WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement on the passing of former President Jimmy Carter:

“Jimmy Carter blazed a trail from the peanut fields of Plains, Georgia to the Navy, the Governor’s Mansion, the White House, and to a remarkable post-presidential career – modeling leadership, philanthropy, and love of country every step of the way. We lost a giant.

“Jimmy Carter gave me my first job out of law school, and I have deeply admired his service since leaving the Oval Office. His dedication to building homes through Habitat for Humanity has always brought back warm memories of my father, who also volunteered with the organization well into his eighties. Like much of the Greatest Generation, President Carter will be remembered by what he built and left behind for us – a model of service late into life, a tireless devotion to family and philanthropy, and a more peaceful world to call home.” 

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WASHINGTON – Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement after FBI Director Christopher Wray announced his intent to step down:

“As the FBI’s leader, Chris Wray has always prioritized the mission of the FBI over politics. Throughout his tenure as Director, he has worked to ensure that the Bureau remains independent and focused on its essential responsibilities to protect the American people and uphold the rule of law.

“While I’m disappointed that he will be stepping down before completing his 10-year term, I understand that Director Wray is simply trying to do what he has always done – which is act with integrity – and I thank him for the principled leadership he brought to the FBI and for his service to the country.

“As we look ahead to the process of confirming a new leader for the FBI, it is essential that the next Director be someone who shares Director Wray’s commitment to fairness, transparency, and the rule of law, so that the men and women of the FBI can continue their vital work safeguarding national security, fighting crime, and ensuring justice for all."

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement today after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the expected release of an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. This announcement follows strong advocacy by the Senators, who pushed DHS and DOL in October to release these visas – the maximum number authorized by congress for FY 2025.

“We are pleased to see the Department of Homeland Security plan to release these additional H-2B visas, which will allow workers to legally and temporarily fill seasonal job openings that would otherwise sit vacant. This move will help the small family businesses that make up Virginia’s seafood industry by ensuring they have the labor needed to get their product to market ahead of the commercial harvesting season.”  

The H-2B Temporary Non-Agricultural Visa Program allows U.S. employers to hire seasonal, non-immigrant workers during peak seasons to supplement the existing American workforce. In order to be eligible for the program, employers are required to declare that there are not enough U.S. workers available to do the temporary work, as is the case with the seafood industry, which relies on H-2B workers for tough jobs such as shucking oysters and processing crabs. 

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long advocated for the expansion of H-2B visas in order to ensure that seafood processors in Virginia have the seasonal workforce they need. Last year, the Senators pushed for DOL to reform the H-2B Visa process in order to help meet the need of Virginia’s seafood processors. In 2022, Sens. Warner and Kaine pushed for and secured the release of an additional H-2B visas for seasonal workers.

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WASHINGTON – Today, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Vice Chairman Marco Rubio (R-FL) as Secretary of State:

“I have worked with Marco Rubio for more than a decade on the Intelligence Committee, particularly closely in the last couple of years in his role as Vice Chairman, and while we don’t always agree, he is smart, talented, and will be a strong voice for American interests around the globe.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement on Congressman Gerry Connolly’s (D-VA) cancer diagnosis:

“Gerry Connolly is a fighter — plain and simple. Throughout his career, he has shown remarkable strength, dedication, and resilience in everything he does, and we have no doubt that he will approach this challenge with the same determination and grit that has defined his public service.

“Gerry has always been a steadfast advocate for the people of Northern Virginia, and we know that he will continue to show that same fierce commitment as he faces this battle. We are confident he will emerge from this even stronger, as he has done time and time again.

“As his colleagues and friends, we stand with him every step of the way. Gerry’s courage and determination inspire us all, and we look forward to working with him as he continues to do what he does best — fighting for his constituents and for the values we all share.”

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WASHINGTON – With just five days until the election, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today issued a special message to Virginians, urging them to remain level-headed in the lead up to the election and the days after – especially in the face of surging election disinformation, conspiracy theories, and false videos generated or altered with artificial intelligence.

On the broad feeling of uncertainty plaguing 69 percent of Americans who report feeling anxious or frustrated about the election, Sen. Warner said:

“I think we’re all going to be tested. Because what’s more important than whatever candidate you’re supporting, is making sure that we have faith in our system. I have been blessed to have been your governor and your senator. I have faith in our democracy, I have faith in the integrity of the literally thousands of folks who give their time and volunteer at our polling locations.” (2:21)

On the likely outcome that the election will not be immediately called on election night, Sen. Warner said:

“If your election is not called right away on Tuesday night – even if it doesn’t appear to be that close – there are reasons. Rules have changed. Certain jurisdictions are hand-counting ballots now. That just takes a lot more time. Just because it takes a while to have an election called doesn’t mean there’s anything nefarious or bad going on.” (1:58). He continued, “This is not going to end in Virginia when our polls close at 7 o’clock on Tuesday, or later in the evening as later states close. We’re probably not going to have a declared winner on Tuesday night. I think we just all got to be prepared for that, and have a little patience with a system that has served us well.” (9:25)

On the barrage of disinformation and artificial videos targeting Americans, Sen. Warner said:

“It’s going to be a tense time. Please don’t jump to conclusions. As we all tell our kids: just because you see it on the internet, does not mean it’s true. And if you see some story or conspiracy that seems so outrageous, take a deep breath, take a moment, and check other news sites to see if that story is being repeated or if it may just be a one-off.” (3:04). He continued, “If it comes from a meme or a TikTok video, chances are that may not be accurate. We all need to recognize that these next few days and the hours and days after the election are going to be some of the most critical time, I think, in recent history.” (1:34)

On efforts to cast doubt on the integrity of our election, Sen. Warner said:

“I’ve said this many times as Chairman of the Intelligence Committee: there are other nations – China, Iran and Russia in particular – who want to interfere in our elections. They may have a candidate choice, but at the end of the day, what they mostly want to do is undermine our confidence in our system. In two years, we’ll be celebrating the 250^th anniversary of our nation. Our democracy has stood up to the test of time, but over these next few days, it may be tested again. At the end of the day, I want to count on my fellow Virginians. We’ll get to a fair result. Whether your candidate wins or loses, we’ll make sure the process is fair, that the votes are counted fairly, and I again implore you, if you see crazy stuff, don’t take rash action.” (3:31)

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WASHINGTON – Today, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement in response to President Biden’s National Security Memorandum (NSM) on Artificial Intelligence:

“As we have seen just over the last two years, AI technology is rapidly evolving in a way that will have massive consequences for our economy, national security, and even democracy. I am heartened to see the administration recognize this very fact and take a leadership role to advance AI capabilities while simultaneously promoting responsible research, strong governance that ensures trust and safety, and the protection of human and civil rights.

“I am also gratified to see that the NSM appears to implement many of the legislative proposals I have advanced, including requirements to promote AI security research and address AI cyber vulnerabilities. However, as the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee I am also acutely aware of the many threats to our AI efforts. I encourage the administration to work in the coming months with Congress to advance a clearer strategy to engage the private sector on national security risks directed at AI systems across the AI supply chain.” 

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WASHINGTON – Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued a statement on the death of Hamas terrorist Yahya Sinwar:

“Earlier today I spoke with Director Burns, who confirmed that Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and one of the masterminds of the October 7 terrorist attack, has been killed in Gaza. As a terrorist leader, Sinwar was responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocents, including Americans, Israelis and Palestinians. While justice has been served to Sinwar, let us not forget that the terrorist network he headed still holds dozens of people hostage in Gaza, and we must continue to press for their safe return.”

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WASHINGTON – Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued a statement after the U.S. government announced criminal charges and other actions related to Iran’s attempts to influence the elections:

“Today’s announcement once again underscores the extent to which adversaries like Iran are actively seeking to influence the outcome of our elections using a wide range of tools. I applaud the intelligence community and law enforcement for today’s actions, which are exposing those responsible and, most importantly, are raising the American public’s awareness to be on guard against attempts by our foreign adversaries to influence their votes.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued a statement on efforts by Iran to influence the election: 

“I applaud the administration for providing regular public notifications of foreign efforts to influence our elections, including this hack-and-leak attempt by Iran. Since early July, we’ve received nearly a half-dozen updates on adversaries’ intentions and plans to influence the upcoming election.

“With Russia’s 2016 playbook out in the open, it’s no surprise that other malign actors would seek to follow suit. Our adversaries understand that there is an opportunity to exploit the pace and intensity of political campaigns by offering hacked or otherwise misappropriated materials to malicious ends. That’s why our Committee’s exhaustive report on Russian interference included a bipartisan recommendation that campaigns should ‘reject the use of foreign original material.’ With fewer than 50 days to go until Election Day, I continue to urge all Americans to be aware of, and stand guard against, efforts by foreign adversaries to influence your votes.”

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WASHINGTON – Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued a statement after the U.S. government announced criminal charges and other actions related to Russian disinformation efforts to influence the U.S. election:

“Today’s announcement underscores what the Senate Intelligence Committee has repeatedly warned: foreign adversaries are acutely interested in meddling in our elections, using a wide range of tools to seek their preferred electoral outcomes and stoke division among Americans. We applaud federal law enforcement for taking steps today to hold Russia publicly accountable for its efforts to influence the U.S. presidential election. With just 62 days until Election Day, we must remain vigilant, and the Senate Intelligence Committee will continue to work with the Intelligence Community to keep the American public alert to the threat posed by those seeking to disrupt the democratic process.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today released the following statement on reporting that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is working on a proposed rule that would significantly impact patients’ ability to access certain prescriptions through telemedicine.

“As currently reported, the DEA’s proposal provides an even worse solution than the one put forth under the first proposed rule. This arcane approach would represent a significant step back for patients who rely on telemedicine for critical medications, and yet another failure by the DEA to establish a meaningful special registration, which Congress has repeatedly directed it to do for over a decade. The pandemic proved that the vast majority of health care providers can successfully provide quality health care through telehealth. We don’t need an arbitrary new set of regulations – we just need DEA to set up the minimum training requirements for providers and a special registration that allows the DEA to do its job to monitor telemedicine prescribing of these medications and catch bad actors. If the DEA is unable to work with health care providers and finalize a workable proposal soon, Congress should be prepared to take action so patients aren’t left without care on January 1st.”

Since 2008, Congress has directed the DEA to set up a special registration process, an exception process under the Ryan Haight Act, a law that regulates the online prescription of controlled substances. This special registration process would open up the door for quality health care providers to evaluate a patient and safely prescribe medications over telehealth, as was done for years during the pandemic.

Sen. Warner, a former tech entrepreneur, has been a longtime advocate for increased access to telehealth. He is an original cosponsor of the CONNECT for Health Act, which would expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent, improve health outcomes, and make it easier for patients to safely connect with their doctors. He previously wrote to both the Biden and Trump administrations to urge the DEA to finalize regulations that allow doctors to prescribe controlled substances through telehealth. Sen. Warner also sent a letter to Senate leadership during the height of the COVID-19 crisis, calling for the permanent expansion of access to telehealth services. In September 2023, Sen. Warner led bipartisan partners to share serious concerns about an earlier version of DEA’s proposed rule, which would also have seriously curtailed access to prescriptions through telemedicine.

In 2018, Sen. Warner included a provision to expand financial coverage for virtual substance use treatment in the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018. In 2003, then-Gov. Warner expanded Medicaid coverage for telemedicine statewide, including evaluation and management visits, a range of individual psychotherapies, the full range of consultations, and some clinical services, including in cardiology and obstetrics. Coverage was also expanded to include non-physician providers. Among other benefits, the telehealth expansion allowed individuals in medically underserved and remote areas of Virginia to access quality specialty care that isn’t always available at home.

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