WASHINGTON – Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued a statement on the death of Hamas terrorist Yahya Sinwar:

“Earlier today I spoke with Director Burns, who confirmed that Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and one of the masterminds of the October 7 terrorist attack, has been killed in Gaza. As a terrorist leader, Sinwar was responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocents, including Americans, Israelis and Palestinians. While justice has been served to Sinwar, let us not forget that the terrorist network he headed still holds dozens of people hostage in Gaza, and we must continue to press for their safe return.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $2,069,443 in federal funding to boost economic development across Southwest Virginia. The funding was awarded by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)’s Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative, which provides funding to help communities and regions that have been affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries.

“We’re glad this funding will continue to create new jobs and spur economic development in communities across Southwest Virginia,” said the Senators. “These investments will help ensure that rural communities have the infrastructure to bring new opportunities to the region.”

The funding is broken down as follows:

• $1,319,443 to support the Central Appalachia Broadband Transport Infrastructure Improvements Project in Lee and Wise counties, as well as Claiborne and Hancock counties in Tennessee. The funding will be used to develop two data centers in Central Appalachia, creating 40 permanent technology jobs.  
• $750,000 for the Friends of Southwest Virginia in Abingdon, VA. The funding will go towards assessing the economic impact of Friends of Southwest Virginia projects, including the Crooked Road, the Appalachian Spring Outdoor Recreation initiative, and Round the Mountain Artisan Network, in order to inform future community development projects.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long supported efforts to boost economic development in Southwest Virginia, including through strong support of ARC, an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments that innovates and invests to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in 423 counties across the Appalachian region. The draft of the Fiscal Year 2025 government funding package, which the Senators are working to pass, includes $200 million for ARC. 

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WASHINGTON –  Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, both D-VA, announced $2,225,710 in federal funding for education programs based in Alexandria, Richmond, and Harrisonburg to train behavioral health professionals to address substance use disorders, students’ mental health, and racial disparities in access to mental health treatment. The funding is being allocated by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), for which the senators have consistently supported robust and continued funding.

“Helping those who struggle with behavioral health needs starts with adequately funding programs to recruit, educate, and train the first responders and behavioral health professionals who will be on the front lines,” said the senators. “This over-$2.2 million in grant funding will help us do that, and we will continue to do all that we can to bring resources to Virginia to support the mental health of our communities.”

The funding will be allocated as follows:

• $1,924,595 to the Alexandria-based Foundation for The Advancement of Human Systems via the Minority Fellowship Program to recruit, train and support master’s- and doctoral-level students in behavioral health care professions to address services disparities for racial and ethnic minority populations. 
• $199,939 to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond to recruit and train first responders in rural areas on how to provide trauma-informed, recovery-based care for people with substance use disorders (SUD), and co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders (COD), in emergency situations.
• $101,716 to Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg to strengthen mental health services for college students, including increasing protective factors that promote mental health, as well as reducing risk factors for suicide.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long advocated for federally-funded resources for Virginians who struggle with mental and behavioral health issues. In September 2024, Warner and Kaine announced $3.5 million in federal funding to expand mental health and substance abuse disorder services at community health centers. In August 2023, Warner and Kaine announced $1.4 million in federal funding for the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to expand access to mental health care in Virginia. In December 2022, Warner and Kaine announced $1 million in federal funding from SAMHSA to expand the 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline in Virginia.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and Representative Morgan Griffith (R-VA-09) welcomed the approval of Virginia’s request for an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in Southwest Virginia. The lawmakers wrote a letter urging President Biden to approve this request to surge federal resources to impacted areas and help Virginia more quickly respond to and recover from Hurricane Helene’s impacts.

“I’m glad to see President Biden step in and approve the Commonwealth’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration in response to the heartbreaking destruction caused by Hurricane Helene. This declaration opens the door to various avenues for assistance to help the region recover. As Southwest Virginia continues to hurt, I’m going to be pushing for Congress to pass needed disaster supplemental funding as soon as possible,” said Sen. Warner.

“I’m grateful President Biden approved Virginia’s request for an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration following our bipartisan advocacy. This declaration will bring more federal support to the impacted areas,” said Sen. Kaine. “Over the past few days, I’ve visited residents, business owners, local officials, and first responders in Southwest Virginia and seen firsthand the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene. I’m committed to continuing to work with local, state, and federal partners to help these communities recover.”

“The impacts of Hurricane Helene on Southwest Virginia have been devastating,” said Rep. Griffith. “I appreciate Governor Youngkin working tirelessly to support disaster relief efforts, and I will continue to work alongside Senators Warner and Kaine to bring more relief to the region.”

This Expedited Major Disaster Declaration grants emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance under the Public Assistance and Individual Assistance Programs for impacted areas. Under this declaration, Individual Assistance is made available for the counties of Giles, Grayson, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, and Wythe, and the City of Galax. Individual Assistance provides financial support and direct services for eligible individuals and households impacted by a disaster. Public Assistance for all categories is made available for the counties of Bedford, Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pittsylvania, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe, and the cities of Bristol, Covington, Danville, Galax, Norton, and Radford. Public Assistance provides resources to local governments for eligible response and recovery work, such as repairing roads and bridges, water control facilities, public buildings and equipment, and public utilities. Hazard Mitigation Grant program assistance was also granted statewide, which will help keep Virginians safe from future floods.

Warner, Kaine, and Griffith continue to track Hurricane Helene’s devastation and advocate for Southwest Virginia at the federal level. The senators and Griffith wrote to President Biden in support of Virginia’s request for an Emergency Declaration for the Commonwealth of Virginia – a request that was approved on Sunday. Yesterday, Warner and Kaine joined a bipartisan group of their colleagues in urging Congress to quickly pass disaster relief legislation. On Monday and Tuesday, Kaine met with Virginians impacted by Hurricane Helene.

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WASHINGTON– Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Ted Budd (R-NC), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Tim Scott (R-SC), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rick Scott (R-FL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) sent a letter to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), and Senate Appropriations Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) on the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and the urgent need to pass an appropriations package to support the millions of Americans affected by the storm.

“The devastation from Hurricane Helene across the southeastern United States is simply inconceivable…Because of a lack of cell service, we anticipate even greater tragedy to unfold in the days and weeks ahead as communications and power are restored and we can understand the full scope of this disaster,” the senators wrote.

“Even preliminary damage assessments indicate that, at a minimum, the total damage and economic loss will be in the tens of billions of dollars. This amount will likely soar as recovery efforts continue and the full picture of this ruinous disaster becomes clear,” the senators continued.

“Although the true level of devastation is still unfolding, it is clear that Congress must act to meet the unmet needs in our states and address the scope and scale of destruction experienced by our constituents. This may even require Congress to come back in October to ensure we have enough time to enact legislation before the end of this calendar year. Tens of millions of Americans were impacted by Hurricane Helene, and we look forward to working with you to provide relief to those impacted by this horrific storm,” the senators concluded. 

Text of the full letter is available here.

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WASHINGTON – With less than 40 days until the election, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, wrote to Jen Easterly, Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), to push CISA to do more to assist state and local governments in identifying, responding to, and mitigating the spread of misinformation and disinformation that could impact the 2024 election and afterwards.

“Unfortunately, throughout this election cycle we have witnessed an unprecedented rise in targeted election disinformation campaigns… the Intelligence Community’s 2024 Annual Threat Assessment shed light into strategic and intentional attempts by foreign actors, including Russia, China, and Iran, to magnify and exploit social divisions and conduct election influence operations through the dissemination of false and misleading information – with presidential elections being prime targets of such efforts,” wrote Sen. Warner.

The letter calls attention to a range of voter intimidation plots throughout the years, and emphasizes their success in both suppressing turnout and sowing general mistrust among voters. In response to these threats, Sen. Warner urges robust action from CISA to increase its resources and grow its collaborative efforts to track these efforts. He also calls on CISA to facilitate communication between election offices and social media platforms – an effort the agency has moved away from.

“I also encourage CISA to work closely with all relevant parties, including academics and researchers, state and local officials, and private sector entities (such as technology companies and social media platforms) in an effort to increase information sharing. I strongly encourage the agency to again coordinate efforts with platforms to combat election disinformation. In an election cycle where threats persistently grow but some platforms are dedicating fewer resources towards election integrity and content moderation efforts,  this presents an opportune moment to ramp up such collaborations. CISA would play an invaluable role facilitating communication between election offices and platforms, empowering both to better combat the dissemination of deceptive and misleading information,” Sen. Warner continued.

The letter also raises the unique threats posed by the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and calls attention to an incident in the New Hampshire primary where AI-generated robocalls impersonating Joe Biden urged voters to stay home and “save” their vote for the general election. Sen. Warner concludes by urging CISA to stay alert to the ways AI changes the threat landscape.

“Although AI alone has not changed the threat landscape observed in previous elections, it has supercharged the threats and adjusted the risk calculus. CISA should likewise adjust with this change in risk to ensure that election offices and the public have the necessary protections in place to remain resilient against AI-enhanced threats,” Sen. Warner continued.

Over the past year, Sen. Warner has repeatedly raised the alarm about the elevated threat environment around the 2024 election. He has hosted two open hearings in the Intelligence Committee to call on representatives from both the U.S. government and large tech companies to testify about their knowledge of and efforts to crack down on foreign malign influence online. He has also spoken out specifically about Russia and Iran’s attempts to influence the 2024 election. Additionally, in January, Sen. Warner sent a letter to CISA to push for more robust efforts to get ahead of this threat.

A copy of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Director Easterly:

I write to you today with great concern regarding the potential for election misinformation and disinformation campaigns impacting state and local election offices ahead of the November 5, 2024 Presidential election. Attacks against state and local election offices and officials will have ramifications on our democratic processes, including the administration of elections and possible voter suppression and intimidation. As such, I strongly urge you to use all the tools at your disposal to provide state and local administrators with the necessary resources to uncover, build resilience against, and rapidly respond to information manipulation campaigns leading up to the election and afterwards.

State and local election offices play a vital role in the administration of elections, including supervising and holding elections, providing for the safety and security of our voting systems, and serving as trusted determiners of election results. In the lead up to consequential elections, election offices serve as credible information ecosystems, providing critical information on the time, manner, and place of elections. Voters trust these entities to ensure that our elections are accurate, safe, secure, and accessible. That is why I am encouraged by and salute the work of the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in continuing to support state and local efforts to safeguard election integrity.

Unfortunately, throughout this election cycle we have witnessed an unprecedented rise in targeted election disinformation campaigns. Most infamously, in January 2024, voters in New Hampshire were on the receiving end of robocalls from domestic partisan actors using an artificial intelligence (AI) generated voice impersonating President Joe Biden ahead of the state’s primary, urging voters not to vote and to instead save their vote for the general election. Separately, the Intelligence Community’s 2024 Annual Threat Assessment shed light into strategic and intentional attempts by foreign actors, including Russia, China, and Iran, to magnify and exploit social divisions and conduct election influence operations through the dissemination of false and misleading information – with presidential elections being prime targets of such efforts. Just earlier this month, the Department of Justice successfully disrupted a covert Russian government-sponsored influence campaign to shape voter perceptions in the upcoming election through the purchase of internet domains intended to mimic legitimate news organizations. While the IC remains confident that foreign actors could not successfully manipulate election systems to impact election outcomes without detection, it has elevated concerns that foreign actors could instead utilize information operations to undermine confidence in the election.

In addition to disrupting the stable administration of elections, these types of information manipulation campaigns can result in potential voter suppression and intimidation. In the last several years, false claims that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency will be patrolling polling locations on Election Day have gone viral and were found to be distributed in-person, creating an environment of intimidation for potential voters. In 2020, political operatives targeted tens of thousands of Black voters in Midwestern states, placing robocalls making false claims that individuals who vote by mail would have their personal information added to a government database for monitoring that could then be used for pursuing debts, warrants, and then-mandatory vaccines. During that same year, tens of thousands of voters in Florida received targeted emails directing them to change their party affiliation and vote for a particular candidate or face physical violence, a clear voter intimidation plot. Additionally, foreign actors have also engaged in these practices; in its Intelligence Community Assessment for the 2020 U.S. election, the IC assessed that both Russia and Iran pursued efforts to spread false information about electoral processes and – in both cases – suppress (or even intimidate) American voters. Such efforts not only severely impact voter turnout and participation in our democracy, but can erode public trust and weaken voter confidence in our democratic institutions and electoral processes.

As evidenced through the disturbing incidents above, the widespread presence, expanded scope, and increased sophistication of AI technologies, including generative AI, has only strengthened deceptive and manipulative information campaigns. While AI capabilities continue to grow at a rapid pace, state and local governments’ IT, public outreach, and cybersecurity teams continue to operate with limited staff and resources, making it extremely difficult for smaller teams to respond to sophisticated AI-backed campaigns targeting elections.

That is why the work of CISA is crucial in securing the systems and assets that support our nation’s elections. CISA, and the Department of Homeland Security more broadly, provide wide-ranging and essential resources, including cybersecurity assessments, detection and prevention, information sharing and awareness, and training and career development – most of these listed in the Election Infrastructure Security Resource Guide at no cost to state and local governments. These products are integral in safeguarding our election systems and ensuring that our democratic processes can continue as intended.

I strongly urge CISA to increase its provision to assist state and local governments in identifying, responding to, and mitigating the spread of misinformation and disinformation that could impact the administration of elections and voting processes. I recognize that CISA has proactively provided educational materials and products, including toolkits and FAQs and I commend your agency for these efforts. I encourage CISA to build upon these resources and expand the work of entities, like the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-SAC) and work with other bodies, like the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED) and the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) to determine and meet the needs of election offices as it pertains to the spread of election misinformation and disinformation.

Within the vein of collaborative efforts, I also encourage CISA to work closely with all relevant parties, including academics and researchers, state and local officials, and private sector entities (such as technology companies and social media platforms) in an effort to increase information sharing. I strongly encourage the agency to again coordinate efforts with platforms to combat election disinformation. In an election cycle where threats persistently grow but some platforms are dedicating fewer resources towards election integrity and content moderation efforts,  this presents an opportune moment to ramp up such collaborations. CISA would play an invaluable role facilitating communication between election offices and platforms, empowering both to better combat the dissemination of deceptive and misleading information.

Finally, although AI alone has not changed the threat landscape observed in previous elections, it has supercharged the threats and adjusted the risk calculus. CISA should likewise adjust with this change in risk to ensure that election offices and the public have the necessary protections in place to remain resilient against AI-enhanced threats.

Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this important issue. It is my hope that we can work together to safeguard our democracy against misinformation and disinformation. 

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued a statement after the U.S. government announced criminal charges and other actions related to Iran’s attempts to influence the elections:

“Today’s announcement once again underscores the extent to which adversaries like Iran are actively seeking to influence the outcome of our elections using a wide range of tools. I applaud the intelligence community and law enforcement for today’s actions, which are exposing those responsible and, most importantly, are raising the American public’s awareness to be on guard against attempts by our foreign adversaries to influence their votes.”

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WASHINGTON – After announcing draft legislation earlier this year, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and 16 colleagues in introducing the Keeping Obstetrics Local Act - legislation to address the rising trend of labor and delivery unit closures in rural and underserved hospitals. 

“Rural communities need comprehensive access to health care, but in recent years we’ve seen far too many hospitals in these areas struggle to keep their doors open, with expectant mothers bearing the brunt of the impact,” said Sen. Warner. “I’m proud to introduce legislation that will help to ensure rural Virginians retain access to crucial OB-GYN care.” 

The Keeping Obstetrics Local Act (KOLA) would increase Medicaid payment rates for labor and delivery services at eligible hospitals in rural and high-need urban areas, provide “standby” payments to cover the costs of staffing and maintaining an obstetrics unit at low-volume hospitals, create low-volume payment adjustments for labor and delivery services at hospitals with low birth volumes, and require all states to provide postpartum coverage for women in Medicaid for 12 months, among other steps. The bill would make sure that hospitals are required to use these additional resources to invest in the maternal health care needs of the local communities they serve.

A copy of the text is available here. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced legislation to create a tax credit that will incentivize the capture and repurposing of methane emissions from active and abandoned mines. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide, and coal mines are the country’s fifth-largest source of methane emissions. Leveraging methane capture technology can not only prevent harmful emissions from entering our atmosphere, but also allow the gas to be converted or reused for productive use, providing an additional supply of lower-emission energy that has numerous industrial and commercial applications.

“Capturing and repurposing methane from Virginia’s active and abandoned mines will have a significant impact in the Commonwealth and across the country,” Sen. Warner said. “This legislation will lead to new investment in methane capturing efforts, and will contribute meaningfully to efforts across the country to repurpose methane that otherwise would have harmful impacts when emitted into the atmosphere while at the same time boosting the economy and creating jobs.”

“Allowing methane capture efforts to be eligible for the 45Q Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage tax credit would result in positive environmental, economic, and investment impacts for West Virginia. I’m proud to help introduce this legislation, which could help capture and utilize mine methane emissions as a fuel source from coal mines, creating another step for West Virginia to continue leading in an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy approach,” Sen. Capito said.

Specifically, the Methane Reduction and Economic Growth Act would amend Section 45Q of the Internal Revenue Code – which houses an existing tax credit for carbon capture and sequestration – to create a Mine Methane Capture Incentive Credit. The new credit would credit taxpayers based on the amount of qualified methane that is captured and injected into a pipeline or is otherwise used for producing heat or energy. Qualified methane includes methane which:

• Is captured from mining activities, including underground mines, abandoned or closed mines, or surface mines;
• Would otherwise be released into the atmosphere as industrial greenhouse gas emission; and
• Is measured at the source of capture and verified at the point of injection or utilization.

Sen. Warner has been a leader on efforts to clean up and reclaim abandoned mine lands (AML) in Virginia, including by securing funding for this process through the bipartisan infrastructure law he helped to negotiate.

The Methane Reduction and Economic Growth Act would give a boost to existing efforts in Virginia, which recently received more than $99 million in federal funding to capture and convert methane emissions from coal mines and landfills. Companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Reps. Carol Miller (R-WV) and Terri Sewell (D-AL).

“Finding ways to incentivize the capture of mine methane will have a positive impact here in Virginia,” Jonathan Belcher, Executive Director of the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority, said. “Encouraging beneficial use of methane, which would otherwise be wasted and emitted into the atmosphere, stimulates our economy by creating jobs in our local communities and improves our tax base, while reducing emissions both at a local and global level. Captured methane can be sold into existing marketplaces to help drive down costs for consumers and can be used as both a fuel source and a manufacturing feedstock, which will assist our existing industry and encourage new economic development in the region. We applaud Senator Warner for his leadership on this issue and his focus on the economic health of Southwest Virginia.”

“This is a perfect example of how Washington ought to work,” Cecil Roberts, International President of the United Mine Workers of America, said. “This is strong bi-partisan legislation that will grow coalfield jobs, support coalfield communities and help reduce methane emissions. It is a win-win for workers and communities in Virginia and across Appalachia and I thank Senators Warner and Capito for taking the lead. The UMWA wholeheartedly supports this legislation and will work to secure its passage.”

A copy of the bill text can be found here. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $1,945,692 in federal funding for Lee and Wise counties and the Town of Clintwood to support infrastructure projects that will improve and extend waterline and sewer systems to additional homes. The funding is awarded by the Appalachian Regional Commission, an economic development partnership that invests in building community and strengthening local economies.

“High-quality water infrastructure is crucial to the health and well-being of any community,” said the Senators. “We’re glad to have helped bring nearly $2 million in funding to Clintwood and Lee and Wise counties to expand waterlines to dozens of homes and improve our wastewater systems.”

The funding is allocated as follows:

• $700,000 for Lee County to connect 12 households to the county public water system and ensure safe, reliable drinking water to residents in the county.
• $700,000 for the Town of Clintwood to support ongoing water and sewer renovations in Dickenson County. The funding will ensure that 45 households receive potable water along Backbone Ridge Road.
• $545,692 for Wise County to connect 22 households to the county wastewater system and address the lack of public wastewater service to underserved areas. This funding will ensure the community has access to a safe, reliable wastewater treatment system.  

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long supported efforts to expand and improve infrastructure across the Commonwealth, including voting to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which has brought over $8.4 billion in funding to Virginia so far. Last November, the senators announced $62.4 million in federal funding to make clean water infrastructure upgrades across the Commonwealth. 

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WASHINGTON — Today, in the midst of the National Suicide Prevention Month, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced $4,549,848 in federal funding for suicide prevention efforts targeted towards Virginia’s veterans. The funding, courtesy of the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, will support community-based prevention efforts to meet the needs of veterans and their families through outreach, prevention services, and connection to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and community resources.

The Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program was created through the Warner-sponsored IMPROVE Wellbeing for Veterans Act, legislation introduced in 2019 to improve coordination of veteran mental health and suicide prevention services and to better measure the effectiveness of these programs in order to reduce the alarming number of veteran suicides. The legislation was signed into law as part of the broader Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, which was passed unanimously in the Senate in August 2020.

“Too many veterans are silently suffering with their mental health when their tours of duty conclude. That’s why it is our duty to make sure that servicemembers, who sacrificed so much for our freedom and security, have the support and resources they deserve when they are struggling,” said Sen. Warner. “I was proud to help write the legislation that made this funding possible, and I am thrilled that Virginia’s veterans will receive more support as we continue to tackle the alarming rate of veteran suicide.”

“Our veterans have made great sacrifices for our nation, and we owe it to them to provide them with the best support possible, including mental health resources,” said Sen. Kaine. “I’m proud this funding, made possible by legislation I helped pass, will expand community-based suicide prevention efforts for veterans across Virginia.”

This funding is broken down as follows:

• Volunteers of America Chesapeake will receive $750,000 in funding and will serve the cities of Alexandria, Bristol, Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Harrisonburg, Norton, and Winchester as well as Arlington, Buchanan, Caroline, Clarke, Culpeper, Cumberland, Dickenson, Essex, Fauquier, Frederick, King and Queen, King George, King William, Lee, Loudoun, Page, Prince William, Rockingham, Russell, Shenandoah, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Tazewell, Warren, Washington, and Wise counties.
• Western Tidewater Community Services Board will receive $613,910 in funding and will serve Accomack, Essex, Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City, King and Queen, King William, Middlesex, Northampton, and Southampton counties, Chesapeake, Franklin, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg.
• Boulder Crest Foundation will receive $725,000 in funding and will operate in Arizona and Virginia, serving Clarke, Frederick, and Loudoun counties in Virginia.
• Modern Military Association of America, Inc. will receive $669,800 in funding and will operate in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, serving Alexandria, as well as Fairfax and Arlington counties in Virginia.
• EveryMind will receive $541,138 in funding and will operate in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, serving Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William counties and the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park in Virginia.
• United States Veterans Initiative will receive $400,000 in funding and will operate in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, serving Arlington, Clarke, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Frederick, Loudoun, Prince William, Rappahannock, Spotsylvania, Stafford and Warren counties in Virginia.
• Community Building Art Works will receive $100,000 in funding and will operate in Washington, D.C., Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia, serving all counties in Virginia.
• Blue Star Families Inc. will receive $750,000 in funding and will operate nationally, including serving Virginia veterans.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long been strong advocates for improving mental health care for Virginia’s veterans. In addition to seeing through the signing of his legislation to expand veterans’ access to mental health services and reduce the alarming rate of veteran suicide, Sen. Warner has also previously met with senior leadership at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center and Hampton VA Medical Center to discuss suicide prevention efforts and other issues affecting the local veteran community. Last year, Sen. Kaine cosponsored the Not Just a Number Act, bipartisan legislation that would help the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs better prevent veteran suicide.

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WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement on the Senate’s failure to advance the Right to IVF Act, Warner-sponsored legislation that would establish the right to receive, provide or cover in-vitro fertilization (IVF) services and expand IVF insurance coverage nationwide:

“For many Americans who dream of starting a family, access to IVF can make all the difference. Unfortunately, in the years since Roe v. Wade was overturned, we’ve continued to see states and legislatures across the county chip away at a woman’s right to access reproductive care, including IVF. I am baffled and disappointed to see so many of my Republican colleagues vote to block this pro-family legislation, which would have protected the right to IVF, provided support to veterans who want to grow their families, and increase IVF affordability under insurance.”

The Right to IVF Act includes provisions from the Warner-cosponsored Access to Family Building Act, and would establish a right for individuals to access IVF and (assisted reproductive technology) ART services, as well as an adjacent right for doctors to provide these services. It also includes measures from the Veteran Families Health Services Act, which would improve fertility treatment and counseling options for veterans and servicemembers and promote research on servicemember and veteran reproductive health. It would also take several steps to increase affordability, including through mandating coverage of fertility treatments through employer-sponsored insurance plans and other public plans, as well as the Federal Employees Health Benefit (FEHB) Program.

Sen. Warner is a longtime advocate for comprehensive protections for reproductive care. In April, Sen. Warner urged the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to require all insurance carriers in the FEHB Program to cover in-vitro fertilization (IVF) medical treatments and medications. He also cosponsored and voted to pass the Right to Contraception Act, which would codify a right to birth control, and the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would protect abortion access, both of which have been blocked by Republicans.

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