WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and James Inhofe (R-OK) and a bipartisan group of 38 senators in urging the Appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to include robust funding for the EDA in fiscal year 2022 appropriations legislation.

The EDA is designed to create jobs and stimulate the economy in areas of the country that need the most help—both rural and urban—and has played an integral role so far in America’s recovery from the economic fallout of the pandemic. 

“With a modest budget, EDA programs have developed a record of making strategic investments and building community and regional partnerships to expand business in areas such as advanced manufacturing, science, health care, and technology. Between FY12 and FY19, EDA has invested over $2.283 billion in 5,471 projects to help build the capacity for locally-driven economic development projects. These projects are expected to create and/or retain 335,620 jobs and attract over $47.1 billion in private investment,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Many communities, especially those in rural areas, have benefited from EDA grants to support the job skills training, technical assistance, and infrastructure improvements needed to attract new businesses and ensure existing businesses have the opportunity to adapt to changing market circumstances. EDA has invested nearly 60 percent of its funds in rural areas since FY12, which has leveraged over $13.7 billion in private investment in these communities,” the senators continued.

In addition to Warner, Merkley, and Inhofe, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Robert Casey (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Tammy Duckworth (D-WI), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), James Risch (R-ID), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jon Tester (D-MT), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Full text of the letter is available here and follows below.

Dear Chair Shaheen and Ranking Member Moran,

As you begin work preparing the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, we urge you to include robust funding for the Economic Development Administration (EDA) and its vital grant programs.

Since 1965, EDA has helped local and regional stakeholders address the economic and infrastructure needs of communities across the country, focusing on private-sector job creation and economic growth in distressed areas.

With a modest budget, EDA programs have developed a record of making strategic investments and building community and regional partnerships to expand business in areas such as advanced manufacturing, science, health care, and technology. Between FY12 and FY19, EDA has invested over $2.283 billion in 5,471 projects to help build the capacity for locally-driven economic development projects. These projects are expected to create and/or retain 335,620 jobs and attract over $47.1 billion in private investment. 

Many communities, especially those in rural areas, have benefited from EDA grants to support the job skills training, technical assistance, and infrastructure improvements needed to attract new businesses and ensure existing businesses have the opportunity to adapt to changing market circumstances. EDA has invested nearly 60 percent of its funds in rural areas since FY12, which has leveraged over $13.7 billion in private investment in these communities.

EDA is useful in supporting job creation and innovation, particularly in distressed and disadvantaged communities. This aligns with the Administration’s goals of building back stronger, more resilient economies. The agency is also a great tool that helps small businesses recover and communities rebuild critical infrastructure and economic development assets following natural disasters or public health emergencies. 

As Congress has done in past fiscal years, we encourage you to include robust funding for the Economic Development Administration and its grant programs in the FY22 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. We look forward to working with you to ensure the success of the EDA, which has an exceptional record of supporting local communities across the nation to cost-effectively promote economic development.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today applauded $21,649,505 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Treasury to support and advance business ownership among minority entrepreneurs in Virginia. The funding was awarded through the CDFI Rapid Response Program (RRP) – a program established and funded by a record $12 billion investment in Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) that Sen. Warner authored and successfully fought to include in the December COVID-19 relief legislation. 

“As a former entrepreneur and venture capitalist, I know that the kind of opportunities that once allowed me to succeed are often out of reach for Black and brown folks, who due to historic and systemic inequities often lack the credit history or banking relationships needed to access capital. To make matters worse, these inequalities have only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had disproportionate effects on minority and low-income communities,” said Sen. Warner. “This funding will provide critical resources to Virginia’s CDFIs, which specialize in supporting underserved communities. I’m thrilled to know that these dollars are now headed directly to Virginia to support key priorities including small businesses, affordable housing, and access to consumer financial services. This funding marks a successful first step towards ensuring the recovery is felt by all communities.”

As negotiated by Sen. Warner, the $12 billion investment in CDFIs and MDIs includes $3 billion in grants to be delivered through the CDFI Fund. The nearly $22 million awarded today is part of the first $1.25 billion tranche of that $3 billion in grant funding. These federal dollars will be distributed among 18 Virginia CDFIs – the financial institutions most connected to the Commonwealth’s minority communities – and will ultimately go towards supporting affordable access to credit for Virginians in Black, Latino and low-income communities. 

The funding will be distributed as follows:

The COVID-19 crisis has only served to exacerbate the existing economic challenges faced by Black and brown Americans. Throughout this crisis, thousands of minority-owned small businesses have closed for good, in part due to difficulty securing bank loans and accessing assistance such as the Paycheck Protection Program. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that while overall small business ownership in the U.S. dropped 22 percent between February and April 2020, Black and Latino ownership dropped by 41 percent and 32 percent, respectively. Unemployment rates for Black and brown Americans have also been consistently higher than that of White Americans.

To combat the hemorrhaging of jobs and economic opportunities during the pandemic, Sen. Warner in July teamed up with then-Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), and a bipartisan group of colleagues to introduce the Jobs and Neighborhood Investment Act in order to strengthen the financial institutions that serve communities of color and increase lending to minority-owned businesses and lower-income borrowers. The effort secured endorsements from the Black Economic Alliance, the NAACP, the National Bankers Association, the National Urban League, the Center for Responsible Lending and a host of other advocacy organizations and civil rights groups. Sen. Warner was later able to secure provisions from the bill in the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, which was signed into law on December 27, 2020, providing an unprecedented $12 billion in funding for lenders that predominantly operate in underserved communities.

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WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in a letter to Small Business Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman urging her to disburse Shuttered Venue Operator Grant funding to struggling live entertainment venues as soon as possible. The legislation that created this program, the Save Our Stages Act, was signed into law more than six months ago, and event venues are going out of business while waiting for these grants.

They wrote, “The Save Our Stages Act, now the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program, was created to prevent widespread closures of venues that have been devastated by the loss of revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As supporters of the SVOG program, we urge you to take immediate action to ensure that the relief reaches eligible applicants without further delay.”

“It has been nearly six months since Congress passed the Save our Stages Act, nearly two months since the second launch of the program, and 51 days since the Small Business Administration (SBA) began receiving applications.” 

“Bureaucratic process cannot stand in the way of getting these desperately needed funds out the door.”

They were joined on the letter by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), James Risch (R-ID), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Angus King (I-ME), Patty Murray (D-WA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Bill Haggerty (R-TN), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Rob Portman (R-OH), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), John Thune (R-SD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Steve Daines (R-MT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), John Boozman (R-AR), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jon Tester (D-MT), Mike Braun (R-IN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Bob Casey (D-PA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Chris Coons (D-DE).

Full text of the letter is here and below. 

June 15, 2021

The Honorable Isabella Casillas Guzman

Administrator, Small Business Administration

409 3rd Street, SW

Washington, DC 20416

Dear Administrator Guzman:

The Save Our Stages Act, now the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program, was created to prevent widespread closures of venues that have been devastated by the loss of revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As supporters of the SVOG program, we urge you to take immediate action to ensure that the relief reaches eligible applicants without further delay.

With each passing day, more independent businesses are forced to shutter permanently or file for bankruptcy. Landlords and banks are no longer permitting deferrals and are pressing for immediate payment of past due accounts; businesses are receiving eviction notices; mom-and-pop businesses are being forced to sell. 

It has been nearly six months since Congress passed the Save our Stages Act, nearly two months since the second launch of the program, and 51 days since the Small Business Administration (SBA) began receiving applications. We urge you to immediately take steps to ensure the funds are distributed to qualified applicants.

The SVOG program is unique, with necessary restrictions built in to ensure taxpayer funding goes only to eligible applicants in need. Under the terms of the law, the SVOG program requires the award of funding to eligible applicants who meet the simple requirements of the program. In this context, the insistence on strict compliance with competitive grant rules has created unnecessary delays in funding. Similarly, restrictions that SBA has placed on communication with grant applicants are unnecessary and have prevented the agency from providing administrative support to individual applicants that could have streamlined the application review process. Bureaucratic process cannot stand in the way of getting these desperately needed funds out the door. 

Further delays are unacceptable and would have irreversible consequences for these industries. In an effort to keep our constituents informed and ensure our small businesses receive the support they were promised, we respectfully request you provide us with the following information: 

1.       The number SVOG awards that have been approved;

2.       The number of SVOG grants that have been disbursed to recipients;

3.       The amount of SVOG funding that has been disbursed;

4.       The number of applications with holds;

5.       The number of first-priority applicants that have received an award notice;

6.       What SBA is doing to update small business owners on the status of their applications;

7.       What SBA is doing to ensure applicants are not incorrectly associated with similar-named individuals and entities on the List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE);

8.       What SBA is doing to correct false DNP designation notices sent to thousands of applicants;

9.       SBA’s justification for breaking grant awards, regardless of size, into multiple disbursements; and 

10.   SBA’s timeline for subsequent disbursements and what grantees need to do to receive them.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner and Senator Tim Kaine, co-chair of the Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, announced $2,699,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA)’s YouthBuild grant program to provide job training and education for at-risk youth. 

“These dollars will provide additional resources for at-risk young Virginians and help put them on a path toward successful careers,” the Senators said. “These federal investments in community-based job programs will be crucial to our country’s economic recovery.”

Warner and Kaine have been leaders in the Senate on efforts to support skills training programs to prepare students and workers for good-paying, in-demand jobs. In March, Kaine reintroduced the bipartisan Jumpstart Our Businesses By Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, cosponsored by Warner, to help improve access to job training programs by expanding Pell Grant eligibility. In May, Kaine also reintroduced the Assisting Community Colleges in Educating Skilled Students (ACCESS) to Careers Act to boost student success and career readiness. 

YouthBuild is a pre-apprenticeship program that provides education and work training opportunities for vulnerable youth ages 16-24 who dropped out of high school. As part of the program, these young Americans will split time between job training and the classroom, where they earn high school diplomas or equivalency degrees and prepare for postsecondary training opportunities. This national program serves more than 6,000 youth annually in more than 40 states. 

The funding will be distributed as follows: 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $15,627,024 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help Virginians access affordable housing across the Commonwealth. The funding was awarded through the Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV) Program, and authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which both Senators voted to pass in March.

“We are glad to see this federal funding from the ARP go toward supporting Virginians who are feeling the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the Senators said. “This critical aid will help ensure people across the Commonwealth have access to safe and affordable housing, while Virginia begins to build back better.”

The EHV program is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and local Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) to help American families and individuals access quality housing resources.

The funding will be distributed as follows:

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement on President Biden’s executive order on protecting sensitive data from foreign adversaries:

“This executive order by the Biden administration adopts a risk-based, transparent, and comprehensive approach to evaluating the security and privacy risks of foreign technology products, a clear contrast to the previous administration’s uncoordinated approach on this issue. I look forward to working with the administration and my colleagues on ways in which we can codify these approaches to better ensure long-term consistency and predictability in our national policies in this area.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a senior member of the Rules Committee, released the following statement after the Senate Rules Committee and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee issued a bipartisan report on the security, planning, and response failures that led to the U.S. Capitol insurrection that occurred on January 6, 2021:

“This bipartisan report is extremely troubling and underscores that Capitol security leaders were woefully underprepared to handle the events that ultimately unfolded on January 6. The report reveals that U.S. Capitol Police leadership failed to provide a basic plan for mobilizing Capitol Police officers the day of the Joint Session of Congress, as well as the training and equipment needed to adequately protect the men and women working the front lines against a violent mob. This report also lays out the extent of the confusion, miscommunication, and lack of advance planning that led to delays in the deployment of the U.S. National Guard in support of the overrun U.S. Capitol Police. 

“What’s even more alarming is the intelligence failures leading up to the attack on our Capitol – including the inadequate sharing of available threat information between U.S. Capitol Police and federal intelligence agencies. Following a presidential election in which ratcheted rhetoric fanned the flames of division in this country, it’s unsettling that our intelligence-gathering agencies lacked the ability to recognize the profound threat posed by domestic violent extremist groups. 

“I would have hoped for the report’s recommendations to also acknowledge the unique and serious nature of such threats. It’s my hope that my colleagues will take this issue seriously or we will not be able to effectively track and grapple with this ongoing national security threat.”

The report comes on the heels of the Senate failing to reach a 60-vote threshold needed to establish a bipartisan commission examining the January 6 insurrection. In February and March, Sen. Warner participated in congressional hearings convened by the Senate Rules Committee and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee examining the security failures that enabled a mob supporting former President Donald Trump to overrun the U.S. Capitol on January 6. Following the attack on January 6, as Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Sen. Warner has also pushed to examine how violent domestic extremists continue to pose a significant threat to our nation.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) joined U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and a bipartisan group of their colleagues in urging U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, to fully fund the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program for fiscal year (FY) 2022. PILT provides payments to counties with non-taxable federal land within their borders to offset the lost property tax revenue. 

“Without full funding for the PILT program, counties across the nation will be unable to provide essential services such as law enforcement, education, search and rescue, road maintenance and public health to their residents and millions of visitors to our public lands,” wrote Warner, Bennet, Crapo, and the senators. “Moving forward, we look forward to working with you to enact a fiscally responsible, long-term solution to fully fund PILT and eliminate the uncertainty that counties face each year. As cash strapped counties across the country work to address budget cuts exacerbated by the pandemic, full-funding and a long-term solution for PILT is essential to provide certainty that the federal government will continue to uphold its long-standing commitment to public lands counties.”

PILT funding is critical for communities in Colorado and across the country that use these funds for essential services like infrastructure maintenance and law enforcement. Across the country, PILT provides critical resources to nearly 1,900 counties across 49 states. Counties have used these payments for more than 40 years to fund law enforcement, firefighting, emergency response, and other essential county services. As communities continue to rebuild in the aftermath of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, this funding is needed now more than ever. Bennet and the senators will continue working toward a long-term solution for PILT that will provide counties and local governments sustained funding and more predictability.

In addition to Bennet and Crapo, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.).

The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Chairman Leahy and Vice Chairman Shelby:

As Members of Congress representing counties with federal public lands within their boundaries, we write to request that you work to ensure the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program is fully funded in fiscal year (FY) 2022.

PILT provides critical resources to nearly 1,900 counties across 49 states to offset lost property tax revenue due to the presence of tax-exempt federal lands within their jurisdictions. It supports the many critical services that counties provide on federal public lands. Without full funding for the PILT program, counties across the nation will be unable to provide essential services such as law enforcement, education, search and rescue, road maintenance and public health to their residents and millions of visitors to our public lands.

Moving forward, we look forward to working with you to enact a fiscally responsible, long-term solution to fully fund PILT and eliminate the uncertainty that counties face each year. As cash strapped counties across the country work to address budget cuts exacerbated by the pandemic, full-funding and a long-term solution for PILT is essential to provide certainty that the federal government will continue to uphold its long-standing commitment to public lands counties.

We look forward to working with you and other Congressional leaders to resolve this pressing issue facing our communities by fully funding PILT in FY 2022 and ensuring long-term predictable funding for this important program.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved a resolution introduced by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) honoring the life and legacy of former Secretary of the Navy and United States Senator from Virginia, John Warner (no relation). The resolution is also cosponsored by Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. 

“We will forever remember our dear friend and mentor, John Warner,” said the Senators. “We are deeply humbled that the Senate – where he cherished serving for decades on behalf of Virginians – approved this commemoration, honoring his remarkable life of service to this country and the Commonwealth.”

Sen. Warner and Sen. Kaine released statements on the passing of the former Secretary, who held the seat Warner now holds from 1979 to 2009. Yesterday, the Virginia Senators also spoke on the Senate floor to pay tribute to former Senator Warner. 

A copy of the resolution can be found here.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, applauded the inclusion of $83.7 million in federal funds for the Norfolk Harbor project in the Biden administration’s budget proposal. The funding comes after Sen. Warner led the entire Virginia delegation in a letter requesting that the Biden administration prioritize the Norfolk Harbor Widening and Deepening project. The President’s budget proposal also includes a New Start designation, which would allow the Norfolk Harbor project to advance to its next stage of construction and receive Army Corps funding.

“This is welcome news for the Commonwealth,” said Sen. Warner. “By giving the green light on this critical designation, we can unlock much-needed federal funds to support this critical commercial and economic channel in Hampton Roads. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to make sure this project reaches the finish line.” 

Sen. Warner, a former Virginia governor, has long advocated for the Norfolk Harbor Widening and Deepening project. In February, during a virtual Senate Budget Committee hearing, Sen. Warner highlighted the project and emphasized the importance of allowing the project to receive Army Corps funding. Earlier this year, Sen. Warner also led the entire Virginia congressional delegation in sending a letter to OMB requesting a New Start designation for the Norfolk Harbor project – a request they made in 2020 as well. In 2018, Sen. Warner successfully pushed for the inclusion of the Norfolk Harbor project, in addition to other coastal resiliency programs, in the bipartisan water infrastructure bill. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) in introducing a resolution marking May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The resolution highlights the contributions to our country by generations of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

“As we’ve seen violence and racism toward Asian Americans on the rise over the last year, it’s more important than ever to celebrate the heritage and culture of the AAPI community during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month,” Senator Warner said. “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have played key roles in shaping our nation’s history, and the month of May offers us an important opportunity to recognize the AAPI community for their many contributions to our country.”

“This Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is particularly meaningful. As we celebrate the rich diversity and contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in our country, these very communities have been under attack throughout the pandemic. We must take this opportunity to stand together with these communities and continue our work to advance civil rights and equal treatment for all Americans,” Senator Hirono said.

The full resolution text is available here

The legislation is also cosponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

"As prejudice toward and violence against the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community have tragically been on the rise since the COVID-19 pandemic began, it’s as important as ever that we spend this Asian Pacific American Heritage Month reflecting on the countless ways the AANHPI community has shaped our nation’s history and take pride in the continued contributions of our children and our children’s children,” Senator Duckworth said. “As Asian Pacific American Heritage Month comes to a close, we must continue to work for progress for our community and ensure the American Dream remains within reach for all.”

“I’m proud to join my Senate colleagues today in introducing this resolution to recognize the numerous contributions and achievements of the Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities, as well as the hardships they have faced. As a diverse nation, we are made stronger by celebrating the heritage and traditions of Asian Americans and uplifting their stories,” Senator Durbin said. “In standing with the AAPI community, this month, and each day, it is also our responsibility to condemn and combat racism and discrimination targeting Asian Americans.”

“This month, we celebrate the heritage, culture, and contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in Oregon and nationwide,” Senator Wyden said. “As anti-Asian hate crimes are on the rise, it’s even more crucial that all Americans recognize and condemn the discrimination AAPI communities continue to face, while lifting up the immense value AAPI individuals bring to the nation. I’m proud to stand alongside my colleagues in support of our AAPI neighbors with this resolution."

“The importance of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month took on added urgency this year, as Congress and the Biden Administration acted decisively to address an alarming rise in anti-Asian sentiments and discrimination that resulted from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” Senator Menendez said. “While this month may be coming to an end, we must all continue to reaffirm our steadfast commitment to standing with our AAPI brothers and sisters who have suffered unspeakable violence and do everything we can to elevate and celebrate the rich contributions of the AAPI community to all facets of American society.”

“Throughout May, we take time to honor and reflect upon the great contributions that Asian Pacific Americans have bestowed on our country,” Senator Markey said. “From cultural and civic leaders, to frontline workers and scientists on the frontlines of combatting the COVID-19 pandemic, we are deeply grateful for all the Asian Pacific American community has given to us. We also reaffirm our commitment to both ending the bigotry and violence that far too many across the country have suffered, and fighting the barriers and inequities that still impact many in our Asian Pacific American communities.”

“Asian American and Pacific Islanders have deep roots in Nevada and across the country, and I will always advocate for them. During Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, I’ve celebrated with our AAPI community and I’ve also worked with local leaders in Nevada to make sure our government is doing everything it can to address the nationwide rise in hate crimes targeting AAPI Americans. Following conversations with Nevada’s AAPI community leaders, I was proud to help pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, and I will continue to stand up for their community in the Senate,” Senator Cortez Masto said.

“After a year that has seen hateful attacks and vile racism directed toward the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, this resolution sends a resounding message – we stand with you. From leaders in business and government to life-saving researchers and heroes in our armed forces, the AAPI community continues to build our country up to help America fulfill its potential. I’m proud to join my colleagues in this resolution to honor Asian Pacific American Heritage Month,” Senator Blumenthal said.

“Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate and reflect on all the rich contributions that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made to our country,” Senator Hassan said. “And this year, we also commit to addressing the tragic rise in hate crimes against the AAPI community. I will continue to stand together with Senator Hirono and my colleagues to support the AAPI community. We all have a responsibility and duty to speak out against prejudice and hate of any kind.”  

“During Asian Pacific American Heritage month, I am pleased to celebrate a community that’s been part of our Nation’s fabric since the beginning,” Senator Casey said. “I stand in solidarity with the AAPI community in Pennsylvania and across the United States. We must continue to speak out against anti-Asian racism and fight for equality for all.”

“This month is about honoring and celebrating the countless achievements of our nation’s Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders,” Senator Klobuchar said.“In response to the rise in hate crimes throughout the coronavirus pandemic, I was proud to cosponsor the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act and watch as President Biden signed this historic bill into law. This May, and all year long, we must recommit ourselves to combating prejudice and doing all we can to support AAPI communities nationwide.”

“Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have shaped our nation’s history. Thanks to their achievements and contributions, the fabric of our country is richer and stronger,” Senator Shaheen said. “As we recognize AAPI accomplishments and culture, we must also double down on our commitment to unequivocally condemn and stop the violence and hate that is targeting AAPI communities. Our nation’s diversity is our strength, and I am proud to stand with our AAPI communities in solidarity against the surge in racist attacks.” 

“Asian Pacific American Heritage Month offers all Americans the opportunity to recognize and to appreciate the important role of this community in our nation – both throughout history and today,” Senator Cardin said. “The Asian American population is the fastest growing population in the United States and, over the past year, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have played a vital role in our nation’s battle with COVID-19. Serving as frontline workers, first responders and emergency personnel, they have provided life-saving and critical care to hundreds of thousands of people during unprecedented times. I’m proud to join with so many of my colleagues to both celebrate and stand in solidarity with the AAPI community.”

“Throughout the past year, we’ve seen a sharp rise in hate crimes against the AAPI community—disturbing acts of violence that have taken lives and attacked the vision of America as a country of freedom and equality for all. We must stand united and unequivocally condemn these disturbing hate crimes, and confront racism in our country,” Senator Merkley said. “This month—and every month—we must recognize and celebrate the countless contributions and achievements of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, and reaffirm our commitment to dismantling bigotry and hatred in our communities.”

"Now more than ever, it is important that we recognize and celebrate the many contributions Asian Pacific Americans have made to our country," Senator Bennet said. "I'm pleased to sponsor this resolution designating May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. My hope is that this will not only help us acknowledge the history and culture of the AAPI community, but commit us to standing up to prejudice and hate in all of its forms."

“With the rise of hate and bigotry against Asian Americans since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s even more critical to honor the countless contributions the AAPI community has made in our country. As we pay tribute to the AAPI community this month, we must also acknowledge there is more work to do, and we must stand together against the recent rise in hate and violence. I’m proud to join Senator Hirono and my colleagues today in celebrating and recognizing May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month,” Senator Carper said. 

“As this Asian Pacific American Heritage Month comes to an end, not only must we celebrate a rich history, we must also  recognize and address the persistent bias and discrimination that Asian Americans have faced and continue to face in this country,” Senator Booker said.  “Members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community strengthen the fabric of our nation, and I am proud to reintroduce this critical legislation with my Democratic colleagues that will commemorate their contributions and fight for greater visibility and opportunity across the country and in New Jersey.”

“Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is an important opportunity to honor the contributions Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made throughout our nation’s history while simultaneously condemning the rise of hate crimes targeting this community during the pandemic. The strength of our country is rooted in our diversity, and it’s important that we recognize and celebrate that fact – that’s what this resolution does,” Senator Feinstein said.

“In the United States, Asian and Pacific Americans have a long and important history of significant contributions to our country. This is particularly true in Washington state, and we recognize how Asian and Pacific Americans have shaped our way of life,” Senator Cantwell said. “Sadly, this same history has also been marked by periods of hate, xenophobia, and violence, like we have seen during the pandemic. It is even more important that as a country we acknowledge and celebrate Asian and Pacific Americans’ rich history, culture, and traditions this month.”

“Our country would not be what it is today if it weren’t for the countless contributions of generations of Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders to our culture, society, and economy,” Senator Brown said. “It’s our responsibility to show our Asian-American friends, neighbors, and colleagues that we stand with them by combatting the rise of hate crimes and anti-Asian stigma, and honoring the diverse cultural heritage of the AAPI community present in every corner of America.”

"This month, we take time to highlight and honor the important contributions that members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community have made to our country. But this is also a moment for us to stand up and speak out against hate and violence directed at the AAPI community – hate that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and hate that will continue to spread if we don’t act. We must dedicate ourselves to rooting out this bigotry in all its ugly forms, and I’m glad that the Congress has passed and the President has signed a new law aimed at doing just that. But our work is far from over, and I’m proud to stand alongside my colleagues in support of the AAPI community, this month and every month,” Senator Van Hollen said.

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