WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation, Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Ed Markey (D-MA) in introducing the Safe Operation of Shared Airspace Act of 2025 to strengthen aviation safety. The legislation follows Warner and Kaine’s years-long advocacy against further crowding in the capital area airspace – which will continue – and comes in direct response to the January 29, 2025 collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a regional commercial jet operating as American Airlines flight 5342 near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) that took the lives of 67 people.

The crash exposed multiple system failures, including the Army Black Hawk not transmitting safety-enhancing ADS-B technology (radio systems that aircraft use to share their positions with each other and with air traffic control), unsafe route design for mixed traffic near DCA, and lack of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Defense (DoD) coordination to prevent future incidents. The Safe Operation of Shared Airspace Act of 2025 addresses these specific failures, as well as broader long-standing FAA air traffic controller shortages, FAA internal safety management systems, and the need for important post-accident safety reviews.

“Ensuring the safety of our nation’s air travel is critical, and as we have seen with tragedies and incidents in Virginia and across the country, an urgent matter,” said Sen. Warner. “The legislation takes important steps to strengthen critical safety measures, boost job training and recruitment efforts, and ensure coordination between the Department of Defense and FAA in order to better protect the millions of Americans who travel by air daily.”

“The crash at DCA was a tragedy, and we have a responsibility to the loved ones of those we lost and the American public to make changes to ensure this never happens again,” said Sen. Kaine. “This bill includes a number of important steps, such as mandating a safety review of flight operations in the National Capital Region, improving air traffic controller hiring and training, and enhancing employee reporting and transparency. I will continue to do more to prevent another crash like this from occurring, including pushing to remove slots at DCA to address the congested airspace in the region.”

“We are grateful to Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, whose teams were the very first we met with on Capitol Hill as we began our advocacy journey. Over the past four months, they have remained consistently engaged, responsive, and supportive. Senator Warner’s and Senator Kaine’s dedication to aviation safety – both for the people of Virginia and across our national airspace – has been clear and unwavering. We thank them for joining with Senator Cantwell and putting forth this comprehensive aviation safety bill,” said the families of Flight 5342. 

The Safe Operation of Shared Airspace Act of 2025 includes several of Sens. Warner and Kaine’s priorities and will: 

• Strengthen Aviation Safety to Protect the Flying Public by:
  • Closing the ADS-B Out Military Loophole: The bill ends certain Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal agency exemptions from using Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out near DCA and other busy airports. The Army Black Hawk involved in the Jan. 29 crash was equipped with ADS-B Out, but it was not transmitting. The Army operated "100% of missions" in the National Capital Region with this critical safety technology deactivated and not transmitting, making military aircraft invisible to air traffic controllers and nearby planes.
  • Expanding Use of ADS-B In to Boost Safety: Within four years of enactment, the legislation requires all mainline and regional airlines to install ADS-B In and operate with it activated unless otherwise instructed by FAA air traffic control. This technology allows pilots to see nearby aircraft on their displays, and ensures better separation from other aircraft, dramatically improving situational awareness.
  • Initiating FAA Safety Review of DCA Airspace Management and Other Busy Airports to Prevent Close Calls and Tragic Crashes: The bill requires a comprehensive FAA/DoD safety review of DCA airspace to assess how helicopter, drone and military flights impact commercial operations and to better prevent future incidents. And it ensures a thorough evaluation of all non-commercial flight routes near the airport. The bill requires the same comprehensive FAA/DoD safety review of other busy U.S. airports (other Class B airports), prioritizing safety reviews of such airports with high volumes of mixed flight traffic.
  • Creating Independent Expert Review Panel for Effective SMS at FAA:  The legislation creates an independent expert panel to review FAA's Safety Management System and ensure it is effective and integrated across all FAA operations within 180 days. The panel will include aviation safety experts, labor representatives, and NASA officials to lend their specific expertise to ensure the review is comprehensive.
  • Requiring Risk Assessments After Major Aircraft Accidents: The bill requires FAA to do a safety risk assessment – specifically a Transport Airplane Risk Assessment Methodology (TARAM) analysis - following any major, fatal airline crash, regardless of whether the crash is linked to an aircraft design or manufacturing issue.

• Grow and Protect FAA Staffing Now and in the Future by:
  • Expanding High-Quality Controller Training Pipeline and Boosts Hiring: The bill codifies FAA’s existing Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training (Enhanced AT-CTI) program, which boosts FAA controller training capacity and allows FAA to hire highly qualified college graduates directly into air traffic control facilities to begin as controller trainees. The graduates have to have completed FAA-certified air traffic curriculums and meet other FAA controller qualifications, which would ensure an equivalent level of education and training from qualified evaluators to that of the FAA Academy. By adding nine certified Enhanced AT-CTI schools for a target of 15 total schools, FAA will be able to hire hundreds more controller trainees each year into its controller training pipeline to boost controller staffing. The bill also extends the requirement for FAA to hire as many controllers as possible through 2033.
  • Protecting FAA Workforce from Cuts and Hiring Freezes: The legislation reverses the Trump Administration’s hiring freeze and prohibits future hiring freezes on FAA’s safety workforce. It also prohibits any Executive Branch action to offer deferred resignation programs or voluntary buyouts to FAA workforce.
  • Closing Medical Review Backlogs: The bill requires FAA to hire more licensed medical professionals to fully staff its Aviation Medical Examiner team, addressing persistent backlogs in medical reviews for controllers, pilots, and other safety critical aviation professionals.
  • Creating New Controller Instructor Recruitment Program: The legislation requires a new FAA outreach program recruiting experienced controllers approaching retirement to become instructors at FAA’s Academy or at understaffed air traffic facilities. 

• Ensure Better FAA Oversight and Demand Information Sharing and Communication Between FAA and DOD
  • Establishing First-Ever FAA Oversight Office for Military Aviation Coordination: The bill establishes a dedicated FAA oversight office to oversee and coordinate military aircraft and helicopter flights and carry out airspace safety reviews, ensuring stronger communication between the Department of Defense and FAA offices to prevent future incidents.
  • Establishing a New Joint FAA-DoD Council on ADS-B: The bill establishes a joint FAA-Department of Defense Council to regularly review Federal government operations using ADS-B Out exemptions to ensure they meet the law.
  • Improving FAA and Military Aviation Safety Information Sharing: The bill would require aviation safety data sharing between the Department of Defense and the FAA via MOUs with each military service. For example, the Army does not typically share safety information from its Aviation Safety Management Information System with FAA except through lengthy Freedom of Information Act requests.
  • Preventing Conflicts of Interest at FAA: The legislation requires a Department of Transportation (DOT) rulemaking to ensure the DOT and the FAA are abiding by Federal government-wide financial conflicts of interest law and a DOT Inspector General Review of conflicts of interest at the DOT and FAA.
  • Requiring GAO Investigation of DOD Exemption Abuse: The bill requires the Government Accountability Office to investigate whether the Department of Defense and other Federal agencies have been misusing ADS-B, and determine whether agencies followed the law.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have been closely involved with the in the investigation of the January 29th collision, meeting with first responders and offering condolences to the families and loved ones of the 67 lives lost immediately following the tragedy. The senators also saw through passage of a legislation to remember the victims of the crash. Sens. Warner and Kaine also requested answers from FAA on its plans to protect the flying public in the wake of the January 29 collision. In March of this year, the senators responded to the preliminary National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report on the crash. The senators have also sounded the alarm for years about the need for increased safety for the flying public, including fighting against additional flights out of DCA that contribute to overcrowding.  

A copy of the legislation is available here. 

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 WASHINGTON – Today the Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), will join with U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), a senior member of the Committee and Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, to reintroduce bipartisan legislation to protect the integrity of the security clearance process and ensure that it cannot be abused for political purposes.

“Americans should be able to have confidence that the security clearance process is focused solely on protecting our nation’s most sensitive information,” said Sen. Warner. “This bipartisan legislation will make clear that this vital system cannot be weaponized for political retribution.”

“The security clearance system is critical to protecting our country from harm and safeguarding access to our most classified information. Americans should have the utmost confidence in the integrity of the security clearance process,” said Sen. Collins. “This bipartisan bill would make the current system fairer and more transparent by ensuring that decisions to grant, deny, or revoke clearances are based solely on codified guidelines.”

The Integrity in Security Clearance Determinations Act, which the senators first introduced in 2019, will ensure that the security clearance process is fair, objective, transparent, and accountable by requiring decisions to grant, deny, or revoke clearances to be based on published criteria. It explicitly prohibits the executive branch from revoking security clearances based on the exercise of constitutional rights, such as the right to freely express political views, or for purposes of political retaliation. It also bans agencies from using security clearances to punish whistleblowers or discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, religion, age, handicap, or national origin.

The bipartisan bill also codifies in statute the right of government employees to appeal decisions to deny or revoke a security clearance, and requires the government to publicly publish the results of such appeals – providing transparency, accountability and basic due process rights in an otherwise opaque and irregular process.

A copy of the bill text is available here.  

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement regarding a provision in the megabill Republicans are ramming through Congress that would eliminate Direct File—a pilot program that allows Americans to file their taxes without making extra payments to tax preparation services—all so that Republicans can slash taxes for the wealthiest Americans:

“If it were up to us, we’d be debating ways to put money back in the pockets of working Virginians. But the megabill Republicans are ramming through Congress does the opposite. Not only will it raise taxes for millions of working Americans, it will cut off a new, successful service that allows people to file their taxes directly to the IRS without having to pay a middleman’s fees. We should be strengthening programs that lower costs, not eliminating them.”

In 2024 alone, Direct File helped 140,803 taxpayers nationwide claim more than $90 million in refunds and save an estimated $5.6 million in tax preparation fees. Sens. Warner and Kaine have long supported Direct File. Last year, they urged Governor Youngkin and the General Assembly to allow Virginians to use the program to file their future tax returns.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have been sounding the alarm about the effects of the GOP plan on Virginia families if Republicans in Congress continue to insist on gutting vital programs in order to pay for tax breaks for the richest Americans. The senators have noted that the GOP bill would strip health insurance from more than 262,000 Virginians, cut SNAP benefits for more than 204,000 people in Virginia, raise energy costs for Virginia households, jeopardize more than 20,000 Virginia jobs, raise the deficit by $3.8 trillion, and raise taxes on minimum-wage workers while giving the richest 0.1% a $188,000 tax cut.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined by U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), both members of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, wrote to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem urging her to reestablish the Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB) after the Trump administration dismissed members earlier this year.

The CSRB, established in 2022 under President Biden, convenes cybersecurity experts from across multiple government agencies and the private sector to investigate serious cybersecurity breaches and make recommendations for businesses, government agencies, and individuals to better protect themselves. In January of this year, the board was disbanded.

The senators wrote, “The CSRB played a vital role in U.S. national security carrying out post-incident reviews and providing information and making recommendations to improve public and private sector cyber security. Therefore, we urge you to swiftly reconstitute the Board with qualified leaders to shape our nation’s cyber response.”

In their letter, the senators highlighted the key work that CSRB has done to investigate some of the most serious cyber incidents our country has faced, including Salt Typhoon, a breach believed to be perpetrated by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) that compromised U.S. and global telecommunications infrastructure.

“Against the backdrop of repeated insistence by this Administration on the need to leverage private sector and external expertise in government, the decision to dismantle this successful collaboration between the federal government and the private sector is particularly confounding,” the senators continued. “The CSRB has spearheaded crucial fact-finding efforts following cyber incidents, and developed recommendations and reports reflecting lessons learned following some of the most serious cyber incidents of the past few years, such as the Microsoft Exchange Online intrusion, the SolarWinds hack, and most recently (until the CSRB’s dissolution) the Salt Typhoon campaign against U.S telecommunications infrastructure.”

The senators concluded, “As we have said before, inadequate cyber security practices put our economy, our national security and even lives at risk. The January dismissal of CSRB members, and continued uncertainty about the future role of the Board, has undermined cyber defense preparations for public and private entities across the United States. In this age of great innovation, we cannot afford to see our private or public systems compromised by malicious actors. You have had more than four months to reestablish this Board to conduct this critical work – DHS leadership and CISA must work together to immediately reinstate the Board as a crucial part of America’s cyber defense infrastructure.”

A copy of letter is available here and text is below.

Dear Secretary Noem:

We write to you today with regard to the need to act to reestablish the Cyber Safety Review Board (“CSRB” or “Board”). As members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence or the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, we extremely concerned with ensuring that America’s intelligence community, law enforcement agencies, state and local governments, and businesses have access to the best tools and resources to prepare for, and protect themselves against, ongoing cyber threats facing our nation. The CSRB played a vital role in U.S. national security carrying out post-incident reviews and providing information and making recommendations to improve public and private sector cyber security. Therefore, we urge you to swiftly reconstitute the Board with qualified leaders to shape our nation’s cyber response.

As chartered, the CSRB is composed of 20 standing members, with additional members appointed on a case-by-case basis for the purpose of specific investigations. All members bring expertise from both the public and private sector, and are to be selected on the basis of significant professional and technical expertise and regardless of political affiliation. This structure serves to create a body with a deep well of cyber security capabilities and knowledge that can conduct thorough reviews of cyber incidents and provide trusted, fact-based recommendations on how businesses, individuals, and agencies across all layers of government can better protect themselves.

When building cyber security capabilities, the software and IT ecosystem benefits tremendously from transparent, accessible, and rigorous research and forensics. Against the backdrop of repeated insistence by this Administration on the need to leverage private sector and external expertise in government, the decision to dismantle this successful collaboration between the federal government and the private sector is particularly confounding.

The CSRB has spearheaded crucial fact-finding efforts following cyber incidents, and developed recommendations and reports reflecting lessons learned following some of the most serious cyber incidents of the past few years, such as the Microsoft Exchange Online intrusion, the SolarWinds hack, and most recently (until the CSRB’s dissolution) the Salt Typhoon campaign against U.S telecommunications infrastructure.  

These comprehensive and incredibly fact-intensive investigations have provided invaluable transparency and lessons for the wider software and IT sectors. For instance, the CSRB’s review of the 2023 Microsoft cyber incident, recently cited by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard when presenting the Annual Threat Assessment at the March 25, 2025 SSCI open hearing, identified several operational and strategic lapses that contributed to this intrusion, with recommendations around authentication, logging, and public communication around security incidents that benefited the entire ecosystem.

As we have noted, the CSRB had been actively investigating potentially the most expansive and impactful cyber security breach in U.S. history: the unprecedented compromises of U.S. and global telecommunications infrastructure by threat actors associated with the People’s Republic of China, widely referred to as “Salt Typhoon.” However, the CSRB’s investigation into the Salt Typhoon compromises of U.S. telecommunication firms, launched in 2024, was effectively terminated on January 20, 2025 and is depriving the public of a fuller accounting of the origin, scope, scale, and severity of these compromises. It is essential that the U.S. develop a complete and thorough understanding of the factors that contributed to the success of these intrusions – including clear root-cause analyses of each successful penetration – and present key recommendations for the telecommunications sector to better protect itself against similarly complex and large-scale compromises by future threat actors.

As we have said before, inadequate cyber security practices put our economy, our national security and even lives at risk. The January dismissal of CSRB members, and continued uncertainty about the future role of the Board, has undermined cyber defense preparations for public and private entities across the United States. In this age of great innovation, we cannot afford to see our private or public systems compromised by malicious actors. You have had more than four months to reestablish this Board to conduct this critical work – DHS leadership and CISA must work together to immediately reinstate the Board as a crucial part of America’s cyber defense infrastructure.

Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this important issue. It is our hope that we can work together to continue developing a robust cyber security infrastructure that protects all Americans.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – Just a week after Moody’s downgraded the U.S. credit rating due to mounting government debt, pushing up mortgage interest rates, Republicans in the House moved forward with their plan to provide massive tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans that would add an additional $3.8 trillion to the deficit, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement:

“Moody’s decision to downgrade our nation’s credit rating should have been a wake-up call, but instead, Republicans in the House doubled down with a tax plan that blows a hole in the deficit and leaves working families holding the bag. The result will be a ballooning national debt, higher interest rates, and the very real prospect of increased prices for everything from groceries to mortgages. Virginia families are already feeling the pinch from inflation and rising costs. The last thing they need is a reckless giveaway to the richest Americans that undermines our economic stability and puts the full faith and credit of the United States at risk. In the Senate, we will oppose this disastrous legislation.”

Additionally, the GOP tax bill would add so much to the national debt that it could trigger nearly $500 billion in cuts to Medicare beginning next year, according to the CBO analysis.

The nonpartisan CBO report also confirmed what Warner and Kaine have previously warned – that working Americans will foot the bill for massive tax breaks handed to the wealthiest few, if President Trump and congressional Republicans move forward. The CBO found that under the GOP plan, the bottom 10 percent of Americans would see household resources reduced by 4 percent while the top 10 percent would see their resources increase by 2 percent. Meanwhile, the Republican bill would result in $698 billion in cuts to Medicaid and $267 billion in cuts to nutrition assistance. 

Warner and Kaine have been sounding the alarm about the effects of the GOP plan on Virginia families if Republicans in Congress continue to insist on gutting vital programs in order to pay for tax breaks for the richest Americans, noting that the GOP bill would strip health insurance from more than 262,000 Virginians, cut SNAP benefits for more than 204,000 people in Virginia, raise energy costs for Virginia households, jeopardize more than 20,000 Virginia jobs, and raise taxes on minimum wage workers while giving the richest 0.1% a $188,000 tax cut.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine are pressing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to follow U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations requiring law enforcement to properly identify themselves and limit use of face coverings during official operations. This letter comes following repeated instances of unidentified ICE agents making arrests across the country, including in Virginia, causing panic and danger during arrests. 

“Across the country and in Virginia, masked ICE officers and agents without clearly visible identification as law enforcement have been arresting individuals on the streets and in sensitive locations, such as courthouses. Such actions put everyone at risk – the targeted individuals, the ICE officers and agents, and bystanders who may misunderstand what is happening and may attempt to intervene,” wrote the senators.

The senators highlighted that the current alarming trend of ICE agents carrying out arrests while obscuring their faces and failing to identify themselves has increased risk to both officers and the general public alike.

They continued, “The failure of ICE officers and agents to promptly and clearly identify who they are and the authority under which they are acting has led witnesses of immigration enforcement operations to justifiably question the law enforcement status, authority, and constitutionality of ICE officers and agents and their operations. Such actions compromise the safety of law enforcement officers and agents conducting the operation, the individual(s) being apprehended, bystanders, and other law enforcement who may be called to the scene to respond to a suspected crime.”

As part of their letter, the senators are requesting DHS and ICE provide policies, guidance, memoranda, legal advice, training materials, and all other relevant documents produced by ICE and DHS that discuss when and how to use face coverings, organizational clothing, or reveal officer and agent identities during immigration enforcement operations.

Earlier this year, Sen. Warner questioned DHS and ICE regarding their enforcement practices, specifically highlighting a March 5th incident where a U.S. citizen and Virginia resident was stopped and interrogated by ICE. Sens. Warner and Kaine also demanded answers from DHS regarding Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a father who was living legally under protected status in Maryland with his family until he was wrongfully deported without due process by the Trump Administration.

A copy of letter is available here and text is below.

Dear Secretary Noem, Mr. Homan, Acting Director Lyons, and Director Hott:

We are steadfast in our desire to protect the safety of law enforcement and uphold public safety for every person, regardless of their immigration status, when interacting with law enforcement. The two are inexorably interconnected. The public and law enforcement must both be safe during immigration enforcement actions.

Accordingly, we write to you today regarding ICE’s recent immigration enforcement operations that have taken an alarming and dangerous turn. Across the country and in Virginia, masked ICE officers and agents without clearly visible identification as law enforcement have been arresting individuals on the streets and in sensitive locations, such as courthouses.   Such actions put everyone at risk – the targeted individuals, the ICE officers and agents, and bystanders who may misunderstand what is happening and may attempt to intervene.  

We urge you to direct ICE officers and agents to promptly and clearly identify themselves as law enforcement officers conducting law enforcement actions when arresting subjects, and limit the use of face coverings during arrests and other enforcement actions to avoid intimidation and reduce safety risks to the public.

The American public encounters federal, state, local, territorial, campus, and other law enforcement regularly. In the overwhelming majority of these law enforcement encounters, law enforcement officers reveal their faces and identities while in the commission of their duties. There are likely associated risks to doing so, yet the trooper pulling over a driver at night or the officer standing watch at the courthouse as suspected criminals enter manage those risks to their own and the public’s safety in a transparent and accountable fashion.

The Department of Homeland Security’s regulations provide that, at the time of an arrest, immigration officers must identify themselves if it is practical and safe to do so, and inform the individual of the reason for the arrest.  Additionally, under DHS policy, following a warrantless arrest, ICE officers must submit a write-up documenting the facts and circumstances surrounding the arrest, including a statement of how “at the time of arrest, the immigration officer [did], as soon as it [was] practical and safe to do so, identif[ied] himself or herself as an immigration officer who is authorized to execute an arrest; and state[d] that the person is under arrest and the reason for the arrest.” 

Under the Trump administration, there has been an increase in reported instances of ICE officers and agents apprehending individuals while concealing their faces with masks, balaclavas, or other face coverings, often without clearly displaying their law enforcement credentials through identification, organizational uniform, or insignia.  Historically, the use of face coverings by ICE had been reserved for undercover or sensitive operations, but press reports and public videos indicate that ICE officers and agents have broadened this practice to the arrests of nonviolent individuals without a prior criminal history.  Anecdotally, the increased use of face coverings has been described as a means to conceal ICE officer and agent identities to avoid identification and accountability, particularly as the public has taken to filming immigration enforcement encounters. 

The International Association of Chiefs of Police warns that, “members of the general public may be intimidated or fearful of officers wearing a face covering, which may heighten their defensive reactions.”  The failure of ICE officers and agents to promptly and clearly identify who they are and the authority under which they are acting has led witnesses of immigration enforcement operations to justifiably question the law enforcement status, authority, and constitutionality of ICE officers and agents and their operations.  Such actions compromise the safety of law enforcement officers and agents conducting the operation, the individual(s) being apprehended, bystanders, and other law enforcement who may be called to the scene to respond to a suspected crime. We remain deeply concerned that ICE’s lack of transparency will lead the public to intercede in enforcement efforts, escalating an already tense interaction, and risking an entirely avoidable violent situation. 

Increased use of face coverings and lack of prompt and clear identification by ICE officers and agents in public is also having unintended consequences. Criminals are taking advantage of ICE’s anonymity and impersonating law enforcement officers and ICE agents.   Recently, this resulted in several criminal acts including harassment, theft, extortion, assault, battery, sexual assault, and kidnapping.  The uptick in ICE officers and agents concealing their identities and ICE affiliation blurs the public’s understanding of what ICE officers and agents look like and do while lawfully conducting their mission.  Bad actors have and will continue to take advantage of ICE’s lack of transparency to perpetrate crimes on the most vulnerable in our society.

We strongly urge you to take swift action to ensure the safety of the public and your officers and agents during the performance of their duties by reducing unnecessary intimidation tactics that escalate defensive reactions.  Additionally, we ask you to provide us with copies of any policies, guidance, memoranda, legal advice, training materials, and all other relevant documents produced by ICE and DHS that discuss when and how to use face coverings, organizational clothing, or reveal officer and agent identities during immigration enforcement operations by June 6, 2025.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (D-VA) issued the following statement after Republicans in the House of Representatives voted in the dead of night to approve legislation to cut taxes for the ultra-wealthy while slashing Medicaid and nutrition assistance, raising taxes on working families, and exploding the national debt:  

“This bill would do real harm to Virginia families, workers, and communities. It would raise taxes on working families and rip health care away from more than 262,000 people in Virginia in order to give tax breaks to Donald Trump and his billionaire friends. Virginians deserve better, and we will oppose this bill with everything we’ve got as it comes to the Senate. “

Warner and Kaine have been sounding the alarm about the effects of the GOP plan on Virginia if Republicans in Congress continue to insist on gutting vital programs in order to pay for tax breaks for the richest Americans, noting that the GOP bill would strip health insurance from more than 262,000 Virginians; rip nutrition assistance away from at least 204,000 Virginians, including children; raise energy costs for Virginia households; jeopardize more than 20,000 Virginia jobs; and raise taxes on minimum wage workers while giving the richest 0.1% a $188,000 tax cut.

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WASHINGTON – Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement:

“The recent revelations that Joe Kent, DNI Gabbard’s chief of staff and the nominee to lead the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), sought to alter an intelligence assessment to align with false political narratives pushed by Donald Trump are deeply disturbing, disqualifying, and frankly, dangerous. This was a blatant attempt to politicize national security to appease a president who has repeatedly shown contempt for facts and for the intelligence professionals sworn to defend this country.

“For years, the Director of National Intelligence has railed against so-called ‘deep state’ manipulation of intelligence. Now we learn that her closest aide, and Trump’s hand-picked nominee to one of the most sensitive roles in government, was actively pushing to distort intelligence because it contradicted a preferred political narrative.

“This is unacceptable. The Senate should immediately halt consideration of Mr. Kent’s nomination to lead NCTC, and the Senate Intelligence Committee has an obligation to conduct rigorous oversight to determine whether Kent or other Trump officials have attempted to politically interfere with other assessments.

“When intelligence is manipulated to fit a political agenda, our security is at risk. Our ability to prevent terrorist attacks, counter adversaries, and make sound decisions is only as good as the accuracy and integrity of the intelligence that informs it. Our intelligence agencies must be permitted to speak truth to power, not twist the truth to serve power.”

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 WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the below statement on the passing of Congressman Gerry Connolly:

“I am heartbroken over the loss of my dear friend Gerry Connolly.

“I’ve known Gerry for more than 35 years. To me, he exemplified the very best of public service. Just this past Sunday, I was honored to join his wife Smitty, daughter Caitlin, and the Fairfax community in celebrating his decades of service. While Gerry couldn’t be there in person, his presence was felt throughout the room. He was there in spirit, as he always is when people come together in the name of service and progress.

“Gerry was a fighter. His sharp mind, boundless energy, and deep commitment to the people of Northern Virginia made him a force to be reckoned with, whether on the Fairfax Board of Supervisors or in Congress. He met every challenge with tenacity and purpose, including his final battle with cancer, which he faced with courage, grace, and quiet dignity.

“Today, my thoughts are with Smitty, Caitlin, and all who loved him. We have lost a giant in Virginia public life, and he will be deeply missed.” 

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, led a group of colleagues in introducing the Defending Our Government's Electronic data: Bolstering Responsible Oversight & Safeguards (DOGE BROS) Act, legislation to hold Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) accountable for their continued efforts to improperly access, and retain, individuals’ personally identifiable information (PII) including names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, Social Security numbers, and other financial information.

“As unvetted and unqualified DOGE employees continue to recklessly access the sensitive personal information of millions of Americans, it’s important that we take steps to better protect this data,” Sen. Warner said. “For too long, our privacy laws have sat outdated, barely serving as a deterrent for improper handling or potential release of information. This legislation would enforce that privacy must be a priority when handling the data of the American public.”

Joining Sen. Warner in introducing the DOGE BROS Act are U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Peter Welch (D-VT).

“Elon Musk and his ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ are wreaking havoc across the government and gaining access to Americans’ sensitive information without proper authorization, which poses significant privacy and national security concerns,” Sen. Kaine said. “That’s why I’m introducing this bill to increase the penalties for violating privacy laws and help safeguard Americans’ personal information.”

“Elon Musk and his DOGE cronies have been illegally ransacking federal agencies to gain access to troves of Americans’ sensitive personal data – from Social Security numbers to medical records to bank account information. Strengthening penalties for the theft of this data will help further deter these illegal abuses and keep Americans’ private information safe,” Sen. Van Hollen said.

“The American people do not want Elon Musk knowing their Social Security numbers and sifting through their financial information. Musk and his team of wildly unqualified DOGE employees have gone too far – and we are sick of it. The Senate needs to prove we care more about those we serve than Elon Musk. Let’s immediately pass this legislation to protect the data and privacy of the American people,” Sen. Alsobrooks said.

“From day one, Elon Musk’s DOGE has taken a wrecking ball to the federal government and critical services for the American people, all while carelessly pursuing their sensitive personal data,” Sen. Luján said. “Congress must do more to protect that information and keep it out of the wrong hands. That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing legislation to strengthen our privacy laws and put Americans’ privacy first.”

“Elon Musk’s so-called ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ and his DOGE agents are wreaking havoc on the federal government and the programs millions of Americans rely on. There’s no reason DOGE should gain access to Vermonters’ personal information, and I’m working with my colleagues to hold DOGE accountable and protect peoples’ privacy and data,” Sen. Welch said. 

The United States has existing laws that are designed to protect personal information held by the government. However, the penalties established in these various laws have not been properly adjusted or increased to account for inflation, making them far less impactful today. The DOGE BROS Act would increase five penalties for violation of federal privacy laws to better protect the sensitive information that DOGE is accessing in their reckless purge of the federal government. Specifically, the DOGE BROS Act would increase the following existing penalties for the unauthorized release of the following information:

1. Individually Identifiable Information Contained Within Any Agency Record  

• Code Section: 5 U.S.C. §552a(i)(i, ii, iii)
• Current Penalty: up to $5,000
• Proposed Penalty: up to $30,000

2. Information from Any Department or Agency of the United States Obtained Using a Computer Without Authorization

• Code Section: 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(2)(B)
• Current Penalty: up to $250,000
• Proposed Penalty: up to $750,000

3. Social Security and Medicare Data

• Code Sections: 42 U.S.C. §1306
• Current Penalty: up to $10,000
• Proposed Penalty: up to $25,000

4. Tax Return Information

• Code Section: 26 U.S.C. §7213
• Current Penalty: up to $5,000
• Proposed Penalty: up to $25,000

5. Census Data

• Code Section: 13 U.S.C. §214
• Current Penalty: up to $5,000
• Proposed Penalty: up to $25,000

Copy of the bill text is available here.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), reintroduced the Concentrating on High-Value Alzheimer’s Needs to Get to an End (CHANGE) Act, bipartisan legislation to encourage early assessment and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. Companion legislation was also introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Darren LaHood (R-IL), Doris Matsui (D-CA), and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL).

“Having watched my mother battle Alzheimer’s for a decade before her passing, I know this is a devastating disease that impacts not just the individual, but the entire family. Our legislation is key to helping secure an early diagnosis that will allow for better care, earlier access to treatment, and more support for families navigating this difficult journey,” Sen. Warner said.

“As we continue to search for breakthroughs in the fight against Alzheimer’s, we must ensure our health care system is doing its part to identify the disease earlier and connect patients and families with the tools they need. The CHANGE Act focuses on practical improvements—like earlier screening and detection—that can make a meaningful difference right now. I’m proud to reintroduce this bill to help improve outcomes, ease the burden on caregivers, and move us closer to ending this devastating disease,” Sen. Capito said.

“Like countless families across the country, mine has personally felt the heartbreaking toll of Alzheimer’s,” Rep. Sánchez said. "Having lost both of my parents to this cruel disease, I understand how critical early diagnosis can be. Our bipartisan, bicameral bill would early assessments and offer crucial resources for families. As our population continues to age and diagnoses expected to rise, we can’t afford to wait."

“Alzheimer’s affects millions of Americans, and we must be relentless in our search for a cure,” Rep. LaHood said. “I am proud to work alongside Rep. Sánchez to reintroduce the CHANGE Act to strengthen existing tools within Medicare, helping to streamline and broaden the ability for earlier diagnosis of dementia. It is critical that Congress find ways to support patients, their families, and caregivers.”

“We need a comprehensive approach to tackle the devastating impact of Alzheimer’s and to support the millions of Americans battling against this disease. Early detection and intervention are crucial to improve care and prolong the life of loved ones,” Rep. Matsui said. “The CHANGE Act provides important tools to deliver early support and high-value care. I applaud my colleagues for advancing this bipartisan effort as we continue taking steps forward to prevent, treat, and put an end to Alzheimer’s.”

“As research continues to yield advancement in the development of more treatment options for patients with Alzheimer’s, we know that early detection, diagnosis and intervention offers the best promise for disease management,” Rep. Bilirakis said. “My family has coped with the devastating impacts of this horrific disease for more than a decade, so I understand the toll it takes on the patient and his or her loved ones as it progresses.  We owe it to our fellow Americans to develop a system of care that prioritizes education, screening and assessment so that patients can enjoy the best possible quality of life.”

The CHANGE Act is endorsed by: UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, American Academy of Neurology, Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, Alliance for Aging Research, Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, Gerontological Society of America, American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, Latinos Against Alzheimer’s, and USAging.

“The reintroduction of the CHANGE Act is a powerful display of bipartisan, bicameral leadership stepping up to confront the growing Alzheimer’s crisis. Senators Capito and Warner, along with Representatives Sánchez, LaHood, Matsui, and Bilirakis, recognize that early detection and timely intervention are extremely important to improving outcomes for patients and reducing strain on families and our healthcare system. UsAgainstAlzheimer’s proudly supports this legislation, which shifts our country’s approach from reacting too late to acting early—where we have the greatest chance to change lives and make a difference,” George Vradenburg, CEO and Founder of UsAgainstAlzheimer's, said.

Approximately 7.2 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease in 2025. That number could grow to a projected 13.8 million by 2060. The direct financial costs of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias will also continue to increase exponentially, with projections indicating they will reach just under $1 trillion by 2050.

The CHANGE Act would better utilize the existing Welcome to Medicare initial exam and Medicare annual wellness visits to screen, detect, and diagnose Alzheimer’s and related dementias in their earliest stages.

Now, as new treatments are approved and glimpses at what could be on the horizon for those living with the disease emerge, ensuring screening and diagnosis is taking place is more essential than ever. An early documented diagnosis communicated to the patient and caregiver enables early access to care planning services and available medical and non-medical treatments and optimizes patients’ ability to build a care team, participate in support services, and enroll in clinical trials. It also would allow this devastating disease to be caught in its earliest stages, and ensure appropriate access to treatment.

Legislative text is available here.  

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