WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $2,168,854 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide infrastructure improvements to six of the Commonwealth’s airports.

“We are glad to see these federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan being put to good use,” said the Senators. “This funding will enable the Commonwealth’s airports to continue supporting travelers and encourage economic opportunities for the surrounding regions.”

This funding was awarded through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which Senators Warner and Kaine voted to pass in March. The legislation included significant funding to help Virginia’s airports continue delivering crucial supplies to the Commonwealth.

A breakdown of the funding is below:

• Franklin Regional Airport will receive a grant of $200,000 to repair 4,000 feet of various taxiway surfaces,28,000 square yards of the existing apron surface, and 2,900 feet of the existing North Taxiway surface to extend the pavement's useful life.
• Leesburg Executive Airport will receive a grant of $166,666 to restore 46,000 square yards of the existing south terminal apron.
• Dinwiddie County Airport and Industrial Authority in Petersburg will receive a grant of $300,000 to update the airport’s master plan and airport layout plan to help better address issues and goals for future development.
• Hanover County Municipal Airport in Ashland will receive a grant of $388,888 to restore 5,402 feet of an existing runway.
• Lee County Airport in Jonesville will receive a grant of $613,300 to restore 5,003 feet of runway and 6,440 feet of the existing parallel and connector taxiways.
• New River Valley Airport in Dublin will receive a grant of $500,000 to update the airport’s master plan and airport layout plan to help better address issues and goals for future development.

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner, Tim Kaine (both D-Va.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urging him to reopen Howard Bailey’s immigration proceedings and grant him humanitarian parole. Bailey is a U.S. Navy veteran who lives in exile in Jamaica after being deported in 2012 for a conviction that has since been pardoned.

“The Biden administration has committed to honoring family unity and redressing racial injustices where possible. Returning Mr. Bailey to the U.S., in light of his overwhelming positive equities and the injustice of his deportation, honors these priorities and is a small step toward restoring humanity to the U.S. immigration system,” wrote the Senators. “We urge you to join his motion to reopen his immigration proceedings and grant his application for humanitarian parole.”

Last week, Bailey was invited to testify at an Immigration Subcommittee hearing to examine how we can better honor the promises made to our brave military members, veterans, and their families in our immigration policy. At the conclusion of the hearing Padilla stated, “Mr. Bailey fought for our country and I am happy to fight for him.” Padilla also raised this issue directly to Robert Silvers, the Nominee for DHS Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans during a Homeland Security Committee hearing. 

Howard Bailey moved to the U.S. when he was around 17-years-old after obtaining lawful permanent residence status through his U.S. citizen mother. He joined the U.S. Navy after high school and served for nearly four years, including two tours in Operation Desert Storm. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and honorably discharged. After Mr. Bailey’s service to the U.S. Navy, he devoted himself to his wife and two U.S. citizen children, purchased a home, and started two small businesses including a thriving trucking company employing seven people. 

The full text of the letter is available HERE and below:

Dear Secretary Mayorkas:

We write to request that the Department of Homeland Security join U.S. veteran Howard Bailey’s motion to reopen his immigration proceedings and grant him humanitarian parole so that he can return to the United States.

Mr. Bailey joined the U.S. Navy after high school. During his subsequent four years of service, he served on a critical supply ship often in danger zones as a part of Operation Desert Storm and Project Comfort. After he left the Navy, he started a trucking business, purchased his home with a V.A. loan, and built a stable life for his family. He was living the American Dream in every sense of the phrase. Mark Warner

Soon after his honorable discharge, Mr. Bailey was arrested after a package of marijuana was mailed to his home for a friend. Despite not knowing the contents of the package, he pled guilty to a marijuana charge based on counsel from his attorney, who also failed to advise him of the immigration consequences of his plea. Fifteen years later, when Mr. Bailey applied for citizenship, he disclosed that he had a marijuana conviction from 1995. ICE learned of his conviction only when Mr. Bailey himself brought it to the agency’s attention as he applied for U.S. citizenship. ICE then initiated deportation proceedings against him on the basis of this sole marijuana conviction—arresting him on his front lawn with his daughter, son, and wife as witnesses.

In the years after his deportation to Jamaica, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that such convictions no longer render people like Mr. Bailey deportable or make them ineligible for discretionary relief from deportation. More recently, in 2017, former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe issued a pardon for Mr. Bailey’s marijuana conviction in light of his service to the U.S. Navy and the increasing decriminalization of marijuana nationwide. Today, the conviction that led to his deportation is no longer a part of his record, and the law makes clear that he is eligible for relief from deportation.

On May 27, 2021, a memorandum was issued by DHS headquarters to ICE OPLA attorneys explicitly encouraging DHS to join motions to reopen cases like Mr. Bailey’s where “an individual is eligible for relief under the law and merits relief as a matter of discretion.” The memo lists factors that should be taken into account in joining a motion and that weigh in favor of his case. These include his prior military service, his prior lawful permanent residence status, decades of residency in the U.S. with significant family ties, the length of time since his conviction (26 years) and the compelling humanitarian circumstances in his case such as the severe mental health challenges suffered by his daughter.

As the Secretary of Homeland Security, you have the authority under current law to grant humanitarian parole for cases like Mr. Bailey’s where urgent humanitarian considerations and significant public benefit apply. In addition to the public benefit of bringing home a U.S. veteran who has proudly served his country, paroling Mr. Bailey into the United States is also an appropriate next step to address the profoundly devastating impact of his deportation on his two U.S. citizen children. His daughter, only 11-years-old at the time ICE officers took her father away, continues to face significant mental health challenges and has been unable to attend college, a dream both her and her father shared for her. His son—traumatized by the loss of his father and the subsequent economic challenges including suffering from hunger—has had trouble with the criminal legal system.

The Biden administration has committed to honoring family unity and redressing racial injustices where possible. Returning Mr. Bailey to the U.S., in light of his overwhelming positive equities and the injustice of his deportation, honors these priorities and is a small step toward restoring humanity to the U.S. immigration system. We urge you to join his motion to reopen his immigration proceedings and grant his application for humanitarian parole.

Sincerely,

###

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner (D-VA) Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and Marco Rubio (R-FL) Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, sent a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai, highlighting the importance of reconvening trade agreement talks with Taiwan. 

“We respectfully request that you prioritize these talks and take steps to begin laying the groundwork for negotiation of a free trade agreement (FTA), or other preliminary agreement, with Taiwan,” the Senators wrote. 

“Taiwan is the tenth largest trading partner of the United States—surpassing more populous nations such as India, France, and Italy—and the eighth largest market for American agricultural products. It embraces high standards of labor rights and environmental protection. We can all be confident that an agreement negotiated with Taiwan could serve as a model for what a high-standard FTA should look like,” the Senators continued.

“Beyond commerce and investment, Taiwan has proven itself to be a true friend to the United States and a model of a vibrant democracy. While Chinese authorities denied American companies operating in China the ability to send personal protective equipment (PPE) back home during the pandemic, Taiwan stood up production lines of PPE for the United States when we were most in need,” the Senators concluded. 

Joining Warner and Rubio in sending the letter were Senators Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Chris Coons (D-CT), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Joe Manchin (D-WV), John Boozman (R-AR), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Todd Young (R-IN), Steve Daines (R-MT), Rick Scott (R-FL), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), John Barrasso (R-WY), John Thune (R-SD), Tim Scott (R-SC), Mike Braun (R-IN), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Mike Lee (R-UT), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mike Rounds (R-SD), James Lankford (R-OK), Rand Paul (R-KY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Hoeven (R-ND), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Susan Collins (R-ME), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Bill Hagerty (R-TN).

Dear Ambassador Tai:

As you move to establish your early priorities, we are pleased to see that the resumption of talks with Taiwan under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) is among your areas of focus. The last TIFA meeting was held in October 2016, which is far too long ago when one considers Taiwan’s importance as a trade partner to the United States. For this reason, we were gratified to see reports that you held a virtual meeting with Taiwan’s top trade official, John Deng, on June 9, 2021 and committed to reconvene TIFA talks in the coming weeks. We respectfully request that you prioritize these talks and take steps to begin laying the groundwork for negotiation of a free trade agreement (FTA), or other preliminary agreement, with Taiwan. 

In August 2020, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen announced her intention to remove, and later removed, what had been a major obstacle to the pursuit of a FTA: import restrictions on certain U.S. beef and pork products. It is now time for the United States to reciprocate and begin negotiations. It is clear that the United States stands to gain much in doing so. 

Taiwan is the tenth largest trading partner of the United States—surpassing more populous nations such as India, France, and Italy—and the eighth largest market for American agricultural products. It embraces high standards of labor rights and environmental protection. We can all be confident that an agreement negotiated with Taiwan could serve as a model for what a high-standard FTA should look like. It will facilitate free trade under fair conditions that allow American workers, producers, and companies alike to flourish. Advanced economies such as Singapore and New Zealand have paved the way by signing their own FTAs with Taiwan. 

Beyond commerce and investment, Taiwan has proven itself to be a true friend to the United States and a model of a vibrant democracy. While Chinese authorities denied American companies operating in China the ability to send personal protective equipment (PPE) back home during the pandemic, Taiwan stood up production lines of PPE for the United States when we were most in need. Despite Beijing’s endless efforts to isolate and bully, Taiwan remains everything we want the Indo-Pacific region to be: a democratic, free market economy that is a reliable partner to the United States. Lastly, trade talks with Taiwan are also of great strategic importance. Maintaining U.S. economic influence in the region and reducing Taiwan’s dependence on China is essential to ensuring that the region remains free and open. 

Thank you again for committing to resume TIFA talks with Taiwan in the coming weeks. We appreciate your continued attention to this important matter. 

Sincerely,

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) applauded an announcement from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) that it has selected a location for a new Southside outpatient clinic for veterans in Hampton Roads. The 196,000-square-foot outpatient facility will be constructed on a 25-acre parcel of land on the Chesapeake Regional Hospital campus and is the result of a successful bipartisan effortoriginally spearheaded by Sen. Warner in 2016 to approve 28 overdue Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facility leases, including another outpatient clinic in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

“This new outpatient facility is long-overdue in a region with one of the fastest-growing veterans populations in the country, and where veterans often battle traffic and long wait times to access the care they’ve earned,” said Sen. Warner today. “After years of delays, I’m pleased that a site for this new VA clinic in Southside Hampton Roads has finally been selected, and look forward to working with local and federal officials to make sure that it opens its doors as soon as possible.” 

High demand has often meant long wait times for care at VA medical facilities in Hampton Roads, where enrollees are expected to increase by 44 percent over the next 20 years, and outpatient workload is expected to increase by more than 70 percent. Sen. Warner has been pushingunder three different presidents to get the long-planned Southside clinic up and running to alleviate demand in the region. While the veteran population in Virginia is predicted to grow more than two percent over the next several years, enrollees at the Hampton VA are expected to rise approximately 16 percent within the same timeframe.

During his time in the Senate, Sen. Warner has fought to reduce wait times for veterans in Hampton Roads. In 2015, confronted with wait times that were three times the national average, Sen. Warner successfully urged the VA to send down a team of experts to address the problem. He also succeeded in getting the Northern Virginia Technology Council to issue a free report detailing how to reduce wait times.

###

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement after the Acting Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, John P. Roth, approved Joint Base Langley-Eustis (JBLE) in Hampton as the final location for the F-22 Formal Training Unit (FTU): 

“After years of advocating alongside the Virginia congressional delegation, we’re pleased that the U.S. Air Force has confirmed what we already knew: Hampton Roads is the ideal location to permanently house the F-22 training squadron. We look forward to working with the U.S. Air Force and the Virginia Air National Guard to make sure the relocation process is a smooth one for the servicemembers and their families that will now make the Commonwealth their new home.”

Senators Warner and Kaine have long championed making Joint Base Langley-Eustis (JBLE) the final location for the F-22 Formal Training Unit (FTU). In February 2019, Warner and Kaine were joined by every member of the Virginia congressional delegation in a letter urging then-U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson to relocate the F-22 Flight and Maintenance Formal Training Units (FTU) to Joint Base Langley-Eustis. Originally located at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, which was heavily damaged by Hurricane Michael in October of 2018, the squadron was temporarily held at Eglin Air Force Base, awaiting a decision as to where it would be housed permanently.

Built to accommodate three squadrons, Joint Base Langley-Eustis was underutilized, housing only two F-22 squadrons and supporting maintenance units. Warner and Kaine urged the Air Force to move the F-22 FTU to JBLE to advance an important recommendation put forward by the Government Accountability Office, which has emphasized the need for improving aircraft availability by consolidating the fleet into larger squadrons or wings. 

In March 2019, Warner and Kaine released a statement applauding the U.S. Air Force announcement that it had recommended relocating the F-22 Flight and Maintenance Formal Training Unit (FTU) to Joint Base Langley-Eustis.

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Senator Tim Kaine announced $4,869,900 in federal grants and loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded to communities across the Commonwealth to fund much needed infrastructure improvements. 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.  

“We are glad to see these federal dollars go toward much needed equipment and infrastructure updates across the Commonwealth,” said the Senators.“These vital investments will help ensure our cities and towns have the tools and resources they need to continue to build back better.”  

Community Facilities Direct Loans, Grants, Disaster Grants, and Guaranteed Loans programs offer direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants to develop or improve essential public facilities in rural communities. The funding will be awarded through a grant-loan combination. A breakdown of the funding is below:

• Town of Onancock will receive a grant of $33,000 and loan of $62,000 to purchase two patrol vehicles for the town.
• Town of Colonial Beach will receive a grant of $67,400 and a loan of $382,200 to purchase a public works jet truck equipped with a hydro-excavation package, high capacity vacuum system, tandem axles, and high pressure jetting system, including a 1,000 foot hose and increased water storage.
• Eastern Shore Public Library in Nassawadox will receive a grant of $24,000 to purchase a security and fire alarm, and additional office equipment. 
• Town of Cape Charles will receive a grant of $29,000 and a loan of $55,800 to purchase remote read water meters and a new 4-wheel drive pickup truck for the public utilities department. 
• Town of Eastville will receive two grants – one of $6,000 and another of $50,000 – and a loan of $104,200 to purchase a patrol vehicle, a pickup truck, a dump trailer, and a generator to update the town’s public works department.
• Health Equipment Loan Program (H.E.L.P.) in Churchville will receive a grant of $25,000 and a loan of $155,000 to purchase a building and medical equipment to serve residents of Augusta County.
• Town of Tazewell will receive a grant of $50,000 to purchase two new patrol vehicles.
• Stickleyville Volunteer Fire Department in Duffield will receive a grant of $11,200 to purchase a used fire truck.
• Drakes Branch Volunteer Fire Department will receive a grant of $19,500 to purchase a utility terrain vehicle (UTV), trailer and equipment.
• County of Dickenson will receive a grant of $50,000 to purchase two patrol vehicles. 
• Mount Rogers Community Services, Inc. in Wytheville will receive a loan of $3,000,000 to purchase a building and manage renovations to provide appropriate space for employees and services.
• Town of Gate City will receive a grant of $26,200 and loan of $48,800 to purchase two used patrol vehicles. 
• City of Norton will receive a grant of $50,000 and loan of $55,000 to purchase two new patrol vehicles.
• Town of Lawrenceville will receive a grant of $200,000 and a loan of $225,800 to purchase a 3,000 gallon tanker fire truck.
• Town of Brodnax will receive a grant of $66,000 and a loan of $22,000 to purchase three sewer pumps and a pump station.

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

• Town of Bowling Green will receive a grant of $21,300 to purchase a utility terrain vehicle (UTV), trailer and equipment for the town’s fire department, and a grant of $30,500 to purchase a public works truck.

###

WASHINGTON —U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-Virginia) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) have again reintroduced the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act to protect horses from the abusive show practices. Soring is a process by which horse trainers intentionally apply substances or devices to horses’ limbs to make each step painful and force an exaggerated high-stepping gait rewarded in show rings.  Although federal law prohibits soring, a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Inspector General (IG) report found that some horse trainers continue this inhumane practice.

“For over 400 years, horses have been a quintessential part of Virginia’s culture and history,” said Senator Warner. “I am proud to reintroduce the bipartisan PAST Act, which would protect horses from mistreatment and abuse by increasing penalties for individuals who engage in the harmful and deliberate practice of soring.”

“I support the humane treatment of all animals and the responsible training of horses,” said Senator Crapo.  “Soring is cruel and inhumane and I remain committed to ending its practice.  The PAST Act would finally end this horrible training operation.”

“There is simply nothing good to be said for a sporting event that relies on the deliberate torment of horses in the training barns to produce the desired high stepping gait in the show ring,” said Sara Amundson, President of the Humane Society Legislative Fund.  “Soring is a furtive cruelty that we can root out altogether with this measure, in this Congress.  No more self-policing by participants.  No more reliance on devices integral to soring. No more anemic penalties.  We’ve been waiting half a century for the straight shot that stops this wicked practice, and Senators Crapo and Warner have given it to us.  The many legislators who have backed this bill have put their political weight on the right side of history, and put the Senate in position to save the Tennessee walking horse industry from its scofflaw elements.  We’re banking that their bipartisan push for the PAST Act will be the coup de grace that puts soring out to pasture forever.” 

“On behalf of the U.S. horse industry, which supports nearly one million U.S. jobs and contributes $122 billion to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the American Horse Council applauds the leadership of Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) for re-introducing the bipartisan Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act of 2021.  This important bill builds on progress made toward improved treatment of horses since enactment of the Horse Protection Act (HPA) of 1970,” said Julie Broadway, President of the American Horse Council.   “The PAST Act outlines a common-sense solution to prevent the continued practice of taking action on a horse's limb to produce an accentuated gait during competition.  Furthermore, the scope of the bill is limited.  It lays out a specific framework that focuses enforcement efforts on three horse breeds that continue to be the target of soring practices.  Once Congress passes the PAST Act, we can finally end the practice of soring.”   

“Though the Horse Protection Act was signed into law more than 50 years ago to protect horses from painful soring, this abuse continues unabated,” said Cathy Liss, President of the Animal Welfare Institute.  “We urge Senate leadership to quickly pass the PAST Act to spare horses from needless suffering, provide vital enforcement, and increase penalties for repeat offenders.”

“The cruel practice of horse soring – inflicting pain and injury in horses’ legs and hooves to force them into an unnatural, high-stepping gait known as the “Big Lick” – has gone on for far too long while serial abusers have gamed the system and horses have suffered,” said Nancy Perry, Senior Vice President of ASPCA Government Relations.  “The PAST Act received overwhelming support last Congress, and we are grateful to Senators Warner and Crapo for reintroducing this critical bill to ensure the humane treatment of horses, so we can finally end this abuse once and for all.” 

“We applaud Sens. Crapo and Warner for their tireless work to end the scourge of soring that’s marred the equine world for six decades,” said Marty Irby, Executive Director at Animal Wellness Action and past President of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ & Exhibitors Association.  “We remain committed to achieving the implementation of meaningful felony penalties and uniform inspections as well as the eradication of gruesome devices used to produce the unnatural exaggerated ‘big lick’ gait.”

The Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act would: 

• Eliminate self-policing by requiring the USDA to assign a licensed inspector if the show's management indicates intent to hire one.  Licensed or accredited veterinarians, if available, would be given preference for these positions.
• Prohibit the use of action devices and pads on specific horse breeds that have a history of being the primary victims of soring.  Action devices, such as chains that rub up and down an already-sore leg, intensify the horse's pain when it moves so that the horse quickly jolts up its leg.
• Increase consequences on individuals caught soring a horse, including raising the penalty from a misdemeanor to a felony, which is subject to up to three years' incarceration, increasing fines from $3,000 to $5,000 per violation, and permanently disqualifying three-time violators from participating in horse shows, exhibitions, sales or auctions. 

In 2017, the USDA Office of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) moved to strengthen certain aspects of the Horse Protection Act by incorporating some of the major tenets of the PAST Act.  However, the rule was not finalized.  The PAST Act would codify these changes into law.   In April 2021, Senators Crapo and Warner led a bipartisan letter of 46 additional Senate colleagues to USDA Secretary Vilsack urging the USDA to publish and reinstate a final rule on the inhumane practice of soring.

Additional co-sponsors include Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Patrick Toomey (R-Pennsylvania), Maria Cantwell (D-Washington), Ben Cardin (D-Maryland), Tom Carper (D-Delaware), Bob Casey (D-Pennsylvania), Chris Coons (D-Delaware), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), Dianne Feinstein (D-California), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York), Maggie Hassan (D-New Hampshire), John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Virginia), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico), Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts), Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey), Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut), Alex Padilla (D-California), Gary Peters (D-Michigan), Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island), Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada), Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chuck Schumer (D-New York), Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona), Tina Smith (D-Minnesota), Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan), Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia), Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Sheldon Whitehouse (R-Rhode Island) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon). 

Numerous groups have endorsed the bill, including the American Horse Council, American Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Equine Practitioners, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Animal Wellness Action, Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, Humane Society Legislative Fund, and Virginia Veterinary Medical Association. 

A copy of the bill text is available here.

 ###

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD VIDEO

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AUDIO

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined President Biden and his Senate colleagues for a bipartisan meeting at the White House where they struck an agreement to make the largest long-term investment in American infrastructure and competitiveness in nearly a century. The $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure framework was made possible by the work of Sen. Warner and a group of bipartisan Senators who for weeks helped to negotiate an infrastructure plan after earlier talks between Republicans and President Biden failed to reach an agreement. 

“When we announced the framework at $579 billion last week, it took a lot of work to get there and to maintain that, and I commend all of my colleagues,” said Sen. Warner, addressing the media alongside his colleagues outside the White House earlier today, following the meeting with President Biden. “I mentioned to the President, and Susan [Collins] and I, and a number of us, yesterday were at the funeral of my dear friend John Warner. My hope is, when this framework becomes law, that we do it in the spirit of John Warner, and I would hope to convince my colleagues that we actually name this legislation after him. We all commended his ability to work with people across party lines, the fact that he always put country first, and I think my colleagues have demonstrated that again.” 

U.S. infrastructure remains in desperate need of repair, with crumbling roads, deteriorating bridges, leaky public water pipes, brimming landfills, and aging stormwater systems. The bipartisan plan endorsed today by the White House would invest $1.2 trillion total over eight years – including $579 billion in new, additional spending in the next five years – to pay for much-needed investments in transportation infrastructure, clean water, broadband, clean power, and more.   

The bipartisan agreement, which will generate significant economic benefits and returns, is financed through a combination of closing the tax gap, redirecting unspent emergency relief funds, targeted corporate user fees, and the macroeconomic impact of infrastructure investment.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework

*New spending + baseline (over 5 years) = $973B
*New spending + baseline (over 8 years) = $1,209B
  

Proposed Financing Sources for New Investment

• Reduce the IRS tax gap
• Unemployment insurance program integrity
• Redirect unused unemployment insurance relief funds
• Repurpose unused relief funds from 2020 emergency relief legislation
• State and local investment in broadband infrastructure
• Allow states to sell or purchase unused toll credits for infrastructure
• Extend expiring customs user fees
• Reinstate Superfund fees for chemicals
• 5G spectrum auction proceeds
• Extend mandatory sequester
• Strategic petroleum reserve sale
• Public-private partnerships, private activity bonds, direct pay bonds and asset recycling for infrastructure investment
• Macroeconomic impact of infrastructure investment 

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) applauded the House Judiciary Committee after it advanced their bipartisan bill, the Augmenting Compatibility and Competition by Enabling Service Switching (ACCESS) Act, which encourages 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.

“Americans have grown increasingly frustrated with feeling locked in to a small handful of online platforms to communicate with friends and family, share photos and video, and consume online content. With choices limited to a few dominant platforms – and ones often insensitive to consumers’ privacy, content, or platform security expectations – we believe consumers should have the ability to move their data from one platform to another without having to start from scratch. We also believe that there should be more robust competition in this space to help foster more innovation and address the network effects of the largest platforms. With the House Judiciary Committee advancing the ACCESS Act, we are one step closer to ensuring we promote innovation and competition in this country.”

###

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), along with U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA), introduced legislation to preserve invaluable local resources and help generate economic activity in the Northern Neck. By officially designating the region as a National Heritage Area (NHA), the Northern Neck National Heritage Area Act would deliver critical federal dollars, encourage public-private partnerships, and assign a specific entity – the Northern Neck Tourism Commission – to help protect the Northern Neck’s natural, cultural, scenic, and recreational resources. 

NPS defines national heritage areas as congressionally designated places where “natural, cultural, and historic resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally important landscape.” Through their resources, NHAs communicate “nationally important stories” that celebrate the nation’s diverse heritage. Under this legislation, the NHA designation would apply to the land between the Potomac River and Rappahannock River, spanning King George, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland counties. 

“As many Virginians already know, the Northern Neck is reflective of the Commonwealth’s unique history, with deep connections to eight Algonquian tribes and a number of American statesmen, including James Madison, James Monroe, and George Washington,” said Sen. Warner. “I’m proud to introduce this legislation to help protect the rich history and unique geography of the Northern Neck, and leverage federal dollars to spur long-lasting economic opportunity in the region.” 

“Virginia’s Northern Neck is a source of pride, history, and economic development for the Commonwealth,” said Sen. Kaine. “The beauty and cultural significance of the region attract tourism, strengthening Virginia’s economy and supporting jobs. I’m proud to introduce this piece of legislation to highlight the Northern Neck’s natural beauty and cultural assets, which will bring visitors and economic development.”

“The Northern Neck’s lands and waters showcase a natural beauty unlike any other. As a longtime resident of the Northern Neck, I know our heritage is unique and worthy of preserving,” said Rep. Wittman. “With a history profoundly intertwined with that of the entire nation, it’s only right for us to recognize the Northern Neck as a National Heritage Area. I’m proud to join Senators Warner and Kaine in introducing this bipartisan legislation.” 

The introduction of this legislation follows the completion of the Northern Neck National Heritage Area Feasibility Study. The National Park Service (NPS) – which began conducting this study more than a decade ago – recently concluded that the Northern Neck’s themes, local traditions, and natural and historic resources retain “sufficient integrity and opportunities for public engagement” to be eligible for an NHA designation. 

Under this legislation, and as approved by the NPS study, the heritage area would be managed by the Northern Neck Tourism Commission, which would serve as the NHA’s local coordinating entity. 

This legislation would also make federal funding available to the region and empower the commission to carry out an area management plan, including by:

·         Protecting and restoring relevant historic sites and building;

·         Carrying out programs and projects that recognize, protect, and enhance important resources;

·         Developing recreational and educational opportunities in the area;

·         Establishing and maintaining interpretive exhibits and programs;

·         Promoting a wide range of partnerships among the federal government, state, tribal and local governments, organizations, and individuals; 

·         Increasing public awareness and appreciation for natural, historical, scenic, and cultural resources in the area; and

·         Ensuring that clear, consistent, and appropriate signs identifying points of public access and sires of interest are posted throughout the area

"The Northern Neck has been working together for over 20 years in pursuit of the National Heritage Area Designation.  With designation, the Northern Neck Region will have a greater voice in sharing its stories which contribute to understanding the early origins of our nation. The National Heritage Area Designation recognizes the region for the special place it is, historically, culturally, and for its natural resources. It aligns with the region's tourism strategy as an important economic development driver in this rural area,” said Jerry W. Davis, AICP, Executive Director of the Northern Neck Planning District Commission.    

Sen. Warner, Sen. Kaine, and Rep. Wittman have long advocated for the designation of the Northern Neck as a National Heritage Area. Last year, the lawmakers penned a letter requesting an update from NPS on the area’s feasibility study, following apparent delays in its release.

The text of this legislation is available here.

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-Va.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) today slammed Facebook for failing to remove vaccine misinformation from its platforms. The rapid spread of dangerous misinformation across social media could hamper the efforts of public health officials as they work to vaccinate hard-to-reach communities and hesitant individuals, representing a serious concern for public safety. Studies show that roughly 275,000 Facebook users belong to anti-vaccine groups on the platform. 

“As public health experts struggle to reach individuals who are vaccine hesitant, epidemiologists warn that low rates of vaccine rates coupled with the relaxing of mask mandates could result in new COVID-19 outbreaks,” the senators wrote in a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. “Moreover, most public health officials agree that because herd immunity in the U.S. is now unlikely, ‘continued immunizations, especially for people at highest risk because of age, exposure or health status, will be crucial to limiting the severity of outbreaks, if not their frequency’. In short, ‘vaccinations remain the key to transforming the virus into a controllable threat’.” 

A recent report from Markup.org’s “Citizen Browser project” found that there are 117 active anti-vaccine groups on Facebook. Combined, the groups had roughly 275,000 members. The study also found that Facebook was recommending health groups to its users, including anti-vaccine groups and pages that spread COVID-19 misinformation and propaganda.

The lawmakers asked Zuckerberg a series of questions, including why users were recommended vaccine misinformation; how long anti-vaccine groups and pages remained on the platform before being taken down; and what specific steps the company is taking to ensure its platforms do not recommend vaccine misinformation to its users.

A copy of the letter can be found here and below:

Dear Mr. Zuckerberg,

We write to express our concern over recent reporting alleging that Facebook failed to remove vaccine misinformation from its platforms. As the U.S. struggles to reach vaccine hesitant individuals and the world grapples with new variants, it is more important than ever that social media companies such as Facebook ensure that its platforms are free from disinformation.

In a February 2021 blog post, Facebook promised to expand “the list of false claims [it] will remove to include additional debunked claims about the coronavirus and vaccines. This includes claims such as: COVID-19 is man-made or manufactured; Vaccines are not effective at preventing the disease they are meant to protect against; It’s safer to get the disease than to get the vaccine; [and] Vaccines are toxic, dangerous or cause autism.” According to data from the Markup.org’s “Citizen Browser project,” misinformation regarding COVID-19 and vaccines are readily available on Facebook. According to Madelyn Webb, a senior researcher at Media Matters, as late as April 2021, she found 117 active anti-vaccine groups on Facebook. Combined, those groups had roughly 275,000 members. Even more troubling is the finding that Facebook “continued to recommend health groups to its users, including blatantly anti-vaccine groups and pages explicitly founded to propagate lies about the pandemic.” As public health experts struggle to reach individuals who are vaccine hesitant, epidemiologists warn that low rates of vaccine rates coupled with the relaxing of mask mandates could result in new COVID-19 outbreaks. Moreover, most public health officials agree that because herd immunity in the U.S. is now unlikely, “[c]ontinued immunizations, especially for people at highest risk because of age, exposure or health status, will be crucial to limiting the severity of outbreaks, if not their frequency.” In short, “vaccinations remain the key to transforming the virus into a controllable threat.”

In March 2021, Senator Warner wrote to you expressing these same concerns. Your April 2021 response failed to directly answer the questions posed in his letter. Specifically, you failed to respond to a question as to why posts with content warnings about health misinformation were promoted into Instagram feeds. Given Facebook’s continued failure to remove vaccine misinformation from its platforms, we seek answers to the following questions no later than July 5, 2021.

1.    In calendar year 2021, how many users viewed vaccine-related misinformation? 

2.    In calendar year 2021, how many users were recommended anti-vaccine information or vaccine-related misinformation? 

a.    Why were these users recommended such information?

3.    In calendar year 2021, how many vaccine-related posts has Facebook removed due to violations of its vaccine misinformation policy? How many pages were removed? How many accounts were removed? How many groups were removed?

a.    On average, how long did these pages or posts remain on the platform before Facebook removed them?  

4.    What steps is Facebook taking to ensure that its platforms do not recommend vaccine-related misinformation to its users? Please be specific. 

5.    What steps is Facebook taking to ensure that individuals who search out anti-vaccine content are not subsequently shown additional misinformation?

6.    In March 2019, Facebook said it would stop recommending groups that contained vaccine-related misinformation content. It wasn’t until February 2021 that the company announced it would remove such content across the platform. Why did it take Facebook nearly a year to make this decision? 

Thank you in advance or your prompt response to the above questions. 

Sincerely, 

###

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who chairs the Senate Rules Committee, Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) in introducing new legislation that will ensure the integrity of local elections while also protecting the safety and security of election workers and volunteers, following the spate of state-level voter suppression attacks sweeping the nation that would make it harder for eligible voters to cast a ballot and ensure it is counted. The Preventing Election Subversion Act of 2021 will institute new federal safeguards that will help keep the foundations of our democracy strong by insulating state election administration from partisan pressure. U.S. Representatives John Sarbanes (D, MD-03), Nikema Williams (D, GA-05), and Colin Allred (D, TX-32) are introducing companion legislation in the House.

Since January, state legislators have introduced over 210 bills in 41 states that grant more power to state legislatures nationwide to politicize, criminalize, or interfere with elections. These dangerous efforts place local elections officials at risk of partisan subversion, interference, or control. In fourteen states, including Georgia, these bills have been signed into law; Georgia’s SB 202 allows partisan officials in the state legislature wide latitude to remove local election officials. This is specifically concerning given that since the November 2020 elections, many of these officials have been pressured to overturn the election results, and have received death threats in response to their work upholding the integrity of our elections. 

“American elections – and the public servants who oversee them – should be free from partisan interference, threats of violence, and acts of intimidation. Unfortunately, state legislatures in states across the country have resorted to targeting local election officials in their latest effort to delegitimize and influence voting outcomes for political gain and we’ve seen election workers suffer from unrelenting abuse and harassment,” said Senator Warner. “I’m proud to introduce this legislation to protect free and fair elections, the cornerstone of our democracy.”  

“The dangers of the voter suppression efforts we’re seeing in Georgia and across the nation are not theoretical, and we can’t allow power-hungry state actors to squeeze the people out of their own democracy by overruling the decisions of local election officials,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “This legislation is critical to ensuring the federal government has the tools to make sure every eligible voter’s voice is heard and their ballot is counted to help decide the direction of our country.” 

“The right to vote is fundamental to all of our rights, but today we are seeing efforts to roll back voting rights across the country,” said Senator Klobuchar. “We need to respond to these threats to our democracy head on which is why this legislation to protect election workers and prohibit voter intimidation tactics is so vital. This bill builds on several provisions from the For the People Act to fight back against attempts to undermine election workers and make it harder to vote. In the face of these unprecedented attacks, we must move quickly to ensure our democracy works for every American.”

"Around the world we see sham elections controlled by a ruling party to give a veneer of democracy while preventing the people from actually deciding who holds power. And in 2021, this threat has arrived on our shores," said Senator Merkley. "For the first time in my memory, one party is trying to dismantle the safeguards that give us independent, free elections so they can rig—or throw out—the results they don't like. This bill is an essential line of defense to preserve government of, by, and for the People."

“Senator Reverend Warnock and I are focused on protecting every American's voting rights. This legislation will ensure nonpartisan election officials can carry out free and fair elections without partisan interference and help safeguard the sacred right to vote,” said Senator Ossoff.

The Preventing Election Subversion Act of 2021 would: 

Limit arbitrary and unfounded removals of local election officials by requiring a “for cause” standard to be met before suspension and provide a federal cause of action to enforce this standard; 

Allow a local election official who has responsibility for federal elections and who has been subjected to removal proceedings by a state board of elections to remove that proceeding to federal district court for redress; 

Make it a federal crime for any person, whether acting under color of law or otherwise, to intimidate, threaten, coerce, harass, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, coerce, or harass an election worker; 

Establish a minimum buffer zone to limit how close a poll observer may come within a voter or ballot at a polling location during an early vote period or on Election Day; and 

Require challenges to a voter’s eligibility to register to vote or to cast a ballot, other than from an election official, to be supported by personal knowledge with respect to each individual challenged.

View the Preventing Election Subversion Act of 2021 bill text HERE. 

###