WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner & Sen. Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined a bicameral letter led by Sen. Cory Booker and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi urging the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to address student voter registration and participation as it formulates higher education rulemaking. The letter comes as states across the country pass legislation designed to curb the voting rights of Black, Brown, and young people.

“Across the country, voting rights are under attack, and new laws restricting access to voting have been transparently intended to discourage students and people of color from participating in our elections. The Department can and should play a significant role in supporting democracy by creating additional nonpartisan opportunities for students to register to vote, keep their voter registration up to date, and participate in state and federal elections,” wrote the lawmakers.

“Participating in our democracy is consistent with the goals of federal financial aid, and the Department should take swift action to support access to voter registration and voting for students in this rulemaking process. Thank you for your attention to our request,” concluded the lawmakers.

Kaine, a former civil rights attorney, has long fought to protect voting rights and expand access to the ballot box. In September, Kaine introduced the Freedom to Vote Act, legislation cosponsored by Warner to improve access to the ballot for Americans, advance commonsense election integrity reforms, and protect our democracy from attacks. The Freedom to Vote Act elevates the voices of American voters by ending partisan gerrymandering and helping to eliminate the undue influence of secret money in our elections.

In October, Warner and Kaine helped introduce the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act legislation to restore the landmark Voting Rights Act and stop the spread of voter suppression.

The full text of the letter can be found here and below:

Dear Secretary Cardona:

We write to urge the U.S. Department of Education (“Department”) to address student voter registration and participation in upcoming rulemaking for higher education accountability and to provide additional guidance to institutions of higher education to facilitate civic engagement.

Across the country, voting rights are under attack, and new laws restricting access to voting have been transparently intended to discourage students and people of color from participating in our elections. The Department can and should play a significant role in supporting democracy by creating additional nonpartisan opportunities for students to register to vote, keep their voter registration up to date, and participate in state and federal elections.

Section 487(a)(23) of the Higher Education Act requires each institution of higher education that receives federal financial aid funds to make a “good faith effort” to distribute voter registration materials and to make such materials “widely available” to students. A college’s good faith effort to distribute voter registration information widely should reflect the most common methods by which individuals register to vote— including, increasingly, online registration—and the deadlines they must meet.

The Department has full authority to prescribe regulations to enforce the program participation agreement in Section 487(a)(23). In early 2022, as part of the upcoming institutional accountability rulemaking, the Department should propose regulations that specify the time, manner, and frequency by which voter registration materials are distributed to students.

Importantly, at least once per year, as part of the course registration or other institutional enrollment process, the rules should require institutions to distribute to student’s voter registration information, including, where possible, a direct and accessible web link to register to vote or to update their voter registration (such as providing a new address). The rules should also recommend institutions distribute voter registration materials to students during other interactions many students will have with institutions, such as student identification application processes. While the regulations should prioritize online voter registration options to ensure an easy and accessible process for students, they should also accommodate institutions in states that do not conduct online voter registration.

The Department should also swiftly issue sub-regulatory guidance that clarifies institutions’ responsibilities under current regulations. This guidance should remind colleges of their existing requirement to distribute voter registration information to students well in advance of state deadlines to register to vote. And, such guidance should strongly encourage institutions to adopt best practices for providing links to voter registration online and through direct notifications to students, including links during course registration and campus-wide email reminders. These reminders should also encourage students to check and update their voter registration information to ensure the most recent address is on file and explain current law on where students may register to vote based on their permanent residence. Finally, the guidance should make clear that Federal Work-Study funds can be used for nonpartisan voter registration, education, engagement, and poll watching activities—and can help institutions meet their community service requirements.

Participating in our democracy is consistent with the goals of federal financial aid, and the Department should take swift action to support access to voter registration and voting for students in this rulemaking process. Thank you for your attention to our request.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and U.S. Rep Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), a member of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, teamed up with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and U.S. Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) to introduce bipartisan legislation that would make it unlawful for a foreign national to contribute money, either directly or indirectly, to a state or local ballot initiative or ballot referendum. The Protecting Ballot Measures from Foreign Influence Act would overturn a July decision from the Federal Election Commission (FEC), which gave a green light to foreign nationals seeking to finance campaign efforts related to ballot initiatives after ruling that a federal law banning foreign money in campaigns applies only to federal, state and local candidate elections.

“The Protecting Ballot Measures from Foreign Influence Act further safeguards our elections from foreign interference by making it illegal for foreign donors to contribute to any ballot initiative or referendum,” Sen. Warner said. “There is no circumstance under which foreign entities should be able to sway the American democratic process and this legislation works to ensure that.” 

“American elections should remain American elections. Local and state ballot initiatives here in the United States should be focused on the concerns of a community — not the interests of a foreign individual, company, or nation,” Rep. Spanberger said. “The current loophole that allows foreign entities to influence these initiatives should be closed immediately, and I am proud to work with a bipartisan group of legislators in both the Senate and the House to make that happen. The Protecting Ballot Measures from Foreign Influence Act would reassert the American people’s rightful control of their local ballot measures, and I am proud to work with Senator Warner, Senator Rubio, and Congressman Banks on this critical effort.”

“Foreign donors should not be able to influence America’s democratic process,” Sen. Rubio said. “It is already illegal for foreign nationals to donate to political candidates, parties, and committees. The Protecting Ballot Measures from Foreign Influence Act will extend that commonsense protection of our political process to ballot initiatives and other referendums. We must do everything we can to protect the votes of American citizens.”

“The FEC’s decision to let foreign actors directly influence U.S. policy fights undermines our democracy,” Rep. Banks said. “That’s why I’ve joined Sens. Rubio and Warner and Rep. Spanberger to overturn it and ensure Americans voices are heard.”

As the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sen. Warner co-led the Committee’s bipartisan investigation into interference in the 2016 election, eventually issuing a comprehensive, five-volume report that concluded the Russian government engaged in an aggressive, multi-faceted effort to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election, and that the willingness of top officials on the Trump campaign to accept and even welcome Russian assistance represented a grave counterintelligence threat to our nation. Sen. Warner also introduced the Foreign Influence Reporting in Elections (FIRE) Act, legislation that would require political campaigns to report attempts at foreign elections influence to the appropriate federal authorities at the FEC and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

A copy of the bill is available here.

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WASHINGTON – Ahead of Wednesday’s Senate hearing with the head of Instagram, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and John Thune (R-SD) along with Reps. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE-AL) and Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH-16) have re-introduced the Deceptive Experiences to Online Users Reduction (DETOUR) Act to prohibit large online platforms from using deceptive user interfaces, known as “dark patterns,” to trick consumers into handing over their personal data. The DETOUR Act would also prohibit these platforms from using features that result in compulsive usage by children.

The term “dark patterns” is used to describe online interfaces in websites and apps designed to intentionally manipulate users into taking actions they would otherwise not. These design tactics, drawn from extensive behavioral psychology research, are frequently used by social media platforms to mislead consumers into agreeing to settings and practices advantageous to the company. 

“For years dark patterns have allowed social media companies to use deceptive tactics to convince users to hand over personal data without understanding what they are consenting to. The DETOUR Act will end this practice while working to instill some level of transparency and oversight that the tech world currently lacks,” said Sen. Warner, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and former technology executive. “Consumers should be able to make their own informed choices on when to share personal information without having to navigate intentionally misleading interfaces and design features deployed by social media companies.” 

“Manipulative user interfaces that confuse people and trick consumers into sharing access to their personal information have become all too common online. Our bipartisan legislation would rein in the use of these dishonest interfaces and boost consumer trust. It’s time we put an end to ‘dark patterns’ and other manipulative practices to protect children online and ensure the American people can better protect their personal data,” said Sen. Fischer, a member of the Senate Commerce Committee.

“Dark patterns are manipulative tactics used to trick consumers into sharing their personal data. These tactics undermine consumers’ autonomy and privacy, yet they are becoming pervasive on many online platforms. This legislation would help prevent the major online platforms from using such manipulative tactics to mislead consumers, and it would prohibit behavioral experiments on users without their informed consent,” said Sen. Klobuchar, a member of the Senate Commerce and Judiciary Committees.

“We live in an environment where large online operators often deploy manipulative practices or ‘dark patterns’ to obtain consent to collect user data,” said Sen. Thune, ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband. “This bipartisan legislation would create a path forward to strengthen consumer transparency by holding large online operators accountable when they subject their users to behavioral or psychological research for the purpose of promoting engagement on their platforms.”

“My colleagues and I are introducing the DETOUR Act because Congress and the American public are tired of tech companies evading scrutiny and avoiding accountability for their actions. Despite congressional hearings and public outcries, many of these tech companies continue to trick and manipulate people into making choices against their own self-interest,” said Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester. “Our bill would address some common tactics these companies use, like intentionally deceptive user interfaces that trick people into handing over their personal information. Our children, seniors, veterans, people of color, even our very way of life is at stake. We must act. And today, we are.”

“Social media has connected our communities, but also had detrimental effects on our society. Big tech companies that control these platforms currently have unregulated access to a wealth of information about their users and have used nontransparent methods, such as dark patterns, to gather additional information and manipulate users,” said Rep. Anthony Gonzalez. “The DETOUR Act would make these platforms more transparent through prohibiting the use of dark patterns. We live in a transformative period of technology, and it is important that the tech which permeates our day to day lives is transparent.”

Dark patterns can take various forms, often exploiting the power of defaults to push users into agreeing to terms stacked in favor of the service provider. Some examples of these actions include: a deliberate obscuring of alternative choices or settings through design or other means; the use of privacy settings that push users to ‘agree’ as the default option, while users looking for more privacy-friendly options often must click through a much longer process, detouring through multiple screens. Other times, users cannot find the alternative option, if it exists at all, and simply give up looking.

The result is that large online platforms have an unfair advantage over users and potential competitors in forcing consumers to give up personal data such as their contacts, messages, web activity, or location to the benefit of the company.

“Tech companies have clearly demonstrated that they cannot be trusted to self-regulate.  So many companies choose to utilize manipulative design features that trick kids into giving up more personal information and compulsive usage of their platforms for the sake of increasing their profits and engagement without regard for the harm it inflicts on kids,” said Jim Steyer, CEO of Common Sense. “Common Sense supports Senators Warner and Fischer and Representatives Blunt Rochester and Gonzalez on this bill, which would rightfully hold companies accountable for these practices so kids can have a healthier and safer online experience.”

“'Dark patterns' and manipulative design techniques on the internet deceive consumers. We need solutions that protect people online and empower consumers to shape their own experience. We appreciate Senator Warner and Senator Fischer's work to address these misleading practices,” said Jenn Taylor Hodges, Head of U.S. Public Policy at Mozilla.

“Manipulative design, efforts to undermine users’ independent decision making, and secret psychological experiments conducted by corporations are everywhere online. The exploitative commercial surveillance model thrives on taking advantage of unsuspecting users. The DETOUR Act would put a stop to this: prohibiting online companies from designing their services to impair autonomy and to cultivate compulsive usage by children under 13. It would also prohibit companies from conducting online user experiments without consent. If enacted, the DETOUR Act will make an important contribution to living in a fairer and more civilized digital world,” said Katharina Kopp, Director of Policy at Center for Digital Democracy.

The Deceptive Experiences To Online Users Reduction (DETOUR) Act aims to curb manipulative behavior by prohibiting the largest online platforms (those with over 100 million monthly active users) from relying on user interfaces that intentionally impair user autonomy, decision-making, or choice. The legislation:

• Prohibits large online operators from designing, modifying, or manipulating user interface with the purpose or substantial effect of obscuring, subverting, or impairing user autonomy, decision-making, or choice to obtain consent or user data
• Prohibits subdividing or segmenting consumers for the purposes of behavioral experiments without a consumer’s informed consent, which cannot be buried in a general contract or service agreement. This includes routine disclosures for large online operators, not less than once every 90 days, on any behavioral or psychological experiments to users and the public. Additionally, the bill would require large online operators to create an internal Independent Review Board to provide oversight on these practices to safeguard consumer welfare.
• Prohibits user design intended to create compulsive usage among children under the age of 13 years old (as currently defined by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act).
• Directs the FTC to create rules within one year of enactment to carry out the requirements related to informed consent, Independent Review Boards, and Professional Standards Bodies.

Sen. Warner first introduced the DETOUR ACT in 2019 and has been raising concerns about the implications of social media companies’ reliance on dark patterns for years. In 2014, Sen. Warner asked the FTC to investigate Facebook’s use of dark patterns in an experiment involving nearly 700,000 users designed to study the emotional impact of manipulating information on their News Feeds.

Sen. Warner is one of Congress’ leading voices in demanding accountability and user protections from social media companies. In addition to the DETOUR Act, Sen. Warner has introduced and written numerous bills aimed designed to improve transparency, privacy, and accountability on social media. These include the Safeguarding Against Fraud, Exploitation, Threats, Extremism and Consumer Harms (SAFE TECH) Act – legislation that allow social media companies to be held accountable for enabling cyber-stalking, targeted harassment, and discrimination across platforms; the Designing Accounting Safeguards to Help Broaden Oversight and Regulations on Data (DASHBOARD) Act, bipartisan legislation that would require data harvesting companies to tell consumers and financial regulators exactly what data they are collecting from consumers and how it is being leveraged by the platform for profit; and the Augmenting Compatibility and Competition by Enabling Service Switching (ACCESS) Act, legislation that would encourage market-based competition to dominant social media platforms by requiring the largest companies to make user data portable – and their services interoperable – with other platforms, and to allow users to designate a trusted third-party service to manage their privacy and account settings, if they so choose.

Full text of the bill is available here. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) led members of the Virginia congressional delegation in requesting at least $159 million in federal funding for the Norfolk Harbor Widening and Deepening project. In a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Acting Director Shalanda Young and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael Connor, the lawmakers requested that this funding be approved in part through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Fiscal Year 2022 Work Plan, and through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

“Deepening Norfolk Harbor to 55 feet from its current 50 feet depth and widening Thimble Shoal Channel to 1,400 feet will enable safe, two-way traffic in and out of the harbor and will help prevent delays to commercial and military vessels – a necessity in today’s global trading landscape,” the lawmakers wrote. “Expanding Norfolk Harbor to allow for two-way traffic will also help prevent backlogs of commercial vessels that could cause costly delays and supply chain disruptions that are currently affecting some port facilities across the U.S.”

In their letter, the Members of Congress stressed the importance of federal funds in enabling the project’s on-time completion, as well as the important role the Port of Virginia plays in both the state and national economy.

“The Port of Virginia is a commercial and economic engine for the United States and continues to play an integral role in American foreign and domestic commerce and trade. Federal investment into this project will allow the Port to remain a prominent economic hub for the nation and a key player in domestic and international trade by generating more than $3.9 billion in net national economic development benefits,” they continued. 

Specifically, the lawmakers requested that a minimum of $75.3 million in funding be made available through the bipartisan infrastructure law that was passed earlier this year. These federal dollars would go towards fully funding construction of the inner harbor and advancing construction of the Atlantic Ocean Channel – measures that would help address capacity constraints at the Craney Island Dredged Material Management Area.

Additionally, the lawmakers requested that at least $83.7 million in funding be maintained in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Fiscal Year 2022 Work Plan, which allocates funding for civil works projects across the nation each fiscal year. Earlier this year, Sen. Warner celebrated the inclusion of $83.7 million in funding for the Norfolk Harbor project in President Biden’s budget request. These proposed funds were subsequently included in the spending bills approved by the House and Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittees. If included in the FY22 Work Plan, these federal dollars would fund construction for the Newport News Channel and a portion of the inner harbor.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long been strong advocates for the Norfolk Harbor project. In February, Sen. Warner spoke about the importance of the project during a Senate Banking Committee hearing. Sen. Warner also led the Virginia congressional delegation in a letter to OMB requesting a New Start designation for the project in January of this year. This request was also made in 2020. In July, Sen. Kaine advocated for the project to Assistant Secretary Connor as part of his nomination hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. In 2018, Sens. Warner and Kaine successfully fought for the inclusion of the Norfolk Harbor Widening and Deepening project, in addition to other coastal resiliency programs, in the bipartisan water infrastructure bill.

In addition to Sen. Warner, the letter was signed by U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Reps. Elaine Luria (D-VA), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Donald McEachin (D-VA), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Don Beyer (D-VA), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), and Gerry Connolly (D-VA).

Full text of the letter is here and below.

The Honorable Shalanda Young

Acting Director

Office of Management and Budget

725 17th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20503

The Honorable Michael L. Connor

Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

441 G Street, NW

Washington, DC 20314 

Dear Acting Director Young and Assistant Secretary Connor:

As lawmakers representing the Commonwealth of Virginia, we write today concerning funding needs for the Norfolk Harbor and Channels Widening and Deepening project. In order to keep this essential project for Virginia on schedule, we request at least $159 million in federal funding in Fiscal Year 2022 through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Fiscal Year 2022 Work Plan and funding made available through the recently enacted bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

The Port of Virginia is one of the largest and busiest ports on the East Coast and is one of the Commonwealth’s most powerful economic engines. Annually, the Port of Virginia is responsible for more than 400,000 jobs and $92 billion in spending across Virginia and generates more than seven and half percent of the Commonwealth’s Gross State Product. The Port’s reach also extends throughout the Mid-Atlantic and into the Ohio Valley and Midwest. U.S. exports account for more than half of its container movements and serve a robust rail market to and from American farmers and manufacturers throughout the Midwest and Ohio Valley.

The widening and deepening of Norfolk Harbor is essential to continue safe and timely passage of ever-increasing commercial and military vessels through the harbor. Deepening Norfolk Harbor to 55 feet from its current 50 feet depth and widening Thimble Shoal Channel to 1,400 feet will enable safe, two-way traffic in and out of the harbor and will help prevent delays to commercial and military vessels – a necessity in today’s global trading landscape. Expanding Norfolk Harbor to allow for two-way traffic will also help prevent backlogs of commercial vessels that could cause costly delays and supply chain disruptions that are currently affecting some port facilities across the U.S.

Construction on the first constructible element of the Norfolk Harbor project, deepening Thimble Shoal Channel – West, began in December 2019, 18 months ahead of schedule. In August 2021, the Port awarded a contract to deepen and widen Thimble Shoal Channel – East. Both segments are scheduled to be complete by August 2022. Both contracts are funded and administered by the Port and are in full compliance with federal standards under a Memorandum of Understanding with USACE in July 2017. Further, the construction work is eligible as Work-In-Kind once a Project Partnership Agreement is signed. The Commonwealth of Virginia has provided full funding of $20 million for Preconstruction Engineering and Design and $330 million for construction in its FY19-20 biennial budget.

We were pleased that the President’s FY22 Budget Request included $83.7 million and a New Start designation for the Norfolk Harbor project. We were also pleased to see this funding maintained in the House and Senate Fiscal Year 2022 Energy and Water Subcommittee Appropriations bills. As the Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations process continues, we respectfully request this amount be maintained in the USACE Fiscal Year 2022 Work Plan. This amount will fund construction for the Newport News Channel and a portion of the inner harbor. In addition, we request at least $75.3 million in funding through the recently signed IIJA to fully fund inner harbor construction and advance Atlantic Ocean Channel construction to address capacity constraints at the Craney Island Dredged Material Management Area. Allocating at least $159 million in federal funding to Norfolk Harbor in Fiscal Year 2022 will allow this nationally significant project to remain on track for completion by early 2025.

The Port of Virginia is a commercial and economic engine for the United States and continues to play an integral role in American foreign and domestic commerce and trade. Federal investment into this project will allow the Port to remain a prominent economic hub for the nation and a key player in domestic and international trade by generating more than $3.9 billion in net national economic development benefits. Completion of this project will also support the construction of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project – a 2.6-gigawatt commercial offshore wind project off Virginia’s coast that will power up to 660,000 Virginia homes and the Commonwealth’s push to become a hub for offshore wind development along the East Coast.

Thank you for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions regarding this request. We look forward to continue working with you to support this critical project for Virginia and our nation’s ports and harbors.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON –U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today announced Virginia transit and highway systems are expected to receive more than $8 billion in federal funds over the next five years as a result of the bipartisan infrastructure deal signed into law last month.

“The bipartisan infrastructure law is delivering real, hard-fought wins to communities across the Commonwealth and the nation to maintain our roads, bridges, and rail,” the senators said. “Already we are seeing the impact this meaningful legislation will have throughout Virginia.”

Virginia’s transit systems are expected to receive over $1.2 billion over the next five years. The funds are expected to be distributed as follows:

• Blacksburg, VA: $18,442,213
• Bristol, VA – Bristol TN: $7,893,935
• Charlottesville, VA: $19,185,122
• Fredericksburg, VA: $20,992,768
• Harrisonburg, VA:  $14,476,058
• Kingsport, TN-VA: $11,780,158
• Lynchburg, VA: $18,976,348
• Richmond, VA: $104,922,587
• Roanoke, VA: $22,258,920
• Staunton-Waynesboro, VA: $6,770,544
• Virginia Beach, VA: $176,559,982
• Washington, DC-VA-MD: $2,742,614,626
• Williamsburg, VA: $14,401,113
• Winchester, VA: $8,736,841

Additionally, as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Virginia transit systems will be able to compete for approximately $34.7 billion in nationwide discretionary grant programs for important priorities like improving bus and train station accessibility and expanding rural transit options.

The bill also renews the federal funding commitment for WMATA through fiscal year 2030, which means $1.2 billion for the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority over the next eight years to ensure the Metro is safe and efficient for Virginians.

In addition, Virginia’s highways, bridges, and electric vehicle charging stations are expected to receive over $7.7 billion in funding over the next five years. The funding will be distributed by program as follows:

• National Highway Performance Program: $3,821,862,528
• Surface Transportation Block Grant: $1,859,284,475
• Bridge Replacement, Rehabilitation, Preservation, Protection, and Construction Program: $536,761,305
• Highway Safety Improvement Program: $408,582,208
• Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program: $311,405,743
• PROTECT Formula Program: $188,510,787
• National Highway Freight Program: 183,657,838
• Carbon Reduction Program: $165,786,199
• National Vehicle Electric Formula: $106,376,132
• Appalachian Development Highway System: $102,835,469
• Metropolitan Planning: $51,902,542
• Railway-Highway Crossings Program: $24,798,925

The funding represents a portion of federal funds headed to Virginia as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a bipartisan, once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure that was negotiated by Sen. Warner and strongly supported by Sen. Kaine. Last week, the Senators announced that Virginia airports are slated to receive $400 million over the next five years as a result of the bipartisan infrastructure law.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) joined U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), chair of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, in a letter with 64 colleagues pushing committee leadership to keep the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act (MJIIPA) in the final NDAA bill language. The bipartisan and bicameral letter is signed by 44 senators and 22 members of the House. MJIIPA would professionalize how the military prosecutes serious crimes by moving the decision over whether to prosecute them to independent, experienced military prosecutors, and was successfully included in the committee-passed Senate National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022. MJIIPA currently has 66 Senate co-sponsors and the House companion legislation has 220 co-sponsors, representing a majority of the House.

“It is outrageous that the Senate and House Armed Services Committees would even consider stripping out a provision that is backed by a bipartisan majority in both chambers and has been included in the Senate version of the bill. Sexual assault in the military is a serious concern and demands a real solution, not a watered-down provision slipped in the final bill behind closed doors. Retaining the full Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act provision will ensure that the will of this strong majority is respected. It is the only reform that will provide true independence for prosecutors in the military justice system and is essential to ensure that victims, accused, and the public all have full faith and confidence in the military justice process.” – said Senator Gillibrand.

In addition to the bill’s widespread congressional support, veterans service groups are also applying pressure to congressional leadership. On November 23, coalition of veterans groups—including the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, AMVETS, Student Veterans of America, the Service Women Action Network and Vietnam Veterans of America— wrote a letter to congressional leaders pushing them not to remove or water down military sexual assault reform provisions in the final NDAA. The American Legion sent a similar letter on November 29.

Furthermore, earlier this month, 29 state attorneys general, led by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, penned a letter to congressional leadership urging Congress to swiftly pass Senator Gillibrand’s widely supported MJIIPA. 

In addition to Sens. Warner and Gillibrand, the signers include Senators Baldwin (D-WI), Bennet (D-CO), Blumenthal (D-CT), Booker (D-NJ), Brown (D-OH), Cardin (D-MD), Carper (D-DE), Casey (D-PA), Coons (D-DE), Cortez Masto (D-NV), Cruz (R-TX), Duckworth (D-IL), Durbin (D-IL), Ernst (R-IA), Feinstein (D-CA), Grassley (R-IA), Hawley (R-MO), Hassan (D-NH), Heinrich (D-NM), Hickenlooper (D-CO), Hirono (D-HI), Kaine (D-VA), Klobuchar (D-MN), Leahy (D-VT), Lujan (D-NM), Markey (D-MA), Marshall (R-KS), Menendez (D-NJ), Merkley (D-OR), Murphy (D-CT), Murray (D-WA), Padilla (D-CA), Sanders (I-VT), Schatz (D-HI), Shaheen (D-NH), T. Smith (D-MN), Stabenow (D-MI), Tuberville (R-AL), Van Hollen (D-MD), Warnock (D-GA), Warren (D-MA), and Wyden (D-OR).

Members of the House include Representatives Adams (D-NC), Bass (D-CA), Brown (D-MD), Carson (D-IN), Davis (D-IL), Escobar (D-TX), Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Garamendi (D-CA), Hayes (D-CT), Horsford (D-NV), Hudson (R-NC), Johnson (D-GA), Khanna (D-CA), Lee (D-CA), McBath (D-GA), Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Mullins (R-OK), Norton, (D-DC), Speier (D-CA), Turner (R-OH), Veasey (D-TX) and Williams (D-GA).

For the full letter, please click here.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine applauded $5,493,100 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to improve infrastructure in rural communities across the Commonwealth. The funding was awarded through the Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program, the Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program, the Community Facilities Disaster Grants, and the Economic Impact Initiative Grants Program, all administered by USDA Rural Development. These programs offer direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants to develop or improve essential public facilities in rural communities.

“We’re glad to see these federal dollars go toward improving the infrastructure of our rural communities,” said the Senators. “These investments will help essential community facilities better serve their communities.”

USDA’s Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grants, Disaster Grants, and Guaranteed Loans programs offer direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants to develop or improve essential community facilities in rural areas. A breakdown of the funding is below: 

• The Buchanan County Board of Supervisors in Grundy will receive a grant of $23,200 to purchase a properly equipped side-by-side utility task vehicle, cargo trailer, and four helmets to better serve the community.

• The Town of Glen Lyn will receive a grant of $75,000 to purchase a new fully equipped patrol vehicle.

• The Town of Kilmarnock will receive a grant of $22,000 to purchase a 2021 Ford patrol interceptor utility vehicle.

• The Commonwealth Catholic Charities in Norton will receive a grant of $50,000 to purchase two new, properly equipped vehicles, furniture, and equipment to provide transportation and equipment needed to offer foster care services in the area.

• The Broadwater Academy in Exmore will receive a grant of $37,500 to purchase computers, IT equipment, a mower, and a trailer and to replace older grounds maintenance equipment.

• The Drakes Branch Volunteer Fire Department will receive a grant of $97,500 to refurbish the Department's brush truck.

• The Town of Drakes Branch will receive a grant of $97,500 to purchase heating ventilation and air conditioning and equipment.

• The Town of Farmville will receive a grant of $36,600 to purchase 29 mobile radios to replace all of the town's portable radios.

• The Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Neck in Kilmarnock will receive a grant of $68,000 to purchase Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics furniture, computers, and appliances.

• The County of Halifax will receive a grant of $128,700 to purchase a front loader refuse truck.

• The Healthy Harvest Food Bank, Inc. in Warsaw will receive a grant of $200,000 to purchase aquaponics equipment for the greenhouse classroom. This equipment will be used to produce vegetables, fish, and other types of seafood.

• The County of Richmond will receive a grant of $91,700 to purchase a new medic unit ambulance.

• The Children’s Center in Franklin will receive a grant of $16,600 to purchase an air purification system and an awning to provide proper protection from UV rays for the children and staff at eight childcare and early childhood education facilities.

• The Town of Scottsville will receive a grant of $5,300 and a loan of $15,200 to purchase a new patrol vehicle and related equipment.

• The Eastern Shore Public Library in Accomac will receive a grant of $25,000 to purchase portable steel-framed shelving, computers, monitors, and software. This new steel-framed shelving will be used for the children's section of the Accomac branch.

• The County of Accomac will receive a grant of $75,000 to purchase a new radio communications console for the 911 call center.

• The Shenandoah Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. will receive a grant of $47,200 and a loan of $87,800 to purchase fire and rescue equipment.

• The Town of Glade Spring will receive a grant of $75,000 and loan of $84,300 to purchase a new properly equipped sanitation vehicle with a packer.

• The William King Museum of Art in Abingdon will receive a grant of $66,000 to purchase a new 250,000 kilowatt, 120/208 volt 3 stage diesel generator to provide backup electricity to ensure year-round protection of the museum's collections.

• The Wise County Public Service Authority in Wise will receive a grant of $50,000, another grant of $25,000, and a loan of $85,000 to purchase three new and properly equipped service trucks, which are essential to the county’s water and sewer systems.

• The Town of Tappahannock will receive a loan of $123,500 to purchase a 2021 community freightliner sanitation vehicle. 

• The Town of Tappahannock will receive a loan of $53,300 to purchase sewer cameras, helping the town’s staff closely inspect sewer lines.

• The Harvest Outreach Center in Rustburg will receive a loan of $775,000 to purchase a building and equipment for a school in the area.

• The Town of Lawrenceville will receive a loan of $215,000 to purchase a used ladder truck and new accessories.

• The Town of Crewe will receive a loan of $68,200 to purchase two new patrol vehicles and equipment including mobile data terminals.

• The Town of Blackstone will receive a loan of $520,000 to purchase a new ladder truck.

• The Buckhorn Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. in South Hill will receive a loan of $400,000 to purchase a pumper fire truck.

• People Incorporated of Southwest Virginia in Abingdon will receive a loan of $1,700,000 to purchase and renovate a building to be used as an administrative office. This project will involve moderate rehabilitation of the main building's interior and basic exterior improvements.

The Economic Impact Initiative Grants program  assists in the development of essential community facilities in rural communities. A breakdown of the funding is below: 

• The Town of Gordonsville will receive a grant of $3,000 to purchase 11 patrol ballistic vests and two carriers for each vest to provide safety and protection for officers.

• The Town of Marion will receive a grant of $50,000 to purchase equipment for the town’s patrol vehicle fleet. The equipment includes mobile data terminals, radios, officer safety barriers, emergency lighting with controls, radar units, vehicle graphics, and flashlights.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, issued the following release:

“Members of both parties deeply respect Chair Powell for his forceful leadership at the Fed during an especially difficult time. Stability at the central bank is important as our economy continues to recover and as we seek to combat the effects of inflation driven by challenges in the global supply chain. Chair Powell is a strong choice and I look forward to working with him to make sure our economic recovery lifts up all of our communities.

“I also applaud President Biden’s nomination of Governor Brainard, who has shown great leadership when it comes to ensuring robust regulation of our financial system. She will make an excellent Vice Chair at a crucial time as the Fed addresses issues such as regulation of digital assets, the risks of climate change, and cross-border regulatory coordination.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today announced $718,750 in federal funding from the Department of Justice through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). Both Senators are long-time supporters of funding for the COPS program via the Appropriations process. These funds will allow Virginia law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire career law enforcement officers to better serve communities, reduce crime, and advance public safety through community policing efforts.

“Community policing allows our police departments to build relationships with the communities they serve,” the Senators said.“These funds will help make our police departments more effective and more responsive while fostering a positive and strong relationship between officers and members of the community.”

The funding will be distributed as follows:

• The City of Buena Vista will receive $93,750. 

• The City of Manassas Park will receive $250,000.

• The City of Radford will receive $375,000. 

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WASHINGTON – As the Senate continues to negotiate the nation’s annual defense bill, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) is championing a set of measures to better support Virginia’s military families. If included in the final version of the bill and signed into law, these measures could help tackle food insecurity among members of the military and their families, allow for greater accountability and oversight over military housing, and pause proposed restructuring of the military health system until the proposal’s impact on servicemembers can be fully assessed.

“The brave men and women who serve in our military should never have to worry about putting food on the table, about having a safe place to live, or about being able to access the timely and quality health care they have earned,” said Sen. Warner. “That’s why I’m proud to introduce these amendments to our nation’s annual defense bill to further protect military families in Virginia and around the country.”

To combat food insecurity in the military, Sen. Warner is pushing for an amendment that would direct the Secretary of Defense to designate an existing senior official as the lead for addressing food insecurity in the military and for coordinating with other relevant agencies. Another Warner amendment would direct the U.S. Government Accountability Office to conduct an independent review of an upcoming Department of Defense study on food insecurity, to ensure the Department is appropriately addressing the needs of servicemembers and their families, and to provide independent analysis of proposed Department action. A third amendment championed by Sen. Warner would create a limited, nationwide pilot program, through which commissaries could offer food boxes full of fresh produce to servicemembers facing food insecurity, free of charge.

These amendments come amid a 2021 survey by the Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN), which found that one in five respondents reported experiencing food insecurity – a spike from one in eight in 2019. 

Sen. Warner has been a strong advocate for addressing food insecurity – especially among military families. He is a lead cosponsor of the Military Hunger Prevention Act, and in March, he joined Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) in urging the Biden administration to develop concrete steps to tackle the alarming rate of food insecurity among military families. Sen. Warner is also the author of the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act and the FEMA Empowering Essential Deliveries (FEED) Act – bills to tackle the food security gap in the U.S. Additionally, Sen. Warner supported the passage of the American Rescue Plan, which extended a 15 percent increase in SNAP benefits through September 30, 2021.

To improve housing conditions for servicemembers and their families, Sen. Warner also introduced two amendments that would create more transparency and allow for greater accountability around privatized military housing. One amendment would direct the U.S. Government Accountability Office to prepare a report for Congress that outlines the ways in which tenants are making use of recent housing reforms. Specifically, this report would detail the degree to which tenants are utilizing certain new protections and tools from the Warner-championed Tenant Bill of Rights,  as well as a provision that allows tenants to access an analysis of the metrics that determine any performance incentive paid to their privatized housing provider. A separate amendment would require that this analysis be posted online, as it’s currently only available to tenants who request it from their installation’s housing office. Allowing for the publication of this data would help increase accountability and inform future action by Congress.

Sen. Warner has fiercely advocated for and secured a number of reforms to privatized military housing over the years, in response to the well-documented health hazards in military homes across the country. He successfully secured large portions of his military housing legislation in the FY20 NDAA, and subsequently passed provisions in the FY21 NDAA to improve military housing metrics.

To protect access to timely and quality health care for servicemembers, Sen. Warner has also introduced an amendment to pause the proposed restructuring and realignment of Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) – a proposal that would transition some servicemembers from receiving care at MTFs, to receiving care from community providers. Sen. Warner’s amendment would pause this restructuring for one year following the NDAA’s passage, and require a U.S. Government Accountability Office assessment of the proposed cuts. This assessment would help provide a better picture of the proposal’s impact on servicemembers, ensuring that they are able to continue accessing needed care, especially in light of added pandemic demands. 

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 WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Rob Portman (R-OH), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Jon Tester (D-MT) issued the following statement after the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was signed into law. The law represents the largest investment in infrastructure in our nation’s history. 

“Today’s signing of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a victory for all Americans. When Congress puts America’s needs over politics, we make genuine progress. We were proud to work together on this historic investment in our nation’s core infrastructure to modernize roads and bridges, strengthen rail and transit systems, upgrade ports, expand broadband access, improve water systems, and increase the resiliency of the nation’s energy grid. It strengthens our economy without raising taxes or increasing inflation. This legislation will positively impact every American.” 

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