WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), alongside Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Ben Cline (R-VA-06), Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11), Morgan Griffith (R-VA-01), Jennifer Kiggans (R-VA-02), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), Bobby Scott (D-VA-03), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10), and Rob Wittman (R-VA-01), wrote to the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to express their strong support for an implementation award for the Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (APM) Tech Hub. Following APM’s initial designation as a Tech Hub, Virginia legislators and private partners have proposed nearly $300 million for the effort, with the General Assembly already passing $106 million in state-level support. Building on this robust non-federal commitment, the Virginia delegation is now pushing for a Phase 2 implementation award from the EDA, which would secure tens of millions in additional federal funding for the project to create high-paying jobs, onshore manufacturing, and protect supply chains and national security.

“Leveraged with commitments from the Commonwealth and private consortium members totaling nearly $300 million, a Tech Hubs implementation award would provide integral, continued resources needed to ensure the APM Tech Hub’s progress and a resilient, quality drug supply for our nation,” the lawmakers wrote. 

In October 2023, the lawmakers announced that the APM Tech Hub was selected as one of 31 inaugural Tech Hubs that show potential for rapid growth in key technology sectors. Located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and led by the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM), the consortium aims to ensure that critical pharmaceuticals are manufactured in America by employing regional assets, scientific capabilities, and public and private investment to spur the growth, innovation, and sustainability of the U.S.-based pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. 

Currently, Americans rely on overseas manufacturing for many critical medications, creating serious national security, supply chain, and quality regulation concerns. The requested investments would build on those passed by the Virginia General Assembly, a Build Back Better Regional Challenge award, and other public and private investments to continue to grow this industry across the Richmond-Peterburg region, revitalizing the economy and creating jobs while ensuring that Americans don’t rely on foreign nations for life-saving medications.

“If funded, CCAM’s APM Tech Hub proposal will help harness federal, state, and private resources to accelerate APM in the Commonwealth of Virginia to create a sustainable, globally competitive manufacturing hub within a decade. We strongly support this critical project for Virginia and our national security and respectfully request you give this application full and fair consideration,” the lawmakers continued.

The Tech Hubs Program, made possible by the CHIPS and Science Act, aims to strengthen U.S. economic and national security by investing in regions across the country that have the assets, resources, and potential to become globally competitive innovation centers focused on the technologies and industries of the future. Final announcements for the implementation awards are expected in summer 2024, when the EDA will select between five and 10 Designated Tech Hubs to receive approximately $40-70 million each.

A copy of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Assistant Secretary Castillo:

As you consider applications for Phase 2 of the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs) program, we write in strong support of the Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (APM) Tech Hub proposal – located in the Richmond-Petersburg region of Virginia. Led by the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM), the APM Tech Hub proposal will ensure that essential pharmaceuticals are manufactured domestically by employing regional assets, scientific capabilities, and public and private investment to spur the growth, innovation, and sustainability of the U.S.-based pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.

The APM Tech Hub’s mission to address lifesaving and life-sustaining medicine access in the U.S. has been supported by recent federal investments, including a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) contract to manufacture a secure supply of quality active pharmaceutical ingredients and essential medicines for the nation, as well as an EDA Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) award. Recently, the National Science Foundation also awarded members of the APM consortia a Regional Innovation Engine Development Award. Continued investment in manufacturing innovations and capabilities needed to re-shore pharmaceutical manufacturing, as outlined in the APM Tech Hub proposal, is necessary for the U.S. to maintain its position as a global leader in pharmaceuticals.

The APM Tech Hub application proposes seven component projects to invest in infrastructure, technology maturation, workforce development, and the strategy to realize sustainable Hub growth. These projects build on and complement prior investments in physical infrastructure necessary for advanced manufacturing by bolstering the Hub’s physical assets, while developing a strong pipeline for accelerated technology maturation to reach global leadership in the industry and an industry-led, competency-based workforce development program that is designed to be adaptive to ensure the workforce is prepared to operate at the leading edge of this industry. 

Requested investments are designed to build upon the strong footprint in historically distressed areas in the Richmond and Petersburg region established in the BBBRC application, where the growth of this cluster will continue to help revitalize the regional economy and bring numerous high-paying jobs in this emerging industry.

Leveraged with commitments from the Commonwealth and private consortium members totaling nearly $300 million, a Tech Hubs implementation award would provide integral, continued resources needed to ensure the APM Tech Hub’s progress and a resilient, quality drug supply for our nation. The Hub will benefit from two proposed investments from Virginia’s General Assembly, including:

1. $90 million for “Virginia’s Research Triangle” that will launch a biotechnology, life sciences, and pharmaceutical manufacturing network to foster collaboration among three of the Commonwealth’s major existing university research institutions, laying the groundwork for startup innovation and commercialization that will fuel the APM Tech Hub. The Accelerator Component Project has been designed in partnership with the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation, where funds have been committed to entrepreneurial and ecosystem development efforts in alignment with the proposed Research Triangle. 
2. $16 million for the Virginia Department of Health to establish a critical Opioid Overdose Reversal Agent Program, which aims to utilize the APM Tech Hub’s advanced pharmaceutical development and manufacturing campus in Petersburg.

Advanced manufacturing technologies reduce the time and cost of manufacturing, break down barriers to access to affordable health care, and lessen the environmental burden of this essential industry. Supported by federal and state investments, as well as a strong and growing coalition of partners, the APM Tech Hub proposal reimagines the manufacturing of medicines and is positioned to realize a sustainable, globally competitive APM Tech Hub within the coming decade that addresses urgent national security interests and critical unmet social needs.

If funded, CCAM’s APM Tech Hub proposal will help harness federal, state, and private resources to accelerate APM in the Commonwealth of Virginia to create a sustainable, globally competitive manufacturing hub within a decade. We strongly support this critical project for Virginia and our national security and respectfully request you give this application full and fair consideration.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to working with you to help carry out the Tech Hubs program and re-shore key industries in the U.S. 

###

WASHINGTON – Today, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Vice Chairman Marco Rubio (R-FL), joined by U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Rob Wittman (R-VA-01), member of the Select Committee on the CCP, and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, introduced legislation to require the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to develop a strategy to improve the sharing of information and intelligence between the Intelligence Community (IC) and private companies to mitigate the threat that foreign adversaries including the People’s Republic of China (PRC) pose to United States companies in foreign jurisdictions on projects relating to energy generation and storage, including in the critical minerals industry.

The legislation would direct the DNI to create a strategy for information sharing on foreign adversaries’ tactics and illicit activities to spread disinformation, steal intellectual property, and use other illegal efforts to undermine U.S. interests abroad as related to critical minerals. The legislation clarifies that the exchange of information would be voluntary, and at the discretion of the IC and U.S. companies.  

“American companies have been working to invest in critical minerals projects in the U.S. and abroad in order to reduce our country’s dependence on China and meet the increasing demand for these minerals, which are critical for technologies across society,” said Sen. Warner. “Our foreign adversaries, in particular the PRC, are increasing malicious efforts to undermine U.S. attempts to dominate in this industry. Increasing collaboration between the IC and these companies is a strong step towards ensuring that our adversaries will not succeed in interfering with U.S. projects abroad, and instead help cultivate strong public-private partnerships that will boost U.S. businesses and interests, particularly in areas of technology critical to our national security.”

“At a time when foreign adversaries continue to undermine our national security interests, we must enhance the sharing of information in the critical mineral sector,” said Sen. Rubio. “This bipartisan and bicameral bill will enhance intelligence community efforts to share timely and critical information with the private sector on the pressing threats to American companies in the critical energy sectors.”

“American companies must be able to invest and compete in foreign markets without undue interference from foreign adversaries. The bipartisan Enhancing Public-Private Sharing on Manipulative Adversary Practices in Critical Minerals Projects Act will help protect American businesses in international critical minerals markets from the illicit tactics of foreign adversaries, such as the CCP,” said Rep. Krishnamoorthi. “Securing our supply chains for critical minerals independent of the PRC is essential to our national security, our transition to a clean energy economy, and the competitiveness of American businesses abroad.”

“Unsurprisingly, the Chinese Communist Party is actively trying to undermine U.S. companies pursuing critical mineral projects by spreading disinformation and propaganda,” said Rep. Wittman. “As a senior member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, I am proud to join my colleagues to introduce the bipartisan Public-Private Manipulative Practices Act to enable the U.S. government to more effectively partner with American companies to counter illicit activities from all foreign adversaries that seek to restrict our access to the world’s critical mineral supply.”

“In recent years, foreign adversaries have targeted U.S. companies attempting to procure critical minerals abroad through illicit or deceptive disinformation campaigns, malicious activity, and other forms of economic espionage. Our foreign adversaries want the U.S. and our national security to continue to be dependent on foreign supply chains. That's bad for our national security and bad for business,” said Rep. Houlahan. “One of the impacts to the U.S. is especially problematic — issues accessing critical minerals and developing secure supply chains we need for energy and storage. Passing this bill is crucial to protecting American businesses from spying and other harmful activities, and I'm glad to see it has broad bipartisan support. Our intelligence agencies and the government must work together to ensure our national security is strong, and American companies can get the critical minerals they need from overseas.”

Joining Sens. Warner and Rubio and Reps. Krishnamoorthi, Wittman, and Houlahan in introduction of this legislation are Sens. John Hickenlooper (D-CO), James Lankford (R-OK), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA).

This is latest step that the Senate Intelligence Committee leaders have taken to counter China’s dominance in this key sector. Last year, Chair Warner and Vice Chair Rubio hosted government officials and domestic industry leaders for a roundtable discussion on access to critical minerals. During that roundtable, industry leaders asked for more robust government support identifying unfair and corrupt practices by foreign adversaries. Specifically, private sector companies attempting to secure critical mineral projects abroad have faced the PRC’s efforts to spread disinformation to foreign host governments about U.S. companies, steal U.S. company IP, and sabotage U.S. company contracts.

Chair Warner and Vice Chair Rubio have also led efforts to secure supply chains and reduce U.S. reliance on the PRC for minerals that are inputs for critical technologies including through increased government support to U.S. private sector companies investing and operating in critical mineral projects.

“The Enhancing Public-Private Sharing on Manipulate Adversary Practices in Critical Minerals Projects Act will help American businesses respond to deceptive and malicious efforts by our adversaries to crowd them out of critical minerals projects in foreign markets. This act will ensure the U.S. government supports and stands by our businesses abroad in industries that are key to our national interests. We look forward to working with Congress to advance this important piece of legislation,” said Avery Ash, SVP, SAFE.

Text of the bill is available here.

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine applauded Senate confirmation of Jasmine Yoon to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Virginia (WDVA):

“We’re thrilled the Senate voted to confirm Jasmine Yoon to the federal judiciary. She has a remarkable track record and a profound commitment to public service. With today’s confirmation, she cements herself in history as the first Asian American federal judge in Virginia. We know she’ll be a tremendous asset to the federal judiciary.”

Yoon was nominated by President Biden after the senators recommended her to fill the position when Chief Judge Michael F. Urbanski assumes senior status in July 2024. The senators spoke at her confirmation hearing in February, and she was voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee last week. She is the first Asian American Article III federal judge to serve in Virginia and the seventh federal judge recommended by the senators confirmed in the last three years. 

Under President Biden, the senators have confirmed nearly 200 federal judges to the bench, including the Honorable Toby Heytens, Patricia Tolliver Giles, Michael S. Nachmanoff, Elizabeth Hanes, Jamar Walker, and Robert Ballou for federal courts across Virginia.

###

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement on the cybersecurity incident at Change Healthcare:

“This ransomware attack on a major health care company should surprise no one. For some time, I have been sounding the alarm on the need for the entire health care sector to drastically step up its game when it comes to cybersecurity. We’ve previously seen incidents that have caused regional disruptions in clinical care, and it was only a matter of time before one disrupted the ability to treat patients nationwide.

“The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is working around the clock to help health care providers navigate the attack, and I urge them to ensure all Medicare providers can receive advance and accelerated payments to help them ride this crisis out. If HHS requires additional authorities from Congress to support providers during this time, it’s critical we know that so that we can act as soon as possible.

“This attack demonstrates that we need to have backup plans in place for such incidents. I plan to write and introduce legislation that would provide for accelerated and advanced payments to providers and vendors to protect them in the event of future disruptions, as long as they meet minimum cybersecurity standards.

“While the repercussions of this incident have been primarily – though not wholly – financial, what keeps me up at night is the possibility of a similar widespread attack directly affecting patient care and safety. That is why it is time to consider mandatory cyber hygiene standards for health care providers and their vendors. Sterilization and hand hygiene practices prevent infections – and cyber hygiene practices prevent cyber intrusions. Both are critical to protect patients.”

Sen. Warner has been a leader in the cybersecurity realm throughout his time in the Senate, crafting numerous pieces of legislation aimed at addressing these threats facing our nation. Recognizing that cybersecurity is an increasingly complex issue that affects the health, economic prosperity, national security, and democratic institutions of the United States, Sen. Warner cofounded the bipartisan Senate Cybersecurity Caucus in 2016.  A year later, in 2017, he authored the Internet of Things (IoT) Cybersecurity Improvement Act. This legislation, signed into law by President Donald Trump in December 2020, requires that any IoT device purchased with federal funds meet minimum security standards. As Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Sen. Warner co-authored legislation that requires companies responsible for U.S. critical infrastructure report cybersecurity incidents to the government. This legislation was signed into law by President Joe Biden as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act in March 2022.

Sen. Warner has also examined cybersecurity in the health care sector specifically. In 2022, Sen. Warner authored “Cybersecurity is Patient Safety,” a policy options paper, outlining current cybersecurity threats facing health care providers and systems and offering for discussion a series of policy solutions to improve cybersecurity across the industry.  Since publishing, Sen. Warner has launched the Health Care Cybersecurity Working Group with a bipartisan group of colleagues to examine and propose potential legislative solutions to strengthen cybersecurity in the health care and public health sector.

###

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded congressional passage of legislation to avert a partial government shutdown and fund key of the government for Fiscal Year 2024. This legislation funds major priorities across several federal departments, including the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Energy, Interior, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, as well as their related agencies. Specifically, this legislation includes more than $467.5 billion in federal funding, including nearly $148 million in federal funding for Virginia-specific projects secured by Sens. Warner and Kaine.

“It’s about time,” said Sen. Warner. “I was proud to support the passage of this legislation, which will give our federal agencies the funding they need to serve the American people and respond to the novel needs of the current fiscal year. I’m particularly thrilled that we were able to secure funding for over 100 individual projects in communities throughout the Commonwealth. These projects will make a world of a difference at the community level, tackling specific needs like making our neighborhoods more resilient to climate change, improving the quality of drinking water, addressing homelessness, strengthening local transportation systems, supporting domestic violence victims, and investing in young Virginians, among many others.”

“Although this is long overdue, I’m glad we passed legislation to fund several parts of the government. The bill includes many provisions I fought for to make our communities safer, expand access to affordable housing, support child care on our military bases, and boost economic growth,” said Sen. Kaine. “I’m proud that we secured funding for 105 community projects across Virginia that will improve transportation, upgrade water infrastructure, support health care, and more. I urge Congress to take up the rest of the government funding bills as soon as possible.”

As part of the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations process, members of Congress were able to work with the communities they represent to request funding for local community projects, otherwise known as earmarks, in a manner that promotes transparency and accountability. This process allows Congress to dedicate federal funding for specific projects in Virginia. The Senators worked to secure nearly $148 million for community projects across the Commonwealth.

Through strong advocacy, the Senators secured funding in the budget bills for the following projects in Virginia: 

• For projects in Northern Virginia, click here.
• For projects in Central Virginia, click here.
• For projects in Southwest Virginia and Southside, click here.
• For projects in the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
• For projects in Hampton Roads, click here.
• For projects that impact communities in multiple regions across the Commonwealth,?click here.

In addition, the budget bills include funding for the following Warner and Kaine priorities: 

Supporting Nutrition: The bill includes $7.03 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to ensure that millions of women, infants, and children can access adequate nutrition. It also includes $80 million in administrative funding for the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which helps supplement the diets of low-income Americans, including elderly people, by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost. Through TEFAP, the USDA purchases a variety of nutritious, high-quality USDA foods, and makes those foods available to state distributing agencies. 

Increasing Access to Healthy Food: Includes $500,000 for the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI), a public-private partnership that provides technical assistance and financing to support existing grocery stores, food hubs, agriculture producers, farmers, mobile markets, and other food retailers.

Expanding Economic Opportunity: Includes $200 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission and $20 million for the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission to support their work to build economic partnerships, create opportunity, and foster economic development. 

Increasing Access to Health Care for Seniors: Includes $62.5 million for states to provide education and counseling for low-income seniors to understand and enroll in the specialized Medicare programs they may qualify for through December 31, 2024. This provision is based on the Helping Seniors Lower Their Health Care Costs Act, legislation championed by Sen. Warner.

Keeping WMATA Running: Includes $150 million in grants to carry out mandatory spending from the bipartisan infrastructure law and the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. 

Strengthening our Nation’s Ports: Includes $120.5 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program, which provides funding to projects that improve the safety, efficiency, or reliability of the movement of goods into, out of, around, or within a port. This funding is in addition to $450 million in advanced appropriations from the bipartisan infrastructure law, which brings the total amount of funding for this program in FY24 to $570.5 million.

Increasing Air Travel Safety: The bill provides more than $20 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration, including needed funding to allow for the hiring of an additional 1,800 new air traffic controllers.

Supporting Economic Development: Includes $468 million for community economic development through the Economic Development Administration (EDA). This includes $100 million for Public Works grants, $25 million for the Good Jobs Challenge Program, $50 million for the Regional Innovation Program, and $79.5 million to support communities dealing with power plant closures.

RAISE Grants: Includes $345 million for the RAISE Grant program, which helps communities around the country carry out road, rail, transit and port projects with significant local or regional impact. When combined with the $1.5 billion in bipartisan infrastructure law advanced appropriations, the RAISE Grant program will see more than $1.84 billion in total funding in fiscal year 2024.

Support for Missing Persons Program: Includes $1 million to help with the nationwide implementation of the Ashanti Alert system. In 2018, Sen. Warner secured unanimous Senate passage of the Ashanti Alert Act, legislation that created a new federal alert system for missing or endangered adults between the ages of 18-64. The bill was signed into law on December 31, 2018.

Combating Hate Crimes: Provides $9 million for the enactment of the Khalid Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act, which creates grants for state and local governments to combat hate crimes. The Khalid Jabara-Heather Heyer NO HATE Act, championed by Sens. Warner and Kaine, was named partially after Heather Heyer, a Virginian murdered by a white supremacist in Charlottesville in 2017.

Keeping the Chesapeake Bay Clean: Includes $92 million for EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program – the primary federal program that supports Chesapeake Bay cleanup efforts – as well as $8 million for the Chesapeake WILD program, which focuses on enhancing habitat for fish and wildlife and recreational opportunities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Additionally, this legislation also includes $3.02 million for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Trails program, which provides unique and vital assistance to state, local, and nongovernmental partners throughout the watershed to increase public access to the Chesapeake Bay and support education programming and outdoor recreation.

Supporting George Washington and Jefferson National Forests: Includes $6.8 million from the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund to address deferred maintenance within the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.

Protecting Southern Appalachia’s Natural Treasures: Includes $9.5 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund Forest Legacy program for the Buffalo Mountain Natural Area Preserve Expansion Project in Floyd and Carroll County. This project will protect 3,311 acres of Southern Appalachian Eich Cover Forest and productive white pine, as well as nearly 14 miles of mountain streams at the headwaters of the New River.

Caring for America’s Veterans: Includes $121 billion for veterans’ medical care, including $343 million to support improved access to care for veterans in rural communities, $990 million for gender-specific health care services and related investments in facilities, $3.1 billion to support critical services and housing assistance for homeless veterans, and $16.2 billion for mental health services and suicide prevention outreach. 

Providing Veterans With the Benefits They’ve Earned: Includes $3.9 billion to administer benefits to veterans, including efforts to decrease the claims backlog.

Supporting Military Construction: This includes more than $909 million for Virginia for 13 Navy, Navy Reserve, and Marine Corps projects at Dam Neck, JEB Little Creek-Ft Story, MCB Quantico, NS Norfolk, NWS Yorktown, and Norfolk Naval Shipyard; an Army National Guard project at Sandston; and Defense-Wide projects at DIA and the Pentagon. Notable projects include:

1. $35 million for a Child Development Center at JEB Little Creek-Ft Story
2. $43.6 million for a Child Development Center at NS Norfolk
3. $185 million towards the DIA Headquarters Annex at Ft Belvoir
4. $20 million towards a new Aircraft Maintenance Hangar for the Army National Guard at Sandston – a top longtime priority for the Virginia National Guard.

Housing our Servicemembers: Includes roughly $2 billion for family housing construction.

Protecting U.S. Interests from Malicious Actors: Forbids any funds appropriated in THUD from being used in contravention ofthe American Security Drone Act. This provision was based off Sen. Warner’s STOP Illicit Drones Act, bipartisan legislation that prohibits the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from operating or providing federal funds for drones produced in China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, and Cuba.

Advancing Scientific Discovery: Includes $8.24 billion for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science. DOE’s Office of Science sponsors basic research in the physical sciences and supports 22,000 researchers at 17 national laboratories across the country, including Jefferson Lab in Newport News, Virginia. Within the Office of Science, the bill includes $11 million for the CEBAF Renovation and Expansion project at Jefferson Lab and $95 million for continued work on the Electron-Ion Collider – a collaboration between Jefferson Lab and Brookhaven National Lab in New York. 

Supporting Nuclear Fuel Security: Includes $2.72 billion in repurposed supplemental funding that will support the domestic production of high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU), which is critical to power upcoming advanced nuclear reactors. This funding will go towards implementation of the Nuclear Fuel Security Act – which was included in the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act – that authorizes the Department of Energy to create a Nuclear Fuel Security Program to increase the quantity of HALEU to support the growing advanced reactor fleet. Sen. Warner was a cosponsor of this legislation. The bill also provides an additional $100 million in discretionary appropriations for advanced nuclear fuel availability.

Leading in Next-Generation Energy: Includes $900 million in unobligated supplemental funding to support the development of small modular reactors. This includes up to $800 million for not more than two near term utility commercial deployments of a Generation 3+ small modular reactor technology in the U.S. It also includes $100 million for one or more competitive awards with a 50 percent cost share to support design, licensing, supplier development, and site preparation of a grid-scale Generation 3+ reactor design that can be deployed no later than 2030.

Promoting Tech Hubs: Includes $41 million for EDA’s Regional Tech Hubs program. In October 2023, Sens. Warner and Kaineannounced the selection of the Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Consortium in the Richmond/Petersburg region as one of EDA’s 31 inaugural Regional Tech Hubs. Led by the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing, this consortium will ensure that critical pharmaceuticals are manufactured here in America by employing regional assets, scientific capacities, and public and private investment to accelerate the growth, innovation, and sustainability of the U.S.-based pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. In the New River Valley and Danville, the Virginia Additive Manufacturing and Applied Material Strategy Development Consortium received a Strategy Development Grant, which will go towards advancing a regional strategy based in the New River Valley to develop and deploy additive manufacturing system technologies for heavy industry to re-shore manufacturing and to strengthen domestic supply chain resilience. 

Establishing a Data Hub in Hampton Roads: Includes $8 million to advance development of the High Performance Data Facility (HPDF) at Jefferson Lab in Newport News, Virginia. In October 2023, DOE selected Jefferson Lab as the Hub Director and location for the infrastructure for the HPDF, which will be a new scientific user facility specializing in advanced infrastructure for data-intensive science. The HPDF will provide a crucial national resource for artificial intelligence (AI) research, allowing researchers to tackle fundamental problems in science and engineering that require access to large data sets and real-time analysis of streamed data from experiments. DOE anticipates the total project cost of the HPDF will be between $300 and $500 million in current and future year funds.

Following the passage of this partial funding legislation, Congress will have to come together to pass a second bill to fund the parts of the government that remain without FY2024 funds. It must do so before the March 22 deadline.

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement following President Biden’s State of the Union address:

“This evening, President Biden reiterated our nation’s commitment to democracy and outlined a strong vision for continued economic growth, technological progress, and renewed American leadership on the global stage. I was particularly heartened by the President’s call on Congress to pass a national security supplemental that delivers on our commitments to our partners abroad, and by the announcement of new concrete measures to help assuage the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. 

“In the coming months and years, we will keep benefiting from the legislative accomplishments we’ve achieved over past three years. We will continue to see research and development that outperforms that of our adversaries, increased support for nation’s veterans, and greater protections for everyday Americans. We will also continue see our communities grow stronger through record infrastructure dollars, which are bringing high-speed internet to small businesses like that of my guest tonight, Robert Miller, who owns Small Country Campground in Louisa County. In the meantime, I will continue working with the President and my colleagues in Congress to build on this progress and stand up for the values we hold dear as Americans.”  

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today announced that Mr. Robert Miller of Louisa County, Va. will attend as his guest at President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Thursday, March 7. Mr. Miller, owner of Small Country Campground in Louisa County, Virginia, will be joining Sen. Warner as he highlights how small business owners in rural and underserved areas have benefitted from being able to connect to broadband internet for the first time thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law.

“In the 21st century, broadband is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. For too long, residents and small business owners in rural areas had to rely on antiquated technologies while traditional internet companies looked at their balance sheets, unable to justify the cost of bringing broadband to these remote areas,” said Sen. Warner. “As one of the negotiators of the bipartisan infrastructure law, I am thrilled to be joined by Mr. Miller, one of the many small business owners who are now able to rely on high-speed internet to expand and grow their business.”

“Before high-speed internet arrived in Louisa County, Small Country Campground ran on a spotty landline and a laggy reservation system. Now, we boast a reliable internet-based phone system that’s accessible across 80 acres of property, as well as a faster and more responsive online reservation system,” said Mr. Miller. “My family and I are thankful for the broadband dollars in the infrastructure law, which have allowed us to attract remote workers, improve the overall guest experience, and generate more business for our community.”

As Virginia’s Senator and former Governor, Sen. Warner has championed efforts to expand broadband affordability and access in Virginia. As an author and negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure law, Sen. Warner secured $65 billion in funding to help deploy broadband and decrease costs associated with connecting to the internet. Virginia alone has received over $1.5 billion through the BIL to expand broadband. Louisa County is just one of many communities that has benefitted, or will soon benefit, from broadband dollars. The Fiscal Year 2023 government funding bill supported by Sen. Warner included $364 million for the ReConnect program — funding that will support additional projects that will help rural communities access the internet. 

### 

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Promoting United States Leadership in Standards Act of 2024, legislation aimed at restoring the U.S.’s position as a leader in international standards-setting for emerging technologies.

For decades, the United States led the world in developing new technologies, which allowed our country to set the rules of the road when it came to those technologies’ global standards. However, in recent years, Chinese companies backed by the Communist Party of China have overtaken the U.S., which has allowed the Chinese government to influence standards in ways that further their own interests.

“In recent years, the Communist Party of China has asserted their dominance in the global technology space, and as their status has risen, our authority and influence has fallen,” said Sen. Warner. “This legislation clearly outlines steps we must take to reestablish our leadership and ensure that we are doing all we can to set the global standards for critical and emerging technologies.”

“The Communist Chinese Party has made it their mission to undermine the U.S. and our interests around the globe by exploiting our deficiencies,” said Sen. Blackburn. “As they ramp up their efforts to dominate global standards for emerging technologies, the U.S. must be a global leader in innovation, and that includes setting standards that reflect our interests and values.”

Standards-setting bodies make critical decisions not only relating to technical specifications, but also relating to values, such as openness, safety, and accessibility, embedded in emerging technologies.

Specifically, the Promoting United States Leadership in Standards Act would:

• Require the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to submit a report to Congress that identifies current U.S. participation in standards development activities for AI and other CETs;
• Create an easy-to-access web portal to help stakeholders navigate and actively engage in international standardization efforts. The portal would include a list of relevant standards and information about how to participate in standardization activities related to AI and other CETs;
• Establish a pilot program to award $10 million in grants over 4 years to support the hosting of standards meetings for AI and other CETs in the U.S.;
• Create a report to Congress, after the third year of the program, that identifies grant recipients, provides a summary of expenses, assesses the effectiveness of the program to grow the number of standards meetings in the U.S, and shows the geographic distribution of event attendees.

“The United States must continue to lead global technical standardization. IEEE-USA supports Senator Warner's and Senator Blackburn's Promoting United States Leadership in Standards Act of 2024 to enable necessary increased stakeholder access to the standards development process, especially for those who may not have the resources to fully engage in the development activities. Enabling access for underrepresented actors increases the diversity of voices and ensures democratization of the process, thus strengthening the open markets in which the U.S. is highly competitive,” said Keith Moore, President, IEEE-USA.

“Cisco is engaged in the proper development and deployment of AI across all aspects of the ecosystem, and we firmly believe U.S. leadership is fundamental in the development of global standards for AI and other critical technologies. This legislation will not only foster U.S. participation in standards-setting bodies but also help create a policy environment that unlocks the benefits of responsible and trustworthy use of AI. We applaud the bipartisan efforts of Senators Warner and Blackburn and look forward to engaging them and other stakeholders on this important issue,” said Nicole Isaac, Vice President, Global Public Policy, Government Affairs, Cisco.

“We applaud Senators Warner and Blackburn for introducing the Promoting United States Leadership in Standards Act, which can better position standards development organizations and standards participants for success,” said Morgan Reed, President of ACT | The App Association. “A strong, yet nimble approach to technical standards development is a foundational imperative for ACT | The App Association’s members as they create tomorrow’s innovations. Nurturing open and global participation in standardization activities, especially when hosted in the United States, can address shared technical challenges while advancing American technology leadership.  This legislation represents a decisive step in the right direction. We look forward to working with the sponsors to ensure the language best achieves Congress’ goals as the bill moves forward.”

“XRA is proud to support the Promoting United States Leadership in Standards Act of 2024. Emerging technologies like XR drive economic growth and help the U.S. address strategic challenges like workforce development, industrial productivity, and healthcare delivery. Foreign governments, particularly competitors of the U.S., see immersive technology and other emerging technologies as their chance to shape the future of computing and grow their economic influence. These competitors are actively engaged in the development of technical standards and governance frameworks and understand that early leadership in these bodies yield long-term advantage. Unfortunately, the United States Government’s participation in these critical international standards bodies has not kept pace," says the XR Association’s Senior Vice President of Public Policy, Joan O’Hara. “This legislation will strengthen the United States’ leadership role in the development, adoption, and governance of critical emerging technologies like XR.”

Full text of the legislation is available here. A one-page summary of the legislation is available here. 

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, wrote to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to express the urgent need to increase the Commerce Department’s actions to protect U.S. critical technologies – including the biotech sector – through a more robust export-control regime, among other measures. This letter follows previous efforts from Sens. Warner and Rubio to push the Departments of Treasury and Commerce to counter the flow of U.S. technology and investments to the People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s military industrial complex. 

“We write to underscore our continued concern that the Department of Commerce has not sufficiently used its existing tools, including export controls, to prevent adversary access to U.S. technology, capital, data, and talent in critical technology sectors,” the senators wrote. 

The letter outlines efforts recently taken by PRC-affiliated biotech companies to undermine U.S. leadership in biotechnology and access sensitive American genetic data, including through the acquisition of an American company, which provides genetic sequencing machines to U.S. laboratories.

“We urge the Commerce Department, in cooperation with the Treasury Department and the Intelligence Community, to take a comprehensive approach to protecting American technology, investment, data, and talent in critical technology sectors, such as biotechnology. Specifically, the Commerce Department should implement an export-control regime—as undertaken with the semiconductor industry—and impose controls on the sharing of American data,” the senators continued.

In addition to advocating for the implementation of an export-control regime, the senators also committed to supporting any additional legislation to bolster American biosecurity.

The senators concluded, “The CCP has openly revealed its intentions to utilize biotechnology to advance its military capabilities and ambitions, undermine U.S. security, and continue its egregious violations of human rights. The U.S. must respond forcefully to these intentions. While the Department has ample authorities to take action, we commit to working with the Department if additional legislation is needed to secure American interests in biosecurity.”  

A copy of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Secretary Raimondo:

We write to underscore our continued concern that the Department of Commerce has not sufficiently used its existing tools, including export controls, to prevent adversary access to U.S. technology, capital, data, and talent in critical technology sectors. Last February, in our capacity as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, we wrote to you on this topic and have yet to receive a reply.  As such, we renew our request for the Department of Commerce to increase its actions to protect U.S. critical technologies, including in the biotechnology sector, through a more robust export-control regime, among other measures. 

In our February 9, 2023 letter, we highlighted the continued efforts by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to target American technology, investment, and data in order to monopolize global supply chains, achieve technological dominance, and displace U.S. economic and military leadership. We urged the Department to use its authorities to track PRC efforts to acquire U.S. innovation, and immediately restrict these activities.

The PRC has continued its attempts to leverage the lack of U.S. controls surrounding access to American innovation, data, and talent to undermine U.S. superiority in critical sectors and related supply chains. The PRC has capitalized on the massive amounts of U.S. data and innovation it has acquired to develop weapons and technologies for nefarious ends.

We were pleased to see the Department of Commerce add 37 entities, including Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) Research, BGI Tech Solutions, and Forensic Genomics International, to its Entity List in March 2023. The U.S. government, however, continues to allow PRC biotechnology companies to operate freely within the U.S., to purchase and/or invest in U.S. companies, and to acquire U.S. data. These companies include: BGI Group, MGI Tech, Complete Genomics, WuXi AppTech, and WuXi Biologics, which have linkages to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Military-Civil Fusion program, and/or to the PRC’s ongoing genocide in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. For example, BGI has purchased American companies and leveraged these American companies to provide machines to unwitting U.S. laboratories and obtain sensitive genetic data of Americans. 

We urge the Commerce Department, in cooperation with the Treasury Department and the Intelligence Community, to take a comprehensive approach to protecting American technology, investment, data, and talent in critical technology sectors, such as biotechnology. Specifically, the Commerce Department should implement an export-control regime—as undertaken with the semiconductor industry—and impose controls on the sharing of American data. The CCP has openly revealed its intentions to utilize biotechnology to advance its military capabilities and ambitions, undermine U.S. security, and continue its egregious violations of human rights. The U.S. must respond forcefully to these intentions. While the Department has ample authorities to take action, we commit to working with the Department if additional legislation is needed to secure American interests in biosecurity. 

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Bill Casidy, M.D. (R-LA), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced legislation to ease access to supplemental oxygen for Medicare beneficiaries. The Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act of 2024 would establish a new payment methodology for non-liquid oxygen, allowing for most Medicare beneficiaries to be covered under the base payment levels.

“Respiratory care is lifesaving for so many patients, but too often access to this care is cost-prohibitive or simply not accessible. This legislation will ensure that supplemental oxygen is affordable and accessible for Medicare patients, allowing them to live the healthier, more active lives they deserve,” said Sen. Warner. 

“Patients who need supplemental oxygen often have other health problems. Making it easier to get their oxygen is one less thing they must worry about,” said Dr. Cassidy. 

“Supplemental oxygen is a life-sustaining treatment for individuals suffering from respiratory and heart diseases, and it should be accessible to patients who need it,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “This bipartisan legislation will protect access for seniors on Medicare who use supplemental oxygen both in and away from their homes.” 

The SOAR Act would:

• Remove all oxygen and oxygen equipment from Medicare competitive bidding;
• Establish a separate base payment rate for liquid oxygen with an add-on payment for liquid oxygen at 6 liters/minute and higher;
• Create a new add-on to the supplemental oxygen rate to reimburse for respiratory therapist services when providing supplemental oxygen to Medicare beneficiaries; and
• Establish protections for Medicare beneficiary supplemental oxygen users.

“Today is an important day that has been years in the making for the American Lung Association and so many of the people who we serve who rely on supplemental oxygen every day. Thanks to advancements in research and treatment, most people living with severe lung disease can live active lives. Unfortunately, too many people face challenges in getting the right type and levels of oxygen required to do day-to-day activities. This is why the SOAR Act is critical to the 1.5 million people in the U.S. who need supplemental oxygen. Thank you to Senators Bill Cassidy, Mark Warner and Amy Klobuchar for championing this legislation. The American Lung Association urges members of Congress to cosponsor and swiftly pass this truly life-changing bill,” said Harold Wimmer, American Lung Association President.

“For years, AARC has advocated for patient access to respiratory therapist care outside the acute care setting,” said Carl Hinkson MS, RRT-ACCS, NPS, FAARC, President of American Association for Respiratory Care. “AARC is proud to stand with the coalition in creating a future where supplemental oxygen is available and affordable and patients have access to expert care from a respiratory therapist to return to a fuller and healthier life.”

“Thousands of people living with serious lung and respiratory diseases are confined to their homes, struggling for each breath because they are unable to access the supplemental oxygen they need,” said Scott Staszak, Chief Operating Officer of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. “We applaud Senator Bill Cassidy, Senator Mark Warner and Senator Amy Klobuchar for their pivotal role in advancing crucial Oxygen Reform legislation to ensure that everyone will be able to breathe easier.”

“The SOAR Act represents a significant step towards ensuring comprehensive oxygen reform. The CQRC thanks Senators Cassidy, Warner and Klobuchar for their leadership on this bill and urges Congress to seize this opportunity and advance the SOAR Act without delay,” said Dan Starck, Interim Chair of the Council for Quality Respiratory Care. “This bipartisan legislation is a beacon of hope for patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, and communities, promising improved access to supplemental oxygen and respiratory therapy to safeguard and enhance health and quality of life.”

“As an association focused on improving care within chest medicine, we believe that access to oxygen is critical for many of our patients,” said Jack D. Buckley, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of the Chest Physicians. “This is one of the main advocacy pillars for our organization because it is so crucial to maintaining the quality of life for patients struggling with chronic lung disease. Without adequate access to oxygen, these patients have enormous difficulty with normal daily activities, such as traveling to the grocery store or getting to their next doctor’s appointment.”

“Many people living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD, are struggling to lead more active and productive lives because Medicare policies unreasonably limit their access to supplemental oxygen therapy,” said Dr. Jean Wright, CEO of the COPD Foundation. “We are grateful to Senators Cassidy, Warner and Klobuchar for leading legislation to restore and update these critical services.”

“As president of the American Thoracic Society, I applaud Senator Bill Cassidy, Senator Mark Warner and Senator Amy Klobuchar for introducing the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform Act – SOAR – to reform Medicare's reimbursement of supplemental oxygen. The current Medicare system for providing supplemental oxygen does not serve patient needs creating needless suffering. Patients have suffered from low quality equipment to supply their oxygen. They have suffered from insufficient support staff to fix problems with their oxygen service. They have suffered from being given big, bulky, heavy oxygen systems that prevent them from ever leaving their homes and being part of a larger community most of us take for granted. The legislation that Senators Cassidy, Warner and Klobuchar introduced today will reform Medicare's oxygen reimbursement system by ensuring patients get the oxygen system they truly need and not just the cheapest oxygen system available. I look forward to working with Senators Cassidy, Warner and Klobuchar to see this important legislation enacted by Congress,” said M. Patricia Rivera, MD, ATSF, President of the American Thoracic Society.

“The engaged Senate leaders introducing the Medicare Oxygen Payment Reform are undertaking a great need for patients with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. We have heard firsthand many shocking personal stories about patients not properly matched or trained on the oxygen equipment they need to breathe each day. This legislation will improve outcomes for all oxygen dependent patients in the U.S. The Alpha-1 Foundation is proud share with our patients that the Senate is helping with a solution that includes access to patient equipment and education,” said Scott Santarella, President and CEO of the Alpha-1 Foundation.

 "We need to change the system to help Alpha-1 patients have greater access to respiratory therapists and the oxygen equipment they need to breathe.  I am grateful to Senator Warner for his leadership on this bill.  The patients who depend on oxygen in the state of Virginia and the entire United States will benefit from Senator Warner’s leadership.  As a constituent and an Alpha-1patient and oxygen user, I am extremely grateful.” Charles W. Frost, Virginia Alpha-1 patient.

The SOAR Act is supported by the American Lung Association, American Association for Respiratory Care, Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, Council for Quality Respiratory Care, American College of the Chest Physicians, COPD Foundation, American Thoracic Society, and Alpha-1 Foundation.

###

 WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) sponsored the Access to Family Building Act, which would establish a federal right to access in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) for all Americans who need it, pre-empting state efforts to limit access and helping ensure no hopeful parent – or their doctors – are punished for trying to start or grow a family.

“After the Supreme Court struck down decades of precedent in overturning Roe v. Wade, we’re seeing more and more extreme attacks on women’s health care and reproductive freedom,” said Sen. Warner. “Following the far right-wing ruling in Alabama’s Supreme Court, we have to act now to make sure IVF remains legal and accessible for Americans seeking to build their families.”

The Access to Family Building Act would:

• Establish a statutory right for an individual to access, without prohibition or unreasonable limitation or interference, assisted reproductive technology services, such as IVF, and for a healthcare provider to provide ART services;
• Establish an individual’s statutory right regarding the use or disposition of their reproductive genetic materials, including gametes;
• Allow the Department of Justice to pursue civil action against any state, government official, individual or entity that violates protections in the legislation; and
• Create a private right of action for individuals and healthcare providers in states that have limited access to ART.

A copy of the bill text is available here.

###