WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) met with David Vela, President Trump’s nominee to be the Director of the National Park Service (NPS) to discuss the need to address the $12 billion NPS maintenance backlog. Due to years of chronic underfunding, the Park Service has deferred maintenance on tens of thousands of visitor centers, rest stops, trails, and campgrounds, as well as thousands of miles of roads and countless bridges. In Virginia, the backlog has grown to more than $1 billion and the Commonwealth now ranks third among all states in total deferred maintenance, trailing only California and the District of Columbia.

Sen. Warner is the author of the Restore Our Parks Act, a bipartisan bill that would address the growing maintenance backlog. Over the years, Sen. Warner has been a strong advocate for protecting NPS infrastructure, originally introducing the legislation that became the basis for this consensus proposal. The Restore Our Parks Act is the product of months of bipartisan discussions among senators who had previously introduced legislation and the Trump Administration. The bipartisan bill is supported by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, the National Parks Conservation Association, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Outdoor Industry Association, and dozens of additional conservation and recreation organizations. 

“For years, I’ve been sounding the alarm on the need to address the growing NPS maintenance backlog and urging the Senate to pass our bipartisan bill,” said Sen. Warner. “I was pleased to hear that Mr. Vela understands the devastating effects this chronic underfunding can have on an already old and crumbling NPS infrastructure and has vowed to be a partner so we can work with the Administration to get this done. If confirmed, I look forward to working with Mr. Vela to draw down the maintenance backlog and find a long-term maintenance funding structure for the Park Service that preserves our national treasures for generations to come.”  

Virginia contains 22 national parks and affiliated areas that are spread throughout the Commonwealth. In addition, the Park Service maintains over 120 National Historic Landmarks throughout Virginia, including Mount Vernon, Montpelier, Monticello, and the State Capitol Building. In 2017, over 24 million individuals from around the world visited national parks in Virginia, spending over $1 billion. National parks in Virginia helped support more than 15,000 jobs and contributed over $1.4 billion to the Commonwealth’s economy. 

On August 31, 2018, President Trump announced David Vela as his nominee to lead the National Park Service. If confirmed, Mr. Vela would be the first Hispanic Director of the National Park Service. His nomination was formally submitted to the Senate on September 6, 2018. A confirmation hearing has not yet been scheduled. 

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WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Susan Collins (R-ME), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and James Lankford (R-OK) introduced the ZTE Enforcement Review and Oversight (ZERO) Act. This bipartisan bill would enforce full compliance by ZTE—a Chinese state-directed telecommunications firm that repeatedly violated U.S. laws—with all probationary conditions in the Commerce Department’s deal. This deal lifted a denial order, banning the export of U.S. parts and components to ZTE for seven years. If the Commerce Secretary cannot regularly certify ZTE’s full compliance with the deal and with relevant U.S. export controls and sanctions laws, the denial order will be reinstated on ZTE.

“ZTE has a history of violating U.S. sanctions and misleading the U.S. government. Unfortunately this Administration has shown that it cannot be trusted to defend American interests and punish companies like ZTE that pose a threat to our security. This bipartisan legislation would ensure that if ZTE once again violates trade restrictions or its agreement with the U.S. it will be held accountable in a significant, painful way,” said Sen. Warner, Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

“With China’s communist government posing the greatest, long-term threat to the United States, we must continue to confront ZTE’s real risks to our economy and national security,” Sen. Rubio said. “While it was a mistake to reach a ‘deal’ with ZTE in the first place, this bill will ensure ZTE is finally put out of business if it does not hold up its end of the bargain.”

“ZTE has repeatedly misled federal investigators and violated U.S. laws, and their behavior represents a fundamental threat to our national security,” Sen. Van Hollen said. “At the bare minimum, Congress must act to ensure that this giant telecommunications company is not able to violate the current agreement with the Department of Commerce or our laws. This bipartisan legislation will hold ZTE’s feet to the fire and should be considered without delay.”

“ZTE has violated American sanctions on Iran and North Korea and lied about its efforts to rectify the issue. The company’s disregard for U.S. laws undermines our national security interests and cannot be tolerated,” said Sen. Collins. “Our bipartisan bill would require the Department of Commerce to monitor ZTE and effectively put ZTE out of business if they are found to be noncompliant, ensuring the safety of our economy and national security.”

“ZTE violated our sanctions laws and must be held accountable,” said Sen. Warren. "Our bipartisan bill will ensure that this Chinese company faces swift and severe penalties if it breaks the law and puts our national security at risk again.”

“ZTE has knowingly violated US sanctions by shipping its goods to North Korea and Iran,” said Sen. Lankford. “They continue to put US national security at risk. I’m grateful to join Senators Rubio, Van Hollen, and Collins to introduce the ZTE Enforcement Oversight Act, which will help ensure the US has the tools necessary to hold ZTE responsible for its actions.”

Sen. Warner, a former technology executive, has long expressed concern that ZTE poses a significant threat to our national security. He wrote to the Administration urging President Trump to re-consider a deal with the China-based company. Most recently, Sen. Warner successfully advocated for a measure that was included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that passed Congress in August, which would remove technology from ZTE and Chinese telecom Huawei from systems owned or used by the United States government.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine celebrated final Senate passage of a bill to fund the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, Education, and Labor for Fiscal Year 2019, which begins on October 1, and to fund the rest of the government through December 7 as negotiations continue. If the legislation is signed into law, it will avoid a government shutdown at the end of September—something Warner and Kaine have long called for—and offer the Department of Defense and other agencies some clarity on 2019 spending levels in regular budget order, helping to keep the country safer. President Trump has threatened to veto any spending bills that do not fund a border wall.  

“Despite the President’s continued attempts to cut vital federal programs, this bipartisan agreement upholds many defense, education, and workforce priorities that are important for Virginians,” said Warner. “As we continue to tackle the opioid crisis and combat the resurgence of black lung disease, this bill upholds our promise to save more lives. I’m also pleased to report that this bipartisan legislation provides the necessary resources to protect our men and women in uniform and supports Virginia’s critical national security footprint. While the Senate did its part to fund these programs, it’s now up to the House and the President to move swiftly and keep the government open.” 

“I’m proud that we were able to pass this legislation to avoid a shutdown and fund so many of the programs that Virginians care about,” Kaine said. “Health care, defense, education, and worker protections are all huge priorities as we ensure Virginians have access to the resources they need and that we are investing in the right ways to keep our country safe. I’m glad we were able to swiftly pass these bills, and I hope that President Trump will drop his threats to shut the government down over funding for his wall and quickly sign them into law.”

Warner and Kaine pushed for many priorities through the appropriations process that were included in this final bill:

Health Care:

• Funds childhood disease research: The bill provides $12.6 million for the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program to conduct pediatric cancer and disease research. Warner and Kaine worked to enact the legislation authorizing this program, named for 10-year-old Gabriella Miller of Loudoun County, who passed away from cancer in October of 2013.
• Early detection of black lung disease: The bill also includes a provision Warner and Kaine advanced to improve the participation rate of coal miners in federal health surveillance programs that detect and treat black lung. Warner and Kaine have been strong advocates for coal miners and their families, supporting legislation that ensures they retain the health and retirement benefits they deserve. 
• Protects the ACA, Medicare, and Medicaid: The Senators ensured that the bill did not include proposed language that would have restricted HHS’s authority to administer or enforce the ACA.  The bill keeps funding and program authorities consistent with 2018, thereby protecting Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ ability to administer Medicare, Medicaid, and the ACA. 
• Provides $5.7 billion to combat substance abuse:  The bill provides $5.7 billion for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which is $584 million more than Fiscal Year 2018. This includes $1.5 billion for State Opioid Response Grants, an increase of $50 million for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, and $105 million for the National Health Service Corps. It also expands loan repayment eligibility requirements to include substance use disorder counselors, which will support recruitment and retention of health professionals needed in underserved and rural areas.
• Increases funding for Alzheimer’s and brain research: The bill provides $39.1 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an increase of $2 billion from last year’s level and $4.5 billion above the President’s suggested budget. The increase includes an additional $425 million for Alzheimer’s research for a total of $2.34 billion and an increase of $29 million for the BRAIN Initiative.

Defense:

• Funds a 2.6 percent pay raise for servicemembers: Funds the pay raise that was authorized in the annual defense bill Kaine worked on with his colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Warner and Kaine strongly supported the pay increase.
• Supports Virginia’s shipbuilding industry: Provides over $24 billion in Shipbuilding Accounts, with more than $12 billion going towards programs that will benefit Virginia like the Columbia & Virginia Class Submarines, Ford Class Carrier construction, and Nimitz Class overhaul. It also supports the Navy's goal of attaining a 355-ship fleet, which Warner and Kaine have both strongly endorsed.
• Supports block-buy of Ford-class aircraft carriers:  The legislation preserves the Navy’s ability to pursue a block-buy of aircraft carriers once it completes an independent cost analysis and certifies that the strategy will save taxpayer dollars, as required by the 2019 Defense Bill.  
• Offers budget certainty to our troops and military leaders: This legislation appropriates a full year of funds for the Department of Defense, addressing Warner and Kaine’s concerns, shared by military leaders, that Congress’ failure to return to regular budget order has interfered with DoD’s ability to plan ahead and that continuing resolutions have been painful to the country’s national security initiatives.
• Addresses lead poisoning in military housing: Following reports of lead poisoning in military housing units, the legislation requires the Government Accountability Office in consultation with the Department of Defense to conduct an investigation and provide a report to Congress on toxic lead levels in all military housing. In August, Kaine and Warner sent a letter to the Secretary of the Army asking for a briefing after a report surfaced about lead poisonings and dangerous lead levels in housing on U.S. Army installations.
• Improving cyber resiliency: This legislation provides $306 million in additional funding to expand and accelerate cyber research across the Department of Defense. Warner has been a strong advocate for cyber resiliency and stronger cyber tools at the DoD.
• Defense Cyber Scholarship Program: The legislation includes Warner’s amendment to make available $7 million in funding for the DoD Cyber Defense Scholarship Program, bringing it in-line with the funding level from the House-passed appropriations package.  Warner successfully included a provision to boost the cyber scholarship program’s recruitment efforts in the FY19 National Defense Authorization Act. This amendment builds on the expansion of the program that Senator Kaine championed last year through his DoD Cyber Scholarship Program Act in the FY18 NDAA.

Education:

• Provides funding to help teachers, social workers, military personnel, and other public servants cancel their student loan debt: For a second year includes $350 million for the Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program that mirrors Kaine’s bill to fix a technical glitch that will allow borrowers who were in the wrong repayment program to be eligible for PSLF. 
• Includes language to help HBCUs access funds to make infrastructure improvements: Includes language from Kaine’s bill to require the HBCU Capital Financing Advisory Board, which provides financial guidance to the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), to provide Congress with a report on the loans granted under the program along with recommendations to address issues related to construction financing for HBCUs. 
• Provides additional funding for the HBCU Capital Financing Program: Includes an additional $10 million to ensure that all eligible institutions—including Virginia Union University—are able to access the program’s deferment authority. Warner and Kaine both called for this supplementary funding to provide additional flexibility for eligible HBCUs to meet their infrastructure needs.
• Increases access to Pell Grants: Increases the maximum Pell Grant award to $6,195, a $100 increase from FY18, and also includes support for year-round Pell Grant funding. 
• Increases funding for Student Support and Academic Enrichment block grants: Includes $1.17 billion, a $70 million increase from FY18, for K-12 public schools to create a well-rounded education, ensure safe and healthy students and support the use of technology in the classroom.
• Increases funding for career and technical education: Increases funding for the recently reauthorized Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act to $1.26 billion, a $70 million increase from FY18.

Workers:

• Funds black lung health clinics: Authorizes black lung health clinics at $11 million, $1 million above its full authorization level.
• Provides $30 million to train rural and Appalachian workers: Includes $30 million to provide workforce training to dislocated workers in rural areas with a specific priority for Appalachian communities.
• Provides $160 million to support apprenticeships: Includes $160 million for registered apprenticeship programs.
• Requires better tracking of career and technical occupations to help prepare the future workforce: Directs the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) to track and report on improvements they are making to the Current Population Survey (CPS) to collect data about career and technical occupations. With this data, the country will have more information to track where improvements are needed and ensure that the workforce is trained with the skills needed for jobs available in today’s economy.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $366,788 in federal funding for Lynchburg, Amissville, and Fairfax Fire Departments through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The funding will be awarded through FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program.

“We’re proud to support funding to help local fire departments purchase equipment and support staff training, ensuring they are prepared to serve their communities,” the Senators said.

The following Virginia fire departments will receive funding under the AFG program: 

• Lynchburg Fire and EMS will receive $217,905 to purchase personal safety and rescue bailout equipment including ropes, harnesses, carabiners, and pulleys.
• Amissville Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company will receive $17,143 to purchase rapid intervention equipment.
• The City of Fairfax Fire Department will receive $131,740 to support training.

The primary goal of FEMA’s AFG program is to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters by providing direct financial assistance to eligible fire departments, nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Services organizations and State Fire Training Academies for critically-needed resources.

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WASHINGTON— As Hurricane Florence continues its approach, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-Va.) today offered to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in providing all necessary resources to ensure Virginia veterans will be cared for during and in the aftermath of this potentially devastating storm. The Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) is currently in the process of performing a full inpatient evacuation of the main hospital and will be closing all Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, and Albemarle until September 17^th. Most, if not all, of these patients are being moved to medical centers in North Carolina, West Virginia, and elsewhere in Virginia in order to continue receiving assistance. 

 “Virginia is home to over 700,000 veterans, many of whom live in Hampton Roads – an area that is especially susceptible to significant flooding and life-threatening storm surges. We urge you to use all tools at your disposal to continue to provide benefits and services to veterans when possible during and after the storm, as well as to seek additional assistance as required,” wrote the Senators in a letter to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. 

The letter comes after the Senators, along with the entire Virginia congressional delegation, successfully advocated for President Trump to issue a federal emergency declaration for the Commonwealth of Virginia, which allows federal agencies to begin offering preemptive assistance to affected states. Gov. Northam has declared a state of emergency in Virginia in preparation for the hurricane and has ordered the evacuation of more than 200,000 residents. Sens. Warner and Kaine have been requesting coordination and assistance from federal agencies in preparation for the hurricane, including the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and FEMA. The Senators will continue monitoring additional storm developments that may require increased federal assistance.

“Following the storm, we look forward to working with you to ensure that VA programs and facilities in Hampton Roads and throughout the Commonwealth are operational as quickly as possible in order to ensure the safety of our veterans who require regular assistance. Please keep us updated on the status of the evacuation and the implementation of the VA’s storm management plan,” concluded the Senators.

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

The Honorable Robert Wilkie

Secretary of Veterans Affairs

810 Vermont Ave, NW

Washington, DC 20420

Dear Secretary Wilkie:

As the Commonwealth of Virginia prepares for the landfall of Hurricane Florence, we urge the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide all necessary resources to ensure our veterans will be cared for during and in the aftermath of this potentially devastating storm, and to seek further support as needed. We stand ready to help. 

Virginia is home to over 700,000 veterans, many of whom live in Hampton Roads – an area that is especially susceptible to significant flooding and life-threatening storm surges. We urge you to use all tools at your disposal to continue to provide benefits and services to veterans when possible during and after the storm, as well as to seek additional assistance as required.

In preparation for Hurricane Florence, we understand that the Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) is performing a full inpatient evacuation of the main hospital and will be closing all Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, and Albemarle until September 17th. It is our understanding that most, if not all, of these patients are being moved to medical centers in North Carolina, West Virginia, and elsewhere in Virginia in order to continue receiving assistance.  

Following the storm, we look forward to working with you to ensure that VA programs and facilities in Hampton Roads and throughout the Commonwealth are operational as quickly as possible in order to ensure the safety of our veterans who require regular assistance. Please keep us updated on the status of the evacuation and the implementation of the VA’s storm management plan.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to working with you to provide veterans affected by Hurricane Florence the support needed to recover from this disaster. Please let us know how we can be helpful to ensure a continuation of services to our veterans during this difficult situation.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced a total of $5,524,852 in federal funding for Washington Dulles International and Warrenton-Fauquier Airports through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). 

“We are pleased to support upgrades at airports in Northern Virginia that will improve travel for Virginians and visitors. These are long-term investments in cleaner technology and upgraded infrastructure,” the Senators said.

Washington Dulles International will receive $4,000,000 to install 112 electrical recharging stations for electrical ground support equipment.    The project aims to implement clean technology infrastructure to reduce ground emissions and improve air quality through the Voluntary Airport Low Emissions (VALE) Program.

Warrenton-Fauquier will receive $1,524,852 to complete the construction of an airplane ramp and finish the new terminal area.

The funding was awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program within DOT. The program supports infrastructure improvement projects at airports across the country, including runways, taxiways, aprons, terminals, aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles, and snow removal equipment.  Warner and Kaine have long fought for funding for Virginia’s airports and pushed back against the Trump Administration’s suggested budget cuts to DOT to ensure that critical upgrades like these can happen. The Senate is expected to consider an FAA reauthorization measure in the coming weeks.

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WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to expedite disaster relief efforts in Virginia ahead of Hurricane Florence, which is projected to have a significant impact on the Commonwealth in the coming days. The Senator, along with the entire Virginia congressional delegation, previously requested that President Trump issue a federal emergency declaration for the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Administration took this step yesterday, allowing FEMA and other federal agencies to begin offering preemptive assistance ahead of the storm. 

“Even as the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and localities continue their precautionary efforts, I am concerned about the potential of severe flooding in the Commonwealth. Hurricane Florence is expected to cause serious flash flooding, mudslides, and river flooding in parts of Virginia that do not have a history of flooding and have already received large amounts of rainfall this year. These areas may not have the resources available to immediately respond to large scale flooding. I urge you to work with VDEM and localities in Virginia to coordinate disaster relief efforts and ensure that these communities have the resources and technical assistance they need to respond to this storm,” wrote Sen. Warner in a letter to FEMA Administrator Brock Long.

Gov. Northam has declared a state of emergency in Virginia in preparation for Hurricane Florence, and has ordered the evacuation of more than 200,000 residents living in affected areas. Sen. Warner and Sen. Tim Kaine have been requesting coordination and assistance from federal agencies in preparation for the hurricane, including the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), following reports that Naval Station Norfolk warned its employees of potential flooding at the base, and will continue monitoring additional storm developments that may require increased federal assistance.

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

Dear Administrator Long,

I write to you today to express my concerns about the potential effects of Hurricane Florence on the Commonwealth of Virginia. Hurricane Florence remains an exceptionally powerful storm that is expected to make landfall in the Carolinas and Virginia later this week. On Tuesday, September 11, 2018, President Donald J. Trump declared a state of emergency in Virginia, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal agencies to offer preemptive assistance to the Commonwealth. I urge you to move expeditiously to implement disaster relief efforts to ease the hardship for Virginians who will be impacted by this storm.

Even as the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and localities continue their precautionary efforts, I am concerned about the potential of severe flooding in the Commonwealth. Hurricane Florence is expected to cause serious flash flooding, mudslides, and river flooding in parts of Virginia that do not have a history of flooding and have already received large amounts of rainfall this year. These areas may not have the resources available to immediately respond to large scale flooding. I urge you to work with VDEM and localities in Virginia to coordinate disaster relief efforts and ensure that these communities have the resources and technical assistance they need to respond to this storm.

Hurricane Florence has the potential to cause significant damage in certain areas of Virginia. I urge you to act quickly to make all necessary resources available to alleviate the impacts of this dangerous storm. Thank you for your attention to this matter and please let me know how I can work with you to ensure a swift and effective recovery effort.

Sincerely,

Mark Warner

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $3,714,216 million in federal funding for ten Virginia fire departments through Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The funding, which will go to fire departments in Patrick Springs, Forest, Strasburg, Chatham, Martinsville, Norfolk, Spotsylvania, Exmore, Fries, and Yorktown will be awarded through FEMA’s Assistant to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs.                                               

 “Firefighters put their lives on the line every day. These federal dollars will help fire departments across Virginia update and purchase new equipment and support essential staffing needs, ensuring they have the resources to do their jobs,” the Senators said. 

The following Virginia fire departments will receive funding under the AFG program:

• Patrick Springs Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. will receive $90,000 to purchase personal protective equipment.
• Forest Volunteer Fire Company will receive $95,910 to purchase personal protective equipment.
• Strasburg Fire Department will receive $52,143 to update its source capture exhaust system technology.
• Chatham Fire Department will receive $15,239 to support search and rescue training.
• Dyers Store Volunteer Fire Department in Martinsville will receive $166,896 purchase self-contained breathing apparatus equipment.

The following Virginia fire departments will receive funding under the SAFER program:

• Norfolk Fire – Rescue will receive $1,035,021 to support hiring efforts.
• Spotsylvania County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management will receive $1,149,277 to support hiring efforts.
• Community Fire Company, Inc. in Exmore will receive $232,800 to support recruitment efforts.
• Fries Fire Dept. will receive $178,616 to support recruitment efforts.
• York County Fire and Life Safety will receive $698,314 to support hiring efforts.

The primary goal of FEMA’s AFG program is to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters by providing direct financial assistance to eligible fire departments, nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Services organizations and State Fire Training Academies for critically-needed resources. The primary goal of SAFER is to enhance the local fire departments’ ability to comply with staffing, response, and operational standards. FEMA’s SAFER program specifically provides funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase or maintain the number of trained firefighters available in their communities.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement today on his decision to vote against the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court:

“This is the most consequential Supreme Court vacancy in a generation, yet it has been the least transparent confirmation process in recent history. Thanks to unprecedented efforts by the Trump Administration to conceal large portions of Judge Kavanaugh’s record and the nominee’s unwillingness to answer basic questions before the Judiciary Committee, much of Judge Kavanaugh's record and judicial philosophy remain a mystery to the American people. But what we have seen provides reason enough to vote against this nominee.

“His past rulings, writings, and evasive answers before the Judiciary Committee lead to the inescapable conclusion that, as a Supreme Court justice, Judge Kavanaugh would seek to undermine and eventually overturn Roe v. Wade, and would fail to protect people with pre-existing conditions from discrimination by insurance companies.

“I am also deeply troubled by Judge Kavanaugh’s views on executive power. We currently have a president whose conduct is at the center of a federal criminal investigation, but in his testimony before the Judiciary Committee, Judge Kavanaugh refused to say whether he thinks it is constitutional for presidents to be investigated, and whether he continues to believe that the president has the power to fire a prosecutor criminally investigating him. In this country, no one, not even the president, is above the law. Should the president’s legal team decide, as they have threatened, to contest that principle in court, it is imperative that the Supreme Court ensure that the president is held accountable.

“For all these reasons, I must vote no on Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination.”

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WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, along with U.S. Reps. Rob Wittman (VA-01), Scott Taylor (VA-02), Bobby Scott (VA-03), A. Donald McEachin (VA-04), Tom Garrett (VA-05), Bob Goodlatte (VA-06), Dave Brat (VA-07), Don Beyer (VA-08), Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Barbara Comstock (VA-10), and Gerry Connolly (VA-11), called on President Donald Trump to issue a federal emergency declaration ahead of Hurricane Florence, a tropical storm which was recently upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane and is expected to make landfall somewhere on the southeast or Mid-Atlantic coast Thursday night. Virginia’s congressional delegation wrote to the President in support of a request from Gov. Ralph Northam in advance of the storm’s potentially devastating effects on the Commonwealth of Virginia.

“A federal emergency declaration would ensure the full availability of federal resources to support the Commonwealth’s efforts to guarantee public safety and rapid recovery from the direct and indirect effects of Hurricane Florence. Thank you for your consideration of Governor Northam’s request. We look forward to working with you, FEMA, and other relevant federal agencies to ensure that the Commonwealth of Virginia has the resources available to ensure the safety of our constituents,” wrote the Virginia Senators and Representatives.

On September 8, 2018, Gov. Northam declared a state of emergency in Virginia in preparation for Hurricane Florence, which is projected to have a significant impact on the Commonwealth in the coming days. It is increasingly likely that Virginia will face damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and potentially life-threating storm surge flooding. Many localities have already ordered mandatory evacuations to prevent potential physical harm or loss of life. 

The full text of the letter can be found below:

Dear Mr. President:

We write today to express our support for Governor Ralph S. Northam’s request for a federal emergency declaration in advance of Hurricane Florence’s potentially devastating effects on the Commonwealth of Virginia.

As you may know, on September 8, 2018 Governor Northam declared a state of emergency in Virginia in preparation for Hurricane Florence, which is projected to have a significant impact on the Commonwealth in the coming days. It is increasingly likely that Virginia will face damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and potentially life-threating storm surge flooding due to Hurricane Florence. Many localities have already ordered mandatory evacuations to prevent potential physical harm or loss of life.

Governor Northam’s emergency declaration ensures a fully coordinated state response to support local recovery efforts. The Commonwealth has activated the Virginia Evacuation Coordination Team for Operational Response to assess the storm’s potential effects and the Virginia Emergency Operations Center is already coordinating the state’s response with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

A federal emergency declaration would ensure the full availability of federal resources to support the Commonwealth’s efforts to guarantee public safety and rapid recovery from the direct and indirect effects of Hurricane Florence.

Thank you for your consideration of Governor Northam’s request. We look forward to working with you, FEMA, and other relevant federal agencies to ensure that the Commonwealth of Virginia has the resources available to ensure the safety of our constituents.

Sincerely, 

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WASHINGTON— U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), along with Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), introduced the Health Care Staffing Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation to make common-sense changes in staffing policies at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and improve veterans’ care at VA health care facilities.

At many VA health centers around the country, veterans face wait times of weeks or even months for an appointment. These severe roadblocks to providing timely and quality health care to veterans stem in part from a shortfall of tens of thousands of medical staff. The Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act would reduce bureaucratic obstacles to make it easier for the VA to boost staffing at VA health centers and reduce wait times.

“Our veterans face too many obstacles in accessing the world-class care they deserve,” said Sen. Warner. “Long wait times at VA medical facilities prevent our nation’s veterans from getting the care they should receive given the sacrifices they have made for this country. This bipartisan measure will help create a steady pipeline of qualified health care professionals who are instinctively familiar with the needs of our growing veteran population.”

“Our veterans have stood up for us, and we must stand up for them,” said Sen. Merkley. “Long wait times put our veterans’ health in jeopardy and are simply unacceptable. It’s common sense to eliminate unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles, and to create a ‘docs-to-doctors’ pipeline so that servicemembers who have served in health care roles in the military can easily transition their service into the VA system.”

“For too long, the VA has struggled to recruit and retain frontline health care providers, further exacerbating the issues already plaguing the VA system,” said Sen. Tillis. “The Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act directly addresses this problem by reducing bureaucratic barriers and by creating a streamlined process for transitioning servicemembers to bring their invaluable training and experience to the VA, which will make it easier for VA facilities across the nation to provide our veterans with the high quality care they need and deserve.”

“Our veterans deserve the highest quality of care,” said Sen. Brown. “This bill will remove red tape so we can put veterans’ needs first, increase the quality of care provided to those who served our country, and empower VA to hire enough staff to improve the overall veteran experience at different facilities.”

The legislation would make it easier for servicemembers who have served in medical roles to transfer directly into the VA system and make it easier to transfer or share medical staff and services across VA facilities. 

To provide VA with a large pool of trained medical staff who are already serving their country, the “Docs-to-Doctors” program improves the ability of the VA to recruit veterans who served as health care providers while in the military by:

•                 Requiring that VA receive a list of servicemembers who served in a health care capacity while in the military or as part of the Coast Guard and have filed for separation in the previous 12 months; and 

•                 Treating these veterans as applicants from within the VA to allow for a more expeditious hiring process.

Currently, certain VA medical professionals have to “recredential” every time they change hospitals or provide services at a hospital outside of their VA regional healthcare system. VA health care providers report that his can take from six weeks to three months, or even longer. In a unified health care system like the VA, it needlessly limits the VA’s flexibility to have medical professionals provide services where they are most needed. The Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act would require the VA Secretary to create uniform credentialing rules for medical professionals across the Veterans Health Administration.

The Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act is supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), and The American Legion.

“DAV has long advocated for Congress and federal departments to work with state and local governments, employers, trade unions, and licensure and credentialing entities, to establish a clear process so that military training meets civilian certification and licensure requirements and allows veterans to take their vocational certifications and training directly into the civilian sector once they leave military service,” said Garry J. Augustine, DAV Washington Headquarters Executive Director. “If passed and signed into law, the Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act will eliminate employment barriers for military healthcare workers, allowing them to continue serving their fellow citizens by utilizing their top-notch vocational training without delay.”

“Veterans from medical occupational fields should be able to count their military service and experience when transitioning to the civilian healthcare workforce,” said Brett Reistad, National Commander, The American Legion. “The Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act would streamline the process for separating veterans and help address the staffing shortage at VA medical facilities across the country. This bill, as currently written, is good for our veterans and good for America.” 

The Health Care Staffing Improvement Act has also been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR).

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WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) cosponsored legislation to overturn President Trump’s expansion of “junk insurance” plans. The Trump Administration recently released its final regulation on allowing Short-term Limited Duration Insurance (STLD) plans to expand eligibility for bare-bones health insurance plans, which do not have to provide the same level of minimum coverage as individual policies sold under the Affordable Care Act. According to experts, this move will undermine protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions by allowing insurance companies to market and sell more plans without vital consumer protections. In addition, this change will destabilize our country’s health care system and drive up health care costs for patients by shrinking the number of individuals in plans on the individual insurance marketplace. 

The resolution of disapproval introduced in the Senate and cosponsored by 44 Senators, including Sens. Warner and Kaine, would rescind the final “junk insurance” plan rule. Congressional Review Act (CRA) disapproval resolutions that obtain the support of 30 Senators on a discharge petition force a vote on the Senate floor. Senators now have the support needed to file a discharge petition and force a vote under the CRA. A simple majority vote in the Senate would pass the resolution and send it to the House of Representatives.

“Virginians have a lot to lose if the Trump Administration is allowed to continue its policy allowing junk plans that will deny coverage to those with preexisting conditions and take away access to essential services like prescription drugs, emergency room visits, and maternity care,” said the Senators. “Congress should overturn this misguided attempt to undermine these critical consumer protections and refocus on reducing the growing insurance costs caused by the President’s ongoing attempts to sabotage the Affordable Care Act.”

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACSCAN) has said President Trump’s rule “poses a serious threat to cancer patients’ ability to access quality, affordable health coverage.” ACSCAN also said the rule “will likely leave older and sicker Americans in the individual insurance marketplace with few, if any, affordable health coverage choices” and that “patients living with serious conditions will be left paying more for the coverage they need if they can afford coverage at all.” 

For months, Sens. Warner and Kaine have been sounding the alarm on President Trump’s plans to undermine protections for people with pre-existing conditions by expanding health care plans that do not have many vital consumer protections. They have urged the Administration to take swift action to stabilize the insurance marketplace and halt the expansion of “junk” health insurance plans.  

In addition to Sens. Warner and Kaine, the resolution is cosponsored by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Doug Jones (D-AL), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jon Tester (D-MT), Tom Udall (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Text of the resolution is available here.

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