Press Releases
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 White House eliminated the role of Cybersecurity Coordinator on the National Security Council, a position created to harmonize the federal government’s approach to cybersecurity and digital warfare:
“It’s frankly mindboggling that the Trump Administration has eliminated the top White House official responsible for a whole-of-government cyber strategy, at a time when the cyber threat to our nation is greater than ever. Our adversaries are investing heavily in 21st century cyber warfare capabilities, and if we only view national security through a conventional 20th century lens, we’re going to find ourselves unable to respond to increasingly asymmetric cyber threats down the road.”
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WASHINGTON – During a hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today to consider the nomination of Bill Evanina to serve as the nation’s top counterintelligence official, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), the Committee’s Vice Chairman, voiced concern that rolling back trade restrictions on Chinese telecom company ZTE would pose significant national security risks to the United States.
In recent days, President Trump has publicity expressed his desire to reverse trade restrictions placed on the company for violating sanctions on Iran and North Korea.
“On the question of counterintelligence with China, a number of members of this committee have raised concerns about certain Chinese telecom companies and their penetration into the American market. I was actually pleased that the President acted on one of those companies, ZTE. Now it appears that that is simply a bargaining chip in negotiations with China. I don’t think that is the appropriate way,” said Sen. Warner during the nomination hearing.
“If this is a security threat, then it is a security threat and needs to be dealt with as such — not as a bargaining chip in greater trade negotiations,” added Sen. Warner.
On Sunday, May 13 Trump tweeted, “President Xi of China, and I, are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast. Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done!” The next day, Trump followed with another tweet: “ZTE, the large Chinese phone company, buys a big percentage of individual parts from U.S. companies. This is also reflective of the larger trade deal we are negotiating with China and my personal relationship with President Xi.”
Earlier today, Sen. Warner joined a group of 34 Senators urging President Trump not to reverse trade restrictions on ZTE.
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Warner & Kaine Call on Trump Administration to Put American Jobs, National Security Before China
May 15 2018
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined a group of 33 Senators calling on the Trump Administration to put American jobs and national security ahead of China. The Senators wrote a letter to the Administration in response to President Trump’s announcement that he has directed the Department of Commerce to look at easing penalties imposed on China-based company ZTE for violations that include selling sensitive U.S. technologies to Iran and North Korea in violation of U.S. sanctions laws.
“Offering to trade American sanctions enforcement to promote jobs in China is plainly a bad deal for American workers and for the security of all Americans,” the Senators wrote. “American workers and companies confront rampant theft of U.S. intellectual property, agricultural policies that disadvantage American farmers, restrictions on market access for U.S. service providers and manufacturers, and mercantilist industrial policies that have cost U.S. workers their jobs. America’s policies toward China should put American workers, farmers and businesses first, not China’s.”
“We urge you to focus on identifying effective strategies to reshape China’s policy approach in each of these areas, such as through enforceable commitments to eliminate forced technology transfer policies, market distorting subsidies, data localization policies, and foreign investment restrictions, and ensuring nondiscriminatory treatment of U.S. firms in regulatory and other proceedings. Above all, we urge you to remain steadfast in enforcing America’s laws,” the Senators concluded.
In addition to Sens. Warner and Kaine, the letter was signed by Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA) , Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Tom Udall (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
The full text of the letter can be found below:
Dear Mr. President:
Your recent remarks directing Secretary Ross to help ZTE – a Chinese company that has repeatedly sold sensitive U.S. technologies to Iran and North Korea in clear violation of American sanctions laws – call into grave doubt whether this administration will put American jobs and national security first.
If acted upon, your instruction would reverse a law enforcement decision by Secretary Ross to impose a seven-year denial of export privileges on ZTE, setting aside that decision made in the interests of U.S. national security to cushion the employment impact on the Chinese company. ZTE not only violated US sanctions law but then repeatedly lied about steps it would take to remedy the problems. As Secretary Ross noted when he imposed the order, “ZTE made false statements to the U.S. Government when they were originally caught and put on the Entity List, made false statements during the reprieve it was given, and made false statements again during its probation. ZTE misled the Department of Commerce. Instead of reprimanding ZTE staff and senior management, ZTE rewarded them. This egregious behavior cannot be ignored.”
In addition to paying a fine of $1.2 billion, and pleading guilty to knowingly violating U.S. sanctions laws, ZTE agreed to a multi-year denial of export privileges, to be activated if any aspect of the agreement was not met and/or if the company committed additional violations of US export control regulations. Prompted by new violations, Commerce imposed the denial.
America’s national security must not be used as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations. Offering to trade American sanctions enforcement to promote jobs in China is plainly a bad deal for American workers and for the security of all Americans. Bargaining away law enforcement power over bad actors such as ZTE undermines the historically sharp distinction between sanctions and export control enforcement and routine trade decisions made by the US.
Your order comes as your administration is in the midst of discussions with China to address China’s market-distorting policies and other tactics to undermine key American industries. Beyond appearing to risk American national security, the statement suggests that the administration is not serious about addressing the many economic challenges China presents. The devastating effects of China’s trade policies are clear. As your top trade negotiator recognized in his trade report on China less than six months ago, to address the “very serious and harmful problems generated by China’s trade regime”, China must “truly embrace a market-oriented approach, rooted in the fundamental WTO principles of non-discrimination, market access, reciprocity, fairness and transparency.” There is no evidence that China has agreed to such a shift in approach.
American workers and companies confront rampant theft of U.S. intellectual property, agricultural policies that disadvantage American farmers, restrictions on market access for U.S. service providers and manufacturers, and mercantilist industrial policies that have cost U.S. workers their jobs. America’s policies toward China should put American workers, farmers and businesses first, not China’s.
We urge you to focus on identifying effective strategies to reshape China’s policy approach in each of these areas, such as through enforceable commitments to eliminate forced technology transfer policies, market distorting subsidies, data localization policies, and foreign investment restrictions, and ensuring nondiscriminatory treatment of U.S. firms in regulatory and other proceedings. Above all, we urge you to remain steadfast in enforcing America’s laws.
Sincerely,
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“The President’s refusal to waive certain sanctions on Iran sets in motion the dismantling of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which has successfully prevented Iran from developing nuclear weapons. While the JCPOA was far from perfect, by signing the agreement, Iran gave up 98 percent of its uranium stockpile, dismantled 2/3 of its centrifuges, rendered its heavy water nuclear reactor unusable, and agreed to unprecedented inspections that provide critical insight into, and early warning about, any attempts by Iran to accelerate its nuclear program. Trump Administration leaders, all parties to the agreement, and the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is charged with its verification, have agreed that Iran has complied with its terms.
“Simply withdrawing the United States from the JCPOA will not benefit the American people and U.S. national security: it will only succeed in driving a wedge between us and our allies, whose help we need to enforce any future sanctions regime against Iran, and will effectively green light Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons. Withdrawing from this agreement makes the United States, and the world, less secure.”
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WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined a group of 11 Senate Committee ranking members on a letter calling on President Trump to not unilaterally abandon the Iran nuclear agreement.
“We have supported broad, comprehensive sanctions to target Iran’s support for terror groups, its ballistic missile program, and its human rights violations, and continue to support strong measures to counter these destabilizing and troubling actions by Iran,” the senators wrote. “All of us strongly believe that unilaterally withdrawing from the agreement at this time would be a major strategic mistake.”
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
May 7, 2018
Dear President Trump:
We write today to strongly urge you not to unilaterally withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) absent an unambiguous Iranian violation of its terms.
As you know well, the JCPOA states that “under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons” and imposes strict, verifiable limitations on Iran’s nuclear activities to ensure compliance with that commitment. Those limitations, vetted by the nuclear scientists at our national security labs, include International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitoring and verification of activities at all of Iran’s most sensitive nuclear sites, including the Fordow and Natanz enrichment facilities, uranium mines and mills, centrifuge production and storage locations, and heavy water production and storage sites.
According to the IAEA, the U.S. intelligence community, and our closest partners and allies, Iran continues to uphold these commitments. As long as Iran continues to abide by these restrictions, we strongly urge you uphold U.S. obligations as well. Failing to do so would not only profoundly undercut our relationship with key partners and allies, but would severely damage global nonproliferation efforts.
If the United States unilaterally withdraws from the JCPOA, Iran could either remain in the agreement and seek to isolate the United States from our closest partners, or resume its nuclear activities. Either scenario would be detrimental to our national security interests.
If Iran continues to abide by the agreement following a unilateral U.S. withdrawal, the only effective way the United States could regenerate sufficient economic leverage over Tehran would be to sanction the very same nations that helped us negotiate the JCPOA in the first place, namely persons and businesses from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Taiwan, and India, among others. Under that scenario, it is impossible to imagine the U.S. could rebuild the previous international sanctions coalition that was so effective in getting Iran to the negotiating table.
On the other hand, if Iran chooses to resume its unconstrained nuclear activities in the wake of a unilateral U.S. withdrawal, the United States could face a second nuclear crisis at the same time that your administration is seeking a peaceful resolution with North Korea. U.S. credibility in those denuclearization discussions would be severely undermined if North Korea concludes that U.S. leaders are willing to unilaterally abrogate such nuclear agreements without cause.
We have supported broad, comprehensive sanctions to target Iran’s support for terror groups, its ballistic missile program, and its human rights violations, and continue to support strong measures to counter these destabilizing and troubling actions by Iran. All of us strongly believe that unilaterally withdrawing from the agreement at this time would be a major strategic mistake.
Instead of effectively withdrawing from the JCPOA by refusing to utilize critical waivers of U.S. sanctions against Iran and its purchasers of oil by May 12th, we urge you to work with our partners and allies to address Iran’s other malign activities while preserving and building upon with our allies the strict nuclear limitations of the JCPOA.
Sincerely,
Mark R. Warner
Vice Chairman, Select Committee on Intelligence
Dianne Feinstein
Ranking Member, Committee on the Judiciary
Jack Reed
Ranking Member, Committee on the Armed Services
Sherrod Brown
Ranking Member, Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Patrick Leahy
Vice Chairman, Committee on Appropriations
Richard J. Durbin
Ranking Member, Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense
Patty Murray
Ranking Member, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Bernard Sanders
Ranking Member, Committee on the Budget
Thomas R. Carper
Ranking Member, Committee on the Environment and Public Works
Tom Udall
Vice Chairman, Committee on Indian Affairs
Amy Klobuchar
Ranking Member, Committee on the Rules and Administration
Maria Cantwell
Ranking Member, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement on the U.S. airstrikes against Syria:
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $1,000,000 in federal funding from the National Science Foundation to support high-achieving students with demonstrated financial need as they pursue the cybersecurity program at Old Dominion University (ODU).
“Ensuring students have the support they need to pursue careers in cybersecurity is critical to building our federal workforce and defending the nation’s economic and national security,” the Senators said. “We are thrilled that ODU and the National Science Foundation are partnering to help make that a reality for more students.”
The funding will provide up to 18 scholarships for students in the cybersecurity program as well as additional mentoring and program activities.
As Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Warner has been a strong voice for protecting the integrity of our election systems, introducing bipartisan legislation to bring accountability to online political ads and secure our elections. He is also the author of bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would provide states and local government funding to counter cyberattacks. As cofounder of the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, Warner has been a leader in calling for the protection of consumers’ personal information and timely disclosure of data breaches, authoring legislation to hold credit reporting agencies accountable for such breaches.
Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also co-chairs the Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus and has become a leader in the Senate on policies to prepare students for careers in cybersecurity. Last year, key provisions of Kaine’s DoD Cyber Scholarship Program Act of 2017, which would improve and expand an existing DoD scholarship program for students pursuing degrees in cybersecurity fields, were included in the committee-passed Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act. The DoD Cyber Scholarship Act creates a jobs pipeline from Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE) to the Department of Defense.
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement today after Facebook announced that it removed 70 Facebook and 65 Instagram accounts — as well as 138 Facebook pages — that were controlled by the Russia-based Internet Research Agency (IRA):
“For many months now, I have been pushing Facebook to more aggressively investigate and identify Russian-linked fake accounts on their platform. Given the scale and scope of the Kremlin’s disinformation campaign, it was always clear that Russian activity on Facebook extended far beyond the 470 fake accounts and pages that the company shut down in September. Today’s disclosure of more IRA-linked accounts is evidence that the Kremlin continues to exploit platforms like Facebook to sow division, spread disinformation, and influence political debates around the globe.
“I am glad that Facebook is taking some steps to pinpoint and address this activity, but I also expect Facebook and Mr. Zuckerberg, along with other platform companies, to continue to identify Russian troll activity and to work with Congress on updating our laws to better protect our democracy in the future.”
In October, Sen. Warner – along with Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John McCain (R-AZ) – introduced the Honest Ads Act to help prevent foreign interference in elections and improve the transparency of online political advertisements.
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner, Vice Chairman of the Senate intelligence Committee joined with Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and four Ranking Members of key Senate committees on national security in sending a letter to President Donald Trump formally requesting the Administration provide a comprehensive analysis to Congress on whether a foreign government used chemical or biological weapons in the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the United Kingdom. The Senators’ letter calls for the imposition of sanctions if, as the UK government has concluded, the United States determines Russia was behind the chemical weapons attack in Salisbury.”
Joining Menendez and Durbin were Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Ranking Member on the Senate Judiciary Committee; Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee; Mark Warner (D-Va.); Vice Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
The full text of the letter to President Trump can be found here and below:
Dear President Trump:
We write to express our serious concerns regarding the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury, United Kingdom.
In the aftermath of their poisoning, UK officials identified the chemical agent used in the attack as Novichok, a highly lethal military grade nerve agent the Russian government is known to have developed.
British Prime Minister Theresa May, in a speech to Parliament, said the UK government had concluded it was highly likely the Russian government was responsible for the attack in Salisbury. The UK government based this assessment on Russia’s known chemical weapons capabilities and the Kremlin’s record of conducting state sponsored assassinations – including against former intelligence officers. The United States, in a joint statement with the United Kingdom and other allies, said it shared the UK assessment that the Russian government was responsible for the attack and noted that Russia´s failure to address the legitimate request by the UK government further indicates its responsibility.
We formally request a determination of whether a foreign government has used lethal chemical or biological weapons in violation of international law and a report to Congress analyzing the attack. Given the use of such a dangerous nerve agent, as well as the origins of the substance, we believe a comprehensive analysis of this chemical attack is vital to uncovering the perpetrators and, if necessary, you should impose sanctions on the individuals and entities involved.
Moving forward, it is critical that we continue to stand by our indispensable ally and partner in the United Kingdom and take the necessary steps to confront Russian complicity in these heinous acts. We appreciate your prompt attention to this request.
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WASHINGTON, DC – Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) today introduced a revised Secure Elections Act, a bill to strengthen election cybersecurity in America. The Senators originally introduced the legislation in December, and have since worked with stakeholders to revise and strengthen the bill. With today’s reintroduction, Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) and Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) also co-sponsored the bill.
The revised legislation maintains the original purpose of the bill to streamline cybersecurity information-sharing between federal intelligence entities and state election agencies; provide security clearances to state election officials; and provide support for state election cybersecurity infrastructure. Today’s revised bill modifies reporting requirements for state election offices; transitions the election security advisory panel from the Department of Homeland Security to the Election Assistance Commission; and makes grants eligible to local jurisdictions, among several other minor modifications.
“This week’s Intelligence Committee hearing confirmed the need for America to make the security of our election infrastructure a priority,” said Lankford. “During the 2016 election, Russian entities hacked presidential campaign accounts, launched cyber-attacks against at least 21 state election systems, and attacked a US voting systems software company. This revised Secure Elections Act adequately helps the states prepare our election infrastructure for the possibility of interference from not just Russia, but possibly another adversary like Iran or North Korea or a hacktivist group. Although funding for election security is included in the Omnibus appropriations bill, Congress still must pass the Secure Elections Act in order to put needed election improvements into law.”
“We know—and our top intelligence officials have confirmed—that our election systems remain a target,” said Klobuchar, who is also Ranking Member of the Rules Committee with jurisdiction over federal elections. “The bipartisan group of co-sponsors on the Secure Elections Act have been working with state election officials and the Department of Homeland Security to improve this bill and ensure those on the front-lines of administering elections are equipped with the information and resources necessary to keep them safe. This week we made progress by securing $380 million in funding, but it’s not enough. There are 227 days until the next federal election and primaries have already begun, Congress should pass the bipartisan Secure Elections Act immediately.”
“Our democracy is under attack by foreign actors who seek to undermine and destabilize our country,” said Chairman Burr. “This bill will help strengthen our cybersecurity heading into upcoming election cycles, and has provisions to ensure that threat information is promptly shared with the states.”
“Elections – at all levels – are central to our democracy, to our institutions and to our government’s legitimacy,” said Vice Chairman Warner. “During the 2016 campaign, we saw unprecedented targeting of election infrastructure by Russian actors. As we’ve heard in recent weeks from our nation’s top intelligence officials, the Russians will continue to attack our elections. We need to make sure states and localities have the resources and federal support they need to make election security a top priority.”
“Election security is not a bipartisan issue, it’s a nonpartisan issue,” said Harris. “With 2018 elections across the country underway, the urgency to act is clear. We need to improve communication between states and federal authorities, fortify and upgrade election infrastructure, and implement best practices. We know there will be a new set of threats this year and we must be prepared to meet them.”
“While our investigation is still ongoing, we know for certain that the Russians were relentless in their efforts to meddle in the 2016 elections, and that those efforts are ongoing,” said Collins. “This bipartisan legislation will strengthen the integrity of our election process by ensuring that local voting officials have the information and financial resources they need to secure their voting systems. Given that we are already in an election year, the need to act now is urgent.”
“Our democracy hinges on Americans' ability to fairly choose our own leaders. As we approach the midterm elections and the next presidential election cycle, we need to act quickly to protect the integrity of our voting process,” said Heinrich. “Our bipartisan legislation will improve and modernize protections for our voting systems, registration data, and ballots to prevent theft, manipulation, and malicious computer hacking. Until we take these necessary steps, our nation's democratic institutions will remain vulnerable.”
“The Russians have been trying to break the backs of democracies all over the world,” said Graham. “And although they did not change the outcome, they clearly interfered in our 2016 election. This bipartisan legislation will help defend our elections from foreign interference and sends a strong signal to other bad actors – like Iran and North Korea -- that similar acts will not be tolerated. We are committed to defending and promoting confidence in American democracy by providing states with the resources they need to safeguard their election systems.”
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WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner issued the below statement following the Senate's vote to open debate on a resolution dealing with U.S. Military Involvement in Yemen.
"This afternoon I voted to allow a debate on the role of U.S. Armed Forces in Yemen because I believe that Congress has an important Constitutional role to play in overseeing and setting U.S. military and foreign policy. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is and remains a critical ally of the United States in the fight against terrorist groups, and they have a right to defend their territory. Yet given the devastating humanitarian crisis, the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians, and the destruction of almost all of Yemen’s infrastructure, it is time for Saudi Arabia to take a hard look at its approach to Yemen and more aggressively pursue a diplomatic resolution to the crisis. While I support debate on this issue, I will also work to ensure that Saudi Arabia can defend its territory against external threats, including Iran, and that freedom of navigation can be maintained in the Red Sea. I will also remain steadfast in ensuring that the United States combats extremist groups, who threaten our national interests."
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine, Ranking Member on the Senate Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee, and a member of the Seapower Subcommittee, and Mark Warner released the following statements after the Navy released a request for proposal (RFP) to Huntington Ingalls Industries in Newport News to inform a potential block buy of two Ford-class aircraft carriers:
“After years of advocating for the Navy to block-buy carriers, I welcome today's news that they are moving closer to making it a reality,”Kaine said. “Paired with our efforts to secure a two-year budget deal, we are finally making smart moves to provide much-needed long-term stability to the entire region, save taxpayer dollars, and strengthen our national defense. The Navy's announcement today is also a result of the tireless work by the men and women of Newport News Shipbuilding who produce the best ships in the world.”
“I am pleased with the Navy’s decision to finally move forward in considering a block buy of two aircraft carriers, something I have been encouraging for some time,” Warner said. “This step would increase predictability and stability for our suppliers, including the men and women of the Newport News shipbuilding, as well as generate significant costs savings for U.S. taxpayers. It is critical that the Navy have access to the next-generation of warships for the world’s challenges while also being responsible in how they procure and budget.”
As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Kaine has advocated for the block-buy of carriers to save costs and help the nation meet its military readiness goals. In December, Kaine led a letter with U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS), Warner, and 14 of their colleagues encouraging Secretary of Defense James Mattis to support the block-buy of two Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers in FY2019.
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Joint Statement: Senate Intel Committee Leaders on Russian Nerve Agent Attack on British Soil
Mar 15 2018
WASHINGTON – Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today made the following statement on Russia’s culpability in the nerve agent attack in England:
“We stand with our British allies and the rest of the civilized world in denouncing the brazen and brutal chemical attack carried out against the United Kingdom. It has become clear that Russia is behind this effort to kill innocent civilians with a banned nerve agent. This reckless and hostile act violates every international and diplomatic norm. The Kremlin may deny it and spread misinformation through its propaganda machine, but we know the truth. We must come together as a global community and stand against Russia and the malicious actions of the Putin regime.”
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and a member of the Senate Banking Committee, issued a statement after the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on five Russian entities and 19 individuals for interference in the 2016 election:
“This is a welcome, if long-overdue, step by the Trump Administration to punish Russia for interfering in the 2016 election. Our nation’s top intelligence officials have testified that Russia continues to interfere in our democracy, with no intention to stop. Yet these sanctions do not go far enough. Nearly all of the entities and individuals who were sanctioned today were either previously under sanction during the Obama Administration, or had already been charged with federal crimes by the Special Counsel. With the midterm elections fast approaching, the Administration needs to step it up, now, if we have any hope of deterring Russian meddling in 2018.”
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Senate Intel Vice Chairman Warner Urges WH to Make Security Clearance Reform a Top Priority
Mar 14 2018
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today urged the Trump Administration to prioritize reforms to the security clearance process. In a letter to the White House, Sen. Warner urged Chief of Staff John Kelly and National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster to “personally apply the utmost priority to personnel security clearance reform. In the letter, which follows an Intelligence Committee hearing last week on the same topic, Sen. Warner called the current system “inadequate” and said reforms were necessary to recruit and retain a trusted national security workforce.
“The background investigation inventory has more than doubled in the last three years, with over 700,000 people currently waiting on a background check. Costs to run a check have nearly doubled, and timelines to process clearances far exceed the standards set in law. Furthermore, prompt recognition of security clearances granted at one agency at another is uneven. These inefficiencies cost the taxpayer millions of dollars, sap morale and productivity, and harm our nation’s security,” wrote Sen. Warner.
Last week, the Senate Intelligence Committee held an open hearing on security clearance reform featuring representatives from industry and a number of the government agencies with jurisdiction over the clearance process. During questioning, Vice Chairman Warner pressed government officials to make needed improvements, and heard from industry representatives about ways the clearance process could be reformed via legislation.
Back in January, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) placed the security clearance process on its “high risk” list – the areas of government that need broad-based transformation or reforms. At a February hearing in the Senate Intelligence Committee, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats called the security clearance process system “broken” and acknowledged that it must be reformed.
“We need a ‘whole of government’ approach to tackling this challenge – by harnessing the power of modern technology, instituting processes like ‘continuous evaluation,’ ensuring adequate funding, and ensuring uniform standards. These things require the Administration’s top officials to treat security clearance as an urgent priority,” noted the Senator in today’s letter to General Kelly and General McMaster.
Last month, Sen. Warner penned an op-ed in the Cipher Brief highlighting the need for reforming the security clearance process.
The full text of the letter follows. A PDF can be found here.
Gen. John F. Kelly, USMC (Ret.) LTG H.R. McMaster, USA
Chief of Staff National Security Advisor
The White House The White House
Washington, DC 20503 Washington, DC 20503
Dear General Kelly and General McMaster:
We write to request that you personally apply the utmost priority to personnel security clearance reform to ensure we can recruit and retain a trusted workforce for our nation’s national security and public safety missions.
The system we have now is inadequate to meet today’s challenges. On January 25, 2018, the Comptroller General announced that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) placed the security clearance process on its “High Risk List.” On February 13, Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee that the security clearance system process is “broken” and in need of a “revolution.” And on February 16 General Kelly himself issued a memo recognizing the need to “take action to streamline, harmonize, and modernize standards across the Executive Branch.”
On Wednesday, the Senate Intelligence Committee heard from the GAO, industry representatives, and the senior government officials charged with overseeing and implementing the clearance process. The hearing highlighted serious shortcomings in how the government determines who may have access to the nation’s secrets and classified facilities and networks.
The background investigation inventory has more than doubled in the last three years, with over 700,000 people currently waiting on a background check. Costs to run a check have nearly doubled, and timelines to process clearances far exceed the standards set in law. Furthermore, prompt recognition of security clearances granted at one agency at another is uneven. These inefficiencies cost the taxpayer millions of dollars, sap morale and productivity, and harm our nation’s security.
We need a “whole of government” approach to tackling this challenge – by harnessing the power of modern technology, instituting processes like “continuous evaluation,” ensuring adequate funding, and ensuring uniform standards. These things require the Administration’s top officials to treat security clearance as an urgent priority.
We look forward to working with you address the challenge of reforming and fixing our nation’s security clearance process.
Sincerely,
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement after President Trump accepted an invitation to meet with North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un:
“Diplomacy is the right path forward to deal with North Korea. At the same time, due to Pyongyang’s history of obfuscation and international defiance, the United States must proceed with caution. I am deeply concerned that the White House has not laid the necessary diplomatic groundwork and coordination for direct talks with North Korea. Even President Trump’s own Secretary of State appeared to be taken aback by this announcement. President Trump’s record of cozying up to authoritarian governments, his consistent failure to appoint, empower or value the expertise of professional diplomats, and his overall lack of focus on critical details also give me pause. The Administration must go into any meeting with a plan to ensure that negotiations with Kim Jong-un produce real results, not a photo op that lends legitimacy to North Korea’s murderous regime.”
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement today after the Special Counsel announced the indictment of 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies for criminally interfering with the 2016 U.S. presidential election:
“The Senate Intelligence Committee, as a part of our bipartisan investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election, has been focused on uncovering and exposing the role that social media disinformation played in that effort.
“I'm glad to see that work vindicated today by the Special Counsel’s indictment of the ‘Internet Research Agency,’ the Russian troll farm that was a key component of Russia’s attempts to interfere in the U.S. elections in 2016, and which continues to spew divisive and false content aimed at undermining the United States. With this indictment, the Special Counsel and his team have taken an important step to hold Russia accountable.
“As we heard this week from the nation’s top intelligence officials, Russia is still using social media to attack our democratic institutions and sow division amongst Americans. In Tuesday’s hearing, I was frustrated to hear that there is still no one leading a coordinated, organized effort within the intelligence community to monitor and combat Russian disinformation campaigns on social media. As Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I will continue pressing the nation’s intelligence leaders and the social media companies to be far more aggressive and proactive in responding to this threat.
“While platforms like Facebook and Twitter are allowing Americans to communicate and share ideas in ways unimaginable just a decade ago, we’re also learning that we each bear some responsibility for exercising good judgment and a healthy amount of skepticism when it comes to the things we read and share on social media.”
Sen. Warner has been a leader in recognizing the challenges posed by Russian use of social media. While companies like Facebook and Twitter initially denied that Russia used their platforms to influence the 2016 election, Warner publicly and privately pressed the companies to conduct thorough internal investigations of Russian misinformation and disinformation. In September, Facebook announced that the Internet Research Agency purchased approximately $100,000 worth of advertisements in connection with the 2016 election. Later estimates from the company found that as many as 150 million Americans may have been exposed to content from the Internet Research Agency. Twitter has also announced that at least 1.4 million people on Twitter engaged with content created by Russian trolls during the 2016 presidential election, and Google has uncovered evidence of Russian ad purchases and other activity on its platforms such as YouTube.
Russian use of misinformation and disinformation was the prime topic of the very first public hearing held by the Senate Intelligence Committee as part of its investigation. On March 30, 2017 – almost one year ago – the Committee held an open hearing on “Disinformation: A Primer in Russian Active Measures and Influence Campaigns.” On November 1, 2017, the Senate Intelligence Committee held a public hearing with the top legal officials from the three companies on “Social Media Influence in the 2016 U.S. Elections.”
In October, Sen. Warner introduced bipartisan legislation, the Honest Ads Act, to help prevent foreign interference in future elections and improve the transparency of online political advertisements.
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, joined a group of 18 U.S. Senators in a letter to President Trump expressing concern about the many vacant senior positions and extensive attrition at the State Department.
“As Senators who believe that diplomacy is critical to the national security and prosperity of the United States, we write once again to express our concern regarding the large number of key diplomatic positions that remain vacant and the reduction in the ranks of the Foreign Service,” the Senators wrote.
They added, “This decline, coupled with an ongoing external hiring freeze and lower than average Foreign Service Officer intake, compromises American global leadership and undermines our national interests. The absence of U.S. ambassadors in critical parts of the world leaves a number of our allies and strategic partners seeking assurances that America is committed to diplomacy.”
“We urge you to consult with Congress regarding measures that impact the recruitment, staffing and retention of State Department,” they concluded. “We ask that you quickly put forward qualified nominations for all vacant diplomatic posts.”
In addition to Sen. Warner, the letter was also signed by Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tina Smith (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), and Gary C. Peters (D-MI).
The full text of the letter is available here and below.
Dear Mr. President,
As Senators who believe that diplomacy is critical to the national security and prosperity of the United States, we write once again to express our concern regarding the large number of key diplomatic positions that remain vacant and the reduction in the ranks of the Foreign Service.
According to the American Foreign Service Association, since January 2017, the ranks of Career Ministers, three-star equivalents, has declined from 33 to 19. Following Labor Day, the number of Minister Counselors, two-star equivalents, declined from 431 to 369 and continues to decline.
This decline, coupled with an ongoing external hiring freeze and lower than average Foreign Service Officer intake, compromises American global leadership and undermines our national interests. The absence of U.S. ambassadors in critical parts of the world leaves a number of our allies and strategic partners seeking assurances that America is committed to diplomacy.
For instance, the North Korean nuclear crisis presents one of the gravest threats to our national security. The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Mike Pompeo recently asserted that North Korea could be capable of striking the United States with a nuclear weapon in a “handful of months.” In this perilous moment, the United States must urgently work with our regional allies to exert the pressure needed to get North Korea to the negotiating table. However, the administration has not nominated a U.S. Ambassador to South Korea.
In the Middle East, the Islamic State and other terrorist groups threaten the security and stability of individuals, institutions and governments. Now more than ever, it is in our interest to maintain strategic partnerships in the region, including with Egypt, Jordan, and the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Yet, our ambassadorships in Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia are currently vacant. To support U.S. interests and our allies in the region, including Israel, these positions must be filled.
Although Turkey is a longtime NATO ally, bilateral ties have been strained in recent years due to Turkey’s role in the conflict in Syria and Iraq and the systemic, anti-democratic consolidation of power by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Persistent anti-American rhetoric emanating from Turkish leaders and state media outlets has increased our concerns about the future of our bilateral relationship. At a time when American influence is vitally needed in Turkey, we lack an ambassador.
The administration has also not nominated a U.S. Ambassador to the European Union (EU). European leaders are struggling with domestic challenges, including independence movements and populism, and transnational issues such as the ongoing refugee crisis and Russian aggression. However, they are also seeking to move forward with key EU priorities, including NATO, trade, climate change, and the preservation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran. While the administration may not align with EU members on every issue, a strong ambassador to the EU could highlight and build upon shared values and priorities, and reassure nations that are concerned about the strength of the transatlantic relationship.
In Washington, there are critical posts that urgently need filling including the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, and the Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, who is now responsible for both Afghanistan and Pakistan. Like too many high-level positions at the State Department, both are currently filled by “acting” assistant secretaries rather than permanent appointments.
We urge you to consult with Congress regarding measures that impact the recruitment, staffing and retention of State Department. We ask that you quickly put forward qualified nominations for all vacant diplomatic posts, including those referenced above.
Respectfully,
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement after the Senate failed to advance bipartisan legislation to protect young immigrants known as Dreamers:
“I’m extremely disappointed that our reasonable, bipartisan compromise failed to garner the 60 votes needed to move forward. I will continue to work with my colleagues to protect the Dreamers, who know no other home but America.”
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Sen. Warner on GSA Report on FBI Headquarters
Feb 12 2018
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement on the Geneal Services Administration (GSA) report on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) consolidation plan:
“This is a deeply disappointing decision that reverses years of consensus that a new FBI headquarters in the Washington region would be the most cost-effective option for taxpayers and what’s best for the agency's mission of protecting and defending the United States. It raises serious questions that GSA would ignore its previous careful consideration and forgo the millions of dollars already spent in the search to relocate the Bureau. I continue to believe that the identified site in Springfield, Virginia would provide the FBI with the best location to build a modern and secure facility that meets the needs of the FBI and its workforce. Congress should look closely into what led to this reversal and carefully reevaluate all of the options available for the construction of this new facility.”
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VA Delegation letter to Trump emphasizing the importance of the Hampton Roads Naval Community
Feb 09 2018
WASHINGTON – Today the entire Virginia delegation, led by Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-1), joined together to send a letter to President Trump, urging the administration not to consider relocating a nuclear powered aircraft carrier from NAVSTA Norfolk, Virginia to NAVSTA Mayport, Florida. This is in response to a letter sent by the Florida delegation last week requesting the move.
“As members of the Virginia Congressional delegation, we are writing to urge you to craft a Fiscal Year 2019 Presidential Budget based on a clearly articulated National Security Strategy, a National Defense Strategy, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars – not on narrow interests disconnected from these priorities. At a time when our military continues to rebuild and restore readiness, critical taxpayer dollars should only be used to make our Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps more lethal and more capable,” the delegation wrote.
Strategically, the Navy does not have a stated requirement for moving an aircraft carrier to Florida. The Navy considered a similar move in 2008, but after studying the cost impacts – decided against it. The estimated nonrecurring cost in 2008 was $565 million, and an updated assessment in 2010 found that the cost increased to $589.7 million. We are once again in the same situation. Currently, Norfolk is home to all 5 of the Navy’s aircraft carriers on the east coast. The entire Hampton Roads area has clear strategic value as the existing east coast aircraft carrier hub by boasting a world-class harbor, ship repair and overhaul capabilities, as well as an unmatched confluence of joint warfare components, including surface, aviation, expeditionary, and special operations activities. The Navy has no shortage of necessary materials at NAVSTA Norfolk, and a move would be an irresponsible use of Navy funds.
“Greater value should be placed on current plans crafted by Navy leadership, based on current threats, rather than outdated reports drafted from almost a decade ago... Defense funding must be prioritized to restore readiness and defend the homeland, not to fund a non-existent requirement and duplicative capability that will cost the Navy nearly $1 billion over the next 15 years,” the delegation wrote.
Additional Virginia Delegation members signing the letter include U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, and U.S. Reps. Scott Taylor (VA-2), Bobby Scott (VA-3), Tom Garrett, Jr. (VA-5), Bob Goodlatte (VA-6), Dave Brat (VA-7), Don Beyer (VA-8), H. Morgan Griffith (VA-9), Barbara Comstock (VA-10), and Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11).
The full letter is included below and can be viewed here.
President Donald J. Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Trump:
As members of the Virginia Congressional delegation, we are writing to urge you to craft a Fiscal Year 2019 Presidential Budget based on a clearly articulated National Security Strategy, a National Defense Strategy, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars – not on narrow interests disconnected from these priorities. At a time when our military continues to rebuild and restore readiness, critical taxpayer dollars should only be used to make our Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps more lethal and more capable.
We were disturbed to hear of a letter by the Florida delegation requesting to move a Navy nuclear powered aircraft carrier to Naval Station (NAVSTA) Mayport citing “strategic and operational value.” The Navy annually briefs members of Congress on its Strategic Laydown and Dispersal Plan and, as of 2017, did not identify a need nor a desire to move an aircraft carrier from NAVSTA Norfolk to NAVSTA Mayport within the next 5 years. The Florida delegation’s letter in favor of such a move referenced Department of Defense (DoD) and Navy reports from 2009 and 2010 because the concept has not appeared in studies since. Greater value should be placed on current plans crafted by Navy leadership, based on current threats, rather than outdated reports drafted from almost a decade ago.
When the Navy studied the cost impacts of relocating an aircraft carrier from NAVSTA Norfolk to NAVSTA Mayport in 2008, the estimated nonrecurring cost was $565 million. In an updated assessment in 2010, the Navy found that the costs had increased to $589.7 million. This number only represents the up-front costs and not the day-to-day costs of maintaining such a capability. In 2008, the Navy estimated that homeporting an aircraft carrier at NAVSTA Mayport instead of NAVSTA Norfolk would result in a recurring annual cost of $25.5 million. Defense funding must be prioritized to restore readiness and defend the homeland, not to fund a non-existent requirement and duplicative capability that will cost the Navy nearly $1 billion over the next 15 years.
The entire Hampton Roads area has clear strategic value as the existing east coast aircraft carrier hub by boasting a world-class harbor, ship repair and overhaul capabilities, as well as an unmatched confluence of joint warfare components, including surface, aviation, expeditionary, and special operations activities. Additionally, the Master Jet Base at Naval Air Station Oceana hosts the Carrier Air Wings assigned to these ships and minimizes the transit times for aircraft conducting routine training operations aboard the ship. The Navy faces no shortage of necessary fleet resources in the form of nuclear ports, which include five sites in addition to NAVSTA Norfolk, Virginia: Bremerton, Washington; Everett, Washington; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Yokosuka, Japan; and San Diego, California. All six of these locations have the experience and capability needed to homeport a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier should the Navy need to pursue greater strategic and operational dispersal.
We strongly recommend that you remain consistent to your own Department of Defense’s plans and look to allocate funds in your Fiscal Year 2019 budget for areas of Navy’s needs based upon established requirements.
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement regarding press reports that the Trump Administration is considering building a nationalized 5G network:
“While I’m glad that the Trump Administration recognizes that maintaining American leadership in the information age requires a significant investment commitment, I’m concerned that constructing a nationalized 5G network would be both expensive and duplicative, particularly at a time when the Administration is proposing to slash critical federal investments in R&D and broadband support for unserved areas. America’s leadership in emerging fields like AI depends on supporting our nation’s research universities – and having an immigration system that attracts the brightest minds in the world – rather than rehashing old debates on construction of a standalone federal broadband network. I agree there are serious concerns relating to the Chinese government’s influence into network equipment markets, and I would look forward to working with the Administration on a viable, cost-effective solution to begin addressing those risks.”
A standalone network would cost more than $30 billion, according to previous estimates.
Sen. Warner spent 20 years as a successful technology and business leader in Virginia before entering public office. An early investor in the cellular telephone business, he co-founded the company that became Nextel.
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) – co-chairs of the Senate Aerospace Caucus – this week met with Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) President and Chief Executive Officer Eric Fanning, who was selected to lead the association effective January 1, 2018. In welcoming Mr. Fanning in his new capacity with AIA, Sens. Moran and Warner emphasized the caucus’s longstanding partnership with AIA and discussed collaborative ways to continue growing the aerospace industry as AIA prepares to celebrate its centennial anniversary.
“Our nation’s aerospace industry is driving innovation and pursuing cutting edge technologies, contributing both to U.S. national security and our economic competitiveness,” said Sen. Warner. “As Co-Chair of the Senate Aerospace Caucus, I look forward to working with my co-chair Senator Moran, the Aerospace Industries Association, and our manufacturers and suppliers on a range of critical issues, including workforce development, unmanned systems, increased R&D, defense modernization efforts, and ways to improve cybersecurity within these critical industries. Congratulations to Eric Fanning on his new position as President and CEO of AIA.”
“In Kansas – from cybersecurity to aircraft manufacturing and developing a talented workforce to maintain American supremacy – the aerospace industry has an impact on every corner of our state,” said Sen. Moran. “The aerospace industry is where a strong national defense and stable economy converge, and as co-chairs of the Senate Aerospace Caucus, Sen. Warner and I are committed to making certain that America’s defense, civil aviation and space sectors advance amidst global challenges. With extensive experience in the executive and legislative branches of our government, I know Eric shares this commitment, and I look forward to working with my caucus colleagues and industry leaders in safeguarding and promoting American innovation.”
“I’m honored to be working once again with Senators Moran and Warner,” said AIA President and CEO Eric Fanning. “I’ve seen firsthand their commitment to the aerospace industry, the critical role it plays in our nation’s security, and the enormous impact it has on our economy.”
Items to note:
- Fanning previously served as the 22nd Secretary of the Army, Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense, both Acting Secretary and Under Secretary of the Air Force, and has worked in the White House and on Capitol Hill.
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, responded to today’s announcement by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) that it intends to add the Governmentwide Personnel Security Clearance Process to GAO’s High-Risk List of federal areas in need of either broad-based transformation or specific reform to prevent waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement.
“GAO’s announcement that the security clearance process has returned to its high priority list reaffirms what we all have known for the last several years: our current clearance system is broken, as two recent studies I requested of GAO have confirmed. The current process to grant clearances to government personnel and contractors, born 70 years ago, takes too long, costs too much, and is too complex. It is a disservice to the people who support critical national security functions, and it is a disservice to the American people,” said Sen. Warner. “We can and should reform the clearance process by making use of new technologies and information sources. I look forward to GAO’s sustained attention to help usher the clearance system into the 21st century, and ensure we can recruit and hire an expert, trusted workforce.”
GAO added the government-wide personnel security clearance process to the High-Risk List due, in part, to challenges identified in two recent reports on the personnel security clearance process (GAO-18-117 and GAO-18-29) requested by Sen. Warner. Currently, executive branch agencies are unable to investigate and process personnel security clearances in a timely manner, contributing to a significant backlog of background investigations, totaling more than 700,000 cases as of September 2017, according to the GAO.
Also today, Sen. Warner sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget Director (OMB) Mick Mulvaney, requesting that the Administration include in the FY 2019 budget request adequate funding for departments’ and agencies’ background investigations for purposes of suitability assessments and security clearances.
“I request that the President’s budget request for fiscal year 2019 ensures adequate funding for departments’ and agencies’ background investigations for purposes of suitability assessments and security clearances. I also request you treat personnel security as a special topic in the budget request. It is essential that background investigations are treated as a critical mission function that receives attention from our government’s top leadership,” wrote Sen. Warner in the letter. “Since 2014, agencies have seen lengthy delays in background investigations, a situation which now poses a national security personnel crisis.” A copy of the letter is available here.
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), released the following statement after the Senate voted 65-34 to pass S. 139, the FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017, sending the measure to the President for his signature:
“Section 702 is among the most important of our intelligence programs, which is why the Senate voted along bipartisan lines to renew this authority for six years. This bill is not perfect, but it will provide our Intelligence Community with the legal authority to continue to collect vital foreign intelligence necessary to keep Americans and our allies safe, while incorporating provisions that strengthen the privacy and civil liberties of individuals.”
In a speech on the Senate floor Monday evening, Sen. Warner highlighted a declassified example of the key role Section 702 plays in ensuring our security at home and the globe: Hajji Iman was the second-in-command of ISIS based in Syria; the National Security Agency (NSA) used collection permitted and authorized under Section 702 to gather intelligence on the close associates and network supporting Hajji Iman, including their location in Syria. After more than two years of searching, Hajji Iman was killed by U.S. forces on March 24, 2016 – just one of numerous examples in which the information obtained pursuant to Section 702 has proven critical to addressing threats to Americans both domestically and abroad.
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