WASHINGTON – Ahead of tax season, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) is pressing for answers from Erin Collins, the National Taxpayer Advocate at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regarding the underperforming Richmond TAS office, which serves the entire Commonwealth of Virginia and has been underperforming for years due to staffing shortfalls that have significantly increased caseloads and further strained the office’s ability to provide timely, effective service.

Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) offices like the one in Richmond are tasked with helping individuals with tax problems they cannot resolve on their own. They are also tasked with helping ensure that taxpayers are treated fairly and understand their rights. This letter comes amid the Trump administration’s ongoing attempts to gut the IRS and the services it provides to families.

“In light of the current degradation of the IRS workforce, it is imperative that TAS prioritizes improvements in taxpayer service – especially in offices where staffing issues already are causing delays and disruptions to citizens seeking assistance or simply relying on a timely tax refund,” wrote Sen. Warner. “I urge you to take immediate steps to enhance the service that Richmond TAS provides my constituents.”

“While pre-existing personnel and leadership issues at Richmond TAS have left morale among its staff low, the workplace atmosphere there likely will deteriorate further in the coming months as Trump Administration policies cause more staff to leave,” he continued. “Already quite strained with just 17 case advocates, another two advocates and a senior case advocate have accepted the Musk-Trump buyout, which will take effect on May 15. At that point, only 15 case advocates will remain to serve all of Virginia—a nearly 25 percent reduction in staff.”

In the letter, the Senator urged Advocate Collins to push back against any harmful personnel decisions that stand to negatively impact taxpayers and pressed for answers to the following questions regarding the performance of the Richmond TAS office:

1.      How long has Richmond TAS been performing in the bottom 50 percent of TAS offices nationwide?

2.      What metrics does TAS use to track performance of its local offices? What specific factors have contributed to Richmond TAS’s poor performance?

3.      What steps, if any, did TAS headquarters take to improve performance at Richmond TAS prior to January 2025?

4.      What support does TAS headquarters plan to offer Richmond TAS’s leadership to improve performance?

5.      How does TAS headquarters plan to address staffing shortages at Richmond TAS to ensure that Virginians receive the level of taxpayer service that they deserve?

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

Dear Advocate Collins, 

I am writing to express my longstanding concerns regarding the quality of assistance that the Richmond Taxpayer Advocate Service (“TAS”) office is providing to Virginians. In light of the current degradation of the IRS workforce, it is imperative that TAS prioritizes improvements in taxpayer service – especially in offices where staffing issues already are causing delays and disruptions to citizens seeking assistance or simply relying on a timely tax refund. I urge you to take immediate steps to enhance the service that Richmond TAS provides my constituents.

The Richmond TAS office has struggled with underperformance for years, predating the current administration. The reasons for the office’s underwhelming service are two-fold.

First, Richmond TAS is not fully staffed. The office should have at least 19 case advocates, but currently has 17. Each advocate handles about 150 cases per year, meaning this staffing shortfall significantly increases individual caseloads and further strains the office’s ability to provide timely, effective service.

Second, I am concerned that TAS leadership has not done enough to foster a positive work environment and to improve morale at Richmond TAS. During challenging times, employees look to their supervisors for encouragement, reassurance, and direction. Regional and national TAS leaders must provide the support that those in offices like Richmond TAS need in order to operate effectively.

With the knowledge of Richmond TAS’s personnel issues and leadership challenges in mind, I ask you to answer the following questions by March 25:

1.      How long has Richmond TAS been performing in the bottom 50 percent of TAS offices nationwide?

2.      What metrics does TAS use to track performance of its local offices? What specific factors have contributed to Richmond TAS’s poor performance?

3.      What steps, if any, did TAS headquarters take to improve performance at Richmond TAS prior to January 2025?

4.      What support does TAS headquarters plan to offer Richmond TAS’s leadership to improve performance?

5.      How does TAS headquarters plan to address staffing shortages at Richmond TAS to ensure that Virginians receive the level of taxpayer service that they deserve?

While pre-existing personnel and leadership issues at Richmond TAS have left morale among its staff low, the workplace atmosphere there likely will deteriorate further in the coming months as Trump Administration policies cause more staff to leave. Already quite strained with just 17 case advocates, another two advocates and a senior case advocate have accepted the Musk-Trump buyout, which will take effect on May 15. At that point, only 15 case advocates will remain to serve all of Virginia—a nearly 25 percent reduction in staff.

Further, according to recent news reports, President Trump plans to cut IRS staffing by a total of 50 percent. If these cuts are applied across the board, Richmond TAS will be left with a skeleton crew of case advocates, further jeopardizing essential taxpayer services. I strongly oppose any staffing reductions that undermine TAS’s ability to serve Virginians, and I urge you to push back against harmful personnel decisions that will negatively impact taxpayers.

Thank you for the work that you do to advocate for Virginia’s taxpayers. I look forward to your response and to working together to improve the service that TAS provides to my constituents.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON –Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Chris Coons (D-DE), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, and U.S. Reps. Adam Smith (D-WA), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Jim Himes (D-CT), Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement in response to Russia rejecting a joint U.S. and Ukrainian agreement for a 30-day ceasefire.

“Make no mistake—Putin is stringing the world along but his answers amount to a no while President Zelensky responded with a clear and unambiguous yes. President Trump is making a major mistake by continuing to put all the pressure on President Zelensky and none on Putin.

“Putin continues to push his demands to subjugate Ukraine. He has manipulated and rejected President Trump’s efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and to achieve peace. He has indicated that a monthlong ceasefire might even give Ukraine’s forces a chance to retreat, regroup, and rearm, saying, ‘Does that mean Ukraine will use those 30 days to continue forced mobilization, get weapons supplies, and prepare its mobilized units?’ This comment proves that Putin is still trying to weaken Ukraine so that he is in a better position to win the war, not achieve a just peace.

“Remember, Putin started this war and only he can stop it. He won’t stop until it can be shown that he cannot achieve his maximalist goals. Ukraine needs security guarantees to continue defending itself and the Administration should be working to that end. This includes providing arms and intelligence support to Ukraine to deter Russia and working with allies and partners to support lasting security for Ukraine in the future.

“We all want peace. We’re not going to get to peace unless the president starts putting pressure on Putin and demonstrates strength and support for Ukraine so that they are able to pursue a ceasefire with Russia and negotiate a just and sustainable end to Putin’s war.”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement: 

“The House-passed continuing resolution took a mean-spirited and gratuitous shot at the District of Columbia that would lead to huge cuts to policing, public transit, schools and more. I’m glad we were able to work with Senator Collins and others to pass a bill to fix this problem in the Senate, and now the House must act as soon as possible.”  

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner today joined Sens. Peter Welch (D-VT), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) in introducing the bipartisan Protecting Pharmacies in Medicaid Act, legislation to limit abusive pricing practices by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The Senators’ legislation cracks down on PBMs’ use of ‘spread pricing,’—charging Medicaid more than PBMs pay pharmacies for a drug—which drives up costs for Medicaid and short-changes pharmacies that are already struggling to stay in business. The bill would save Medicaid an estimated $2 billion over 10 years. 

“Independent pharmacies deliver critical health care, including providing life-saving prescriptions, to patients all across the Commonwealth. Unfortunately, for too long, PBMs have engaged in shady tactics to line their own pockets at the expense of these small businesses and sick seniors. That’s why I’m proud to introduce the Protecting Pharmacies in Medicaid Act, legislation that will put an end to the abusive practice of spread pricing and bring down costs for patients and our local pharmacies,” said Sen. Warner. 
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“Pharmacies are essential to the care and wellbeing of our rural communities. But spread pricing by pharmacy benefit managers is making it harder than ever for community pharmacies to stay in business and lining the pockets of middlemen,” said Sen. Welch. “This bill takes an important step to limit PBMs’ abusive pricing practices, protect our pharmacies, and support our rural communities. I’m grateful to have Senators Marshall, Warner, and Cassidy’s partnership on this bipartisan legislation to protect the health of Vermonters and Americans across the country.” 

“Pharmaceutical industry middlemen use a variety of tricks to line their own pockets at the expense of small, independent pharmacies and senior citizens,” said Sen. Marshall. “Prohibiting PBM spread pricing will cut costs for prescription drugs relied upon by Medicaid enrollees while simultaneously preserving access to local pharmacies that have financially struggled in recent years due to PBMs cutting them out of their share of payments. I’m grateful to partner with Senator Welch on this important legislation that is pro-consumer, pro-small business, and pro-taxpayer.”   

“My goal as a doctor in the exam room was to provide the best care at the most affordable price for the patient. The same principle should apply to Medicaid,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Taxpayers should not be cheated by those looking to take advantage of Medicaid.” 
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Spread pricing has been linked to the increasing failure rate for independent pharmacies, which are a critical source of health care and community for rural communities in Vermont, Kansas, and across the United States. Between 2018 and 2021, more pharmacies closed than opened in Vermont and across the country.

The Protecting Pharmacies in Medicaid Act will require Medicaid’s payments to PBMs to be passed directly to pharmacies, excluding administrative fees. The bill also requires all pharmacies participating in state Medicaid programs to report National Average Drug Acquisition Costs (NADAC) to increase transparency in drug pricing and ensure reimbursements to pharmacies reflect the true costs of prescription drugs.  

The Protecting Pharmacies in Medicaid Act is endorsed by the Food Industry Association (FMI), National Association of Specialty Pharmacy, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, and the National Community Pharmacist Association.

“These are among the PBM reforms needed right away by Americans and their pharmacies. These also are among the reforms backed overwhelmingly in the Congress on a bipartisan basis. Every day that PBM reform is delayed is another day that Americans pay inflated drug prices, that care gets more remote for people and for communities, and that pharmacies are forced out of business. NACDS thanks Senators Peter Welch, Roger Marshall, Mark Warner, and Bill Cassidy and the cosponsors for their continued leadership, and urges swift action by the Congress to right these wrongs of the middlemen's pharmaceutical benefit manipulation,” said Steven C. Anderson, President and CEO, National Association of Chain Drug Stores. 

“Time and time again, PBMs have been caught using tactics like spread pricing to take advantage of the system, lining their pockets while harming patients and the taxpayers they are supposed to serve. Through spread pricing in Medicaid alone, PBMs can cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars each year,” said B. Douglas Hoey, CEO, National Community Pharmacists Association. “These policies nearly made it through Congress at the end of last year. That is why we are grateful for Senators Peter Welch (D-VT), Roger Marshall (R-KS) , Mark Warner (D-VA), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) for introducing the Protecting Pharmacies in Medicaid Act, which not only promotes transparency and prohibits spread pricing, but it makes sure pharmacies are paid fairly, allowing them to continue serving their communities.” 

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) have introduced the Protect Our Probationary Employees Act, legislation aimed at protecting recently fired federal workers. The legislation would ensure that if and when employees are reinstated, they will not need to restart their probationary period for the same job they previously held. The legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03).

“Over the past 50 days, more than 20,000 non-political civil servants have been ruthlessly booted from their jobs without cause. Unsurprisingly, a number of these individuals are now being reinstated, either through legal proceedings or because the Trump-Musk administration has realized that these jobs were necessary, and these employees not easily replaced,” said Sen. Warner. “This important legislation would ensure that those dedicated civil servants are able to pick back up where they left off and finish out their probationary periods without penalty.”

“The Trump-Musk illegal purge of federal employees has unfairly harmed thousands of dedicated civil servants and their families, while threatening the critical services they provide day in and day out to the American people. There is clearly no method to this madness – swept up in this chaos were longtime career employees who were recently promoted, along with others who had received glowing performance reviews for their good work. We will continue fighting to reverse these reprehensible actions in the courts – and as those efforts allow employees to return to their jobs, this legislation guarantees that these employees don’t have to restart the clock,” said Sen. Van Hollen.

Sen. Warner has been outspoken about the ramifications the Trump-Musk administration’s reckless actions will have on the federal workforce. During Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Russell Vought’s confirmation hearing, Sen. Warner grilled him on his plans to ‘traumatize’ federal workers. Sen. Warner has also repeatedly warned of the impact these actions will have on public health, national security, and veterans' services. He highlighted the real-world impact of these cuts during President Trump’s State of the Union Address, bringing Ashley Ranalli, a recently fired National Park Service ranger, as his guest.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined a bipartisan, bicameral group of their colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to quickly publish clear guidelines on administering disaster relief aid to farmers following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

“Following the destruction caused by recent natural disasters, including the catastrophic damages caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, our agricultural producers are heavily relying on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to efficiently and fairly disperse this assistance,” wrote the members. “As the backbone of rural America, our workers in the agriculture and forestry industries desperately need access to the emergency funding Congress provided.”

The members continued, “It is critical that the USDA efficiently deploys the $20.78 billion in agriculture disaster relief aid to critical areas across the nation, especially in the Southeast. These losses have created an immediate financial burden on an already fragile agriculture economy.”

“Clear direction and quick action from the USDA on disaster payment structure would provide certainty and, in many cases, a lifeline for farmers to continue their operations. Lack of clarity in the rulemaking process for natural disaster programs will prevent many farmers from fully utilizing the aid,” the members wrote.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have been vocal advocates for significant federal resources to support Virginia’s recovery from Hurricane Helene and both met with Virginians impacted by Hurricane Helene in Southwest Virginia. They voted to pass short-term government funding legislation that included $110 billion in disaster relief for communities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton after repeatedly urging Congress to act. The senators also successfully secured robust disaster relief funding for public lands as part of this disaster package. Last month, they sent a letter to the Administration urging swift distribution of funds for public lands.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Secretary Rollins,

Congratulations on your confirmation as the next United States Secretary of Agriculture. We appreciate your recent comments underscoring your commitment to providing farmers with economic relief and disaster aid payments. We write to further urge an expedited rulemaking process for the agricultural disaster relief funding provided by Congress this past December. Following the destruction caused by recent natural disasters, including the catastrophic damages caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, our agricultural producers are heavily relying on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to efficiently and fairly disperse this assistance. As you know, these natural disasters have caused irreparable damage to commodity and specialty crops, livestock, forestlands, and infrastructure, leaving farmers, ranchers, and foresters in desperate need of support. As the backbone of rural America, our workers in the agriculture and forestry industries desperately need access to the emergency funding Congress provided.

Our nation’s agricultural producers are thankful for the $110 billion disaster relief package that has been signed into law, and it is critical that the USDA efficiently deploys the $20.78 billion in agriculture disaster relief aid to critical areas across the nation, especially in the Southeast. These losses have created an immediate financial burden on an already fragile agriculture economy. Over the past two years, farm income has dropped drastically. In 2023, farm income dropped by $34.6 billion from the previous year, and in 2024, farm income dropped another $8.2 billion. This, coupled with the projected U.S. farm trade deficit to hit $49 billion in fiscal year 2025, has left farmers facing difficult financial conditions under which to renew lines of credit for this year’s growing season.

Producers from vulnerable agriculture communities that were hit hard by these recent natural disasters are at risk of greatly downsizing or having to shut down their operations if the agricultural disaster relief funding is not fully accessible in the upcoming months. Clear direction and quick action from the USDA on disaster payment structure would provide certainty and, in many cases, a lifeline for farmers to continue their operations. Lack of clarity in the rulemaking process for natural disaster programs will prevent many farmers from fully utilizing the aid.

We appreciate the USDA’s focus on this urgent matter. As you continue your role as the Secretary of Agriculture, we respectfully ask that you work to create transparent rulemaking in order to provide our producers a clear understanding of how to access these critical funds. We stand ready to collaborate with you and your team at the USDA to maximize the positive impact of this vital aid.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Todd Young (R-IN), Angus King (I-ME), James Lankford (R-OK), and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) introduced the Critical Minerals Security Act, which would help secure U.S. access to critical mineral supply chains and counter Chinese industry dominance by directing the U.S. Department of the Interior to evaluate the global supply and ownership of critical minerals, establishing a process to assist U.S. companies seeking to divest critical minerals operations in foreign countries, and developing a method for sharing intellectual property for clean mining and processing technologies with U.S. allies and partners:

“Our national security depends on our ability to identify secure sources of critical minerals and support domestic industry in mining, refining, and processing these minerals,” said Sen. Warner. “This legislation takes strong steps to protect our nation’s supply chain for critical minerals, which are essential to combatting China’s continued attempts to monopolize this industry.”

“Despite the important role critical minerals play in everything from consumer electronics to military defense, we need more information to secure a reliable, long-term supply of these minerals,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would ensure the U.S. and our allies understand how critical minerals are controlled around the world so we can counter foreign countries of concern.”

“The Chinese Communist Party is aggressively attempting to monopolize critical mineral resources, and the United States urgently needs to diversify our supply chain and strengthen ties with allies,” said Sen. Young. “Our legislation would respond to China’s actions by better tracking global mineral reserves and devising a national strategy for advancing mining technologies and international cooperation.”

“Critical minerals are essential to America’s national security and energy resiliency since these raw materials are used to power everything from complex military technologies to personal goods like smartphones,” said Sen. King. “The bipartisan Critical Minerals Security Act would help us better understand and leverage the rare earth minerals supply chain, while also reducing our continued reliance on China and other bad actors for these minerals. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for recognizing the importance of strengthening American industry to build jobs here at home and countering supply chain control of these minerals by foreign adversaries.”

“The United States shouldn’t remain dependent on communist China or other adversaries for critical and rare earth minerals used by our defense, health care, aerospace, technology, and energy industries,” said Sen. Lankford. “It is critical to know which mines are run by our allies and which are run by adversaries around the world. Securing the supply chain for critical minerals makes American energy and national security even stronger.” 

"The U.S. can’t lead the world in AI, quantum computing, and clean energy with China holding all the cards,” said Sen. Hickenlooper. “We can secure our future by working hand in glove with our allies to build a stable supply of critical minerals.” 

Background: 

To address information gaps, the Critical Minerals Security Act would direct the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to submit a report to Congress no later than one year after enactment and every two years afterwards on all critical mineral and rare earth element (REE) resources around the world that includes:

• Which resources are controlled by the U.S., an ally or partner, or a foreign entity of concern;
• From which mines critical minerals and REEs are being extracted and estimates of their output volumes;
• Which foreign entities of concern are involved in mining critical minerals and REEs;
• Which entities in the U.S. and countries that are allies or partners are involved in mining critical minerals and REEs;
• An assessment, prepared in consultation with the Secretary of State, of ways to collaborate with countries in which mines or mineral processing operations are located and operated by other countries to ensure U.S. access;
• A compilation, prepared in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, of cases in which entities were forced to divest stock in mining or processing operations for critical minerals and REEs based on government rulings of a foreign entity of concern;
• Cases in which the government of a foreign entity of concern purchased an entity forced to divest stock;
• And cases in which mining or processing operations for critical minerals and REEs were not subject to a government ruling but were taken over by a foreign entity of concern.

The legislation would also require the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to establish a process under which a U.S. entity seeking to divest stock in mining or mineral processing operations for critical minerals and REEs in a foreign country may notify the Secretary of the Interior and allow the Secretary to assist in finding another purchaser that is not under the control of a foreign entity of concern.

Lastly, it would require the Secretary of the Interior to develop and submit a progress report to Congress on:

• A strategy to collaborate with U.S. allies and partners to advance clean mining, refining, separation, and processing technologies;
• And a method for sharing intellectual property (IP) resulting from the development of these technologies to share with allies and partners. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) released the following statements after introducing the Patients Before Middlemen (PBM) Act, which would delink the compensation of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from drug price and utilization. It would also ensure fair treatment of all pharmacies by requiring Medicare Part D plans to contract with any willing pharmacy that meets reasonable terms and conditions.

“For too long, Seniors on fixed incomes have had to worry about the high cost of prescription drugs. Meanwhile, PBMs continue to contribute to this phenomenon by keeping drug prices high and reimbursements for local pharmacies low. Seniors on Medicare – and the Medicare program itself – can’t afford to be taken advantage of by middlemen who don’t contribute to quality of care. I’m proud to introduce this legislation as part of our ongoing fight to get these policies across the finish line,” said Sen. Warner.

“The Patients Before Middlemen Act would increase transparency and reduce prescription drug costs for seniors at the pharmacy counter. For too long, middlemen have taken advantage of misaligned incentives in the pharmaceutical supply chain at the expense of taxpayers and seniors. We need to put patients before the profits of pharmacy benefit managers,” said Sen. Blackburn.

“Seniors shouldn’t have to choose between paying for essential medications and other basic needs,” said Sen. Hassan. “This bipartisan legislation will help stop pharmacy benefit managers from exploiting loopholes that allow them to drive up drug prices, saving seniors their hard-earned money while also saving taxpayer dollars.  I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I will continue to work to lower prescription drug costs for Granite Staters and all Americans.” 

PBMs are third-party intermediaries that manage prescription drug benefits and pharmacy networks on behalf of health plans, including Medicare Part D plans. PBMs perform multiple functions, including determining which medications will be covered by health insurance plans and how much patients will pay.

The PBM industry was created to assist employers with managing overall prescription drug costs and benefits. However, the current system incentivizes PBMs to steer health plans and seniors towards more expensive prescription drugs. Currently, PBMs’ income is often linked to the price of a drug. By tying administrative fees, rebate-based compensation, and other payments to a percentage of the list price, current arrangements incentivize increases in sticker prices, harming patients at the pharmacy counter. Existing regulations allow Part D plan sponsors to contract selectively with pharmacies, favoring preferred networks that often exclude independent pharmacies.

The PBM Act would:

• Ensure pharmacies are given fair and equitable treatment by requiring Part D plans to contract with any willing pharmacy and introduce the designation of essential retail pharmacies to provide better classification in rural and underserved areas.

• Enhance transparency and accountability, ensuring PBMs are not limited patient access to available pharmacy options under Medicare Part D. 

• Prohibit PBM compensation based on the price of a drug as a condition of entering into a contract with a Medicare Part D plan. Under this legislation, PBM service fees would not be connected to the price of a drug, discounts, rebates, or other fees.

• Create an enforcement mechanism requiring PBMs to pay to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary any amount in excess of the designated service fees.

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

“The Trump administration has followed its recent ill-advised and weak decision to cut off military assistance to Ukraine by now also callously shutting off intelligence sharing with the hard-pressed Ukrainians as they continue to defend their country against the ongoing military onslaught of Vladimir Putin’s army. Instead of standing up to Putin, President Trump has given away American power to Russia – from voting at the UN with Russia and North Korea and against all of our allies, to directly negotiating with Russia at the highest levels while excluding Ukraine, to refusing to condemn Vladimir Putin’s dictatorship while unjustly calling the democratically elected Ukrainian president a ‘dictator’ and ejecting him from the White House. And, all the while, Putin has not let up on his illegal assault against Ukraine. Allied intelligence support has been crucial to enable Ukraine to defend itself from the first days of the conflict in February 2022, to unmask Russian invasion plans and intentions, and to save countless innocent lives. Let me be clear: Cutting off intelligence support to our Ukrainian partners will cost lives.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement on President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress:

“Tonight, President Trump touted policies that are raising prices for Americans, draining our federal workforce, illegally threatening government programs and benefits, and terrorizing the immigrant communities that have shaped Virginia. The president bragged about his reckless plan to isolate America from its allies, turn our back on long-kept partnerships, raise taxes on hardworking families, and reverse historic advancements in U.S. innovation and competition. Our country can – and should – do better. I will continue doing everything I can to fight for Virginians.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released a statement after President Trump enacted a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, jacking up costs for American families:

“President Trump's reckless tariffs on our neighbors in Canada and Mexico are nothing more than a tax on American families. At a time when Virginians are already struggling with the cost of living, President Trump’s irrational tariffs on our allies will raise prices on everything from groceries to cars to houses, and they will kill American jobs. President Trump was elected on a promise to bring down rising prices, but these tariffs do the opposite.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today announced that Ms. Ashley Ranalli of Fredericksburg will attend as his guest to President Trump’s joint address to Congress on Tuesday, March 4. Ms. Ranalli was employed as a National Park Service (NPS) ranger at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park until last month, when – despite exemplary performance reviews – she became one of an estimated 1,000-plus Park Service workers who were indiscriminately fired by the Trump administration due to their “probationary” employment status, joining thousands of other federal workers who were fired without cause as part of Elon Musk and President Trump’s attacks on the workforce. Ms. Ranalli, 41, is a survivor of thyroid cancer and now has no health insurance.

“Ashley Ranalli is one of the many dedicated public servants who have been forced out of their jobs serving Americans by President Trump and Elon Musk. Our national parks are places where we connect with nature, our shared history and one another, and that is made possible by the hard work of national park rangers, whose dedication, expertise, and passion not only safeguard our landscapes and wildlife but also help preserve the stories and history that make these places so special. These indiscriminate cuts of Park Service personnel are devastating to the parks and their local communities,” said Sen. Warner. “I am glad that Ashley is able to join as my guest for the address to Congress, so that President Trump can look out into the audience and face a Virginian directly affected by his short-sighted and reckless choices.”

“Becoming a national park ranger was my dream and after years of dedication and hard work, it finally became a reality, only to be ripped away,” said Ms. Ranalli. “I am devastated by the effect the purge of federal employees has had on Fredericksburg, a community that I love and which relies upon federal workers and tourism dollars from the national park. When I come to Washington, I hope to represent not just my fellow park rangers, but also to be a voice for the people, communities and small businesses that are suffering because of political choices being made in our nation’s capital.”

When Ashley Ranalli was hired as a volunteer and youth program coordinator at the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park in the fall, it was the culmination of years of effort and hard work. Prior to becoming a park ranger, Ashley was a public school English teacher who spent her summers working as a seasonal worker for the National Park Service, living away from her family at various NPS sites in Virginia in order to demonstrate commitment to the job and distinguish herself from a pool of largely younger candidates. On February 14, she received a layoff notice from the Department of the Interior, despite a recent performance review that described her work as “excellent” and “outstanding,” and which noted that she “goes the extra mile” when working with visitors, volunteers, and colleagues.

While the administration has declined to make public the exact scope of the cuts at NPS and the duties and locations of those affected by the layoffs, the National Parks Conservation Association estimates that in a period of just weeks, nine percent of NPS staff have been lost to mass firings and resignations, in addition to hundreds of vacant positions that can’t be filled due to the ongoing hiring freeze. In addition, the National Park Service has been directed to identify more cuts as part of the larger Reduction in Force (RIF) efforts.

Warner is the author of the Great American Outdoors Act, one of the largest-ever investments in conservation and public lands in our nation’s history. Signed into law by President Trump in 2020, the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act provided billions of dollars to improve infrastructure and expand recreation opportunities in national parks and other public lands after years of underinvestment led a massive backlog in needed maintenance and repairs to Park Service sites. In Virginia alone, Warner’s Great American Outdoors Act has provided over $470 million for projects at Virginia’s 22 park service units and supported thousands of jobs – investments that are now being undermined by the Trump administration’s reckless layoffs that threaten safe operations at the parks ahead of the peak summer season. Last month, Warner led the Virginia delegation in writing the Secretary of the Interior, pushing the administration to reverse the cuts.

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