WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement after the President announced his intent to nominate Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) to be Director of National Intelligence (DNI):

“The last time this nomination was unsuccessfully put forward, serious bipartisan questions were raised about Rep. Ratcliffe’s background and qualifications.

“It’s hard for me to see how anything new has happened to change that.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the House Financial Services Committee voted to advance legislation led by Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) to require public companies to disclose information about their management policies related to their workforce, including the investments they make on skills training, workforce safety, and employee retention.

The Workforce Investment Disclosure Act was advanced by a vote of 33 to 25, and now heads to the House floor for consideration by the whole House of Representatives.

A Senate companion version of the legislation was also introduced this week by Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

The legislation would require public companies to disclose basic human capital metrics, including workforce turnover rates, skills and development training, workforce health and safety, and compensation statistics.

“When I meet with companies nowadays, they tell me that their people are their greatest asset – but our businesses’ public disclosures don’t cover the investments they’re making in their employees. With this legislation, we can gain a better understanding of what companies are doing to improve and protect their most valuable asset,” said Rep. Axne. “I’m grateful that my colleagues on the Financial Services Committee and Senator Warner have all stepped in to help get us one step closer to making this transparency standard law.”

“As our nation continues to evolve and our economy becomes more knowledge-based, workers are easily becoming the most valuable asset a company can have. In fact, there’s a growing body of research that establishes a relationship between measurable human capital management – the way that companies manage and support their employees – and long-term financial performance,” said Sen. Warner. “When a business invests properly in its workforce, it boosts the company’s ability to innovate and compete. Companies should be required to disclose exactly how they’re investing in their labor force, and I’m proud to partner with Congresswoman Axne on this important effort.”

The rise of service and intellectual property-based businesses has made current asset disclosure requirements insufficient to provide investors needed clarity. In 1975, more than 80% of the S&P 500’s market value was in companies’ tangible assets like real estate holdings or purchased equipment. By 2015, tangible assets accounted for less than 20%.

Disclosure requirements for human capital are supported by notable investment and asset management firms.

Last year, leadership of major investors BlackRock and State Street Global Advisory both emphasized the importance of human capital — and have indicated the need to create standardized reporting. In addition, research from the Embankment Project on Inclusive Capitalism, a partnership between asset managers directing $30 trillion and large public corporations, found U.S. companies that disclose their total human capital costs outperform those that don’t.

The bill is Rep. Axne’s fourth piece of legislation aimed at encouraging good corporate practices and improving public transparency at U.S. companies.

Last week, Axne introduced legislation to create disclosure requirements for large corporations’ use of tax havens.

In January, she responded to the certification of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for workers in Des Moines who lost their jobs to outsourcing by writing new legislation to help workers laid off due to offshoring get assistance faster through better disclosure of these practices.

Last October, the House passed Axne’s first bill related to disclosures — the Outsourcing Accountability Act — which would require large corporations to disclose the locations of their employees around the world to discourage offshoring and hold companies accountable for laying off U.S. workers.

 

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, 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. 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 – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, stressed the importance of vulnerability disclosure programs, such as the one at the Department of Defense (DoD) that recently allowed a researcher to report malware that was actively exploiting a security misconfiguration on a DoD server. In a letter to the DoD’s Chief Information Officer, Sen. Warner highlighted his Internet of Things (IoT) Cybersecurity Improvement Act, noting that the piece of legislation would help advance similar coordinated vulnerability programs and work in conjunction with the procedures in place at DoD.

The bipartisan, bicameral legislation, which successfully passed through the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in June, would improve the cybersecurity of Internet-connected devices and require that devices purchased by the U.S. government meet certain minimum security requirements.

“This incident demonstrates the inherent value of vulnerability disclosure programs for information technology products operated by federal agencies,” wrote Sen. Warner. “These programs are a crucial force multiplier for federal cybersecurity efforts. Clear guidelines and a process for security researchers to find and share vulnerabilities enabled this malware discovery, and ultimately prompt remedial action by DoD. Continuing to encourage the responsible discovery and disclosure of bugs or vulnerabilities on federal information technology systems with both internal and outside security researchers can only strengthen the cybersecurity posture of federal and DoD systems.”

According to ZDNet, a security researcher searching for bots discovered that a DoD automation server running on an Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud-computing platform was publicly accessible and did not require login credentials. Later on, the researcher discovered that the server had been compromised and was being used to mine cryptocurrency by a botnet.

In his letter, the Senator also emphasized the need to utilize proper cybersecurity measures and monitoring, including on commercial cloud-computing platforms and open source software, such as the server involved in the DoD incident.  

“I am hopeful that DoD will take the lessons from this incident seriously and reassess current processes as necessary. It is crucial to ensure that future incidents involving open vulnerabilities and improper access configurations that permit malware installation on federal information technology systems cannot reoccur, including on systems hosted by commercial cloud service providers,” he continued. “I also hope to continue to work with you on passing my legislation and continuing to push for strong, thoughtful, cybersecurity policies.”

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

Dana Deasy

Chief Information Officer

U.S. Department of Defense

1300 Defense Pentagon

Washington, DC 20301-1300

Dear Mr. Deasy:

I write about some recently reported cybersecurity issues at DoD.  In particular, I read about malware actively exploiting a security misconfiguration that was recently discovered on a Department of Defense (DoD) web server. From the current analysis and reporting of the incident, the malware was part of a botnet that apparently mined cryptocurrency using DoD resources and IT systems and raises broader cybersecurity concerns.

According to news reports, a security researcher first found the vulnerability on a DoD-managed cloud computing system exposed to the internet. The researcher then discovered that malware associated with mining Monero cryptocurrency was installed and operating on the same server. In January, once the security certificate identified the web server as an official DoD resource, the researcher reported the vulnerability and subsequent malware discovery under DoD’s official vulnerability disclosure program. 

This incident demonstrates the inherent value of vulnerability disclosure programs for information technology products operated by federal agencies. These programs are a crucial force multiplier for federal cybersecurity efforts. Clear guidelines and a process for security researchers to find and share vulnerabilities enabled this malware discovery, and ultimately prompt remedial action by DoD. Continuing to encourage the responsible discovery and disclosure of bugs or vulnerabilities on federal information technology systems with both internal and outside security researchers can only strengthen the cybersecurity posture of federal and DoD systems.

There is pending bipartisan, bicameral legislation that I have introduced which would ensure that vendors of key information technology products, such as Internet of Things devices, maintain coordinated vulnerability programs.  This bill would serve as a complement to the procedures DoD already employs.

While the use of commercial cloud computing can be a cost effective method to deploy and manage information technology and services, the use of a cloud itself does not ensure cybersecurity. Rigorous cybersecurity defensive measures and monitoring remain crucial for systems, even when DoD resources are deployed on commercial cloud computing platforms. While open source software, such as the automation server employed in this incident, may be beneficial, it is also essential to monitor all software for vulnerabilities and ensure they are promptly mitigated. Likewise, continuous use of software requires an effective continuous monitoring process for addressing newly discovered vulnerabilities in the software. And perhaps most importantly in the shared security model of commercial cloud computing, ensuring safe and secure configurations related to access is a key concern. 

I am hopeful that DoD will take the lessons from this incident seriously and reassess current processes as necessary. It is crucial to ensure that future incidents involving open vulnerabilities and improper access configurations that permit malware installation on federal information technology systems cannot reoccur, including on systems hosted by commercial cloud service providers. I also hope to continue to work with you on passing my legislation and continuing to push for strong, thoughtful, cybersecurity policies.

As always, I appreciate your service in this important role.

Sincerely,

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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 – Today, in a hearing on the reauthorization of funding for our nation’s surface transportation, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) spoke about the importance of increased federal funding for Interstate 81 (I-81). During the hearing, Sen. Warner highlighted the importance of I-81 to Virginia and to the nation’s economy, as well as the challenges posed by traffic and safety issues on I-81.

“One of the areas in Virginia where we have tremendous transportation challenges is the I-81 corridor…with the amount of traffic, and particularly commerce that flows for the whole East Coast on I-81, and the level of bottlenecks and safety concerns,” said Sen. Warner.

Sen. Warner also questioned the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Vice President for Transportation and Infrastructure, who expressed support for additional federal funding for I-81.

Sen. Warner has been vocal about I-81’s crucial role in commerce along the East Coast, and has long pushed for federal dollars to tackle necessary repairs along the highway, which runs from Tennessee, along the entirety of Virginia’s western border, and north to New York. More than one-third of all trucks that drive through Virginia and approximately half of the Commonwealth’s value of goods are transported along I-81. In the last decade, I-81 has experienced significant traffic growth, with travel expected to continue increasing along the interstate. Increased I-81 traffic causes severe travel delays and puts travelers at risk, including the drivers involved in the more than 2,000 crashes that happen annually along the route. Last year, in letters to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Sen. Warner requested additional funding for vital improvements to Interstate 81 in order to enhance safety and reduce traffic congestion.

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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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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement on the resignation of former acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire:

“I’d like to thank Joe for his service and wish him the best for the future. While he and I haven’t always agreed on everything, at both NCTC and as Acting DNI, I have always known him to be serious, sincere, and doing his best to protect both his country, and the men and women of the intelligence community who worked under him. We should all be grateful to people like Joe who devote their entire careers to protecting their fellow Americans – regardless of partisan politics.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement after President Trump announced that Richard Grenell, the current U.S. Ambassador to Germany, will serve as the Acting Director of National Intelligence:

“The President has selected an individual without any intelligence experience to serve as the leader of the nation’s intelligence community in an acting capacity. This is the second acting director the President has named to the role since the resignation of Dan Coats, apparently in an effort to sidestep the Senate’s constitutional authority to advise and consent on such critical national security positions, and flouting the clear intent of Congress when it established the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in 2004. 

“The intelligence community deserves stability and an experienced individual to lead them in a time of massive national and global security challenges. And at a time when the integrity and independence of the Department of Justice has been called into grave question, now more than ever our country needs a Senate-confirmed intelligence director who will provide the best intelligence and analysis, regardless of whether or not it’s expedient for the President who has appointed him. 

“As Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I remain committed to robust, bipartisan oversight of the nation’s intelligence community, up to and including the DNI, and ensuring that the work of our intelligence professionals is never interfered with or manipulated for political ends.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Todd Young (R-IN) today introduced a Joint Resolution to honor the 75th Anniversary of the Battle for Iwo Jima during World War II. The resolution recognizes the gallantry and heroism demonstrated 75 years ago during the victory that was led by the United States Marine Corps over Imperial Japan on the island of Iwo Jima. A companion resolution was introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Ken Calvert (R-CA), Pete Visclosky (D-IN), and Greg Pence (R-IN).

“As we mark 75 years since the battle of Iwo Jima, I’m reminded of the many servicemen who sacrificed so much for our nation. Many of these individuals, including my father – a Marine Corporal at Iwo Jima – witnessed their fellow servicemen lose their lives in defense of our freedoms. This resolution is a tribute to the resilience of the Greatest Generation and the courage of those who fought in the 36-day battle,” said Sen. Warner.

“Iwo Jima is hallowed ground for me, my fellow Marines, and all those who lost loved ones in the battle. This resolution helps to recognize those who gave their lives in Iwo Jima seventy-five years ago,” said Sen. Young. “The resolution also calls upon Americans to honor these veterans and reaffirm the deep bonds of friendship between the United States and Japan that have developed over the seventy-five years since we were at war.”

The Senate resolution was cosponsored by Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Rand Paul (R-KY), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Jerry Moran (R-KA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Boozman (R-AR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CN), Martha McSally (R-AZ), Joe Manchin (D- WV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Richard Burr (R-NC), Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Doug Jones (D-AL), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Cory Gardner (R-CO), John Barrasso (R-WY), and Tom Udall (D-NM) .

The full text of the resolution is available here and below:

Title: Recognizing the 75th anniversary of the amphibious landing on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima during World War II and the raisings of the flag of the United States on Mount Suribachi.

Whereas, following the surprise attack by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941, at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the United States formally declared war on the Imperial Government of Japan on December 8, 1941;

Whereas, during the 4 years that followed the attack, the United States and allied forces fought a prolonged counterattack against Japanese advances across the Pacific region;

Whereas the tactic of attacking, defeating, and controlling Japanese-held outposts through the use of amphibious assault landings against Japanese-held islands and territories (referred to in this preamble as “island hopping”) became crucial to successfully countering Japanese advances throughout the Pacific region;

Whereas the goal of island hopping was to secure airfields and supply bases—

(1) in order to launch aerial bombardment attacks against the mainland of Japan using the new Boeing B–29 Superfortress; and

(2) in preparation for, and in anticipation of, a United States invasion of Japan;

Whereas, by early 1945, the United States and allied forces bravely fought and advanced to the island of Iwo Jima, an 8-square-mile volcanic island with 3 strategic airfields, located between the Mariana Islands and Japan;

Whereas Iwo Jima was—

(1) a strategic island with airfields to support bombers of the United States with fighter escorts; and

(2) an essential base for emergency, refueling, and diversionary landings for B–29 bombers;

Whereas, under the command of Japanese Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, Iwo Jima was a heavily fortified island with nearly 11 miles of underground and networked tunnels, rooms, bunkers, artillery emplacements, ammunition dumps, and pillboxes supporting more than 21,000 Japanese soldiers;

Whereas, on February 19, 1945, under the leadership of United States Navy 5th Fleet Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, United States Marine Corps V Amphibious Corps Major General Harry Schmidt, 3rd Division Major General Graves B. Erskine, 4th Division Major General Clifton Cates, and 5th Division Major General Keller E. Rockey, the United States launched an amphibious landing and assault on Iwo Jima that culminated with the engagement of more than 70,000 members of the United States Marine Corps, buttressed by thousands of members of the United States Navy and the United States Army serving as assault, garrison, and support forces (referred to in this preamble as the “Battle of Iwo Jima”);

Whereas the members of the United States Marine Corps who fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima overcame numerous disadvantages in the 36-day battle that included treacherous terrain, unfavorable weather conditions, and heavy enemy fire from an embedded, determined, and fierce Japanese fighting force in places immortalized by members of the United States Marine Corps, including the “Meat Grinder” and “Bloody Gorge”;

Whereas, on February 23, 1945, only 5 days into the Battle of Iwo Jima, members of the United States Marine Corps ascended the highest point on the island, Mount Suribachi, and raised the flag of the United States 2 times, the second of which resulted in the iconic, Pulitzer Prize-winning image that—

(1) was captured on film by photographer Joe Rosenthal;

(2) has become a recognized symbol of determination, perseverance, and struggle; and

(3) has been memorialized as the United States Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia;

Whereas the Battle of Iwo Jima, one of the bloodiest battles in the history of the United States Marine Corps, resulted in more than 26,000 casualties of the United States, more than 6,800 of whom were killed;

Whereas most of the more than 20,000 estimated Japanese soldiers who fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima were killed, with only 1,083 Japanese soldiers surviving at the conclusion of the campaign;

Whereas the Battle of Iwo Jima led to 22 members of the United States Marine Corps and 5 members of the United States Navy receiving the Medal of Honor, representing—

(1) the most members of the United States Marine Corps ever to receive the highest military decoration in the United States for a single battle; and

(2) more than \1/4\ of all members of the United States Marine Corps to receive the decoration during World War II;

Whereas the secured airfields on Iwo Jima became emergency landing locations for 2,400 B–29 Bombers, saving the lives of an estimated 24,000 flight crewmen;

Whereas, 160 days after the end and victory of the pivotal Battle of Iwo Jima, the United States received the unconditional surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945;

Whereas the world owes a debt of gratitude to the members of the United States Marine Corps who selflessly led the fight for the strategic island of Iwo Jima in the middle of the Pacific theater; and

Whereas, on March 28, 2020, the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima will be marked by commemorative events on the island of Iwo Jima organized by the people of the United States and Japan: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) recognizes the 75th anniversary of the amphibious landing on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima that began on February 19, 1945 and ended on March 26, 1945;

(2) commemorates the iconic and historic raisings of the flag of the United States on Mount Suribachi that occurred on February 23, 1945;

(3) honors the marines, sailors, soldiers, army air crew, and coast guardsmen who fought bravely on Iwo Jima, including the thousands of Japanese soldiers who defended the island;

(4) remembers and venerates the service members who gave their last full measure of devotion on the battlefield;

(5) recognizes the Allied victory in the Battle of Iwo Jima, which—

          (A) was led by the United States Marine Corps; and

          (B) made the defeat of the Empire of Japan in World War II possible;

(6) affirms the immortal words of Admiral Chester Nimitz, who stated that “uncommon valor was a common virtue” among the service members of the United States who fought on Iwo Jima;

(7) reaffirms the bonds of friendship between the United States and Japan;

(8) encourages the people of the United States to honor the veterans of the Battle of Iwo Jima with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities; and

(9) honors the service and sacrifice of the men and women who serve the United States today, carrying on the proud tradition of the individuals who came before them.

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