WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced almost $70 million in federal grant funding to improve Virginia’s bus systems and reduce their emissions. This funding is awarded through the Department of Transportation’s FY25-26 Low- or No-Emission Program and FY25 Buses & Bus Facilities Program, which is made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that the senators helped negotiate and pass.

“Reliable access to public transportation is vital to Virginians, and we’re thrilled to announce this funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will modernize and electrify buses across the Commonwealth’s cities and rural communities, increasing their efficiency, boosting accessibility, and reducing operating costs and environmental risk,” said the senators.

The program grants will be distributed as follows:

• The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) will receive $8,621,909 for Phase III of the VA Rural Transit Asset Management and Modernization Program, which purchases or improves current buses to increase performance, update technology, and reduce risk to the environment in rural Virginia. 
• The City of Alexandria (VA-08) will receive $10,939,552 for its DASH Bus Fleet Replacement & Facility Rehabilitation project, which aims to transition the city to 100% zero-emission buses as well as purchase and build necessary transit facilities to support its growing fleet.
• The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) will receive $50,322,380 for the procurement of low-emission transit buses, which will serve communities throughout the DMV and reduce the harm from toxic emissions in the region.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long supported efforts to fund lower emission vehicles. Last year, the senators announced over $50 million in federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Low- or No-Emission Program for Fairfax County to purchase new low-emission hybrid buses under the county’s fleet replacement plan. In 2023, they secured more than $171 million in funding to invest in American-built, low-emission buses and bus facilities.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has brought billions of dollars in investments to Virginia, including resources to repair roads and bridges, expand broadband access, improve airports, ports and waterways, and modernize public transportation.

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

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry’s unanimous passage of their two bills to protect lands and watersheds in Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, and Bath counties. Both bills are the result of years Virginia stakeholder-driven collaboration. In June, the senators sent a letter to the committee’s leadership requesting consideration of the legislation.

“Virginia is home to beautiful wilderness spaces and natural resources that should be preserved for future generations to enjoy,” said Sen. Warner. “These two bills protect and expand the Commonwealth’s lands as well as support local economies that depend on tourism and outdoor recreation. I urge my Senate colleagues to join us in supporting this legislation for the benefit of all Virginians."

“As an avid hiker, I know how important it is to preserve Virginia’s natural resources, which are some of our greatest treasures and critical parts of local economies,” said Sen. Kaine. “I’m glad the Senate Agriculture Committee advanced our legislation to preserve wilderness in Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, and Bath counties. I urge my colleagues to support these bills on the Senate floor.”

The Shenandoah Mountain Act would establish a 92,562-acre Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area (SMNSA) in Rockingham, Augusta, and Highland counties. National Scenic Areas protect the scenic, historic, recreational, and natural resources in specific areas and allow compatible uses such as outdoor recreation activities.

The Virginia Wilderness Additions Act would add 5,600 acres to the existing Rough Mountain and Rich Hole wilderness areas within the George Washington National Forest in Bath County.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $60,900,000 in federal funding to help farmers in Virginia recover from Hurricane Helene. This funding, awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, will be distributed to farmers to help repair and cover infrastructure, timber, and market losses from Hurricane Helene. The funding was included in the disaster relief package that the senators pushed to pass last December.

“Hurricane Helene was devastating to many in Virginia, and it’s critical that we help our farmers get back on their feet as quickly as possible,” said the senators. ”We’re glad this funding will provide needed support to farmers in rural Virginia. We will continue to do all we can to help every Virginian recover.”                                           

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Warner and Kaine were vocal advocates for significant federal resources to support Virginia’s recovery, and both senators met with Virginians impacted by Hurricane Helene in Southwest Virginia. This March, Warner and Kaine joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins urging the USDA to quickly publish clear guidelines on administering disaster relief aid to farmers following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Immediately following the hurricanes, Warner and Kaine successfully urged the Biden Administration to submit a supplemental funding request to cover the costs associated with Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner, Tim Kaine (both D-VA), and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA-03) sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin urging the agency to reverse its decision to terminate two major Community Change Grants in Virginia. The canceled grants – approximately $40 million – would have supported dozens of community projects aimed at strengthening flood resilience, reducing pollution, and improving energy efficiency in Hampton and across Southwest Virginia.

The grants, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), were intended to support projects that increase resilience to major weather events, reduce pollution, and build community capacity.

The City of Hampton received $20 million in federal funding to address severe flood risk in the Aberdeen Gardens neighborhood. That funding would have advanced 51 projects ranging from stormwater infrastructure upgrades and rain garden construction to stream restoration efforts and improved public health protections for an area where over 22 percent of properties fall within FEMA-designated flood zones.

United Way of Southwest Virginia and the University of Virginia’s College at Wise also received nearly $20 million in federal funding to support flood-resilient housing, the construction of a community center and flood shelter in Dickenson County, and energy efficiency upgrades at childcare centers in eight counties in Southwest Virginia. These investments would have delivered long-term savings, improved disaster readiness, and supported vulnerable Appalachian communities hit hard by extreme weather in recent years.

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “We are deeply concerned that the EPA no longer considers community resiliency, environmental conservation, and economic development to be administration funding priorities.”

They continued, “EPA’s decision to terminate these grants will leave communities in Virginia less resilient, less prosperous, and more vulnerable to extreme weather-related disasters. We urge you to reinstate this critical funding for communities throughout Virginia.”

Sens. Warner, Kaine, and Rep. Scott have long advocated for resiliency efforts in Virginia, championing legislation and funding to help communities strengthen infrastructure against extreme weather. The senators were strong supporters of the Inflation Reduction Act, which authorized the Community Change Grants program to help historically neglected and underserved communities address flooding, pollution, and climate vulnerabilities.

The lawmakers have also continuously stood up against the Trump administration’s efforts to cancel necessary federal funding for Virginia’s communities. Most recently, Sens. Warner, Kaine, and Rep. Scott wrote to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to reverse the cancellation of critical infrastructure funding for the Commonwealth. 

Text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Administrator Zeldin:

We write regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to terminate approximately $40 million in funding intended to prevent localized pollution and mitigate the effects of flooding in Hampton, Virginia, and to support economic development, enhance resilient infrastructure, and lower energy costs across seven counties in Southwest Virginia. We strongly urge you to reverse this decision that will impact efforts to improve resiliency, environmental conservation, energy efficiency, and economic outcomes in communities across the Commonwealth.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided approximately $2 billion to EPA to establish the Community Change Grants Program. Congress intended this funding to be used to support projects that increase community resilience, reduce pollution, and build community capacity. In 2024, EPA selected 105 projects, including two projects in Virginia.

The City of Hampton, Virginia, was awarded just over $20 million to address significant flood risk in the historic Aberdeen Gardens neighborhood. In a locality where 22 percent of properties are in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas, the city and their nonprofit partner, Wetlands Watch, planned to leverage federal funding to advance 51 projects to update stormwater infrastructure, initiate stream-restoration projects, and construct community rain gardens. These projects were intended to mitigate flood risk, lessen the financial burden of flooding on the neighborhood’s residents, and improve environmental and public health outcomes.

The United Way of Southwest Virginia and the University of Virginia were awarded nearly $20 million to fund eight projects across the Virginia coalfields. Funding would have supported the construction of flood-resilient housing infrastructure in Buchanan County and a new community center and flood shelter in Dickenson County, two communities that have been devastated by flooding and extreme weather in recent years. Additionally, the grant would support energy efficiency upgrades at childcare facilities in eight counties, enabling thousands of dollars of energy cost savings to go towards childcare worker salaries.

In terminating these grants, EPA wrote to awardees that, “the objectives of the award are no longer consistent with EPA funding priorities.” We are deeply concerned that the EPA no longer considers community resiliency, environmental conservation, and economic development to be administration funding priorities. EPA’s decision to terminate these grants will leave communities in Virginia less resilient, less prosperous, and more vulnerable to extreme weather-related disasters. We urge you to reinstate this critical funding for communities throughout Virginia. 

Thank you for your attention to this letter. We look forward to your response.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) introduced two bills to protect wilderness in Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, and Bath counties.

“We are lucky to have such beautiful natural resources in Virginia, and we need to do more to ensure that these lands are protected for future generations,” said the senators. “We’re proud to introduce this legislation to preserve wilderness in Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, and Bath counties, protect wildlife, and support local economies that depend on tourism and outdoor recreation.”

These additions were recommended by the U.S. Forest Service in 2014 and endorsed by members of the George Washington National Forest Stakeholder Collaborative, a group of forest users that started work together over a decade ago to agree on acceptable locations in the George Washington National Forest for wilderness, timber harvest, trails, and other uses. 

In 2023, the tourism economy directly employed 7,562 people and generated $842.5 million in expenditures in Augusta, Rockingham, Bath, and Highland counties, as well as Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro.

Shenandoah Mountain Act

The Shenandoah Mountain Act would establish a 92,562-acre Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area (SMNSA) in Rockingham, Augusta, and Highland counties. National Scenic Areas protect the scenic, historic, recreational, and natural resources in specific areas and allow compatible uses such as outdoor recreation activities.

The SMNSA encompasses four wilderness areas—Skidmore Fork, Little River, Ramsey’s Draft, and Lynn Hollow—and establishes a wilderness area at Beech Lick Knob. It also includes headwaters for the Potomac and James Rivers and watersheds that provide municipal drinking water sources for Harrisonburg, Staunton, and other communities. The NSA designation would protect these rivers and streams from industrial development and safeguard populations of at-risk species, such as the Cow Knob and Shenandoah Mountain Salamander.

James Madison University scientists estimate that lands within the SMNSA proposal already generate $13.7 million per year in other local benefits, including the value of the water supply and energy savings, and that the designation of the SMNSA would further grow this value.

"Friends of Shenandoah Mountain is so pleased with the reintroduction of the Shenandoah Mountain Act. For decades, we've worked with folks who hunt, hike, paddle, fish, and ride mountain bikes in this landscape, and everyone agrees that a National Scenic Area designation strikes the right balance between recreation and preservation,” said Lynn Cameron, Co-Chair of Friends of Shenandoah Mountain.

Full text of the Shenandoah Mountain Act is available here.

Virginia Wilderness Additions Act

The Virginia Wilderness Additions Act would add 5,600 acres to the existing Rough Mountain and Rich Hole wilderness areas within the George Washington National Forest in Bath County.

"Expanding the Rough Mountain and Rich Hole Wilderness Areas honors decades of work by dozens of stakeholders, and results in a number of ecological, economic, and recreational benefits. The Virginia Wilderness Committee is grateful to Senators Kaine and Warner for this reintroduction,” said Ellen Stuart-Haentjens, Executive Director of the Virginia Wilderness Committee.

Full text of the Virginia Wilderness Additions Act is available here.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine and U.S. Reps. Bobby Scott, Gerry Connolly, Don Beyer, Jennifer McClellan, Suhas Subramanyam and Eugene Vindman (all D-VA) pushed the Trump administration to reverse staffing cuts at the National Park Service (NPS), outlining the effect directives to eliminate employees and rescind and delay job offers will have on safety at Virginia’s 22 national park units, which serve 22 million visitors and contribute $1.5 billion to local economies each year.

“We write today to express our deep concern over alarming directives issued to eliminate roughly one thousand full-time employees, rescind hundreds of offers for full-time positions, and delay thousands of offers for seasonal positions at the National Park Service (NPS). These roles are critical to protecting America’s treasured natural assets, maintaining public safety, and promoting exceptional standards expected at national parks across Virginia and the nation,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “We urge you to reverse these directives and prevent additional cuts to existing staffing going forward given the critical role that the vast majority of NPS staff play in ensuring public safety. If these directives are not reversed, we fear it will significantly undermine the Park Service’s ability to protect both visitors and park resources, particularly as we approach peak visitation season.”

The NPS  workforce plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation of our nation’s parks and the safety of the millions of visitors who explore them each year, and are also responsible for protecting the priceless natural, historic, and cultural resources that belong to the American people. However, recent staffing directives from the Trump administration – which included the dismissal of probationary employees and the rescinding of job offers at NPS with no input from park superintendents – are expected to make it significantly more difficult for NPS to carry out its mission, especially as peak visitor season approaches. Staff positions affected by the administration’s unilateral staffing directives include frontline park rangers responsible for ensuring visitor safety and protecting park assets, maintenance staff tasked with addressing the deferred maintenance backlog and reducing the risk of wildland fires, and support staff responsible for raising revenue for NPS through fee collections.

“It has been reported that the only exemptions offered were for positions that respond to public safety incidents, including law enforcement rangers, public safety dispatchers, and wildland firefighters. However, public safety response is just part of the work that goes into protecting the public,” wrote the lawmakers. “Countless other positions from rangers to natural resource specialists to wastewater specialists to maintenance mechanics that are not covered under the exemptions have wide-ranging responsibilities for preventing public safety incidents in the first place. Eliminating these positions put our parks at greater risk of damage and make them less safe for visitors. We are particularly concerned about reports that NPS rescinded offers for positions directly responsible for fire safety at Shenandoah National Park – coinciding with the start of wildfire season.”

Continued the members, “While it is encouraging that NPS recently walked back its decision to rescind offers for nearly 5,000 seasonal positions, park superintendents have received no guidance as to the next steps they can take to move forward with seasonal hiring. The late winter and early spring months are critical for ramping up seasonal staff in preparation for the summer visitation surge. Without clear guidance for superintendents on seasonal hiring, the continued delay in hiring could jeopardize the ability of these parks to safely accommodate millions of visitors this summer.”

In the letter, the Virginia lawmakers also noted that the staffing directives threaten to undermine the progress Congress has made in recent years to invest in repairing and restoring our national parks.

“For over one hundred years, NPS has been charged with safeguarding millions of acres of America’s irreplaceable natural, historic, and cultural resources. However, persistent underfunding of NPS resulted in the Service’s inability to properly staff park units and the growth of a multi-billion-dollar backlog of deferred maintenance projects. In recognition of the worsening situation at our national parks, bipartisan majorities in Congress passed and President Trump signed into law the Great American Outdoors Act of 2020 (GAOA), one of the largest ever investments in conservation and public lands in our nation’s history. The GAOA gave NPS the resources it needed to dedicate billions of dollars for addressing deferred maintenance across the country, including over $470 million for projects in Virginia. As a result of these staffing directives, units will be forced to reallocate remaining staff to support regular operations at the expense of staff hours dedicated to reducing the deferred maintenance backlog,” they wrote.

Concluded the lawmakers, “Significant disruptions to NPS staffing during the critical months prior to peak season threaten to harm the tourism economy associated with Virginia’s national parks that supports hundreds of small businesses and thousands of jobs. We urge you to swiftly reverse these directives and communicate clear guidance to park superintendents to ensure that NPS units in Virginia and across the country can move forward with hiring both seasonal and permanent positions that are critical to ensuring the safety of millions of park-goers.”

A copy of the letter is available here.

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WASHINGTON, – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $19,886,658 in federal funding for the University of Virginia’s College at Wise in conjunction with the University of Virginia and key partners in the region to enhance resilient infrastructure and help lower energy costs for communities in Southwest Virginia. This funding was awarded through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant Program, which was created by the Inflation Reduction Act that both senators cast a deciding vote for.

“Resiliency and energy efficiency are crucial ways to make our communities more safe while also lowering costs,” the senators said. “We’re glad this funding, which was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, will help advance those goals in Southwest Virginia and address important community needs.”

This funding will implement Climate Resilience Planning in 10 communities throughout Southwest Virginia and fund resilient affordable housing, electric vehicle charging stations, energy-efficient and carbon-neutral child care and workforce training, and resilient gathering spaces that double as community capacity building spaces and health care access points. The projects receiving this funding are expected to mitigate over 40,000 metric tons of CO2 in the next 25 years and save child care centers over $50,000 in energy costs, allowing more funding to be directed toward child care worker salaries.

$13,305,591 of the $19,886,658 announced today will be allocated as follows:

• $4,594,245 for United Way of Southwest Virginia to improve energy efficiency at care centers, including through solar installation and upgrades to child care facilities, outdoor classrooms, and other initiatives.
• $1,757,708 for Dickenson County to build a resilience hub in the Town of Haysi outside of the floodplain. This project includes engineering and architectural design and permits, construction of the facility, and the installation of an EV fast charger.
• $4,847,841 for Buchanan County to build housing in Southern Gap outside of the floodplain. This project includes construction of water, sewer, power and telecommunications infrastructure; interior roadways and walkways; two single family dwelling units; multi-family town house rental units; and an EV charging station at the Regional Office Park Office Building.
• $132,000 for Virginia Tech for a community engagement project on resilience strategic planning. This community-based resilience planning process involves the University of Virginia’s Resilience Adaptation Feasibility Tool (RAFT), which helps climate planners and localities pinpoint and evaluate environmental risks, including drought, flooding, and extreme weather, in different communities.
• $1,973,797 for James Madison University to advance energy career development.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long supported efforts to expand and promote energy infrastructure throughout the Commonwealth. Earlier this week, Warner and Kaine announced over $10 million in federal funding for electric vehicle charging ports in Virginia.

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WASHINGTON –  Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded President Biden’s decision to ban new offshore oil and gas drilling off the coast of Virginia:

“We welcome President Biden’s action to protect Virginia’s vibrant coastal communities. We’ve heard from Virginians in Hampton Roads and on the Eastern Shore who have expressed concerns about the risks of offshore drilling on their communities. This action is critical to protecting Virginia’s coastal waters from pollution and potential oil spills and supporting the region’s economy, which relies heavily on commercial and recreational fishing, aquaculture, tourism, and the Port of Virginia. We’ll continue to advocate for Virginia’s coastal communities to ensure they continue to thrive.”

Nearly forty percent of Americans live in coastal counties, and nearly 400 municipalities and over 2,300 elected officials have opposed the expansion of offshore drilling. Virginia banned offshore drilling in state waters in 2020, but it does not have jurisdiction over federal waters.

The senators previously called for an offshore drilling ban along Virginia’s coastline in September 2020 after the Trump Administration banned offshore drilling off the coasts of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. In January 2018, when the Trump Administration was considering a new proposal on offshore drilling, the senators sent a letter to the Department of the Interior asking the department to add public meetings in Virginia Beach and on the Eastern Shore to give local residents the opportunity to share their views.

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded congressional passage of the S.4367, the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, which will help maintain clean drinking water across the country and includes key provisions to support the local oyster industry, strengthen Virginia’s coastal resiliency, improve recreational access to Virginia’s waterways, and encourage the dredging of the Chesapeake Bay to support tourism and recreation, among other Virginia priorities. The legislation now heads to President Biden to be signed into law.

“We’re proud that the legislation headed to the president’s desk provides funding and resources for water infrastructure projects across Virginia,” said the senators. “It includes key provisions to keep our communities healthy and safe and combat the effects of rising sea levels and increased flooding from significant weather events while investing in tourism, recreational development, and Virginia’s oyster industry.” 

Added the senators, “We are especially pleased that this bill will honor civil rights attorney Reuben Lawson’s legacy of social justice by renaming the federal building in Roanoke in his memory.”  

The legislation would help repair aging drinking water, wastewater, and irrigation systems across the country, in addition to supporting the following Virginia priorities:

• Includes Warner and Kaine’s legislation to rename the federal courthouse in Roanoke the “Reuben E. Lawson Federal Building” in honor of the life and legacy of civil rights lawyer Reuben Lawson.
• Increases the authorized funding levels for the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery Program from $100 million to $120 million.
• Encourages shallow draft dredging in the Chesapeake Bay, which is critical for tourism, recreation, and the fishing industry.
• Adds the City of Norfolk to the Temporary Relocation Assistance Pilot Program to boost the city’s climate resilience.
• Authorizes the Army Corps to conduct a feasibility study on enhancing downstream recreation activities for Gathright Dam, Lake Moomaw, and the Jackson River in Alleghany County.
• Authorizes $1.3 million for a wastewater infrastructure project in King William County.
• Authorizes $1 million for wastewater infrastructure, environmental infrastructure, and water quality improvements in the vicinity of the Potomac River.
• Greenlights proposed feasibility studies for projects at Cedarbush Creek in Gloucester County, Chickahominy River in James City County, Timberneck Creek in Gloucester County, York River in York County, and flood risk management in James City County. 
• Expedites completion of maintenance dredging of the federally authorized navigation channels Parrotts Creek, Jackson Creek, and Horn Harbor, Va.
• Expedites completion of a flood risk management study for the Kanawha River Basin in Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina.  
• Establishes an expedited completion track for Virginia Beach Coastal Storm Risk Management Study.
• Establishes an expedited completion track to modify the Norfolk Harbor Deepening and Widening Project to include Anchorage F.
• Establishes an expedited completion track for and requires the federal government to pick up 90% of the cost of conducting a feasibility study to identify a potential secondary water source for the Virginia-DC-Maryland region.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $1,300,000 in federal funding to assess damages and make plans to restore outdoor recreation sites impacted by Hurricane Helene. The funding will evaluate sites across 17 counties and four independent cities, including the Creeper Trail, the Clinch and New River boat ramps, and other key trails, campgrounds, parks, bridges, and trestles. 

“Virginia’s parks, trails, and public spaces make our Commonwealth beautiful and contribute immeasurably to local economies,” the senators said. “We’re glad that this federal funding is going towards assessing the terrible damage inflicted by Hurricane Helene. We’re also pushing as hard as we can for a full disaster aid bill to fund additional projects to restore our parks and public spaces and meet the many additional needs of impacted communities across Southwest Virginia.”

Many outdoor recreation sites were severely damaged during the flooding from Hurricane Helene, which has suppressed tourism and other critical economic development projects for local economies across Southwest Virginia. This funding will go towards assessing damages in Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe counties, as well as the independent cities of Bristol, Galax, Norton, and Radford.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have been staunch advocates for Virginians affected by Hurricane Helene. Sen. Warner recently celebrated passage of legislation he cosponsored to get a tax break for Southwest Virginians impacted by Hurricane Helene. Sen. Warner also led a bipartisan and bicameral group of colleagues in sending a letter, which Sen. Kaine signed, calling on congressional leadership to ensure that any supplemental appropriations bill responding to recent natural disasters include substantial funding for the agencies that manage public lands, including the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the National Park Service (NPS). Sen. Warner also raised the alarm about the need to allow the U.S. Small Business Administration to continue paying out disaster assistance loans to small businesses, and Sens. Warner and Kaine pushed for a full supplemental package to meet the needs of impacted communities across the country. Together, Sens. Warner and Kaine have directly pushed on Senate leadership to pass this disaster supplemental as soon as possible. At the outset of the flooding, Sens. Warner and Kaine also urged President Biden to declare both an Emergency Declaration and an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for Virginia. Sens. Warner and Kaine met with Virginians impacted by Hurricane Helene in Southwest Virginia to tour damage and discuss federal support.

The funding is made possible by the Appalachian Regional Commission, a federal agency that focuses on the 423 counties across the Appalachian region.

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WASHINGTON –  Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a former fair housing lawyer, (both D-VA) announced $1,450,000 in federal funding to address lead-based paint hazards in homes across Virginia. Many older homes still have lead-based paint on walls, which is dangerous when it peels and chips. Young children are most susceptible to lead poisoning and can face long-term developmental delays if exposed. The funding is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program, which provides federal funding to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in eligible homes.

“Lead poisoning can pose long-term health issues for those exposed,” the senators said. “This funding will help to protect Virginians from lead-based hazards and help ensure they have safe housing.”

The funding is broken down as follows:

• $750,000 for the City of Roanoke.
• $700,000 for the Commonwealth of Virginia. This funding will be distributed across Virginia by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s Lead Hazard Reduction Program.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long advocated for safe, affordable housing for Virginia families. This funding builds on the $11.6 million in federal funding the senators announced in October to address this issue. Earlier this year, the senators announced over $98 million in federal funding for affordable housing, community development, and homelessness assistance and over $55 million in federal funding for improvements to affordable housing across the Commonwealth. 

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