Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) and U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded the unanimous Senate passage of legislation to designate the General George C. Marshall House in Leesburg, known as Dodona Manor, as an affiliated area under the National Park Service (NPS). The lawmakers have advocatedfor years for an official designation, which would provide new resources to preserve and celebrate General Marshall’s legacy at the site, including technical assistance to support restoration efforts, accessibility improvements, and new programming.

“Dodona Manor has a clear historic value to our nation and turning it into an affiliated area under NPS is a fitting way to honor General Marshall’s life and legacy,” said the lawmakers. “We’re glad our legislation to help make that happen was passed by the Senate today and hope to see this designation come to fruition.”

General Marshall led a lifetime of public service, serving as Chief of Staff to the Army during America’s entry into World War II, as Secretary of State where he orchestrated the historic Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe following the war, and as Secretary of Defense after the onset of the Korean War.

Dodona Manor is currently registered as a National Historic Landmark by the Department of the Interior and has been designated by the Commonwealth of Virginia as a Virginia Landmark.

The Marshall House has been an integral part of the Leesburg community for over two centuries. General Marshall and his wife Katherine purchased the property in 1941 as a weekend retreat house, and regularly spent time at the property throughout General Marshall’s tenure as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense.

Today, the property hosts international exchanges, historical exhibits, community events, and educational programming about the life and legacy of the Marshall family.

 

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WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) and Senators Tim Kaine and Mark R. Warner (both D-VA) celebrated the Senate passage of their bipartisan Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0. The bill reauthorizes federal funding for the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program (Kids First), which the senators helped create to support lifesaving research of treatments and cures for childhood cancer since 2015. The bill was included in a draft government funding agreement that was reached earlier this week, but was later torpedoed by Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and President-elect Donald Trump.

The legislation is named in honor of Gabriella Miller, who lived in Virginia’s 10th District and was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and passed away in 2013 at the age of 10. Her passionate advocacy for lawmakers to “stop talking, start doing” led to the passage of the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act and creation of Ten-Year Pediatric Research Initiative Fund in 2014.

“For as long as I have been serving in Congress, I’ve been fighting to pass the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0 and extend critical funding for childhood cancer research,” said Wexton. “I’m so proud that we’ve finally gotten this lifesaving bill through Congress and on its way to be signed into law. This bipartisan bill will build on the groundbreaking work of the Kids First program and deliver much-needed resources to better understand, treat, and hopefully one day cure childhood cancer. No family should have to face the fear and pain of their child’s cancer diagnosis, and I’m grateful for the partnership of Senator Tim Kaine and the remarkable advocacy of Ellyn Miller and the Miller family in honor of Gabriella and her fight, to build support for this bill.”

“Gabriella Miller was a courageous Virginian who gave her all to advocating for those whose lives have been touched by childhood cancer,” said Kaine. “I’m honored to have worked with the Miller Family and Congresswoman Wexton on this bipartisan legislation to reauthorize a crucial pediatric cancer research program that was created in her honor. I’m glad the Senate passed it today and urge President Biden to sign it into law as quickly as possible.”

“By reauthorizing the research program bearing Gabriella Miller’s name, we are helping to honor her memory, giving hope to families facing devastating diagnoses, and ensuring that future generations have access to the life-saving treatments they deserve,”said Warner.

In 2014, the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act, which the senators championed, was signed into law by President Obama, establishing the Ten-Year Pediatric Research Initiative Fund and authorizing $12.6 million in annual funds for childhood disease research through Fiscal Year 2023. Since then, Kids First has taken tremendous steps towards understanding childhood cancer, such as establishing the Gabriella Kids Resource Center—a comprehensive data resource for research and patient communities meant to advance discoveries. The language included in the bill reauthorizes the Kids First program for five years.

Cancer continues to kill more children in the United States than any other disease. Over 15,000 children a year are diagnosed with cancer, with that number tragically having gradually risen in recent decades. Pediatric cancers often differ from adults in the type, how they spread, and how it is treated, and many children do not respond well to conventional adult treatments, which frequently cause long term health issues and disabilities even in circumstances where the cancer is successfully cured. Yet while children face special hurdles when it comes to fighting cancer, less than 8% of current government funding for cancer is geared specifically towards developing treatments and cures for childhood cancer and other rare diseases. 

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WASHINGTON –  Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after voting to pass legislation to prevent a government shutdown and extend government funding at Fiscal Year 2024 levels until March 14. The legislation also includes $110 billion in disaster relief to support communities recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which the senators advocated for:

“We are relieved Congress passed legislation to avert a government shutdown, which would have had disastrous consequences for federal employees, government contractors, and millions of Americans who rely on government services. We are also glad that it included federal funding we pushed for to help communities in Southwest Virginia recover from Hurricane Helene and additional support for the Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarine programs. However, we are disappointed that Republicans turned their backs on an original bipartisan proposal that would have included provisions to lower prescription drug costs. We are also frustrated that the majority of our Republican colleagues did not want to fully fund the government for Fiscal Year 2025 and instead kicked the deadline into the new year. Short-term continuing resolutions create unnecessary harm for federal departments and agencies—particularly those in the national security space—because they don’t allow them to meet today’s challenges and plan for the future. In the coming months, we will continue working to pass Fiscal Year 2025 government funding legislation that supports Virginians and includes funding for community projects across the Commonwealth.”

This is the second time that Congress has failed to pass a full-year government funding bill for Fiscal Year 2025. On September 25, the senators voted to pass legislation to temporarily fund the government through December 20. Warner and Kaine have previously introduced legislation to prevent government shutdowns.

The continuing resolution (CR) includes $110 billion in funding for disaster relief to support communities recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, including Southwest Virginia. Warner and Kaine have been vocal about the need for significant federal resources to support Virginia’s recovery from Hurricane Helene and have repeatedly urged Congress to pass a supplemental funding package. The disaster supplemental provides full federal funding to rebuild the Virginia Creeper Trail, which is currently estimated to cost approximately $660 million. The bill also includes full funding of $125 million to conduct necessary repairs at Radford Army Ammunition Plant. Additionally, the bill includes $2.2 billion to allow the U.S. Small Business Administration to continue paying out disaster assistance loans to small businesses, a priority that Warner long advocated for. 

In October, they successfully urged the Biden Administration to submit a supplemental funding request to cover the costs associated with Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The senators also successfully pushed for the disaster supplemental to include robust funding for public lands to address damage to the Creeper Trail and other federal lands in Southwest Virginia. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, they also successfully advocated for an Emergency Declaration and an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for Virginia. Warner and Kaine met with Virginians impacted by Hurricane Helene in Southwest Virginia. 

It also includes $5.69 billion in funding for the Virginia-class submarine program and provides the necessary incremental funding for the Columbia-class submarine program. While Congress has already invested significant federal funding in the submarine industrial base in recent years, the Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarine programs face significant delays brought on by residual workforce challenges and supply chain disruptions. The on-time completion of Virginia-class submarines, which are built in Virginia and Connecticut, is critical to the fulfillment of the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) partnership, through which the U.S. will sell at least two Virginia-class submarines to Australia to boost security in the Indo-Pacific. Kaine, Chair of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower, has led efforts in Congress to address submarine production and other shipbuilding delays.

Finally, it includes an extension of COVID-era Medicare telehealth flexibilities through March 2025, ensuring that many seniors can continue receiving telehealth services. Warner and Kaine advocated for this extension.

 

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today celebrated the Senate passage of bills they introduced to rename two United States Postal Service (USPS) offices in Loudoun County and Petersburg. 

“Madeleine Albright and John Mercer Langston were trailblazers who overcame tremendous barriers in their respective fights for human rights and social justice. We are thrilled to see these bills get full congressional approval, which brings us one step closer to enshrining these important legacies in Loudoun County and Petersburg. We look forward to seeing President Biden sign these bills into law,” said the senators.

The first bill would designate the Loudoun County post office, in Purcellville, as the "Secretary of State Madeleine Albright Post Office Building.” The bill, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), honors Secretary Albright, the first female Secretary of State and former Ambassador to the United Nations.

The second bill would designate the Petersburg post office as the "John Mercer Langston Post Office Building." The bill, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), honors the Louisa County native and 19th century abolitionist and attorney, who served as one of the first Black Americans to hold elective office in the United States.

These post office facilities are located at 220 North Hatcher Avenue in Purcellville, Virginia and 29 Franklin Street in Petersburg, Virginia.

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act. This bill aims to streamline processes, reduce cost-burdens to rural home owners and small developers, and provide affordable housing incentives.

“By expanding access to historic tax credits, we can preserve our nation’s rich heritage while also incentivizing the construction of more affordable housing. I’m proud to join Senator Capito in introducing this legislation to bring new life to abandoned buildings and grow the housing stock in in rural communities,” Senator Warner said.

“Being a rural state shouldn’t mean losing out on private investment incentives like tax credits to help us preserve our communities’ history and revitalize local economies,” Senator Capito said. “I have enjoyed working with the dedicated group of West Virginians who brought this issue to my attention and who provided important perspectives during the creation of this legislation. The Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act will help level the playing field for communities in West Virginia by attracting investment for economic expansion and additional housing supply.”


BACKGROUND:

Currently, many historic tax projects are not economically viable in small and rural areas, giving a disproportionate advantage of the credit to large urban developments. The costs associated with the credit as-is severely limits rural areas, and especially largely rural states like West Virginia, from being able to use the credit to rehabilitate and revitalize historic properties.

Through improvements to the credit included in the Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act, rural Historic Tax Credit projects will be more financially feasible and will result in a higher number of these projects being completed in rural areas and states.

The Rural Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act:

  • Makes historic tax credit projects in rural areas eligible for an increased credit from the current 20% to 30%.
  • Includes an additional increase in the credit to 40% for affordable housing creation.
  • Allows the credit be used in addition to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC).
  • Allows small rural projects to claim the credit in the first year of use.
  • Allows transferability of the credit to a third-party.
  • Eliminates basis adjustment to simplify credit transaction.


This bill is supported by the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, The Historic Tax Credit Coalition, Main Street America, and The National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Click here for more on what others are saying about the bill.

Click here to view a one-pager on the bill.

Click here for full bill text.

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Washington – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a former fair housing lawyer, (both D-VA) announced $29,151,778.41 in federal funding for Greater Charlottesville Habitat for Humanity, Inc. to preserve long-term housing affordability for residents of the Southwood Mobile Park. The funding is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) Grant program, which supports communities in their efforts to maintain, protect, and stabilize manufactured housing and manufactured housing communities.

“Every Virginian deserves access to safe, affordable housing,” the senators said. “We are glad that this federal funding will help support homes and communities in Charlottesville, and we will keep working to support housing accessibility throughout the Commonwealth.”

Nationwide, over 22 million Americans live in a manufactured home—homes that are factory-built and then installed on a lot, making them a more affordable option for homeownership compared to new-construction homes. However, while residents often own the home, they typically lease the land underneath it. This can put residents at risk of losing their home if the land changes ownership. Greater Charlottesville Habitat for Humanity purchased the Southwood Mobile Park in 2007 to help prevent such displacement and has been working since then to make critical repairs and infrastructure improvements, while working to build a community where the residents ultimately own the land under their homes. This funding will help advance that goal.

Warner and Kaine have long advocated for safe, affordable housing for Virginia families. In April 2023, Kaine visited with residents of Charlottesville Habitat for Humanity builds and spoke to them about their experiences. The senators previously secured $1,015,000 to make necessary infrastructure improvements in the Southwood Mobile Park in the FY2022 Appropriations bill. Earlier this year, the senators announced over $98 million in federal funding for affordable housing, community development, and homelessness assistance and over $55 million in federal funding for improvements to affordable housing across the Commonwealth. This year they also announced over $13 million in federal funding to address lead-based paint hazards in homes across Virginia.

The senators have pushed for legislation to expand access to affordable housing. The senators have introduced the Downpayment Toward Equity Act, legislation to help first-generation homebuyers buy a home. Warner and Kaine have also introduced bicameral legislation to help first-time, first-generation homebuyers build generational wealth more rapidly by offering a 20-year mortgage for roughly the same monthly payment as a traditional 30-year loan. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, applauded congressional passage of the nation’s annual defense bill, which includes key priorities for Virginia, as well as a number of Warner-championed measures. The legislation now heads to the president to be signed into law.

“I’m glad to see the Senate vote to pass our nation’s annual defense bill, which delivers critical funding to equip our nation’s military, provide for our veterans, and strengthen our national security amid a complicated landscape of emerging threats,” said Sen. Warner. “I look forward to seeing the president sign this legislation. In the meantime, I will continue to deliver for Virginia by working prevent a costly government shutdown ahead of the holiday.”

The legislation supports $895.2 billion in funding for our nation’s defense and a number of other measures supported by thesenator, including – 

Servicemembers and the civilian defense workforce: 

  • Authorizes a 14.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers and a 4.5 percent pay raise for all other servicemembers, a move that will dramatically improve quality of life for the men and women of our armed forces and their families.
  • Contributes to better living conditions for servicemembers by broadening eligibility for the Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) – a supplemental monthly payment for qualifying service members on active duty – to 200% of federal poverty guidelines.
  • Improves investment in military facilities by setting a statutory minimum level of investment for each military department. This will ensure adequate maintenance, sustainment, restoration, and modernization.
  • Invests in unaccompanied military housing by adding $177 million in military construction design funds to accelerate replacement of poor and failing barracks.
  • Provides better recourse for servicemembers facing maintenance issues in barracks by requiring the Department of Defense (DoD) to provide a digital maintenance system to residents that allows them to submit maintenance work orders, similar to what is required of military family housing. It also requires DoD to develop and implement standard criteria for a digital facilities management system that will track individual facility maintenance conditions as well as required and planned maintenance actions at the individual building level.
  • Bridges the digital divide for servicemembers by requiring the Secretary of Defense to develop a policy for the military services to provide free internet to those living in barracks.
  • Fully funds childcare fee assistance programs, a move that will address wait lists for eligible families in need of fee assistance.
  • Improves access to childcare for servicemembers by authorizing $29.7 million to fund various Child Development Centers – including several across Virginia.
  • Provides additional support for the children of servicemembers in the exceptional family member program by requiring DoD to initiate a pilot program to establish inclusive playgrounds at military installations for children with special needs.

Strengthening our military:

  • Authorizes 14 military construction projects in Virginia, totaling more than $500 million. In Hampton Roads, that includes projects for the Navy at Little Creek, Oceana, Naval Station Norfolk, Yorktown, and Norfolk Naval Shipyard. It also includes a project for the Air Force at Langley-Eustis.
  • Authorizes five dedicated spending requests personally championed by Sen. Warner, which will help accelerate the construction timeline of the following projects, by moving them forward in the Navy’s annual construction plan:
    • $2.75 million for design of a Child Development Center (CDC) at JEB Little Creek-Ft Story
    • $5.68 million for design of a CDC at MCB Quantico
    • $4.08 million for design of a CDC at NAS Oceana
    • $1.2 million for design of a CDC at NS Norfolk
    • $16 million for design of unaccompanied housing at NAS Oceana.
  • Authorizes $33.5 billion in shipbuilding funding for the procurement of seven battle force ships, including one Virginia-class submarine, with incremental funding authority for a second ship and funding for additional material and support; and full funding of the Columbia class ballistic missile submarine program.

Strengthening our nation’s defense and cyber defense capabilities:

  • Requires the NSA Director to establish an Artificial Intelligence Security Center within the National Security Agency,which would promote secure artificial intelligence adoption practices for managers of national security systems and elements of the defense industrial base. It would also develop guidance to prevent or mitigate counter-artificial intelligence techniques.
  • Provides $17.5 billion for science and technology programs, including $100 million for research at HBCU and Minority Serving Institutions.
  • Requires measures to improve the cybersecurity of mobile devices used by DoD in order to mitigate cyberattack risks against mobile devices and other threats that could undermine national security and defense operations.
  • The bill includes a Warner-authored provision to require a pilot program proposal for a small modular reactor (SMR) on an installation of at least 60 megawatts of power. That proposal would be due to Congress by next June. 

Countering aggression by adversaries like Russia and China and strengthening democratic influence across the world:

  • Includes language require a multi-agency analysis of national security risks posed by CCP-linked drone companies. This language was based on legislation authored by Sen. Warner that he has pushed to restore American leadership in the drone industry and ensure that China can’t spy on Americans or otherwise disrupt key functions of drone technology.
  • Provides funding for the FCC’s Supply Chain Reimbursement Program. This program, based on Senator Warner’s United States 5G Leadership Act of 2019, provides important funding for telecommunications carriers, especially those carriers serving rural areas, to remove and replace dangerous PRC-sourced telecommunications network equipment. Sen. Warner has been a leading voice in Congress about the national security risks posed by PRC-controlled telecommunication companies. This  provision is estimated to deliver over $2.5 million in needed funding for local providers  in Virginia.
  • Authorizes a Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative, modeled after the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, to enable Taiwan to maintain sufficient self-defense capabilities consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act.
  • Requires the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), within 90 days of this bill’s enactment, to provide Congress with an assessment of the likely course of the war in Ukraine through December 31, 2025. The report must include information on the ability of Ukraine’s military to defend against Russian aggression if the United States continues or discontinues military and economic assistance; the ability and willingness of other countries to continue or discontinue military and economic assistance to Ukraine; and the impacts of Russia’s potential defeat of Ukraine on United States national security and foreign policy interests, including the potential for further aggression from Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.
  • Establishes a DNI and Secretary of Defense Working Group to identify and share lessons that the United States intelligence community has learned from the Ukraine conflict.
  • Includes a Warner and Kaine-led provision to codify the Sudan Special Envoy role for two years, and to provide additional support and resourcing for that office.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released a statement after the Senate approved the Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Year 2025 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), sending the legislation to the president’s desk for his signature. The IAA authorizes funding, provides legal authorities, and enhances congressional oversight of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC).

“The annual intelligence authorization bill helps ensure that intelligence agencies have the authorities and resources they need to protect against rapidly evolving conflicts and threats,” said Chairman Warner. “This year’s IAA enhances the IC’s ability to identify and counter emerging technological threats posed by adversarial nations, including foreign adversaries’ efforts to use and dominate areas like artificial intelligence and biotechnology. The IAA also improves engagement between the IC and the private sector, promotes designations of foreign ransomware organizations as hostile cyber actors and furthers the Committee’s efforts to ensure the IC can attract and expeditiously on-board a talented, diverse, and trusted workforce to meet the emerging challenges we face.”  

Background:

The IAA for Fiscal Year 2025 authorizes funding for the IC and ensures that it has the resources, personnel, and authorities it needs to protect our country and inform decision makers, while ensuring continued robust congressional oversight. The bill’s provisions focus on the following key areas:

  • Increases oversight of the national security threats posed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC), including its attempts to evade sanctions, as well as its military capabilities, and investments in, and attempts to dominate, supply chains. 
  • Enhances the IC’s ability to identify and counter adversary threats relating to biotechnologies, including by improving and modernizing the roles, missions, and objectives of the National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center and by standardizing the IC’s processes for collecting and analyzing biological data.  
  • Improves the IC’s response to foreign ransomware organizations, including by promoting the designation of leading ransomware groups as hostile foreign cyber actors.
  • Enhances policies relating to AI, including by establishing an AI Security Center within the National Security Agency to advance AI security research.
  • Expands the IC’s ability to procure, transition, and incorporate emerging technologies, including by enhancing public-private talent exchanges.
  • Increases the IC’s focus on the growing threats to the United States by ISIS and affiliated terrorist organizations.
  • Requires the Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence of the Department of Energy to advise National Laboratories regarding visitors and assignees who pose counterintelligence risks.
  • Builds upon the Committee’s efforts relating to energy security by requiring a strategy to improve information sharing between the IC and the private sector regarding foreign adversary-based threats to U.S. critical minerals and other energy-related projects abroad.
  • Requires the IC to conduct an assessment of the likely course of Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine, and the effects of Western support to Ukraine.
  • Requires the IC to conduct an assessment of the lessons learned by the IC with respect to the Israel-Hamas war.
  • Improves oversight related to the Western Hemisphere, specifically when it comes to national security implications of visa-free travel by certain foreign nationals.
  • Enhances insight into the Venezuela Maduro regime’s relationship with state sponsors of terrorism and foreign terrorist organizations.
  • Increases support for IC recruitment and integration.
  • Extends the requirement for annual reports on strikes against terrorist targets.
  • Requires a Government Accountability Office (GAO) review of the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office regarding unidentified anomalous phenomena reporting and Federal agency coordination.
  • Reforms management of controlled access programs to improve congressional oversight.
  • Maintains strong congressional oversight of and enhances protections for IC whistleblowers.

 

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded congressional passage of the S.4367, the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, which will help maintain clean drinking water across the country and includes key provisions to support the local oyster industry, strengthen Virginia’s coastal resiliency, improve recreational access to Virginia’s waterways, and encourage the dredging of the Chesapeake Bay to support tourism and recreation, among other Virginia priorities. The legislation now heads to President Biden to be signed into law.

“We’re proud that the legislation headed to the president’s desk provides funding and resources for water infrastructure projects across Virginia,” said the senators. “It includes key provisions to keep our communities healthy and safe and combat the effects of rising sea levels and increased flooding from significant weather events while investing in tourism, recreational development, and Virginia’s oyster industry.” 

Added the senators, “We are especially pleased that this bill will honor civil rights attorney Reuben Lawson’s legacy of social justice by renaming the federal building in Roanoke in his memory.”  

The legislation would help repair aging drinking water, wastewater, and irrigation systems across the country, in addition to supporting the following Virginia priorities:

  • Includes Warner and Kaine’s legislation to rename the federal courthouse in Roanoke the “Reuben E. Lawson Federal Building” in honor of the life and legacy of civil rights lawyer Reuben Lawson.
  • Increases the authorized funding levels for the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery Program from $100 million to $120 million.
  • Encourages shallow draft dredging in the Chesapeake Bay, which is critical for tourism, recreation, and the fishing industry.
  • Adds the City of Norfolk to the Temporary Relocation Assistance Pilot Program to boost the city’s climate resilience.
  • Authorizes the Army Corps to conduct a feasibility study on enhancing downstream recreation activities for Gathright Dam, Lake Moomaw, and the Jackson River in Alleghany County.
  • Authorizes $1.3 million for a wastewater infrastructure project in King William County.
  • Authorizes $1 million for wastewater infrastructure, environmental infrastructure, and water quality improvements in the vicinity of the Potomac River.
  • Greenlights proposed feasibility studies for projects at Cedarbush Creek in Gloucester County, Chickahominy River in James City County, Timberneck Creek in Gloucester County, York River in York County, and flood risk management in James City County. 
  • Expedites completion of maintenance dredging of the federally authorized navigation channels Parrotts Creek, Jackson Creek, and Horn Harbor, Va.
  • Expedites completion of a flood risk management study for the Kanawha River Basin in Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina.  
  • Establishes an expedited completion track for Virginia Beach Coastal Storm Risk Management Study.
  • Establishes an expedited completion track to modify the Norfolk Harbor Deepening and Widening Project to include Anchorage F.
  • Establishes an expedited completion track for and requires the federal government to pick up 90% of the cost of conducting a feasibility study to identify a potential secondary water source for the Virginia-DC-Maryland region.

 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Jim Risch (R-ID), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with U.S. Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE), Todd Young (R-IN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Mike Rounds (R-SD), wrote to President Biden, urging him to take more decisive action against foreign entities fueling the ongoing civil war in Sudan.

The violence in Sudan has led to a massive humanitarian crisis. Since the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began in April 2023, it’s estimated that the conflict has claimed the lives of tens of thousands to potentially over one hundred thousand individuals, and in the region, more than 25 million Sudanese are in need of immediate assistance. According to recent reporting, foreign entities, including those in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Russia, are providing a critical financial lifeline to the belligerents to the conflict and fueling the war. In their letter, the senators highlighted the administration’s current efforts to end this crisis, but stressed the need to do more regarding foreign influence in the war, specifically pointing to the role of illicit gold trading in financing the conflict.

The senators wrote, “We are deeply concerned that Sudan’s illicit gold trade enables lucrative revenue streams that perpetuate the documented atrocities and worsens the devastating humanitarian crisis in the country.  Sudan, one of Africa’s largest gold producers, has a gold industry worth billions of dollars. The RSF controls Sudan’s richest gold mines, including in Jebel Amir. Over the past decade, the RSF and its leader, Mohamed Hamdan (Hemedti) Dagalo, have established dominance over Sudan’s gold trade, using ‘front companies and banks based in Sudan and the UAE’  to finance weapons, propaganda, and alliances with armed groups. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has identified gold operations as ‘a vital source of revenue for the Dagalo family and the RSF.’ This revenue fuels violence, as documented by the United Nations.”

Detailing the involvement of the foreign countries in this illicit practice, the senators continued, “The UAE is a major hub for smuggled Sudanese gold entering global markets. Between 2012 and 2022, Emirati companies reportedly received over 2,500 tons of illicit African gold worth approximately $115 billion.  Sudan’s gold exports predominantly route to the UAE, but their true scale is obscured by significant smuggling and undervaluation. Despite its removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s “gray list” in February 2024, the UAE’s gold sector remains vulnerable to money laundering.  Reports have further linked Sudanese gold smuggled through the UAE to Russia’s Wagner Group, which uses these funds to support operations in Africa and Russia’s war in Ukraine, undermining international sanctions and exacerbating Sudan’s conflict.”

Sen. Warner has been a leading voice in the Senate about the need for increased diplomatic and humanitarian support for Sudan since the war erupted. In May 2023, Sen. Warner requested that the Biden administration issue a new Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Sudan, which was subsequently issued. Later that month, Sen. Warner urged the administration to offer all available support for humanitarian efforts in the region – and to be forward leaning on prioritizing local and community-based response efforts – and to appoint a Special Envoy to Sudan tasked with coordinating and leading U.S. diplomatic efforts to address the crisis. In December 2023, Sen. Warner continued public calls to the Biden administration to appoint a Special Envoy to Sudan, and former U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello was subsequently appointed to the position. Last month, Sen. Warner also joined Sens. Risch and Coons in introducing the Sudan Accountability Act. He has also continued his efforts to provide support to Sudan and the Sudanese diaspora, regularly communicating with Special Envoy Perriello, and meeting with the Sudanese community in Virginia.

A copy of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Mr. President,

We urge immediate action by your administration to target foreign external actors and foreign business entities fueling the gruesome atrocities in the Sudanese conflict, including those smuggling gold from Sudan to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other countries. We also urge your Administration to expeditiously coordinate with allies and partners to strengthen the international response to the conflict, including through multilateral investigations and sanctions, to ensure all responsible actors are held to account.

For over 19 months, fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has caused devastating harm to the Sudanese people.  The conflict in Sudan has claimed tens of thousands to potentially over one hundred thousand lives, with preventable diseases and starvation emerging as the leading causes of death from April 2023 to June 2024.  The violence has displaced more than 11 million people, leaving approximately 25 million people—half of Sudan’s population—in urgent need of food and critical assistance.  It has also fueled uncontrolled outbreaks of cholera, malaria, dengue fever, and other diseases. As U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield stated in September, millions of Sudanese are “on the verge of generational famine.”

We recognize the ongoing efforts of the United States, particularly the work of Special Envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello, to end the conflict, ensure humanitarian access, and hold the two warring parties and their supporters accountable. Specifically, we applaud your administration’s actions to designate SAF and RSF members to the Office of Foreign Asset Control’s (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals List, and to announce a blocked pending investigation action against seven UAE companies for potentially violating U.S. sanctions on Sudan.  However, the Administration must do more to hold to account not only the warring parties, but also external actors providing support to both sides of the conflict, including the UAE, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, as well as foreign business entities helping to finance both sides of the conflict.

For example, we are deeply concerned that Sudan’s illicit gold trade enables lucrative revenue streams that perpetuate the documented atrocities and worsens the devastating humanitarian crisis in the country.  Sudan, one of Africa’s largest gold producers, has a gold industry worth billions of dollars. The RSF controls Sudan’s richest gold mines, including in Jebel Amir. Over the past decade, the RSF and its leader, Mohamed Hamdan (Hemedti) Dagalo, have established dominance over Sudan’s gold trade, using “front companies and banks based in Sudan and the UAE”  to finance weapons, propaganda, and alliances with armed groups. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has identified gold operations as “a vital source of revenue for the Dagalo family and the RSF.” This revenue fuels violence, as documented by the United Nations. 

The UAE is a major hub for smuggled Sudanese gold entering global markets. Between 2012 and 2022, Emirati companies reportedly received over 2,500 tons of illicit African gold worth approximately $115 billion.  Sudan’s gold exports predominantly route to the UAE, but their true scale is obscured by significant smuggling and undervaluation. Despite its removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s “gray list” in February 2024, the UAE’s gold sector remains vulnerable to money laundering.  Reports have further linked Sudanese gold smuggled through the UAE to Russia’s Wagner Group, which uses these funds to support operations in Africa and Russia’s war in Ukraine, undermining international sanctions and exacerbating Sudan’s conflict.

We therefore urge your administration to expand efforts by OFAC to fully leverage existing executive authorities and congressionally authorized enforcement mechanisms to hold accountable individuals and entities destabilizing Sudan. More decisive action is needed to target the business entities and external actors fueling the conflict, particularly under the authority of Executive Order 14098 and the Global Magnitsky Act. In particular, the U.S. should identify any additional UAE entities violating U.S. sanctions relating to smuggling of gold and ensure those entities are held to account.

Finally, strengthening international coordination is essential to effectively implement and monitor investigations into the atrocities by both sides of the conflict and by external entities. We should also ensure multilateral and comprehensive sanctions against business entities supporting the conflict, including entities profiting from Sudan’s illicit gold smuggling. The United States must enhance diplomatic engagement with external actors enabling the conflict while taking concrete steps to dismantle the illegal financing and smuggling networks that sustain it.

In the final months of your administration, we look forward to working with you to enhance U.S. efforts to end the conflict in Sudan, address the humanitarian crisis, hold accountable those responsible for atrocities, and stop the actors fueling this crisis inside and outside Sudan.

Sincerely, 

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 WASHINGTON — Legislation introduced by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) to rename the Lynchburg VA Clinic after Private First Class Desmond T. Doss, a highly revered Medal of Honor recipient from Lynchburg who saved dozens of lives in World War II, passed the U.S. House of Representatives today in a voice vote and is now headed to the president’s desk for signature.

“Private First Class Desmond Doss was a true American hero. Renaming the Lynchburg VA Clinic after him is a fitting tribute to a man who demonstrated unwavering commitment to his fellow soldiers and to his country,” said the senators. “We are proud to see this legislation head to the president’s desk to be signed into law so that future generations of Virginians can be reminded of and inspired by Desmond Doss’ bravery and service.”

Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Private First Class Doss was inducted into the Army in April of 1942 following the attack on Pearl Harbor. As a Seventh-Day Adventist, Private First Class Doss could have tried to refuse enlistment on grounds of being a conscientious objector. Instead, he enlisted as a self-described “conscientious cooperator,” going on to pursue medical roles in the Army.

While serving with his platoon in 1944 in Guam and the Philippines, he was awarded two Bronze Star Medals for exceptional valor in aiding wounded soldiers under fire. Later on, during the Battle of Okinawa, he saved the lives of 75 wounded infantrymen atop the area known by the 96th Division as the Maeda Escarpment or Hacksaw Ridge – an act of heroism that earned him a Medal of Honor, awarded by President Harry Truman. Private First Class Doss was wounded four times in Okinawa, and was evacuated on May 21, 1945, aboard the USS Mercy and was brought to Hawaii.

The legislation to rename the local VA clinic previously passed the Senate in August with the support of a number of veterans organizations and groups, including: the Lynchburg Area Veterans Council Inc.; Salem VA Medical Center; American Legion Post 16; Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 196; Military Order of the Purple Heart, Chapter 1607; Marine Corps League Detachment 759; Military Order of the World Wars, Piedmont Chapter; Veterans of Foreign Wars, Desmond T. Doss Post 12179; the National Center for Healthy Veterans, Valor Farm; and Monument Terrace Troop Rally. The legislation was sponsored in the House by U.S. Rep. Bob Good (R-VA).

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded Senate passage of the Stop Campus Hazing Act, legislation they sponsored to improve the reporting and prevention of prevalent hazing on college campuses. Since 2000, there have been more than 50 hazing-related deaths on America’s college campuses, including that of Adam Oakes, a Virginia Commonwealth University student who died in a fraternity hazing incident in 2021.

“Our hearts are with the Oakes family, who lost their son Adam to a tragic incident of campus hazing in 2021,” said the senators. “No family should have to go through what they have been through. This law will improve transparency and accountability around incidents of campus hazing and hopefully help to prevent future tragedies like the one that claimed Adam Oakes’ life. We are proud to see it heading to the president’s desk.”

Specifically, the Stop Campus Hazing Act will:

  • Improve hazing reporting by requiring colleges to include hazing incidents in their Annual Security Report;
  • Prevent hazing by establishing campus-wide, research-based hazing education and prevention programs; and
  • Help students and their parents make informed decisions about joining organizations on campus by requiring colleges to publish on their websites the institution’s hazing prevention policies and the organizations that have violated them.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long worked to stop the scourge of hazing. The Stop Campus Hazing Act incorporates provisions from their Report and Educate About Campus Hazing (REACH) Act, legislation they introduced in 2022.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $32,557,965 for Virginia public schools to replace old, polluting school buses with new, zero-emission models. The funding is made possible by the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program, which was created through the Inflation Reduction Act, legislation strongly supported by Sens. Warner and Kaine.

“We’re thrilled to see this funding going towards ensuring that Virginia’s students are headed to school in new and nonpolluting school buses,” the senators said. “Laws like our Inflation Reduction Act and bipartisan infrastructure law continue to work together to make improvements that keep our air cleaner and our infrastructure stronger for generations to come.”

The funding is broken down as follows. Final project details and funding amounts may change as schools finalize their project needs:

  • $16,722,965 for Roanoke City Public Schools to replace 50 school buses.
  • $12,900,000 for Fairfax County Public Schools to replace 43 school buses.
  • $2,935,000 for Henrico County Public Schools to replace 10 school buses.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have strong records supporting federal funding for upgrades to school buses and other infrastructure across Virginia. The senators’ bipartisan infrastructure law awarded a historic $5 billion for school bus upgrades across the country, with about half of awards still to come. Through that law and additional federal grant programs, the senators have previously announced awards to upgrade hundreds of school buses across several school districts in Virginia. They have also announced significant funding to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the Commonwealth.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $1,300,000 in federal funding to assess damages and make plans to restore outdoor recreation sites impacted by Hurricane Helene. The funding will evaluate sites across 17 counties and four independent cities, including the Creeper Trail, the Clinch and New River boat ramps, and other key trails, campgrounds, parks, bridges, and trestles. 

“Virginia’s parks, trails, and public spaces make our Commonwealth beautiful and contribute immeasurably to local economies,” the senators said. “We’re glad that this federal funding is going towards assessing the terrible damage inflicted by Hurricane Helene. We’re also pushing as hard as we can for a full disaster aid bill to fund additional projects to restore our parks and public spaces and meet the many additional needs of impacted communities across Southwest Virginia.”

Many outdoor recreation sites were severely damaged during the flooding from Hurricane Helene, which has suppressed tourism and other critical economic development projects for local economies across Southwest Virginia. This funding will go towards assessing damages in Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe counties, as well as the independent cities of Bristol, Galax, Norton, and Radford.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have been staunch advocates for Virginians affected by Hurricane Helene. Sen. Warner recently celebrated passage of legislation he cosponsored to get a tax break for Southwest Virginians impacted by Hurricane Helene. Sen. Warner also led a bipartisan and bicameral group of colleagues in sending a letter, which Sen. Kaine signed, calling on congressional leadership to ensure that any supplemental appropriations bill responding to recent natural disasters include substantial funding for the agencies that manage public lands, including the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the National Park Service (NPS). Sen. Warner also raised the alarm about the need to allow the U.S. Small Business Administration to continue paying out disaster assistance loans to small businesses, and Sens. Warner and Kaine pushed for a full supplemental package to meet the needs of impacted communities across the country. Together, Sens. Warner and Kaine have directly pushed on Senate leadership to pass this disaster supplemental as soon as possible. At the outset of the flooding, Sens. Warner and Kaine also urged President Biden to declare both an Emergency Declaration and an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for Virginia. Sens. Warner and Kaine met with Virginians impacted by Hurricane Helene in Southwest Virginia to tour damage and discuss federal support.

The funding is made possible by the Appalachian Regional Commission, a federal agency that focuses on the 423 counties across the Appalachian region.

 

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), John Thune (R-SD), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Todd Young (R-IN) today applauded the passage of two bills to protect the privacy of Americans and remove burdensome health care reporting requirements by allowing certain communications to be filed electronically.

“Health care for Americans has only gotten better and more accessible since the passage of the Affordable Care Act — just ask anyone who faced lifetime limits or was denied insurance because of a pre-existing condition. These two pieces of legislation will make needed adjustments to modernize and streamline ACA reporting requirements to ensure that they don’t needlessly compromise the privacy of Americans or get in the way of their access to health care. I’m proud to have introduced these pieces of legislation and look forward to seeing them signed by President Biden,” said Sen. Warner.

“Small businesses in South Dakota and across the country have been forced to comply with overly burdensome administrative requirements from the Affordable Care Act,” said Sen. Thune. “These bills would eliminate convoluted paperwork and streamline the current reporting requirements to ensure businesses can focus their resources on serving their customers and employees.”

“Employers shouldn’t have to jump through unnecessary hoops to provide health care coverage for their employees,” said Sen. Cortez Masto. “These bills provide flexibility to employers, streamline health insurance reporting, and make communication more secure for employees and employers alike. I urge the president to sign them into law as soon as possible.”

“Under current law, overreaching compliance requirements create uncertainty and stress for employers in Indiana and across the nation. Our bipartisan bills will help reduce these unnecessary burdens and increase efficiency,” said Sen. Young.

The Employer Reporting Improvement Act will protect Americans’ privacy and ease compliance burdens on employers. Among other steps, it will modernize communication by allowing employers to electronically file certain documents. It will also protect privacy by clarifying that the IRS can accept full names and dates of birth in lieu of dependents’ and spouses’ Social Security numbers. In addition, it will ease compliance burdens by extending the time period (from 30 days to 90 days) during which an applicable large employer can appeal a penalty for not offering adequate, affordable health insurance to all full-time employees. Finally, it will enact a six-year statute of limitations for the IRS to levy penalties under the Employer Shared Responsibility provision of the ACA.

The Paperwork Burden Reduction Act will reduce the number of physical forms that employers have to mail to employees as part of complying with the ACA. Currently, employers and health insurance providers that provide minimum essential coverage must report this information to the IRS for each covered individual and provide a copy of this information to the covered individual (through 1095-B or 1095-C tax forms, depending on the coverage type) by January 31 of each year. Current IRS regulations allow employers to provide only 1095-B forms electronically. The Paperwork Burden Reduction Act will codify the current IRS policy by allowing the 1095-B to be provided electronically and would extend this to 1095-C, limiting unnecessary physical paperwork.

The Employer Reporting Improvement Act and the Paperwork Burden Reduction Act were approved by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year and now head to President Biden’s desk for his signature.

Full text of the Employer Reporting Improvement Act is available here. Full text of the Paperwork Burden Reduction Act is available here. 

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WASHINGTON – Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement after FBI Director Christopher Wray announced his intent to step down:

“As the FBI’s leader, Chris Wray has always prioritized the mission of the FBI over politics. Throughout his tenure as Director, he has worked to ensure that the Bureau remains independent and focused on its essential responsibilities to protect the American people and uphold the rule of law.

“While I’m disappointed that he will be stepping down before completing his 10-year term, I understand that Director Wray is simply trying to do what he has always done – which is act with integrity – and I thank him for the principled leadership he brought to the FBI and for his service to the country.

“As we look ahead to the process of confirming a new leader for the FBI, it is essential that the next Director be someone who shares Director Wray’s commitment to fairness, transparency, and the rule of law, so that the men and women of the FBI can continue their vital work safeguarding national security, fighting crime, and ensuring justice for all."

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce has signed a preliminary agreement for up to $275 million in federal funding for Micron Technology to expand and modernize its manufacturing facility in Manassas, Va. The funding is the result of bipartisan legislation Warner wrote and successfully passed into law over many years to expand American production of semiconductor chips.

“I am proud to announce that $275 million should soon be headed to Virginia for Micron Technology to manufacture more cutting-edge semiconductors here in Virginia,” said Sen. Warner, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. “Making more of these chips in America will strengthen our national security and create jobs, which is why I pushed to pass this funding through Congress, why I am working with Micron and the Biden administration to secure this investment in Virginia, and why I’m going to be making the case to the incoming administration that we need to keep investing in domestic manufacturing of critical and emerging technologies like semiconductors.” 

Nearly everything that has an “on” switch – from cars to phones to washing machines to ATMs to electric toothbrushes – contains a semiconductor, but just a small percentage of these ‘chips’ are currently made in America. Sen. Warner first introduced the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) for America Act to restore semiconductor manufacturing back to American soil in 2020, and 2022, Congress passed into law the CHIPS and Science Act, which included billions in funding championed by Sen. Warner to implement the law he wrote to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing.

As a result, the Department of Commerce has signed a Preliminary Memorandum of Terms (PMT) with Micron Technology for up to $275 million in proposed funding to expand and modernize its facility in Manassas. The proposed project would onshore Micron’s 1-alpha technology to its Manassas facility, significantly increasing output of more efficient, more powerful chips. Micron’s project in Manassas would create over 400 manufacturing jobs and up to 2700 community jobs at the peak of the project. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement on Open AI’s new safeguards against malicious misuse of their artificial intelligence products: 

“I’m pleased to see OpenAI heed my call for additional safeguards as it releases powerful new features like video generation – including specific measures I have advocated for, including adding new detection mechanisms for violative outputs, clear mechanisms to identify and catalogue synthetic content, and public-facing reporting mechanisms for victims of impersonation campaigns and other Terms of Service violations to seek redress. Ultimately the efficacy of these new policies will be measured in the kinds of resources OpenAI invests in enforcing them, but I appreciate these new steps.”

 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD BROADCAST-QUALITY PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO FROM SEN. WARNER'S TREE DECORATION  

SANTA’S WORKSHOP – Consider the Senate halls decked! Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) welcomed 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students from Weyanoke Elementary in Fairfax County to his Capitol Hill office to kick off the holiday season with carols, milk and cookies, and decoration of the office Christmas tree. This year’s tree, a 14-foot Fraser fir, is from Mt. Rogers Tree Farm in Grayson County, Va.

Students helped Sen. Warner decorate his tree with handmade ornaments while serenading members of his staff with classic carols such as “Jingle Bells.” 

“This is one of my favorite events of the year,” Sen. Warner said. “As we head into the holiday season, meeting and celebrating with these kids is a great reminder of why I do this job.”

Sen. Warner has hosted students from across the Commonwealth to help him get in the holiday spirit nearly every year since taking office in 2009. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) applauded the congressional passage of legislation he cosponsored to provide tax relief for individuals affected by storms in Southwest Virginia.

“Since my time as governor of the Commonwealth, I’ve fought for the people of Southwest Virginia, who are too often overlooked. I’m proud to see the full Congress vote to approve legislation I cosponsored to provide tax relief for those struggling under the weight of Hurricane Helene’s devastation. I will keep doing everything I can at the federal level to pass a full disaster relief package and support Southwest Virginians affected by severe weather events,” said Sen. Warner.

Specifically, the provision cosponsored by Sen. Warner would allow taxpayers to fully deduct qualified disaster casualty losses that exceed $500 and are attributable to federally-declared disasters beginning on January 1, 2020 and ending 60 days following the date of enactment.

In Southwest Virginia, many families affected by Hurricane Helene are facing massive out-of-pocket costs due to not having flood insurance or adequate homeowner’s insurance. This measure will provide needed assistance to those families in particular, allowing them to deduct nearly the full cost of those losses from their taxes and receive speedy assistance in the form of larger refunds during tax season. Currently, taxpayers can deduct losses only when those combined losses exceed 10 percent of the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income.

The Warner-sponsored provision passed as part of a broader tax package designed to provide tax relief for Americans impacted by recent natural disasters, including various hurricanes and wildfires. This package now heads to the President’s desk for his signature.

Sen. Warner has been a staunch advocate for Virginians affected by Hurricane Helene. Most recently, he led a bipartisan and bicameral group of colleagues in calling on congressional leadership to ensure that any supplemental appropriations bill responding to recent natural disasters include substantial funding for the agencies that manage public lands, including the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the National Park Service (NPS). He has also raised the alarm about the need to allow the U.S. Small Business Administration to continue paying out disaster assistance loans to small businesses, and pushed for a full supplemental package to meet the needs of impacted communities across the country. In November, Sen. Warner also spoke on the Senate floor about his visit to Damascus, a community along the heavily-impacted Creeper Trail, and the long road to recovery to get the trail operational and support the communities and businesses that rely on it.

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WASHINGTON –  Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a former fair housing lawyer, (both D-VA) announced $1,450,000 in federal funding to address lead-based paint hazards in homes across Virginia. Many older homes still have lead-based paint on walls, which is dangerous when it peels and chips. Young children are most susceptible to lead poisoning and can face long-term developmental delays if exposed. The funding is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program, which provides federal funding to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in eligible homes.

“Lead poisoning can pose long-term health issues for those exposed,” the senators said. “This funding will help to protect Virginians from lead-based hazards and help ensure they have safe housing.”

The funding is broken down as follows:

  • $750,000 for the City of Roanoke.
  • $700,000 for the Commonwealth of Virginia. This funding will be distributed across Virginia by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s Lead Hazard Reduction Program.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long advocated for safe, affordable housing for Virginia families. This funding builds on the $11.6 million in federal funding the senators announced in October to address this issue. Earlier this year, the senators announced over $98 million in federal funding for affordable housing, community development, and homelessness assistance and over $55 million in federal funding for improvements to affordable housing across the Commonwealth. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Jim Risch (R-ID) introduced a resolution in the Senate to designate today, December 2, 2024, as World Nuclear Energy Day. The resolution celebrates the peaceful development of nuclear energy technology and underscores the vital role of nuclear power in strengthening the U.S. economy and supporting a reliable energy grid worldwide.

“Nuclear energy is critical to meeting U.S. and global energy demands,” Sen. Warner said. “I’m proud to celebrate World Nuclear Energy Day with my co-chair Sen. Risch to celebrate the advancement of the U.S. nuclear energy industry and highlight the importance of building on the progress we have made.”

“Enthusiasm for nuclear energy is at an all-time high, and we must keep this momentum going,” Sen. Risch said. “I’m proud to celebrate World Nuclear Energy Day with Senator Warner and acknowledge the incredible advancements the United States, and particularly the Idaho National Lab, have made to maintain our global leadership in nuclear energy.”

Sens. Warner and Risch are joined by U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo (R-ID), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mike Braun (R-IN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Joe Manchin (I-WV), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) in introducing the resolution.

Historically, December 2 marks two significant turning points in the advancement of nuclear energy:

  • December 2, 1942 – the world’s first self-sustaining, controlled nuclear chain reaction was demonstrated.
  • December 2, 1957 – the world’s first commercial nuclear power plant began operations in the United States.

The Senate Advanced Nuclear Caucus amplifies the critical role nuclear energy plays in the United States, explores emerging nuclear technologies, and promotes the goals and priorities of the U.S. nuclear industry.

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Washington — Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-NC), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) in sending a letter to Senate leadership urging both chambers of Congress to bring a robust supplemental appropriations bill to the floor during the first week of December to provide relief to those impacted by Hurricanes Helen and Milton.

“As Senators representing states that were devastated by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, we urge you to swiftly respond to the Biden Administration’s supplemental funding request. The Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) request for $98 billion in supplemental disaster appropriations is an important first step toward securing the assistance our communities need,” they wrote.  “We are encouraged that the Senate Committee on Appropriations held a hearing with key federal agencies on November 20th to review disaster funding needs. The message was clear: disaster relief cannot wait any longer. We urge you to bring a robust supplemental appropriations bill to the floor the first week of December.”

“Across the Southeastern United States, Hurricane Helene is estimated to have caused $250 billion in damages, and Hurricane Milton is expected to have caused $50 billion in damages. Tragically, approximately 261 people lost their lives as a result of both hurricanes…Our constituents need immediate help as they work to rebuild their homes and communities. We have delayed too long already. We therefore request that Congress act immediately to provide for those in need. We stand ready to pass a supplemental disaster relief bill the first week of December,” they continued. 

Warner and Kaine have continuously advocated for Virginians to receive full access to the resources they need to recover from Hurricane Helene. They successfully advocated for President Biden to declare both an Emergency Declaration and an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for Virginia. Earlier this month, Warner and Kaine joined a bipartisan, bicameral group of colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden requesting the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) send the supplemental appropriation request to Congress to support communities that were devastated after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Following their request, President Biden sent a $98 billion in supplemental disaster appropriations request to Congress. That request was revised to include funding to address recovery efforts on Virginia’s public lands. In October, they also sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra urging continued action to address the critical intravenous (IV) fluid shortage affecting hospitals across the nation. This shortage was caused by the temporary closure of Baxter International's manufacturing plant in North Carolina due to flooding from the hurricane. Earlier this week, Kaine reintroduced the Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Actlegislation that would streamline the housing assistance process to make it easier for people in communities affected by natural disasters to access financial support.

Full text of the letter is available here

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) led a bipartisan, bicameral group of colleagues in sending a letter to congressional leadership requesting that any supplemental appropriations bill responding to recent natural disasters, including Hurricane Helene, include substantial funding for the agencies that manage public lands, including the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the National Park Service (NPS). 

“When Hurricane Helene brought torrential rainfall and severe winds through our states in late September, catastrophic flooding resulted in hundreds of deaths and billions of dollars in damage,” the lawmakers wrote. “Homes, businesses, and livelihoods were devastated as many communities were left without power, potable water, and cell service – some remain without these critical resources to this day. While thousands of our constituents are beginning to rebuild their lives, many of these communities are simultaneously contending with the fallout that large segments of federally owned public lands that anchor these local economies are closed, not fully opened, or are simply inaccessible to visitors due to Hurricane Helene’s destruction.” 

In addition to Warner and Tillis, the letter was signed by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Ted Budd (R-NC) and U.S. Reps. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Virginia Foxx (R-NC.) 

The lawmakers continued, “Public lands are critical economic engines for many of our communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. For example, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the most visited national park in the U.S. which spans 469 miles through Southwest Virginia and North Carolina, serves as the primary driver of economic activity for many of the communities in Helene’s path. In 2023, the Parkway saw over 16.7 million visitors who spent nearly $1.4 billion in surrounding communities. Visitor spending connected to the Parkway supports over 19,000 jobs in communities throughout Virginia and North Carolina and results in a cumulative economic impact of $1.8 billion to local economies. Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic damage to the Blue Ridge Parkway that has resulted in indefinite closures of large segments of the roadway and many trails and historical sites. Substantial federal funding is needed for the Parkway to rebuild its infrastructure to support the millions of visitors the park hosts each year, which supports dozens of Appalachian communities.” 

Sen. Warner has been vocal about the need for federal resources to support recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene. Last week, he welcomed the Biden administration’s request for disaster relief funding, but highlighted the need for additional funding for public lands like the Creeper Trail in Southwest Virginia. Immediately following Hurricane Helene, Sen. Warner, joined by Sen. Kaine and Rep. Griffith, urged President Biden to declare both an Emergency Declaration and an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for Virginia, which opened various avenues for financial and physical assistance to help the region recover. Sens. Warner and Tillis, as well as Sen. Kaine, also joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in calling for a bipartisan appropriations package to meet the needs of Virginians and the millions of Americans affected by the storm.

Full text of the letter is available here.

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

“This agreement to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has killed thousands of people, is a welcome development for the region and should increase pressure on Hamas to reach a cease-fire agreement to end the fighting and destruction in the Gaza Strip, which has already claimed so many innocent lives. I applaud diplomatic efforts by the Biden administration and other international partners over many months in helping to reach this point.”

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