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

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

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement on the death of Hersh Goldberg-Polin: 

“I am heartbroken for the Goldberg-Polin family, whose son and brother Hersh was brutally murdered by Hamas along with five other hostages abducted on October 7, 2023. Over the past 330 days, Rachel and Jon have demonstrated extraordinary strength and grace in the face of overwhelming personal devastation, drawing upon their love for Hersh to share his light and selfless spirit with the world and to advocate for his return. Hersh’s abduction while peacefully enjoying a music festival and subsequent murder is further evidence of Hamas’ violence and depravity, which have caused pain and suffering across the region for far too long.

“Today my prayers are with the entire Goldberg-Polin family as they mourn. May Hersh’s memory be a blessing.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) celebrated the second anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) becoming law. Both senators were proud to support the groundbreaking legislation, which passed in the Senate by one vote and has lowered health care costs, capped insulin prices, and brought new jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in corporate investment to Virginia—all while cutting the deficit in the process.

“I’m proud that we passed the Inflation Reduction Act, a truly historic investment in unleashing domestic energy production, lowering prices for hardworking families, and creating American jobs,” said Sen. Warner. “In the two years since we got the IRA done, we’ve already seen historic efforts to bring down the skyrocketing costs of insulin and other prescription drugs, critical job-creating investments across the Commonwealth, and lower health care premiums for hundreds of thousands of Virginians. The best part is that we’re just getting started. I’m looking forward to more provisions of this law setting in to lower costs, turbocharge energy production, and create good jobs for Virginians.”

“The IRA is a landmark piece of legislation that has already established a $35 monthly cap on insulin, lowered health care premiums for over 300,000 Virginians, and brought hundreds of millions of dollars in corporate investments to Virginia to create new jobs,” said Sen. Kaine. “And we’re not finished yet. Thanks to the IRA, Medicare has begun negotiating drug prices for the very first time—and the results of the initial round of negotiations that were announced yesterday will save older Americans $1.5 billion and the federal budget $6 billion in the first year of implementation alone. Lowering costs and creating jobs are among my top priorities, and I look forward to building on this progress.”

The IRA included clean energy tax credits that have incentivized a series of corporate investments in Virginia, including:

• A $681 million investment by LS GreenLink to build a state-of-the-art facility to manufacture high-voltage subsea cables used for offshore wind farms in Chesapeake.
• An investment of over $400 million by Topsoe to build a new manufacturing facility in Chesterfield County, which will create at least 150 new jobs in Virginia.
• An investment of over $208 million by Mack and Volvo Trucks to sustain 7,900 union jobs and create 295 new jobs in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Volvo Trucks is the second largest employer in the New River Valley, sustaining 3,600 jobs in Dublin, including 3,200 United Automobile Workers (UAW) jobs. In April 2023, Kaine toured the Volvo Trucks NRV facility in Dublin, met with employees, and drove a Volvo VNR Electric truck.

In addition to incentivizing those investments, the IRA included the following provisions that have already taken effect:

Health Care

• Black lung benefits: The law permanently extended the black lung excise tax at a higher rate, providing more certainty for miners, miner retirees, and their families who rely on the fund to access benefits. In Virginia, thousands of miners and their families have received benefits through the trust fund since it was established, including approximately 2,600 Virginians in 2021. Click here to learn more about what this means for miners and miner retirees like Mr. James Gibbs, a Bristol native, the At-Large International Vice President of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), and Kaine's guest to the 2023 State of the Union.
• $35 cap on the cost of insulin: Out-of-pocket costs for insulin—regardless of how much a patient needs—are capped at $35 per month under Medicare. Thanks to the IRA, 36,461 Virginians on Medicare who use insulin now pay no more than $35 per month. Click here to learn how seniors like Mrs. Marguerite Bailey Young of Fredericksburg, who was Warner’s guest to the 2023 State of the Union, are benefiting from the $35 cap.
• Free vaccines for Medicare recipients: People with Medicare no longer have to pay to receive most vaccines under Medicare Part D, which includes vaccines for shingles, HPV, MMR, diphtheria, and pertussis. In 2023, over 230,000 seniors in Virginia received a recommended vaccine free of cost.
• Extension of ACA subsidies: During the pandemic, Congress enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to help lower health care premiums for millions of Americans. The IRA extended these enhanced subsidies through 2025 to help make Virginians’ health insurance more affordable. 350,008 Virginians with ACA coverage are receiving assistance to lower the cost of their premium. In 2022, Virginians saved an average of $508 per month on their health insurance premium.
• Lower Premiums for More Than 500,000 Virginians: There are additional provisions that went into effect to limit annual premium increases for Americans, including more than 500,000 Virginians enrolled in Medicare Part D.
• Penalties on drug manufacturers that increase prices: Manufacturers are required to keep the increase in the cost of their drugs at or below inflation.

A fact sheet including a timeline for various IRA provisions related to lowering health care costs is available here.

Clean Energy

• Boosts to clean energy investments: Clean energy manufacturers can apply for expanded tax credits that incentivize investment in and production of renewable energy technologies like solar power and offshore wind. The IRA set aside $4 billion in credits for businesses that make these investments in energy communities that have seen closures of coal mines or retirements of coal-fired power plants in recent years. This means that communities in Virginia, especially Southwest Virginia, are well-positioned to benefit from many of these tax credits and funding opportunities. Last year, Kaine hosted an event at Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap to discuss how Virginia can best harness the clean energy tax credits, economic development, and job creation opportunities created by the legislation.
• Improvements to home energy efficiency: Homeowners can receive up to 30 percent back through tax credits for making energy efficiency improvements to their home—generally up to a maximum of $1,200 per year but potentially up to $3,200 if improvements include heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, or biomass stoves.
• Simplified Electric Vehicle (EV) Tax Credits: The IRA allows qualified individuals to get a tax credit of up to $7,500 for the purchase of new EVs or a tax credit of up to $4,000 for certain used EVs and plug-in hybrids purchased through a dealership. Virginians who buy an EV from a participating dealer can now choose to receive their tax credit for that purchase at the point-of-sale instead of after filing their taxes.
• Federal funding to help low-income and disadvantaged communities more easily access solar energy: The IRA brought over $156 million in federal funding to Virginia to support solar energy development in low-income areas, which will lower energy costs for families and create good-quality jobs while tackling the effects of climate change.

While many provisions in the IRA have already been implemented, there are additional provisions that will begin later this year or in the years to come:

• Cap on out-of-pocket costs on prescription drugs: Beginning in 2025, there will be a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket costs on prescription drugs for seniors covered under Medicare Part D. Some estimates have shown that Virginia seniors on Medicare will save an average of $440.62 on out-of-pocket costs on prescription drugs thanks to this cap. Watch here to hear what this cap will mean for seniors like Mr. Irv Varkonyi from Fairfax.
• Medicare drug price negotiation: On September 1, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a list of the first 10 drugs covered under Part D eligible for the Medicare drug price negotiation program. Yesterday, CMS announced the results of that first round of negotiations, which included discounts of up to 79% and will go into effect in 2026. The IRA provided Medicare with the ability to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for the first time in history.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced the inclusion of key Virginia priorities in the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2025 draft funding bills. So far, 11 of 12 appropriations bills have been passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee on a broad bipartisan basis. Senate appropriators continue to work to negotiate the 12th and final bill, which would provide funding for homeland security priorities.

“We’re thrilled to see the Senate move forward on government funding legislation that includes essential funding to support our servicemembers and military families, implement our seismic investments in infrastructure and manufacturing, promote public safety, invest in affordable housing, curb fentanyl trafficking, improve customer service at the IRS, and much more. We’re also very glad this draft legislation includes $125 million for communities in every corner of the Commonwealth to carry out community-based, high-impact projects that grow our economy and benefit Virginians. We are looking forward to advocating for these priorities and working with the House of Representatives to provide robust funding bills that address the needs of Virginia and the country,” said Sens. Warner and Kaine. 

As part of the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations process, members of Congress worked with their constituents to request funding for local community projects, otherwise known as earmarks, in a manner that promotes transparency and accountability. The Senators worked to secure more than $125 million for community projects across the Commonwealth in the eleven bills that have been released by the Senate so far. In addition to battling for these priorities, the Senators will work to ensure funds obtained by Virginia House members also remain in the final spending bills. 

More information on Virginia-based projects that could receive Congressionally Directed Spending is available below:

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

 
Additionally, many other provisions championed by Sens. Warner and Kaine were included in the 11 government funding bills, including but not limited to: 

Boosting Local Economies: Includes $200 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission and $21 million for the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission to support their work to build economic partnerships, create opportunity, and foster economic development.  

Fighting the Flow of Fentanyl: Includes $1.4 billion to strengthen law enforcement cooperation between governments and to counter drug trafficking. This includes $170 million – $45 million more than fiscal year 2024 – to support efforts to stop global flows of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs, as well as their precursor materials, including through implementation of the FENTANYL Results Act. Sen. Kaine also secured $88 million for the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, which fosters joint government efforts on counternarcotics, migration and law enforcement. Sen. Kaine recently traveled to Brownsville and McAllen, Texas to discuss fentanyl interdiction at the southern border with various law enforcement agencies and international partners from Mexico. Last year, significant portions of Sen. Kaine’s bipartisan Disrupt Fentanyl Trafficking Act were signed into law to direct increased federal attention to fentanyl trafficking and strengthen U.S.-Mexico cooperation on drug trafficking. The senators also helped pass a supplemental national security funding package that included the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, bipartisan legislation cosponsored by Sens. Warner and Kaine, to strengthen the Treasury Department’s ability to sanction transnational criminal organizations and others that launder money to facilitate opioid trafficking.

Implementing the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022: Includes $11.2 billion to implement the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, championed by Sens. Warner and Kaine. Funding will allow the U.S. to keep pace with China and other competitors in scientific fields that power the economy, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, microelectronics, clean energy, and advanced communications. Sen. Warner first introduced the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) for America Act in June 2020 along with Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX).  

Implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA): Provides $17 billion for the Federal Transit Administration, including $2.262 billion for Capital Investment Grants, a $57 million increase over fiscal year 2024. When combined with the $1.6 billion in IIJA advanced appropriations, a total of $3.862 billion is available for Capital Investment Grants, which fund heavy, commuter, and light rail; streetcars; and bus rapid transit projects. The bill also provides $550 million for the RAISE Grant program, which – when combined with the $1.5 billion in IIJA advanced appropriations – will see $2.05 billion in total funding. As the only multimodal DOT program available to local governments, the program allows communities to make transformative investments in their transportation infrastructure to help improve mobility and safety. The IIJA was negotiated and strongly supported by Sens. Warner and Kaine.

Maintaining Our Highways and Bridges: Includes $63.171 billion for federal-aid highways, which includes $61.314 billion in funding for the Highway Trust Fund and an additional $1.118 billion for Highway Infrastructure Programs, as well as $400 million for the competitive bridge bundling grant program.

Strengthening Transportation and Recreation Infrastructure: Provides $150 million for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and $25 million for the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program, which supports multi-purpose trails. 

Making Our Communities Safer: Provides $739.5 million – the highest funding level ever – for Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution programs to prevent violence and better support survivors. This legislation also provides $251 million for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office grant programs related to police-community relations. The bill also includes $10 million to train law enforcement on appropriately responding to situations involving mentally ill or disabled individuals, $45 million for Community Policing Development, and $55 million for the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative.

Support for Missing Persons Program: Includes $1 million to help with the nationwide implementation of the Ashanti Alert system. In 2018, Sen. Warner secured unanimous Senate passage of the Ashanti Alert Act, legislation that created a new federal alert system for missing or endangered adults between the ages of 18-64. The bill was signed into law on December 31, 2018. 

Investing in Child Care and Early Learning: Includes $10.35 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), a $1.6 billion increase over fiscal year 2024, which will help families in Virginia and across the country find and afford child care. Also provides $12.97 billion for Head Start, a $700 million increase over fiscal year 2024, which will support Head Start teachers and staff throughout the country. Sen. Kaine has championed efforts in Congress to increase funding for the CCDBG program and is leading a bipartisan proposal to address the child care crisis.

Supporting Essential Health Care Programs: Includes significant resources to improve health care access and affordability and strengthen the health care workforce by maintaining investments in core programs, including $1.86 billion for Community Health Centers and $1.4 billion for Health Professions Workforce Development. The bill also includes a $21.3 million increase for rural health programs to boost recruitment of health care providers to practice in rural areas and support rural hospitals.

Investing in Higher Education: Provides a $100 increase to the maximum Pell Grant award for a maximum award of $7,495 for the 2025-2026 award year. Pell Grants are expected to help over seven million students pursue postsecondary education and further their careers. The bill also includes an additional $100 million for the administration of student aid programs, which will support a wide range of activities including: implementing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), disbursing student aid, ensuring services are available to student loan borrowers, and fixing longstanding issues in student loan forgiveness programs.

Investing in Affordable Housing: Includes $1.425 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which provides funding to state and local governments for housing construction, and $4.6 billion in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), which can be used to support affordable housing, community development, and economic development. Also includes $4.32 billion (a $268 million increase over fiscal year 2024) for Homeless Assistance Grants (HAG) to help families and individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Sens. Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, are strong advocates for affordable housing funding each year.

Supporting Economic Development: Provides $483 million for community economic development through the Economic Development Administration, an increase of $15 million from fiscal year 2024. This includes $100 million for the Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs Program – more than double the fiscal year 2024 funding level and enough for EDA to fund two to five additional implementation grants. In October 2023, the Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Tech Hub located in the Richmond-Petersburg region received a federal Tech Hub designation, and the Virginia Additive Manufacturing and Applied Materials Strategy Development Consortium located in the New River Valley received $500,000 in funding.

Delivering Nutrition Assistance: Provides full funding for several critical nutrition programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and Child Nutrition Programs – like the School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program.

Fighting Global Hunger: Provides $1.721 billion for the Food for Peace program and $250 million for the McGovern-Dole Food for Education program, while the State and Foreign Operations bill provides $8.9 billion for humanitarian assistance programs, including increased investments in addressing global hunger and enhancing food security.  

Preventing and Treating Substance Use: Provides $610.5 million in dedicated grant program funding to respond to substance use disorder, including opioids, and to crack down on drug trafficking.

Economic Support for Underserved Communities: Provides $354 million – a $30 million increase over fiscal year 2024 – for the U.S. Department of the Treasury Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund. Sens. Warner and Kaine requested this funding. Sen. Warner has led efforts in Congress to support CDFIs through legislation including the Jobs and Neighborhood Investment Act and the creation of the bipartisan Senate Community Development Finance Caucus.  

Small Businesses: Provides $1.6 billion – a $61 million increase over fiscal year 2024 – to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to help small businesses thrive. This funding will support SBA’s lending programs, which increase access to capital for small businesses, as well as their entrepreneurial development programs, which include services that help entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses, such as the Small Business Development Center and Women’s Business Centers networks.

Addressing Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Delays and Customer Service Issues: Includes $12.3 billion for the IRS, which will enable the agency to continue to update ancient computer systems, improve customer service, and reduce wait times for refunds and other services. Sens. Warner and Kaine have consistently pushed the IRS to address poor customer service and severe delays within the department.  

Chesapeake Bay Restoration: Includes $92.5 million for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA’s) Chesapeake Bay program, which is the primary federal program that coordinates Chesapeake Bay restoration and protection efforts throughout the Bay watershed.

Supporting Our National Parks: Includes $2.99 billion for the operation of the National Park System, an increase of more than $100 million from Fiscal Year 2024. 

Shenandoah National Park Improvements: Provides $20 million from the Great American Outdoors Act, which was crafted and strongly supported by Sens. Warner and Kaine, to rehabilitate the water system that serves the Shenandoah National Park headquarters, which includes a visitor contact station, fire operations, communication center, maintenance facility, and staff housing.

Strengthening Our Ports: Provides $1.14 billion for the Maritime Administration (MARAD), including $200 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), which –– when combined with the $450 million in IIJA advanced appropriations – makes a total of $650 million available to support the buildout and modernization of our nation’s ports including the Port of Virginia.

Investing in Scientific Discovery: Includes $8.6 billion for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, which is an increase of $360 million over fiscal year 2024. This funding will help continue implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act. The Office of Science is the largest federal sponsor of basic research in the physical sciences, including at Jefferson Lab in Newport News, Virginia.

Tangier Island: Includes $10.3 million to protect Tangier Island from erosion and sea level rise. Specifically, the funding will be used for design, environmental authorizations, plans and specifications, and award and administration of a contract to use dredged material to stabilize the shoreline. Sens. Warner and Kaine advocated for the funding and previously secured $800,000 to study and permit the use of dredged material. Sen. Kaine most recently visited Tangier in August 2022.

Northern Virginia Emergency Response System (NVERS): Includes funding to reimburse NVERS—a non-profit partnership of Northern Virginia local governments, hospitals, and the Commonwealth of Virginia—for medical services it provided to evacuees fleeing Afghanistan to the U.S. in August 2021. Sens. Warner and Kaine wrote to the State Department urging it to reimburse NVERS.

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

Support for Long COVID: Provides $13.5 million to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to continue its work to support multidisciplinary Long COVID clinics and expand access to comprehensive, coordinated, person-centered care for people living with Long COVID. This funding stems from Sen. Kaine’s bipartisan Long COVID Support Act.

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

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) pressed Discord, an instant messaging social platform, about the company’s failure to safeguard minors and stop the proliferation of violent predatory groups who target children with the goal of forcing them to end their own lives and livestream the act online.

This letter follows a September warning from the FBI alerting Americans to the existence of these violent online groups, which exist on messaging platforms and deliberately extort children into producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or sharing acts of self-harm online. According to the warning, issued by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, these groups target minors between the ages of 8 and 17 years old and focus on racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ youth, and those who struggle with a variety of mental health issues. 

“I am extremely concerned about this abuse, and I am profoundly saddened that it has affected Virginia families, including the daughter of a military family who was coerced into self-harm and to attempt suicide,” Sen. Warner wrote. “I recognize that Discord’s Trust & Safety team is aware of this type of activity and has taken some actions to detect and remove some of these violent groups from their platforms. However, despite increased moderation, predators continue to target minors on your platform.”

“As a teenager, I fell victim to the cruel manipulation of violent predatory groups on Discord. During a period in my life where I struggled with anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, they took advantage of my feelings of isolation, and encouraged me to self-harm and even end my life.  While I’m deeply grateful to have escaped their abuse, I’m heartbroken to know that this violent, dangerous behavior persists on Discord,” said Abrielle, the Virginia teenager who was coerced by “King” into attempting suicide before being found by first responders in time to save her life. “Enough is enough – tech companies need to do more to crack down on the predatory groups that nearly took my life. Discord owes it to a generation of kids and teens to eliminate the extremely harmful content that abounds on their platforms.”

Sen. Warner continued, “I urge you to devote more resources to this problem, including dedicating a greater number of content moderators, investigators, engineers, and legal professionals to it. It is my understanding that Discord currently enforces its policies through actions like suspending policy-violating users’ accounts and servers, as well as banning their Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and email addresses. I also understand that there are far more sophisticated measures, such as device-based or cookie-based bans, that could be taken to prevent identified malign users from returning to your platform. Further, I am aware of measures that could be used to proactively detect harmful activity and initiate an early intervention to prevent harm and loss of life.”

In the letter, Sen. Warner demands answers to a series of questions about the company’s efforts to address these predatory groups. Specifically, he asks that Discord outline its policies and procedures around content that violates Discord’s Terms of Service, and that it share more information on its detection mechanisms, enforcement actions, measures to prevent the re-entry of malicious actors, and more. He also requests answers on the number of accounts that have been removed over the last four years, and the quantity of suicide ideation or depiction content. 

Today’s letter also follows recommendations issued in July by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Kids Online Health and Safety Task Force to address the online health and safety for children and youth, with specific recommendations made to industry. It also comes on the heels of the Senate passage of the Kids Online Safety Act (“KOSA”) and the Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA 2.0”), which will require online platforms to take specific measures to protect the safety and privacy of children using their platforms. 

A copy of the letter is available here and below. 

Dear Mr. Citron:

I write today regarding disturbing reports that Discord is being used by violent predatory groups to coerce children into self-harm. The failure of your company to stop this activity is deeply troubling, and the lack of adequate safeguards to protect vulnerable individuals, especially teens and children, from this degrading and violent form of abuse is of grave concern. I urge you to quickly take steps to remove malicious actors from your platform, prevent their future access, and collaborate with law enforcement officials to bring safety and justice to the victims.

On September 12, 2023, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) issued a warning to the public that violent online groups are deliberately targeting minor victims on messaging platforms to extort them into recording or live-streaming acts of self-harm and producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). IC3 noted that these groups are targeting minors between the ages of 8 and 17 years old, especially LGBTQ+ youth, racial and ethnic minorities, and those who struggle with a variety of mental health issues. The warning further noted that these groups often control their victims through inflicting extreme fear, extorting them through threats of sharing sexually explicit videos or photos of the minor victims with their friends and families, and many have an end-goal of forcing these minors into completing suicide on live-stream to view and record for their own entertainment or sense of fame.

I am extremely concerned about this abuse, and I am profoundly saddened that it has affected Virginia families, including the daughter of a military family who was coerced into self-harm and to attempt suicide. The severe harm that the family’s daughter faced from a predatory user going by the name “King” closely mirrored a story published in the Washington Post. This report detailed how one of these violent online groups misused your platform, engaging in pervasive harassing conduct that resulted in the deaths of several minors. It further described how Discord’s Trust & Safety team has struggled to keep this specific group off the platform despite knowing of its existence. “King” ultimately coerced the Virginia minor into attempting suicide. Fortunately, first responders were able to reach her in time to save her life.

I recognize that Discord’s Trust & Safety team is aware of this type of activity and has taken some actions to detect and remove some of these violent groups from their platforms. However, despite increased moderation, predators continue to target minors on your platform. I urge you to devote more resources to this problem, including dedicating a greater number of content moderators, investigators, engineers, and legal professionals to it. It is my understanding that Discord currently enforces its policies through actions like suspending policy-violating users’ accounts and servers, as well as banning their Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and email addresses. I also understand that there are far more sophisticated measures, such as device-based or cookie-based bans, that could be taken to prevent identified malign users from returning to your platform. Further, I am aware of measures that could be used to proactively detect harmful activity and initiate an early intervention to prevent harm and loss of life.

On July 22, 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration’s Kids Online Health and Safety Task Force issued a report providing guidance to address the online health and safety for children and youth with specific recommendations made to industry. Several recommendations that address the harm detailed in this letter were made; including developing and deploying mechanisms and strategies to counter child sexual exploitation and abuse, using data-driven methods to detect and prevent online harassment and abuse, and providing age-appropriate parental control tools. The findings and recommendations of this task force underscore the need for platforms like Discord to act on the self-harm extortion of minors. I urge Discord to review the detailed recommendations made in the report and to take them seriously.

I respectfully request that you respond to this letter with detailed answers to the following questions:

1. What processes, procedures, plans, or other organizational policies are in place to identify, review, and remove content involving activity that violates Discord’s Terms of Service and other user agreements with respect to harassing, manipulative, abusive, harmful, or dangerous user activity? Your response should address content and behavior relating to coerced self-harm, to grooming, to CSAM production, to user-to-user extortion of a sexual and of a non-sexual nature, to physical, mental, or sexual abuse, and any other category of behavior that is responsive to this question (e.g. animal cruelty extortion and abuse).

2. What enforcement actions may Discord utilize in response to the harmful activities noted in Question 1? How were these enforcement action options developed, and how does Discord determine the appropriate enforcement action for a given violation? 
1. How many violations and of what type (grooming, sharing of CSAM, extortion, etc.) are identified before each enforcement action is made?
2. For a given enforcement action, what is the lowest employee position of authority (e.g. manager, director, vice president, etc.) at which that given action may be approved and carried out? Is there a process for internally reviewing and redetermining a given enforcement action? If so, please describe that process.

3. What types of detection mechanisms (e.g. technical indicators, content, behavior, social network, server membership composition, etc.) does Discord employ for activities noted in Question 1? Does Discord utilize machine learning technologies for detecting violations of company policy?
1. Does Discord employ user identification methods, including device-specific or cookie-based detection methods, that enables identification of returning violators who take simple evasive measures like changing their username, email address, and IP address?
2. Please describe policies, processes, or procedures used by Discord to ensure that violators are consistently tracked and information is shared across the security and trust and safety officials.
3. What is the mean time to detection (from content creation to identification by Discord’s detection tools) for this activity?

4. Once Discord has removed a violating account or server, does Discord collect and store technical indicators to detect the return of the malicious actor(s) and creator of the server?
1. What is the mean time to live (from account creation to account suspension) for the accounts engaging in this activity? What about the servers?

5. How many accounts have been removed over the last four years (provide a breakdown by year for each violation category that resulted in account removal of activities noted in Question 1?
1. How many of these removed accounts were initially identified via a reporting mechanism vs. a detection mechanism?
2. How many accounts in total were flagged for removal by a detection mechanism? For those accounts flagged by that mechanism, describe the review process for determining if the account violates policy.

6. How many unique images or videos have been shared in these servers depicting or ideating suicide or that could be reasonably interpreted as depicting or ideating suicide?

7. Have you identified activities of the types noted in Question 1 from a user going by the name of “King” (or any successor, related, or otherwise affiliated account or accounts) and what actions has Discord carried out in order to prevent ongoing and future malicious activity from this user?

8. Please describe any actions, communications, or deliberations that Discord has taken with respect to the violent groups identified in the September 2023 FBI warning: 676; 764; CVLT; Court; Kaskar; Harm Nation; Leak Society; and H3ll?

Thank you for your prompt attention to this letter, and I look forward to reviewing your response.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – With under 100 days until the U.S. presidential election, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today shared responses from tech companies about their efforts to crack down on malicious uses of AI and released the statement below on their ramifications for the election and beyond. In February, a group of technology companies (including generative AI vendors, social media platforms, chipmakers, and research firms) signed the Munich Tech Accord to Combat Deceptive Use of AI in 2024 Elections, a high-level roadmap for a variety of new initiatives, investments, and interventions that could improve the information ecosystem surrounding this year’s elections. In May, Sen. Warner pushed for specific answers about the actions that companies are taking to make good on the Tech Accord, including its applicability to combat misuse of generative AI products outside the election context. 

“I appreciate the thoughtful engagement from the signatories of the Munich Tech Accord. Their responses indicated promising avenues for collaboration, information-sharing, and standards development, but also illuminated areas for significant improvement.

“While many of the companies indicated that they have clear policies against a wide range of misuses, and have undertaken red-teaming and other pre-deployment testing measures, there is a very concerning lack of specificity and resourcing on enforcement of those policies. Additionally, companies offered little indication of detailed and sustained efforts to engage local media, civic institutions, and election officials and equip them with resources to identify and address misuse of generative AI tools in their communities. Leading social media platforms and gen-AI vendors have commendably posted resources to their websites and have had extensive engagement with legislative and regulatory bodies at the national level, but the failure modes of this technology require sustained relationship-building with local institutions.

“I’m disappointed that few of the companies provided users with clear reporting channels and remediation mechanisms against impersonation-based misuses. Generative AI tools are already harming vulnerable communities – including seniors, who are often victims of financial fraud, and teens, who are vulnerable to appalling acts of non-consensual image generation and extortion.

“Lastly – and perhaps most relevant ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election – I am deeply concerned by the lack of robust and standardized information-sharing mechanisms within the ecosystem. With the election less than 100 days away, we must prioritize real action and robust communication to systematically catalogue harmful AI-generated content. While this technology offers significant promise, generative AI still poses a grave threat to the integrity of our elections, and I’m laser-focused on continuing to work with public and private partners to get ahead of these real and credible threats.”

Responses by each of the companies are available here: Adobe, Amazon, Anthropic, Arm, ElevenLabs, Google, IBM, Intuit, LG, McAfee, Microsoft, Meta, Open AI, Snap, Stability AI, TikTok, Trend, True Media, Truepic, and X. Gen, Inflection, NetApp, and Nota did not provide responses.

Ahead of the 2024 election, Sen. Warner has been repeatedly raising the alarm about the potential for AI and tech companies to create and disseminate credible misinformation to influence election results. Last week, he issued a statement on the most recent election security update from the Director of National Intelligence. He has also held open hearings in the Intelligence Committee on this critical issue.  

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), applauded the recent Senate passage of the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, which would help maintain clean drinking water across the country and includes key provisions to deepen and widen channels in the Chesapeake Bay, strengthen Virginia’s coastal resiliency, improve recreational access to Virginia’s waterways, and support the Chesapeake oyster industry, among other Virginia priorities.

“The Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) is a crucial package that provides key funding and resources for infrastructure projects across the country and the Commonwealth,” said Sen. Warner. “I’m glad to see the Senate-passed version of this legislation include provisions to keep our communities healthy and safe, while also authorizing key priorities for the Commonwealth. This legislation will help support Virginia’s efforts to combat the effects of rising sea levels and increased flooding from significant weather events, as well as support our oyster industry and recreational development. I look forward to final passage of this legislation so that we can start benefitting Virginia’s communities.”

“Reliable water infrastructure is key to the health and well-being of any community,” said Sen. Kaine. “I’m glad that this year’s Senate-passed water infrastructure bill not only authorizes crucial resources to help maintain clean drinking water across the country, but also contains key Virginia priorities. From dredging in the Norfolk Harbor and supporting Virginia’s oyster farmers, to boosting recreation and helping to keep coastal communities safe from rising sea levels, the Senate has passed a bill that’s great for the Commonwealth. I urge my colleagues in the House to pass this legislation as quickly as possible so it can be signed into law.”

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

• Increasing the authorized funding levels for the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery Program from $100 million to $120 million.
• Encouraging shallow draft dredging in the Chesapeake Bay to promote tourism, recreation, and fishing.  
• Expanding the Temporary Relocation Assistance Pilot Program for the City of Norfolk to boost the city’s climate resilience.
• Establishing an expedited completion track for Virginia Beach Coastal Storm Risk Management Study.
• Establishing an expedited completion track to modify the Norfolk Harbor Deepening and Widening Project to include Anchorage F.
• Authorizing the Army Corps to conduct a feasibility study on enhancing downstream recreation for Gathright Dam, Lake Moomaw, and the Jackson River in Alleghany County.
• Authorizing the Army Corps to include federal agency and military installations in the Virginia Peninsula Coastal Storm Risk Management Project.

The next step for the legislation is a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) applauded committee passage of their Promoting United States Leadership in Standards Act of 2024, legislation aimed at restoring the U.S.’s position as the leader in international standards-setting for Artificial Intelligence and other critical emerging technologies (CETs). This legislation passed through the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation by a unanimous voice vote.

The legislation, first introduced in February, comes in response to the rising influence of Chinese-government affiliated companies and organizations on international technology standards and practices. For decades, the United States led the world in developing new technologies, which allowed our country to set the standards that guided the use and development of those technologies around the globe. However, in recent years, companies and organizations backed by the Chinese Communist Party have overtaken the U.S. in some key areas, which has allowed the Chinese government to influence standards in ways that further its own interests.

“I am thrilled to see this important legislation pass through the Commerce Committee with overwhelming bipartisan support,” said Sen. Warner. “This legislation clearly outlines steps we must take to reestablish our leadership and ensure that we are doing all we can to set the global standards for critical and emerging technologies. I look forward to a full Senate vote.”

“The Communist Chinese Party has made it their mission to undermine the U.S. and our interests around the globe by exploiting our deficiencies,” said Sen. Blackburn. “As they ramp up their efforts to dominate global standards for emerging technologies, the U.S. must be a global leader in innovation, and that includes setting standards that reflect our interests and values.”

Specifically, the Promoting United States Leadership in Standards Act would:

• Require the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to submit a report to Congress that identifies current U.S. participation in standards development activities for AI and other CETs;
• Create an easy-to-access web portal to help stakeholders navigate and actively engage in international standardization efforts. The portal would include a list of relevant standards and information about how to participate in standardization activities related to AI and other CETs;
• Establish a pilot program to award $5 million in grants over 5 years to support the hosting of standards meetings for AI and other CETs in the U.S.;
• Create a report to Congress, during the third year of the program, that identifies grant recipients, provides a summary of expenses, assesses the effectiveness of the program to grow the number of standards meetings in the U.S, and shows the geographic distribution of event attendees.

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WASHINGTON – Today, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the statement below, following an election security update from the Director of National Intelligence. 

“It’s clear that our elections are in the bullseye of bad actors across the globe, and that foreign adversaries are only getting more and more serious about disrupting our democratic systems. Today’s latest update further highlights how foreign actors rely on commercial firms – including PR firms and technology enablers – to launder and refine their covert influence operations. It also, disturbingly, emphasizes the extent to which foreign actors – and particularly Russia – rely on both unwitting and witting Americans to promote foreign-aligned narratives in the United States. With 100 days left to go until the election, I welcome these ongoing unclassified updates from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. It’s through this kind of increased transparency that we can arm the American public, civic leaders, and media platforms with the awareness needed to fight disinformation and safeguard the integrity of our democratic processes.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, introduced the Discount Window Enhancement Act of 2024, legislation to improve the effectiveness of the Federal Reserve Discount Window, a liquidity tool that provides short-term loans to depository institutions, such as commercial and community banks in order to help reduce the fallout of bank failures fueled by panic-induced bank runs.   

In the wake of multiple bank failures in 2023, including the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, Sen. Warner voiced the need for legislation to improve the function of the Fed’s Discount Window.

“The failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank last year highlighted the urgent need to reform the Federal Reserve’s discount window for the 21^st century economy, where bank runs can occur over hours, rather than days. My legislation will implement key reforms to make sure that banks can actually use the discount window, reduce the unnecessary stigma associated with that use, and improve the window’s operations to meet the challenges of the digital age. We need to modernize the window and return this important liquidity tool to its intended role,” said Sen. Warner.

The Discount Window Enhancement Act of 2024 will:

• Mandate Testing of the Discount Window: Mandates that eligible depository institutions operating in the United States engage in test borrowing at the Federal Reserve’s Discount Window:
  • Large Institutions (> $100 Billion): Quarterly.
  • Smaller and Larger Institutions ($10 Billion – $100 Billion): Semi-annual.
  • Small Institutions (Under $10 Billion): Not in scope.
• Require Regulators to Reflect Banks’ Ability to Use the Discount Window in Liquidity Evaluations: Regulators must “give credit” in their evaluations of bank liquidity preparedness to depositories that can use the discount window successfully – “positive consideration” must be given to successful testing and pre-pledged collateral;
• Require Financial Institution Risk Committees or Equivalent to Review and Approve Liquidity Contingency Plans: Depositories’ liquidity contingency plans are to include detailed policies and procedures for seeking advances and be submitted to Federal Reserve Board, Regional Federal Reserve Bank of membership, and primary supervisor;
• Require the Federal Reserve Board to Modernize Discount Window Operations;
• Require the Federal Reserve System to Simplify and Harmonize Collateral Processes with Federal Home Loan Bank System: The Federal Reserve Board must work with the FHFA and the FHLB system to simplify and harmonize policies and procedures for pledging and transferring collateral among FHLBs and Federal Reserve Banks.
• Require Review of Weekly Federal Reserve Balance Sheet Reporting: The Federal Reserve Board must comprehensively review the weekly reporting of its balance sheet activities, and consider changes to avoid market distortions that could inadvertently place individual financial institutions at a disadvantage.
• Require Federal Reserve Study and Report to Congress on Discount Window Stigma: Requires the Federal Reserve Board to conduct a study and submit a report to Congress about additional measures that could be taken to reduce discount window stigma and improve the process for obtaining advances on behalf of depository institutions.

Sen. Warner has also led efforts to hold those responsible for bank failures accountable. In the aftermath of the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, Sen. Warner cosponsored the DEPOSIT Act, the Bank Management Accountability Act, and the Failed Bank Executives Clawback Act, efforts to ensure that bank executives do not profit in the wake of bank failures.

“The Federal Reserve Discount Window is a critical tool that gives financial institutions of all sizes access to liquidity and prevents panic in the broader financial system. Stigma associated with accessing the window and some legacy operational issues have limited the power of this tool and forced the Fed to take dramatic steps to meet recent needs. This legislation would help modernize the window to ensure immediate access by all eligible institutions in today’s lightning-fast financial system,” said Betsy Duke, Former Federal Reserve Board Governor.

“As evident from events in March 2023, it is clear that the current discount window mechanism at the Federal Reserve has deficiencies that have led to severe stigma, increasing the risk of banking panics and deposit runs. This bill will provide a good basis for regulators to implement operational improvements and reduce frictions that hinder the effectiveness of discount window,” said William C. Dudley, Former President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

“Senator Warner and other supporters of this bill should be commended. De-stigmatizing the Fed’s Discount Window so that it can be a more effective liquidity tool for banks is a major step forward. This bill is thoughtful and important, and one that makes U.S. banking safer and sounder,” said Eugene A. Ludwig, Former U.S. Comptroller of the Currency.

“We thank Senator Warner for introducing this bill that will ensure banks are operationally ready to borrow from the discount window to meet liquidity needs while also reflecting that readiness in corresponding liquidity regulations and requirements.  This is a sensible piece of legislation that seeks to actually respond to the regional banking crisis of March 2023 and help make our financial system work as it is intended,” said Greg Baer, President and CEO of the Bank Policy Institute.

“The 2023 banking crisis and the 2020 COVID crisis each revealed vulnerabilities in the current design of the discount window. The events of March 2023 in particular showed that bank runs can occur faster than they did in the past. To illustrate this point: SVB experienced a total outflow of 25% of deposits in one day. Given this, what is needed is an operational system that allows the transfer of collateral and funds at the push of a button.  At the same time, it is also imperative that the Federal Reserve maintain its independence as a liquidity provider to banks, given its clear mandate under Section 10B to act independently. This bill is a foundation in which regulators can build off of to bring the discount window into the 21st century,” said Hal S. Scott, Nomura Professor and Director of the Program on International Financial Systems at Harvard Law School; Director of the Committee on Capital Markets Regulation.

“This bill raises the bar on discount window effectiveness for bank, regulator, and (importantly) supervisor alike; it addresses several operational issues and sources of stigma. The bill makes clear that the default supervisory assumption should no longer be to assign zero value to the approximately $3 trillion of collateral already prepositioned at the Federal Reserve—an amount set to continue to grow, particularly under the direction of this bill. Importantly, the bill also calls for examination of the Fed’s current practice of publishing district-by-district activity, which risks ‘outing’ a bank’s discount window borrowing on a weekly basis—as opposed to only after a two-year lag as legislated under the Dodd-Frank Act,” said Steven Kelly, Associate Director of Research at the Yale Program on Financial Stability.

A copy of the legislation is available here. A one-pager of the legislation is available here.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and John Thune (R-SD), alongside U.S. Reps. Scott Peters (CA-50) and Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) introduced the Employer Participation in Repayment Act – bipartisan legislation to help Americans tackle their student loan debt by making permanent a provision that allows employers to contribute up to $5,250 tax-free to their employees’ student loans. 

In 2020, Sens. Warner and Thune along with Rep. Peters negotiated the inclusion of a provision in the CARES Act that allowed these contributions temporarily. Later that year, as part of the government spending package, they secured an extension allowing this benefit through January 1, 2026. By making this tax benefit permanent, today’s legislation would provide employees with much-needed relief and employers with a unique and permanent tool to attract and retain talented employees.

“Too many young Americans are struggling under the weight of student debt, preventing them from establishing savings, buying homes, and building wealth,” said Sen. Warner. “My Employer Participation in Repayment Act took an important step to help folks pay down their debt while also giving employers a powerful tool to recruit and retain the best talent, but it’s set to expire soon. I’m proud to be pushing to make this benefit permanent so we can grow our economy and support the middle class by supporting recent graduates and employers alike.”  

“Incentivizing employers to help repay their employees’ student loans was a common-sense step Congress took to address the high levels of student debt that borrowers face,” said Sen. Thune. “The Warner-Thune bill would permanently equip employers with this unique tool to help attract and retain talented employees while protecting American taxpayers from costly burdens. This is a win-win for graduates and their employers, and I hope it will once again garner strong, bipartisan support.”

“I relied on student loans to get through college when the cost of higher education was much lower than it is today. Now, the collective debt among Americans is $1.7 trillion, which limits our economic growth and young people’s economic prospects,” said Rep. Peters. “Over the last four years, this program has been a huge success — helping employers pay off thousands of employees’ loans and compete for the best talent. This public-private collaboration has proven itself as a cost-effective solution to the student debt crisis and it is imperative that we make it permanent.”  

“Over the past 20 years, the cost to attend college has risen 45 percent, forcing students to choose between pursuing higher education and taking on tens of thousands of dollars in burdensome student loan debt,” Rep. Malliotakis said. “Our bipartisan legislation will allow millions of students and recent graduates to continue receiving reimbursement through their employer up to $5,250 per year tax-free, which can be used to repay student loans, pay tuition, and purchase required books, supplies, and equipment for academic courses. This tax incentive will continue to strengthen our workforce, increase our nation’s competitiveness, and provide much-needed economic relief to millions of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet during this time of record-high inflation.” 

Reports estimate that Americans owe a combined $1.74 trillion dollars in student loan debt. This debt is a significant financial burden that not only influences the way the American workforce saves and spends, but also has a stifling effect on the economy. This legislation would update an existing federal program so that it works better for employees living with the reality of burdensome student loan debt.

The legislation has support from numerous educational organizations.

“The American Council on Education strongly supports the ‘Employer Participation in Repayment Act,’ which would make permanent the CARES Act expansion of Sec. 127 to cover student loan repayment assistance. Many Americans are paying off student loans while balancing the needs of their families and achieving new skills to advance in their careers. This legislation would provide employers the opportunity to support their employees in pursuing education and/or to manage their student loan debt, which represents a win-win for employers and employees. This expansion of Sec. 127 potentially also could generate substantial private sector funds for student loan repayment through a new public-private partnership to help ease the burden of future and current student loan debt on students and recent graduates. Thank you for your leadership on this important issue,”said the American Council on Education (ACE).

“AICCU is proud to endorse the Employer Participation in Repayment Act, introduced by Congressmembers Nicole Malliotakis and Scott Peters. The independent higher education sector in California enrolls 54% of California graduate students, making the sector the leader in educating the state’s advanced workforce. This bill would make permanent the expansion of Section 127 and will encourage employees to complete their degrees or aspire to upskill and attain a certificate or advanced degree and reinvest them back in with their employer. This is a win-win-win situation for all—the employer, staff, and the postsecondary institution. Thank you, Congressmembers Peters and Malliotakis, for your joint leadership on this critical issue,” said Kristen Soares, President of AICCU.

“Employers and workers alike have benefited from the COVID-era laws allowing Section 127 benefits to be provided to employees for the purpose of repaying student loans. Unfortunately, when the bills were signed into law, Congress included an expiration date for the end of 2025, meaning employees could soon be stripped of a benefit that has eased the financial burden of repaying costly loans during a time of high inflation, and employers could lose a benefit they have offered to attract and retain employees. CUPA-HR therefore fully supports this bill to ensure modern Section 127 benefits are made permanent,” said Andy Brantley, President and Chief Executive Officer at the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR).

“The Consortium of Hospital-Affiliated Colleges and Universities (CHACU) endorses this important legislation to make the student loan repayment expansion permanent.  It provides confidence to students entering critically in-demand healthcare careers such nursing, as well as the hospitals seeking to attract and retain them.  Thank you for this legislation which will strongly support nursing and allied health education,” said Nate Brandstater, President of Kettering College and CHACU Member.

“Fidelity Investments commends the bipartisan introduction of the Employer Participation in Repayment Act. As a market leader for student debt workplace benefits since 2016, Fidelity applauds the proposal to create a permanent path for employers to seamlessly contribute to and ease the student debt burden of their employees. Originally enacted as part of the CARES Act, this bill ensures an impactful public-private solution to the country’s growing student debt crisis that can continue to enhance the financial well-being of hard-working Americans and bolster the recruiting and retention strength of companies seeking to offer this benefit. We look forward to working with Congress to enact this legislation into law,” said Jesse Moore, Senior Vice President, Head of Student Debt at Fidelity Investments.

“The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) is pleased to support bipartisan legislation that would make permanent the expansion of IRC Sec. 127. This expansion to allow student loan repayment assistance should absolutely be a permanent benefit and not expire next year as currently scheduled.  This assistance helps working students, employers, and ultimately the U.S. economy. Section 127 benefits play a critical role in maintaining U.S. competitiveness and preventing the accumulation of student debt by enabling employers to fund the training, development and education of their employees, without imposing tax burdens on those employees for the education they receive.  Employees use these benefits to pursue their educational and career goals and use amounts provided by their employer to either help pay for the cost of tuition or repay student loans,” said Karin Johns, Director of Tax Policy at the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

“The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has long supported efforts to ease the burden of student loan debt. The Employer Participation in Repayment Act is a useful tool in easing the weight of student debt. NAR applauds the leadership from Representatives Peters and Malliotakis and Senators Warner and Thune in making this change permanent. This legislation creates a win-win for both employers in search of attracting and maintaining talented workers and employees who will receive relief on their debt, enabling them to save money for important life decisions like purchasing a home,” said Kevin Sears, President of the National Association of Realtors®.

“We are proud to continue to support this initiative and thank Congressmember Peters for his commitment to San Diego’s small businesses,” said Jerry Sanders, President and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. “By expanding the benefits employers can offer employees through student debt repayment, the Employer Participation in Repayment Act of 2024 is helping strengthen efforts to attract and retain workers, especially for small business owners.”

“SHRM is proud to support the Employer Participation in Repayment Act, a bipartisan bill that would permanently allow employers to help employees pay off their student loans. SHRM has long championed policies that allow employers to offer education assistance programs that meet the needs of today’s workforce. This legislation would benefit millions of Americans who are struggling with student loan debt, while simultaneously providing employers with a strategic advantage in attracting and retaining top talent in a competitive job market,” said Emily M. Dickens, Chief of Staff and Head of Government Affairs at SHRM.

“Extending the tax exclusion for employer-provided student loan repayment assistance is crucial for today’s U.S. workforce and is 100% aligned with employer perspectives on these benefits,” says Scott Thompson, CEO of Tuition.io.  “As the cost of higher education continues to skyrocket, this benefit enables companies to foster a more educated and skilled workforce, while helping their employees cover basic living expenses, a challenge for so many people today. Since Tuition.io started administering contributions in 2016, employers on our platform have helped pay down student loan debt for hundreds of thousands of employees in key sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, and technology. We at Tuition.io strongly support making these benefits under Section 127 permanent, as their removal would be a significant setback for both corporations and their employees,” said Scott Thompson, CEO of Tuition.io.

"The enormity of this bipartisan initiative cannot be understated. Extending educational assistance benefits to permanently include tax-free student loan repayments will be transformational both for those holding student debt and for employers. As the workforce continues to place an increasing emphasis on financial stability, tax-free employer contributions will be the center of focus for many employers going forward. Highway Benefits has been proud to be able to help companies of all sizes offer this benefit. We look forward to continuing to work with congress in order to make sure that tax-free student loan repayments are here to stay," said Mick MacLaverty, CEO of Highway Benefits. 

Full text of the legislation can be found here. A summary of the legislation can be found here.

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WASHINGTON – Ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s joint meeting of Congress, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Jack Reed (D-RI), the Chairs of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote to President Biden to support a deal that ends the Gaza conflict, secures the return of all hostages, and ensures Israel’s long-term security through meaningful and tangible steps towards a two-state outcome for Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in equal measures of security, dignity, prosperity, and peace. The Chairs reiterated their commitment to Israel’s greater integration into the region, including through normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia, as part of a comprehensive plan for peace. They underscored that only a holistic approach could break the cycle of violence and counter terrorism, and erode the narrative of the Iranian regime, Hamas, and others who seek to sow chaos and despair in the Middle East. Finally, the Chairs reaffirmed the need for regional partners, with the support of allies, to be committed to and invested in such a future where security for both Israelis and Palestinians is ensured.

“We write to express our strong support for the agreement that immediately would release the hostages, and end the conflict in Gaza,” wrote the Chairs. “We commend your focus on moving towards a sustainable and negotiated two-state outcome that ensures Israel’s long-term security as a Jewish and democratic state, living alongside a Palestinian state with equal measures of peace, dignity, and prosperity.”

Full text of the letter is available below:

Dear President Biden:

As the Chairs of the national security committees of the Senate, and in anticipation of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s joint address to Congress, we write to express our strong support for the agreement that immediately would release the hostages, and end the conflict in Gaza. We commend your focus on moving towards a sustainable and negotiated two-state outcome that ensures Israel’s long-term security as a Jewish and democratic state, living alongside a Palestinian state with equal measures of peace, dignity, and prosperity. Such an outcome would be anchored in a historic normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia and Israel’s greater regional integration. We applaud this strategic vision that seeks to counter terrorism and destabilization in the Middle East, and build a more hopeful future. Breaking the cycle of violence can only happen through a holistic approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including meaningful and tangible steps to create a viable path to a two-state outcome for both Israelis and Palestinians.

This strategy begins with an agreement to return all hostages held by Hamas and the establishment of a ceasefire in Gaza. The human cost of the October 7 attacks and the months after has been devastating for both Israelis and innocent Palestinians. While Hamas’ military capabilities have been degraded notably, lasting security rests in denying Hamas what it needs to once again govern and control Gaza. A post conflict strategy for Gaza must be comprehensive and done in cooperation with Arab and international partners to address thoroughly pressing humanitarian needs, security challenges, and governance vacuums.

Critically, to ensure lasting security for Israel and greater regional integration, the approach must include meaningful and tangible steps for a future two-state outcome. As you noted in July 2022, this includes “…two states for two peoples, both of whom have deep and ancient roots in this land, living side by side in peace and security. Both states fully respecting the equal rights of the other citizens. Both peoples enjoying equal measures of freedom and dignity.”

Israel, a reformed Palestinian Authority, and regional partners must be prepared to move the West Bank and Gaza towards a future where two peoples live without fear, and with equal measures of security, dignity, and prosperity. In Gaza, this requires a robust humanitarian, security, and governance plan with commitment and investment from the region. In the West Bank, these steps must include a reformed, capable, and accountable Palestinian Authority that can assume responsibility and security for all Palestinians and is ready and willing to fight terrorism in all its forms.

For Israel, this must include reversing the growing trend towards annexing parts of the West Bank. There are some in Israel, including members of the current government, that do not see peace, safety, and dignity for Palestinians as integral to Israel’s security, and who undermine the future of a two-state outcome. That is why any approach must also build on your Administration’s steps to lay bare the violence that targets innocent Palestinians in the West Bank, and to hold accountable those violent extremists who destroy or expropriate Palestinian land and infrastructure. We urge you to stress to Prime Minister Netanyahu the United States’ significant concerns over these trends in the West Bank. We need to make clear that such violent acts do not make Israel or Israelis safer, and that the United States will continue to address these acts, including through sanctions.

Finally, a strategy to achieve all of these objectives requires Israel’s regional integration, including normalized relations with Saudi Arabia, which in turn offers a path to broader regional security and stability with neighbors who are at peace with one another. This will require regional leaders to make difficult choices, but the alternatives are dark, dangerous, and destabilizing. The Iranian regime, through its network of proxies, destabilizes the region, harms international trade, and poses a direct threat to regional security. Failure to deepen regional integration will not only allow narratives by the Iranian regime, Hamas, and others to prevail but also enable it to dictate the pace of events in the Middle East. Broader regional integration must deal with the threat of terrorism head on. But it also must offer the prospect of hope – the hope of a political horizon towards comprehensive peace.

Regional leaders understand these threats and the potential benefits. We saw a demonstration of the threat on April 13 and 14, when Israel, along with its neighbors were the target of Iran’s attack. Regional leaders know they must step up to ensure the region – including Israel – can live in peace and security.

We are under no illusion that this will be easy and we fully understand that diplomacy requires compromise. But the pre-October 7 status quo is not sustainable. In order for the region to chart a new path forward, one that chooses cooperation and partnership over endless conflict, hope must follow the darkness of October 7 and recent months.

We see an opportunity for enduring peace and security for Israel and greater economic and security integration in the Middle East. Our interests and Israel’s interests stand to be enhanced. The potential benefits are manifold, from checking Iran and its proxy militias to supporting greater regional economic, development, and security integration, and preserving our interests against geopolitical competitors in the Middle East. As you said on May 31, “We can’t lose this moment.” We therefore urge you to seize the opportunity and stand resolute in your commitment to a path that can lead to more enduring stability, prosperity, and security for the United States, Israel, and the entire Middle East.

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