WASHINGTON – As President Trump withholds existing funding for vital nutrition programs, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined their colleagues in introducing the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025 to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) funded during the GOP’s government shutdown.

Despite having billions of dollars already available to keep SNAP running, the Trump administration is refusing to release the funds, forcing families already struggling with rising prices under President Trump to choose between paying their bills and going hungry. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has both the authority and a clear legal obligation to disburse SNAP contingency funds yet continues to withhold them.

“Hardworking families across Virginia are paying more at the grocery store because of the chaos of the Trump economy. This summer, President Trump and congressional Republicans permanently ripped food assistance away from tens of thousands of Virginians anyway. Now, the Trump administration is trying to take it away from even more families,” said the senators. “Every administration, Republican and Democratic, has made sure families keep food on the table during a shutdown. This administration is breaking that precedent and putting politics ahead of basic decency and the law. No child, senior, servicemember, or working parent should go hungry when the federal government already has the authority and the funds ready to go.”

The Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025 ensures SNAP and WIC benefits continue uninterrupted for the remainder of this fiscal year. The legislation also requires the federal government to reimburse states for covering SNAP benefits during a shutdown.

In Virginia, 827,800 people rely on SNAP, with more than two-thirds living in families with children. The average household receives $232 in benefits, providing a critical lifeline to help families put food on the table. Last week, Warner and Kaine joined their colleagues in pressing the USDA to immediately release billions in available funds to keep SNAP benefits flowing through November.

Warner and Kaine have forcefully opposed President Trump’s efforts to slash nutrition assistance, including a $186 billion cut to SNAP funding to pay for tax breaks for billionaires as part of the GOP’s sweeping tax and budget bill signed into law in July. That legislation, passed solely on Republican votes despite Warner and Kaine’s strong objections, is expected to cut SNAP benefits for 78,000 Virginians. The senators have repeatedly warned that these cuts would hurt families, seniors, and children already struggling with rising grocery prices under the Trump economy, and have called on Congress to protect nutrition assistance as a critical lifeline.

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* High-quality photographs of Sen. Mark R. Warner are available for download here *

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after new data from the Virginia health care marketplace showed that Virginians are facing huge increases in 2026 health care premiums because Republicans are blocking an extension of the enhanced tax credits that have helped keep coverage affordable:

“The numbers don’t lie. Preliminary cost estimates are showing what we’ve been warning about for months: huge spikes in premium costs for Virginians enrolled in health care through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. If Republicans continue to refuse to act on ACA tax credits, then many Americans will be forced to forgo health insurance next year. This will lead to more people turning to emergency rooms for preventive health care, further stress being placed on health care providers, and health care costs rising even more. Republicans must come to the table now to protect Americans’ health care and reopen the government.”

Preliminary cost estimates show Virginians are seeing higher health care premiums due to the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits at the end of the year.

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner joined over 20 Senators in introducing the True Shutdown Fairness Act, legislation to pay all federal employees – both those excepted and furloughed – as well as our servicemembers and federal contractors during the current Republican-led shutdown. The legislation would also prevent the Administration’s attempts at mass firings (Reductions in Force or RIFs) while the government is shut down. 

The legislation is cosponsored by Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Gary Peters (D-MI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Peter Welch (D-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA).

“Every day federal workers are out there keeping us safe, keeping our food supply secure, enforcing our laws, and caring for our veterans. They are the backbone of the services Americans count on. But from the start, this administration has treated the federal workers not as partners in serving the American people, but as adversaries to be traumatized, punished and politicized. Now, Senate Republicans want to give President Trump even more authority to decide which of these workers get paid and which get punished. I’m proud to stand with my colleagues to introduce this bill  to make sure every federal employee, and every contractor who works by their side in serving the American people, gets treated with the respect they deserve during this cruel Republican shutdown,” said Sen. Warner.

“No federal worker or servicemember should be punished for this shutdown that was brought on through no fault of their own. Republicans are hell-bent on letting Trump pick winners and losers here, but every federal worker, servicemember, and federal contractor deserves to get paid. Our legislation would ensure just that, and if Republicans are serious about supporting our federal employees, they will support it. We must keep pressing to reopen the government with a responsible agreement that holds the President accountable to the law, protects federal workers and our servicemembers, and prevents massive spikes in Americans’ health care costs,” said Sen. Van Hollen.

“As we urge our colleagues to come to the table and work on a bipartisan agreement that reopens the government, our servicemembers and federal workers are paying the price,” said Sen. Peters. “This bill would ensure military personnel and civil servants receive the compensation they depend on to support themselves and their families while we continue working toward a bipartisan funding deal.”

"Maryland is home to 494,000 patriotic federal workers and federal contractors — they have spent their lives to serving their fellow Americans — ensuring our food and water are safe, making sure our parents and grandparents  get their Social Security checks, researching cures to cancer.  It is our duty to ensure they are paid. We must pass legislation that ensures all federal workers receive the paychecks they earned. These workers cannot be faulted for Republicans shutting down our government. They are not political pawns, they are patriots,” said Sen. Alsobrooks.

“Since day one, the Trump Administration has enacted policy after policy to traumatize, politicize, and hollow out the federal workforce that delivers essential services to the American people. Now, Senate Republicans want to give President Trump more power to decide which of these workers get paid, and which get punished. Nothing about that is fair, and I’m proud to stand with my Democratic colleagues in proposing alternative legislation to ensure that America’s entire workforce of dedicated and patriotic federal employees is treated equally,” said Sen. Kaine.

“In New Mexico and across the country, our federal workers, servicemembers, and contractors dedicate their lives to serving the American people. These hardworking Americans should not bear the brunt of the pain Republicans are inflicting through this shutdown. That’s why I’m joining my colleagues to introduce legislation ensuring every federal employee, servicemember, and federal contractor is paid during the ongoing Republican shutdown. This legislation would also block the Trump administration’s attempts to carry out mass firings while the government remains shut down,” said Sen. Luján.

“It defies common sense and anyone’s definition of fairness to say that only certain federal employees should get paid during a shutdown, or that federal employees should be laid off during a shutdown. While the President may insist that he had ‘no choice’ but to lay off federal workers during the shutdown, let’s be clear: he’s been doing this since day one. We need to do everything we can to end this shutdown and get these folks paid and back to work,” said Sen. Welch. “Our legislation pushes back against the President’s lawless rampage and ensures all of our federal workers are paid for doing their jobs.”

“No federal worker should miss a pay-check because of the Republican shutdown. Our legislation would ensure that any employee, whether exempted or furloughed, would receive the compensation they rightly deserve. But instead of working with Senate Democrats to make government employees whole, Senate Republicans have decided to advance a piece of legislation that would give Donald Trump and Russell Vought control over which federal workers get paid. This isn’t the way to protect our federal employees, and it isn’t the way to re-open the government,” said Sen. Durbin.

“As we work to reopen the government and fight to lower skyrocketing health care costs, federal workers and their families should not have to struggle without pay because of this Republican shutdown. This legislation will restore fairness to federal worker pay, prevent Russ Vought from firing more workers, and ensure families don’t suffer because Trump and his Republican allies want thousands of Delawareans to go to work each morning without collecting a check at night,” said Sen. Coons.

The senators’ legislation is endorsed by American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), Partnership for Public Service, and The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).

Background on the True Shutdown Fairness Act:

The True Shutdown Fairness Act would immediately restart pay for all excepted and furloughed federal workers, servicemembers, and federal contractors during the current shutdown. The legislation also includes a prohibition on Reductions In Force while the federal government is shut down. Federal employees are ensured retroactive pay after a shutdown ends due to the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act – legislation that Sens. Warner, Kaine, Van Hollen, and Cardin worked to pass in 2019 and that was then signed into law by President Trump.

Full text of the legislation is available here.

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) underscored the urgent need to extend the enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) after a new analysis from the Commonwealth Fund showed that the expiration of these tax credits will have disastrous effects on Virginia:

“Americans don’t want higher health care costs, but if Republicans refuse to join Democrats in extending critical Affordable Care Act tax credits, that’s exactly what they’ll get. This latest analysis is further evidence that the expiration of these tax credits will force people off their health insurance, including many small business owners and employees, and hurt our economy. It’s time for Republicans to acknowledge what many of them have admitted in public and private—that we need to find a path forward to protect Americans’ health care and reopen the government.”

The enhanced premium tax credits expire at the end of the year, and Republicans have refused to extend them to prevent health care costs from skyrocketing and keep millions of Americans from losing their health insurance. Democrats have asked Republicans for months to address the expiration of the ACA tax credits, and have proposed legislation to extend them and reopen the government. However, Republicans have blocked the bill’s passage.

The Commonwealth Fund’s analysis shows not extending the tax credits will lead to:

• 94,000 Virginians unenrolled in health insurance through the ACA marketplace.
• 50,000 Virginians uninsured.
• $295 million lost in federal funding.
• $434 million lost in state Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• 3,400 jobs lost.
• $31 million lost in state and local tax revenue.

With the government shut down, Warner and Kaine continue to push to reopen the government and protect Americans’ health care. Earlier this month, the senators sounded the alarm about the rise in monthly health care costs for Virginians under the ACA. The effort to prevent health care premiums from skyrocketing comes just months after President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans slashed Medicaid to offset the cost of billionaire tax cuts in the Republican budget law.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and U.S. Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA-08) and Steny Hoyer (D-MD-05) led their colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought urging OMB to follow the law—which President Donald Trump signed in 2019—that requires furloughed federal employees to receive back pay during a government shutdown. The members underscore that the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, which was passed and signed into law during the last shutdown under President Trump, is clear that all federal employees, whether they are excepted or furloughed, are entitled to back pay after a government shutdown ends.

“During the 2018-2019 shutdown, we worked with President Trump to enact the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act (GEFTA) of 2019, the intent of which is clear – federal employees are entitled to retroactive pay in the event of a government shutdown. We applauded President Trump for signing this bipartisan bill into law,” the members wrote.

“The law is clear: all impacted government employees, regardless of excepted or furloughed status, are entitled to back pay after a government shutdown ends, which is consistent with the guidance currently provided by federal agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management (OPM),” the members wrote. “OPM’s shutdown guidance from September 2025 still states that furloughed federal workers will be provided back pay once the government reopens.”

The members continued, “The decision by OMB to remove critical guidance on federal employee back pay is causing unnecessary stress for the federal workforce comprised of nearly 2.2 million employees.”

“We request you immediately clarify and update the Frequently Asked Questions During a Lapse in Appropriations Document and other relevant materials to affirm that furloughed employees will receive back pay, as is required by law,” the members concluded.

In addition to Warner, Kaine, Murkowski, Van Hollen, Alsobrooks, Beyer, and Hoyer, the letter is cosigned by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). It is also cosigned by U.S. Representatives Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Gabe Amo (D-RI-01), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA-04), Becca Balint (D-VT-AL), Wesley Bell (D-MO-01), Ami Bera (D-CA-06), Sanford Bishop (D-GA-02), Shontel Brown (D-OH-11), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Janelle Bynum (D-OR-05), André Carson (D-IN-07), Greg Casar (D-TX-35), Ed Case (D-HI-01), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-05), Jim Costa (D-CA-21), Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04), Diana DeGette (D-CO-01), Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-10), Maxine Dexter (D-OR-03), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-37), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03), Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16), Dwight Evans (D-PA-03), Shomari Figures (D-AL-02), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX-07), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Lois Frankel (D-FL-22), John Garamendi (D-CA-08), Jesús García (D-IL-04), Robert Garcia (D-CA-42), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29), Dan Goldman (D-NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH-02), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05), Pablo Hernández (D-PR-01), Steven Horsford (D-NV-04), Val Hoyle (D-OR-4), Glenn Ivey (D-MD-04), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37), Bill Keating (D-MA-09), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Greg Landsman (D-OH-01), John Larson (D-CT-01), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Susie Lee (D-NV-03), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM-03), Mike Levin (D-CA-49), Ted Lieu (D-CA-36), Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08), Doris Matsui (D-CA-07), Lucy McBath (D-GA-06), Sarah McBride (D-DE-AL), April McClain Delaney (D-MD-06), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), James McGovern (D-MA-02), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), Robert Menendez (D-NJ-08), Grace Meng (D-NY-06), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07), Dave Min (D-CA-47), Gwen Moore (D-WI-04), Joe Morelle (D-NY-25), Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), Frank Mrvan (D-IN-01), Kevin Mullin (D-CA-15), Jerry Nadler (D-NY-12), Joe Neguse (D-CO-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Johnny Olszewski (D-MD-02), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05),  Frank Pallone (D-NJ-06), Chris Pappas (D-NH-01), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-07), Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Emily Randall (D-WA-06), Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Luz Rivas (D-CA-29), Deborah Ross (D-NC-02), Raul Ruiz (D-CA-25), Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-05), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Hillary Scholten (D-MI-03), Bobby Scott (D-VA-03), Terri Sewell (D-AL-07), Brad Sherman (D-CA-32), Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12), Adam Smith (D-WA-09), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10), Tom Suozzi (D-NY-03), Eric Swalwell (D-CA-14), Emilia Sykes (D-OH-13), Mark Takano (D-CA-39), Mike Thompson (D-CA-04), Dina Titus (D-NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02), Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15), Derek Tran (D-CA-45), Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), Juan Vargas (D-CA-52), Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-07), Eugene Vindman (D-VA-07), James Walkinshaw (D-VA-11), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12), Nikema Williams (D-GA-05), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24).

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Director Vought:

The Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) recent update to the Frequently Asked Questions During a Lapse in Appropriations document implies that furloughed federal workers are not entitled to back pay. Additionally, a draft OMB memo stated the administration would deny back pay to furloughed federal workers for the current government shutdown. During the 2018-2019 shutdown, we worked with President Trump to enact the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act (GEFTA) of 2019, the intent of which is clear – federal employees are entitled to retroactive pay in the event of a government shutdown. We applauded President Trump for signing this bipartisan bill into law. 

On January 16, 2019, the Senate unanimously passed the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act to guarantee back pay for all impacted federal workers once a government shutdown ends. This law was enacted during the longest government shutdown which lasted 35 days at the end of 2018, and into the beginning of 2019. Prior to the law’s passage, Congress had to pass specific legislation after each shutdown to ensure furloughed workers received back pay. 

Explicitly, the law guarantees back pay for all federal employees in the event of a government shutdown. “Each employee of the United States Government or of a District of Columbia public employer furloughed as a result of a covered lapse in appropriations shall be paid for the period of the lapse in appropriations, and each excepted employee who is required to perform work during a covered lapse in appropriations shall be paid for such work, at the employee’s standard rate of pay, at the earliest date possible after the lapse in appropriations ends, regardless of scheduled pay dates, and subject to the enactment of appropriations Acts ending the lapse.” The law requires that retroactive pay be required in the event of any government shutdown after December 22, 2018.

The law is clear: all impacted government employees, regardless of excepted or furloughed status, are entitled to back pay after a government shutdown ends, which is consistent with the guidance currently provided by federal agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). OPM’s shutdown guidance from September 2025 still states that furloughed federal workers will be provided back pay once the government reopens. The decision by OMB to remove critical guidance on federal employee back pay is causing unnecessary stress for the federal workforce comprised of nearly 2.2 million employees.

Thus, we request you immediately clarify and update the Frequently Asked Questions During a Lapse in Appropriations Document and other relevant materials to affirm that furloughed employees will receive back pay, as is required by law.

Sincerely,

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined colleagues to introduce the Shutdown Guidance for Financial Institutions Act. This legislation requires federal financial industry regulators to issue guidance encouraging financial institutions to work with federal employees and small businesses impacted by a government shutdown – including offering flexible financial arrangements to prevent them from facing additional financial hardship brought on by penalties for late payments, overdraft fees, and credit damage. In addition to Sen. Warner, this bill is sponsored by Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

“Hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors in Virginia and across the country have been furloughed or are working without pay because of a government shutdown that is out of their control,” said Sen. Warner. “This bill will protect federal workers and advise financial regulators and institutions to work with those impacted by the shutdown.”

“No federal workers or contractors deserve to face economic ruin because of a shameful Republican shutdown that they have nothing to do with. That’s why we’re pushing to ensure that they have ways to safeguard their financial futures while we work to reopen the government. And we will keep fighting for a responsible government funding agreement – one that holds this lawless president accountable and prevents a massive spike in health care costs for families across America,” said Sen. Van Hollen.

“This shutdown is a tsunami of Donald Trump’s own making, and Congress must act to shield impacted federal workers, contractors, and small businesses from it,” said Sen. Booker. “Hardworking Americans shouldn’t suffer or see their credit scores impacted because of a shutdown that leaves them without paychecks through no fault of their own. This legislation would ensure that financial regulators act quickly to provide basic guidance in the event of a shutdown and would help families and small businesses stay afloat.”

“While President Trump continues his callous witch hunt against federal workers, I am proud to partner with Senator Van Hollen to protect our civil servants, contractors, and small businesses here in Maryland. Federal financial industry regulators must immediately issue guidance so financial institutions can work with all those impacted by this Republican Shutdown to get them the support they need. Our civil servants deserve better,” said Sen. Alsobrooks.

“Federal workers, government contractors, and small businesses are often forced to make tough decisions about their finances during a shutdown,” said Sen. Kaine. “A number of Virginian credit unions and community banks have stepped up to provide flexibility and support affected individuals and businesses. This legislation would require federal financial regulators to issue guidance to encourage this flexibility.”

“Government shutdowns exacerbate the burden on federal workers, contractors, and small businesses, making it harder for individuals who rely on federal funding to make ends meet,” said Sen. Gillibrand. “Helping these individuals navigate the uncertainty of a shutdown that is no fault of their own is the least we can do. By requiring federal financial regulators to issue guidance promptly, this commonsense legislation will do just that, and I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to support it.”

“Federal workers and contractors are regular, hard-working Americans who have bills to pay and financial obligations to meet,”said Rep. Kweisi Mfume. “They should not be forced into financial hardship because Republicans in the Congress refuse to take the action necessary to re-open the government while preventing American healthcare premiums from skyrocketing.”

To read the full text of the bill, click here.

Sen. Warner also joined a group of 24 of his Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to the heads of federal financial regulatory agencies calling on them to immediately issue such guidance as federal workers, contractors, and small businesses face the prospect of struggling to make ends meet due to a crisis that was not of their doing. The letter, which was led by Sens. Van Hollen and Alsobrooks and Rep. Kweisi Mfume, called on the federal financial regulators to immediately take the steps required under the legislation, noting that similar actions were taken during past shutdowns and financial institutions need clear regulatory assurance to act swiftly. The letter was sent to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Acting Chair Travis Hill, Federal Reserve System Vice Chair Michelle Bowman, Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould, National Credit Union Administration Chair Kyle Hauptman, Acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Russell Vought, and Conference of State Bank Supervisors Chair Tony Salazar.

The letter is co-signed by U.S. Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA); and U.S. Reps. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Don Beyer (D-VA), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Gabe Amo (D-RI), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), April McClain Delaney (D-MD), Johnny Olszewski (D-MD), and James Walkinshaw (D-VA).

To read the full text of the letter, click here.

WASHINGTON – As the Trump Administration blatantly tries to weaponize federal funding and misuse official government communications channels for partisan propaganda purposes, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner and 23 Senate colleagues sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought demanding the Trump Administration immediately remove unprecedented partisan political messages from official government websites and other official communication accounts that violates federal law.

While President Trump has the same free speech rights as every other citizen and may use the ‘bully pulpit’ of the presidency to express his political views, the rules and regulations of federal agencies and federal law itself clearly restricts the political activities of civil servants using official government resources. Federal agencies have an obligation to operate and serve the American people without regard to politics. Indeed, during the first Trump Administration, the government shut down twice for a length of 3 and 35 days respectively, and agency websites followed past precedent in notifying Americans about the shutdown.

As early as September 30, 2025, in the lead up to the ongoing government shutdown, federal agencies began a seemingly coordinated effort to blast partisan political messages from official government websites, accounts, and email correspondence. For example, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) official website is currently dominated by a misleading red banner that reads: “The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government,” while some furloughed employees in the U.S. Department of Education report that their non-partisan out-of-office messages have been modified without their consent to try and make it seem like they blame Senate Democrats for voting against Republican funding proposals.

In their letter to OMB, the senators call for the immediate removal of the illegal, partisan messages to comply with the law. The senators are also seeking to hold accountable those within the Trump Administration who have directed the behavior.

“These activities are in blatant violation of Section 715 of P.L. 118-47, which prohibits federal funds from being used for propaganda purposes ‘designed to support or defeat legislation pending before the Congress,’” the senators wrote. “These activities also appear to violate the Anti-Lobbying Act and the Hatch Act. We urge you to immediately remove these illegal, partisan messages to comply with the law and hold accountable those who have directed this behavior.”

The letter notes a pattern of abuse and politicization of executive branch agencies that includes official sites for HUD, the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Additionally, civil servants at the SBA, Department of Labor, Department of Education, and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) were also reportedly instructed by Trump Administration officials to improperly set automatic reply email messages containing partisan political propaganda.

Blasting the administration’s blatant attempts to mislead the American public and misuse American tax dollars, the senators also pointed out: “As you well know, these messages are misleading, given that Democrats have voted four times over the last week to fully fund the government only to be rebuffed by our Republican colleagues.”

“Spirited public debate has its place, but agency resources, including websites or emails, should not be used to send overtly political, and in this case, misleading messages, to the American people, the senators continued. 

In addition to Sen. Warner, the letter was signed by U.S. Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Gary Peters (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Peter Welch (D-VT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Angus King (I-ME), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

Violating the Hatch Act can be cause for removal from federal service, and other penalties may include grade reduction, ban from government employment for up to five years, suspension, reprimand, or a civil penalty up to $1,000. Violating the Anti-Lobbying Act can result in civil penalties of $10,000 to $100,000 per occurrence.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Director Vought,

As Congress continues to work on funding the federal government for Fiscal Year 2026, the White House and political appointees assigned to agencies within the executive branch have been engaged in a widespread campaign of partisan political activities. These activities are in blatant violation of Section 715 of P.L. 118-47, which prohibits federal funds from being used for propaganda purposes “designed to support or defeat legislation pending before the Congress.”[1] These activities also appear to violate the Anti-Lobbying Act[2] and the Hatch Act.[3] We urge you to immediately remove these illegal, partisan messages to comply with the law and hold accountable those who have directed this behavior.

As early as September 30, 2025, federal agencies began publicly posting various notices and other media from official accounts, on official websites, and in official email correspondence that violate Sec. 715’s prohibition on propaganda.

For example, beginning on September 30, 2025, the official website for the Department of Housing and Urban Development displayed a blatantly partisan political banner on their website claiming that the “Radical Left are going to ... inflict massive pain on the American people...[4]” On October 1, 2025, similar partisan political messages appeared on the websites for the Small Business Administration, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Agriculture, among others.

In addition to website updates, federal employees - including of the Small Business Administration, Department of Labor, Department of Education, and Department of Veterans Affairs - were reportedly directed to set automatic reply email messages containing partisan political propaganda which asserts that “Democrat Senators are blocking passage of H.R. 5371 in the Senate which has led to a lapse in appropriations.[5]” As you well know, these messages are misleading, given that Democrats have voted four times over the last week to fully fund the government only to be rebuffed by our Republican colleagues. But more important, they are clear violations of Section 715, which prohibits the use of federal funds by an agency to publicly support or oppose legislation pending before Congress.

Spirited public debate has its place, but agency resources, including websites or emails, should not be used to send overtly political, and in this case, misleading messages, to the American people.

Congress has enacted longstanding laws to ensure that partisan political activities and propaganda do not impede the government’s ability to serve all Americans. However, given the blatant, systematic, and repeated violations of Sec. 715 of P.L. 118-47, and likely the Anti-Lobbying and Hatch Acts, over the last week, you must immediately remove these partisan messages from all executive branch agency communications and websites. 

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WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and colleagues introduced the Help FEDS (Federal Employees During a Shutdown) Act to support federal employees who would be required to work without pay during a government shutdown. 

This bill is sponsored by Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) and co-sponsored by Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Brian Schatz (D-HI). 

“Virginia is home to hundreds of thousands of dedicated federal employees who keep our government running and our communities safe. The Help FEDS Act will give essential workers some peace of mind that they can cover the basics – putting food on the table, paying for childcare, or getting to and from work – while they continue serving the American people. I’m proud to join my colleagues in standing up for these public servants,” said Sen. Warner.  

“President Trump, Elon Musk, and Russ Vought have shown us very clearly over the last 9 months that they do not care about our civil servants – the patriotic men and women that work on behalf of the American people under Democratic and Republican presidents alike. I will fight with all that I have to ensure our civil servants continue to be paid even if Republicans shut down the government because of their own incompetence,” said Sen. Alsobrooks.  

“Our patriotic, merit-based civil servants work on behalf of the American people every day, delivering essential public services for our country. They should not have to bear the brunt of a political dispute they have nothing to do with, which is why we are fighting to provide them with an economic lifeline should Republicans force a government shutdown,” said Sen. Van Hollen. 

“Americans join the federal workforce because they want to help provide essential services to communities across the country,” said Sen. Kaine. “They shouldn’t be punished for that, especially in the event of a government shutdown. That’s why I’m glad to join with my colleagues in introducing this legislation to help make it easier for these patriotic workers to pay their bills as they continue to work on behalf of the American people.” 

“Federal employees, through no fault of their own, are caught in the middle of a political dispute that could force them to go to work without knowing when they will be paid. The Help FEDS Act would provide these nonpartisan civil servants with vital resources to help keep gas in their cars, provide food and necessary medicines for their family and give them peace of mind as they navigate a period of immense financial uncertainty while delivering essential services Americans depend on. I applaud Senator Alsobrooks and Rep. Elfreth for their efforts to help ease the burden placed on these dedicated public servants and for their leadership on this issue,” said Doreen Greenwald, NTEU National President. 

“In the event of a shutdown, excepted federal workers will be required to work without pay. The least we can do is to allow them to collect unemployment benefits,” said Andrew Stettner, Director of Economy & Jobs, the Century Foundation. 

“Federal workers should not be pawns in government shutdowns, and if they are required to work without pay, then they should be at least receive unemployment insurance. We appreciate Senator Alsobrooks stepping forward as their champion and introducing this important legislation,” said Judy Conti, Government Affairs Director, National Employment Law Project. 

This legislation has been endorsed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the National Treasury Employees Union, the Century Foundation, the National Employment Law Project.  

When there is a government shutdown, federal employees who are deemed “excepted” or “essential” are required to work without pay. The President and OMB Director have wide discretion over how many federal employees may be deemed essential. During the last government shutdown, when the Trump Administration was in charge, 420,000 federal employees were deemed essential, meaning that 420,000 were forced to work without pay.  

The Help FEDS (Federal Employees During a Shutdown) Act ensures federal employees who are required to work during a government shutdown are eligible to apply for unemployment insurance (UI). Essential employees will receive back pay thanks to legislation that Congress passed after the 2018/2019 shutdown. Under this bill, employees would have to pay back the UI when they receive back pay, and states will be reimbursed for the additional UI they would have to pay out. Furloughed employees during a shutdown are already eligible for UI.  

In the House, this legislation is sponsored by Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03) and co-sponsored by Reps. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Don Beyer (VA-08), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Danny Davis (IL-07), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Steny Hoyer (MD-05), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Eleanor Norton (DC-AL), Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), Emily Randall (WA-06), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Eugene Vindman (VA-07), James Walkinshaw (VA-11), and George Whitesides (CA-27).  

Read the full bill text here.  

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement on the memo issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) last night regarding agency preparations for a potential government shutdown:

“America deserves a leader focused on solving problems, not someone who treats chaos and disruption as tools of governing. Instead of threatening government employees and the American public with even more mass layoffs and federal dysfunction, President Trump should come to the table and negotiate a funding bill that prevents health care premiums from skyrocketing for families and keeps the government operational. If President Trump truly cares about the American people, he will work with Congress to avoid a shutdown of his own making.”

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* High-quality photographs of Sen. Mark R. Warner are available for download here *

Photos may be used online and in print, and can be attributed to ‘The Office of Sen. Mark R. Warner’

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement after Republicans voted down legislation to fund the government, protect Virginians’ access to health care, and prohibit the Trump administration from illegally withholding funding appropriated by Congress:

“While Republicans may have acted unilaterally when they passed their Big Ugly Bill, keeping the government open is not something they’re going to be able to do on their own. Today, we voted in favor of a funding bill that would not only keep the government from shutting down in 12 days, but would also prevent the expiration of essential health care tax credits and reverse the Trump cuts to Medicaid and hospitals that will raise health care costs for all Americans. Unfortunately, the same Republicans who had no problem extending billionaire tax cuts earlier this year are now drawing the line at tax credits that keep health insurance affordable for so many Americans. Republicans have control of the House, Senate, and White House – it’s time for them to act like it and come to the negotiating table to prevent a shutdown and protect Americans’ health care.” 

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded congressional passage of legislation to fund key parts of the government and avert a government shutdown. Today’s legislation funds major priorities across several federal departments, including the Departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security, among others. This $1.2 trillion legislation, in conjunction with the partial funding bill that passed on March 8, will fully fund the government for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024.

“It took six months of delays, but today Congress managed to fully fund the government for Fiscal Year 2024,” said Sen. Warner. “I’m glad to finally see this legislation through the finish line and I look forward to seeing these federal dollars advance community projects all around Virginia. With our most basic duty now fulfilled, Congress must immediately set its sights on delivering a national security supplemental that provides critically needed assistance to Ukraine in its fight against Russian authoritarianism. Failing to do so would be a grave mistake with decades-long ramifications.” 

“It’s frustrating that it took us this long to get here, but I’m glad Congress finally came together in a bipartisan way to fund the government and avoid a painful shutdown,” said Sen. Kaine. “I’m proud that this legislation includes many of the critical Virginian priorities I fought for—from supporting access to affordable child care and securing a pay raise for our servicemembers, to protecting our communities from fentanyl and fostering economic growth. I’m also looking forward to seeing how the funding in this bill for 40 community projects across Virginia will enhance public safety, health care services, and educational opportunities in the Commonwealth.”

As part of the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations process, members of Congress were able to work with the communities they represent to request funding for local community projects, otherwise known as congressionally directed spending, in a manner that promotes transparency and accountability. This process allows Congress to dedicate federal funding for specific projects in Virginia. 

Through strong advocacy, the Senators secured funding in the spending bills for the following projects in Virginia: 

• For projects in Northern Virginia, click here.
• For projects in Central Virginia, click here.
• For projects in Southwest Virginia and Southside, click here.
• For projects in the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
• For projects in Hampton Roads, click here.
• For projects that impact communities in multiple regions across the Commonwealth, click here.

The Senators also secured funding in the previous FY24 partial government funding package for an additional 105 CDS projects that will improve transportation, upgrade water infrastructure, support health care, and more. In total, through the FY24 appropriations process, the Senators secured over $178 million dollars that will directly benefit 145 CDS projects across the Commonwealth. You can see combined lists of all the CDS projects from both spending bills here for: Northern Virginia, Central Virginia, Southwest and Southside Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley, Hampton Roads, and the entire Commonwealth.

In addition, the budget bills include funding for the following Warner and Kaine priorities:  

Providing for Servicemembers: The bill provides a military pay raise of 5.2 percent – the largest military pay raise in two decades. It also boosts the Basic Allowance for Housing by 5.4 percent and the Basic Needs Allowance by 1.7 percent to ensure that servicemembers and their families can put food on the table and afford quality housing.

Addressing the Child Care Crisis: Following vocal advocacy by Kaine, the bill includes $8.75 billion for the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG), which is an increase of $725 million from FY23 and $12.27 billion for Head Start, which is an increase of $275 million from FY23.

Strengthening Virginia’s Shipbuilding and Repair Industries: Provides more than $33 billion for the procurement of eight Navy ships, including two Virginia-class fast attack submarines and one Columbia-class ballistic submarine. It also provides $155 million for multi-use and parking facilities at shipyards to improve quality of life for sailors, $350 million in surface shipyard workforce and infrastructure improvements, and $13.7 billion for ongoing ship depot maintenance.

Investing in the Wellbeing of Sailors: Provides an additional $20 million for the Navy’s suicide prevention and response efforts.

Delivering for Miners: Provides $12.2 million for Black Lung clinics, which serve coal miners with job-related coal mine dust lung disease. The legislation also directs the U.S. Department of Labor to report on their efforts to improve the speed and quality of processing Black Lung Benefits claims. Sens. Warner and Kaine have called for improvements to the Black Lung Benefits program.

Improving Rural Health Care: The legislation urges Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to extend its temporary Low Wage Index Hospital Policy. Sen. Warner has been a longtime advocate for extending this policy, which allows hospitals in rural areas to compete for, and retain, high-quality staff by increasing reimbursements to hospitals in rural areas with lower overall wages.

Supporting Community Health Centers: Provides $1.86 billion for Community Health Centers that provide critical health care to our most vulnerable communities.

Helping Find a Cure for Pediatric Cancers: Provides $12.6 million to fund childhood cancer research through the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act, named after a child from Loudoun County who died from brain cancer in 2013. 

Addressing Long COVID: Provides $13.5 million to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to conduct research to address patient-centered care for people living with Long COVID. This funding stems from Kaine’s bipartisan bill, the Long COVID Support Act.

Rural Health: Provides $5 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office of Rural Health to address health care and rural health needs. Kaine cosponsored the Rural Health Equity Act to establish the office in 2021.

Modernizing Public Health Infrastructure: Provides $175 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to modernize America’s public health data systems.

Supporting domestic production of personal protective equipment: Includes $10 million to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response to advance development and production of medical countermeasures.

Assisting Virginians in Crisis: Provides $519.6 million for the 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline, an $18 million increase from FY23.

Supporting HBCUs and MSIs: Provides $908 million, an increase of $8 million over FY23 funding, to support Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). 

Securing the Southern Border: Includes $1.6 billion for border management needs, including Border Patrol processing facilities, transportation requirements, migrant medical needs, and other related support costs, as well as $495 million for additional Border Patrol agents.

Addressing the Opioid and Fentanyl Crisis: Includes $457 million for the Office of National Drug Control Policy, including $299 million for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA), which provides assistance to federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States.

Safeguarding our Nation’s Capitol: Provides $792 million to hire up to 2,204 sworn officers and 636 civilian members of the Capitol Police.

Relief for Vulnerable Borrowers: Includes language directing the Department of Education to provide a briefing on implementation of the Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act within 60 days of enactment. The legislation, authored and championed by Sen. Warner, provides much-needed relief for individuals who previously consolidated their student loan debt with a spouse and have no way of severing it, even in the event of domestic violence, economic abuse, or an unresponsive partner.

Expanding Economic Opportunity in Vulnerable Communities: Includes $324 million for the CDFI Fund, which serves mission-driven financial institutions that take a market-based approach to supporting economically disadvantaged communities. Sen. Warner, a former entrepreneur and co-chair of the Senate CDFI Caucus, has been a longtime champion in Congress for expanding access to capital. To combat the loss of economic opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Warner authored legislation to make a record $12 billion investment in CDFIs and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) andsuccessfully fought to include it in the December 2021 COVID-19 relief package. 

Restoring American Semiconductor Manufacturing: Includes $100 million, as specified in Sen. Warner’s CHIPS for America Act, for the Department of State’s International Technology Security and Innovation Fund to support the responsible and secure development of semiconductors, telecommunications, and other emerging technologies and their supply chains. Also includes $400 million for the America Defense Fund, as specified within the CHIPS for America Act, to advance defense priorities related to semiconductor manufacturing. 

Staying on the Forefront of AI: Includes more than $1.9 billion to advance the Department of Defense’s adoption of artificial intelligence, including $10 million to accelerate the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer’s investments in autonomy. 

Keeping our Commitment to our Afghan Allies: Supports an additional 12,000 Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans who risked their lives to support the U.S. during the war in Afghanistan. 

Bolstering Global Deterrence: Doubles security cooperation funding for Taiwan up to $108 million, provides $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), and provides $228 million in support of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania through the Baltic Security Initiative.

Humanitarian Assistance: Includes $8.7 billion in humanitarian assistance to address historic levels of global displacement and broader impacts from Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Building a More Resilient Cyber Infrastructure: Includes $2.9 billion for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) for operations and support; procurement, construction, and improvements; and research and development.  

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