enforcement resources against aliens who:

Have been convicted of a felony, a significant misdemeanor, three or more misdemeanors;
Are a threat to national security or public safety; or
Are unlawfully present and arrived in the U.S. after June 30, 2018.

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WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement on the Geneal Services Administration (GSA) report on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) consolidation plan:

“This is a deeply disappointing decision that reverses years of consensus that a new FBI headquarters in the Washington region would be the most cost-effective option for taxpayers and what’s best for the agency's mission of protecting and defending the United States. It raises serious questions that GSA would ignore its previous careful consideration and forgo the millions of dollars already spent in the search to relocate the Bureau. I continue to believe that the identified site in Springfield, Virginia would provide the FBI with the best location to build a modern and secure facility that meets the needs of the FBI and its workforce. Congress should look closely into what led to this reversal and carefully reevaluate all of the options available for the construction of this new facility.”

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement on President Trump’s budget proposal and infrastructure “principles”:

“Once again, the Administration has put forth a budget that attacks the pay and retirement security of federal workers, slashes funding for Chesapeake Bay cleanup, and fails to seriously invest in critical infrastructure.

“What the President proposed today isn’t a real infrastructure plan. It is simply designed to let the President take credit for the investments, while sticking states and localities with the bill. Selling off property like the GW Parkway, Dulles Airport, and Reagan National will not improve our infrastructure – it will only mean higher costs for the traveling public. And as with the rest of the President’s budget request, the Administration does nothing to describe how it would pay for its own transportation proposal.

“The President’s budget proposal puts the burdens of deficit reduction on all the wrong places by slashing funding for Medicaid, college loans, and food assistance for needy families, and bringing overall non-defense investments down to levels not seen in modern times. But even as working families struggle, corporations will continue to spend tens of billions of dollars on share buybacks after receiving a windfall in the form of the $2.5 trillion unpaid-for tax cut.

“Even using economic assumptions rejected by leading economists, this budget would still leave America deeply in the red. Over the long term, this unsustainable level of debt will jeopardize everyone’s prosperity. While this Administration has abandoned the Republican Party’s longtime goal of reducing deficit spending, Congress must come together to find balanced solutions to address our fiscal situation.”

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) met with Tim Thomas, President Trump’s nominee to be the Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission. During the meeting, Senator Warner and Thomas discussed their shared priorities for Appalachia, including workforce development and combatting the opioid crisis.

“While I remain concerned about the Trump Administration’s proposal to defund the Appalachian Regional Commission, I was encouraged to hear Mr. Thomas lay out his priorities for an active ARC that carries out its mission of fostering economic development in Appalachia,” said Sen. Warner. “When it comes to jumpstarting the region’s economy, we need to take off our Republican and Democratic hats and work together. I encourage my colleagues from both parties to give fair consideration to Mr. Thomas’ nomination for this important post.”

The Appalachian Regional Commission is a federal-state partnership that has invested in 25,000 projects across Appalachia’s 420 counties. For more than fifty years, ARC has provided funding and support for job-creating community projects across the 13 Appalachian states, producing an average of $204 million in annual earnings for a region often challenged by economic underdevelopment. Since its inception in 1965, ARC has generated over 300,000 jobs and $10 billion for the 25 million Americans living in Appalachia.

In his FY2018 budget, President Trump proposed eliminating funding for the ARC entirely. In response, Senator Warner and a bipartisan coalition of Senators who represent Appalachian states called on President Trump to reverse his proposal to zero out funding for this important federal-state partnership. In 2017 alone, Senator Warner announced over $7 million in ARC grant funding for projects in Virginia’s Appalachian counties, including:

Falls Mills Senior Center Project (Tazewell County) - $500,000. This grant to the Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens, Inc., in partnership with the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors, will help build a community service and senior facility at the Falls Mills Elementary School site.
Alleghany Highlands Drone Zone (Covington, Va.) - $100,000. This grant will be matched with $100,000 in local funds to complete a feasibility study and design, marketing, and business plan for the new “Alleghany Highlands Drone Zone,” a business accelerator program and facility to support local enterprises in this emerging industry. It is anticipated that space for 12 businesses will be available in a city owned building that has been identified for renovation, and the project is expected to support the creation of three to five new businesses a year, according to ARC.
Floyd Regional Commerce Center (Floyd County) - $1,081,958. This grant leverages $30 million in private investment—will fund approximately 0.21 miles of access road, an industrial cul-de-sac, as well as pedestrian and bike path to facilitate Floyd County’s development of the Floyd Regional Commerce Center. The Floyd County Economic Development Authority estimates that completion of the Commerce Center would promote economic development with the potential to support more than 100 new jobs in the region.
William King Museum of Art (Abingdon, Va.) - $500,000. This grant will help the William King Museum of Art will help fund Phase 1 of a larger cultural campus expansion project. The funds will go towards access improvements, additional parking and renovating a currently vacant facility that will become the new Center for Studio Art and Education. With the improvements at the campus, 10 artisans will take up residency at the facility, 2 jobs will be created and 2,500 new visitors are anticipated. In addition to ARC funds, local sources will provide $657,000, bringing the total project funding to $1,157,000.
Southwest Virginia Early Childhood Workforce Development (Abington, Va.) - $99,933. This grant will help United Way of Southwest Virginia assist 70 workers obtain child care credentials and improve child development services for 20 existing businesses in a 13-county area. In addition, the grantee will provide training and other assistance to individuals who wish to establish their own childcare programs in underserved areas, resulting in 10 new enterprises capable of serving 120 children. In addition to ARC funds, local sources will provide $61,783 in matching funds.
Project Discovery Program (Abingdon, Va.) - $75,844. This grant will help People Incorporated of Virginia expand its academic advancement and college attendance program to serve more low-income, first-generation college-bound high school students. The project will provide assistance to 60 students with college readiness skills and financial opportunities. The project will serve Dickenson, Buchanan, Russell, and Washington Counties. In additional to ARC funds, local sources will provide $39,391, bringing the total project funding to $113,235.
Frog Level Phase II Water Project (Lee County) - $500,000. This grant will help provide reliable public water supply to Lee County as well as support economic development for the newly-established school of veterinary medicine. In addition to ARC funds, state sources will provide $948,680, and local sources will provide $108,652, bringing the total project funding to $1,557,332.
Cool & Connected Pennington Gap Project (Pennington Gap, Va.) - $7,500. This grant will help the city of Pennington Gap fund the renovation of space and the creation of a community computer center at the basement of the Lee Theatre, purchase computer equipment, and provide Wi-Fi access in Leeman’s field. In addition to ARC funds, Sunset Digital Communications will provide $4,000, bringing the total project funding to $11,500.
Cool & Connected Jonesville Project (Jonesville, Va.) - $7,500. This grant will help fund the renovation of a community computer center in Jonesville, Virginia at an existing town-owned building located in the town’s Cumberland Bowl Park. The minor renovations will include computer equipment and Wi-Fi access at the park. In addition to ARC funds, Sunset Digital Communications will provide $4,000, bringing the total project funding to $11,500.
Tacoma Sewer Project (Wise County) - $500,000. The grant will help the Wise County Public Service Authority begin a project that will provide public sewer collection to a previously unserved community of 48 households and two businesses, and eliminate public and environmental health concerns related to improperly disposed raw sewage. In addition to ARC funds, state sources will provide $750,000, and local sources will provide $155,901, bringing the total project funding to $1,405,901.
Lyric Theater Project (St. Paul, Va.) - $300,000. This grant will help the Town of St. Paul renovate and stabilize the interior and exterior of the Lyric Theater to stabilize the building. The renovation will equip the building to hold conferences, events and performing arts for visitor and tourists. The facility will be affiliated with The Crooked Road Music Heritage Trail. In addition to ARC funds, local sources will provide $135,000, bringing the total project funding to $435,000.
Spearhead Trails in SW Virginia Project (Coeburn, Va.) - $92,300. This grant will help the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority (SRRA) to fund a study that will examine existing and potential economic benefits of the Spearhead Trails on the surrounding region, identify priorities for future development, and help SRRA develop a sustainable organizational model. SRRA was chartered by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 2008 to support outdoor recreation and tourism investment in the Coalfields of Southwest Virginia. In addition to ARC funds, state sources will provide $30,000 and local sources will provide $7,700, bringing the total project funding to $130,000.
Donnkenny, Breaks and Tivis Pump Stations Replacement Project (Dickenson County) - $441,740. This grant will help replace three deteriorating below-ground pump stations with above-ground facilities that meet current design standards. The new pump stations will provide water to 571 households and 10 businesses in distressed communities, as well as to nine tourism-related businesses in the Breaks Interstate Park, and will ensure that reliable infrastructure is in place to support future economic development, particularly that which is related to tourism. In addition to ARC funds, state sources will provide $150,000, and local sources will provide an additional $102,260, bringing the total project funding to $694,000.

Senator Warner serves as a co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Appalachia Initiative, which has laid out a roadmap for bipartisan legislation to jumpstart economic growth in the region.

Mr. Thomas currently serves on the state staff of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as a field representative based in the senator’s Bowling Green office. A native Kentuckian, Thomas previously served in the administration of former Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher as a special assistant to the secretary of the Kentucky Environmental Cabinet, handling matters including legislative initiatives for the agency, according to the ARC.

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WASHINGTON – Today the entire Virginia delegation, led by Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-1), joined together to send a letter to President Trump, urging the administration not to consider relocating a nuclear powered aircraft carrier from NAVSTA Norfolk, Virginia to NAVSTA Mayport, Florida. This is in response to a letter sent by the Florida delegation last week requesting the move.

“As members of the Virginia Congressional delegation, we are writing to urge you to craft a Fiscal Year 2019 Presidential Budget based on a clearly articulated National Security Strategy, a National Defense Strategy, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars – not on narrow interests disconnected from these priorities. At a time when our military continues to rebuild and restore readiness, critical taxpayer dollars should only be used to make our Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps more lethal and more capable,” the delegation wrote.

Strategically, the Navy does not have a stated requirement for moving an aircraft carrier to Florida. The Navy considered a similar move in 2008, but after studying the cost impacts – decided against it. The estimated nonrecurring cost in 2008 was $565 million, and an updated assessment in 2010 found that the cost increased to $589.7 million. We are once again in the same situation. Currently, Norfolk is home to all 5 of the Navy’s aircraft carriers on the east coast. The entire Hampton Roads area has clear strategic value as the existing east coast aircraft carrier hub by boasting a world-class harbor, ship repair and overhaul capabilities, as well as an unmatched confluence of joint warfare components, including surface, aviation, expeditionary, and special operations activities. The Navy has no shortage of necessary materials at NAVSTA Norfolk, and a move would be an irresponsible use of Navy funds.

“Greater value should be placed on current plans crafted by Navy leadership, based on current threats, rather than outdated reports drafted from almost a decade ago... Defense funding must be prioritized to restore readiness and defend the homeland, not to fund a non-existent requirement and duplicative capability that will cost the Navy nearly $1 billion over the next 15 years,” the delegation wrote.

Additional Virginia Delegation members signing the letter include U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, and U.S. Reps. Scott Taylor (VA-2), Bobby Scott (VA-3), Tom Garrett, Jr. (VA-5), Bob Goodlatte (VA-6), Dave Brat (VA-7), Don Beyer (VA-8), H. Morgan Griffith (VA-9), Barbara Comstock (VA-10), and Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11).

The full letter is included below and can be viewed here.

President Donald J. Trump

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Trump:

As members of the Virginia Congressional delegation, we are writing to urge you to craft a Fiscal Year 2019 Presidential Budget based on a clearly articulated National Security Strategy, a National Defense Strategy, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars – not on narrow interests disconnected from these priorities. At a time when our military continues to rebuild and restore readiness, critical taxpayer dollars should only be used to make our Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps more lethal and more capable.

We were disturbed to hear of a letter by the Florida delegation requesting to move a Navy nuclear powered aircraft carrier to Naval Station (NAVSTA) Mayport citing “strategic and operational value.” The Navy annually briefs members of Congress on its Strategic Laydown and Dispersal Plan and, as of 2017, did not identify a need nor a desire to move an aircraft carrier from NAVSTA Norfolk to NAVSTA Mayport within the next 5 years. The Florida delegation’s letter in favor of such a move referenced Department of Defense (DoD) and Navy reports from 2009 and 2010 because the concept has not appeared in studies since. Greater value should be placed on current plans crafted by Navy leadership, based on current threats, rather than outdated reports drafted from almost a decade ago.

When the Navy studied the cost impacts of relocating an aircraft carrier from NAVSTA Norfolk to NAVSTA Mayport in 2008, the estimated nonrecurring cost was $565 million. In an updated assessment in 2010, the Navy found that the costs had increased to $589.7 million. This number only represents the up-front costs and not the day-to-day costs of maintaining such a capability. In 2008, the Navy estimated that homeporting an aircraft carrier at NAVSTA Mayport instead of NAVSTA Norfolk would result in a recurring annual cost of $25.5 million. Defense funding must be prioritized to restore readiness and defend the homeland, not to fund a non-existent requirement and duplicative capability that will cost the Navy nearly $1 billion over the next 15 years.

The entire Hampton Roads area has clear strategic value as the existing east coast aircraft carrier hub by boasting a world-class harbor, ship repair and overhaul capabilities, as well as an unmatched confluence of joint warfare components, including surface, aviation, expeditionary, and special operations activities. Additionally, the Master Jet Base at Naval Air Station Oceana hosts the Carrier Air Wings assigned to these ships and minimizes the transit times for aircraft conducting routine training operations aboard the ship. The Navy faces no shortage of necessary fleet resources in the form of nuclear ports, which include five sites in addition to NAVSTA Norfolk, Virginia: Bremerton, Washington; Everett, Washington; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Yokosuka, Japan; and San Diego, California. All six of these locations have the experience and capability needed to homeport a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier should the Navy need to pursue greater strategic and operational dispersal.

We strongly recommend that you remain consistent to your own Department of Defense’s plans and look to allocate funds in your Fiscal Year 2019 budget for areas of Navy’s needs based upon established requirements.

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WASHINGTON — Today, a package of bipartisan healthcare provisions introduced by U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, were included in a funding bill passed by Congress and signed by the President. Among the five bipartisan legislative proposals is the CHRONIC Care Act, legislation aimed at improving health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries living with chronic conditions.

“It is no surprise that this package of cost-effective, evidence-based proposals received broad bipartisan support,” said Sen. Warner. “These commonsense fixes will streamline the way Medicare patients living with chronic conditions receive care, helping those with diabetes or renal disease access high quality and affordable healthcare services.”

Bipartisan legislation passed by Congress today includes:

Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act – This bill will permanently reauthorize and strengthen Medicare Advantage Special Needs plans to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries with chronic conditions or other significant health needs have continued access to quality care that is tailored to their personal needs. It also expands telehealth services offered through different providers of care that will benefit seniors in rural areas and increase access to primary care services and telestroke care. In addition, it extends the proven “independence at home” model that allows seniors to receive care from primary care teams, thereby decreasing hospital readmissions and allowing seniors with multiple chronic conditions to receive care in their own home.
Medicare Home Infusion Therapy Access Act – This bill will create a transitional reimbursement for Medicare home infusion services. While legislation sponsored by Sen. Warner to restructure the way Medicare beneficiaries who need intravenous medication receive their infusion treatments from the comfort of their home has already passed Congress, this bill properly aligns the change in payments with the new benefit, avoiding a four-year gap during which patients would have challenges securing these life-saving treatments. Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives.
Dialysis Access Improvement Act – This bill will allow dialysis providers to seek outside accreditation from organizations approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to participate in the Medicare program, streamlining the accreditation process for dialysis facilities and improving access for Medicare patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives.
Protecting Access to Diabetes Supplies Act – The bill will strengthen patient protections included in the Medicare National Mail Order program for Diabetic Testing Supplies (DTS), ensuring that Medicare beneficiaries are able to continue accessing familiar diabetes supplies and test systems through DTS. Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives.
Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Improvement Act – This bill will apply accreditation and other standards for orthotics and prosthetics, such as prosthetic limbs, under Medicare, helping to guarantee access to quality products for beneficiaries. Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives.

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement on the bipartisan budget agreement passed by Congress and signed by the President:

“Today, I voted to keep the government open and provide certainty for our budget after months of unnecessary delays and frustrating efforts to kick the can down the road. This bill ensures that the military, the federal workforce, and other programs have a roadmap for the next two years by fixing the “stupidity on steroids” of the sequester cuts first enacted in 2011. In addition, this bill provides critical funding to address important priorities like fighting the opioid crisis, disaster relief, and included an additional four years of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and bipartisan Medicare reforms.

“I do have grave concerns about language that has been inserted into this package which may hinder the ability of the Senate Intelligence Committee to conduct aggressive, real-time oversight over the entire intelligence community. I intend to work with Chairman Burr and my colleagues in the coming weeks to resolve this issue.

“I voted for this package reluctantly. While it includes many worthy priorities, it was put together without any semblance of fiscal responsibility, and comes on the heels of the budget-busting $2.5 trillion Republican tax package. Experts tell us that when you combine this spending bill with the tax package, the deficit will easily blow past one trillion dollars next year. In 2015, it was less than half that.

“I was in business longer than I was in politics, and I know that there are times when you need to make critical investments, and even sometimes operate at a loss. But this has gotten to a point of being indefensible. Unemployment is low, the economy is stable, yet here we are, putting money on the nation’s credit card. In the absence of leadership from the White House, Congress must step up and get serious about finding balanced solutions for our long-term fiscal challenges.”

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WASHINGTON —Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Banking and Finance Committees, joined a group of 31 Senators to demand answers on reports that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has halted its investigation into how credit reporting agency Equifax failed to protect the personal data of more than 145 million Americans.

“We are deeply troubled by recent news reports that, under Director Mulvaney’s leadership, the CFPB has stopped its investigation into the Equifax breach,” the Senators wrote in a letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney and CFPB Acting Director Leandra English.“The CFPB is currently the only federal agency with supervisory authority over the largest consumer reporting agencies. Consumer reporting agencies and the data they collect play a central role in consumers’ access to credit and the fair and competitive pricing of that credit. Therefore, the CFPB has a clear duty to supervise consumer reporting agencies, investigate how this breach has or will harm consumers, and bring enforcement actions as necessary.”

According to reports, CFPB has not issued any subpoenas, sought testimony from key executives at Equifax, or proceeded with on-site examinations.

The Equifax breach exposed data that included customers’ names, Social Security numbers, birthdates, addresses, driver’s license numbers, and, for some consumers, credit card numbers. This data could easily be used by criminals to steal people’s identity or commit fraud. The impact on consumers whose data has been stolen is potentially devastating. As a result of identity theft and fraud, customers face the risk of having debt accrued in their name. They could suffer long-lasting damage to their credit, which could lead to them being denied loans, mortgages, employment, or even rental housing. To resolve the damage done by this data breach, they will likely spend months, if not years, trying to correct resulting errors and problems with their financial records.

Sen. Warner has been a leader in calling for better consumer protections from data theft. He has introduced legislation to prevent data breaches and hold credit reporting agencies (CRAs) like Equifax accountable, giving the FTC more direct supervisory authority over their data security, imposing mandatory penalties on CRAs to incentivize adequate protection of consumer data, and providing robust compensation to consumers for stolen data.Following the Equifax data breach, Sen. Warner asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to examine whether credit reporting agencies such as Equifax have adequate cybersecurity safeguards in place for “the enormous amounts of sensitive data they gather and commercialize.” He slammed the credit bureau for its cybersecurity failures and weak response at a Banking Committee hearing with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Jay Clayton last year.

In addition to Sen. Warner, others joining the letter include Sens. Brian Schatz (D-HI), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jon Tester (D-MT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tom Udall (D-NM), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Tina Smith (MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Gary Peters (D-MI), Patty Murray (WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Doug Jones (D-AL).

A PDF of the letter can be found here. Full text can be found below.

Dear Acting Director English and Director Mulvaney,

We write to express serious concerns that, according to recent news reports, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) may have halted an investigation into the massive Equifax data breach, which compromised the personal information of 145.5 million Americans.

The Equifax breach exposed significant gaps in cybersecurity standards in an industry that collects a substantial amount of personal information on virtually every adult in the country. The three largest consumer reporting agencies alone collect information on more than 200 million Americans—information that is used in more than 3 billion consumer reports a year. The data collected and reported by consumer reporting agencies determines Americans’ access to credit and the cost of that credit for individuals and small businesses. This data also impacts Americans’ ability to get a job or secure housing. By letting criminals gain access to its databases, Equifax has put nearly half the US population at risk for identity theft and fraud, which can ruin the financial lives of its victims and increase risk in our financial system.

Unfortunately, in the immediate aftermath of the breach, Equifax’s response caused more consumer harm and confusion. Just to name a few examples, the company responded by promoting its affiliated paid credit monitoring service (i.e., LifeLock), asking consumers to waive their rights to access free credit monitoring, and charging consumers to protect their data by freezing their credit reports. Not only do we need to better understand how this breach has impacted consumers, we also must ensure that consumer reporting agencies are taking the steps necessary to mitigate this harm—not misleading consumers or taking advantage of the situation for their own financial gain.

As established by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the CFPB has a statutory mandate to implement and enforce federal consumer protection laws. This mandate specifically includes protecting consumers from “unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts and practices” and ensuring that “federal consumer financial laws are enforced consistently.” Dodd-Frank specifically includes the Fair Credit Reporting Act as one of the enumerated federal consumer financial laws. The CFPB also has clear supervisory authority over the largest consumer reporting agencies. Consumer reporting agencies and the data they collect play a central role in consumers’ access to credit and the fair and competitive pricing of that credit. Therefore, the CFPB has a duty to supervise consumer reporting agencies, investigate how this breach has or will harm consumers, and bring enforcement actions as necessary.

We are deeply troubled by recent news reports that, under Director Mulvaney’s leadership, the CFPB may have stopped its investigation into the Equifax breach. According to these reports, the CFPB has not taken even the most preliminary steps to conduct an investigation. While we are aware of reports that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) may be taking the lead in investigating Equifax’s failure to maintain adequate data security standards, the CFPB still has a duty to investigate the harm to consumers and whether other federal consumer financial laws have been violated. We are also concerned that the CFPB appears to be scaling back its supervision of large consumer reporting agencies. The agency has reportedly scrapped plans to conduct on-site exams of Equifax and other consumer reporting agencies and turned down offers from the Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to help with such on-site exams.

The responsibility of consumer reporting agencies as custodians of consumers’ personal and financial information is of paramount importance to us and our constituents. Several committees in both the House and Senate have held hearings to investigate the causes of the breach and the inadequate post-breach response. The CFPB has a statutory mandate to participate in this process by conducting an investigation. If that investigation exposes wrongdoing or consumer harm, the CFPB has the authority, and indeed a duty, to bring appropriate enforcement actions.

We respectfully ask for more information about the CFPB’s actions with respect to investigating the Equifax breach. Specifically, please answer the following questions by February 19, 2018:

1. In September, then-CFPB Director Richard Cordray announced that the CFPB would begin a probe into the Equifax breach. Has the CFPB stopped this or any other investigation related to this matter?

a. If so, why was that or any investigation halted?

b. Who directed the ending of any investigation?

2. Is the CFPB planning to conduct on-site exams of Equifax and the other consumer reporting agencies under its supervisory authority?

a. Has the CFPB conducted an examination of a consumer reporting agency following the Equifax hack?

3. If the CFPB is conducting an investigation, what specific steps has the CFPB taken pursuant to this investigation?

a. Has the CFPB issued Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs)?

b. Has the CFPB interviewed Equifax personnel?

c. Have the CFPB personnel examined Equifax systems or gone onsite to Equifax facilities?

4. Is the CFPB coordinating with the FTC, state law enforcement officials, or other Federal regulators in their investigations?

Thank you for your prompt attention to this important issue.

Sincerely,

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