Press Releases

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate ahead of an expected vote to confirm Gina Haspel as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

“Gina Haspel is among the most qualified people to be nominated for the position of the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. She’s served with the Agency for thirty three years, including tours as a case officer, four times as a station chief, the deputy chief of the National Resources Division, the Deputy Director of the National Clandestine Service, and currently as the Deputy Director of the Agency,” Sen. Warner said. “In many ways, her story is representative of the thousands of people at the Agency and throughout the Intelligence Community who serve quietly, without recognition, and often at great personal risk, in order to keep our nation safe from those who wish to do us harm… I would also note that, as a Senator from Virginia, the home to thousands of CIA personnel, and the Vice Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, I have heard from many Agency officers, and for that matter, members of the rank and file of other Intelligence Community agencies. And almost to a person, this rank and file have supported her nomination.”

Sen. Warner also addressed concerns about Ms. Haspel’s participation in the Rendition, Detention, and Interrogation program.

“Let me be clear—this has not been an easy decision. Over the past several weeks I have held multiple meetings and calls with Ms. Haspel and many others about her record and her character. In our open committee hearing, I have raised questions about her involvement with the Rendition, Detention, and Interrogation program, and if she were to be confirmed, her willingness to push back if President Trump asked her to undertake any immoral, or legally questionable, activity… I strongly believe that we, as Americans, have a duty to look squarely at our mistakes, and to not sweep them under the rug, but to learn from them, and in the future do better,” said Sen. Warner. “Most importantly, I believe she is someone who can and will stand up to the President, who will speak truth to power if this President orders her to do something illegal or immoral – like a return to torture. I believe this not just because she’s told me so, or because she wrote it in a letter, or even because she said it under oath in front of the committee. I believe it because I’ve heard it from people who worked with her and who have known her for years.”

Concluded Sen. Warner, “I respect my colleagues who have made a different decision. This was not an easy choice. I too spent weeks working through it. But at the end of the day, and as we vote later this afternoon, I believe Gina Haspel should be confirmed. I look forward to supporting her, I look forward to her being a good Director of the CIA, and I look forward to her performance convincing those who could not support her today that her long-term value to our country will make our country safer and that she will act in accordance to the principles and values of our country.”

Below is the full text of his remarks:

Gina Haspel is among the most qualified people to be nominated for the position of the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. She’s served with the Agency for thirty three years, including tours as a case officer, four times as a station chief, the deputy chief of the National Resources Division, the Deputy Director of the National Clandestine Service, and currently as the Deputy Director of the Agency.

In many ways, her story is representative of the thousands of people at the Agency and throughout the Intelligence Community who serve quietly, without recognition, and often at great personal risk, in order to keep our nation safe from those who wish to do us harm.

In addition, while she’s not emphasized this, we should not overlook the historic nature of Ms. Haspel’s nomination as the first woman to be nominated as Director of the CIA. Seeing her portrait in the halls of the Agency next to the long line of former Directors will be a long overdue but important breakthrough for the Intelligence Community.

I would also note that, as a Senator from Virginia, the home to thousands of CIA personnel, and the Vice Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, I have heard from many Agency officers, and for that matter, members of the rank and file of other Intelligence Community agencies. And almost to a person, this rank and file have supported her nomination.

Let me be clear—this has not been an easy decision for me. Over the past several weeks I have held multiple meetings and calls with Ms. Haspel and many others about her record and her character. In our open committee hearing, I have raised questions about her involvement with the Rendition, Detention, and Interrogation program, and if she were to be confirmed her willingness to push back if President Trump asked her to undertake any immoral, or legally questionable, activity.

I questioned her willingness to declassify to the extent possible more information about her background at the Agency.

I still wish more could be done to discuss her background in an open setting. The Agency just recently has declassified more information about her service with the Counter Terrorism Center. I thank them for that, but I still believe that it would have been preferable if we could have found a way to be even more transparent. If she’s confirmed as Director, I will encourage Ms. Haspel to keep this in mind.

To those here who have concluded that Ms. Haspel’s background with the RDI program should preclude her from leading the CIA. I respect their arguments, and I know the passion with which they put forward their position. I myself struggled with this point.

Many people at the CIA participated in the program. They were told it was legal by the Justice Department and ordered by the President. But, some of the actions undertaken were repugnant and amounted to torture.

Since those days, America’s had a long debate about the standards that we as a nation, can, and should, apply to the treatment of detainees, regardless of who they might be. That is why I was one of 17 cosponsors in the Senate of the McCain-Feinstein amendment to prohibit torture and to prohibit any interrogation technique not authorized by the U.S. Army Field Manual. That is why I voted to both approve and to declassify the Senate Intelligence Committee’s extensive study of the RDI program.

I strongly believe that we, as Americans, have a duty to look squarely at our mistakes, and to not sweep them under the rug, but to learn from them, and in the future, to do better.

Nor do I believe that we can excuse torture or the way in which detainees – no matter who they were, or what crimes they were guilty of – were treated. We are better than that, and we need a CIA Director who will ensure – in an ironclad way – that we will never return to those dark days; that we will follow the law, as enacted by Congress.

This is why I have pushed Ms. Haspel, both in our hearing and in our private meetings on this very point—what is her view now of the RDI program? And how would she react if she were asked as Director to undertake something similar in the future?

In both our one-on-one meetings and in classified session before the Committee, I found Acting Director Haspel to be forthcoming regarding her views on the interrogation program. However, I thought it was important that she say this in public, not just privately, which is why I asked her to memorialize those comments in writing.

Gina Haspel wrote, “With the benefit of hindsight and my experience as a senior Agency leader, the enhanced interrogation program is not one the CIA should have undertaken.” I believe this is a clear statement of growth as a leader and learning from the mistakes of the past. And while I wish that she would be more forceful, I also understand her reluctance to condemn the many men and women at the Agency who thought they were doing the right thing at the time.

I first met Gina at one of her overseas postings. But I didn’t really get to work with her until this last year, when the former Director appointed her to be the Deputy Director of the Agency. Over this last year, I have found her to be professional and forthright with our Intelligence Committee.

I’ve had the ability to have candid, unfiltered discussions with her. Whether the challenge we confront is North Korea… ISIS terrorists… or the long-term challenge of countries like China and Russia, I will feel safer knowing that the CIA has Ms. Haspel at the helm.

Most importantly, I believe she is someone who can and will stand up to the President, who will speak truth to power if this President orders her to do something illegal or immoral – like a return to torture.

I believe it because I’ve heard it from people who worked with her and who have known her for years. People we all know and trust—John Brennan, James Clapper, Leon Panetta, Jim Mattis, and many others who served presidents of both parties. Every one of them said they trusted her to push back on immoral, illegal, or just plain stupid orders from the President.

I furthermore believe that she is someone who will push back – and push back strongly – against any attempts by this President to undercut, denigrate, or ignore the professional men and women of CIA, and their responsibility, again, to speak truth to power whatever the political ramifications may be.

It is for these reasons that I am supporting Gina Haspel’s nomination to be Director of the CIA.

I respect my colleagues who have made a different decision. This was not an easy choice. I too spent weeks working through it. But at the end of the day, and as we vote later this afternoon, I believe Gina Haspel should be confirmed. I look forward to supporting her, I look forward to her being a good Director of the CIA, and I look forward to her performance convincing those who could not support her today that her long-term value to our country will our make our country safer and that she will act in accordance to the principles and values of our country.

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and co-founder of the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, released the following statement after the White House eliminated the role of Cybersecurity Coordinator on the National Security Council, a position created to harmonize the federal government’s approach to cybersecurity and digital warfare:

“It’s frankly mindboggling that the Trump Administration has eliminated the top White House official responsible for a whole-of-government cyber strategy, at a time when the cyber threat to our nation is greater than ever. Our adversaries are investing heavily in 21st century cyber warfare capabilities, and if we only view national security through a conventional 20th century lens, we’re going to find ourselves unable to respond to increasingly asymmetric cyber threats down the road.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today announced Acting Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Gina Haspel, was favorably reported out of the Committee by a vote of 10-5 to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

“Gina Haspel is the most qualified person the President could choose to lead the CIA and the most prepared nominee in the 70 year history of the Agency,” said Chairman Richard Burr. “She has acted morally, ethically, and legally, over a distinguished 30-year career and is the right person to lead the Agency into an uncertain and challenging future. I’m pleased to see the Committee favorably report her nomination to the full Senate, and I look forward to her swift confirmation.”

“As Director of the CIA, Gina Haspel will be the first operations officer in more than five decades to lead the Agency. I believe that she will be a strong advocate for the Agency’s workforce, and an independent voice who can and will stand up on behalf of our nation’s intelligence community,” said Vice Chairman Mark Warner. “Most importantly, I believe she is someone who can and will stand up to the President if ordered to do something illegal or immoral – like a return to torture.”

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) voted in favor of a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to undo the Trump Administration’s repeal of net neutrality rules. In February 2018, Sens. Warner and Kaine joined a group of Senate and House Democrats in introducing the CRA to overturn the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) partisan vote to repeal open internet rules. The resolution passed the Senate this afternoon 52-47 and it now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

“The FCC last year repealed rules codifying longstanding open internet principles through a strictly partisan and hurried rulemaking, marked by troubling irregularities in its public comment system. Removing these rules of the road amounted to a greenlight for potential anti-competitive practices by Internet Service Providers, harming Internet users in Virginia and across the country. I urge the House to pass this bill and protect the integrity of the nation’s most crucial information network,” said Sen. Warner.

“Over the past year, there have been very few issues that have generated as much contact from my constituents as concerns over the repeal of net neutrality protections. The Obama Administration put these rules in place to protect consumers and the Trump Administration took them away to protect big internet service providers. It’s as simple as that. This is particularly important for students and families in rural communities that have limited options in internet providers. We fought hard for this vote, and now that our resolution has passed, we need the House to swiftly take it up so we can reverse the Trump Administration’s gutting of net neutrality protections. This is a fundamental issue of providing consumers with more choice and control,” Sen. Kaine said.

In December 2017, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to repeal the 2015 Open Internet Order, which the D.C. Circuit Court had upheld in 2016. The Open Internet Order prohibited internet service providers from blocking, slowing down, or discriminating against content online. Repealing the net neutrality rules could lead to higher prices for consumers, slower internet traffic, and even blocked websites. A recent poll showed that 83 percentof Americans do not approve of the FCC action to repeal net neutrality rules.

A simple majority of 51 votes is needed to pass a CRA resolution in the Senate.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined more than two hundred of their Senate and House colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar expressing opposition to the implementation of a domestic gag rule on Title X, the only federal grant program solely dedicated to family planning and related preventive services. This new gag rule would interfere with doctors’ ability to provide patients information about reproductive care. According to reports, President Trump could direct HHS to implement the rule as early as this month.

Each year, roughly four million people rely on Title X-funded health centers for basic preventive health care, including cancer screenings, birth control, sexually transmitted infection screenings, pregnancy testing, and well-woman exams that include breast and pelvic examinations along with a pap smear. In Virginia, more than 140 health centers rely on Title X funding. In keeping with longstanding legal, ethical and medical standards of health care, Title X providers can offer patients medically accurate counseling on and referrals for all pregnancy options-including parenting, adoption, and abortion.

"The domestic gag rule would bar patients from receiving information to support their ability to make informed decisions about their own reproductive health," wrote the Senators. "We strongly oppose efforts to undermine the integrity of the Title X program and harm the millions of people who rely on it for care. Federal health policy should be evidence-based and produced with the best interests of patients in mind."

Reinstatement of the gag rule, which has never been fully implemented, would be President Trump's latest attempt to fulfill his pledge to "defund Planned Parenthood," whose health centers serve 40 percent of the patients who go to Title X for contraceptive care. If Planned Parenthood were eliminated as a Title X-funded provider, other Title X-funded health centers would have to expand their contraceptive caseloads by an average of 70 percent. The move would disproportionately impact communities of color, the uninsured, and low-income individuals, and could reverse progress made in critical areas. Title X has helped women avoid 822,000 unintended pregnancies, which would have resulted in 387,000 unplanned births and 278,000 abortions. Title X also yields critical cost savings to the American healthcare system - every dollar invested in Title X saves more than seven dollars in Medicaid-related costs.

Nearly two-thirds of Title X patients have incomes at or below the federal poverty level, and 43 percent of patients are uninsured. In 2016, nearly 4,000 Title X-funded health centers provided 720,000 Pap tests, nearly one million women with breast exams, and 1.2 million HIV tests. Title X providers offer confidential, medically accurate, and evidence-based care. Implementing a domestic gag rule would do enormous harm to the millions of patients across the country who count on the high standard of medical care provided by these health centers.

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

Dear Secretary Azar,

We are writing today in support of the Title X family planning program (Title X) and to express our strong opposition to any changes to Title X that would restrict access to affordable, high-quality and lifesaving reproductive healthcare in communities across the country.

Title X is the nation’s only federal program dedicated to providing family planning services to low-income and otherwise underserved individuals. Each year, roughly four million women, men, and adolescents rely on Title X-funded health centers for basic preventive health care, including cancer screenings, birth control, sexually transmitted infection (STI) screenings, pregnancy testing, and well-woman exams. Nearly two-thirds of Title X patients have incomes at or below the federal poverty level, and 43% of patients are uninsured. In 2016, nearly 4,000 Title X-funded health centers performed 720,000 Pap tests, provided nearly one million women with breast exams, and administered 1.2 million HIV tests. Title X providers offer confidential, medically accurate, and evidence-based care, ensuring that patients receive the highest standard of medical care.

In addition to providing care to low-income, uninsured, and underinsured individuals, Title X yields critical cost savings to the American healthcare system. Every dollar invested in Title X saves more than seven dollars in Medicaid-related costs. By helping individuals obtain the preventive services they need, Title X advances the health and well-being of individuals, families and our nation as a whole while saving taxpayer dollars in the process.

In keeping with longstanding legal, ethical and medical standards of healthcare, Title X providers offer patients medically accurate counseling on and referrals for all pregnancy options—including parenting, adoption and abortion. The Title X program has never funded abortion services at its health centers. Health centers that receive Title X to provide family planning care may also separately provide abortions using non-federal funds.

In spite of the critical role that Title X-funded health centers play in promoting the health and wellbeing of millions of people, President Trump may seek to dramatically reduce the reach of Title X by reinstating the “domestic gag rule,” which was first issued under the Reagan administration but was never fully implemented. This “gag rule” would bar patients from receiving information to support their ability to make informed decisions about their own reproductive health. This means that the millions of patients who obtain care at Title X-funded health centers annually would be denied the ability to receive complete and accurate information about their medical options, including counseling on, and referrals, for abortion. On top of the ban on counseling and referrals, the “gag rule” would impose additional requirements intended to bar providers from participating in Title X that also separately provide abortion services.

Calls to reinstate these policies directly acknowledge this effort as an opportunity for President Trump to fulfill his pledge to “defund Planned Parenthood,” whose health centers remain an essential part of the family planning safety net, serving 40 percent of Title X patients. In reality, other providers of Title X-funded care would face immense challenges in attempting to absorb the patients that would lose access to care if Planned Parenthood were eliminated as a Title X-funded provider. According to recent analyses, other Title X-funded providers would have to expand their contraceptive caseloads by an average of 70 percent just to maintain access to contraceptive care at current levels.

A “domestic gag rule” would have a devastating impact on the overall Title X network and the millions of individuals who rely on it for care. This move would disproportionately impact communities of color, the uninsured, and low-income individuals, and it could reverse progress made in critical areas. For example, unintended pregnancy rates in the U.S.—including those among teenagers—have been declining. We cannot threaten to reverse this progress by crippling Title X: in 2015 alone, the contraceptive services supported by Title X helped women to avoid 822,000 unintended pregnancies, which would have resulted in 387,000 unplanned births and 278,000 abortions.

We strongly oppose efforts to undermine the integrity of the Title X program and harm the millions of people who rely on it for care. Federal health policy should be evidence-based and produced with the best interests of patients in mind.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today held a closed hearing to complete its review of the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on “Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections.” The testimony of former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former Director of CIA John Brennan, and former Director of NSA Mike Rogers will inform the Committee’s final report on this “chapter” of its Russia inquiry.

Chairman Burr said, “The first task in our inquiry was to evaluate the Intelligence Community’s work on this important piece of analysis. Committee staff have spent 14 months reviewing the sources, tradecraft, and analytic work, and we see no reason to dispute the conclusions. There is no doubt that Russia undertook an unprecedented effort to interfere with our 2016 elections. I look forward to completing the Committee’s inquiry and issuing our findings and recommendations to the American people.”

“Despite the short time frame they had to prepare it, the intelligence community did a very good job with the ICA,” said Vice Chairman Warner.“After a thorough review, our staff concluded that the ICA conclusions were accurate and on point. The Russian effort was extensive, sophisticated, and ordered by President Putin himself for the purpose of helping Donald Trump and hurting Hillary Clinton. In order to protect our democracy from future threats, we must understand what happened in 2016. And while our Committee’s investigation remains ongoing, one thing is already abundantly clear – we have to do a better job in the future if we want to protect our elections from foreign interference.”

Today’s closed hearing is a bookend to the hearing the Committee held in January 10, 2017, on Russian Active Measures. Staff will finalize this chapter of the report on the Intelligence Community’s work and submit it for a classification review.

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WASHINGTON – During a hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today to consider the nomination of Bill Evanina to serve as the nation’s top counterintelligence official, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), the Committee’s Vice Chairman, voiced concern that rolling back trade restrictions on Chinese telecom company ZTE would pose significant national security risks to the United States.

In recent days, President Trump has publicity expressed his desire to reverse trade restrictions placed on the company for violating sanctions on Iran and North Korea.

“On the question of counterintelligence with China, a number of members of this committee have raised concerns about certain Chinese telecom companies and their penetration into the American market. I was actually pleased that the President acted on one of those companies, ZTE. Now it appears that that is simply a bargaining chip in negotiations with China. I don’t think that is the appropriate way,” said Sen. Warner during the nomination hearing.

“If this is a security threat, then it is a security threat and needs to be dealt with as such — not as a bargaining chip in greater trade negotiations,” added Sen. Warner.

On Sunday, May 13 Trump tweeted, “President Xi of China, and I, are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast. Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done!” The next day, Trump followed with another tweet: “ZTE, the large Chinese phone company, buys a big percentage of individual parts from U.S. companies. This is also reflective of the larger trade deal we are negotiating with China and my personal relationship with President Xi.”

Earlier today, Sen. Warner joined a group of 34 Senators urging President Trump not to reverse trade restrictions on ZTE.

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, announced today that he will support the nomination of Gina Haspel to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA):

“Gina Haspel has served our country with dedication for 33 years. In many ways, her story is representative of the thousands of people at the Agency and throughout the intelligence community who serve quietly, without recognition, and often at great personal risk, in order to keep our nation safe from those who wish to do us harm.

“Over the last year I’ve had the opportunity to work with Ms. Haspel in her role as Deputy Director, and I have always found her to be professional and forthright with the Intelligence Committee. Most importantly, I believe she is someone who can and will stand up to the President if ordered to do something illegal or immoral – like a return to torture.

“I acknowledge that this has been a difficult decision. There are valid questions that have been raised regarding the Acting Director’s record, and I have been frank with Ms. Haspel that I wish she had been more open with the American public during this process. However, in both our one-on-one meetings and in classified session before the Committee, I found Acting Director Haspel to be more forthcoming regarding her views on the interrogation program, which is why I asked her to memorialize those comments in writing. I also take to heart the strong support Ms. Haspel has among rank-and-file members of the intelligence community and from intelligence community leaders who served under President Obama.

“I’m going to support Gina Haspel’s nomination to be Director of the CIA. I also respect my colleagues who have made a different decision.

“If she is confirmed, the Senate Intelligence Committee will continue to conduct thorough and vigorous oversight over the nation’s intelligence agencies.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined a group of 33 Senators calling on the Trump Administration to put American jobs and national security ahead of China. The Senators wrote a letter to the Administration in response to President Trump’s announcement that he has directed the Department of Commerce to look at easing penalties imposed on China-based company ZTE for violations that include selling sensitive U.S. technologies to Iran and North Korea in violation of U.S. sanctions laws.

“Offering to trade American sanctions enforcement to promote jobs in China is plainly a bad deal for American workers and for the security of all Americans,” the Senators wrote. “American workers and companies confront rampant theft of U.S. intellectual property, agricultural policies that disadvantage American farmers, restrictions on market access for U.S. service providers and manufacturers, and mercantilist industrial policies that have cost U.S. workers their jobs. America’s policies toward China should put American workers, farmers and businesses first, not China’s.”

“We urge you to focus on identifying effective strategies to reshape China’s policy approach in each of these areas, such as through enforceable commitments to eliminate forced technology transfer policies, market distorting subsidies, data localization policies, and foreign investment restrictions, and ensuring nondiscriminatory treatment of U.S. firms in regulatory and other proceedings. Above all, we urge you to remain steadfast in enforcing America’s laws,” the Senators concluded.

In addition to Sens. Warner and Kaine, the letter was signed by Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA) , Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Tom Udall (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

The full text of the letter can be found below:

Dear Mr. President:

Your recent remarks directing Secretary Ross to help ZTE – a Chinese company that has repeatedly sold sensitive U.S. technologies to Iran and North Korea in clear violation of American sanctions laws – call into grave doubt whether this administration will put American jobs and national security first.

If acted upon, your instruction would reverse a law enforcement decision by Secretary Ross to impose a seven-year denial of export privileges on ZTE, setting aside that decision made in the interests of U.S. national security to cushion the employment impact on the Chinese company. ZTE not only violated US sanctions law but then repeatedly lied about steps it would take to remedy the problems. As Secretary Ross noted when he imposed the order, “ZTE made false statements to the U.S. Government when they were originally caught and put on the Entity List, made false statements during the reprieve it was given, and made false statements again during its probation. ZTE misled the Department of Commerce. Instead of reprimanding ZTE staff and senior management, ZTE rewarded them. This egregious behavior cannot be ignored.”

In addition to paying a fine of $1.2 billion, and pleading guilty to knowingly violating U.S. sanctions laws, ZTE agreed to a multi-year denial of export privileges, to be activated if any aspect of the agreement was not met and/or if the company committed additional violations of US export control regulations. Prompted by new violations, Commerce imposed the denial.

America’s national security must not be used as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations. Offering to trade American sanctions enforcement to promote jobs in China is plainly a bad deal for American workers and for the security of all Americans. Bargaining away law enforcement power over bad actors such as ZTE undermines the historically sharp distinction between sanctions and export control enforcement and routine trade decisions made by the US.

Your order comes as your administration is in the midst of discussions with China to address China’s market-distorting policies and other tactics to undermine key American industries. Beyond appearing to risk American national security, the statement suggests that the administration is not serious about addressing the many economic challenges China presents. The devastating effects of China’s trade policies are clear. As your top trade negotiator recognized in his trade report on China less than six months ago, to address the “very serious and harmful problems generated by China’s trade regime”, China must “truly embrace a market-oriented approach, rooted in the fundamental WTO principles of non-discrimination, market access, reciprocity, fairness and transparency.” There is no evidence that China has agreed to such a shift in approach.

American workers and companies confront rampant theft of U.S. intellectual property, agricultural policies that disadvantage American farmers, restrictions on market access for U.S. service providers and manufacturers, and mercantilist industrial policies that have cost U.S. workers their jobs. America’s policies toward China should put American workers, farmers and businesses first, not China’s.

We urge you to focus on identifying effective strategies to reshape China’s policy approach in each of these areas, such as through enforceable commitments to eliminate forced technology transfer policies, market distorting subsidies, data localization policies, and foreign investment restrictions, and ensuring nondiscriminatory treatment of U.S. firms in regulatory and other proceedings. Above all, we urge you to remain steadfast in enforcing America’s laws.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that the College of William and Mary (W&M) will receive $1,199,858 in federal funding to recruit Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) students to become secondary school mathematics and science teachers.

“This critical funding will support the recruitment of math and science teachers to six high need school districts,” said the Senators. “Enhancing STEM education is a critical priority, and we are thrilled that William & Mary students and the National Science Foundation are partnering with schools in the local community to pursue this important endeavor.”

The funds, awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), will provide scholarships and stipends to help encourage outstanding mathematics majors to explore a career in education, help students sustain an enduring commitment to teaching STEM, and develop students' ability to connect effectively with diverse communities. As a result of the project, William & Mary hopes to prepare and place 33 new teachers to work with six high needs school districts in rural, suburban and urban schools in Gloucester, New Kent, York, Williamsburg-James City, Newport News and Hampton counties.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner, along with Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), introduced the Tools on Our Local Streets (TOOLS) to Rehabilitate Communities Act to allow Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to be used to create public-private partnerships for the revitalization of neighborhoods, housing rehabilitation, and disaster relief efforts. The bipartisan bill would provide a mechanism for nonprofits to use private sector resources in order to advance community development.

“For decades, this federal grant program has helped local and state governments address their development needs by improving housing access, ensuring suitable living environments, and expanding economic opportunities. It makes sense that nonprofits who similarly play a critical role in providing assistance and resources to these communities should have access to this funding,” said Sen. Warner. “This commonsense bill helps ensure that we are fully leveraging nonprofits’ tools and know-how to help revitalize neighborhoods and create jobs.”

“This bill would provide additional flexibility for localities by allowing them to partner up with nonprofit organizations, especially helping recovery efforts when a disaster happens,” said Sen. Cornyn. “By bringing nonprofit resources and expertise to the table, these grants can be more effective in making America’s neighborhoods better places to live and work.”

“By providing opportunities to receive CDBG funding, organizations like the Richmond Community ToolBank are empowered with the resources to strengthen other charitable organizations by providing tools to complete their projects. Often times not for profit organizations don’t have the means to purchase, store and repair the tools needed for a particular project which means less opportunity to create impact. There are far too many examples of having enough volunteers for a project with not enough tools. This decreases impact and volunteer engagement. Our goal is to put as many tools in the hands of volunteers as possible and create communities of hope,” said Trey Bearden, Executive Director of the Richmond Community ToolBank.

"With access to CDBG grant funding, organizations and partnerships will exponentially increase their ability to realize meaningful community improvement, where underemployed residents are engaged in revitalizing neighborhoods and creating shared green spaces. The impact of CDBG funding will be the conversion of blighted property to higher community use, and expanded opportunities for young adults to access job training. Health, well-being, and a sense of authentic pride emerges when communities are revitalized and residents realize greater economic self-sufficiency, resulting from this new CDBG legislation," said Giles Harnsberger, Executive Director of Groundwork RVA.

“This change will allow community-based nonprofit organizations access to the resources they need to revitalize communities. Our work builds community capacity to develop sustainable greenspaces that have numerous economic, health and environmental benefits. With access to CDBG funding, our organization and partners will be able to transform blighted communities into healthy communities through equitable placemaking,” said Duron Chavis, Community Engagement Coordinator of the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

The bill would:

· Strengthen Community Development Public-Private Partnerships with Nonprofit Organizations. The Tools on Our Local Streets (TOOLS) to Rehabilitate Communities Act makes nonprofit organizations that provide tools, equipment, or other resources used to complete community development or rehabilitation projects eligible for funding through Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). CDBGs provide federal assistance to state and local governments in support of local neighborhood revitalization, housing rehabilitation, and community and economic development. CDBGs are also used to help localities recover from presidentially-declared disasters.

· Increase Awareness of New Opportunity. This legislation requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to notify current CDBG grant applicants and awardees of the new opportunity.

· Require HUD to Identify Improvements for Community Development Partnerships with Nonprofits. This bill requires the HUD Secretary to report on current opportunities for partnerships to complete community development, revitalization, or rehabilitation projects and existing challenges.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $9,442,626 million in federal grant funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for Head Start programs throughout Virginia.

“We are thrilled to announce funding through Head Start to ensure young children in Virginia have the resources they need,” the Senators said. “We strongly believe in efforts to support early childhood development that can promote kids’ readiness for school and beyond.”

The following localities and organizations will receive funding:

Child Development Resources Inc. in Williamsburg will receive $1,558,265.
Fauquier Community Action Committee Inc. in Warrenton will receive $1,152,617.
Northern Virginia Family Service in Oakton will receive $5,324,853.
Prince William County Public Schools will receive $1,406,891.

As Governors and Senators, Warner and Kaine have advocated for investments in early childhood education. Head Start programs promote school readiness for children under 5 years old from low-income families through health, education, and social services.

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WARNER & KAINE ANNOUNCE $94.8 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR HOUSING & INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ACROSS VIRGINIA

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $94,819,202 in federal funding to help Virginia communities with housing and infrastructure projects. The funding, which will go to more than 30 locations across Virginia, will be awarded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG), Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA), HOME, and Housing Trust Fund (HTF) programs.

“We are pleased to announce funding that will help provide many Virginia families with the safe and affordable housing they need,” the Senators said. “These grants will help strengthen the well-being of communities throughout our Commonwealth.”

President Trump’s FY 2019 budget proposes eliminating the Community Development Block Grant, HOME, and Housing Trust Fund programs. The budget also proposes cutting ESG by 5.6% and cutting HOPWA by 12%. Warner and Kaine have opposed President Trump’s budget cuts to Virginia priorities and will continue fighting for this important HUD funding in Congress.

The $94,819,202 in funding will be awarded through HUD grants as follows:

Recipient	CDBG18	HOME18	ESG18	HOPWA18	HTF18	Total
Alexandria	$941,853	$536,873	$0	$0	$0	$1,478,726
Blacksburg	$482,932	$672,718	$0	$0	$0	$1,155,650
Bristol	$254,487	$0	$0	$0	$0	$254,487
Charlottesville	$408,417	$624,013	$0	$0	$0	$1,032,430
Chesapeake	$1,182,627	$550,827	$0	$0	$0	$1,733,454
Christiansburg	$111,703	$0	$0	$0	$0	$111,703
Colonial Heights	$94,495	$0	$0	$0	$0	$94,495
Danville	$865,416	$270,868	$0	$0	$0	$1,136,284
Fredericksburg	$186,790	$0	$0	$0	$0	$186,790
Hampton	$1,156,814	$557,513	$0	$0	$0	$1,714,327
Harrisonburg	$559,588	$0	$0	$0	$0	$559,588
Hopewell	$177,848	$0	$0	$0	$0	$177,848
Lynchburg	$733,913	$438,772	$0	$0	$0	$1,172,685
Newport News	$1,257,434	$786,711	$0	$0	$0	$2,044,145
Norfolk	$4,323,842	$1,278,608	$351,181	$0	$0	$5,953,631
Petersburg	$624,601	$0	$0	$0	$0	$624,601
Portsmouth	$1,557,075	$452,783	$0	$0	$0	$2,009,858
Radford	$165,992	$0	$0	$0	$0	$165,992
Richmond	$4,442,476	$1,500,301	$366,794	$1,050,009	$0	$7,359,580
Roanoke	$1,732,287	$606,064	$139,611	$0	$0	$2,477,962
Suffolk	$466,234	$377,689	$0	$0	$0	$843,923
Virginia Beach	$2,000,832	$1,122,655	$164,230	$1,524,127	$0	$4,811,844
Waynesboro	$193,586	$0	$0	$0	$0	$193,586
Winchester	$231,081	$615,483	$0	$0	$0	$846,564
Arlington County	$1,363,320	$762,215	$0	$0	$0	$2,125,535
Chesterfield County	$1,390,089	$558,425	$0	$0	$0	$1,948,514
Fairfax County	$5,574,509	$2,103,044	$447,834	$0	$0	$8,125,387
Henrico County	$1,692,829	$897,341	$138,560	$0	$0	$2,728,730
Loudoun County	$1,334,299	$0	$0	$0	$0	$1,334,299
Prince William County	$2,504,696	$919,946	$201,653	$0	$0	$3,626,295
Funds for Virginia to administer to lower population areas	$18,289,253	$10,094,628	$2,771,457	$962,389	$4,672,562	$36,790,289
Total	$56,301,318	$25,727,477	$4,581,320	$3,536,525	$4,672,562	$94,819,202

Additional details on each program from HUD:

The Community Development Block (CDBG) Grants program provides annual grants to states and local units of government to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.

The HOME program helps to expand the supply of decent, affordable housing to low- and very low-income families by providing grants to states and local governments to fund housing programs that meet local needs and priorities.

The Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program provides funding to engage homeless individuals and families living on the street; improve the number, quality, and operations of emergency shelters for homeless individuals and families; provide essential services to shelter residents, rapidly re-house homeless individuals, and families, and prevent families and individuals from becoming homeless.

The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program provides housing assistance and related supportive services to local units of government, states and non-profit organizations for projects that benefit low-income persons medically diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and their families.

The Housing Trust Fund (HTF) is a new affordable housing production program that will complement existing Federal, State and local efforts to increase and preserve the supply of decent, safe, and sanitary affordable housing for extremely low- and very low-income households, including homeless families.

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WASHINGTON- Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) selection of Virginia to participate in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program (IPP).

“I have been happy to work closely with Virginia Tech and the MAAP for several years now in promoting the safe use and development of drones in Virginia, which has included the first package delivery by drone in the country. Today’s award is recognition that this team has assembled some of the strongest expertise in the nation, and has put forward a proposal that will prove critical to shared efforts to safely integrate drones into our communities and airspace,” said Sen. Warner. “To reap the full benefits of all this technology has to offer, we need to be leaders - not laggards - in safely integrating it into our daily lives. Today’s announcement is an important step in again putting the U.S. in the lead, and our work in getting Virginia selected means that Virginia will be at the forefront of this revolution.”

DOT’s UAS Integration Pilot Program is an opportunity for state, local, and tribal governments to partner with private sector entities, such as UAS operators or manufacturers, to accelerate safe UAS integration. Virginia’s application was a coordinated effort spearheaded by Virginia’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Authority (IEIA) with cooperation from the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP).

Sen. Warner has been a strong supporter of research and investment in unmanned systems, including driverless cars, drones, and unmanned submersibles.He has introduced bipartisan legislation designed to advance the development of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and build on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) efforts to safely integrate them into the National Airspace System. Virginia is home to one of six FAA-approved sites across the country where researchers are testing the safest and most effective ways to incorporate UAS into the existing airspace. In 2016, the UAS test site’s partnership with Google’s parent company Alphabet X’s Project Wing tested its first burrito drone delivery.

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran deal:

“The President’s refusal to waive certain sanctions on Iran sets in motion the dismantling of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which has successfully prevented Iran from developing nuclear weapons. While the JCPOA was far from perfect, by signing the agreement, Iran gave up 98 percent of its uranium stockpile, dismantled 2/3 of its centrifuges, rendered its heavy water nuclear reactor unusable, and agreed to unprecedented inspections that provide critical insight into, and early warning about, any attempts by Iran to accelerate its nuclear program. Trump Administration leaders, all parties to the agreement, and the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is charged with its verification, have agreed that Iran has complied with its terms.

“Simply withdrawing the United States from the JCPOA will not benefit the American people and U.S. national security: it will only succeed in driving a wedge between us and our allies, whose help we need to enforce any future sanctions regime against Iran, and will effectively green light Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons. Withdrawing from this agreement makes the United States, and the world, less secure.”

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WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined a group of 11 Senate Committee ranking members on a letter calling on President Trump to not unilaterally abandon the Iran nuclear agreement.

“We have supported broad, comprehensive sanctions to target Iran’s support for terror groups, its ballistic missile program, and its human rights violations, and continue to support strong measures to counter these destabilizing and troubling actions by Iran,” the senators wrote. “All of us strongly believe that unilaterally withdrawing from the agreement at this time would be a major strategic mistake.”

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

May 7, 2018

Dear President Trump:

We write today to strongly urge you not to unilaterally withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) absent an unambiguous Iranian violation of its terms.

As you know well, the JCPOA states that “under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons” and imposes strict, verifiable limitations on Iran’s nuclear activities to ensure compliance with that commitment. Those limitations, vetted by the nuclear scientists at our national security labs, include International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitoring and verification of activities at all of Iran’s most sensitive nuclear sites, including the Fordow and Natanz enrichment facilities, uranium mines and mills, centrifuge production and storage locations, and heavy water production and storage sites.

According to the IAEA, the U.S. intelligence community, and our closest partners and allies, Iran continues to uphold these commitments. As long as Iran continues to abide by these restrictions, we strongly urge you uphold U.S. obligations as well. Failing to do so would not only profoundly undercut our relationship with key partners and allies, but would severely damage global nonproliferation efforts.

If the United States unilaterally withdraws from the JCPOA, Iran could either remain in the agreement and seek to isolate the United States from our closest partners, or resume its nuclear activities. Either scenario would be detrimental to our national security interests.

If Iran continues to abide by the agreement following a unilateral U.S. withdrawal, the only effective way the United States could regenerate sufficient economic leverage over Tehran would be to sanction the very same nations that helped us negotiate the JCPOA in the first place, namely persons and businesses from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Taiwan, and India, among others. Under that scenario, it is impossible to imagine the U.S. could rebuild the previous international sanctions coalition that was so effective in getting Iran to the negotiating table.

On the other hand, if Iran chooses to resume its unconstrained nuclear activities in the wake of a unilateral U.S. withdrawal, the United States could face a second nuclear crisis at the same time that your administration is seeking a peaceful resolution with North Korea. U.S. credibility in those denuclearization discussions would be severely undermined if North Korea concludes that U.S. leaders are willing to unilaterally abrogate such nuclear agreements without cause.

We have supported broad, comprehensive sanctions to target Iran’s support for terror groups, its ballistic missile program, and its human rights violations, and continue to support strong measures to counter these destabilizing and troubling actions by Iran. All of us strongly believe that unilaterally withdrawing from the agreement at this time would be a major strategic mistake.

Instead of effectively withdrawing from the JCPOA by refusing to utilize critical waivers of U.S. sanctions against Iran and its purchasers of oil by May 12th, we urge you to work with our partners and allies to address Iran’s other malign activities while preserving and building upon with our allies the strict nuclear limitations of the JCPOA.

Sincerely,

Mark R. Warner

Vice Chairman, Select Committee on Intelligence

Dianne Feinstein

Ranking Member, Committee on the Judiciary

Jack Reed

Ranking Member, Committee on the Armed Services

Sherrod Brown

Ranking Member, Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Patrick Leahy

Vice Chairman, Committee on Appropriations

Richard J. Durbin

Ranking Member, Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense

Patty Murray

Ranking Member, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Bernard Sanders

Ranking Member, Committee on the Budget

Thomas R. Carper

Ranking Member, Committee on the Environment and Public Works

Tom Udall

Vice Chairman, Committee on Indian Affairs

Amy Klobuchar

Ranking Member, Committee on the Rules and Administration

Maria Cantwell

Ranking Member, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and James Lankford (R-OK), members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the Committee’s unclassified summary of the first installment of the Committee’s Russia Report, including updated recommendations on election security and findings regarding Russian targeting of election infrastructure. In parallel, the Committee has prepared a comprehensive, classified report on threats to election infrastructure. The classified report will be submitted for declassification review, and the Committee anticipates releasing it to the public when that process is completed.

“Elections at all levels are central to our democracy, to our institutions, and to our government's legitimacy, and I remain concerned that we as a country are still not fully prepared for the 2018 midterm elections. That’s one reason why we, as a Committee, have decided that it is important to get out as much information as possible about the threat, so that governments at every level take it seriously and take the necessary steps to defend ourselves,” said Senator Mark Warner. “I am proud of the bipartisan work our Committee members have done on this issue, and I look forward to continuing in a bipartisan way to investigate what happened in 2016, and prevent future interference in our elections.”

“I’m pleased to be able to release this summary of our findings and recommendations on election security to the American public,” said Senator Richard Burr. “Today’s primaries are the next step toward the 2018 midterms and another reminder of the urgency of securing our election systems. Our investigation has been a bipartisan effort from day one, and I look forward to completing the Committee’s work and releasing as much of it as possible. We are working tirelessly to give Americans a complete accounting of what happened in 2016 and to prevent any future interference with our democratic process.”

“While our investigation remains ongoing, one conclusion is clear: the Russians were relentless in attempting to meddle in the 2016 election, and they will continue their efforts,” said Senator Susan Collins. “The findings and recommendations we are releasing today are a major step forward in our effort to thwart any attempt to meddle in our elections. With the 2018 election fast approaching, the need to act now is urgent. We must provide states the assistance they need to strengthen the security of their voting systems.”

“Our democracy hinges on Americans' ability to fairly choose our own leaders. With primary elections underway, and as we approach the midterm elections and the next presidential election cycle, we need to act quickly to protect the integrity of our voting process,” said Senator Martin Heinrich. “I am proud of how our whole Committee, under the leadership of Chairman Burr and Vice Chairman Warner, has taken on the task of getting to the bottom of Russia's interference in our election. Until we set up stronger protections of our election systems and take the necessary steps to prevent future foreign intervention, our nation's democratic institutions will remain vulnerable to attack.”

“During the 2016 election, Russian entities targeted presidential campaign accounts, launched cyber-attacks against at least 21 state election systems, and hacked a US voting systems software company,” said Senator James Lankford. “We must proactively work to ensure the security of our election infrastructure for the possibility of interference from not just Russia, but possibly another adversary like Iran or North Korea or a hacktivist group. After 18 months of investigations and interviews, this bipartisan report underscores the importance of efforts to protect our democracy from foreign attacks on our elections.”

The Committee’s unclassified summary of this chapter of the Russia Report – Election Security Findings and Recommendations are embedded below:

Russian Targeting of Election Infrastructure During the 2016 Election:

Summary of Initial Findings and Recommendations

May 8, 2018

Overview

In 2016, cyber actors affiliated with the Russian Government conducted an unprecedented, coordinated cyber campaign against state election infrastructure. Russian actors scanned databases for vulnerabilities, attempted intrusions, and in a small number of cases successfully penetrated a voter registration database. This activity was part of a larger campaign to prepare to undermine confidence in the voting process. The Committee has not seen any evidence that vote tallies were manipulated or that voter registration information was deleted or modified.

· The Committee has limited information about whether, and to what extent, state and local officials carried out forensic or other examination of election infrastructure systems in order to confirm whether election-related systems were compromised. It is possible that additional activity occurred and has not yet been uncovered.

Summary of Initial Findings

· Cyber actors affiliated with the Russian government scanned state systems extensively throughout the 2016 election cycle. These cyber actors made attempts to access numerous state election systems, and in a small number of cases accessed voter registration databases.

o At least 18 states had election systems targeted by Russian-affiliated cyber actors in some fashion.[1] Elements of the IC have varying levels of confidence about three additional states, for a possible total of at least 21. In addition, other states saw suspicious or malicious behavior the IC has been unable to attribute to Russia.

o Almost all of the states that were targeted observed vulnerability scanning directed at their Secretary of State websites or voter registration infrastructure. Other scans were broader or less specific in their target.

o In at least six states, the Russian-affiliated cyber actors went beyond scanning and conducted malicious access attempts on voting-related websites.[2]

o In a small number of states, Russian-affiliated cyber actors were able to gain access to restricted elements of election infrastructure. In a small number of states, these cyber actors were in a position to, at a minimum, alter or delete voter registration data; however, they did not appear to be in a position to manipulate individual votes or aggregate vote totals.

· The Committee found that in addition to the cyber activity directed at state election infrastructure, Russia undertook a wide variety of intelligence-related activities targeting the U.S. voting process. These activities began at least as early as 2014, continued through Election Day 2016, and included traditional information gathering efforts as well as operations likely aimed at preparing to discredit the integrity of the U.S. voting process and election results.

· The Committee’s assessments, as well as the assessments of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), are based on self-reporting by the states. DHS has been clear in its representations to the Committee that the Department did not have perfect insight into these cyber activities. It is possible that more states were attacked, but the activity was not detected. In light of the technical challenges associated with cyber forensic analysis, it is also possible that states may have overlooked some indicators of compromise.

· The Committee saw no evidence that votes were changed and found that, on balance, the diversity of our voting infrastructure is a strength. Because of the variety of systems and equipment, changing votes on a large scale would require an extensive, complex, and state or country-level campaign. However, the Committee notes that a small number of districts in key states can have a significant impact in a national election.

[1] These numbers only account for state or local government targets. DHS did not include states which may have witnessed attacks on political parties, political organizations, or NGOs. In addition, the numbers do not include any potential attacks on third-party vendors.

2 In the majority of these instances, Russian government-affiliated cyber actors used Structure Query Language (SQL) injection - a well-known technique for cyberattacks on public-facing websites.

Actors and Motive

· The Committee concurs with the IC that Russian government-affiliated actors were behind the cyber activity directed against state election infrastructure.

· While the full scope of Russian activity against the states remains unclear because of collection gaps, the Committee found ample evidence to conclude that the Russian government was developing capabilities to undermine confidence in our election infrastructure, including voter processes.

· The Committee does not know whether the Russian government-affiliated actors intended to exploit vulnerabilities during the 2016 elections and decided against taking action, or whether they were merely gathering information and testing capabilities for a future attack. Regardless, the Committee believes the activity indicates an intent to go beyond traditional intelligence collection.

DHS Efforts to Bolster Election Security

· The Committee found that DHS’s initial response was inadequate to counter the threat. In the summer of 2016, as the threat to the election infrastructure emerged, DHS attempted outreach to the states, seeking to highlight the threat for information technology (IT) directors without divulging classified information. By the fall of 2016, as the threat became clearer, DHS attempted a more extensive outreach to the states with limited success.

o At the outset, DHS was not well-positioned to provide effective support to states confronting a hostile nation-state cyber actor.

o In addition, members of the Obama administration were concerned that, by raising the alarm, they would create the very impression they were trying to avoid––calling into question the integrity of election systems.

· DHS and FBI alerts to the states in the summer and fall of 2016 were limited in substance and distribution. Although DHS provided warning to IT staff in the fall of 2016, notifications to state elections officials were delayed by nearly a year. Therefore, states understood that there was a cyber threat, but did not appreciate the scope, seriousness, or implications of the particular threat they were facing.

o Many state election officials reported hearing for the first time about the Russian attempts to scan and penetrate state systems from the press or from the public Committee hearing on June 21, 2017. DHS’s notifications in the summer of 2016 and the public statement by DHS and the ODNI in October 2016 were not sufficient warning.

o It was not until September of 2017, and only under significant pressure from this Committee and others, that DHS reached out directly to chief election officials in the targeted states to alert the appropriate election officials about the scanning activity and other attacks and the actor behind them. (However, the Committee notes that in the small number of cases where election-related systems had been compromised, the federal government was in contact with senior election officials at the time the intrusion was discovered.)

· The Committee found that DHS is engaging state election officials more effectively now than in the summer of 2016. Although early interactions between state election officials and DHS were strained, states now largely give DHS credit for making tremendous progress over the last six months.

o States have signed up for many of the resources that DHS has to offer, and DHS has hosted meetings of the Government Coordinating Council and Sector Coordinating Council, as required under the critical infrastructure designation. Those interactions have begun to increase trust and communication between federal and state entities.

o DHS hosted a classified briefing for state chief election officials and is working through providing security clearances for those officials.

o An Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center has been established, focused on sharing network defense information with state and local election officials.

Ongoing Vulnerabilities

Despite the progress on communication and improvements to the security of our election process, the Committee remains concerned about a number of potential vulnerabilities in election infrastructure.

· Voting systems across the United States are outdated, and many do not have a paper record of votes as a backup counting system that can be reliably audited, should there be allegations of machine manipulation. In addition, the number of vendors selling machines is shrinking, raising concerns about supply chain vulnerability.

o Paperless Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting machines––machines with electronic interfaces that electronically store votes (as opposed to paper ballots or optical scanners)––are used in jurisdictions in 30 states and are at highest risk for security flaws. Five states use DREs exclusively.

· Many aspects of election infrastructure systems are connected to and can be accessed over the internet. Furthermore, systems that are not connected to the internet, such as voting machines, may still be updated via software downloaded from the internet.

o These potentially vulnerable systems include some of the core components of U.S. election infrastructure, including systems affiliated with voter registration databases, electronic poll books, vote casting, vote tallying, and unofficial election night reporting to the general public and the media. Risk-limiting audits are a best practice to mitigate risk.

· Vendors of election software and equipment play a critical role in the U.S. election system, and the Committee continues to be concerned that vendors represent an enticing target for malicious cyber actors. State local, territorial, tribal, and federal government authorities have very little insight into the cyber security practices of many of these vendors, and while the Election Assistance Commission issues guidelines for security, abiding by those guidelines is currently voluntary.

Summary of SSCI Recommendations

The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has examined evidence of Russian attempts to target election infrastructure during the 2016 U.S. elections. The Committee has reviewed the steps state and local election officials have taken to ensure the integrity of our elections and agrees that U.S. election infrastructure is fundamentally resilient. The Department of Homeland Security, the Election Assistance Commission, state and local governments, and other groups have already taken beneficial steps toward addressing the vulnerabilities exposed during the 2016 election cycle, including some of the measures listed below, but more needs to be done. The Committee recommends the following steps to better defend against a hostile nation-state who may seek to undermine our democracy:

1. Reinforce States’ Primacy in Running Elections

· States should remain firmly in the lead on running elections, and the Federal government should ensure they receive the necessary resources and information.

2. Build a Stronger Defense, Part I: Create Effective Deterrence

· The U.S. Government should clearly communicate to adversaries that an attack on our election infrastructure is a hostile act, and we will respond accordingly.

· The Federal government, in particular the State Department and Defense Department, should engage allies and partners to establish new international cyber norms.

3. Build a Stronger Defense, Part II: Improve Information Sharing on Threats

· The Intelligence Community should put a high priority on attributing cyberattacks both quickly and accurately. Similarly, policymakers should make plans to operate prior to attribution.

· DHS must create clear channels of communication between the Federal government and appropriate officials at the state and local levels. We recommend that state and local governments reciprocate that communication.

· Election experts, security officials, cybersecurity experts, and the media should develop a common set of precise and well-defined election security terms to improve communication.

· DHS should expedite security clearances for appropriate state and local officials.

· The Intelligence Community should work to declassify information quickly, whenever possible, to provide warning to appropriate state and local officials.

4. Build a Stronger Defense, Part III: Secure Election-Related Systems

· Cybersecurity should be a high priority for those managing election systems.

· The Committee recommends State and Local officials prioritize the following:

o Institute two-factor authentication for state databases.

o Install monitoring sensors on state systems. One option is to further expand DHS’s ALBERT network.

o Identify the weak points in the network, including any under-resourced localities, and prioritize assistance towards those entities.

o Update software in voter registration systems. Create backups, including paper copies, of state voter registration databases. Include voter registration database recovery in state continuity of operations plans.

o Consider a voter education program to ensure voters check registration well prior to an election.

o Undertake intensive security audits of state and local voter registration systems, ideally utilizing an outside entity.

o Perform risk assessments for any current or potential third-party vendors to ensure they are meeting the necessary cyber security standards in protecting their election systems.

· The Committee recommends DHS take the following steps:

o Working closely with election experts, develop a risk management framework that can be used in engagements with state and local election infrastructure owners to document and mitigate risks to all components of the electoral process.

o Create voluntary guidelines on cybersecurity best practices and a public awareness campaign to promote election security awareness, working through the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), and the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED).

o Maintain and more aggressively promote the catalog of services DHS has available for states to help secure their systems, and update the catalog as DHS refines their understanding of what states need.

o Expand capacity to reduce wait times for DHS cybersecurity services.

o Work with GSA to establish a list of credible private sector vendors who can provide services similar to those provided by DHS.

5. Build a Stronger Defense, Part IV: Take Steps to Secure the Vote Itself

· States should rapidly replace outdated and vulnerable voting systems. At a minimum, any machine purchased going forward should have a voter-verified paper trail and no WiFi capability. If use of paper ballots becomes more widespread, election officials should re-examine current practices for securing the chain of custody of all paper ballots and verify no opportunities exist for the introduction of fraudulent votes.

· States should consider implementing more widespread, statistically sound audits of election results. Risk-limiting audits, in particular, can be a cost-effective way to ensure that votes cast are votes counted.

· DHS should work with vendors to educate them about the potential vulnerabilities of both voting machines and the supply chains.

6. Assistance for the States

· States should use federal grant funds to improve cybersecurity by hiring additional Information Technology staff, updating software, and contracting vendors to provide cybersecurity services, among other steps. Funds should also be available to defray the costs of instituting audits.

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[2] In the majority of these instances, Russian government-affiliated cyber actors used Structure Query Language (SQL) injection - a well-known technique for cyberattacks on public-facing websites.

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement on the passing of Dr. Charles W. Steger Jr., President Emeritus of Virginia Tech:

“I’ve known Charles Steger for more than thirty years, and in that time, I always knew him not only as an advocate for Virginia Tech, but for educational opportunity for all Virginians, at every level. I was proud to call him my friend, and I have incredibly fond memories of our fight together to get Tech into the ACC. I know that Dr. Steger will be missed by the whole Tech family.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement after insurers filed initial rates that would lead to major premium increases for Virginians in 2019:

“These proposed price increases are a painful consequence of the Trump Administration’s efforts to sabotage the health insurance market and dismantle the Affordable Care Act. After a series of unsuccessful attempts to repeal the ACA, President Trump and Republicans in Congress settled for taking actions that will increase premium costs for American families, something even Trump’s former HHS Secretary admitted this week. Now, their irresponsible games are hurting Virginians by making it harder for families to afford health care. We hope our colleagues will take this seriously and pass bipartisan legislation to stabilize the market and make sure Virginians have affordable options for health insurance in 2019.”

Over 400,000 Virginians rely on the individual marketplace for health insurance coverage.

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today issued a statement responding to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke's trip to Virginia, where he is expected to visit the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park and Booker T. Washington National Monument

“More than a year ago, I introduced bipartisan legislation to set aside money to finally fix the $12 billion maintenance backlog at our national parks. While I share Secretary Zinke’s sense of urgency about this issue, the proposal the Administration is supporting — which is actually based on my own bill — is no solution at all," Sen. Warner said. "Instead of setting aside dedicated funding for our national parks, the only way the National Park Service would see any money from this proposal is through a huge expansion of drilling, or a massive increase in the price of oil. If the Administration wants to get serious about addressing our national parks backlog — and I hope they will — they should get behind my bipartisan proposal, which has the support of the National Park Conservation Association and the Pew Charitable Trusts.”?

A year ago this month, Sen. Warner visited the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park to highlight his bipartisan legislation with Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) to eliminate the maintenance backlog, the National Park Service Legacy Act. The bill would help eradicate the maintenance backlog at the Park Service by directing existing revenues from mineral royalties toward deferred maintenance needs of the National Park Service.

In March of this year, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced its own proposal, which bears substantial similarities to the Warner-Portman bill.

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) are now accepting applications for the position of U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia to succeed U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson, who has announced he will take senior status on June 1, 2018. An independent panel of lawyers assembled by the Senators will review applications and interview qualified individuals. The Senators will then use those recommendations, as well as input from bar associations and experts, as they consider potential nominees to recommend to President Trump. The White House will then nominate an individual to be considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The nomination is subject to confirmation by the full Senate.

Interested applicants should visit Senator Warner’s website for application instructions. The application period will close May 18, 2018.

###

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement on the nomination of CIA Director Mike Pompeo to be the next Secretary of State:

“I have had a productive working relationship with Mike Pompeo, and I believe that he has been an effective Director of the CIA. But I expect America’s top diplomat to be a forceful advocate for American values around the world – values like freedom, diversity, equality, and tolerance – and I was disappointed that Director Pompeo did not take the opportunity offered during the confirmation process to repudiate some of the extreme views he expressed during his time in Congress. While I will oppose his nomination, it is my fervent hope that as Secretary of State, Mr. Pompeo will stand up in defense of those values that have long made our country a beacon of hope and freedom for people all around the world. If he does, he can count on my assistance and support.”

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $61 million in funding for the construction of two 120-bed veterans homes in Virginia, $30 million for a state veterans home in Virginia Beach and $31 million for a state veterans home in Vint Hill. This funding, which is part of a $685 million package for state veterans homes across the country, can be used for repairs, renovation, or new construction. Warner and Kaine helped to secure these dollars as part of the government funding bill that passed last month.

“Virginia’s veterans have made tremendous sacrifices to fight for our nation. Now, we need to fight for them and help ensure they have the resources they need to lead successful lives after they complete their service,” the Senators said. “We are proud to have helped secure funding to improve veterans’ long-term care needs in Virginia, and we will continue to do all we can in the Senate to support veterans.”

Warner and Kaine both have long records of advocating for the nation’s veterans through the appropriations process and legislation they have championed to improve veterans’ job training and access to health care.

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen has led a bipartisan letter with his colleagues to the Senate Agriculture Committee urging the inclusion of his legislation, the Chesapeake Bay Farm Bill Enhancements Act, in this year’s Farm Bill. This bill would dramatically increase the amount of funds available to Bay-area farmers to aid in conservation and anti-pollution efforts.

The Senators write, “As the Senate Agriculture Committee considers the upcoming Farm Bill, we urge you to consider inclusion of the Chesapeake Bay Farm Bill Enhancements Act. The bill makes a number of changes to the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) through additional funding, enhancing critical conservation areas, and boosting technological assistance.”

They note that “the bill has broad, bipartisan support from the Governors of Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and the Mayor of Washington, D.C.” in addition to “over 70 different organizations such as the Chesapeake Bay Commission, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the Choose Clean Water Coalition.”

The Senators close the letter stating, “We look forward to continuing to work with you to ensure that our regional Bay economy continues to thrive and that all Americans can enjoy this treasure for generations to come.”

Senator Van Hollen was joined in sending the letter by Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Bob Casey (D-Pa.).

Senator Van Hollen introduced the bipartisan Chesapeake Bay Farm Bill Enhancements Act of 2017 in November 2017. This legislation increases mandatory funding available to the Bay, strengthens the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCCP), and provides more opportunities for effective conservation efforts. It builds on the historic funding that Senator Van Hollen obtained in the 2008 Farm Bill to help farmers and protect the Bay.

The text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Chairman Roberts and Ranking Member Stabenow:

As the Senate Agriculture Committee considers the upcoming Farm Bill, we urge you to consider inclusion of the Chesapeake Bay Farm Bill Enhancements Act.

The bill makes a number of changes to the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) through additional funding, enhancing critical conservation areas, and boosting technical assistance. These provisions are necessary to ensure that CCA partnerships are consistent with national, regional and state priorities and generate outcomes that address critical resource concerns, such as the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. They will also address issues experienced by stakeholders in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

The bill has broad, bipartisan support from the Governors of Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and the Mayor of Washington D.C. Furthermore, over 70 different organizations such as the Chesapeake Bay Commission, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the Choose Clean Water Coalition support the bill. Identical legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives.

Thank you for your attention to and consideration of this important request. We look forward to continuing to work with you to ensure that our regional Bay economy continues to thrive and that all Americans can enjoy this treasure for generations to come.

Sincerely,

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine joined 23 Senators today in sending a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen and Acting Secretary of State John Sullivan urging them to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Honduran Nationals, which is set to expire on July 5, 2018.

“Ending TPS for Hondurans would force more than 86,031 individuals to go back to a country with severe security challenges. We are also concerned that the Honduran government lacks the capacity to facilitate their return, which would make it difficult to ensure their protection,” wrote the Senators. “More importantly, we are extremely concerned about the more than 53,500 U.S. born children who would have to accompany their TPS beneficiary parents and who would be vulnerable to recruitment by gangs in Honduras.”

The Senators noted that in recent years, the United States has increased cooperation with Central American governments, including the Honduran government, in order to address the underlying factors driving migration in the region. Through foreign assistance and diplomatic engagement, the United States has made significant investments to support security, economic development and stability in Central America. The Senators conclude by saying that a decision by the Trump Administration to end TPS designation for Honduras would “threaten the very stability we seek to achieve in Central America and would undermine our foreign policy objectives there.”

Warner and Kaine have been leading voices in Congress on the importance of protecting TPS recipients who are living in the U.S. after being displaced by dangerous conditions in their home countries. Virginia is home to thousands of TPS recipients.

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

The Honorable Kirstjen Nielsen The Honorable John Sullivan

Secretary of Homeland Security Acting Secretary of State

U.S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Department of State

3801 Nebraska Avenue NW 2201 C St. NW

Washington, DC 20016 Washington, DC 20520

Dear Secretary Nielsen and Acting Secretary Sullivan:

We write to urge you to extend the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Honduras, which is set to expire on July 5, 2018. Since its inception, TPS has permitted the United States to offer humanitarian protection to foreign nationals who are unable to return to the dire conditions in their homeland.

In considering the extension of TPS designation for Honduras, we encourage you to consider the unique conditions in the country, which provide a clear basis for TPS extension in accordance with the law. Although TPS was initially made available for Hondurans after Hurricane Mitch ravaged the country in 1998, successive Republican and Democratic administrations have considered its lasting effects as well as subsequent security challenges.

In 2016, the people of Honduras were victims of 5,150 murders, a rate of approximately 59 murders per 100,000 people – one of the highest in the world.^[1]In addition, Honduras has one of the highest rates of femicide in the world,^[2] and according to the Center for Women’s Rights, a woman was murdered every 14 hours in 2012.^[3] Hondurans face threats from street gangs, which are widespread and prey on small businesses and families through extortion. Endemic corruption and weak rule of law fuel impunity and exacerbate the security challenges. Beyond the epidemic levels of violence, more than two thirds of the Honduran population live in poverty and, in rural areas, 20 percent of Hondurans live on less than $2 a day.^[4]

Ending TPS for Hondurans would force more than 86,031 individuals to go back to a country with severe security challenges. We are also concerned that the Honduran government lacks the capacity to facilitate their return, which would make it difficult to ensure their protection. More importantly, we are extremely concerned about the more than 53,500^[5] U.S. born children who would have to accompany their TPS beneficiary parents and who would be vulnerable to recruitment by gangs in Honduras.

In recent years, the United States has increased cooperation with Central American governments, including the Honduran government, in order to address the underlying factors driving migration in the region. Through foreign assistance and diplomatic engagement, the United States has made significant investments to support security, economic development and stability in Central America. A decision to end TPS designation for Honduras would threaten the very stability we seek to achieve in Central America and would undermine our foreign policy objectives there.

In closing, we urge you to consider the critical conditions in Honduras and the destabilizing effects that terminating this TPS designation would entail. Thank you for your consideration of this important issue. We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

WARNER, KAINE Y COLEGAS URGEN A LA ADMINISTRACIÓN DE PROLONGAR EL PROGRAMA DE TPS PARA HONDUREÑOS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Hoy, los senadores Mark Warner y Tim Kaine (ambos demócratas de Virginia), junto con 23 senadores, enviaron una carta a la Secretaria de Seguridad Nacional (DHS) Kirstjen Nielsen y el Secretario interino del Departamento de Estado, John Sullivan, pidiéndoles que prolonguen la designación de Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS) para ciudadanos hondureños, el cual expira el 5 de julio de 2018.

“Eliminar TPS para hondureños forzará a más de 86,031 personas a regresar a un país con graves deficiencias en seguridad. También nos preocupa que el gobierno hondureño no tiene suficiente capacidad para facilitar su regreso, el cual podría ser difícil de garantizar su seguridad y protección,” escribieron los senadores. “Estamos extremamente preocupados por los más de 53,500 niños estadounidenses quienes tendrían que acompañar a sus padres los cuales son beneficiarios de TPS y que serían vulnerables de ser reclutados por pandillas en Honduras.”

Los senadores notaron que, en los últimos años, los Estados Unidos han aumentado cooperación con los gobiernos centroamericanos, incluyendo el gobierno de Honduras, para resolver los factores fundamentales que ha aumentado inmigración en la región. A través de asistencia extranjera y la política exterior ofrecida por los Estados Unidos, nuestro país ha podido hacer inversiones significativas para apoyar la seguridad, desarrollo económico y estabilidad en Centro América. Concluyendo, los senadores notaron que la decisión de la administración de eliminar la designación de TPS para Honduras podría “amenazar la misma estabilidad que queremos lograr en Centro América y quebrantaría nuestra habilidad de ejecutar una política exterior.”

Warner y Kaine han sido líderes en el Congreso sobre la importancia de proteger beneficiarios de TPS quienes viven en los Estados Unidos debido a las condiciones peligrosas de sus tierras natales. El estado de Virginia es el hogar de miles de beneficiarios de TPS.

La copia de la carta esta abajo:

La Honorable Kirstjen Nielsen El Honorable John Sullivan

Secretaria de Seguridad Nacional Secretario Interino del Departamento de Estado

Departamento de Seguridad Nacional Departamento de Estado

3801 Nebraska Avenue NW 2201 C St. NW

Washington, DC 20016 Washington, DC 20520

Queridos Secretaria Kirstjen Nielson y Secretario Interino John Sullivan:

Les escribimos para urgir a la administración que prolonguen la designación de Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS) para Honduras, el cual expira el 5 de julio de 2018. Desde su inicio, TPS ha permitido a los Estados Unidos ofrecer protección humanitaria a ciudadanos extranjeros que no pueden volver a las terribles condiciones en su tierra natal.

Al considerar la extensión de la designación de TPS para Honduras, les alentamos considerar las condiciones únicas en el país, que proporcionan una base clara para la extensión de TPS de acuerdo con la ley. Aunque TPS se puso inicialmente a disposición de los hondureños después de que el huracán Mitch devastó el país en 1998, las administraciones anteriores republicanas y demócratas han considerado sus efectos duraderos y los posteriores desafíos de seguridad.

En 2016, ciudadanos de Honduras fueron víctima de 5,150 asesinatos, una tasa de aproximadamente 59 asesinatos por cada 100,000 personas, una de las más altas del mundo. [1] Además, Honduras tiene una de las tasas más altas de femicidio en el mundo, [2] y según el Centro para los Derechos de la Mujer, una mujer en cada 14 horas fue asesinada en 2012. [3] Los hondureños se enfrentan a las amenazas de las pandillas callejeras, que están muy extendidas y se aprovechan de las pequeñas empresas y las familias a través de la extorsión. La corrupción endémica y el débil estado de derecho alimentan la impunidad y exacerban los desafíos de seguridad. Más allá de los niveles epidémicos de violencia, más de dos tercios de la población hondureña viven en la pobreza y, en las zonas rurales, el 20 por ciento de los hondureños viven con menos de $2 al día. [4]

Eliminar el TPS para los hondureños obligaría a más de 86,031 personas a regresar a un país con graves problemas de seguridad. También nos preocupa que el gobierno hondureño no tiene suficiente capacidad para facilitar su regreso, el cual podría ser difícil de garantizar su seguridad y protección. Más importante aún, estamos extremadamente preocupados por los más de 53,500 [5] niños estadounidenses que tendrían que acompañar a sus padres los cuales son beneficiarios de TPS y que serían vulnerables de ser reclutados por pandillas en Honduras.

En los últimos años, los Estados Unidos han aumentado cooperación con los gobiernos centroamericanos, incluyendo el gobierno de Honduras, para resolver los subyacentes factores que ha aumentado inmigración en la región. A través de asistencia extranjera y la política exterior ofrecida por los Estados Unidos, nuestro país ha podido hacer inversiones significativas para apoyar la seguridad, desarrollo económico y estabilidad en Centro América. La decisión de eliminar con la designación de TPS para Honduras amenazaría la misma estabilidad que queremos lograr en Centro América y quebrantaría nuestra habilidad de ejecutar una política exterior.

Para concluir, a les pedimos que consideren las condiciones críticas en Honduras y los efectos desestabilizadores que conllevaría la eliminación de esta designación de TPS. Gracias por su consideración de este importante tema. Esperamos su respuesta.

Sinceramente,

###

[1] https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=21167

[2] http://abcnews.go.com/International/men-women-honduras-inside-dangerous-places-earth-woman/story?id=47135328

[3] http://derechosdelamujer.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Observatorio-Violencia-contra-las-mujeres-hondurenas.pdf

[4] http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/honduras/overview

[5] https://cdn.americanprogress.org/content/uploads/2017/10/19125633/101717_TPSFactsheet-USA.pdf

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