Press Releases

Statement of Senator Warner on the President's Speech to the Nation on the Threat Posed by the Islamic State

Sep 10 2014

"I support the effort to degrade and defeat the terrorist organization ISIL, which poses a clear threat to U.S. interests. The Administration should continue to keep the American people informed, and consult regularly with their elected representatives in Congress. It is appropriate for America to be involved in this coalition effort with other nations in the civilized world, and this coalition should also include Arab and Muslim nations. As a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I look forward to reviewing more details of the President's strategy. Our thoughts and prayers are with our servicemen and women in harm's way."

Sen. Warner to DoD: Find Servicemembers' Missing Vehicles

~ Disastrous performance by contractor, unacceptable delays for military personnel ~

Sep 10 2014

Sen. Warner today sent a second letter to the U.S. Department of Defense Transportation Command expressing disappointment with their passive approach to rectifying a problem that thousands of servicemembers are experiencing – their personal vehicles have been misplaced or lost by the new DoD contractor responsible for moving their vehicles during permanent change of station moves to and from overseas duty stations.

Warner, Kirk, Kinzinger & Keating Applaud French Decision to Place Delivery of Warships to Russia on Hold

~ Lawmakers have called for cancellation of sale of two Mistral warships since May ~

Sep 03 2014

“Our NATO allies should not be rewarding Putin’s inexcusable behavior by providing him with assault ships and other advanced weaponry,” Sen. Warner said. “This is a good step by France, and I encourage the rest of our NATO allies to halt all defense cooperation and sales with Russia while this crisis is ongoing.”

Sen. Warner Calls for Nationwide Expansion of Vets Legal Clinics

~ Pro bono clinic pairs law students with veterans to speed V-A casework ~

Aug 29 2014

Sen. Warner urged the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs to authorize the nationwide expansion of the College of William & Mary pro bono veterans legal clinic model to help more military veterans get their complex V-A disability claims submitted properly and processed more quickly.

Virginia Delegation Applauds Finalization of $1.3 Billion Loan For Rail To Dulles

Aug 20 2014

WASHINGTON – The bipartisan Northern Virginia congressional delegation today applauded news that the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) has closed on a $1.28 billion low-interest, long-term federal loan to proceed with its construction plans for phase two of the Rail to Dulles project. In May, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx signed the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program loan after the U.S. Department of Transportation Credit Council voted to approve it. Together with accompanying loans to Fairfax and Loudoun Counties, which are still working towards closing, the total $1.9 billion TIFIA loan package represents the largest loan in the TIFIA program's history.

“Today’s closing on the MWAA loan represents one of the last steps toward finalizing a complex financing package for one of the biggest transportation projects in the country,” Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) said. “This is a huge win for Virginia taxpayers and commuters, and coupled with positive reports about the first weeks of Silver Line operations, it looks like we are well on the way to reducing congestion and building a more efficient transportation network in Northern Virginia.”

“With the first phase of the Silver Line complete and in service, today’s announcement is yet another encouraging step toward the opening of Phase II, which will mark the completion of a project so many of us worked hard to get moving when it was just a model on a conference table,” said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA).

“No one can say the federal government hasn’t done its part to bring rail to Tysons and out the Dulles corridor to Loudoun County,” said Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA-10). “The federal share of Phase 1 was the second largest Full Funding Grant Agreement awarded by the Federal Transit Administration in the last 20 years for a heavy rail project and the TIFIA loan for Phase 2 is the largest amount in the history of the program.”

“Today’s announcement of the federal commitment to Phase 2 of the Dulles Metrorail Project is a significant step to securing an environmentally friendly, transit oriented development along the Dulles Corridor,” said Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA-8). “We’re already seeing the positive impact of the Silver Line on Virginia businesses. This news brings us closer to reducing congestion, commuting time, and gas consumption in a rapidly developing area of Northern Virginia.”

“Advancing this TIFIA loan will lower the overall cost of the project, and dramatically reduce toll increases on commuters in the Dulles Corridor,” said Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11). “The first phase of the Silver Line has spurred new ridership and increased sales among local merchants, underscoring the regional demand for this service and the value of the investment. I thank Sec. Foxx, Gov. McAuliffe, and all our regional partners for their commitment to completing this complex loan and delivering this world-class transit project connecting Dulles Airport with our nation’s capital.”

American Bar Assoc. Urges Law Schools to Create Veterans Legal Clinics Following Success of Virginia's Puller Clinic

~ Sen. Warner has championed William and Mary’s Puller Vets Clinic ~ ~ Puller Clinic has been certified as national “best practice” program ~

Aug 12 2014

The American Bar Association House of Delegates adopted a policy today urging all law schools to create legal clinics to help veterans access the benefits they have earned. U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) has called for the adoption of these legal clinics nationwide for more than three years, following the success of the College of William and Mary’s Lewis B. Puller, Jr. Veterans Benefits Clinic.

Warner and Kaine Call for Action in Response to Abusive Debt Collection Practices Against Servicemembers

Report alleges that some retailers are bringing suit against servicemembers without opportunity to defend themselves

Aug 06 2014

Senators Warner and Kaine wrote letters to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray, and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Edith Ramirez calling their attention to recent reports published in ProPublica and the Washington Post that detail abusive debt collection practices against servicemembers undertaken by a Virginia-based retailer.

VA Reform Bill Heads to President with Sen. Warner's Initiative for IT Task Force

~ Pro bono industry assessment of V-A scheduling process due in 45 days ~

Aug 01 2014

The Senate has joined the House in approving bipartisan legislation to begin reforming the troubled U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The legislation includes Sen. Warner’s initiative to enlist the pro bono assistance of private sector technology experts to help fix the VA’s broken scheduling system.

Virginia Delegation Meets w/Air Force on Proposed Langley-Eustis Personnel Reductions

Jul 30 2014

(WASHINGTON) – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and U.S. Reps. Rob Wittman (R-1st), Scott Rigell (R-2nd) and Bobby Scott (D-3rd) today met with U.S. Air Force Assistant Secretary Kathleen Ferguson, Deputy Chief Management Officer Mr. Bill Booth and Major General Theresa Carter for a briefing on proposed personnel reductions at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, Virginia.  Today’s meeting followed a July 15th letter sent to by the Virginia delegation to the Secretary of the Air Force requesting a thorough briefing of the proposed personnel reductions, and the status of efforts to locate a new Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center (AFIMSC)

As a result of the meeting:

  • USAF committed to providing the delegation with specific details on personnel reductions within 30 days.
  • USAF committed to using expansive personnel transfer authority to “go the extra mile” to accommodate civilian and military personnel dislocated by these reductions, including other federal or military agencies.
  • And USAF acknowledged that Joint Base Langley-Eustis would be considered for the new Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, which could create up to 350 new positions.

Members of the delegation released the following joint statement following the briefing:

“We appreciate Air Force Secretary James and Assistant Secretary Ferguson providing us with today’s briefing on the proposed reductions at Langley. We remain committed to working together as a delegation to ensure that all of Virginia’s military and civilian Air Force employees are provided every opportunity to continue to serve. We also are committed as a delegation to explore all opportunities to highlight the considerable advantages and existing investments, already made at Joint Base Langley Eustis.”  

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