Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-MD) released the following statement after the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation voted to undermine the current ‘slots and perimeter’ rules at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) as part of the Senate version of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act:

“We are deeply disappointed by the Senate Commerce Committee’s move to overburden DCA. With this profoundly reckless decision, the Committee is gambling with the safety of everyone who uses this airport. As we have said countless times before, DCA’s runway is already the busiest in the country. Forcing the airport to cram additional flights in its already crowded schedule will further strain its resources at a time when air traffic controllers are overburdened and exhausted, working 10-hour days, six days a week.

“Last year, the House of Representatives wisely rejected a proposal to add new flights to DCA in its FAA reauthorization bill. As we move towards a final bill, we call upon everyone involved to reject any backroom deal-making that prioritizes particular senators’ desires for a more convenient commute over the safety of the flying public.” 

Acknowledging the physical limitations at DCA, Congress has since 1986 restricted the number of nonstop flights that can originate out of DCA to airports outside of a 1,250-mile perimeter, with Washington Dulles International (IAD) and Baltimore-Washington International Marshall (BWI) planned as the growth airports for the region’s aviation needs. However, in past FAA reauthorization bills, Congress has made changes to these rules that have disrupted the balance in this three-airport system by adding additional flights from Reagan to destinations outside the 1,250-mile perimeter. These changes in flight activity have produced significant stress on DCA’s facilities – from strained roadways and limited parking availability to overburdened baggage systems – and created frustrations for travelers, businesses, and local residents. Those changes have also prevented Dulles, whose size allows for larger planes to land and take off, from realizing its full potential as the primary long-haul flight destination for the Washington metropolitan area.

In March, the Senators sent a letter to the Senate Commerce Committee, which has responsibility for drafting legislation to reauthorize the FAA, strongly opposing any further changes at airports that serve residents of the National Capital Area. They have also penned an op-ed last June urging their colleagues to oppose changes to the current slot and perimeter rules at DCA. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) introduced Jasmine Yoon in a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing. In November, the senators recommended Yoon to fill an upcoming vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, which will be created when Judge Michael F. Urbanski assumes senior status in July 2024. In January, President Biden nominated Yoon for the seat. 

“[Yoon] came to our country at age 14 from South Korea, speaking virtually no English. So in eighth grade, she spent her time reading the dictionary and watching American TV, and by the time she got into high school, she spoke fluent English thanks to that ethic of hard work. She developed such a stellar record that she was a two-time graduate of the University of Virginia, both undergrad and law school,” said Sen. Warner. “Jasmine’s community-oriented mindset, her qualifications, and her numerous accolades make her an extraordinary nominee for the Western District of Virginia.”

“This is such a happy occasion for Senator Warner and I,” said Sen. Kaine. “[Jasmine Yoon] really has a wide breadth of legal experience. We've never had an Asian American member of the Article III bench in Virginia… To have come to the United States at age 14, speaking virtually no English, and four years later, to get a full scholarship to UVA—when she graduated from undergrad, she received the award as the outstanding undergraduate… and she also received the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation scholarship to go to UVA law school. Truly an amazing record… She would be a tremendous, tremendous asset to our federal judiciary, and that’s why Mark and I are so proud to be here to introduce her today.”

Jasmine Yoon is the Vice President for Corporate Integrity, Ethics, and Investigations at Capital One Financial Corporation. Prior to this role, she served as Interim University Counsel and Associate University Counsel at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, her alma mater. She also worked as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, where she investigated and prosecuted over 80 financial crimes and public corruption cases. Her nomination will now be considered by the Judiciary Committee and subsequently the full Senate.

Under President Biden, the senators have confirmed 177 federal judges to the bench, including the Honorable Toby HeytensPatricia Tolliver GilesMichael S. NachmanoffElizabeth HainesJamar Walker, and Robert Ballou for federal courts across Virginia. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked a procedural vote on the bipartisan legislation to provide needed funding for Ukraine and address the situation at the U.S. southern border:

“Today’s vote begs the question: are there any serious Republican legislators left? It is preposterous that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would vote against bipartisan legislation to address the situation at the southern border – the very issue they’ve obsessed over for months. Congress must find a way to come back to this important issue, to repair our deeply broken immigration system and address the dysfunction at the border. However, in light of this vote, I am glad to see Leader Schumer announce that he will move forward with a vote to pass standalone national security legislation.

“As Ukraine presses forward with its fight against Russian authoritarianism, I implore my colleagues to look beyond one election cycle, to consider the decades-long ramifications of allowing Vladimir Putin to prevail in his annexation of Ukraine and his goal of exporting his ruthless authoritarian ideology beyond Russia. Ukraine has demonstrated that it is willing and able to fight – it has done so without a single drop of American blood. As Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I will be voting to move forward with this national security legislation to renew our commitment to Ukraine, deliver humanitarian aid for Gaza, support Israel, and show our allies abroad that the U.S. stands by its promises.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and John Thune (R-SD) introduced the Drone Evaluation to Eliminate Cyber Threats Act of 2024 (DETECT Act), legislation directing the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop cybersecurity guidelines for the federal government’s use of drones.

Drones have the ability to collect sensitive information, and as they become more common, the security of this technology is of increasing importance. The DETECT Act would address cybersecurity concerns by directing the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop a set of guidelines. Following an implementation period, these guidelines would be binding on the federal government’s use of civilian drones, the private sector may voluntarily use these guidelines in their own operations.

“Drones and unmanned systems have the capability to transform the way we do business, manage our infrastructure, and deliver life-saving medicine, and as drones become a larger part of our society, it’s crucial that we ensure their safety and security,” said Sen. Warner. “This legislation will establish sensible cybersecurity guidelines for drones used by the federal government to ensure that sensitive information is protected while we continue to invest in this new technology.” 

“As the capabilities of drones continue to evolve and be utilized by both the federal government and the private sector, it’s critically important that they operate securely,” said Sen. Thune. “This common-sense legislation would require the federal government to follow stringent cybersecurity guidelines and protocols for drones and unmanned systems.”

Specifically, The DETECT Act:

  •  Directs NIST to develop guidelines covering cybersecurity for civilian drones;
  • Directs OMB to test the guidelines by requiring one federal agency to implement them on a pilot basis;
  • Directs OMB, after the conclusion of the test period described above, to require every agency with civilian drones to implement politics and principles based on the NIST guidelines;
  • Directs OMB to issue guidance to agencies governing the reporting of security vulnerabilities discovered in drones used by the agencies;
  • Requires contactors who supply civilian drones or drone-related services to the federal government to report any security vulnerabilities discovered;
  • Directs the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to promulgate any necessary regulation to carry the forgoing contractor requirements into effect;
  • Forbids agencies from acquiring drones that do not meet the guidelines referenced above, subject to a waiver process under certain circumstances.

Sens. Warner and Thune have been strong supporters of the domestic production of unmanned systems, including driverless cars, drones, and unmanned maritime vehicles, and have taken steps to ensure that domestic production of drones is both safe and keeping up with global competitors. Last year, the senators introduced the Increasing Competitiveness for American Drones Act, legislation that would clear the way for drones to be used for commercial transport of goods across the country. Sen. Warner also championed legislation to prohibit federal dollars from being used to procure or operate drones from countries or companies identified as posing a national security threat, which was ultimately included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2024.

"As the use of drones for multiple types of important operations –critical infrastructure inspection, public safety, agriculture, drone delivery, and more– has grown significantly in recent years, the need for cybersecurity standards for these critical mission tools has become evident,” said Michael Robbins, Chief Advocacy Officer of the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International. “To ensure safety and security, the U.S. must lead in this area. AUVSI thanks Senators Warner and Thune for their leadership in protecting our nation from cyber risks and supporting American leadership in advanced aviation.”

Full text of the legislation is available here.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box and MSNBC’s Morning Joe, where he discussed details of the newly released bipartisan supplemental package. Sen. Warner stressed the urgent need to pass this legislation in order to continue support for Ukraine in its ongoing fight against authoritarian Russia as well as address urgent needs at the border.

On CNBC’s Squawk Box, Sen. Warner outlined the top lines of this legislation, highlighting compromises made by both Democrats and Republicans:

“Every Republican senator who's complaining about this deal has said repeatedly, you've got to change the law. Donald Trump said, you've got to change the law. We now are giving what is needed, a significant change of the law. Took a long time to get it negotiated, combined with stepping up for Ukraine, combined with stepping up for Israel and humanitarian aid in the region. The question is going to be, folks who’ve asked for this, are they going to take the deal?”

On MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Sen. Warner reiterated the importance of continuing to provide Ukraine with military support:

“I've been in this job 14 years, I can't think of a more important vote – a more historic vote – than whether we will stand by Ukraine, which has taken out 80 percent of the Russian ground forces pre-war, where the Europeans have put up €50 billion, where nations like Finland and Sweden have joined NATO because of American leadership. If we walk away from that, that will be a mistake of historic proportions.”

Video of Sen. Warner on CNBC’s Squawk Box can be found here. Video of Sen. Warner on MSNBC’s Morning Joe can be found here.

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WASHINGTON– U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine joined a letter led by Senators Ed Markey (D-MA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Representative Grace Meng (D-NY-6) in support of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s proposal to expand the E-Rate program, which helps schools and libraries access affordable broadband. Under the proposal, the E-Rate program would be updated to allow schools and libraries to loan Wi-Fi hotspots to students and educators. In their letter, the lawmakers call for the expansion and modernization of the E-Rate hotspot program to help reduce educational disparities and ensure that all students can access the internet. 

The lawmakers wrote, “[We] are excited that the Commission has proposed to update the E-Rate program to allow schools and libraries to provide Wi-Fi hotspots and wireless internet services to students and educators. This proposal properly recognizes that learning now extends beyond the physical premises of school buildings.”

The lawmakers continued, “With millions of students at risk of losing internet access at home, we are glad to see the FCC exercising this authority and modernizing the E-Rate program, and we encourage the Commission to provide schools and libraries with the flexibility to adapt their programs to local conditions while continuing to effectively guard against fraud and waste.” 

Students who lack internet access at home face significant disadvantages in school, and a recent study found they receive lower grades than their classmates. Expanding the E-Rate program will build on the progress made through the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), which Warner and Kaine helped pass as part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP),?to provide devices and connectivity for students and educators at home. With the ECF set to expire at the end of this year and the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) set to run out of funding soon, expanding the E-Rate program would also help prevent many students from losing internet access.

Joining Sens. Warner, Kaine, Markey, Van Hollen, and Meng on the letter in the Senate are Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). 

Warner – one of the principal authors of the ACP – and Kaine have long fought to expand access to broadband. The senators urged congressional leadership to extend funding for the ACP, which was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Warner and Kaine helped pass. They also announced nearly $1.5 billion in federal funding to expand high-speed internet through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which was also made possible by the BIL. They’ve introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure that funding for broadband deployment from the BIL and the ARP, will not be considered taxable income.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Chairwoman Rosenworcel,

We write in strong support of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) proposal to allow libraries and schools to provide Wi-Fi hotspots and wireless internet services to students and educators through the E-Rate program. This effort represents an important modernization of the E-Rate program and a recognition that learning now extends beyond the school and library premises. As the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated, students without access to the internet at home are at a distinct disadvantage compared to their better-connected peers. We urge the Commission to move ahead with the E-Rate hotspot program to help reduce educational disparities and ensure that low-income students are not left behind.

Although the E-Rate program has successfully connected nearly every school and library in the country, the changing nature of education has reconstituted some of the inequalities that led Congress to create E-Rate in 1998. Back then, better-resourced schools gained internet access ahead of low-income and disadvantaged schools, providing an advantage to their students. Today, that inequality exists among individual households. Now, wealthy and middle-class students almost universally can access high-speed internet at home, but low-income and disadvantaged students lag behind. As schools adopt online resources and homework increasingly requires an internet connection, this “Homework Gap” favors students in wealthy households over their low-income classmates.

If this inequality was not clear before 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic made it obvious. Although the pandemic had serious consequences for students of all backgrounds, low-income students — especially those without access to the internet at home — have faced the greatest impact. In surveys of students at different grade levels, the Department of Education’s National Assessment of Educational Progress has repeatedly shown that high-performing students had much better access to the internet at home. A recent study of Michigan students also found that a student without access to home internet earned significantly lower grades — 0.6 lower, on the 4.0 scale — than his or her connected classmates. A different study using Census Bureau data estimated that individuals with greater access to a computer and the internet at home spent 28 percent more hours learning than those without such access. As this evidence on home connectivity piles up, there should be no debate: Students without access to high-speed internet at home are seriously disadvantaged compared to their better-connected classmates.

Fortunately, during the pandemic, the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) — which Congress created in 2021 as part of the American Rescue Plan Act — helped close this homework gap. The ECF program included $7.17 billion for schools and libraries to distribute devices and internet services to students and educators. Thanks to the hard work of the FCC staff, the Commission quickly stood up this program and began distributing these funds. Over the past two years, the ECF has helped roughly 18 million students at 11,500 schools connect to the internet at home. The program has provided nearly 13 million connected devices and more than 8 million broadband connections to students and educators. Unfortunately, the ECF program is set to sunset at the end of June, leaving students — and schools and libraries — in a potentially dire situation: Without action, millions of low-income students could lose access to the internet at home, a devastating digital cliff that would reverse the ECF’s important achievements. The potential expiration of the Affordable Connectivity Program, which helps low-income households afford broadband, would further exacerbate this impact on disadvantaged students.

Given these stakes, we are excited that the Commission has proposed to update the ERate program to allow schools and libraries to provide Wi-Fi hotspots and wireless internet services to students and educators. This proposal properly recognizes that learning now extends beyond the physical premises of school buildings. When a sixth grader is completing a homework assignment through an online educational platform or a ninth grader is attending class through a video conferencing application, they are clearly engaged in educational activities. In the Communications Act, Congress rightfully provided the FCC with the flexibility to structure and strengthen the E-Rate program as educational conditions change. With millions of students at risk of losing internet access at home, we are glad to see the FCC exercising this authority and modernizing the E-Rate program, and we encourage the Commission to provide schools and libraries with the flexibility to adapt their programs to local conditions while continuing to effectively guard against fraud and waste.

Thank you for your continued commitment to closing the digital divide.

Sincerely,

WASHINGTON —Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following statement after the House voted in favor of a $78 billion tax package that would expand the Child Tax Credit and dramatically cut child poverty in the United States: 

“I am encouraged by today’s House passage of a bipartisan tax bill that would lift nearly half a million U.S. children out of poverty. As we saw during the pandemic, expanding the Child Tax Credit is a tried-and-true way to give struggling families a meaningful boost and help put food in the mouths of needy children. Especially now, with tax season around the corner, this legislation could provide near-immediate breathing room for millions of working families who live paycheck to paycheck – but only if the Senate acts quickly. As this bill makes its way to the Senate, I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to deliver for American families.”

This legislation, as passed by the House, would benefit 16 million children in the U.S., lifting as many as 400,000 children above the poverty line in the first year alone and continuing to reduce poverty for the families of about 5 million additional children over time. 

Currently, the Child Tax Credit allows families up to $2,000 in tax credits per child. However, many families – especially poor families who need the program the most – do not make enough to reap the full tax deduction benefit. This bill would expand the Child Tax Credit by allowing families to reap the full credit as long as they continue to meet the minimum income threshold of $2,500 per year. It would also ensure that the Child Tax Credit can keep up with inflation. This legislation would help pick up where the nation left off at the end 2021, when a similar COVID-era expansion of the Child Tax Credit expired. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) pressed the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) on the mail delivery delays and disruptions impacting Virginians in the Richmond region. The push follows an alarming report that the Richmond VA Medical Center recently received hundreds of colon cancer test samples via USPS that are unusable because they exceed the 15-day window the samples were valid for. Some samples date as far back as mid-2023. In their letter, the lawmakers requested a briefing with USPS and a tour of the relevant USPS facility to better understand the causes of these unacceptable delays and discuss what is being done to prevent them from happening again.

“We want to be clear; this is unacceptable,” the lawmakers wrote. “These issues with postal delays have caused unnecessary stress and harm for our constituents and suggest to us that the issues in the region are worse than we thought.”

“We are unsatisfied with the level of urgency and responsiveness the agency has demonstrated with the issues we have raised previously, and this must change with this new revelation,” the lawmakers continued. “USPS has recently declined requests for meetings and tours to discuss these issues – Postal Service customers in Central Virginia deserve transparency and explanation, as soon as possible, regarding these issues.”

Joining the Senators in this push are U.S. Reps. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-4), Rob Wittman (R-VA-1), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-7), Jen Kiggans (R-VA-2), and Bob Good (R-VA-5).

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Postmaster General DeJoy and Mr. Roane:

In recent months, we have shared with the Postal Service the substantial constituent outreach we have received regarding postal delivery delays and disruptions in the Richmond region. Among other impacts, these delays have caused people to miss needed medications or to receive billing notices after payment deadlines have passed. We have shared these with the agency formally and via staff in an effort to identify if these are isolated cases or signs of a systemic challenge with postal delivery in this area.

We now have received a report from the Richmond VA Medical Center (Richmond VA), with potentially even more alarming consequences. According to the Richmond VA, the facility recently received a delivery from USPS of some 870 immunochemical test samples, which had been collected by veterans at home and then returned by mail. These tests are one method used to early-screen for colon cancer, and must be received back by the VA within a roughly two-week window in order to still be valid. It is our understanding that upon delivery of this recent batch of tests, more than half of the samples were older than two weeks – some dating back to mid-2023 – and therefore were unusable by the VA. The Richmond VA is working with USPS to understand how this could have happened and has stated to our offices that precise answers have not yet been forthcoming from USPS.

We want to be clear; this is unacceptable. These issues with postal delays have caused unnecessary stress and harm for our constituents and suggest to us that the issues in the region are worse than we thought. We are unsatisfied with the level of urgency and responsiveness the agency has demonstrated with the issues we have raised previously, and this must change with this new revelation.

We request a briefing with our offices at your earliest convenience to understand how this could have happened and what is being done to keep it from happening again. We also request a tour of the relevant facility to see firsthand the operational challenges. It is imperative that we understand the systemic issues that are causing these operational challenges on the ground at Virginia postal facilities, so that we may provide the resources and support these facilities require from the federal level in order to prevent further service delays and disruptions. USPS has recently declined requests for meetings and tours to discuss these issues – Postal Service customers in Central Virginia deserve transparency and explanation, as soon as possible, regarding these issues.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we await your response.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs National Security and International Trade and Finance Subcomittee, wrote to Janet Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury, questioning the Department’s failure to implement appropriate sanctions enforcement as major technology firms such as Alphabet and Meta repeatedly flout U.S. sanctions rules through provision of digital advertising services. In his letter, Sen. Warner highlighted reports that tech companies continue to provide adtech services to sanctioned companies that have deep ties to our foreign adversaries, including Russia and Iran.

“[P]ublic reports in November 2023 indicated that Google served ads – and provided publisher monetization and search solutions – to a range of sanctioned Iranian and Russian companies,” Sen. Warner wrote. “Even if, as Google has claimed, these relationships did not result in ad payments to sanctioned entities, Google’s provision of web services to these sanctioned companies suggests a troubling inattention to compliance, particularly given the company’s long track record of ignoring fraud within the online ad ecosystem and of accusations of skirting U.S. sanctions laws.”

As Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, Sen. Warner outlined the negative impact that these transactions have on U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, and the need for the Treasury Department to enforce the sanctions in place.

“[R]eports suggest that Meta (parent of Facebook) flaunts U.S. sanctions rules, with recent reporting suggesting that the sanctioned Russian oligarch, Ilan Shor, has continued to use Facebook advertising for malign influence activity targeting Moldovan elections,” Sen. Warner continued. “My staff first inquired of the Department about apparent violations by Facebook in February 2023, when prior reports of Shor’s Facebook activity surfaced. This example is especially concerning  given the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s extensive efforts to publicize the ways in which Russian influence actors exploited social media platforms like Facebook to target U.S. elections. Nearly one year later, Facebook has continued to ignore U.S. sanctions laws – reportedly running hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertisements that, on their face (and in the recorded payment information), clearly indicated connection to the sanctioned oligarch.”

 As the 2024 elections ramp up, Sen. Warner stressed the need to combat efforts of foreign malign actors to influence and subvert elections.

He concluded, “This year, the world’s democracies will hold an unprecedented number of elections. In the wake of Russian efforts to influence U.S. elections in 2016, malign actors worldwide have increasingly embraced social media and online advertising tools as vectors for election influence. Given the centrality of U.S. firms to online advertising and social media markets worldwide, it is vital that the Department enforce American technology company compliance with U.S. sanctions.”  

A copy of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Secretary Yellen,

I write with concern over the Department of Treasury’s (the Department) failure to ensure sanctions compliance in digital advertising markets. In multiple instances in the previous two years, my staff has alerted the Department of instances of apparent sanctions violations by U.S. technology firms. Despite these repeated notifications, United States firms such as Alphabet and Meta continue to flout U.S. sanctions rules.

Various sanctions issued by the U.S. government bar corporations from certain transactions with sanctioned entities. Treasury already gives significant latitude to U.S. technology firms through the issuance of general licenses exempting “internet-based communications.” These exemptions ensure that internet users in foreign countries can continue to access certain basic communications services, particularly in the context of repressive regimes under U.S. sanction. However, these exemptions are not meant to continue facilitation of sanctioned activity, or financially benefit sanctioned entities, and in response to inquiries from my staff the Department acknowledged that online advertising services are not covered by these general licenses. Notwithstanding this acknowledgement, however, the Department has continued to ignore repeated instances of non-compliance by U.S. technology firms.

For instance, public reports in November 2023 indicated that Google served ads – and provided publisher monetization and search solutions – to a range of sanctioned Iranian and Russian companies.  Even if, as Google has claimed, these relationships did not result in ad payments to sanctioned entities, Google’s provision of web services to these sanctioned companies suggests a troubling inattention to compliance, particularly given the company’s long track-record of ignoring fraud within the online ad ecosystem and of accusations of skirting U.S. sanctions laws.  Notably, Google’s facilitation of ad delivery in countries under U.S. sanctions regimes has been a longstanding concern. In 2019, Wired reported that Google appeared to be exposing advertising clients to ad waste and potential sanctions violations.  Similarly, ProPublica has reported on instances of Google ostensibly ignoring U.S. sanctions by monetizing a Serbian media outlet that has sought to promote separatist violence.  ProPublica has also noted that Google’s provision of ad services to sanctioned companies has enabled them to harvest user data  – potentially enabling Russian surveillance and influence activity.

Even more recently, reports suggest that Meta (parent of Facebook) flaunts U.S. sanctions rules, with recent reporting suggesting that the sanctioned Russian oligarch, Ilan Shor, has continued to use Facebook advertising for malign influence activity targeting Moldovan elections.  My staff first inquired of the Department about apparent violations by Facebook in February 2023, when prior reports of Shor’s Facebook activity surfaced. This example is especially concerning given the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s extensive efforts to publicize the ways in which Russian influence actors exploited social media platforms like Facebook to target U.S. elections. Nearly one year later, Facebook has continued to ignore U.S. sanctions laws – reportedly running hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertisements that, on their face (and in the recorded payment information), clearly indicated connection to the sanctioned oligarch. And, notably, this is not the only instance in which Facebook has been accused of profiting from sanctions non-compliance. A pair of whistleblower complaints in 2022 similarly accused the company of enabling influence activity by Russian-linked, sanctioned separatist leaders. 

This year, the world’s democracies will hold an unprecedented number of elections. In the wake of Russian efforts to influence U.S. elections in 2016, malign actors worldwide have increasingly embraced social media and online advertising tools as vectors for election influence. Given the centrality of U.S. firms to online advertising and social media markets worldwide, it is vital that the Department enforce compliance with U.S. sanctions.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely, 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement on the ongoing border negotiations and the need to deliver for Ukraine:

“With the support of democracies around the world, the people of Ukraine have succeeded in decimating Putin’s ground forces, without the loss of a single NATO soldier. Turning our back on them now would be a grave miscalculation with global ramifications that would reverberate long after the next election – it would send a message to authoritarian leaders around the world that the United States no longer stands by its commitments.

“We now also have a real opportunity to fix decades of dysfunction along our southern border. While I have tremendous respect for the hard work of the negotiators who have spent weeks hammering out a bipartisan deal, and acknowledge that even with their broad agreement this supplemental package requires appropriators to iron out more details to proceed, time is of the essence. Nothing in D.C. ever happens without a deadline. Let’s all agree on one now to enable the Senate to move forward.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz (D-HI) and bipartisan, bicameral lawmakers to urge the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to work with Congress to ensure Medicare beneficiaries maintain access to telehealth. Current pandemic-era flexibilities will expire on Dec. 31, 2024 without further action, forcing seniors to adapt to new care routines. In a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, the lawmakers underscored the urgent need to make pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities permanent. 

“We urge you to work with Congress to ensure that all Medicare beneficiaries have permanent access to telehealth services before the temporary waivers expire on December 31, 2024,” the lawmakers wrote. “Enacting permanent telehealth legislation will require collaboration between HHS and Congress in the year ahead. We urge you to communicate to Congress and the public the authorities, appropriations, resources, and other supports needed to achieve this goal.” 

“Telehealth is a cost-effective way to improve access to care, especially for rural and underserved communities,” the lawmakers continued. “Telehealth also allows patients to choose a medical provider that best suits their personal medical needs. Medicare beneficiaries have come to rely on expanded access to telehealth and are satisfied with the care they have received.”

Sen. Warner has consistently led efforts to expand telehealth accessibility. He is an original cosponsor and a tireless advocate for the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act, legislation that would expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare and make permanent COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities. He has also introduced bipartisan legislation to increase access to telehealth services for individuals with substance use disorder and repeatedly pushed on the DEA to institute long-term flexibilities for the prescription of controlled substances via telehealth.

Joining Sens. Warner and Schatz in sending the letter were U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS), Ben Cardin (D-MD), John Thune (R-SD), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and U.S. Representatives Mike Thompson (D-CA-04), David Schweikert (R-AZ-01), Doris Matsui (D-CA-07), and Bill Johnson (R-OH-06).

A copy of the letter is available here and below.  

Dear Secretary Becerra: 

As 2024 begins, we urge you to work with Congress to ensure that all Medicare beneficiaries have permanent access to telehealth services before the temporary waivers expire on December 31, 2024. We appreciate the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) efforts to implement telehealth flexibilities that Congress authorized over the past four years. With the expiration of temporary waivers rapidly approaching, we strongly encourage you to make telehealth a priority. We stand ready to work with you to ensure Medicare beneficiaries maintain access to telehealth services.

Congress has recognized the critical role of telehealth in health care delivery by expanding coverage during and after the COVID-19 public health emergency. Most recently, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 extended several Medicare telehealth flexibilities through December 31, 2024. Among these was a provision allowing patients to use telehealth regardless of where they are located. These short-term extensions have been important to allow continuity of care and provide time for experts to evaluate the benefits of expanded telehealth services. The data is clear: Permanent policy is necessary, such as the policies in our consensus bipartisan bill, the CONNECT for Health Act.

Enacting permanent telehealth legislation will require collaboration between HHS and Congress in the year ahead. We urge you to communicate to Congress and the public the authorities, appropriations, resources, and other supports needed to achieve this goal. Ideal channels for these communications include the President’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget, the Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, and upcoming testimonies before Congressional committees. We also request timely technical assistance and data sharing to support Congress’ legislative work. To address any outstanding implementation questions related to permanent policy, including those outlined in the CY 2024 Physician Fee Schedule, we strongly encourage you to solicit information from stakeholders.

This is a pivotal year for telehealth policy, and it is critical that we enact long-term legislation in 2024. Telehealth is a cost-effective way to improve access to care, especially for rural and underserved communities. Telehealth also allows patients to choose a medical provider that best suits their personal medical needs. Medicare beneficiaries have come to rely on expanded access to telehealth and are satisfied with the care they have received. We must provide patients and clinicians long-term certainty about access to care through telehealth. We appreciate your collaboration on this important issue and look forward to working with you to ensure access to telehealth services is available on a permanent basis.

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after the Senate approved a stopgap funding bill to fund some parts of the government through March 1 and others through March 8. This bill will keep the government open through early March by reauthorizing spending at Fiscal Year 2023 levels.

“It’s unfortunate that we once again need to step in at the eleventh hour to avert a government shutdown due to Congress’ inability to pass full spending bills in a timely manner. We urge House Republicans to put brinksmanship aside and join us in passing today’s legislation without delay. It’s time for Congress to start treating funding deadlines seriously and provide the government and the American people with the funding needed to respond to the novel needs of a new fiscal year. We look forward to working with our colleagues these next six weeks to fulfill Congress’ most basic duty and finally push a bipartisan long-term agreement through the finish line.”

This legislation marks the third time that Congress has punted its responsibility to deliver a spending bill for Fiscal Year 2024, having previously passed continuing resolutions on September 30 and November 17.

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WASHINGTON – With the 2024 election season already underway, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, wrote to Jen Easterly, Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), pushing the agency to recommit to addressing foreign malign influence in our elections. In his letter, Sen. Warner cited a recently declassified intelligence assessment emphasizing the continuing threat of foreign election influence.

Sen. Warner specifically highlighted the need for CISA to lead efforts to shore up our nation’s defenses, both through physical and technical protections of election systems and electoral processes, and by serving as a liaison between the intelligence community, the private sector, and state and local institutions in order to facilitate information sharing to combat malign influence.

“CISA’s commitment to leading the federal government’s engagement on physical security and cybersecurity ahead of each federal election is crucial,” wrote Sen. Warner. “Since the designation of election infrastructure as critical infrastructure in 2017, CISA has led a collaborative effort to assist state and local governments, election officials, federal partners, and private sector partners in protecting election systems from cyber threats. The complex and often highly varied election processes and systems across the U.S. are markedly more secure today as a result of CISA’s important efforts.”

The role of CISA in combatting election threats has never been more important, as the Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments on Murthy v. Missouri, a case that has the potential to severely limit the role that government officials can play in communicating with private social media companies when it comes to countering foreign disinformation campaigns.

“With the heightened possibility that the FBI may (through internal policy or court decision) be hamstrung in its ability to share threat information with impacted parties outside the federal government, it will be incumbent upon CISA to fill this vacuum – engaging and serving as an interlocutor between private sector entities, the intelligence community and law enforcement, and state and local officials,” concluded Sen. Warner.

Earlier this month, Sen. Warner filed an amicus brief urging the Court to reverse the dangerous decision of the Fifth Circuit that would prevent voluntary information sharing between government agencies and private social media companies in order to better protect against foreign threats. 

A copy of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Director Easterly,

With less than 11 months before the 2024 U.S. Presidential election, and the first primary already underway, I write with growing concern about the Administration’s posture to combat foreign election threats. As the recently declassified Intelligence Community Assessment on Foreign Threats to the 2022 US Elections illustrates, a range of foreign adversaries continue to target our nation’s democratic processes, with the goals of promoting greater social divisions, undermining confidence in electoral processes, and in some cases seeking to shape election outcomes. While the section of that Assessment that provides a prospective assessment for the 2024 elections remains classified, the IC has noted that foreign election influence activity tends to be elevated during presidential election years. Notwithstanding this persistent threat to our democracy, recent litigation by hyper-partisan actors has sought to stymie federal efforts to counter these threats.

The work of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has been pivotal in shoring up the nation’s defenses since 2016. This includes not just CISA’s vital work to assist state and local election administrators in protecting physical and technical aspects of election systems and electoral processes, but also CISA’s efforts to serve as a nexus between the intelligence community, the private sector, and state and local institutions.

CISA’s commitment to leading the federal government’s engagement on physical security and cybersecurity ahead of each federal election is crucial. Since the designation of election infrastructure as critical infrastructure in 2017, CISA has led a collaborative effort to assist state and local governments, election officials, federal partners, and private sector partners in protecting election systems from cyber threats. The complex and often highly varied election processes and systems across the U.S. are markedly more secure today as a result of CISA’s important efforts. However, recent elections have demonstrated the proclivity of foreign adversaries to pursue blended operations, which highlights the need to address election security holistically, encompassing both election interference  and election influence  threats. As the 2022 US Elections ICA highlighted, for instance, Iran impersonated a U.S. violent extremist organization to send emails seeking to intimidate voters, as well as creating a website with death threats to US election officials. Similarly, in 2016 we saw Russia embrace hacking and dissemination operations (which included targeting political parties’ networks and probing election systems), combined with social media-based election influence operations.

In hearings the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence held in 2018, the Senate heard first-hand from senior social media executives how pivotal the Department of Homeland Security’s election security efforts – in conjunction with those of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Foreign Influence Task Force – have been.  Efforts by hyper-partisan litigants and media personalities to rewrite that history – and to falsely characterize these efforts, as part of an outlandish conspiracy theory, as somehow involving efforts by federal officials sought to suppress Americans’ voices – should not intimidate your organization from maintaining this vital role.

The federal government has made substantial – if uneven – progress since being caught flat-footed in the face of sustained efforts by a foreign adversary to interference in our democratic processes in 2016. Far from receding, these election threats have only grown – with a wider array of foreign actors, a larger number of social media platforms suitable for influence activity (and a combination of ownership and management changes reducing the private sector resources devoted to countering foreign election threats), and heightened incentives of many adversaries to shape election outcomes in pursuit of specific geopolitical objectives.

With the heightened possibility that the FBI may (through internal policy or court decision) be hamstrung in its ability to share threat information with impacted parties outside the federal government, it will be incumbent upon CISA to fill this vacuum – engaging and serving as an interlocutor between private sector entities, the intelligence community and law enforcement, and state and local officials.

Sincerely, 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined U.S. Sens. Bob Casey and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) in introducing the Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act. This legislation increases staffing capacity and technology to bolster security and detect illicit drugs and other contraband being smuggled through ports of entry along the border.

“Families and communities across the Commonwealth have been devastated by the spread of fentanyl,” said Sen. Warner. “This legislation will help our law enforcement officers at the border stop the flow of fentanyl into this country by providing personnel and equipment needed secure our border.”  

The Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act would enable U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to hire more Officers and Border Patrol Agents to increase capacity to stop illicit smuggling over the border. The bill also provides funding to purchase Non-Intrusive Inspection systems, which scan vehicles and cargo at the border to provide detailed images of their interiors, which leads to the detection of fentanyl and other illicit drugs. Additionally, the bill would create an inspection program to increase seizure of firearms being exported from the United States to Mexico, which criminal organizations frequently purchase in the United States and smuggle into Mexico to support their fentanyl production operations and other violent criminal enterprises.  

This legislation comes following the senators’ call to President Biden to prioritize additional resources to strengthen security at the Southwest border in order to stop the flow of illicit drugs like fentanyl through ports of entry. Sen. Warner has led numerous efforts to curb fentanyl trafficking, and last week participated in a Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on the topic. 

Joining Sens. Warner, Casey, and Kelly in introducing this legislation are U.S. Sens. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH). 

WASHINGTON —Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following statement on President Joe Biden’s nomination of Nelson Cunningham to serve as Deputy United States Trade Representative:

“I applaud President Biden’s nomination of Nelson Cunningham to serve as Deputy United States Trade Representative. With a distinguished career in the public and private sectors, Mr. Cunningham brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role. His deep understanding of foreign policy and international trade issues makes him an excellent choice to serve as Deputy USTR. I am confident that Mr. Cunningham’s experience and acumen will allow him to effectively advance strategic U.S. trade policy goals on the world stage.”

Nelson Cunningham currently serves as the President Emeritus of McLarty Associates, a global strategy firm that he helped co-found in 1998. Prior to this role, he served in the Clinton White House as General Counsel for the Office of Administration and then as Special Advisor to the President for Western Hemisphere Affairs. Cunningham also served as General Counsel of the Senate Judiciary Committee under then-Chairman Joe Biden (D-DE) and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Following his graduation from Stanford Law School, he clerked for The Honorable James Hunter III on the Third Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals, after which point he moved on to serve as an Associate at the law firm Hale and Dorr.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative negotiates directly with foreign governments to create trade agreements, to resolve disputes, and to participate in global trade policy organizations. It also meets with governments, business groups, legislators, and public interest groups to gather input on trade issues and to discuss the President's trade policy positions.

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WASHINGTON —Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement applauding President Biden’s nomination of Jasmine Yoon to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia (WDVA):

“Having dedicated her career to promoting accountability and justice, Ms. Yoon would bring a brilliant, principled voice to the Court. Her experience investigating and prosecuting financial crimes and public corruption cases as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, as well as her profound commitment to public service informed by her life experience growing up as an immigrant, will serve her well in this important role. We look forward to voting in favor of her confirmation.”

Last year, Sens. Warner and Kaine sent a letter to President Biden recommending Ms. Yoon, who also previously served as Interim University Counsel and Associate University Counsel at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, her alma mater. These nominations are subject to confirmation by the full Senate.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), members of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced legislation to require Medicare Advantage plans to publicly report the supplemental benefits they offer and the extent to which beneficiaries use them, making sure that the program is using Medicare-funded benefits to better serve seniors. Specifically, the legislation would require Medicare Advantage plans report enrollee-level data on supplemental benefits to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), as well as report eligibility for benefits, the types of benefit categories offered, and data on utilization of and payments for such benefits.

“As more and more seniors turn to Medicare Advantage for their health coverage, it’s important that we properly evaluate the effectiveness of the program,” said Sen. Warner. “That’s why I introduced legislation to make Medicare Advantage data more readily available so that we can better evaluate plans in order to give seniors the best coverage for their needs and to ensure the sustainability of the Medicare program as a whole.”

In recent years, the use of Medicare Advantage has skyrocketed, with 39 percent of all Virginia Medicare beneficiaries and more than half of eligible beneficiaries nationwide choosing to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan. However, there is currently no statutory requirement to specifically report on supplemental benefits, making data on available benefits and their utilization unreliable. Sen. Warner’s legislation would ensure this data is available in order to understand beneficiary use of supplemental benefits and their impact on the sustainability of the Medicare program.

This legislation builds on Sen. Warner’s efforts to expand and protect healthcare access for Medicare beneficiaries, including through legislation like the Preserving Patient Access to Home Infusion Act and CHRONIC Care Act.

Full text of the bill is available here.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $1,452,800 in federal funding to build 38 publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging ports across Henrico County and to plan for the future of EV infrastructure development. The ports will be spread across seven community facilities, such as libraries, government centers, and parks and recreation sites. The funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program, which equalizes access to EV ports and other alternative fueling sources across America.?The CFI Program was created through the bipartisan infrastructure law (BIL), legislation strongly supported by Sens. Warner and Kaine.

“Electric vehicles have enormous potential to limit air pollution and cut carbon emissions, but we need widespread, accessible charging infrastructure so even more Virginians can make the switch,” said the senators. “We’re thrilled the bipartisan infrastructure law is expanding EV charging capacity in Henrico County, and we will continue working to make it affordable and convenient for Virginians to choose electric vehicles and other clean energy solutions.”

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long supported efforts to invest in a clean energy future. This funding represents some of the $7.5 billion authorized by the BIL to build electric vehicle charging stations across the country, with more grants still to be announced. In addition to competitive grants, Virginia is guaranteed to receive at least $106 million in formula funding over five years to build new EV charging stations. Across the board, the BIL has made several other investments in clean energy across the Commonwealth: the senators also recently celebrated over $17 million to buy 57 low- and no-emission school buses for Fairfax and Newport News Public Schools, $71 million to reduce power outages and allow more clean energy sources to reach the electric grid, $171 million for low- or no-emission public transit buses, and more. Additionally, the senators strongly supported the Inflation Reduction Act, which invests in both clean energy production and tax credits for Americans that make qualifying energy-efficient purchases. On Jan. 1, the IRA began allowing individuals that buy a new or used electric vehicle to receive a tax credit at the point-of-sale instead of having to wait to file their taxes.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement regarding provisions to lower health care and energy costs that went into effect on January 1, 2024. These provisions were made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, which was supported by the senators and passed in the Senate by one vote. These measures to lower costs come as the prices of hundreds of drugs are expected to rise this month.

“When we passed the Inflation Reduction Act, we knew that it would have tremendous benefits for communities across Virginia. We’re excited that key provisions from the law went into effect this year to help lower prescription drug and energy costs for millions of Americans. We look forward to Virginians continuing to see the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act in the years to come.”

The following provisions went into effect on January 1, 2024:

  • Lower Health Costs for Low-Income Americans: Americans with Medicare who have incomes up to 150% of the federal poverty line are now eligible for full benefits under the Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) program, also known as “Extra Help.” The Extra Help program helps low-income Americans on Medicare cover their out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs. Virginians can apply for Extra Help through the Social Security Administration by going online, calling 1-800-772-1213, or visiting a local Social Security Office.
  • Lower Drug Costs for Millions of Medicare Recipients: Lower Drug Costs for Millions of Medicare Recipients: A provision in the IRA will make accessing medication more affordable for millions of Americans on Medicare who rely on expensive medications, often to treat chronic conditions. This IRA provision institutes a cap on prescription drug costs for seniors on Medicare Part D for the first time. 
  • Lower Premiums for More Than 500,000 Virginians: There are additional provisions that went into effect to limit annual premium increases for Americans, including more than 500,000 Virginians, enrolled in Medicare Part D.
  • Simplified Electric Vehicle (EV) Tax Credits: The IRA allows qualified individuals to get a tax credit up to $7,500 for the purchase of new EVs or a tax credit of up to $4,000 for certain used EVs and plug-in hybrids purchased through a dealership. Virginians who buy an EV from a participating dealer can now choose to receive their tax credit for that purchase at the point-of-sale instead of after filing their taxes.

More information about other key provisions from the Inflation Reduction Act that went into effect in 2023 is available here.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, submitted an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to reverse a dangerous injunction that would limit the government’s ability to communicate with social media companies regarding foreign threats on their platforms ahead of the 2024 election. The brief was submitted following the decision of the Court to hear arguments in Murthy v. Missouri, a case that will decide the role that government officials can play in communicating with private social media companies when it comes to countering foreign disinformation campaigns.

In his capacity as Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, Sen. Warner stressed the need for continuing communication between social media platforms and the federal government, on a voluntary basis, in order to prevent foreign adversaries, including Russia, Iran, and China, from using these sites to carry out campaigns threatening our national security.

“The best way to combat foreign malign influence is cooperation between the public and private sectors,” Sen. Warner wrote in his brief. “Threat sharing allows the government and social media companies to combine disparate data sets and share appropriate information.”

“[T]he U.S. government has long relied on threat sharing including defensive briefings—to alert unwitting U.S. persons and organizations to efforts by foreign adversaries and intelligence services to target, exploit, or infiltrate them. That information sharing is crucial in the information security context due to the increasing sophistication and organization of the attackers,” he wrote.

“Threat sharing not only allows organizations to leverage collective knowledge and capabilities to identify and increase awareness of certain threats, but it also permits those organizations to improve their systems and minimize susceptibility to threats going forward,” Sen. Warner continued.  

Since the 2016 election, the Intelligence Community (IC) has regularly engaged social media companies on a voluntary basis, including Meta, Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, Twitter (now X), and YouTube to help identify foreign accounts operating with the purpose of misleading the American public, sowing dissent among users, intimidating minority groups, threatening election officials, and even seeking to incite violence between Americans.

Sen. Warner’s brief underscores the importance of this work, noting that social companies have expressly communicated with government officials their willingness to work together to combat the coordinated influence campaigns by adversaries taking place on their platforms – noting his experience in 2017 in jointly leading a bipartisan investigation into Russia’s influence activity targeting the 2016 election.

“Social media platforms share the Intelligence Committee’s concern regarding foreign malign influence. They categorically do not want to be a vector or facilitate these campaigns. To that end, they proactively share intelligence information with the government and request that government agencies and officials share knowledge with them too,” Sen. Warner continued.

Sen. Warner argues that the current Fifth Circuit ruling has severely limited the federal government’s ability to engage with social media companies on a voluntary basis over threats that have been identified on their platforms, and would cause lasting repercussions if not reversed. With less than a year before the presidential election, and with a recently-declassified intelligence assessment emphasizing the continuing threat of foreign election influence, a Supreme Court ruling that preserved or expanded the Fifth Circuit’s injunction could have lasting damage.

“Any injunction here would prevent or limit the government’s ability to communicate with social media companies and would leave the United States vulnerable to attack. Foreign malign influence campaigns have grown in number, scope, and sophistication since 2016, and any progress gained through improved threat sharing processes may be entirely lost if the injunction is not lifted.” Sen. Warner stated.

Sen. Warner concludes by asking the Supreme Court to reverse the Fifth circuit decision, writing: “There is no substitute for real time threat sharing between the government and social media companies when it comes to combating foreign malign information campaigns. The government and social media companies have access to different types of information and benefit form exchanging such information where appropriate. It is essential to our national security that the government can communicate freely with social media companies about threats that foreign malign influence campaigns pose to their platforms and users. To preserve America’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to foreign malign influence campaigns that target our national security and elections, this Court should reverse the judgement of the Fifth Circuit in relevant part and direct that the preliminary injunction be vacated in its entirety.”

The full amicus brief is available here.

 

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 WASHINGTON– Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine—who serves on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee—released the following statements applauding Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi for officially lowering the cost of their insulin products to $35 per month for most patients. The companies’ moves, which came in 2023 for Eli Lilly and January 1, 2024 for Novo Nordisk and Sanofi, followed the implementation of provisions from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which both senators voted for and passed by one vote in the Senate, to incentivize drug manufacturers to slash prices.

“When we capped insulin at $35 a month for Medicare patients as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, we put pressure on big pharmaceutical companies to do the same, and we are seeing the impact,” said Sen. Warner. “As we start the New Year, millions of Americans are will pay less for the medication they need. As we move into 2024, the Senate Finance Committee will keep working on measures to lower drug prices and improve transparency for all Americans.”  

“I appreciate Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi’s decisions to step up to the plate with these $35 monthly insulin caps,” said Sen. Kaine. “No Virginian should have to ration the medication they need to stay alive. That’s why I was proud to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act, which passed in the Senate by one vote, to push drug manufacturers to lower the cost of lifesaving medications, including insulin. Making prescription drugs more affordable is one of my top priorities on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and I look forward to building on this progress.”

Specifically, the IRA set an out-of-pocket price cap for insulin at $35 per month for Americans covered by Medicare, and required drug companies to pay a rebate to the government if drug prices rise faster than inflation, spurring manufacturers to make similar changes to the cost of insulin for other patients who aren’t on Medicare.

According to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis, one in four people with private health insurance paid more than $35 per month for their insulin in 2018. The Kaiser Family Foundation also estimates than more than 5% of insulin users pay more than $150 per month for insulin. The American Diabetes Association found that diabetics account for $1 of every $4 spent on health care in the U.S.

The senators have long prioritized lowering the cost of and expanding the domestic supply chain for prescription drugs. Last year, Sens. Warner and Kaine announced the designation of the Richmond/Petersburg Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Tech Hub, which they supported to help ensure that critical pharmaceuticals, including insulin, are manufactured in America using innovative, cost-saving techniques. The senators repeatedly introduced legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate the best price of prescription drugs for seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D—a major cost-reducing measure that is now law thanks to the IRA.

Additionally, Warner, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, helped author the Modernizing and Ensuring PBM Accountability (MEPA) Act, bipartisan legislation approved by the Committee in July 2023 to help address rising prescription drug prices by regulating the middlemen who manage prescription drug benefits on behalf of health insurers. The Finance Committee also recently approved Warner-authored legislation to help lower-income seniors enroll in Medicare.

Kaine has led the introduction of the Medicare-X Choice Act, which would improve health care coverage and lower costs for Americans, and cosponsored legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug costs for seniors. 2023, Kaine worked with Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) to introduce the Delinking Revenue from Unfair Gouging (DRUG) Act to lower drug costs and prevent massive Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) from price gouging consumers. Last month, Kaine and Marshall led a bipartisan group of senators in urging the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Labor (DOL), and the Department of the Treasury to lower out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs by enforcing a rule limiting the use of harmful “copay accumulators.”  

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA-03) announced $3,000,000 to initiate the Peninsula Regional Flood Risk Management feasibility study for the City of Hampton, VA and the surrounding region.  

As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the lawmakers previously secured $1.5 million for the Virginia Beach and Vicinity Coastal Storm Risk Management Study and nearly $399 million for the Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Project. Today’s announcement builds on that progress by extending the study of flood risk management strategies to the Peninsula. The study will investigate flood threats ranging from sea level rise, coastal storm surge, and rainfall events, and will develop mitigation solutions to reduce flood risk. This funding will allow work on the study to begin immediately.

 “Rising sea levels threaten lives and livelihoods, and in no place has that been more evident than this region, which has experienced record flooding in recent years,” the members said. “We’re glad to see this crucial funding finally head to the region in order to develop a comprehensive resilience plan for all of Hampton Roads.”

The Hampton Roads region is subject to the highest rate of historic relative sea level rise on the U.S. east coast and tenth worldwide in terms of value of assets exposed to flooding. Sea level rise conditions underscore the necessity for a comprehensive study to identify and address flooding challenges to ensure continued quality of life, economic growth, and ecosystem health for the region.

Since 2021, Sens. Warner and Kaine have requested funding for this project in order to build a comprehensive flood management and storm resilience plan for the region.   

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, led Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tom Carper (D-DE) Jack Reed (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in sounding the alarm about the economic deterioration in the West Bank and the troubling rise in violent acts perpetrated by extremist Israeli settlers. In a letter to President Biden, the lawmakers stressed the need for Israel to take steps to address the growing instability in the West Bank, including by ensuring that the Palestinian Security Forces are able to ward off violence against innocent Palestinian civilians and prevent further destabilization, which could open an additional front to the conflict.

This letter follows a decision by Israel to withhold a significant portion of tax revenues that its government collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority (PA). These revenues – meant to be collected and transferred based on longstanding agreement – are critical for the PA’s civil administration and security purposes.

“A range of factors since October 7 – including a loss of wages for the thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank whose work permits Israel revoked – have contributed to an economic situation that has shuttered thousands of West Bank businesses and reduced the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) revenues by roughly 80 percent. Those revenues support a range of critical functions for the PA, including paying public-worker salaries as well as the salaries of members of the Palestinian Security Forces, whose local law enforcement and security efforts are critical to maintaining stability in the West Bank,” wrote the Senators. “A significant source of the PA’s revenue derives from Palestinian import tax revenues, which according to long-standing agreement, the Israeli government collects on behalf of, and then transfers to, the PA. We are concerned that the Israeli government’s decision following the October 7 attacks to withhold a significant portion of these revenues, and the PA’s decision to not accept the reduced sum, is dramatically exacerbating the economic volatility in the West Bank.”

“In addition to harming the well-being of Palestinians, the current lack of revenue transfers directly threatens the economic standing of the security services in the West Bank. Absent these funds, salaries for the more than 30,000 members of the Palestinian Security Forces cannot be paid in full. The possibility of these forces declining to serve, absent pay – and the possibility of militant groups attempting to step in and financially coerce these services – represents a significant security threat, risking the opening of a new front to this conflict to the detriment of Israeli and regional security,” they continued. “We urge you and senior members of your Administration to continue to prioritize the resumption of these transfers in any conversations with the Israeli government as well as Palestinian Authority officials. A commitment by Israel to immediately transfer the full allotment of Palestinian Authority revenues is vital to staving off a significant rise in instability, and would represent a crucial step by Israel towards deescalating tensions in the West Bank.”

A copy of the letter is available here and below:

Dear President Biden,

We write with ongoing concern about the alarming conditions in the West Bank. As Israel continues to address the lethal and ongoing threat posed by Hamas following the terrorist group’s horrific October 7 attacks, Israel must take steps to address growing instability in the West Bank. Israeli settlers’ violence and deteriorating economic conditions are compromising the lives of innocent Palestinian civilians and threaten further destabilization. We are concerned that these conditions risk opening an additional front to the conflict, to the significant detriment of Israeli and regional security.

Members of Congress have joined you in voicing concerns about the alarming rise in violent acts perpetrated by extremist Israeli settlers in the West Bank over the past two months. We believe the Israeli government must address these attacks against Palestinians, and we applaud your Administration’s recent actions – including visa bans – targeting those carrying out these attacks.

We are also concerned about the conflict’s economic impact in the West Bank, and the risk it poses for further violence. A range of factors since October 7 – including a loss of wages for the thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank whose work permits Israel revoked – have contributed to an economic situation that has shuttered thousands of West Bank businesses and reduced the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) revenues by roughly 80 percent. Those revenues support a range of critical functions for the PA, including paying public-worker salaries as well as the salaries of members of the Palestinian Security Forces, whose local law enforcement and security efforts are critical to maintaining stability in the West Bank.

A significant source of the PA’s revenue derives from Palestinian import tax revenues, which according to long-standing agreement, the Israeli government collects on behalf of, and then transfers to, the PA. We are concerned that the Israeli government’s decision following the October 7 attacks to withhold a significant portion of these revenues, and the PA’s decision to not accept the reduced sum, is dramatically exacerbating the economic volatility in the West Bank.

In addition to harming the well-being of Palestinians, the current lack of revenue transfers directly threatens the economic standing of the security services in the West Bank. Absent these funds, salaries for the more than 30,000 members of the Palestinian Security Forces cannot be paid in full. The possibility of these forces declining to serve, absent pay – and the possibility of militant groups attempting to step in and financially coerce these services – represents a significant security threat, risking the opening of a new front to this conflict to the detriment of Israeli and regional security.

We acknowledge the need for a number of reforms related to PA governance, including those that would address corruption concerns, as well as its martyr and prisoner payment system. These reforms remain important, alongside supporting near-term stability and security.

In recent testimony before the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Secretary of State Blinken testified that the PA is “vastly under resourced,” and that import tax revenues have indeed been a topic of negotiation with the Israeli government. We urge you and senior members of your Administration to continue to prioritize the resumption of these transfers in any conversations with the Israeli government as well as Palestinian Authority officials. A commitment by Israel to immediately transfer the full allotment of Palestinian Authority revenues is vital to staving off a significant rise in instability, and would represent a crucial step by Israel towards deescalating tensions in the West Bank.

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and John Kennedy (R-LA), both members of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, introduced the Financial Artificial Intelligence Risk Reduction Act, bipartisan legislation to require financial regulators to address uses of AI-generated content that could disrupt financial markets.

“AI has tremendous potential but also enormous disruptive power across a variety of fields and industries – perhaps none more so than our financial markets,” said Sen. Warner, a former business executive and venture capitalist. “The time to address those vulnerabilities is now.”

“AI is moving quickly, and our laws should do the same to prevent AI manipulation from rattling our financial markets. Our bill would help ensure that AI threats do not put Americans’ investments and retirement dreams at risk,” Sen. Kennedy said.

The legislation requires the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) to coordinate financial regulators’ response to threats to the stability of the markets posed by AI, including the use of “deepfakes” by malign actors and other practices associated with the use of AI tools that could undermine the financial system, such as trading algorithms. The legislation also requires FSOC to identify gaps in existing regulations, guidance, and exam standards that could hinder effective responses to AI threats, and implement specific recommendations to address those gaps.

In response to the potential magnitude of the threat, the Financial Artificial Intelligence Risk Reduction Act would also provide for treble penalties when AI is used in violations of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules, including acts of market manipulation and fraud. The legislation also makes clear that anyone who uses an AI model is responsible for making sure that everything that model does complies with all securities laws.

The legislation also provides the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) with the authority necessary to oversee AI service providers, similar to the authority the other financial regulators have had for decades.

A copy of the legislation is available here.

 

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine urged the Administration to avoid further delays in the appointment of a Special Envoy for Sudan. Nearly 4.8 million people have been internally displaced since the war in Sudan began in April 2023—resulting in one of the largest internal displacement crises in the world. It’s estimated that there have been 10,000 civilian casualties, and approximately 24 million people are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance. In their letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the senators emphasize the crucial role a Special Envoy would play in coordinating and leading U.S. diplomatic efforts to address this crisis and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

“At the onset of this conflict in April 2023, we strongly advocated for U.S. leadership in coordinating a robust international diplomatic response, the safe and swift delivery of humanitarian assistance, the protection of civilians, and, crucially, that a special envoy be appointed to provide a single address within the U.S. government, as well as a clear U.S. lead for foreign parties when participating in direct negotiations with the Rapid Support Forces, Sudanese Armed Forces, and regional partners,” wrote the senators. “Although we welcome the progress to-date in facilitating humanitarian action to meet the urgent needs of civilians, we once again reaffirm our request that you immediately appoint a special envoy to manage the Sudan crisis.”

They continued, “We are concerned that the lack of a dedicated special envoy, who would report directly to the Secretary of State and who would internally coordinate and lead U.S. government efforts, and who may serve as a focal point and driver for international diplomatic and humanitarian efforts, is severely inhibiting the United States’ ability to engage most forcefully towards a resolution to the crisis.”

“To ensure a prosperous future for Sudan, the U.S. government must serve as a lead negotiator in peace discussions via a special envoy for Sudan,” the senators concluded. “We would welcome additional information, whether via a briefing to our staff or in a written response, regarding the rationale for why our request for the appointment of a Special Envoy for Sudan remains unmet.”

Warner and Kaine have been longtime advocates for the Sudanese community in Virginia. Last week, Warner and Kaine applauded the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) announcement that it will extend the re-registration period for Temporary Protected Status for migrants from Sudan, which they urged in May. Earlier this year, Warner spoke out about the violence in Sudan and hosted a virtual town hall for Sudanese Americans. Kaine has pushed the Administration to ensure the safety and security of U.S. citizens in Sudan and urged both sides to commit to a permanent ceasefire. He held an event in Richmond with members of Virginia’s Sudanese American community to hear their perspectives on the conflict and discuss ways he can be helpful.

Full text of the letter is available below:

Dear Secretary Blinken,

The destructive conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has been raging for eight months. It has resulted in 4.8 million people internally displaced, 1.2 million fleeing to neighboring countries and regions, 10,000 civilian casualties, and approximately 24 million people in need of immediate humanitarian assistance. Sudan’s health systems have reached their breaking point, and the country is plagued with widespread sexual violence, looting, and killing.

At the onset of this conflict in April 2023, we strongly advocated for U.S. leadership in coordinating a robust international diplomatic response, the safe and swift delivery of humanitarian assistance, the protection of civilians, and, crucially, that a special envoy be appointed to provide a single address within the U.S. government, as well as a clear U.S. lead for foreign parties when participating in direct negotiations with the RSF, SAF, and regional partners. Although we welcome the progress to-date in facilitating humanitarian action to meet the urgent needs of civilians, we once again reaffirm our request that you immediately appoint a special envoy to manage the Sudan crisis.

We are grateful for the efforts from you, Assistant Secretary Molly Phee, Ambassador John Godfrey, Ambassador Daniel Rubinstein, and Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Mike Hammer have put into facilitating negotiations between the RSF, SAF, and global partners in Jeddah. We also welcome your December 6 atrocities determination for the crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing conducted by the SAF and RSF. However, much more needs to be done to end this brutal conflict, and the need is urgent. We are concerned that the lack of a dedicated special envoy, who would report directly to the Secretary of State and who would internally coordinate and lead U.S. government efforts, and who may serve as a focal point and driver for international diplomatic and humanitarian efforts, is severely inhibiting the United States’ ability to engage most forcefully towards a resolution to the crisis. We are pleased that the negotiation talks between the SAF and RSF in Jeddah have resumed, but a stronger and more cohesive U.S. diplomatic effort is long overdue. The tally of Sudanese lives taken by this conflict is mounting by the day.

As global stability is threatened by multiple destructive conflicts, we cannot forget about the people of Sudan. To ensure a prosperous future for Sudan, the U.S. government must serve as a lead negotiator in peace discussions via a Special Envoy for Sudan. We would welcome additional information, whether via a briefing to our staff or in a written response, regarding the rationale for why our request for the appointment of a Special Envoy for Sudan remains unmet. Thank you for your time and attention to this request.

Sincerely,

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