Press Releases
WASHINGTON – Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued a statement after an investigation by the Department of Defense’s (DoD) independent watchdog found that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth violated DoD policy and endangered the lives of Virginia-based pilots by sharing classified information over an unsecure personal group chat:
“An objective, evidence-based investigation by the Pentagon’s internal watchdog leaves no doubt: Secretary Hegseth endangered the lives of American pilots based aboard the USS Harry S. Truman as they prepared to launch a mission against terrorist targets. By sharing classified operational details on an unsecure group chat on his personal phone, he created unacceptable risks to their safety and to our operational security.
“The report also notes that the IG is aware of several other Signal chats Hegseth used for official business, underscoring that this was not an isolated lapse. It reflects a broader pattern of recklessness and poor judgment from a secretary who has repeatedly shown he is in over his head.
“Our servicemembers, including those stationed in Virginia and around the world, expect and deserve leaders who honor the sacrifices they make every day to protect our nation and never put them at unnecessary risk. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Pete Hegseth should resign, or the president must remove him at once.”
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today issued the following statement after successfully pushing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide more options to Medicare Advantage seniors who lose network access to their doctors in the middle of the year:
“Navigating the health care landscape is hard enough as is – we shouldn’t be forcing seniors to jump through hoops in order to continue seeing the doctors they know and trust. I’m glad to see CMS heed our call by proposing new measures that would allow Medicare Advantage enrollees to change their coverage more easily when they experience mid-year provider network changes. I’ll keep working with CMS to get this proposed rule finalized and ensure that elderly Americans can count on the continuity of care they need.”
CMS currently has the ability to allow affected Medicare Advantage enrollees to switch plans as part of a “special enrollment period” when a significant number of doctors or hospitals no longer accept their insurance in the middle of the year. However, the circumstances for how these special enrollment periods are determined are currently opaque, and there is minimal notice to the public, states, and enrollees. In November, Sen. Warner joined Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) in calling on CMS to clarify how these special enrollment periods are determined and provide seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage with more information about plan changes.
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and co-founder of the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to roll back cybersecurity regulations put in place following Salt Typhoon, the worst telecommunications cyberattack in our nation’s history:
“In the aftermath of the worst telecommunications compromise in our nation’s history, today’s vote by the FCC walks back yet another effort to set meaningful, enforceable cybersecurity standards for America’s communications backbone, after congressional Republicans overturned cybersecurity rules set by the FCC in 2017.
“The Salt Typhoon intrusion made clear that existing voluntary measures alone have not been sufficient to prevent sophisticated, state-sponsored actors from gaining long-term, covert access to critical networks. While collaboration with industry is essential, it must be paired with clear, enforceable expectations that reflect the scale of the threat.
“I am concerned that abandoning an enforceable, standards-based approach in favor of undefined ‘flexible’ solutions leaves us without a credible plan to address the gaps exposed by Salt Typhoon, including basic failures like credential reuse and the absence of multi-factor authentication for highly privileged accounts.
“Congress, the administration, and the FCC should be moving toward greater transparency and stronger protections, not less. I will continue pressing for a comprehensive national strategy to ensure that our telecommunications infrastructure is resilient against the kinds of intrusions we know are not hypothetical, but ongoing.”
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Sen. Warner Applauds Virginia Broadband Approval
Nov 19 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement today after the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced approval of Virginia’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Final Proposal, clearing the way for more than $545 million in federal funding to connect the remaining 133,000 unserved locations across the Commonwealth to high-speed internet:
“Expanding broadband access has been a top priority of mine since my time as governor, and I’m proud that Virginia continues to remain a national leader in this effort. When I wrote the broadband sections of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the goal was simple: give states the resources to finally finish the job. Today’s approval shows that work paying off, and now Virginia is poised to become one of the first states in the country with high-speed internet for every home and business.”
As a result of today’s announcement, Virginia is set to receive more than $545 million in additional BEAD funding, leveraging nearly $430 million in additional private investment. Awarded projects will extend broadband infrastructure to more than 133,000 unserved homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions across the Commonwealth.
Sen. Warner has long fought to expand access to broadband in Virginia. During negotiations for the bipartisan infrastructure law, Sen. Warner secured $65 billion in nationwide funding to help deploy broadband, increase access, and decrease costs associated with connecting to the internet. The BEAD Program was created and funded through this landmark legislation and provided $42.45 billion in federal funding to expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment and adoption programs in all states and territories.
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Sen. Warner Statement on the Epstein Files
Nov 18 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement on the Senate’s unanimous vote to compel the Trump administration to release the Epstein files:
“For years, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, abetted by a powerful circle of accomplices, committed heinous crimes against hundreds of girls and young women. Today, Congress has moved to end the months of obstruction by President Trump and shed more light on these horrific crimes and Epstein’s accomplices.
“Make no mistake: Trump can and should have released these files months ago. Now that new details have emerged – including Epstein’s statement that Trump ‘knew about the girls’ – it’s easier to see why he decided to break his promise to release them. Instead, he’s rolled out stunt after stunt to try to change the subject.
“No matter what obstruction Trump tries next, I will keep pressing for justice and accountability for Epstein’s victims and for full transparency with the American people.”
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement ahead of oral arguments in Learning Resources v. Trump, in which the Supreme Court will determine whether President Trump can continue to wield sweeping, unilateral authority to raise taxes on imported goods:
“Donald Trump’s reckless tariff policies are a tax on Virginians, driving up prices on everything from farm equipment and building materials to everyday consumer goods and costing the average household $1800 this year. Families and small businesses across the Commonwealth are already being stretched thin by rising costs, and the last thing they need is the president jacking up prices even more on a whim. No single leader should have unlimited authority to raise costs on Americans without accountability. We need trade policies that lower prices and strengthen our economy, not chaotic decisions that leave hardworking Virginians footing the bill.”
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after the Trump administration announced “substantial” layoffs of federal workers amid the government shutdown:
“Donald Trump and Russ Vought are once again showing us exactly who they are: reckless ideologues willing to inflict real pain on hardworking Americans to score political points. They have repeatedly treated federal employees not as partners in serving the American people, but as punching bags for their political agenda. Now, in the middle of a shutdown manufactured by Republicans – who control the House, the Senate, and the White House – they’re doubling down by laying off federal workers, turning their own failure to govern into a direct attack on the people who keep this country running and jeopardizing vital government services.
“Let’s be very clear: this is not an unfortunate byproduct of the government shutdown, but a deliberate choice. Republicans are intentionally holding federal workers hostage to force through their agenda driving up health care costs for millions. Instead of keeping health premiums affordable, the Trump administration is using America’s public servants as pawns to advance policies that harm working families. It’s irresponsible, it’s cruel, and it won’t work. It’s time for Republicans in Congress to end this shutdown and work with us to keep health care affordable for all Americans.”
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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement regarding the Trump Administration’s malicious prosecution of New York Attorney General Letitia James:
“A few weeks ago, Trump forced Erik Siebert, a highly-qualified prosecutor with a sterling reputation, to resign as interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia because he refused to bring trumped-up charges against James. Then, Trump installed to lead the Eastern District his personal lawyer Lindsey Halligan—a Florida insurance lawyer who is not licensed to practice law in Virginia and had prosecuted exactly zero cases in her life. By putting someone so unqualified in charge of one of the most important law enforcement offices in the country, Trump has made clear that he doesn’t care about keeping Virginians safe, only about weaponizing the justice system to punish his political opponents.
“To prosecutors across America: the integrity of our justice system depends on your courage to resist political interference. History will remember those who stood firm in defense of the rule of law, and those who allowed themselves to be complicit in corrupt, politically-motivated prosecutions.”
Last month, Warner and Kaine blasted President Donald Trump’s forcing out of Erik Siebert, interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, because Siebert was unwilling to bring criminal charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James that Trump demanded after Siebert’s office was unable to find incriminating evidence of mortgage fraud.
On January 21, 2025, the Trump administration appointed Erik Siebert as the interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. In April, after an extensive interview process that included the input of a bipartisan panel of former Virginia U.S. attorneys and other well-respected members of the Virginia legal community, Warner and Kaine sent a letter to the White House recommending Siebert for the U.S. attorney position. In May, the White House announced that Siebert was formally nominated for the role. Siebert was serving in an interim capacity because he had not yet been confirmed by the U.S. Senate. On May 9, 2025, the District Judges of the Eastern District of Virginia unanimously voted for Seibert to continue as the interim U.S. Attorney.
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Washington – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) released the following statement ahead of President Trump’s meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu:
“As President Trump prepares to welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu to the White House for the fourth time in the last 10 months, we urge the President to finally reach agreement to end the war in Gaza, end the suffering, and bring the hostages held by Hamas home.
“Monday’s meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu is a critical opportunity for the President to stand by his statements that “a deal is close” to end the war in Gaza. Importantly, President Trump must press Prime Minister Netanyahu to accept a hostage ceasefire framework proposed by the United States and its partners and ensure Hamas accepts it. It is long past time to secure an agreement that brings home the hostages, includes military withdrawals of the IDF from Gaza, that allow unhindered and overwhelming flows of humanitarian aid, and leads to the complete and permanent cessation of hostilities. As we approach the two-year anniversary of the October 7th attack, it is clear that only a hostage ceasefire agreement can bring home all the hostages –including American Itay Chen and Omer Neutra—and ensure Israel’s long-term security, not the ongoing and increasing large-scale military operations in Gaza. Any long-term plan for Gaza must both ensure Israel's security and meet the desperately-needed large-scale humanitarian, reconstruction, and governance needs in Gaza, deny Hamas a role in Gaza’s future, reject plans of displacement of Palestinians and provide dignity for Palestinians. We welcome the active role of Arab and regional leaders in this effort.
“This meeting also comes at a critical time for the West Bank amid Prime Minister Netanyahu’s irresponsible threats of potential annexation and prevention of a future Palestinian state as a part of a negotiated two-state solution. We commend President Trump’s statement that he will “not allow annexation” of the West Bank and urge him to use this meeting to get tangible commitments that take annexation off the table. This statement underscores the long-standing policy of Republicans and Democrats alike to reject unilateral steps in the West Bank that undermine the prospects for peace. Such steps include unilateral annexation, continued settlement activity that is illegal under international and Israeli law, construction in the E1 settlement block around Jerusalem, forced displacement of Palestinians, violations of the status quo, and other steps that make impossible a future where Israelis and Palestinians, along with the rest of the region's citizens, can live in equal measures of peace, security, dignity, prosperity, and mutual recognition.
“Now is the time to finally end this war. President Trump must secure a ceasefire agreement to end the war in Gaza, bring home the hostages, surge humanitarian aid to Gaza, take the dangerous step of annexation off the table, and begin the path to lasting peace.”
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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:
“Donald Trump has made clear that he intends to turn our justice system into a weapon for punishing and silencing his critics. After prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia reviewed the facts and recommended against charges for James Comey, Trump forced out Erik Siebert – a highly qualified U.S. Attorney with an outstanding record – because he refused to deliver the outcome Trump demanded. In his place, Trump installed one of his personal lawyers, a political loyalist with zero experience prosecuting cases anywhere, to bring the charges that career professionals had already rejected.
“This kind of interference is a dangerous abuse of power. Our system depends on prosecutors making decisions based on evidence and the law, not on the personal grudges of a politician determined to settle scores. By ousting a respected, independent prosecutor and replacing him with a partisan loyalist, Trump is undermining one of the most important U.S. Attorney’s offices in the country and eroding the rule of law itself.”
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Warner, Beyer, Subramanyam & Walkinshaw Release Statement Following Visit to Chantilly ICE Field Office
Sep 26 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and U.S. Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10) and James Walkinshaw (D-VA-11) issued a statement:
“We take seriously our responsibility to provide oversight and ensure that all federal agencies meet their obligations under the law. Today, we visited the ICE field office in Chantilly, Va., after a month of attempting to gain access following serious reports of troubling conditions and severe overcrowding at this facility. ICE field offices are not designed or equipped to safely hold individuals for more than 12 hours, which was the long-standing policy until June, making the dangerous overcrowding both disturbing and wholly predictable. We are relieved to report that as of today, conditions appear to have improved from the horrifying reports we received just weeks ago.
“It should not have taken this long for members of Congress to gain access to a federal facility to conduct lawful oversight. The pervasive overcrowding and unsafe conditions that occurred are the direct consequences of the Trump administration’s mass detention policies and ICE has a legal obligation to ensure that anyone in its custody is treated safely, humanely, and in accordance with federal law. With its budget now tripled in size to unprecedented levels, ICE has no excuse for failing to plan ahead: it must put in place a clear policy to ensure that when a field office reaches capacity, the burden is relieved immediately and not allowed to spiral into a humanitarian crisis. We will continue pressing for accountability and transparency to make certain those obligations are met, not temporarily or on the administration’s delayed timeline, but every single day.
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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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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and U.S. Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA-03), Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), Eugene Vindman (D-VA-07), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10), and James Walkinshaw (D-VA-11) released the following statement:
“The rise in political violence—which has inflicted tragedy upon the families of Republican activist Charlie Kirk and Minnesota’s House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, a Democrat, and her husband Mark, and many other Americans on both sides of the aisle—is disturbing and unacceptable. We are unified in our condemnation of these attacks. It is critical to the safety of all Americans and the health of our democracy that we are able to approach our political differences with respect and without resorting to violence.”
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a senior member of the Senate Banking Committee, released the following statement ahead of a scheduled committee vote on the nomination of Stephen Miran to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors:
“The Federal Reserve was designed to make decisions free from political interference, guided by data and the long-term stability of our economy, not the political agenda of any one president. Donald Trump has made clear he wants to tear down that independence, just as he has with so many of the institutions that have kept our democracy and our economy strong. His nomination of Stephen Miran to the Fed Board is yet another step in that dangerous campaign.
“Let’s be clear: under President Trump’s leadership, American families are already feeling the squeeze. Prices for everyday necessities are high and rising, while Trump’s reckless trade wars, chaotic tariffs, and deficit-busting tax cuts have left our economy weaker and more vulnerable. Now, by trying to stack the Fed with political loyalists, Trump is laying the groundwork for even more instability for consumers.
“The independence of the Fed is a cornerstone of America’s economic strength. Undermining it will only make it more difficult to get costs under control, weaken confidence in our markets, and make things harder for working families just trying to make ends meet. For that reason, I strongly oppose the nomination of Stephen Miran, and I urge my colleagues to reject this latest effort to politicize the Federal Reserve.”
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WASHINGTON – Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement:
“Weeks ago, I arranged an on-site meeting this coming Friday at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s headquarters in Springfield, Va., to connect with the nonpartisan career intelligence professionals who serve our country every day. These are Virginians – my constituents – and I have held more than a dozen similar private listening sessions with NGA and other intelligence agencies in Virginia under both Democratic and Republican presidents, including during President Trump’s first term. Engagements such as these are a core part of my responsibility to provide oversight and support to our intelligence community and hear from Americans who live in Virginia, and they have never been questioned or politicized, until now.
“Over the weekend, conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer discovered the unpublicized, classified visit and launched a campaign of baseless attacks against both me and NGA Director Vice Admiral Trey Whitworth for hosting what has always been considered a routine oversight meeting. In response to Loomer’s criticism, political appointees canceled the visit, just the latest example of an administration seemingly desperate to please Loomer, a figure with a long history of extreme and outlandish fringe views, including 9/11 denialism, anti-Muslim harassment campaigns, and associations with white supremacists.
“This nakedly political decision undermines the dedicated, nonpartisan staff at NGA and threatens the principle of civilian oversight that protects our national security. Members of Congress routinely conduct meetings and on-site engagements with federal employees in their states and districts; blocking and setting arbitrary conditions on these sessions sets a dangerous precedent, calling into question whether oversight is now allowed only when it pleases the far-right fringe. This should concern Republicans as well as Democrats: if routine oversight can be obstructed for political reasons, no member of Congress is immune.
“Let me be clear: I will never be deterred from carrying out my constitutional responsibilities. The business of government and the security of our nation will not be dictated by extremist attention-seekers. I will continue to hold the government accountable and meet with the career intelligence professionals who keep our country safe.”
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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and U.S. Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA-03) slammed the Trump Administration’s withdrawal of $39,265,000 in federal funding they secured for the Fairwinds Landing maritime operations and logistics facility in Norfolk:
“The withdrawal of federal funding for the Fairwinds Landing facility is further evidence of this Administration’s across-the-board, reckless approach to governing. If the Administration took the time to learn about the project, it would realize that it is about investing in maritime supply chains and port infrastructure to support not only clean energy but also shipbuilding and ship repair. Stopping this project makes no sense, hurts our economy, and is completely counterproductive to the Administration’s so-called efforts to ‘restore America’s maritime dominance.’ We will be working with our colleagues in Congress, state officials, and partners in the region to urge the Trump Administration to reverse its decision.”
The Fairwinds Landing facility will support offshore wind, shipbuilding and repair, and transportation and logistics. In March, Kaine and Scott toured Fairwinds Landing.
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Finance and Banking committees, released the following statement on President Trump’s attempt to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook:
“The Fed was designed to operate insulated from political pressure so that it can make tough decisions based on data and the long-term health of the economy, not the whims of any one president. This outrageous and unprecedented attempt to fire a member of the independent Federal Reserve on the flimsiest of unproven pretexts is clearly the latest scheme from a president determined to subvert the institutions that have kept our democracy strong and our economy the envy of the world.
“Under President Trump, Americans are already paying more for groceries and other essentials. President Trump’s attempt to fire a member of the Federal Reserve is just the latest example of his chaos-driven approach to the economy. From impulsive trade wars and erratic tariffs to deficit-exploding tax cuts and now this attack on Fed independence, Donald Trump has shown time and again that he’s more interested in political theater and absolving himself of blame than in helping the American people. The result is higher costs for families, uncertainty for businesses, and diminished confidence in our economic leadership around the world.”
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement regarding reporting that the Trump Administration is planning to terminate $156 million in federal grant funding to Virginia, which was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that the senators helped pass, to help people cut their energy costs by installing solar panels on their roofs:
“We were proud to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which helped attract hundreds of millions of dollars in clean-energy investments to Virginia and put us on the path to create more than 20,000 new jobs in the Commonwealth alone. Donald Trump’s decision to rip up that legislation with his ‘Big, Ugly Bill,’ was a short-sighted mistake. Now he’s making it even worse by eliminating funding designed to help Virginians cut their energy costs by harnessing affordable energy sources. Between Trump’s tariffs on everyday goods, his efforts to kick 15 million people off of their health insurance, and this new decision to put lower energy prices further out of reach for American families, it’s clear that the President’s promises to lower costs are nothing but cheap talk.”
The $156 million in funding for solar projects in Virginia was distributed to the Virginia Department of Energy. The investment was aimed to deliver solar to 15,430 households and was expected to cut those households’ average utility bills by 20 percent. Total savings differ based on location and system size, but on average, U.S. homeowners are estimated to save $50,000 over 25 years after installing rooftop solar panels. This funding is part of $7 billion in funding from the IRA to support rooftop and community solar deployment nationwide that is reportedly at risk of being terminated.
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Sen. Warner Statement on President Trump’s Firing of the Head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Aug 01 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Finance and Banking committees, issued the below statement after President Trump announced he fired Dr. Erika McEntarfer, the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, following today’s jobs report:
“Today’s deeply troubling jobs report makes one thing plain: the American economy is faltering, and it’s Donald Trump’s reckless policies that are to blame. Job growth has stalled, prices are rising, and uncertainty is paralyzing American businesses.
“Now the president is trying to cook the books by firing the nonpolitical career civil servant who oversees the data, because he wants to hide the truth of his failed policies from the American people.
“The jobs report confirmed what economists have been warning for months: President Trump’s chaotic trade war and erratic tariffs are slamming American businesses, stifling investment, and raising prices on families. And while working Americans are bearing the brunt, Trump’s partisan budget bill just handed massive tax cuts to the wealthiest while gutting Medicaid, raising health care premiums, and slashing food assistance for those who need it.
“With each passing day, President Trump shows he is willing to sacrifice American workers, families, and now even the integrity of our economic data in order to cover up the consequences of his failures.
“Firing the ump doesn’t change the score. Americans deserve to know the truth about the state of the Trump economy.”
WASHINGTON – Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted 52-44 to confirm Joe Kent to head the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC):
“In May, Congress received clear written evidence that Mr. Kent, while serving as chief of staff to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, sought to manipulate intelligence to match a political narrative promoted by President Trump. His efforts to alter intelligence assessments in support of demonstrably false political claims is not only a gross violation of the solemn responsibility with which the intelligence community is charged, which is to speak truth to power regardless of politics, but it is also a threat to our ability to keep the nation safe. When intelligence is shaped to fit political agendas instead of hard facts, it blinds decision-makers to real threats, sows confusion among our allies, and emboldens our adversaries.
“With today’s party-line vote to confirm Mr. Kent to one of the nation’s most sensitive counterterrorism roles, the Senate missed an opportunity to hold the Trump administration accountable for openly politicizing intelligence – a precedent that, if left unchecked, threatens to erode trust in our intelligence agencies, compromise the integrity of national security assessments, and ultimately make Americans less safe.”
On May 21, the Senate Intelligence Committee received copies of emails indicating that Mr. Kent pressured career intelligence officials to revise and suppress analytical conclusions that contradicted public claims made by President Trump. Specifically, Kent pressed the National Intelligence Council (NIC) to rewrite findings about the relationship between Venezuela’s government and the criminal gang Tren de Aragua (TDA) “so this document is not used against the DNI or POTUS,” and to emphasize supposed ties between the Venezuelan government and TDA. Despite the pressure, the April 7 assessment issued by the NIC reaffirmed the original conclusion that Venezuela’s government “probably does not have a policy of cooperating with TDA and is not directing TDA movement to and operations in the United States.” Shortly thereafter, the senior career analysts leading the NIC were dismissed from their positions by DNI Gabbard.
Sen. Warner spoke in opposition to Mr. Kent’s nomination on the Senate floor prior to the vote. Video of those remarks is available here.
WASHINGTON —Today, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) joined with Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Defense Appropriator Chris Coons (D-DE), and Ranking State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriator Brian Schatz (D-HI) to release the following statement urging the Trump Administration to press Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to immediately change course in its war in Gaza:
“Humanitarian conditions in Gaza are appalling and unconscionable. This week, more than 100 NGOs—including Mercy Corps, Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children, and Oxfam—warned of mass starvation spreading across Gaza. Following Prime Minister Netanyahu’s nearly 3-month blockade of humanitarian assistance, three-quarters of the population is facing emergency or catastrophic levels of hunger.
“The handful of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites are wholly inadequate to meet the needs of this starving population. Widespread problems have made GHF aid delivery chaotic and dangerous, leading to the deaths of an estimated 700 people. Yet the Trump Administration recently approved $30 million for GHF, overriding established procedures and waiving consultation with Congress.
“While some established humanitarian organizations have been allowed to resume very limited operations, a number of restrictions and security challenges prevent them from fully functioning. To make matters worse, this week’s expansion of Israel’s military operation into central Gaza for the first time in the conflict has put at risk these few remaining operations. Moreover, the UN estimates that nearly 88 percent of Gaza is no longer accessible to civilians, leaving approximately two million people confined to a troublingly small remaining area.
“Meanwhile, hostages remain in captivity in Gaza, including American citizens, and three out of four Israelis are calling for an end to this war. Last September, the IDF assessed that Hamas had been largely defeated militarily from its peak strength when it heinously attacked Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023 and is now effectively a “guerilla terror group.” As we know from our own experience following the attacks of September 11, 2001, there is no solely military solution to defeating a terrorist group. Continuing this war with no discernable end is not in Israel’s national security interest, and the lack of a viable “day after” plan has been a glaring mistake.
“We call on the Trump Administration to use its considerable leverage to press Prime Minister Netanyahu to:
- Reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that releases the hostages as soon as possible.
- Support a surge in humanitarian assistance that provides both a sufficient amount of humanitarian aid and credible mechanisms for effective distribution, including the verification and monitoring of assistance to ensure equitable distribution and to prevent Hamas from diverting assistance. Established humanitarian organizations like the World Food Programme have the experience and ability to renew their delivery of assistance without civil unrest. We must allow them to do their jobs.
- Dramatically reform or shut down the Gaza Humanitarian Fund and resume support for the existing UN-led aid coordination mechanisms in Gaza with enhanced oversight to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches civilians in need.
- Establish a “day after” plan for Gaza where Hamas does not retain power, Israel disavows annexation of the West Bank and further integrates into the region, a reformed Palestinian Authority is fostered and empowered, and regional partners are included in rebuilding.
- Create a framework for a viable path back to a two-state solution that will allow the Israeli and Palestinian people to live side by side in security, dignity, and prosperity.”
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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement after the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs voted to approve updated authorizations for 18 Veterans Affairs (VA) major medical facility leases – the final congressional committee needed to greenlight the leases, including one for a proposed outpatient clinic in Hampton Roads:
“We’re very pleased that all four congressional committees have now approved these much-needed VA leases, including the proposed new outpatient clinic in Hampton Roads. This is a major step forward in expanding access to high-quality, convenient care for the more than 60 percent of Hampton VA Medical Center patients who live on the south side of the region. For years, we’ve pushed to get these kinds of facilities authorized and built, because we refuse to accept a system where veterans are stuck with long wait times or forced to travel hours for basic appointments. With this final vote, we are one step closer to ensuring these long-overdue facilities become a reality.
“Now that the leases have cleared every hurdle in Congress, we’ll be pushing the VA and GSA to award these leases, and make sure these projects get off the ground without delay. Our veterans have waited long enough.”
While these leases were originally authorized under the PACT Act, which both senators strongly supported, updated cost estimates and rent bids prompted the VA and the General Services Administration (GSA) to seek reauthorization from four congressional committees. With yesterday’s action by the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, the leases have now been reauthorized by all four needed committees: the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
Sens. Warner and Kaine have long fought to expand health care and benefits for Virginia’s nearly 700,000 veterans. Sens. Warner and Kaine began raising the alarm about the significant backlog of unapproved VA leases in 2016. After putting significant pressure on officials across the federal government, Congress unanimously passed the Providing Veterans Overdue Care Act, legislation written by Sen. Warner and supported by Sen. Kaine, to cut the backlog and get over two dozen delayed VA medical facilities’ leases approved.
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Warner & Colleagues Demand Answers from Delta on Use of AI to Set Individualized Ticket Prices
Jul 22 2025
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) along with his colleagues Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Richard Blumental (D-CT) led their colleagues in demanding answers from Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian after the company announced that it plans to ramp up its use of Artificial Intelligence to set surveillance-based ticket prices.
“Individualized pricing, or surveillance-based price setting, eliminates a fixed or static price in favor of prices that are tailored to an individual consumer’s willingness to pay. Delta’s current and planned individualized pricing practices not only present data privacy concerns, but will also likely mean fare price increases up to each individual consumer’s personal “pain point” at a time when American families are already struggling with rising costs,” wrote the senators. “The technology making that determination is trained using “all the data we can get our hands on” according to Fetcherr CEO Roy Cohen, and the company’s website claims that AI adoption and usage could increase aviation industry profits by up to $4.4 trillion annually.”
“The implications for individual consumer privacy are severe on their own. Surveillance pricing has been shown to utilize extensive personal information obtained through a variety of thirdparty channels, including data about a passenger’s purchase history, web browsing behavior, geolocation, social media activity, biometric data, and financial status,” they continued. “Former FTC Chair Lina Khan has cautioned against a particularly egregious but conceivable example of an airline using AI to charge a higher fare to a passenger ‘because the company knows that they just had a death in the family and need to fly across the country.’”
In the letter, the senators demanded answers on the company’s plans to protect Americans from pricing discrimination. They also requested answers to a series of questions around the types and sources of data Delta will use to train this AI system, how many passengers and which routes will be impacted, and what steps the company has taken to ensure compliance will follow all applicable federal and state laws.
The full text of the letter is available here.
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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted to rescind federal funding for public broadcasting and national security programs, which had previously been appropriated by a bipartisan majority in Congress:
“It’s outrageous that enough Republicans caved to President Trump and OMB Director Vought’s pressure to go back on appropriations deals that a bipartisan majority of Congress had previously agreed to. A deal should be a deal. These cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the State Department, and USAID will make it harder for communities to access critical emergency alerts during disasters, and create more instability around the world by defunding initiatives that protect our national security. Republican efforts to defund faith-based charity organizations are particularly sickening. The Trump Administration and our Republican colleagues are not going to stop here, and we urge every American to continue to speak out against these attacks on the interests of the American people. We will continue to fight against further efforts by the Administration and Republicans to defund critical programs that Virginians rely on.”
The Republican rescissions package cancels funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, including $100 million for Virginia. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting was authorized by Congress in 1967 and supports more than 1,500 locally owned public radio and TV stations, nearly half of which serve rural communities. It also cancels funding for the State Department and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), including for global health programs, faith-based organizations, Afghan refugee programs, United Nations peacekeeping operations, the U.S. Institute for Peace, the Inter-American Foundation, and the African Development Foundation. The legislation will impact thousands of Virginia’s federal employees and contractors. A recent study found that if the current cuts to USAID continue through 2030, 14 million people could die.
Sens. Warner and Kaine filed a series of amendments in an attempt to improve the legislation, but none of them were added to the final legislation.
Sen. Warner’s amendment would have reduced cuts to assistance for African nations and helped strengthen trade, counter the malign influence of adversaries, and pursue economic development. The amendment would have helped ensure that China could not capitalize on the sudden vacuum of influence that will ensue if America withdraws its economic development initiatives on the continent.
Sen. Kaine’s amendments included eliminating cuts in funding for the Migration and Refugee Assistance and International Disaster Assistance programs, including funding for faith-based organizations; protecting funding for USAID and the Inter-American Foundation; preserving funding to defend against cyberattacks by Russia and Iran and keep fentanyl out of the United States; and eliminating cuts in funding for CPB for pre-K educational programming and any broadcasts and media stations that disseminate information during natural disasters and national emergencies.
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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, slammed the Republican rescissions package that cancels $8.3 billion in federal funding previously appropriated by a bipartisan majority in Congress for national security programs:
“If Republicans move forward with these massive cuts to the State Department, USAID, and other key agencies and programs, the world will become more unpredictable and unstable, which puts Americans at risk. Experts estimate that 14 million people will die, humanitarian crises will worsen, horrific diseases will spread, our Afghan partners will be faced with increased uncertainty about their futures, and China will become even more emboldened as Beijing continues to fill the leadership void left by the U.S.’s retreat. Destroying USAID and canceling critical U.S. national security programs, without any coherent strategy or rationale for doing so, sets us back when it comes to addressing the many national security challenges that we are facing. Any of our colleagues who care about the security of our great nation should vote against this rescissions package.”
The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the authority to approve and appropriate federal dollars. While a sitting president can propose the cancelation of appropriated funding, only Congress has the authority to revoke it, and must do so by passing a rescissions bill. The Republican rescissions package will be voted on in the Senate this week.
The legislation cuts previously appropriated State Department and USAID funding, including for global health programs that keep Americans safe from diseases and faith-based organizations that do essential work in the U.S. and abroad. It also eliminates funding for Afghan refugee programs, United Nations peacekeeping operations, the U.S. Institute for Peace, the Inter-American Foundation, and the African Development Foundation. These cuts will impact thousands of Virginia’s federal employees and contractors who carry out important refugee and development work. A recent study found that if the current cuts to USAID continue through 2030, 14 million people could die.
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