Press Releases
Warner, Kaine, Wittman Request Briefing with Bureau of Indian Affairs for Newly Recognized Federal Tribes
Feb 07 2018
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) today requested that Bureau of Indian Affairs schedule a briefing as soon as possible with six newly federally recognized tribes in Virginia so that they can fully understand what benefits and resources will now be available to them after a successful, decades-long effort to secure federal recognition. Congress last month passed and the president signed into law H.R. 984, the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2017, which for the first time grants federal recognition to six Virginia tribes.
“As new federally recognized tribes, the Chickahominy, the Chickahominy - Eastern Division, the Upper Mattaponi, the Rappahannock, the Monacan, and the Nansemond, have a right to understand all the benefits and resources that are available to them under this designation,” wrote the members in a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, whose Department oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The tribes had received official recognition from the Commonwealth of Virginia, but until now had not received federal recognition, which will grant the tribes legal standing and status in direct relationships with the U.S. government. It also allows the tribes to:
- Compete for educational programs and other grants only open to federally recognized tribes;
- Repatriate the remains of their ancestors in a respectful manner. Many of these remains reside in the Smithsonian, but without federal status there is no mandate to return the remains; and
- Provide affordable health care services for elder tribal members who have been unable to access care.
“Now, after many years, these individuals have the opportunity to fully reclaim their heritage and take advantage of a designation that has been withheld from them for far too long,” Sen. Warner, Sen. Kaine and Rep. Wittman wrote. “Due to the amount of time it has taken these tribes to acquire federal recognition status, we are requesting that this briefing take place as soon as possible, so these tribes can appropriately plan for the next year and beyond. We look forward to hearing from you on this important matter.”
The text of today’s letter appears below.
February 7, 2018
The Honorable Ryan Zinke
Secretary
United States Department of Interior
1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20240
Dear Secretary Zinke:
We write today to request a comprehensive briefing on federal recognition from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) for the six newly federally recognized tribes in Virginia. As new federally recognized tribes, the Chickahominy, the Chickahominy—Eastern Division, the Upper Mattaponi, the Rappahannock, the Monacan, and the Nansemond, have a right to understand all the benefits and resources that are available to them under this designation.
After nearly twenty years of inaction, Congress passed the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2017 (H.R.984) on January 11, 2018. President Donald J. Trump signed this historic bill into law on January 29, 2018. This legislation grants federal recognition status to six Virginia tribes, whose ancestors played a pivotal role in our nation’s history. All the aforementioned tribes are recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia, and several were a part of the oldest recognized treaty in the country – the Treaty of Middle Plantation (1677).
While these six Virginia Indian tribes were formally recognized by the British and the Commonwealth of Virginia, they were not able to attain formal recognition status by the United States government for decades. Many of the tribes’ official documents were destroyed in the burning of Virginia’s courthouses during the Civil War, and the remnants of their records were lost through the passage of a Virginia law, the Racial Integrity Act of 1924, which almost erased the identities of these tribes. Now, after many years, these individuals have the opportunity to fully reclaim their heritage and take advantage of a designation that has been withheld from them for far too long.
Due to the amount of time it has taken these tribes to acquire federal recognition status, we are requesting that this briefing take place as soon as possible, so these tribes can appropriately plan for the next year and beyond. We look forward to hearing from you on this important matter.
Sincerely,
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WASHINGTON —Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, announced that this month the Department of Defense (DoD) will begin the process of sending notifications to more than 133,000 veterans who may qualify for a refund of federal taxes paid on disability severance pay dating back to January 17, 1991.
Under federal law, veterans who suffer combat-related injuries and who are separated from the military are not supposed to be taxed on the one-time lump sum disability severance payment they receive from DoD. However, for years DoD improperly withheld taxes on these payments from thousands of qualifying veterans, who were typically unaware that their benefits were being improperly reduced.
To correct this injustice, in 2016 Sen. Warner introduced and passed the Combat-Injured Veterans Tax Fairness Act instructing DoD to identify veterans who have been separated from service for combat-related injuries and had taxes improperly withheld from their severance payments. The bill required DoD to determine how much these veterans are owed so they can recover the withheld amounts, and notify them of their eligibility. Eligible veterans will now have a year after they receive the notice from DoD to file a claim for the refund.
“These are veterans who were wounded in service to our country, but because of Pentagon bureaucracy, many of them were robbed of money that they had earned through their service, payments that were intended to help them transition into civilian life. They deserved better. I am glad that our legislation has kicked-off the process to restore these improperly withheld taxes,” said Sen. Warner. “I encourage those Virginians who receive letters to promptly file for a refund, and my office stands ready to assist.”
“More than 133,000 disabled veterans may be eligible for a refund of federal taxes under the Combat Injured Veterans Tax Fairness Act. I urge all veterans who receive the notification letter to follow the instructions for filing an amended tax return to receive the refund. I thank Congress for taking up this matter and passing legislation to return improperly withheld federal taxes to these deserving disabled veterans,” said Mike Boehme, State Commander, Department of Virginia, Veterans of Foreign Wars.
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Sen. Warner Introduces Legislation to Curb Fraud and Abuse Through Federal Payments to the Deceased
Feb 06 2018
WASHINGTON —Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would help save millions of federal dollars by curbing erroneous payments to deceased individuals.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) maintains the most complete federal database of individuals who are reported to have died. However, only a small number of federal agencies have access to this official list, and most federal agencies rely on a slimmed down, incomplete and less timely version of the death information. In addition, most Inspectors General lack access to the complete death information. As a result, many federal agencies make erroneous payments to people who are actually deceased.
“This should be a no-brainer: One of the easiest ways we can cut down on government waste, fraud, and abuse is by stopping fraudulent payments made to deceased people,” said Sen. Warner. “The federal government has the responsibility to be a good steward of taxpayer money, and this legislation will help us improve the nation’s fiscal health by saving taxpayers millions of dollars lost to bureaucratic oversight.”
The SSA Office of the Inspector General reported that in 2015, according to the agency’s own records, there were 6.5 million people who have active Social Security numbers who are 112 years of age or older. In reality, there are only a few dozen people known to be that old in the entire world. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) estimated that it paid $239 million in “suspect” tax refunds in 2016.
Key provisions in the bill include:
· Allowing Federal Agencies Access to the Complete Death Database. Under current law, only federal agencies that directly manage programs making beneficiary payments have access to complete death data. The Act allows all appropriate federal agencies to have access to the complete death data for program integrity purposes, as well as other needs such as public safety and health.
· Requiring Use of Death Data to Curb Improper Payments. The Act would require that federal agencies make appropriate use of the death data in order to curb improper payments.
· Improving the Death Data. The legislation would establish procedures to ensure more accurate death data. For example, the bill requires the SSA to screen for “extremely elderly” individuals. This is in response to a 2015 Inspector General Report that identified 6.5 million individuals currently listed as being older than 112 years of age as still alive.
In addition to Sen. Warner, the Stopping Improper Payments to Deceased People Act was introduced by Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE), John Kennedy (R-LA), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Gary Peters (D-MI). Reps. Cheri Bustos (D-IL) and Greg Gianforte (R-MT) introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives. Similar legislation was introduced in the 114th Congress.
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined a bipartisan group of Senators in calling on Senate leadership to reauthorize funding for community health centers, which provide access to cost-effective primary and preventive care for families across the country.
“Community health centers serve a vital function, providing affordable health care to our nation’s most vulnerable citizens. They provide quality medical, dental, vision and behavioral health care to more than 27 million patients, including 330,000 of our nation’s veterans and 8 million children, at over 10,000 sites nationwide,” said the Senators in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). “Without extension of the Community Health Center Fund (CHCF), community health centers will lose seventy percent of their funding. This will result in an estimated 2,800 site closures, the loss of 50,000 jobs, and approximately 9 million Americans losing access to their health care.”
“Over 300,000 Virginians in 144 communities depend on this funding for access to basic health care services. We greatly appreciate Senators Warner and Kaine, and all of our Members of Congress coming together to make sure that these critical health care services are not interrupted to these medically underserved communities,” said Rick Shinn, Director of Government Affairs, Virginia Community Healthcare Association.
As the Senators note in their letter, the CHCF expired on September 30, 2017. The failure to reauthorize the fund has jeopardized access to care for millions of Americans, and made it difficult for community health centers to adequately plan for everything from staffing needs to securing loans for capital projects.
According to the Virginia Community Healthcare Association, more than 300,000 Virginians in underserved communities rely on this funding to access basic healthcare services. A comprehensive list of community health centers in the Commonwealth of Virginia can be found here.
“We look forward to working with you to reach a bipartisan agreement to fund the community health center program and enable our community health centers to continue providing high quality and affordable care to those in need,” the Senators concluded.
A list of Virginia CHCs can be found here.
Dear Leader McConnell and Minority Leader Schumer:
We write to express our concern over funding for community health centers, which expired on September 30, 2017. We strongly urge you to reauthorize this funding immediately.
Community health centers serve a vital function, providing affordable health care to our nation’s most vulnerable citizens. They provide quality medical, dental, vision and behavioral health care to more than 27 million patients, including 330,000 of our nation’s veterans and 8 million children, at over 10,000 sites nationwide. By offering preventative care, treating chronic conditions, and working to fight the opioid epidemic, community health centers are not only greatly improving the health and well-being of those they serve, they are also saving significant taxpayer dollars.
Without extension of the Community Health Center Fund (CHCF), community health centers will lose seventy percent of their funding. This will result in an estimated 2,800 site closures, the loss of 50,000 jobs, and approximately 9 million Americans losing access to their health care. Moreover, community health centers operate as small businesses and require a level of predictability to operate and respond to the needs of their communities. Since the expiration of the CHCF, community health centers have not been able to adequately plan for everything from staffing needs to securing loans for capital projects. In addition, the expiration of the National Health Service Corps and Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education program threatens the ability of health centers to meet their workforce needs.
For more than fifty years, community health centers have experienced strong bipartisan support. In fact, twenty bipartisan senators cosponsor legislation which reauthorizes funding not only for community health centers but also for the National Health Service Corps.
We look forward to working with you to reach a bipartisan agreement to fund the community health center program and enable our community health centers to continue providing high quality and affordable care to those in need.
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Statement of Senate Intel Vice Chairman Mark R. Warner on the Public Release of the Nunes Memo
Feb 02 2018
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the below statement on the release of the partisan, misleading memo seeking to discredit the Russia investigation:
"The release of this memo by House Intelligence Committee Republicans and the White House, over the objections of the FBI and the Department of Justice, is reckless and demonstrates an astonishing disregard for the truth.
"This unprecedented public disclosure of classified material during an ongoing criminal investigation is dangerous to our national security. This will make it far more difficult for the Intelligence Committees to conduct meaningful, bipartisan oversight of intelligence activities in the future. This action was also taken without regard to the damage it could do to our ability to protect Americans from threats around the globe.
"Unlike almost every House member who voted in favor of this memo's release, I have actually read the underlying documents on which the memo was based. They simply do not support its conclusions.
"The Senate Intelligence Committee will continue our bipartisan investigation into what happened in the 2016 election and the dedicated men and women of the FBI continue to have my full support."
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Co-Chair of the Senate Alzheimer’s Task Force, joined Co-Chair Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and a bipartisan group of colleagues in a letter to President Trump requesting an increase in funding for Alzheimer’s research in his fiscal year (FY) 2019 budget request.
“Alzheimer’s is one of our nation’s leading causes of death and it is the only one of our nation’s deadliest diseases without an effective means of prevention, treatment, or cure,” the senators wrote. “If nothing is done to change the trajectory of Alzheimer’s, the number of Americans afflicted with the disease is expected to more than triple by 2050.”
In addition to Sens. Warner and Collins, the letter was also signed by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Hoeven (R-ND), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Boozman (R-AR), Ed Markey (D-MA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Todd Young (R-IN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angus King (I-ME), and Bob Casey (D-PA).
“Federal funding for Alzheimer’s research is a wise investment,” the senators continued. “We urge you to support efforts to meet the research investment objective set forth in the National Plan by boosting the current investment in Alzheimer’s research in the fiscal year 2019 budget request.”
Sen. Warner has been a longstanding advocate in Congress for improving access and quality of medical care for some of our country’s most vulnerable patients. Last year, he introduced bipartisan legislation designed to give people with advanced illness, such as Alzheimer’s disease, new tools to plan for their care and empower them to have those choices honored.
A PDF copy of the letter is available here. Full text can be found below.
The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that exacts a tremendous personal and economic toll on the individual, the family, and our society. In addition to the human suffering it causes, Alzheimer’s is our nation’s most expensive disease, costing the United States more than $259 billion a year, including $175 billion in costs to Medicare and Medicaid. These costs will skyrocket as the baby boom generation ages.
Alzheimer’s is also one of our nation’s leading causes of death. It is the only one of our nation’s deadliest diseases without an effective means of prevention, treatment, or cure.
If nothing is done to change the trajectory of Alzheimer’s, the number of Americans afflicted with the disease is expected to more than triple by 2050. Already our nation’s costliest disease, Alzheimer’s is projected to cost our country up to $1.1 trillion by 2050.
At a time when the United States is spending more than $200 billion a year to care for Alzheimer’s patients, we are spending less than two thirds of one percent of that amount on research. Although we have made progress in increasing funding, Alzheimer’s research funding remains disproportionately low compared to its human and economic toll. Indeed, similarly deadly diseases receive annual funding of $2 billion, $3 billion, and even $6 billion for research, which has paid dividends. Given the tremendous human and economic price of this devastating disease, we can do more for Alzheimer’s.
Investments in research for other diseases have yielded tremendous results: patients have access to new treatments, and death rates for some diseases are decreasing. Yet, at the same time, mortality due to Alzheimer’s is escalating dramatically. Fortunately, there is promising research that holds hope for Alzheimer’s patients and their families. The research community is poised to make important advances through clinical trials and investigating new therapeutic targets, but adequate funding is critical to advance this research.
The National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease, which was authorized by the bipartisan 2010 National Alzheimer’s Project Act, has as its primary goal to “prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025.” To meet that goal, the Chairman of the Advisory Council created by the legislation says that we will need to devote $2 billion a year to Alzheimer’s research. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 took a major step forward by providing a $428 million increase for Alzheimer’s disease including Alzheimer’s Disease Related Dementias research funding, the largest increase for Alzheimer’s research funding in history. Congress has recently taken additional steps to fight Alzheimer's with the enactment of the 21st Century Cures Act, which provides additional funding for the BRAIN Initiative and creates the breakthrough EUREKA prize competition to address pressing diseases, including Alzheimer's. These are critical achievements, but we need to do more.
Federal funding for Alzheimer’s research is a wise investment. We urge you to support efforts to meet the research investment objective set forth in the National Plan by boosting the current investment in Alzheimer’s research in the fiscal year 2019 budget request.
We remain committed to finding a way to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s by 2025, and we look forward to working with you to meet that goal.
Sincerely,
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WASHINGTON — Following President Trump’s call for a $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan at this week’s State of the Union, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) today urged the Administration to keep a critical funding promise to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and pushed for additional funding for Metro improvements. In a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Elaine Chao, the Senators warned about the potential loss of federal funding, which is leveraged by Metro to make critical capital and safety improvements, and asked for additional funding to be included in the President’s upcoming infrastructure plan.
“We all agree on the need for WMATA to demonstrate major improvement in safety, reliability, and customer service and we plan to continue to push for additional oversight and meaningful reform,” the Senators wrote. “The federal government relies on Metro. Many Metrorail stations were built at the request of the federal government, and more than one third of all stations are located on or near federal facilities. Without providing the federal portion next year, this delicate funding partnership would unravel, leaving a significant shortfall in WMATA’s capital budget.”
In 2008, the bipartisan Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act granted WMATA $150 million in yearly federal funds for a total of a $1.5 billion in federal investment for a ten-year period. In 2010, the federal government began fulfilling their commitment and have followed through in subsequent years to provide funding for nine straight years. The 2019 funds would represent the tenth and final year of that ten-year commitment.
During the State of the Union on Tuesday, President Trump called on Congress to produce a $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan that leveraged “every dollar” by “partnering with state and local governments.” The funding provided to Metro each year is matched by the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia jurisdictions.
“As you finalize work on the President’s reported $1 trillion infrastructure investment proposal, we again call on you to include funding within that proposal for additional WMATA improvements. The federal government clearly relies on Metro and maintaining a functioning transit system for the seat of the federal government is a national priority. For these reasons, we strongly urge that you consider WMATA’s needs as you finalize the President’s proposal that will help make desperately needed repair to our nation’s infrastructure,” added the Senators.
A PDF copy of the letter is available here. Full text can be found below.
Dear Director Mulvaney and Secretary Chao,
As you draft the President’s Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2019, we urge you to include the annual $150 million in federal funds for critical capital and safety improvements for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). In addition, as you continue crafting President Trump’s infrastructure investment proposal, we urge that you consider dedicating a significant and robust amount of funding to make improvements to WMATA.
The bipartisan Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA, PL 110-432) created this successful federal-state partnership under which the three WMATA jurisdictions collectively match this funding with another $150 million each year for 10 years for a total of a $1.5 billion federal investment. In FY 2010, the federal government began fulfilling their commitment and have followed through in subsequent years to provide funding for nine straight years. FY 2019 would represent the tenth and final year of that ten-year commitment. Without providing the federal portion next year, this delicate funding partnership would unravel, leaving a significant shortfall in WMATA’s capital budget.
The federal government relies on Metro. Many Metrorail stations were built at the request of the federal government, and more than one third of all stations are located on or near federal facilities. Federal employees comprise nearly 40 percent of WMATA’s peak ridership, and millions of others use the WMATA system (Metrorail, Metrobus, and Metro’s Paratransit programs) each year for business or personal visits to the Nation’s Capital. WMATA also serves a unique national security role, providing transportation for federal employees traveling to and from the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security and ensuring continuity of federal operations during an emergency. WMATA is central to most federal agency emergency preparedness plans, a necessity that was proven on September 11, 2001. The system is also indispensable for transporting large crowds attending events of national importance, such as the Presidential Inauguration and Fourth of July on the National Mall.
We do not dismiss the challenges Metrorail faces – created by a combination of under-investment in infrastructure and unsatisfactory agency performance. Recent safety issues, including a high-profile fatal incident in 2015 as well as last month’s train derailment, have shined a light on the vast scope of the system’s safety challenges. We all agree on the need for WMATA to demonstrate major improvement in safety, reliability, and customer service and we plan to continue to push for additional oversight and meaningful reform. We also strongly emphasize that better performance from WMATA and reliable funding from Congress and the jurisdictions are complementary goals. Both must be achieved in order for WMATA to reverse a concerning downward trend in ridership – which will simply put more of its 600,000 daily riders back onto already-congested highways – and earn back the trust of visitors and daily commuters.
Since General Manager Paul Wiedefeld joined WMATA, the agency has undertaken a number of bold steps to address the challenges it faces. At the close of 2017, all 1000 and 4000 series railcars were retired and replaced, significantly improving safety and reliability. General Manager Wiedefeld is making tough decisions necessary to instill a new safety culture and to allocate limited resources, including by designating managers as “at-will” employees and eliminating approximately 800 positions, and terminating individuals responsible for safety transgressions. Now that General Manager Wiedefeld is finally taking the overdue tough steps to turn around this troubled agency, it is important that he have the full resources (already authorized by Congress) to do the job right.
In addition, as you finalize work on the President’s reported $1.5 trillion infrastructure investment proposal, we again call on you to include funding within that proposal for additional WMATA improvements. As stated above, the federal government clearly relies on Metro and maintaining a functioning transit system for the seat of the federal government is a national priority. The complex funding arrangement involving Virginia, Maryland, D.C. and the local jurisdictions also provides an opportunity for federal investment to be leveraged by state and local matches. WMATA noted last year that the Metro system has $25 billion in total unfunded capital needs, and if those needs are not addressed soon, costs will simply continue to escalate. For these reasons, we strongly urge that you consider WMATA’s needs as you finalize the President’s proposal that will help make desperately needed repairs to our nation’s infrastructure.
We look forward to working with you to improve the safety and performance of the Metro system, and ask that you give our requests strong consideration.
Sincerely,
cc: Gary Cohn, Director, National Economic Council
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Washington, DC – In a new letter to President Trump, top Senate and House Democrats today warned the president that using the newly-released partisan Nunes Memo as a pretext to fire either Special Counsel Bob Mueller or Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein – who is overseeing Special Counsel Mueller’s Russia investigation – would be considered an attempt to obstruct justice and spark a constitutional crisis not seen since the Saturday night massacre.
The letter, signed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, Assistant Senate Democratic Leader Patty Murray, House Democratic Caucus Chair Joe Crowley, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking Member Adam Schiff, Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler, notes that House Intel Chairman Devin Nunes’ selective and misleading partisan memo seeks to discredit the FBI and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, all as a means of protecting President Trump and undermining Special Counsel Mueller’s Russia investigation.
Text of the Democrats’ letter to President Trump can be found below:
Dear President Trump:
The decision to release a partisan and misleading memo over the objections of your own Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director and the Department of Justice (DOJ) was a transparent attempt to discredit the hard-working men and women of law enforcement who are investigating Russia’s interference with our Presidential election and that nation’s ties to your campaign.
We are alarmed by reports that you may intend to use this misleading document as a pretext to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, in an effort to corruptly influence or impede Special Counsel Bob Mueller’s investigation.
We write to inform you that we would consider such an unwarranted action as an attempt to obstruct justice in the Russia investigation. Firing Rod Rosenstein, DOJ Leadership, or Bob Mueller could result in a constitutional crisis of the kind not seen since the Saturday Night Massacre.
Sincerely,
Senator Chuck Schumer
Representative Nancy Pelosi
Senator Dick Durbin
Representative Steny Hoyer
Senator Patty Murray
Representative Joe Crowley
Senator Mark Warner
Representative Adam Schiff
Senator Dianne Feinstein
Representative Jerrold Nadler
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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner celebrated the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2017 finally being signed into law, after decades of bipartisan efforts by Virginia’s elected officials. Kaine and Warner secured final passage of the bill earlier this month. Six Virginia tribes—the Chickahominy, the Eastern Chickahominy, the Upper Mattaponi, the Rappahannock, the Monacan, and the Nansemond—will now have the federal recognition they have waited centuries for. Many of these tribes include descendants of Pocahontas’ Virginia Powhatan tribe. These tribes had received official recognition from the Commonwealth of Virginia, but had not received federal recognition, which will grant the tribes legal standing and status in direct relationships with the U.S. government.
“Today closes a chapter on a decades-long pursuit of justice for Virginia’s tribes,” the Senators said. “Virginia’s tribes have loved and served this nation, and today our country is finally honoring them with the recognition they deserve. We are inspired by the tribes’ leaders who never gave up and thankful to our colleagues Representatives Connolly, Beyer, and Scott, and Wittman for working with us to ensure this was the year that we righted a historical wrong.”
This federal recognition allows Virginia’s tribes legal standing and status in direct relationships with the U.S. government. Further, it allows tribes to:
- Compete for educational programs and other grants only open to federally recognized tribes;
- Repatriate the remains of their ancestors in a respectful manner. Many of these remains reside in the Smithsonian, but without federal status there is no mandate to return the remains; and
- Provide affordable health care services for elder tribal members who have been unable to access care.
When Warner and Kaine secured final senate passage, seven tribal leaders were in attendance in the Senate Gallery for the vote. View photos and video of that day, here.
- PHOTOS: Virginia Tribal Chiefs Joined Warner and Kaine in Senate Chamber for final vote
- VIDEO: Moments Before Passage, Warner and Kaine Spoke on Senate Floor
- B-ROLL AND INTERVIEWS: Chairman Wayne Atkins and Chief Stephen Atkins Speak on Camera
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement on President Trump's State of the Union address:
“The President missed an opportunity tonight to show he’s serious about being a bipartisan dealmaker. Despite the length of this speech, there was little in it that reached beyond the divisiveness and partisanship of his first year in office.
"He has been saying for months that investing in our nation’s roads, bridges and tunnels must be a priority. And I agree. But after months of talking, it’s time for the President to move beyond rhetoric, start offering specifics, and be serious about real funding solutions.
“I also believe that there is a bipartisan deal to be had that would grant Dreamers – the undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children – a pathway to citizenship, and increase funding for border security. But tonight President Trump showed that he is not willing to stop catering to the most heartless, extreme elements of his base who want to restrict nearly all forms of legal immigration.
“At a time when the dedicated men and women of the FBI and the Department of Justice are under attack from the President’s allies on Capitol Hill, I was extremely disappointed not to hear the President deliver a clear and unequivocal statement of support for our nation’s career law enforcement officers.
“Finally, I was particularly disturbed that the President chose to demagogue hard-working federal employees, who are already being asked to do more with less with every passing year in service to their country.”
Sen. Warner’s guest to the State of the Union was Cadet Simone Askew from Fairfax County, Virginia. At 21 years old, Cadet Askew made history by becoming the first African-American woman to hold the title of First Captain, the highest student position at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Broadcast quality video of Sen. Warner introducing Cadet Askew can be found here. Photos can be found here.
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Sen. Warner Invites West Point Cadet Simone Askew to State of the Union
Simone Askew is the first African-American woman to lead the Corps of Cadets at West Point
Jan 29 2018
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) announced that he will be inviting Cadet Simone Askew, the First Captain of West Point, as his guest to President Trump’s State of the Union, which is scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, January 30th at 9 PM. At 21 years old, Cadet Askew made history by becoming the first African-American woman to hold the highest student position at the United States Military Academy at West Point, overseeing roughly 4,400 cadets. This role was previously held by Gen. Douglas MacArthur, and four-star Army generals who currently command forces in South Korea and Afghanistan.
“At West Point, you learn that discipline goes beyond staying the course and working hard to earn your place. It involves doing what you can to give back to all those who have helped you succeed along the way,” said Cadet Askew. “While I have been humbled by the support, I can’t ignore the sacrifices made by so many others before me. I want to thank Senator Warner for inviting me as his guest, knowing that I stand on the shoulders of all those women who helped pave the way for me to be where I am today.”
“Cadet Askew has earned her place at the top among the students at West Point, showing a remarkable dedication to her studies and a deep commitment to service. Cadet Askew shows what is possible when smart, talented young women are given the opportunity to lead,” said Sen. Warner. “It is an honor to help showcase her journey, which may one day inspire the next generation of women to break new barriers.”
After a federal law was passed in 1975 allowing women to be admitted to military academies, the first co-ed class graduated West Point in 1980. Now, according to statistics on West Point’s website, 15 percent of the Corps of Cadets are women. Cadet Askew is only the fifth woman to lead the Corps of Cadets.
Cadet Simone Askew grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, before moving to Fairfax County, Virginia, where she attended Lanier Middle School and then Fairfax High School. After receiving a recommendation from Sen. Warner, Cadet Askew was accepted and enrolled as a student at West Point where she is studying international history and hopes to pursue a career in military intelligence when she graduates in May 2018 as a second lieutenant. Askew was also one of 32 American students awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship to continue her studies at the University of Oxford in England.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner celebrated the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2017 finally being signed into law, after decades of bipartisan efforts by Virginia’s elected officials. Kaine and Warner secured final passage of the bill earlier this month. Six Virginia tribes—the Chickahominy, the Eastern Chickahominy, the Upper Mattaponi, the Rappahannock, the Monacan, and the Nansemond—will now have the federal recognition they have waited centuries for. Many of these tribes include descendants of Pocahontas’ Virginia Powhatan tribe. These tribes had received official recognition from the Commonwealth of Virginia, but had not received federal recognition, which will grant the tribes legal standing and status in direct relationships with the U.S. government.
“Today closes a chapter on a decades-long pursuit of justice for Virginia’s tribes,” the Senators said. “Virginia’s tribes have loved and served this nation, and today our country is finally honoring them with the recognition they deserve. We are inspired by the tribes’ leaders who never gave up and thankful to our colleagues Representatives Connolly, Beyer, and Scott, and Wittman for working with us to ensure this was the year that we righted a historical wrong.”
This federal recognition allows Virginia’s tribes legal standing and status in direct relationships with the U.S. government. Further, it allows tribes to:
· Compete for educational programs and other grants only open to federally recognized tribes;
· Repatriate the remains of their ancestors in a respectful manner. Many of these remains reside in the Smithsonian, but without federal status there is no mandate to return the remains; and
· Provide affordable health care services for elder tribal members who have been unable to access care.
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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 regarding press reports that the Trump Administration is considering building a nationalized 5G network:
“While I’m glad that the Trump Administration recognizes that maintaining American leadership in the information age requires a significant investment commitment, I’m concerned that constructing a nationalized 5G network would be both expensive and duplicative, particularly at a time when the Administration is proposing to slash critical federal investments in R&D and broadband support for unserved areas. America’s leadership in emerging fields like AI depends on supporting our nation’s research universities – and having an immigration system that attracts the brightest minds in the world – rather than rehashing old debates on construction of a standalone federal broadband network. I agree there are serious concerns relating to the Chinese government’s influence into network equipment markets, and I would look forward to working with the Administration on a viable, cost-effective solution to begin addressing those risks.”
A standalone network would cost more than $30 billion, according to previous estimates.
Sen. Warner spent 20 years as a successful technology and business leader in Virginia before entering public office. An early investor in the cellular telephone business, he co-founded the company that became Nextel.
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), along with Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), pressed U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to continue an experimental pilot program that has already helped put 41 low-income high school students on the pathway to college by allowing them to take courses for college credit through Central Virginia Community College in Lynchburg.
In 2016, the Department began a dual enrollment Pell experiment that will allow an estimated 10,000 eligible high school students taking college-credit courses to access, for the first time, federal Pell Grants to pay their tuition costs. In a letter, Sens. Warner and Portman urged Secretary DeVos to commit to collecting data that will help policymakers evaluate the success of the experiment and glean best practices. The letter is a follow-up to a similar letter Sens. Warner and Portman sent in April, which was signed by 16 bipartisan Senators.
“Students who get a head start on college tend to perform much better than their peers, but it’s a simple fact that lower-income students face unique financial challenges in jumpstarting their college educations,” said Sen. Warner. “Central Virginia Community College is leading the way in promoting our understanding of how broader access to the Pell Grant program will help push eligible dual enrollment students one step closer to college completion and success.”
“As the Commonwealth continues working towards its goals for credential attainment and workforce readiness, we must continue promoting access for low- and moderate income students,” said John Capps, President of Central Virginia Community College. “CVCC is proud to have been selected as a dual enrollment Pell experimental site, and will continue working with state and federal partners to ensure its success. We should take advantage of every opportunity to learn from this process, identify best practices, and bring them to scale.”
Central Virginia Community College is one of 42 sites nationwide participating in the experiment. As of fall 2017, 41 students participating in the experiment at Central Virginia Community College have been awarded Pell Grants totaling $193,720, expanding opportunities for low-income students who might not have otherwise been able to access higher education.
Sens. Warner and Portman have championed legislation that would permanently expand Pell Grant eligibility to early college high school students. Sen Warner also led efforts to expand access to dual and concurrent enrollment in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
A copy of the Senators’ letter is available here. The full text also appears below.
The Honorable Betsy DeVos
Secretary
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-1510
Dear Secretary DeVos:
We write to follow up with you regarding the bipartisan letter that we and 14 of our colleagues submitted in April 2017 regarding our interest in and commitment to the U.S. Department of Education’s ongoing institution-based experiment to provide access to Pell Grants for students participating in dual enrollment programs. As part of that letter, we also requested that the Department continue the experiment and determine an appropriate mechanism for evaluating this important project. A copy of the previous letter is attached.
In the Department’s recent announcement of its information collection activities for the experimental site, entitled “Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Experimental Sites Initiative Reporting Tool 2017,” we were disappointed to see so few questions specifically addressing the dual enrollment experiment. There is significant useful information that can be gleaned from descriptive statistics, and we encourage the Department to amend its information collection activities for the experimental site for dual enrollment to include such questions.
We appreciate your consideration of this request.
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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 on the New York Times report that President Trump ordered the firing of Special Counsel Robert Mueller last June:
“I’ve said it before, and I am saying it again: firing the Special Counsel is a red line that the President cannot cross. Any attempt to remove the Special Counsel, pardon key witnesses, or otherwise interfere in the investigation, would be a gross abuse of power, and all members of Congress, from both parties, have a responsibility to our Constitution and to our country to make that clear immediately.”
Last month, Sen. Warner spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate to warn of threats to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and highlight the constitutional crisis that would likely ensue if the President were to interfere in the Mueller probe.
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) – co-chairs of the Senate Aerospace Caucus – this week met with Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) President and Chief Executive Officer Eric Fanning, who was selected to lead the association effective January 1, 2018. In welcoming Mr. Fanning in his new capacity with AIA, Sens. Moran and Warner emphasized the caucus’s longstanding partnership with AIA and discussed collaborative ways to continue growing the aerospace industry as AIA prepares to celebrate its centennial anniversary.
“Our nation’s aerospace industry is driving innovation and pursuing cutting edge technologies, contributing both to U.S. national security and our economic competitiveness,” said Sen. Warner. “As Co-Chair of the Senate Aerospace Caucus, I look forward to working with my co-chair Senator Moran, the Aerospace Industries Association, and our manufacturers and suppliers on a range of critical issues, including workforce development, unmanned systems, increased R&D, defense modernization efforts, and ways to improve cybersecurity within these critical industries. Congratulations to Eric Fanning on his new position as President and CEO of AIA.”
“In Kansas – from cybersecurity to aircraft manufacturing and developing a talented workforce to maintain American supremacy – the aerospace industry has an impact on every corner of our state,” said Sen. Moran. “The aerospace industry is where a strong national defense and stable economy converge, and as co-chairs of the Senate Aerospace Caucus, Sen. Warner and I are committed to making certain that America’s defense, civil aviation and space sectors advance amidst global challenges. With extensive experience in the executive and legislative branches of our government, I know Eric shares this commitment, and I look forward to working with my caucus colleagues and industry leaders in safeguarding and promoting American innovation.”
“I’m honored to be working once again with Senators Moran and Warner,” said AIA President and CEO Eric Fanning. “I’ve seen firsthand their commitment to the aerospace industry, the critical role it plays in our nation’s security, and the enormous impact it has on our economy.”
Items to note:
- Fanning previously served as the 22nd Secretary of the Army, Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense, both Acting Secretary and Under Secretary of the Air Force, and has worked in the White House and on Capitol Hill.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) to reintroduce the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act, a bill that would provide federal employees with a three percent pay increase in 2019. Since 2010, federal employees have lost more than a billion dollars in wages due to sequestration and a three-year freeze on federal pay. Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) reintroduced this legislation in the House of Representatives as well.
“This bill is a an effort to recognize the hard work of federal workers in Virginia and across the country who have supported our country even as they’ve faced pay freezes, sequestration cuts, and government shutdowns,” the Senators said. “They deserve to be recognized for their service and dedication to this country and should receive fair compensation.”
The FAIR Act’s wage adjustment restores years of lost wage increases for federal employees. This legislation would ensure that federal employees serving across the country, in all 50 States and on behalf of constituents residing in every congressional district, earn a pay increase of three percent.
The FAIR Act is supported by the National Treasury Employees Union, the American Federation of Government Employees, the International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, and the National Federation of Federal Employees.
The full text of the FAIR Act is available here.
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, responded to today’s announcement by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) that it intends to add the Governmentwide Personnel Security Clearance Process to GAO’s High-Risk List of federal areas in need of either broad-based transformation or specific reform to prevent waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement.
“GAO’s announcement that the security clearance process has returned to its high priority list reaffirms what we all have known for the last several years: our current clearance system is broken, as two recent studies I requested of GAO have confirmed. The current process to grant clearances to government personnel and contractors, born 70 years ago, takes too long, costs too much, and is too complex. It is a disservice to the people who support critical national security functions, and it is a disservice to the American people,” said Sen. Warner. “We can and should reform the clearance process by making use of new technologies and information sources. I look forward to GAO’s sustained attention to help usher the clearance system into the 21st century, and ensure we can recruit and hire an expert, trusted workforce.”
GAO added the government-wide personnel security clearance process to the High-Risk List due, in part, to challenges identified in two recent reports on the personnel security clearance process (GAO-18-117 and GAO-18-29) requested by Sen. Warner. Currently, executive branch agencies are unable to investigate and process personnel security clearances in a timely manner, contributing to a significant backlog of background investigations, totaling more than 700,000 cases as of September 2017, according to the GAO.
Also today, Sen. Warner sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget Director (OMB) Mick Mulvaney, requesting that the Administration include in the FY 2019 budget request adequate funding for departments’ and agencies’ background investigations for purposes of suitability assessments and security clearances.
“I request that the President’s budget request for fiscal year 2019 ensures adequate funding for departments’ and agencies’ background investigations for purposes of suitability assessments and security clearances. I also request you treat personnel security as a special topic in the budget request. It is essential that background investigations are treated as a critical mission function that receives attention from our government’s top leadership,” wrote Sen. Warner in the letter. “Since 2014, agencies have seen lengthy delays in background investigations, a situation which now poses a national security personnel crisis.” A copy of the letter is available here.
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Statement of U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner on Senate Confirmation of Alex Azar as HHS Secretary
Jan 24 2018
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted 55-43 to confirm Alex Azar to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS):
“I voted against Mr. Azar’s nomination to be Secretary of Health and Human Services because of his support for dismantling the Affordable Care Act – which would leave millions of Americans without access to affordable healthcare coverage. While I did not support his confirmation, I intend to work with Secretary Azar on areas where we can find common ground to improve our healthcare system, including rethinking our healthcare payment system and finding new ways to treat those with chronic health conditions. ”
In 2016, almost 400,000 Virginians purchased health insurance through the federal insurance marketplace. The same year, Virginia received about $4 billion in federal Medicaid funds, 51 percent of the state’s funding for people covered by Medicaid. Of those who purchased their own insurance on the marketplace, 84 percent received tax credits reducing their premium costs anywhere from $50 to $100, and more than half – 60 percent – received cost-sharing payments to help defray other out-of-pocket costs. Following an announcement by the White House last year that it would stop Cost-Sharing Reduction (CSR) payments, Sen. Warner raised the alarm that this action would increase American’s healthcare premiums by more than 20%. Sen. Warner remains committed to working for responsible improvements to the Affordable Care Act, recently introducing legislative proposals aimed at providing greater stability to the healthcare markets.
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the below statement today following the release of video showing the U.S. Park Police shooting that resulted in the death of Fairfax County resident Bijan Ghaisar:
“The footage of Bijan Ghaisar’s death released today is disturbing. My staff has met with Mr. Ghaisar’s family, and I believe they deserve answers about the circumstances under which U.S. Park Police Officers engaged with Mr. Ghaisar during this incident, including repeatedly firing into his vehicle and ending his life. I plan to press the FBI to fully investigate this matter in the most transparent way possible.”
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After Months of Work, Warner & Kaine Praise Six-Year Reauthorization of Children’s Health Insurance Program
Jan 24 2018
WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner, a member of the Senate Finance and Budget Committees, and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Budget Committees, released this statement after voting for a bill that will end the shutdown and fund the government through February 8, following a bipartisan agreement to address critical national security and domestic priorities:
“We voted against the House Republican Continuing Resolution on Friday night because it left unaddressed too many priorities important to Virginians. We remain deeply disappointed that our Republican colleagues refused to keep the government open this weekend while we finalized a long-term deal on these issues. President Trump and Republican leadership have hurt Virginia and our military by governing from crisis-to-crisis and being unwilling to compromise.
“However, we are heartened by our work with more than 20 Senators from both sides of the aisle this weekend to create a bipartisan path forward to give Virginians long-term certainty and protect Dreamers.
“As a result of those discussions, we now have a path forward to resolve many of the challenges that Congress has punted on for months, including a long-term solution to sequestration and full-year funding for our government and the military. Today we are reauthorizing the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) that tens of thousands of Virginians rely on – after months of Republican obstruction – and giving servicemembers and federal employees peace of mind that their paychecks will arrive on time. We also have the opportunity to finally make investments here at home to fight the opioid crisis, provide relief for communities hit by natural disasters, allow those who rely on community health centers to get care, reform pensions, and much more.
“For more than three years, the Republican majority has blocked any viable effort to fix our broken immigration system. As recently as Friday night, Leader McConnell refused to commit to taking up the DREAM Act with any urgency. Today, Republican leadership has finally agreed to bring bipartisan legislation to protect Dreamers to the floor in the next three weeks, and both parties – as well as the American public – will hold them to it.”
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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke asking him to add public meetings in Virginia Beach and on the Eastern Shore to give local residents the opportunity to share their opinions on the Trump Administration’s offshore drilling proposal. These two areas, which would be directly impacted by this decision, are not currently included on the list of 23 locations where the Department has announced in-person public meetings. Earlier this month, the Trump Administration decided to open nearly all of United States waters to new oil and gas drilling, and while Zinke has since announced Florida will be excluded because of local opposition, the Administration has made no such commitment to Virginia.
“While we appreciate the scheduled meetings in Richmond and in close proximity to Northern Virginia in Washington, D.C., it is important for residents of Virginia’s coastal areas to have the opportunity to attend meetings in their own communities,” the Senators wrote.
At these meetings, participants can talk to Department staff, ask questions, share concerns, and submit written comments, which the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) says it will take into consideration for its analyses of the program.
“The regional economy in Hampton Roads and on the Eastern Shore relies heavily on sectors potentially affected by offshore drilling – Department of Defense installations, the Port of Virginia, tourism, outdoor recreation, fishing, oyster and clam aquaculture, and other federal facilities like NASA-Wallops. Residents of this region would be most directly impacted by a change in offshore drilling policy, and their significant concerns deserve to be heard in person,” they added.
On Monday, Kaine sat down with Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms, local elected officials, hotel and restaurant industry leaders, regional military advocates, and regional conservation leaders such as the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center to listen to local concerns over the Administration’s proposal to expand offshore drilling. Kaine and Warner have raised concerns about the threat of offshore drilling on the environment, tourism, and naval operations in Hampton Roads and have called on President Trump to listen to local voices in Virginia and exempt the Commonwealth from this proposal, as the Administration has done in Florida.
The full text of the letter appears below:
Dear Secretary Zinke:
We request you add public meetings in Virginia Beach and on the Eastern Shore of Virginia as part of the public comment period for the Draft Proposed Program of the proposed 2019-2024 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program.
While we appreciate the scheduled meetings in Richmond and in close proximity to Northern Virginia in Washington, D.C., it is important for residents of Virginia’s coastal areas to have the opportunity to attend meetings in their own communities. The Hampton Roads region is a major population center. Virginia Beach is in fact Virginia’s most populous city, followed by its neighbors Norfolk and Chesapeake (Richmond is 4th). This region has no currently scheduled public meetings, and the Eastern Shore is even more isolated from the announced meetings.
The regional economy in Hampton Roads and on the Eastern Shore relies heavily on sectors potentially affected by offshore drilling – Department of Defense installations, the Port of Virginia, tourism, outdoor recreation, fishing, oyster and clam aquaculture, and other federal facilities like NASA-Wallops. Residents of this region would be most directly impacted by a change in offshore drilling policy, and their significant concerns deserve to be heard in person.
You stated in your announcement removing Florida from consideration for offshore drilling that “Local voice matters.” We strongly agree. That is why we request Virginia coastal localities be granted the opportunity to make their voices heard.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Mark R. Warner
Tim Kaine
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**Update: On January 31, 2018, WMATA responded to the below letter. WMATA announced that it will speed the purchase of 2,500 dual-band radios that will allow Metro operators to communicate directly with Metro’s communications center and first responders.**
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today asked the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to renew its focus on safety and prioritize fixing any remaining radio communications problems following a red line Metro derailment Monday morning, during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. In a letter to Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld, Sen. Warner noted that despite years of work and millions of dollars invested to fix this issue, communication issues remain.
“Although progress has been made in some respects, Monday’s train derailment and related radio communications problems serve as a stark reminder that WMATA needs to renew its focus and prioritize fixing any remaining radio communications problems,” Sen. Warner wrote. “Despite years of work on this issue and millions of dollars invested, the continued problems with this network are simply unacceptable.”
Sen. Warner raised similar concerns nearly three years ago following the fatal smoke incident that occurred at the L’Enfant Plaza metro station, where severe problems with WMATA’s public safety radio network, as well as interoperability issues involving communication with local law enforcement agencies including the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, were first noted. In response to Sen. Warner’s request, Metro pledged to implement a system to test Metro and regional emergency radio systems.
“The federal government has committed significant investments to improve the efficiency and safety of the Metro system, and you can count on my staunch advocacy here in Congress for continued federal investment. While I understand the current budgetary restrictions that WMATA faces, safety must always be the top priority and a reliable public safety radio network is critical to ensuring the safety of Metro’s riders,” the Senator added.
A PDF copy of the letter is available here. Full text can be found below.
January 18, 2018
Mr. Paul J. Wiedefeld
General Manager
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
600 5th Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
Dear Mr. Wiedefeld,
I write to you, nearly three years to the day, after first raising the issue of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) breakdown in public safety radio communications. Although progress has been made in some respects, Monday’s train derailment and related radio communications problems serve as a stark reminder that WMATA needs to renew its focus and prioritize fixing any remaining radio communications problems. Despite years of work on this issue and millions of dollars invested, the continued problems with this network are simply unacceptable. Our region’s commuters, WMATA’s train operators, and local law enforcement officers deserve better than to be forced to deal with “spotty” radio coverage that could jeopardize lives in the case of an accident or incident underground. For these reasons, I ask that WMATA provide me with an update on current efforts to sufficiently and effectively maintain the underground radio communication network, including answers to the specific questions below.
In my letter of January 22, 2015, I noted multiple concerns related to the emergency response following the fatal smoke incident on a Metro train near the L’Enfant Plaza station. During that incident, it was apparent that there were severe problems with WMATA’s public safety radio network, as well as interoperability issues involving communication with local law enforcement agencies including the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. In response to my request, WMATA and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), through a months-long, serious effort, developed recommendations for short-term and long-term improvements that included more frequent testing of communications networks and increased collaboration with local jurisdictions.
Recent media reports of “ghost” trains, poorly maintained cables, and sources complaining of unaddressed problems months after an issue was first raised indicate that earlier problems persist and the effort to ensure a working public safety radio network must be redoubled. Understanding that installation of the new 700 MHz radio system is underway, completion of that work is still years away and we continue to rely on the current 490 MHz Comprehensive Radio Communications System (CRCS). We cannot rush to install the new technology at the expense of maintaining the current system, leaving current Metro riders vulnerable in the case of an incident where a working public safety radio system is critical.
In Monday’s Red Line derailment, we were fortunate to avoid any injuries or fatalities. However, the reported radio problems served as a stark reminder that a reliable public safety radio network is critical to the overall safety of the system.
To that end, I ask for comprehensive responses to the following questions by January 26, 2018.
- What is the status of the action items taken on by WMATA and its partners stemming from its 2015 work with COG? How many of the short-term recommendations from COG’s July 2015 report were implemented? How many of the long-term recommendations were implemented, or are in the process of being implemented?
- Do interoperability concerns continue? Do local law enforcement radio networks continue to experience problems in communicating with WMATA networks, and how does WMATA plan to make improvements in this area?
- How much has been invested in the new 700 MHz radio system thus far?
- How much is current estimate on total cost of implementation, and what is current estimate on when that will be completed?
- Is funding being budgeted appropriately to meet the planned completion date? Does a shortfall exist, where remaining funding has not yet been identified?
- How much is being budgeted for maintenance of CRCS? Is it WMATA’s position that it has sufficient funding to provide for adequate maintenance of CRCS, or is there a funding shortfall for this effort?
- Has frequent testing of the system continued to date, in accordance with the plans developed following the 2015 fatal smoke incident? How often are “dead spots” discovered? Can you share a full inventory of current “dead spots”? What is the average response time to address and fix any reported “dead spots”?
The federal government has committed significant investments to improve the efficiency and safety of the Metro system, and you can count on my staunch advocacy here in Congress for continued federal investment. While I understand the current budgetary restrictions that WMATA faces, safety must always be the top priority and a reliable public safety radio network is critical to ensuring the safety of Metro’s riders.
Sincerely,
MARK R. WARNER
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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner, a member of the Senate Finance and Budget Committees, and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Budget Committees, released the following statement opposing the one-month Continuing Resolution scheduled for a vote in the House today, which would perpetuate budgetary dysfunction and uncertainty for Virginia and the nation:
“We oppose the House Continuing Resolution, which punts budget discussions until mid-February. Congress should remain in session with no recess until we work out a long-term bipartisan budget deal that addresses all issues. We will support a short-term CR for a few days to keep the government open while we stay in town and conclude our negotiations. But we do not support perpetuating the current budgetary dysfunction that is hurting our country and our Commonwealth. The Republican leadership has to get serious about finding a budget deal and quit relying on short term patches.
“This is the fourth CR since the start of the fiscal year and would take us into the fifth month of the year with no budget deal. One-month CRs hurt all spending priorities and create deep uncertainty. This pain is particularly acute in Virginia, which is home to hundreds of thousands of government employees, kids who rely on CHIP, military families, and national security professionals. Recently, Defense Secretary Mattis came to the Senate and appealed to us that we not pass another CR but instead do a full budget deal. As Senators who represent the state most connected to the military, we know he is right and know these continued gimmicks hurt our troops in Virginia and across the globe.
“The current CR ignores key priorities—community health centers, permanent protection for Dreamers, emergency relief for Florida, Texas, western states ravaged by wildfires, Puerto Rico, the USVI, opioid treatment, and pension reform. These issues are not going away and need to be addressed immediately. We gave negotiators time to reach a bipartisan agreement to protect Dreamers and now they have a deal. This must be part of the negotiations, and there should be a vote on the compromise – or a clean Dream Act – without further delay.
“Finally, the President’s repeated statements urging a government shutdown are beneath the office and have heightened the budgetary dysfunction. And his determined efforts to blow up any and all bipartisan discussions around Dreamers demonstrate that he is not interested in governing. He has to decide whether he wants to be President and engage in necessary compromise, or continue offering commentary from the sidelines.”
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