Press Releases
Bill to Protect Combat-Injured Veterans Severance Payments Passes Senate Finance Committee
Since 1991, DoD has improperly withheld taxes from severance payments of up to 14,000 veterans– including an estimated 720 Virginians – separated from service due to combat injury
Apr 21 2016
Sen. Warner’s (D-VA) legislation to ensure that veterans who suffer service-ending combat-related injuries are not improperly taxed on the severance payment they receive from the Department of Defense (DoD) has passed the Senate Finance Committee.
Senate Finance Democrats Call For Committee Action to Protect Taxpayers from Fraud
Members Encourage Minimum Standards for Paid Tax Return Preparers
Apr 19 2016
Sen. Mark R. Warner and Senate Finance Democrats today sent a letter to Senate Finance Committee majority members calling for bipartisan action to help protect honest taxpayers from tax fraud -- whether it’s by identity theft or unscrupulous tax return preparers
By a bipartisan vote of 95-3, the Senate has voted to approve legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through 2017.
Warner & Kaine Call for Immediate Passage of President's Emergency Funding Request to Help Stem Spread of Zika Virus
Senate Democrats to GOP: Act Now to Pass Emergency Funding To Prevent & Treat Outbreak of Zika Virus
Apr 18 2016
Senators Warner, Kaine and 40 of their colleagues wrote a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran calling for immediate passage of President Obama’s emergency supplemental funding request of $1.9 billion for prevention and treatment of the Zika Virus outbreak.
Congressional representatives from Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia wrote Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx to immediately endorse the National Park Service’s FASTLANE Grant application, following news that the District of Columbia agreed to join as a local sponsor.
Sen. Warner Statement on FHFA Principal Reduction Modification Program
On FHFA Principal Reduction Modification Program
Apr 14 2016
“While a principal reduction program at FHFA for underwater mortgages is long overdue, I welcome this tailored approach, which will bring essential relief for struggling American families.”
“I had a productive conversation with Judge Garland about his judicial philosophy, and Virginians and Americans deserve the same opportunity to hear his thoughtful answers."
Senate Democrats Introduce Legislation to Encourage States to Expand Medicaid
Would ensure equal level of federal matching funds for states expanding Medicaid after 2014
Apr 13 2016
The bill would ensure that states that choose to expand eligibility for Medicaid after 2014 are eligible for the same level of federal matching funds as states that expanded earlier under the terms of the Affordable Care Act.
Warner, Kaine, Beyer, Connolly, Norton Call for NPS, Regional Collaboration on Memorial Bridge
Push for a sense of urgency in working with DC & Va. governments to submit viable FASTLANE grant application
Apr 12 2016
Sens. Warner and Kaine (both D-VA) and Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released the following statement today regarding the upcoming April 14 deadline to apply for the Department of Transportation FASTLANE grant program.
Warner Co-Sponsors Bill Providing Access to Life-Saving Epilepsy Treatment
Medicinal oils derived from CBD-rich hemp plants can save the lives of children with intractable epilepsy, but are currently banned under federal law
Apr 08 2016
Sen. Warner has signed on to co-sponsor the bipartisan Therapeutic Hemp Medical Access Act of 2015, which would allow Virginians suffering with intractable epilepsy access to therapeutic cannabidiol (CBD) oil, a harmless, non-psychoactive hemp extract that is used to treat seizures.
Warner, Kaine Amend FAA Reauthorization Bill to Strengthen Security at Virginia Airports
In the wake of terror attacks in Brussels, new measures will increase presence of federal agents with bomb-sniffing canines & direct Homeland Security funding to enhance security in “soft” target areas at airports, such as check-in and baggage claim areas
Apr 07 2016
Sens. Warner and Tim Kaine, along with several of their Senate Democratic colleagues, secured an amendment to the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) reauthorization bill to strengthen U.S. airport security, especially in non-secure “soft” target areas at airports like check-in and baggage claim areas.
Sen. Warner Presses Federal Agencies on Implementation Plan for Financial Transparency Tools Included in 2014 Data Act
DATA Act allows taxpayers, policymakers to ‘follow the money’
Apr 06 2016
Sen. Warner today asked more than three-dozen federal agencies to provide updates on their implementation of Sen. Warner’s Digital Accountability and Transparency (DATA) Act.
Warner, Hatch, Bennet, Cornyn Introduce Bill to Better Prepare Teachers For the Classroom
Apr 06 2016
Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and John Cornyn, R-Texas introduced The Elevating Educator Preparation through Innovation Act—a bipartisan bill that will improve professional development opportunities for teachers in high-needs school districts.
Warner, Kaine Support Efforts to Boost Security at Virginia Airports
Virginia senators join colleagues in calling for vital security provisions to be attached to FAA legislation
Apr 06 2016
Senators Warner and Kaine are seeking to attach a new proposal to strengthen security at Virginia’s airports – especially in non-secure “soft” target areas like check-in and baggage claim areas – to the upcoming Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization bill.
Warner, Kaine Announce More Than $7.4 Million in Head Start & Health Care Funding for Virginia
Apr 05 2016
Senators Warner and Kaine announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will award $7,433,425 in grants to support health care services in Portsmouth, early childhood education in Prince William and Lynchburg and biomedical research at Virginia Commonwealth University.
“We write in support of Governor McAuliffe’s March 25th request for a major disaster declaration in response to the severe storm and tornadoes on February 24th.”
"I’m shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of Senator John Miller. I knew John as a businessman and active leader in the community prior to entering public service."
U.S. Sens. Warner and Kaine joined a bipartisan group of 42 current and former Senators and 164 current and former House members from 38 states as well as the District of Columbia and the Northern Mariana Islands in filing an amicus brief in support of the Obama administration’s historic ‘Clean Power Plan’ (CPP).
Warner, Kaine Urge Congressional Leaders to Address National Parks Maintenance Backlog
National Parks have nearly $6 billion in non-transportation maintenance backlog due to years of underfunding
Apr 01 2016
Sens. Warner and Kaine are urging congressional leaders to increase funding to address the maintenance backlog facing the country’s National Parks.
Sen. Warner Praises Announcement that India Will Loosen Restrictions on FDI Investment in E-Commerce
Sen. Warner previously urged President Obama to address this issue with Prime Minister Modi ahead of his historic trip to India in January, 2015
Mar 31 2016
Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) praised India’s Prime Minister Modi’s announcement that India will loosen FDI restrictions in the e-commerce sector and allow foreign companies to sell items directly to Indian consumers over the internet.
U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Tim Kaine (D- Va.) are calling on congressional appropriators to fully fund the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) at authorized levels.
Sens. Warner (D-Va.), Kaine (D-Va.), McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) are calling for additional federal resources to investigate and enforce sexual assault laws on college and university campuses.
"Senator Warner has said all along that the best way for us to reach an appropriate balance between privacy and national security is to bring all the experts and stakeholders together, rather than talking past each other."
Sens. Warner and Tim Kaine have called on Senate appropriators to increase federal funding to address the nation’s prescription drug abuse and heroin epidemic.
Warner, Kaine Support Labor Dept. Audit of Federal Cafeteria Contractor
Victims include Senate cafeteria employees cheated out of promised raises
Mar 22 2016
Sens. Warner and Kaine (both D-VA) joined the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in urging U.S. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez to audit Compass Group and its subsidiaries across the federal government to ensure that Compass Group is paying its workers the wages they have earned and properly classifying them based on their job duties.
