Press Releases

Senators Markey (D-Mass.) and Warner (D-Va.) today called on Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell to attend the upcoming World Health Organization First Ministerial Conference on Global Action Against Dementia to demonstrate the leadership of the United States on the human and economic threats posed by Alzheimer’s disease.

With federal funding that provides health care coverage to more than 10 million children nationwide through the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) set to expire, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine today joined 38 of their Senate colleagues to introduce legislation that would extend CHIP funding through 2019.

Senator Warner and a bipartisan group of Senators coauthored a Senate Resolution declaring that the goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer’s by 2025 is an “urgent national priority.”

Senator Warner and a bipartisan group of Senators have coauthored a Senate Resolution declaring that the goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer’s by 2025 is an “urgent national priority.”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) are spearheading a bipartisan effort to ensure volunteer firefighters and first responders can continue protecting communities that rely on them.

The senators are introducing a bill which codifies IRS regulations prohibiting volunteer emergency responders from being counted as full-time equivalent employees for the purpose of determining the employer mandate.

“The Obama Administration has already agreed that volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel should not be counted as full-time employees under the Affordable Care Act,” said Sen. Warner. “This sensible, bipartisan fix will ensure that the law permanently and properly distinguishes between full-time, paid emergency responders and volunteers so that emergency response agencies can continue focusing on keeping our communities safe.”

“From small cities to rural communities, Pennsylvania has the largest number of volunteer fire departments in the country,” said Sen. Toomey. “These dedicated men and women, who volunteer to risk their lives for their fellow citizens, have enough on their plate without having to worry about whether excessive Washington red tape will close their station. The House has already passed this bill and I urge the Senate to do the same.”

In December 2013, following a similar effort spearheaded by Sen. Toomey and Sen. Warner, the IRS issued guidance stating that volunteer firefighters and emergency responders would not be counted as full-time employees under the president’s health care law. However, absent Sen. Toomey and Sen. Warner’s legislation, the IRS could still reverse course.

Approximately 750,000 volunteer firefighters serve in 20,000 all-volunteer and 5,000 combination career-volunteer fire departments throughout the United States. In most cases, volunteer first responders maintain other full-time employment and choose to volunteer. Not surprisingly, emergency response agencies which rely almost entirely on volunteer assistance do not have the resources to provide benefits.

Sen. Warner and Sen. Toomey's legislation has been co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of senators including:

Sens. Manchin (D-W. Va.), King (I-Maine), Portman (R-Ohio), Cotton (R-Ark.), Coons (D-Del.), Donnelly (D-Ind.), Murkowski (R-Alaska), Grassley (R-Iowa), Ayotte (R-N.H.) , Kaine (D-Va.), Flake (R-Ariz), Bennet (D-Colo.), Wicker (R-Miss.), Isakson (R-Ga.), Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Tester (D-Mont.), Murphy (D-Conn.), Merkley (D-Ore.), Moran (R-Kan.), Scott (R-S.C.), and Franken (D-Minn.)

Senators Mark Warner and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga) today introduced the Medicare Home Infusion Site of Care Act of 2015, to allow beneficiaries who need intravenous medications to receive their infusion treatments in the comfort and convenience of their homes and at a lower cost to Medicare.

"Dr. Murthy brings an entrepreneurial focus, and he is committed to using technology to expand our outreach on health and wellness in innovative ways. I believe he will make an excellent Surgeon General,” Senator Warner said.

Sens. Warner and Kaine introduced legislation to help level the playing field for miners battling black lung disease, an ailment caused by inhaling coal dust over an extended period of time that can be debilitating and potentially fatal.

Sens. Warner and Kaine called on the federal Ebola response coordinator to act quickly to synchronize local, state and federal efforts to respond to the Ebola emergency.

Senators Warner and Kaine sent letters to Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Services William Hazel and President and CEO of the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association requesting information on what is being done to ensure Virginia hospitals and health professionals have the supplies, training and information they need to effectively identify and treat any patients who present symptoms of Ebola.

Sen. Warner announced that the Northern Virginia Technology Council has been selected to examine and propose improvements to the scheduling processes and systems at Department of Veteran’s Affairs medical facilities, at no cost to taxpayers.

Senators Warner, Kaine (D-Va.), Cardin (D-Md.), and Mikulski (D-Md.), applauded the recent OPM decision to allow federal employees to carryover up to $500 in unspent Flexible Spending Account (FSA) funds from one year to the next.

The V-A reform legislation includes U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner’s (D-VA) initiative to enlist the pro bono assistance of private sector technology experts to help fix the V-A’s broken scheduling system.

“Virginia’s women have a right to make their own decisions about contraception without their bosses interfering. I’m proud to have cosponsored and voted today in support of legislation to undo the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision and restore the right of women to access basic health care."

"While the Court's Hobby Lobby decision is narrow, I believe these conversations should be between women and their doctors, not a woman and her boss. I trust the women of Virginia to make their own healthcare decisions."

Senators Warner and Kaine sent letter to Fernando O. Rivera, Network Director of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Capitol Health Care Network, and Daniel F. Hoffman, Network Director of the VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network, expressing concern over the results of the VA Access Audit report released this week.

The U.S. Senate today passed Sen. Warner’s bipartisan proposal to enlist private sector technology companies to assist the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (V-A) assess and fix problems with the V-A scheduling system.

WASHINGTON – A bipartisan group of nine U.S. Senators called on the Obama Administration today to accept private sector assistance in fixing the broken Department of Veterans Affairs (V-A) scheduling system. In a letter, Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Mike Johanns (R-NE), Patty Murray (D-WA), Richard Burr (R-NC), Al Franken (D-MN), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), and Michael Bennet (D-CO), urged the V-A to follow the example of the Army, which in 2010 allowed a consortium of leading technology companies to provide expertise in designing a corrective plan, at no cost to the taxpayers, to fix widespread data management issues uncovered at the Army’s Arlington National Cemetery.

“Because of the immediacy of the many challenges at the VA, we urge you to work with us to implement a similar cost-effective, private sector initiative so we can begin restoring the trust of our veterans and the American public in the ability of the VA to meet the commitments our nation has made to our veterans. Our military men and women, their families, and our veterans deserve nothing less.”

“Engaging the tech sector and the best minds from leading American IT firms produced a comprehensive business plan to help the Army modernize its workflow procedures and upgrade the data management systems at Arlington. That effort, conducted at no cost to the taxpayers, represented the very best traditions of corporate citizenship,” the senators wrote.

Full text of the letter is below, and a PDF of the signed letter can be accessed here.

060514 VA Letter by Mark Warner

In a letter today, Sen. Warner called on the U.S. Veterans Administration (V-A) to immediately improve delays in diagnosis and treatment at its V-A hospitals. A recent V-A report on consult delays since 1999 showed that 23 veterans across the nation have died as a result of delays in receiving certain medical treatments.

"Kathleen Sebelius and I became friends when we each had the honor of serving as state governors. Secretary Sebelius accepted one of the toughest jobs in the Administration, and she has continually demonstrated grace under pressure."

“I strongly urge members of the House to come to the table to find a bipartisan solution so we can get this temporary assistance into the hands of Virginia job seekers."

Sen. Warner today introduced legislation that will provide Virginia families with additional health coverage choices to best meet their financial and medical needs.

A bipartisan group of senators is urging the FDA to provide further clarity and transparency in its policy regarding medical mobile apps.

Bipartisan legislation championed by Senators Warner and Kaine to support federal funding for pediatric medical research passed the Senate today and will now go to the President for his signature.

Senators Warner and Kaine joined 19 Senators and 30 Representatives to send the following letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel regarding a change to TRICARE's reimbursement policy.

Press Releases

Lawmakers are co-Chairs of the Bipartisan Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease

Feb 18 2015

Legislation Would Prevent More Than 10 Million Kids Nationwide, Including More Than 196,000 Virginia Children, From Losing Health Care Coverage; Without Action, CHIP Funding Will Expire in September

Feb 12 2015

Feb 12 2015

Feb 12 2015

Feb 09 2015

Bill would allow more Medicare patients to receive health care in their homes

Jan 28 2015

Dec 01 2014

Nov 21 2014

~ With Virginia’s designation as one of the five entry points for inbound flights from Ebola-affected countries, Senators request federal support and collaboration with local and state officials ~

Oct 24 2014

Oct 17 2014

~ NVTC chosen under Sen. Warner’s initiative to enlist the assistance of private sector technology experts at no cost to taxpayers ~

Sep 16 2014

Sep 04 2014

~ Pro bono industry assessment of V-A scheduling process due in 45 days ~

Aug 07 2014

~ On Vote to Protect Women’s Health in Aftermath of Supreme Court Hobby Lobby Decision ~

Jul 16 2014

Jun 30 2014

Jun 13 2014

~ Measure passes as part of bipartisan Senate legislation to fix V-A ~ ~ Warner proposal modeled on successful work to fix back office mess at Arlington National Cemetery ~

Jun 11 2014

~ In letter to President Obama, Senators urge top-level private sector review of V-A systems ~

Jun 05 2014

~ Hampton’s V-A Medical Center third worst in the nation ~

May 02 2014

Apr 10 2014

~ On bipartisan Senate vote to extend unemployment benefits for five months ~

Apr 07 2014

~ Warner ‘Copper Plan’ Gives Consumers Additional Lower-Cost Option ~

Mar 27 2014

~ Bipartisan group seeks regulatory certainty to ensure consumer access and continued innovation ~

Mar 24 2014

~ Legislation championed by Warner, Kaine & Cantor honors memory of Virginian Gabriella Miller ~

Mar 11 2014

Mar 04 2014