WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine joined Senators Patty Murray, Ron Wyden and 35 of their Democratic colleagues in demanding that Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar take immediate action to address the many ways the Trump Administration’s health care sabotage has undermined our preparedness for and ability to respond to the novel coronavirus outbreak. Specifically, the Senators asked Secretary Azar to commit to making any potential coronavirus vaccine affordable to all, stop promoting junk plans that don’t cover the care necessary to prevent the spread of the virus, and stop promoting efforts to undermine Medicaid that jeopardize people’s health care.

Warner and Kaine believe no patient should be discouraged from accessing necessary medical care because of the risk of large bills or a lack of health coverage—especially the midst of a public health threat. But, as the Senators outlined in their letter to Azar, the Trump Administration has advanced a laundry list of policies that have made it harder for patients to get care, and thus weakened our ability to respond effectively to the coronavirus outbreak.

“When a patient who has potentially been exposed to the virus develops symptoms consistent with COVID-19, they should be able to seek appropriate medical care without being deterred by the risk of large bills. Patients often forego recommended tests and treatments because of cost,” said the Senators. “For this reason, we are deeply concerned both by your refusal to commit that a potential vaccine for coronavirus will be affordable to anyone who needs it, and this Administration’s numerous policies that make it harder for patients to get care during an outbreak.”

The Senators urged HHS to prioritize our nation’s public health and:

• Commit to ensuring any future coronavirus vaccine is affordable for all. The Trump Administration has thus far refused to put in place price guardrails that would ensure everyone could access a potentially critical vaccine.
• Rescind the junk plan rule. The Trump Administration has expanded and promoted junk plans that discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions  and don’t cover essential health benefits like hospital care, emergency care, laboratory services, or preventive services. These plans have already left a patient with an exorbitant bill for necessary care to help combat the spread of coronavirus. Junk plans could even stick patients with the bill for a potential coronavirus vaccine.
• Withdraw the 1332 waiver guidance. The Administration released guidance encouraging states to apply for waivers that allow for the sale of coverage that doesn’t meet consumer protections for comprehensiveness and affordability. Reducing the comprehensiveness of coverage could leave patients paying bills for necessary care, like tests or vaccines.
• Stop working to undermine Medicaid by promoting barriers like work requirements. Medicaid is crucial to our ability to respond to public health crises, but the Trump Administration’s attacks–like promoting harmful work requirements–have already led to patients being kicked off the program and losing access to health care.

The Senators also urged the Administration to stop undermining the Affordable Care Act (ACA) with a partisan lawsuit. If the lawsuit is successful, millions of families could lose access to health care or be covered only by a junk plan, and any patient who contracts the coronavirus could face future discrimination from insurers for having a pre-existing condition.

The full text of the letter is below and HERE.

Dear Secretary Azar,

We write to express our serious concern that this Administration’s health care sabotage and absence of a plan to lower drug prices undermine our ability to respond to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and future infectious disease outbreaks within the United States. In a February 25^th briefing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicated that a domestic COVID-19 outbreak is inevitable, warning “it’s not a question of if, but rather a question of when and how many people in this country will have severe illness.”^[1] It is clear that all available measures should be employed to address this urgent public health threat.

When a patient who has potentially been exposed to the virus develops symptoms consistent with COVID-19, they should be able to seek appropriate medical care without being worried they cannot afford it. Patients often forego recommended tests and treatments because of cost.^[2] For this reason, we are deeply concerned both by your refusal to commit that a potential vaccine for coronavirus will be affordable to anyone who needs it,^[3] and by this Administration’s numerous policies that make it harder for patients to get care during an outbreak.

In testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee this week, when asked whether your Department would ensure that a vaccine will be affordable for anyone who needs it, you replied that you would “work to make it affordable,” but stopped short of committing that patients and families would be able to afford a vaccine. One consumer advocacy group estimates that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have already invested $700 million in coronavirus research, while this Administration is refusing to place guardrails around the cost of a potentially critical vaccine in the middle of a global outbreak.^[4] We call on you to commit -- as Administration policy -- that anyone who needs it will be able to afford a vaccine for coronavirus.

This Administration’s health care sabotage also undermines readiness for a COVID-19 outbreak in the United States by endangering patient access to care.  The Administration has promoted junk insurance plans that can discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions and that do not comply with consumer protections like the essential health benefits and out-of-pocket limitations, distorted 1332 waivers to permit states to undermine the market for comprehensive coverage, and proposed damaging changes to Medicaid – which is critical to helping states react to public health emergencies – like block grants and work requirements.

Just this week, a patient in Miami, Florida presented at a hospital with flu-like symptoms after returning from a work trip to China.^[5] He realized his symptoms might not be a simple common cold and felt compelled to get tested for coronavirus. Fortunately, tests confirmed he had seasonal influenza and not COVID-19. Unfortunately, two weeks later, he received a bill with charges totaling $3,270 and a note that his short-term limited duration insurance (STLDI) or “junk” plan would not pay the costs without further documentation. More bills may follow, and the insurer that sold his “junk” plan is requiring the patient to provide three years of medical records to prove that his flu is not related to a pre-existing condition. Even if the insurance covers the encounter – which it’s not clear they will – the patient would still be on the hook to pay $1,400 out-of-pocket for the brief diagnostic encounter.

This patient’s experience is a foreboding tale about the public health catastrophe that will ensue if patients avoid seeking a diagnosis because the Trump Administration is once again allowing insurers to stick patients with huge bills for necessary care. As the patient put it, “How can they expect normal citizens to contribute to eliminating the potential risk of person-to-person spread if hospitals are waiting to charge us $3,270 for a simple blood test and a nasal swab?”

Insurers who sell junk plans are allowed to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions by denying them coverage, excluding critical benefits and charging higher premiums. Additionally, the Trump Administration does not require junk plans to comply with consumer protections that limit out-of-pocket costs or require coverage of essential health benefits, including those that are needed to pay for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of COVID-19 like hospital care, emergency care, laboratory services, or preventive services. Junk plans aren’t even required to cover preventive services at no cost to patients, meaning they could stick patients with the bill for a potential coronavirus vaccine in the middle of an outbreak.

The Trump Administration’s subsequent 1332 guidance creates additional risks for addressing outbreaks. In addition to expanding the sale of STLDI, this guidance proposes that states allow the sale of other kinds of plans that would not cover essential health benefits, including laboratory services, hospital services, emergency care, and preventive care. This guidance would even let states encourage residents to sign up for junk plans by using taxpayer dollars to subsidize them.

Additionally, instead of promoting policies to support one of our most effective public health tools, the Medicaid program, this Administration is doing everything in its power to undermine it. Medicaid plays a critical role in helping states respond to disasters and public health emergencies. For example, Medicaid was able to provide enhanced funding and coverage in response to public health crises such as the Zika virus outbreak in Puerto Rico, the water contamination in Flint, Michigan, and the national opioid epidemic.^[6]

Yet, this Administration continues to attack  the Medicaid program at every turn. As part of its 2021 budget, this Administration proposes to slash Medicaid by $920 billion. It has also proposed to gut Medicaid through block grants and caps that would restrict the ability of states to respond to public health emergencies like the coronavirus. It continues to support other harmful proposals, including policies included in the Medicaid fiscal accountability regulation that would slash funding to states, rescissions of access protections, the public charge rule and more that threaten  access to essential care for those impacted by public health crises. It also has promoted harmful proposals like work requirements, which have led to patients being kicked off the program and losing access to affordable health care.

Finally, if successful, the Administration’s ACA lawsuit would rip away health coverage from millions of Americans benefiting from the Medicaid expansion and the exchanges who depend on these programs for access to essential care including preventive services such as vaccines and diagnostic tests. The Administration is trying to allow all insurers to once again be able to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions. If the lawsuit is successful, a patient who comes down with COVID-19 could face future discrimination by their insurer, denying them crucial care.

To give patients and providers the tools to grapple with this developing public health crisis, we ask that you take immediate action to ensure the affordability of a potential coronavirus vaccine. We also ask that you rescind the Administration’s “junk” plan rule, withdraw the 2018 guidance that undermines implementation of the1332 waiver guardrails as Congress intended, and stop the ongoing attacks on the Medicaid program, including the recently proposed block grant policy and other policies that would undermine this critical public health tool. Now more than ever, it is essential to protect patients and families and to encourage them to seek appropriate care when they become ill. We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued a statement today after bipartisan Capitol Hill negotiators reached an agreement on an emergency funding bill to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19):

“After the Trump Administration initially requested just $1.25 billion in new money for federal agencies to combat the spread of the coronavirus, we’re pleased to see that congressional negotiators were able to agree on an emergency spending package totaling $7.8 billion to help prepare for and treat the spread of coronavirus – including funding for diagnostic testing, vaccine development, and additional resources for state and local responders who are on the front lines of a potential pandemic,” said the Senators. “Once this bill is signed into law, Virginia will immediately receive $13.3 million in federal funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to cover some of the costs of preparing for this public health emergency.”

“Under the terms of this bipartisan bill, states and localities will also be able to apply for further federal funds to reimburse for the costs of detecting, tracking and controlling the spread of the virus. Furthermore, this bill sets aside $350 million that will be available to local authorities if our region gets hit by an outbreak – as well as $500 million for masks, medication, protective equipment and other much-needed medical supplies that will be distributed directly to hospitals and local providers. We will continue to work with state and local health officials to ensure that the Commonwealth is getting the federal support it needs to prepare for coronavirus, and we encourage all Virginians to heed the warnings of public health professionals to protect against its spread,” concluded the Senators.

The agreement also includes language based on Sen. Warner’s CONNECT for Health Act of 2019, which cuts restrictions on the use of telehealth for public health emergency response, as well as $500 million to facilitate its implementation.

In January, Sens. Warner and Kaine  asked the Administration to redirect available public health funds to combat the virus and to inform Congress of any additional resources needed to respond to the coronavirus. Earlier this week, in a letter to Vice President Mike Pence – who has been tasked with coordinating the federal government’s coronavirus response – Sen. Warner expressed concern over how the U.S. government has mobilized to combat the outbreak of coronavirus, and urged the Vice President to devote the resources, expertise and manpower needed to prevent this virus from spreading while also improving the government’s communication with Congress and the American public. This week, Sen. Kaine joined letters calling on Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia to provide details on their Departments’ plans for preparedness and response efforts to protect the safety and health of students, teachers, school staff, and workers in light of the emerging threat of the novel coronavirus.

Earlier today, the Senators urged health insurers and federal and state officials to eliminate cost burdens that could disincentivize people with coronavirus symptoms from seeking testing and treatment for the contagious illness.

Draft text of the emergency funding bill is available here. The Senate is expected to vote on the legislation before the end of this week.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) sent a letter with a bipartisan group of Senators expressing their strong opposition to an abrupt decision by the Department of Education that jeopardizes funding eligibility for 800 rural, low-income schools across the country. In their letter to Secretary Betsy DeVos, the Senators objected to the Department’s sudden change to the methodology that determines which rural schools are eligible for funding through the Rural Low-Income Schools (RLIS) program. The change is being implemented without notice to Congress and after funding for fiscal year (FY) 2020 has already been appropriated.

In FY19, 40 Virginia localities received just more than $2 million in RLIS grants. As a result of the Department’s change, five Virginia localities could lose their grants this fiscal year: Buena Vista City, Carroll County, Page County, Patrick County, and Surry County. These five grants totaled about $270,000 last year, roughly 13 percent of Virginia’s overall allocation.

“Since 2002, rural schools across the nation have relied on these additional flexible funds to purchase supplies and make technology upgrades; expand curricular offerings, such as in reading, physical education, music, and art; provide distance learning opportunities; fund transportation; and support professional development activities,” the Senators wrote. “Without any chance to prepare, this abrupt change in RLIS eligibility will force many rural schools districts to forgo essential activities and services.”

“The Department’s decision has created a funding cliff for hundreds of rural, low-income schools that are already balancing tight budgets,” the Senators continued. “REAP helps deliver an equitable and enriching education to thousands of students living in rural America. We strongly encourage you to rescind this new interpretation and to work with Congress to serve students in rural communities.”

The Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) is the only dedicated federal funding stream to help rural school districts. It consists of two programs – the RLIS program and the Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program. The grants are intended to improve student achievement and can include things like parental involvement activities, teacher preparation, language instruction for English-language learners, and bullying prevention.

Many states have qualified for RLIS because the Department of Education has allowed school districts to measure poverty by the percentage of students receiving federally subsidized free and reduced-price meals. Although free lunch data is an important measure of poverty for rural districts, this year, the Department decided that it will no longer allow states to use this data to determine eligibility for the RLIS program. This change places RLIS grantees in jeopardy and will put additional strain on the SRSA program. School districts that, previously, may have been eligible to choose either SRSA or RLIS may find themselves only eligible for SRSA, which is likely to reduce the value of awards in that crucial program.

In addition to Sens. Warner and Kaine, the letter was led by Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and signed by Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Jon Tester (D-MT), Steve Daines (R-MT), Angus King (I-ME), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Todd Young (R-IN), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Joni Ernst (R-IA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Mike Braun (R-IN), and John Cornyn (R-TX).

A copy of the letter can be found here and below.

The Honorable Betsy DeVos

Secretary

United States Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, DC  20202-8510

Dear Secretary DeVos:

We write to express our strong opposition to the Department of Education’s decision to change the eligibility methodology for the Rural Low-Income Schools Program. According to the Department’s own projections, this change, which is being implemented without notice to Congress and after funding for fiscal year (FY) 2020 has already been appropriated, is expected to exclude more than 800 rural, low-income schools from eligibility nationwide this year. We urge the Department to prevent these cuts from taking effect.

The Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP), authored by Senator Susan Collins and former Senator Kent Conrad, is the only dedicated federal funding stream to help rural schools overcome the increased expenses caused by geographic isolation.  It consists of two programs – the Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program and the Rural and Low-Income Schools (RLIS) program. Rural school districts frequently lack the resources and staff needed to compete effectively for federal grants, and often receive formula grant allocations too small to be effective. Since 2002, rural schools across the nation have relied on these additional flexible funds to purchase supplies and make technology upgrades; expand curricular offerings, such as in reading, physical education, music, and art; provide distance learning opportunities; fund transportation; and support professional development activities. Without any chance to prepare, this abrupt change in RLIS eligibility will force many rural school districts to forgo essential activities and services.

The RLIS program targets funding to rural, high-poverty schools. In 2003, one year after the law was enacted, the Department advised states that, if Census poverty data for a school district did not exist, the state could “provide the U.S. Department of Education with the adjusted poverty data that it uses to make its allocations to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) under Part A of Title I to determine the eligibility of LEAs for which Census poverty estimates are not available.” Since that time, the Department has continued to accept an alternative poverty measurement for allocating RLIS funding, without interruption or revised guidance. For many rural school districts, standard measures of neighborhood poverty, including those collected the U.S. Census Bureau’s Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), is unavailable or undercounts the number of economically disadvantaged students. Many states have instead relied on annual, local data collected through participation in the Free and Reduced-Price Lunch program. This is a widely-used, comprehensive measure of poverty in schools. In fact, federal funding allocated under Title I Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act permits small school districts to submit an alternative poverty measurement for the Department’s distribution of funds to those districts. Yet under the Department’s change, even school districts that are not using alternative poverty measurements are seeing dramatic swings in funding due to the limitations of the SAIPE data. The sharp eligibility disparities and funding cuts illustrate the serious deficiencies in relying on the SAIPE data alone to implement the RLIS program.

In 2015, Congress reauthorized REAP through the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Predicting some adjustments, Congress included a hold harmless provision to ease the transition for schools in the SRSA program. The Department appears to have had no difficulty implementing the REAP improvements, particularly with respect to dual-eligibility, and it continued to accept alternate poverty data for the RLIS program. At no time during the ESSA transition did the Department notify Congress or states that the RLIS program would be administered differently. It continued to accept alternative poverty measurements, including those based on free and reduced-price lunch, and states reasonably relied on its past practices and consistent approvals to do the same. Additionally, Congress relied on the technical expertise of the Department and this eligibility issue was never brought to our attention.  It is puzzling that the Department has now, 18 years after REAP’s creation and more than four years after its reauthorization, chosen to implement the law differently and without any notice to Congress.

Additionally, ESSA provides the Secretary with the authority to “take such steps as are necessary to provide for the orderly transition” to the law’s requirements. The Department identified several requirements over which it would exercise flexibility, but it never identified methodological changes to the RLIS program. The Department should once again rely on the its “orderly transition” authority to prevent an implementation change from taking effect, and thus avoid the severe eligibility and funding reductions it is proposing for this year.

We are also alarmed that the Department did not provide Congress, states, and school districts with any notice about its decision to use a new methodology prior to or along with submitting its budget request for REAP in FY 2020. In fact, the FY 2020 request expressed continued support for dividing equally the funds appropriated to both SRSA and RLIS. Thus, Congress rightly expected the Department to administer RLIS consistent with past practices. Today’s after-the-fact change, however, places RLIS grantees in jeopardy and will put additional strain on the SRSA program. School districts that, previously, may have been eligible to choose either SRSA or RLIS may find themselves only eligible for SRSA, which are likely to reduce the value of awards in that crucial program. The Department’s decision has created a funding cliff for hundreds of rural, low-income schools that are already balancing tight budgets. We also note that the Department’s FY 2021 budget request includes no mention of any methodological changes to the REAP grants.

REAP helps deliver an equitable and enriching education to thousands of students living in rural America. We strongly encourage you to rescind this new interpretation and to work with Congress to serve students in rural communities. We look forward to working with you on this important issue and request an immediate response.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following statement after the Supreme Court said on Monday that it will hear the Republican lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Texas v. U.S., later this year:

“The President continues to claim he supports protecting people with preexisting conditions, yet his Administration continues to pursue this lawsuit that will rip protections away from millions of Americans without any viable plan to fix it.

“The uncertainty created by the Trump Administration’s repeated attacks on the Affordable Care Act jeopardize essential health care coverage for Virginia families. I am committed to strengthening our health care law, and will do everything in my power to protect it.”

In the Senate, Sen. Warner has sponsored several bills to block the Administration’s efforts to undermine the ACA and protect people with preexisting conditions. Last year, Sen. Warner led the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in forcing an up-or-down vote on overturning a Trump Administration rule that explicitly undermines protections for preexisting conditions by flooding the health care market with junk health care plans, which are often advertised in low-income communities or communities of color. That vote was defeated as a result of Republican opposition, jeopardizing protections for millions of Americans with preexisting conditions.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and former telecommunications executive and entrepreneur, applauded Senate passage of bipartisan legislation modeled on legislation he first he introduced to protect American communications networks from threats presented by foreign suppliers like Huawei and ZTE. The legislation would offer relief to reimburse smaller telecommunications providers – largely in rural areas – by reimbursing them for the costs of removing and replacing untrusted foreign equipment.

“As our nation becomes more and more reliant on next-generation telecommunication networks, we need to be doing all that we can to make sure that our networks are secure,” said Sen. Warner. “That includes making sure that we are not allowing our foreign adversaries to infiltrate these networks, and that as a nation, we are not dependent on infrastructure supplied by foreign vendors. This important piece of legislation will help ensure the security of our networks all across the country by making it possible for providers in small and rural communities to rip and replace equipment that might pose a national security risk. I’m very encouraged by this bill’s passage and I look forward to seeing it get signed into law as quickly as possible.”

The Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019, which now heads to the President’s desk after securing the approval of the House and Senate, closely resembles the United States 5G Leadership Act of 2019, S. 1625, introduced by Sens. Warner and Roger Wicker (R-MS), along with Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK).

Specifically, the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 would:

• Prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from subsidizing the acquisition or maintenance of telecommunications equipment or services from untrusted suppliers.
• Create a program to reimburse telecommunications providers with fewer than two million customers. These providers will remove equipment that poses a national security risk from their networks to replace it with equipment from trusted suppliers.
• Establish an information sharing program for telecommunications providers, particularly small and rural operators, to obtain information regarding potential security risks and vulnerabilities to their networks.

Sen. Warner has been a leading voice in Congress about the national security risks posed by Chinese-controlled telecommunication companies. Earlier this year, he and a bipartisan group of leading national security Senators introduced legislation to encourage and support U.S. innovation in the race for 5G, providing over $1 billion to invest in Western-based alternatives to Chinese equipment providers Huawei and ZTE. He is also the lead sponsor of the Secure 5G and Beyond Act – a bill to safeguard next-gen mobile telecommunications systems and infrastructure – and has previously introduced a bill with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) to combat tech-specific threats to national security posed by foreign actors like China.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) received an award from the United Mine Workers of America recognizing his successful years-long effort to save the pension and healthcare benefits for thousands of retired coal miners and their families. A group of Southwest Virginia miners presented Sen. Warner with the coal-shaped award, celebrating the passage of Sen. Warner’s Bipartisan American Miners Act, which the President signed into law in December.

“With President Trump’s signature, the Bipartisan American Miners Act is now the law of the land, protecting healthcare and pension benefits for thousands of Southwest Virginia miners,” said Sen. Warner. “This award represents years of bipartisan work in Washington and the tireless efforts of the UMWA miners who advocated to protect the benefits they earned. I’m proud to have played a role in passing this legislation that officially honors America’s commitment our miners.”

The Bipartisan American Miners Act of 2019 was introduced by Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and a bipartisan group of Senators from mining states. It shores up the 1974 United Mine Workers of America Pension Plan – which was headed for insolvency due to coal company bankruptcies and the 2008 financial crisis – and ensures that at-risk miners do not lose their healthcare due to the 2018 and 2019 coal company bankruptcies. The legislation amends the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to transfer excess funds from the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Fund to the 1974 Pension Plan to prevent its insolvency. It also amends the Coal Act to include 2018 and 2019 bankruptcies in the miners’ healthcare fix that passed in 2017. These actions will secure the pensions of 92,000 coal miners and protect healthcare benefits for 13,000 miners.

Sen. Warner has been a longtime advocate for Virginia’s coal miners and their families. In 2017, Sen. Warner passed legislation securing healthcare benefits for more than 22,000 miners. In August 2018, he introduced and passed into law legislation to improve early detection and treatment of black lung disease among coal miners.

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WASHINGTON – The United States Senate unanimously passed a resolution sponsored by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) along with U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) to honor Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson, a NASA pioneer who passed away Monday at the age of 101.

“Katherine Johnson was essential to NASA’s success in the Space Race. But as an African-American woman working at Langley Research Center in the era of Jim Crow, she went unrecognized for decades. Thankfully this trailblazer lived to see the recognition she deserved – including a blockbuster movie, a Congressional Gold Medal, and a building named in her honor on the campus where she was once forced to use separate facilities because of the color of her skin,” said Sen. Warner. “Katherine Johnson’s life is evidence that we as a nation must continue to strive towards equality of opportunity for all our citizens. While she is no longer with us, Katherine Johnson will continue to inspire generations of Americans, especially young women thinking of careers in math and science.”  

“Katherine Johnson’s pioneering contributions to orbital mechanics helped our nation reach the stars. As one of the first African American women to work as a NASA scientist, she paved the way for generations to come. This resolution is a small reminder of her amazing contributions,” Sen. Kaine said.

“A White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia native, Katherine Johnson not only completed groundbreaking work at NASA during the space race, but also broke the barriers of race and gender during a critical time in our nation. Katherine graduated summa cum laude from West Virginia State College in 1937 with degrees in mathematics and French and became the first African-American woman to attend graduate school at West Virginia University. She began her work as a mathematician for NASA, eventually running the equations that sent the first American astronaut to orbit Earth. Because of the accomplishments of intellectual leaders like Katherine Johnson, more young women have, and will, blaze their own trails in science, technology, engineering, and math fields, and will continue to make our state and entire nation proud. We cannot thank Katherine enough for her contributions to our state and our nation and she will be missed greatly by us all,” said Sen. Manchin.

“Katherine Johnson proved to us that no obstacle is too high if you work hard and believe in your goals,” said Sen. Capito. “As a West Virginian, Katherine used her toughness and grit to surpass societal barriers and turn her dreams into a reality. The legacy of Katherine Johnson will be remembered every time we look up at the moon and remember how her work took us there for the first time. As the first female U.S. Senator from West Virginia, I am not only continuously inspired by Katherine’s story, but I am also inspired by her kindness and humility. Generations of little girls who also aspire to reach the stars will draw strength and encouragement from Katherine’s legacy. Her work is no longer hidden by the shadows of the men she put on the moon. Katherine Johnson will forever be a star in the Mountain State and will be significantly missed by all.”

“NASA is deeply saddened by the loss of a leader from our pioneering days, and we send our deepest condolences to the family of Katherine Johnson. Ms. Johnson helped our nation enlarge the frontiers of space even as she made huge strides that also opened doors for women and people of color in the universal human quest to explore space. Her dedication and skill as a mathematician helped put humans on the moon and before that made it possible for our astronauts to take the first steps in space that we now follow on a journey to Mars. Her Presidential Medal of Freedom was a well-deserved recognition. At NASA we will never forget her courage and leadership and the milestones we could not have reached without her. We will continue building on her legacy and work tirelessly to increase opportunities for everyone who has something to contribute toward the ongoing work of raising the bar of human potential,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.

On November 8, 2019, the President signed into law bipartisan legislation to award Katherine Johnson with the Congressional Gold Medal, along with her fellow “Hidden Figures” Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Dr. Christine Darden. The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian award in the U.S., awarded to those who have performed an achievement that has had an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized in the recipient’s field for years to come.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) addressed the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and what it means for individuals in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Specifically, Sen. Warner expressed concern with the Trump Administration’s response to the outbreak, and stressed the need for a more aggressive response in order to effectively combat the coronavirus. He also encouraged Virginians to heed instructions from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and directed Virginians to the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.

A transcript of his remarks is available below:  

“Hello, I’m Virginia Senator Mark Warner. Today, I’d like to talk to you about the coronavirus outbreak and what it means for the Commonwealth.

“As folks may know, coronavirus has sickened more than 82,000 people around the world. Almost three thousand people have died – now, mostly all in China. In the United States, there have been sixty confirmed cases – none of which are currently in the Commonwealth. However, the Center for Disease Control – CDC – has stated that the virus is expected spread within the U.S. on some level.

“My office has been in regular contact with officials on the ground in Virginia. Our priority is to make sure they have the resources they need and are fully prepared to respond to any potential cases of coronavirus in the Commonwealth. In addition, I’ve been closely tracking the actions of the Trump Administration and working with federal officials to make sure they’re taking this threat seriously.

“Earlier this month, I wrote to the Administration asking them to redirect available public health funds to combat this virus and to inform me and my fellow Senators of any additional resources they may need. This week the Trump Administration asked Congress for $2.5 billion dollars in order to contain the coronavirus and to try to prevent it from spreading in the U.S.

“I am reviewing this request, but frankly, based upon the initial feedback of public health experts, I am concerned that the Administration’s response to date may not be aggressive enough to effectively combat the virus. I’m also concerned that we will need a more robust response – particularly in funding – if we are going to be fully prepared.

“I plan to continue working with folks in the Commonwealth and at the federal level to ensure the health and safety of all our fellow Virginians. In the meantime, I urge all Virginians to heed CDC advice, including travel advisories and tips on how to keep your family safe. For more information, visit www.CDC.gov. We will get through this. Thanks so much.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $1,844,898 in federal funding to support residents of public housing in five cities across Virginia. The funding, awarded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Resident Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) program, helps individuals and families work towards economic independence and housing self-sufficiency. The program aims to help residents increase earned income and enhance their quality of life.

“This federal funding is important to help Virginians build self-sufficiency and make economic progress,” the Senators said. “We’re pleased to see this investment go towards making sure more people across the Commonwealth have access to these supportive services.”

The Virginia housing authorities that will receive funding are listed below:

City                            Virginia Housing Authority Recipient                                      Amount

Hopewell                  Hopewell Redevelopment and Housing Authority                   $230,916.00

Norfolk                      Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority                       $478,500.00

Portsmouth               Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority                $239,250.00

Bristol                         Bristol Redevelopment and Housing Authority                         $178,482.00

Richmond                  Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority                  $717,750.00

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and John Cornyn (R-TX), co-chairs of the Senate India Caucus, issued the following statement following President Trump’s visit to India:

“As co-chairs of the India Caucus, we welcome the commitments made by the United States and India during President Trump’s recent visit to India to expand the partnership between our two countries and our two peoples. Both countries agreed to continue working together to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region, secure 5G and an open internet, increase our defense trade, strengthen our energy partnership, expand counterterrorism, maritime, cyber, and space cooperation, as well as to expand educational exchanges – all of which will benefit both of our countries. At the same time, we are alarmed by the recent violence in New Delhi. We continue to support an open dialogue on issues of significant concern in order to advance our vital long-term relationship.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine joined Democratic Whip Dick Durbin along with 29 of their Democratic colleagues to introduce the Restoring Military Priorities Act of 2020.  The bill would reverse and restore the Trump Administration’s recent short-sighted transfer of $3.8 billion from Pentagon priorities to build part of President Trump’s border wall.  The bill also reduces DoD’s transfer authority so that DoD cannot once again attempt to divert additional funding for President Trump’s border wall from Congressionally appropriated DoD funds. 

The most recent DoD reprogramming targeted the men and women of the National Guard and a variety of additional programs funded by Congress to address shortfalls that were in many cases identified by military leaders.  This was the third time in less than one year that the Administration has used this unilateral process to bypass Congress and divert funding to President Trump’s border wall.

“Clearly, this Administration is not afraid to drain essential funding from the Department of Defense to build an ineffective wall across our southern border. Therefore, Congress has a responsibility to make sure that these dollars actually go towards supporting our national security interests and providing our men and women in uniform the resources they need to carry out their duties,” said Warner. “Our legislation will reverse the President’s irresponsible decision to divert $3.8 billion from crucial defense projects in Virginia and across our nation, and will make sure that the DoD cannot bypass Congress in the future and give away essential Defense funding.”

“President Trump is again raiding defense programs to fund his own political pet project. Our bill would reverse this reckless reprogramming and protect the Defense Department’s funding to ensure that it is used to support our men and women in uniform as well as the critical national security projects that Congress initially allocated the money for,” Kaine said.

In the spring of 2019, the Defense Department transferred $2.5 billion in funding to be used to build part of President Trump’s border wall, and the President later raided an additional $3.6 billion in military construction funds for his wall.  Earlier this month, the Defense Department reprogrammed another $3.8 billion from the men and women of the National Guard and a variety of programs added by Congress to address shortfalls that were in many cases identified by military leaders as critical equipment. 

In January, it was reported that President Trump intended to raid $7.2 billion in DoD funds this year to pay for his wall, diverting funding from military families and forcing American taxpayers to pay for his wall.

Warner and Kaine have been outspoken against President Trump’s plan to pull money from military construction projects to build his border wall since it was initially announced last year. Kaine has demanded details on the projects that will lose funding and called on his colleagues in the Senate to oppose the Administration’s efforts.  

Full text of the legislation is available here.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement today after voting against the nomination of Katharine MacGregor to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior:

“Today, I voted against Katharine MacGregor’s nomination to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior, following the Department of the Interior’s failure to respond to my many questions about the tragic shooting and killing of Virginian Bijan Ghaisar by two U.S. Park Police officers more than two years ago. In November, I wrote the Department requesting information regarding the United States Park Police’s Use of Force and Vehicle Pursuit policies and the Park Service’s response to the shooting of Bijan. While copies of the updated Use of Force and Vehicle Pursuit policies were recently provided to the Washington Post, I still have not received a substantive response to my numerous inquiries to the Department about these policies, as well as the circumstances surrounding Bijan’s death.

“If the Department continues to ignore my requests for information, I will strongly consider placing a hold on Interior nominees moving forward until I receive adequate responses to my questions surrounding the Park Service’s handling of the shooting. Today, I met with the Department of Justice to receive a briefing on their investigation into Bijan’s death. Both DOJ and the Department of the Interior still face many unanswered questions, and Bijan’s family deserves answers about what happened the night their son and brother was shot and killed. Two years is too long to wait.”

In January of 2018, Warner, along with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), pushed the FBI for an update on the status of the FBI’s investigation into the fatal 2017 shooting. In October of that year, Warner sent a letter to the head of the National Park Service (NPS) regarding the circumstances under which U.S. Park Police officers engaged with Mr. Ghaisar.

In June 2019, Sen. Warner along with Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) decried the opaque and drawn-out nature of the review of the Ghaisar case in letters to both the FBI and NPS. The FBI provided a brief response in August, leaving many questions unanswered. In October, NPS provided a partial response, which prompted a follow-up letter from the Senators seeking more information.

In November, the Senators formally requested an FBI briefing on its investigation into the fatal shooting.

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