WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s executive order to attack the federal workforce, including by weakening protections for federal workers that will make it easier to carry out politically-motivated mass firings and imposing an across-the-board government hiring freeze:

“It’s in the best interest of our national security and the quality of the services Americans rely on—including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food inspections, and natural disaster relief programs—that our federal workforce is hired based on experience and expertise, and receives the support needed to effectively deliver. Donald Trump’s executive order is designed to starve and undermine the federal workforce and shows he is prioritizing his obsession with yes-men over the well-being of the American people and workers. We appreciate the steps the Biden Administration took to complicate Trump’s ability to put this order into motion and will continue to push for our legislation to halt it altogether.”

In April 2024, the Biden Administration issued a new rule—which mirrored the Saving the Civil Service Act championed by the senators—to protect federal workers from being reclassified outside of merit system principles, in keeping with congressional intent over many decades. In order to formally undo that rule and put in place Trump’s order, the Trump Administration will have to undergo a months-long review process, which will include a public comment period. Failing to properly undergo this thorough process will prompt legal action.

The senators reintroduced the Saving the Civil Service Act last week and will continue to push for its passage to codify the protections outlined in the Biden Administration’s rule into federal statute, which will make the protections more difficult to overturn.

The federal workforce is comprised of roughly 2 million federal employees hired on the basis of their acumen, and they work each day for the American people—serving in myriad capacities to improve this nation and America’s posture abroad.  These impartial civil servants research vaccines, help families in the wake of hurricanes and deadly fires, administer retirement and health benefits, inspect our food to ensure it is free of disease, and more.

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U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, urged the leaders of federal departments and agencies to promote data collection and transparency around their adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). In a series of letters to 23 department and agency heads, he emphasized the critical importance of collecting data on AI’s impacts promoting productivity and improving government outcomes, and he posed a series of questions about how agencies are making decisions that weigh the benefits and risks of the technology alongside the experiences of federal employees.

AI is having a profound impact on the workforce across both public and private sectors, often allowing workers to complete tasks more efficiently and cost-effectively. In Fiscal Year 2022, 20 of 23 federal agencies reported almost 1,200 current and planned AI use cases. However, agencies haven’t been forthcoming with data on how AI has changed outcomes for federal agencies, or how data is being used to inform future decision-making.

The letter highlights several of these potential and actual use cases, saying, “Per the AI case use inventory, the utilization of artificial intelligence across federal departments and agencies has allowed the federal workforce and contractors to work efficiently and creatively – improving government operations and delivering better results for the American people. These examples include the Social Security Administration using AI to expedite determinations for disability benefits, the Department of Veterans Affairs utilizing AI to capture trends and facilitate processing of veteran feedback, and the Department of Justice applying AI to accurately identify and process threat tips.”

In the letter, Sen. Warner stressed the urgent need for departments and agencies to release data on their AI adoption, so they can implement best practices and work to deliver better results for the American people. It also asks how feedback from federal employees and contractors is being considered to make decisions that best support both workers and outcomes.

“While government-sourced, publicly-available information provides sector or task-specific summaries of how the aforementioned federal departments and agencies are adopting artificial intelligence, I am concerned about the limitations of this information with respect to the broader adoption at scale of AI in the federal government, including the need for measurable data and conclusive assessments on how individual AI use cases are enhancing the missions of federal departments and agencies,” Sen. Warner continued. Establishing data collection standards that track the progress of AI’s adoption in the federal government will help better understand the state of integration, assess its effectiveness, implications, and appropriate usages, and guide the direction of future adoption plans.”

Sens. Warner sent the letter to the following federal departments and agencies: The Departments of: Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor, State, Interior, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, and the Environmental Protection Agency, the General Services Administration, NASA, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the National Science Foundation, the Small Business Administration, the Social Security Administration, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.   

Sen. Warner, a former tech entrepreneur and Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, has been a longtime leader on AI-related issues, particularly within the federal government. He led bipartisan legislation to help the federal government mitigate risks associated with AI while still being able to benefit from this emerging technology. In May 2024, he introduced bipartisan legislation to improve the tracking and processing of security and safety incidents and risks associated with AI, including through improving information sharing between the federal government and private companies. He also has repeatedly pushed on companies to keep their promises to promote security and safety throughout the rollout of novel AI technologies.

A copy of the letter is available here and below:

I write to you today regarding your agency’s utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) systems and enabled technologies and request information on your department or agency’s use of those systems and technologies. I request sufficient information to understand the purposes to which your department or agency uses those systems, the analyses of the possible and actual uses of AI applications by your department or agency, and the metrics by which your department or agency evaluates the use of those systems, including by federal workers and contractors.

In a world where we are still working to understand the full capabilities and impact of advancements in artificial intelligence, it is critical that the federal government lead in data collection and evidence-based decision-making in the adoption of these technologies. In that same vein, the adoption of AI tools by the federal government should be based on measurable outcomes, such as productivity gains.

The use of artificial intelligence across various occupations and industries is transforming the labor market and impacting the global economy broadly. More specifically, the application of AI in the workforce has yielded promising results, including the potential for increased worker productivity. In many instances, artificial intelligence has allowed for tasks to be completed faster and more efficiently, allowing workers to focus on high-value responsibilities and expanding their range of work.

The private sector, particularly innovative artificial intelligence companies and the businesses that use their products, are leading the charge in measuring and providing real-time dynamic data on the impact of artificial intelligence technologies on their workforce and worker productivity. This data includes, but is not limited to, specific measurements on how AI has led to time-saved on specific tasks, production volume, improving error rates, and customer satisfaction. These metrics and subsequent analyses are useful in evaluating the impact and value of artificial intelligence.

As of the 118^th Congress, the federal government employs over 2 million individuals, with the Commonwealth of Virginia holding the third-largest constituency of federal civilian employees. For FY2024, the federal government executed over 104 million contracts, similarly employing, directly and indirectly, individuals to carry out the missions of federal departments and agencies. These public servants perform essential work for our country, and as detailed below, some of their work is complemented by and supplemented through the integration of artificial intelligence systems and technologies.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) demonstrated that in FY2022, twenty of 23 agencies reported about 1,200 current and planned artificial intelligence use cases. Per the AI case use inventory, the utilization of artificial intelligence across federal departments and agencies has allowed the federal workforce and contractors to work efficiently and creatively – improving government operations and delivering better results for the American people. These examples include the Social Security Administration using AI to expedite determinations for disability benefits, the Department of Veterans Affairs utilizing AI to capture trends and facilitate processing of veteran feedback, and the Department of Justice applying AI to accurately identify and process threat tips. The use case inventory applies the definition of artificial intelligence as provided in Section 238(g) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019.

While government-sourced, publicly-available information provides sector or task-specific summaries of how the aforementioned federal departments and agencies are adopting artificial intelligence, I am concerned about the limitations of this information with respect to the broader adoption at scale of AI in the federal government, including the need for measurable data and conclusive assessments on how individual AI use cases are enhancing the missions of federal departments and agencies. Establishing data collection standards that track the progress of AI’s adoption in the federal government will help better understand the state of integration, assess its effectiveness, implications, and appropriate usages, and guide the direction of future adoption plans.

As such, I respectfully request that you respond to this letter with detailed answers to the following questions by January 17, 2025: 

• Does your department or agency utilize AI?
  • If yes, please provide a high-level summary of the utilization of AI, including uses by administrative or operational units of your department or agency.
  • If no, please detail how your department or agency reached the decision to not utilize AI.
• How does your department or agency identify uses cases, needs, or other instances in which it deems the use of AI to be appropriate? Please describe in detail the decision-making process that your department or agency has, does, or plans to undertake when determining if the use of AI is appropriate.
• Regarding future or planned uses of AI, how does your department or agency incorporate data collection and identify measurable outcomes when determining if the use of AI is appropriate? What metrics does your department or agency use when determining the appropriateness of AI?
• Regarding current uses of AI, how does your department or agency incorporate data collection and identify measurable outcomes when determining if the use of AI is productive or effective? What metrics does your department or agency utilize when determining the productivity or effectiveness of current AI applications? How do these metrics and data collection guide decision-making on future applications of AI?
• Does your department or agency measure worker productivity or productivity gains as a result of the application of AI?
  • If yes, please detail how your agency measures worker productivity. How does this guide your department or agency’s decision-making on future applications of AI?
  • If no, please detail why your agency does not measure this.
• Please describe in detail the process that your department or agency uses to solicit input or feedback from the federal workers or the contractors who will be directly utilizing the planned AI technology.
• When determining if the use of AI by your department or agency is appropriate, please describe in detail how your department or agency considers the need for additional training for the federal workers and contractors who will be directly applying the AI technology as part of their job duties and responsibilities.
• If your department or agency is utilizing AI, please describe in detail how those uses inform your department or agency’s considerations on adjusting mission approach or allocating tasks among the department or agency’s workforce, including, but not limited to, adjusting job responsibilities, daily tasks, or team compositions?

I appreciate your thoughtful consideration of this matter and look forward to your response.

WASHINGTON –  Today, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angus I. King (I-ME), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Peter Welch (D-VT) unveiled an amendment to the Laken Riley Act to improve the ability of the legislation to protect our communities.

This amendment would ensure that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers can use their limited time and detention facilities to detain truly dangerous individuals who pose an immediate risk to the public. The senators’ amendment would help improve the Laken Riley Act by ensuring that only those undocumented individuals who are found guilty of a crime—or have been charged with, or arrested for, a crime and failed to appear for court appointments—will be detained under this bill.

“Laken Riley should be here today, and my heart goes out to her family and loved ones. It’s clear that we need to take steps to reform our broken immigration system — and that includes enforcement,” said Sen. Warner. “I’m proud to introduce this amendment to help strengthen public safety and improve the Laken Riley Act to make sure we dedicate our resources to getting dangerous individuals off our streets.” 

“My thoughts are with Laken Riley’s family in the wake of her horrific murder. Americans have a right to be safe in their communities and—for many reasons—deserve commonsense steps to fix our broken immigration system,” said Sen. Kaine. “But in its current form, I have serious concerns that the Laken Riley Act—which did not receive a single hearing or vote from its committee of jurisdiction in the Senate—will burden our law enforcement officers in a way that will make it impossible to get truly dangerous individuals off the street and ultimately make Virginians less safe. I’m glad to have worked with my colleagues on this amendment to try to fix that, and urge Senate leadership to put it up for a vote.”

“The murder of Laken Riley was horrific, and my prayers are with her family and loved ones. I have always been supportive of immigration policies that are tough, fair, and keep Americans safe. It's why I voted for the bipartisan border security agreement last year,” said Sen. Luján. “But this legislation as it stands would divert resources from serious threats, risk abuse by the incoming administration, endanger DACA holders, and cost American taxpayers billions. That’s why I’m joining my colleagues to introduce this amendment to strengthen the bill, and I urge Senate leadership to consider it for a vote.”

“Mandatory lockup of adults who are convicted of a crime and pose a threat to the community or a flight risk makes a lot of sense. But mandatory lockups of children accused of minor offenses? Permanent imprisonment of kids accused of stealing lollipops? This is twisted. And super damaging to the children. The Kaine amendment strikes the right balance for community safety,” said Sen. Merkley. 

“Laken Riley’s tragic murder should never have occurred, and while our thoughts continue to be with her loved ones, the Laken Riley Act is a bipartisan attempt to help prevent future tragedies. For too long, Congress has failed to address our broken immigration system and border security. I was deeply disappointed when last year’s bipartisan border security agreement failed because it would have increased protections at the border and stemmed the flow of fentanyl into the United States. That’s why I voted to proceed with consideration of the Laken Riley Act and why I’m proud to help introduce this amendment to strengthen the bill. Our amendment would improve our enforcement mechanisms to better ensure we can keep offenders off the streets and strengthen public safety,” said Sen. Shaheen.

“We must keep our communities safe and prioritize the detention of violent offenders. I support Senator Kaine’s amendment because it directly addresses the circumstances that led to the terrible murder of Laken Riley, without creating a system that diverts resources away from the detention of violent offenders. If Republicans are serious about working with us to improve public safety, they will help ensure this amendment – which would improve the bill significantly – is considered and passed,” said Sen. Van Hollen.

“Laken Riley’s murder was heartbreaking, and my thoughts go out to her family and loved ones. Democrats believe we need serious reform on immigration, and that includes enforcement. But this bill has significant problems, and that’s why we’re partnering together to bring commonsense, pragmatic changes through the amendment process. This bill, in its current form, includes no requirement that a person be convicted of a property offense before they are held indefinitely, which diminishes due process. It grants unprecedented power to state attorneys general to control our immigration system and threatens to overwhelm our federal courts. And it also puts children in danger of mandatory detention,” said Sen. Welch. “I believe our amendment to fix the issues outlined is fair and strengthens the Laken Riley Act. It should earn quick bipartisan support, and I urge my colleagues in Senate Leadership to bring it up for a vote on the Senate floor.” 

Full text of the amendment is available here. A one page summary of the amendment is available here.

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WASHINGTON, – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $19,886,658 in federal funding for the University of Virginia’s College at Wise in conjunction with the University of Virginia and key partners in the region to enhance resilient infrastructure and help lower energy costs for communities in Southwest Virginia. This funding was awarded through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant Program, which was created by the Inflation Reduction Act that both senators cast a deciding vote for.

“Resiliency and energy efficiency are crucial ways to make our communities more safe while also lowering costs,” the senators said. “We’re glad this funding, which was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, will help advance those goals in Southwest Virginia and address important community needs.”

This funding will implement Climate Resilience Planning in 10 communities throughout Southwest Virginia and fund resilient affordable housing, electric vehicle charging stations, energy-efficient and carbon-neutral child care and workforce training, and resilient gathering spaces that double as community capacity building spaces and health care access points. The projects receiving this funding are expected to mitigate over 40,000 metric tons of CO2 in the next 25 years and save child care centers over $50,000 in energy costs, allowing more funding to be directed toward child care worker salaries.

$13,305,591 of the $19,886,658 announced today will be allocated as follows:

• $4,594,245 for United Way of Southwest Virginia to improve energy efficiency at care centers, including through solar installation and upgrades to child care facilities, outdoor classrooms, and other initiatives.
• $1,757,708 for Dickenson County to build a resilience hub in the Town of Haysi outside of the floodplain. This project includes engineering and architectural design and permits, construction of the facility, and the installation of an EV fast charger.
• $4,847,841 for Buchanan County to build housing in Southern Gap outside of the floodplain. This project includes construction of water, sewer, power and telecommunications infrastructure; interior roadways and walkways; two single family dwelling units; multi-family town house rental units; and an EV charging station at the Regional Office Park Office Building.
• $132,000 for Virginia Tech for a community engagement project on resilience strategic planning. This community-based resilience planning process involves the University of Virginia’s Resilience Adaptation Feasibility Tool (RAFT), which helps climate planners and localities pinpoint and evaluate environmental risks, including drought, flooding, and extreme weather, in different communities.
• $1,973,797 for James Madison University to advance energy career development.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long supported efforts to expand and promote energy infrastructure throughout the Commonwealth. Earlier this week, Warner and Kaine announced over $10 million in federal funding for electric vehicle charging ports in Virginia.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) have urged the Biden administration to immediately re-designate or extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to the maximum extent allowable under the law for all eligible countries. The senators commended President Biden’s recent action to extend status for El Salvador, Venezuela, Sudan, and Ukraine, while stressing the need to extend these benefits to all remaining eligible TPS countries as the current administration winds down.

TPS provides protection to foreign nationals in the United States whose home countries are experiencing temporary and extraordinary conditions, including armed conflict, natural disasters, and other extraordinary conditions that render return unsafe. Currently, 17 countries have TPS designations, and as of September 30, 2024 nearly 1.1 million foreign nationals were protected by TPS, living in all 50 states, territories, and the District of Columbia.

In the Commonwealth, 28,225 people are living under TPS: 545 individuals from Afghanistan, 95 from Burma, 95 from Cameroon, 15,485 from El Salvador, 445 from Ethiopia, 1,340 from Haiti, 2,720 from Honduras, 325 from Nepal, 60 from Nicaragua, 20 from Somalia, 25 from South Sudan, 165 from Sudan, 170 from Syria, 895 from Ukraine, 5,700 from Venezuela, and 135 individuals from Yemen.

Highlighting the importance of the TPS program in communities across the country, the senators wrote, “Many of these individuals with TPS have lived in the U.S. for decades, calling this country their home. They are contributing members of our society, including our colleagues and neighbors. The TPS program provides them a way to support themselves, contribute to the U.S. workforce and economy, and keep their families together.”

With President-elect Trump taking office in one week, the fate of this program is uncertain. Both he and Vice President-elect Vance have signaled that significant immigration policy changes could include eliminating the TPS program all together. As a result, Sens. Warner and Kaine are stressing the urgency of this request.

“Unfortunately, TPS beneficiaries are at risk of losing their legal status and could face removal proceedings to countries that have been deemed unsafe to return to and where their lives would be at grave risk,” they continued. “The incoming administration has vowed to terminate the TPS program, just as they attempted to during their first term. Within the first six months of this incoming term, six TPS designations, covering over 76,000 beneficiaries, are set to expire.”

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long-championed TPS for vulnerable migrants from countries including Haiti, Ukraine, Cameroon, Sudan, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. Last year, the senators urged the Biden administration to extend TPS for Haitians amid spiking violence. In December 2023, the senators praised a decision by the Department of Homeland Security to grant existing TPS recipients additional time to re-register for the program.  

A copy of the letter is available here and text is below:

Dear President Biden,

We thank you for your commitment to expanding Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and commend your most recent announcements to extend TPS for foreign nationals from El Salvador, Venezuela, Sudan, and Ukraine. We write to urgently request that your administration build on your recent TPS actions and issue a re-designation or extension of status, to the maximum extent possible under the law, for all TPS-eligible countries.

Through the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, has the discretion to issue a Temporary Protected Status designation and provide for temporary relief from removal and work authorization to certain foreign nationals from countries under specific circumstances, including armed conflict, natural disaster, or other extraordinary circumstances that prevent their safe return.

As of September 30, 2024, approximately 1,095,115 foreign nationals residing in all 50 states, including D.C. and U.S. territories, were protected by TPS. This includes nearly 30,000 TPS recipients in Virginia.

Many of these individuals with TPS have lived in the U.S. for decades, calling this country their home. They are contributing members of our society, including our colleagues and neighbors. The TPS program provides them a way to support themselves, contribute to the U.S. workforce and economy, and keep their families together.

Unfortunately, TPS beneficiaries are at risk of losing their legal status and could face removal proceedings to countries that have been deemed unsafe to return to and where their lives would be at grave risk. The incoming administration has vowed to terminate the TPS program, just as they attempted to during their first term. Within the first six months of this incoming term, six TPS designations, covering over 76,000 beneficiaries, are set to expire.

As such, we strongly urge your administration to re-designate or extend TPS for countries with existing designations. These actions will provide much needed clarity for current TPS holders and prevent harmful deportations to countries designated as unsafe.

Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON –  Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $10,797,461 in federal funding for the Virginia Department of Energy to build 392 electric vehicle (EV) charging ports at urban and rural tourism destinations across Virginia. Over half of the 392 chargers will be installed in disadvantaged communities across the Commonwealth to increase EV accessibility for all Virginians. The grant is allocated through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program, which was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which both senators helped pass.

“Electric vehicles will help create healthier communities for future generations by reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions. However, it’s critical that Virginians who choose to purchase EVs have access to charging stations so they can get where they need to go,” said the senators. “We’re glad the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law we helped pass is bringing this funding to Virginia to install EV charging ports across the Commonwealth, especially in areas that receive a high volume of visitors.”

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long supported Virginia’s clean energy economy. Both senators were key votes in the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, legislation that included tax credits for individuals who purchase electric vehicles and funding to expand access to EV technology. In 2022, Warner and Kaine announced almost $16 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding was delivered to install EV charging ports.

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BROADCASTERS: Today, following the U.S. Supreme Court hearing arguments regarding the divestiture of TikTok by its parent company, Chinese-based ByteDance, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner, Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, is speaking out about the impact of this case. Sen. Warner has been vocal about the national security threat that ByteDance poses, and advocated for the sale of the app to a company not beholden to a U.S. adversary.

Notably, Sen. Warner highlights that under ByteDance’s ownership, the Communist Party of China (CCP) has access to the sensitive data of more than 1 billion TikTok users worldwide, including 150 million users in the United States.

In April of last year, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which passed both chambers of Congress with broad bipartisan support, was signed into law to prevent foreign adversaries from targeting, surveilling, and manipulating U.S. users through the use of online applications. This legislation will require ByteDance to divest their ownership of TikTok ahead of the law’s stated January 19^th deadline. To date, the company has refused. 

Transcription:

Clip 1 – 44 seconds: “Today, the Supreme Court heard arguments about whether the ownership of TikTok needs to change because of national security reasons. Many of you know my position on this issue. I think there is a lot of great creativity on TikTok, I also know people make their living as social influencers, I think that’s great. But I’ve been concerned, literally for years, that because TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese firm, and every company — based upon Chinese law — has to be first and foremost loyal to the Communist Party of China, not to their shareholders or customers, that TikTok has posed a national security concern.”

Clip 2 – 30 seconds: “The overwhelming majority of Congress agrees with this, 80 percent, it’s tough to get 80 percent of the democrats and republicans in the House and Senate to agree on anything. But they agreed that this was a national security concern. This law would not require TikTok necessarily to be shut down, just to have that ownership share sold to a non-Chinese entity. It could be sold to an American company, it could be sold to a British, a French, a Brazilian company, but something that is not at the end of the day controlled by the Communist Party of China.”

Clip 3 – 31 seconds: “The irony is, of course, that former President Trump was the first person to bring this issue to the nation’s attention back in his first term. He has a slightly different view now, but the national security concerns still remain paramount. It appears, we’ll have to wait for the Supreme Court’s ruling, that this law will be upheld. At the end of the day, I hope that will force a transaction and that people can still enjoy TikTok, but that we can also get rid of this national security issue.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined colleagues in a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Chair of the Senate Finance Committee Mike Crapo (R-ID) urging Senate Republicans to work in a bipartisan way to reduce the deficit and protect the middle class from tax hikes.

This letter comes ahead of the upcoming expirations of the federal debt ceiling and many provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). In the letter, the senators urge Republican leadership to work across the aisle to find reasonable, commonsense solutions that protect hardworking Americans by reducing unnecessary spending and reforming the tax code to protect the middle class.

“As you are well aware, Congress and the President will face a daunting budget reality in 2025,” the senators wrote. “The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated in 2024 that extending all of the expiring provisions of the TCJA would cost $4.6 trillion over ten years, once interest is included. CBO also projects that the annual budget deficit, without including any extension of the TCJA, will grow from $1.9 trillion in 2024 to $2.9 trillion in 2034.”

“We understand that the Senate Republican Conference is likely to use the budget reconciliation process to address these expirations,” they continued. “While we respect the majority’s right to do so under Senate rules, we believe a better outcome can be achieved by working in a bipartisan manner to reform the tax code and address our growing national debt through responsible spending reforms. We believe a fully deficit-financed, partisan effort could risk raising costs for families, driving up interest rates for Americans looking to purchase a home, and increasing borrowing costs for American businesses and consumers. It also risks reducing the government’s future ability to respond to national security emergencies and fund our nation’s key programs.”

“While there will certainly be challenges to finding bipartisan agreement on certain issues, we believe addressing the growing deficit and reducing unnecessary spending can serve as a basis for good faith bipartisan negotiation. We stand ready to work with you in good faith to craft legislation that can achieve 60 votes in the Senate,” the senators concluded.

A copy of the letter is available here.

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, (both D-VA) joined a group of Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Health Care Affordability Act, legislation to lower health care costs for millions of Americans and make permanent the current enhanced premium tax credits (PTCs) for Health Insurance Marketplace coverage. The PTCs were created in the Affordable Care Act and previously enhanced under the American Rescue Plan Act and the Inflation Reduction Act but are set to expire at the end of this year, increasing health insurance costs for over 20 million Americans. The Health Care Affordability Act would make the enhanced PTCs permanent, ensuring that these Americans don’t face sudden cost increases or leave almost 3.8 million Americans each year without coverage at all. Without this extension, out-of-pocket premium payments across the Commonwealth are projected to increase as much as 33%, according to the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

“For years, the ACA premium tax credits have lowered health care costs and increased access to insurance for Virginians and their families,” said the senators. “And through the American Rescue Plan Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, we further lowered costs for American families. But without action, these enhanced tax credits will expire. We are proud to introduce this legislation that will ensure more than 20 million Americans don’t face unfair cost increases at the end of the year.”

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long fought to lower health care costs and increase accessibility for all Americans.

In addition to Sens. Warner and Kaine, the bill is sponsored by U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Peter Welch (D-VT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Gary Peters (D-MI), John Fetterman (D-PA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).

In the House of Representatives, the legislation is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14).

Full text of the bill is available here.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $46,670,000 in federal funding to support disaster recovery efforts in Virginia following Hurricane Helene. The funding, which the senators pushed for, was part of the disaster relief package that passed to fund the government. The funding is allocated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery program, which provides flexible funding to support long-term recovery efforts in impacted communities, including restoration of public infrastructure, homes, and businesses, and funding for job training, workforce development, and loans and grants to support economic revitalization and local businesses. 

“We’ve both visited Southwest Virginia in the wake of Hurricane Helene to hear directly from those impacted by the storm—and rebuilding those communities remains a top priority,” said the senators. “We were glad to secure these resources in the end-of-year package because this flexible funding is going to be critical to helping communities rebuild where it’s most needed. We will continue to support individuals across Southwest Virginia as they build back their homes, businesses, and communities.”

Warner and Kaine have been vocal advocates for significant federal resources to support Virginia’s recovery from Hurricane Helene and both met with Virginians impacted by Hurricane Helene in Southwest Virginia to tour damage and discuss federal support. They voted to pass short-term government funding legislation that included $110 billion in disaster relief for communities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton after repeatedly urging Congress to act. Last October, the senators successfully urged the Biden Administration to submit a supplemental funding request to cover the costs associated with Hurricanes Helene and Milton and successfully secured robust disaster relief funding for public lands and federal lands in Southwest Virginia.  

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement on the passing of Colonel W. Gerald Massengill, former Superintendent of the Virginia State Police:

“I mourn the passing of Colonel W. Gerald Massengill, a true public servant, whose dedication and commitment to the Commonwealth of Virginia left an inedible mark on us all. As the superintendent of the Virginia State Police, Colonel Massengill was a steady hand during moments of crisis. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of working alongside him. Colonel Massengill’s service to Virginia and our country will never be forgotten, and we are all better for having known him.”

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