Press Releases

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) wrote to leadership at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding their enforcement practices, specifically highlighting a March 5^th incident where a U.S. citizen and Virginia resident was stopped and interrogated by ICE. The individual reports that he made multiple attempts to prove his citizenship, but despite these efforts, was handcuffed and questioned about his immigration status.

In an interview with local media, the citizen provided details of his arrest, claiming that officers, who were looking for a different individual with a deportation order, rebuffed multiple attempts to provide identification and despite being told he was a U.S. citizen, continued to question his immigration status.

“All Virginians, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status, deserve to be treated with respect and must be properly afforded their rights as expressed in the U.S. Constitution. Any law enforcement performing immigration enforcement must abide by the U.S. Constitution and federal law. When ICE agents violate or create the appearance of a violating the rights of their fellow citizens, it does harm to all Virginians and all Americans,” Sen. Warner wrote.

He continued, “Undisciplined, hostile, or threatening enforcement actions by ICE will hinder relationships with local communities, further compromising trust and safety and risk potentially degrading ICE’s enforcement efforts and officer safety. Given DHS’ recent emphasis on the safety of its law enforcement agents, particularly ICE, I expect you share my concern for the risks to Virginians and law enforcement alike created by a perception of capricious or unjustified action taken against U.S. citizens.”

In the letter, Sen. Warner requested clarity on ICE enforcement methods in Virginia, and a detailed account of the March 5^th arrest:

Please provide a detailed description of the events leading up to and during ICE’s arrest of a U.S. citizen in Manassas, Virginia on March 5, 2025.

Did ICE partner or collaborate with any state or local law enforcement entities for this enforcement action? If so, please list the entities and the extent of the collaboration.
Did the ICE agents present at the scene identify themselves as law enforcement? If so, how did they identify themselves? Were the individuals dressed in ICE uniform and/or was there a badge easily visible or a car plate to distinguish themselves as federal law enforcement?
If the agents did identify themselves as federal law enforcement, did they do so prior to drawing their weapons? Please provide a detailed timeline.
Were the ICE agents (and any other law enforcement involved in the incident) qualified to perform the detention and apprehension of the U.S. citizen and the other vehicle occupants? Were the ICE agents current on ICE’s use of force training and weapons qualifications?

Who were the ICE agents originally seeking when they misidentified and detained the U.S. citizen? What authority did ICE utilize to proceed with deportation orders for the individual with whom they were originally seeking?
How are ICE agents trained to investigate and verify U.S. citizenship or other lawful status when seeking persons of interest? How do ICE agents make an accurate determination of U.S. citizenship or other lawful status? What are the steps that ICE takes to ensure that its agents do not subject U.S. citizens and other individuals with lawful status to unnecessary and mistaken law enforcement encounters with ICE, including apprehension, arrest, detention, or deportation?
What tools or resources does ICE utilize to make an accurate citizenship or lawful status determination prior to an individual’s interaction with ICE?
Does ICE have all the adequate training, tools, or resources to prevent U.S. citizens from being mistakenly subject to ICE enforcement? If not, what additional training, tools, and resources does ICE need to ensure it does not mistakenly subject such individuals to enforcement?
What identifying information about the person of interest did ICE have prior to stopping the U.S. citizen? What steps did ICE take to verify this information prior to stopping the U.S. citizen? Did ICE properly apply its own policies and procedures for verifying U.S. citizenship and did ICE exhaust all the tools and resources at their disposal to verify U.S. citizenship prior to stopping the U.S. citizen? Did the ICE agents contact the ICE Office of Principal Legal Advisor prior to detaining the U.S. citizen or after his release?
Does the Department of Homeland Security systematically collect and maintain data of its encounters with individuals for whom there is evidence of U.S. citizenship or lawful status? If so, please provide data on how many U.S. citizens have been mistakenly subjected to ICE enforcement, including being apprehend, detained, or deported since January 20, 2025. If ICE does not collect this data, why not?
How will ICE ensure that it is properly applying the policies and procedures regarding the investigation and verification of citizenship or lawful status prior to encounters with ICE?
What steps does ICE take to remedy an encounter whereby they mistakenly applied enforcement actions to an individual who is not subject to ICE enforcement, such as a U.S. citizen? How will the agency prevent future instances?
In a statement that ICE provided on March 7th, the agency states that the U.S. citizen “matched the description of the subject of an operation” and that ICE agents operated “based on reasonable suspicion, including a likeness to the description of the target.”4 Please provide additional information to support the reasonable suspicion referenced in the statement, including any evidence that the U.S. citizen does indeed have a “likeness to the description of the target.” If there is a photograph of the person of interest the ICE agents mistook for the U.S. citizen, please provide the photograph.
Were the ICE agents involved in the U.S. citizen’s detention counseled or disciplined following the encounter based on mistaken identity? Please explain.

A copy of letter is available here and text is below.

Dear Secretary Noem, Mr. Homan, Acting Director Lyons, and Director Hott:

I write to you regarding ICE’s recent enforcement efforts, and, in particular, the alarming treatment of a U.S. citizen and Virginia resident whom ICE stopped and interrogated in Manassas, Virginia on March 5, 2025.

In an interview with NBC4 Washington, a U.S. citizen described that he was driving to work when ICE agents stopped and surrounded his truck, exited their vehicles with their weapons drawn and ordered him to “turn off the car, give [them] the keys, open the window.” When the agents shared the name of the individual that ICE was seeking for deportation orders, the U.S. citizen responded that was not him and sought to verify his identify by offering to show his Real ID-compliant driver’s license. As you are aware, proof of legal presence is required to obtain a Real ID-compliant driver’s license. The U.S. citizen’s attempts to prove his U.S. citizenship were refused and ICE agents demanded he exit his vehicle and placed him in handcuffs. While handcuffed, the U.S. citizen reports that he was interrogated by the ICE agents on his entry to the U.S. and if he was awaiting any court orders. The U.S. citizen continued to attempt to his prove his U.S. citizenship, and in response, he reported that one of the ICE agents communicated doubt as to his U.S. citizenship despite his efforts to prove otherwise. The ICE agents released this U.S. citizen only after they permitted him to show his Real ID-compliant driver’s license.

I recognize the important work of federal, state, and local law enforcement in keeping Virginians safe and understand that law enforcement, including ICE agents, in the field have a complex and challenging job. It is because of that concern for both officer and Virginian safety that I express deep concern over the apprehension and treatment of this U.S. citizen and the disturbing potential or perception of what this treatment may indicate about ICE’s law enforcement practices in Virginia.

All Virginians, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status, deserve to be treated with respect and must be properly afforded their rights as expressed in the U.S. Constitution. Any law enforcement performing immigration enforcement must abide by the U.S. Constitution and federal law. When ICE agents violate or create the appearance of a violating the rights of their fellow citizens, it does harm to all Virginians and all Americans.

Undisciplined, hostile, or threatening enforcement actions by ICE will hinder relationships with local communities, further compromising trust and safety and risk potentially degrading ICE’s enforcement efforts and officer safety. Given DHS’ recent emphasis on the safety of its law enforcement agents, particularly ICE, I expect you share my concern for the risks to Virginians and law enforcement alike created by a perception of capricious or unjustified action taken against U.S. citizens.

U.S. citizens interacting with ICE who seek to prove their identity with identification or other documents that would assist ICE in determining their identity and immigration status should be permitted to do so. In this case, it is clear that the ICE agents misidentified this U.S. citizen, wasting valuable time and resources, and damaging ICE’s public image in the process.

To better understand the circumstances surrounding ICE’s immigration enforcement efforts in Virginia, I ask that you respond to these questions by no later than Friday, April 4, 2025.

Please provide a detailed description of the events leading up to and during ICE’s arrest of a U.S. citizen in Manassas, Virginia on March 5, 2025.

Did ICE partner or collaborate with any state or local law enforcement entities for this enforcement action? If so, please list the entities and the extent of the collaboration.
Did the ICE agents present at the scene identify themselves as law enforcement? If so, how did they identify themselves? Were the individuals dressed in ICE uniform and/or was there a badge easily visible or a car plate to distinguish themselves as federal law enforcement?
If the agents did identify themselves as federal law enforcement, did they do so prior to drawing their weapons? Please provide a detailed timeline.
Were the ICE agents (and any other law enforcement involved in the incident) qualified to perform the detention and apprehension of the U.S. citizen and the other vehicle occupants? Were the ICE agents current on ICE’s use of force training and weapons qualifications?

Who were the ICE agents originally seeking when they misidentified and detained the U.S. citizen? What authority did ICE utilize to proceed with deportation orders for the individual with whom they were originally seeking?
How are ICE agents trained to investigate and verify U.S. citizenship or other lawful status when seeking persons of interest? How do ICE agents make an accurate determination of U.S. citizenship or other lawful status? What are the steps that ICE takes to ensure that its agents do not subject U.S. citizens and other individuals with lawful status to unnecessary and mistaken law enforcement encounters with ICE, including apprehension, arrest, detention, or deportation?
What tools or resources does ICE utilize to make an accurate citizenship or lawful status determination prior to an individual’s interaction with ICE?
Does ICE have all the adequate training, tools, or resources to prevent U.S. citizens from being mistakenly subject to ICE enforcement? If not, what additional training, tools, and resources does ICE need to ensure it does not mistakenly subject such individuals to enforcement?
What identifying information about the person of interest did ICE have prior to stopping the U.S. citizen? What steps did ICE take to verify this information prior to stopping the U.S. citizen? Did ICE properly apply its own policies and procedures for verifying U.S. citizenship and did ICE exhaust all the tools and resources at their disposal to verify U.S. citizenship prior to stopping the U.S. citizen? Did the ICE agents contact the ICE Office of Principal Legal Advisor prior to detaining the U.S. citizen or after his release?
Does the Department of Homeland Security systematically collect and maintain data of its encounters with individuals for whom there is evidence of U.S. citizenship or lawful status? If so, please provide data on how many U.S. citizens have been mistakenly subjected to ICE enforcement, including being apprehend, detained, or deported since January 20, 2025. If ICE does not collect this data, why not?
How will ICE ensure that it is properly applying the policies and procedures regarding the investigation and verification of citizenship or lawful status prior to encounters with ICE?
What steps does ICE take to remedy an encounter whereby they mistakenly applied enforcement actions to an individual who is not subject to ICE enforcement, such as a U.S. citizen? How will the agency prevent future instances?
In a statement that ICE provided on March 7th, the agency states that the U.S. citizen “matched the description of the subject of an operation” and that ICE agents operated “based on reasonable suspicion, including a likeness to the description of the target.”4 Please provide additional information to support the reasonable suspicion referenced in the statement, including any evidence that the U.S. citizen does indeed have a “likeness to the description of the target.” If there is a photograph of the person of interest the ICE agents mistook for the U.S. citizen, please provide the photograph.
Were the ICE agents involved in the U.S. citizen’s detention counseled or disciplined following the encounter based on mistaken identity? Please explain.

Additionally, I respectfully request that the appropriate individuals in your agencies provide a briefing on the events surrounding the U.S. citizen’s encounter with ICE, including the sharing of information that may be law enforcement sensitive.

It is my hope that ICE can carry out its mission while upholding the rights of all Virginians and abiding by the U.S. Constitution. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Mike Crapo (R-ID), co-chairs of the Senate Community Development Finance Caucus, led a letter to the Trump administration signed by 23 senators emphasizing the bipartisan support for the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund), and highlighting the fund’s critical role in providing capital to underserved communities.

The CDFI Fund boosts economic growth in largely underserved communities that lack traditional access to financing, creating a public-private partnership to promote access to capital. Since 1994, the CDFI sector has grown to over 1400 institutions, located in every state and territory in the nation — and leveraging at least $8 in private sector investment for every $1 in public funding received.

“Over 1,400 CDFIs represent a significant portion of America’s financial services sector, delivering over $300 billion in financial services each year to urban and rural communities across every state,” the senators wrote. “Each year, CDFIs provide affordable growth capital to over 100,000 small businesses and finance over $100 billion in residential real estate, bringing down the cost of housing through new construction and affordable home mortgages. The important work of the CDFI sector is strengthened by the CDFI Fund, which provides seed funding to new CDFIs, grows the capacity of existing CDFIs, and provides oversight to ensure federal dollars are spent appropriately. Elimination of key CDFI Fund functions would undermine this important progress, including for small businesses and homeowners.”

They continued, “The CDFI Fund’s public-private partnership model aligns with this Administration’s emphasis on ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently and with measurable impact. Every federal dollar injected into a CDFI generates at least eight more dollars from private-sector investment. Due in large part to the investments the Trump Administration made in the CDFI Fund in 2020, industry assets have tripled and the number of CDFI-certified entities has risen by 40 percent.”

In addition to Sens. Warner and Crapo, the letter was also signed by U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Dr. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Steve Daines (R-MT), Gary Peters (D-MI), John Boozman (R-AR), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jim Justice (R-WV), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ).

Immediately following President Trump’s Executive Order, Sens. Warner and Crapo highlighted the success of the CDFI fund. In 2022, Sens. Warner and Crapo launched the bipartisan Senate Community Development Finance Caucus, focused on coordinating and expanding on public and private-sector efforts in support of the missions of CDFIs. Since its inception, the caucus has grown to 28 members, 14 Democrats and 14 Republicans.

A copy of letter is available here and text is below.

Dear Secretary Bessent,

We write to reaffirm our bipartisan support of the CDFI Fund, its operations and the critical role it plays in the communities it serves. We appreciate your recent statement recognizing how the CDFI Fund and CDFIs are integral to the Administration's pursuit of job growth, wealth creation and prosperity.

Federal support for the CDFI mission began in 1994, with enactment of the bipartisan Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act. Since its inception over three decades ago, the CDFI Fund has proven critical to the CDFI sector’s growth and has met the mission to create a public-private partnership to promote access to capital in our most underserved urban and rural communities.

Over 1,400 CDFIs represent a significant portion of America’s financial services sector, delivering over $300 billion in financial services each year to urban and rural communities across every state. Each year, CDFIs provide affordable growth capital to over 100,000 small businesses and finance over $100 billion in residential real estate, bringing down the cost of housing through new construction and affordable home mortgages. The important work of the CDFI sector is strengthened by the CDFI Fund, which provides seed funding to new CDFIs, grows the capacity of existing CDFIs, and provides oversight to ensure federal dollars are spent appropriately. Elimination of key CDFI Fund functions would undermine this important progress, including for small businesses and homeowners.

The CDFI Fund’s public-private partnership model aligns with this Administration’s emphasis on ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently and with measurable impact. Every federal dollar injected into a CDFI generates at least eight more dollars from private-sector investment. Due in large part to the investments the Trump Administration made in the CDFI Fund in 2020, industry assets have tripled and the number of CDFI-certified entities has risen by 40 percent.

In sum, more distressed communities are being served by CDFIs than ever before, more first-time buyers are receiving the financing they need to purchase a home, more community facilities are being built, and more commercial loans are reaching entrepreneurs. A reduction in the functions and operations of the CDFI Fund will have a corresponding impact on CDFI-certified entities and local communities and we urge you to avoid this unfortunate outcome.

Thank you for your consideration of our request. We stand ready to work with your Administration to promote policies that deliver opportunity and prosperity to all Americans.

Sincerely,

###

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined Sens. Alex Padilla (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and 28 Democratic colleagues in urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to continue the essential work of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Election Threats Task Force, which directs the Department’s efforts to protect election officials from rising threats and acts of violence.

The senators’ letter comes as the Trump administration has significantly rolled back the federal government’s capacity to fight against foreign and domestic election security threats. On Attorney General Bondi’s first day in office, she disbanded the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Foreign Influence Task Force, hindering efforts to address secret influence campaigns waged by China, Russia, and other foreign adversaries. Additionally, the administration has fired or put on leave dozens of officials responsible for combating foreign election interference at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and has reportedly frozen all of CISA’s ongoing election security work. The administration has also defunded CISA’s nationwide program to train local officials and monitor threats through the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.

“Given the recent disturbing personnel and policy decisions at the Department and the lack of transparency about the future of the Task Force, we request an immediate update on the status and activities of the Task Force, as well as what resources will be provided to ensure its important work continues so that election officials of both parties can safely administer our elections,” wrote the senators.

“Recent surveys have found that one in three election officials reported facing threats, harassment, and abuse. Similarly, 48 percent of local election officials know of someone who has left their job because of fear for their safety—a troubling loss of institutional knowledge needed for the smooth running of elections. Election workers continue to fear for their safety, so it is critical that the work of the Task Force continues to deter and counter these threats. In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on the Department to uphold the law,” they continued.

In addition to Sens. Warner, Padilla, and Durbin, the letter was also signed by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

In 2023, Sen. Warner joined his colleagues in sponsoring the Election Worker Protection Act, legislation that would provide states with proper resources to ensure the safety of these workers. Leading up to the 2024 elections, Sen. Warner also repeatedly raised the alarm about the elevated threat environment. As Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, he hosted open hearings to call on representatives from both the U.S. government and large tech companies to testify about their knowledge of and efforts to crack down on foreign malign influence online. He also warned of Russia and Iran’s attempts to influence the 2024 election. Sen. Warner sent a letter to CISA to push for more robust efforts to get ahead of these threats.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Attorney General Bondi:

We write to strongly urge you to continue the critical law enforcement work of the Department of Justice’s Election Threats Task Force, which protects election officials from ongoing threats and acts of violence. Given the recent disturbing personnel and policy decisions at the Department and the lack of transparency about the future of the Task Force, we request an immediate update on the status and activities of the Task Force, as well as what resources will be provided to ensure its important work continues so that election officials of both parties can safely administer our elections.

The Task Force was established in the wake of the 2020 election cycle when election officials across the political spectrum began facing unprecedented threats of violence intended to thwart the peaceful transfer of power that is the hallmark of our democracy. In close collaboration with state and local law enforcement, the Task Force has assessed thousands of complaints of suspected threats of violence and investigated and prosecuted violent offenders. Over the years, these threats have not only continued but escalated. The Task Force has investigated fentanyl-laced letters, bomb threats, and swatting incidents—serving as a legacy of the 2020 election and impacting the ways election officials interact with voters in their communities.

Recent surveys have found that one in three election officials reported facing threats, harassment, and abuse. Similarly, 48 percent of local election officials know of someone who has left their job because of fear for their safety—a troubling loss of institutional knowledge needed for the smooth running of elections. Election workers continue to fear for their safety, so it is critical that the work of the Task Force continues to deter and counter these threats. In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on the Department to uphold the law.

Moreover, the federal government’s ability to fight election interference has been greatly hampered in the early weeks of this Administration. Dozens of officials at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), who are responsible for combatting foreign election interference, have been fired or put on leave. CISA has also reportedly frozen all of its ongoing election security work, including defunding its nationwide program to train local officials and monitor threats through the “Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.” Additionally, on your first day in office, you signed a directive disbanding the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force, which was aimed at responding to secret influence campaigns waged by China, Russia, and other foreign adversaries.

We request a response on the status and future plans of the Election Threats Task Force, the extent of resources and personnel dedicated to its work, and how it plans to incorporate related work previously led by CISA and the Foreign Influence Task Force by March 31, 2025.

Sincerely,

###

WASHINGTON – Ahead of tax season, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) is pressing for answers from Erin Collins, the National Taxpayer Advocate at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regarding the underperforming Richmond TAS office, which serves the entire Commonwealth of Virginia and has been underperforming for years due to staffing shortfalls that have significantly increased caseloads and further strained the office’s ability to provide timely, effective service.

Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) offices like the one in Richmond are tasked with helping individuals with tax problems they cannot resolve on their own. They are also tasked with helping ensure that taxpayers are treated fairly and understand their rights. This letter comes amid the Trump administration’s ongoing attempts to gut the IRS and the services it provides to families.

“In light of the current degradation of the IRS workforce, it is imperative that TAS prioritizes improvements in taxpayer service – especially in offices where staffing issues already are causing delays and disruptions to citizens seeking assistance or simply relying on a timely tax refund,” wrote Sen. Warner. “I urge you to take immediate steps to enhance the service that Richmond TAS provides my constituents.”

“While pre-existing personnel and leadership issues at Richmond TAS have left morale among its staff low, the workplace atmosphere there likely will deteriorate further in the coming months as Trump Administration policies cause more staff to leave,” he continued. “Already quite strained with just 17 case advocates, another two advocates and a senior case advocate have accepted the Musk-Trump buyout, which will take effect on May 15. At that point, only 15 case advocates will remain to serve all of Virginia—a nearly 25 percent reduction in staff.”

In the letter, the Senator urged Advocate Collins to push back against any harmful personnel decisions that stand to negatively impact taxpayers and pressed for answers to the following questions regarding the performance of the Richmond TAS office:

1. How long has Richmond TAS been performing in the bottom 50 percent of TAS offices nationwide?

2. What metrics does TAS use to track performance of its local offices? What specific factors have contributed to Richmond TAS’s poor performance?

3. What steps, if any, did TAS headquarters take to improve performance at Richmond TAS prior to January 2025?

4. What support does TAS headquarters plan to offer Richmond TAS’s leadership to improve performance?

5. How does TAS headquarters plan to address staffing shortages at Richmond TAS to ensure that Virginians receive the level of taxpayer service that they deserve?

A copy of letter is available here and text is below.

Dear Advocate Collins,

I am writing to express my longstanding concerns regarding the quality of assistance that the Richmond Taxpayer Advocate Service (“TAS”) office is providing to Virginians. In light of the current degradation of the IRS workforce, it is imperative that TAS prioritizes improvements in taxpayer service – especially in offices where staffing issues already are causing delays and disruptions to citizens seeking assistance or simply relying on a timely tax refund. I urge you to take immediate steps to enhance the service that Richmond TAS provides my constituents.

The Richmond TAS office has struggled with underperformance for years, predating the current administration. The reasons for the office’s underwhelming service are two-fold.

First, Richmond TAS is not fully staffed. The office should have at least 19 case advocates, but currently has 17. Each advocate handles about 150 cases per year, meaning this staffing shortfall significantly increases individual caseloads and further strains the office’s ability to provide timely, effective service.

Second, I am concerned that TAS leadership has not done enough to foster a positive work environment and to improve morale at Richmond TAS. During challenging times, employees look to their supervisors for encouragement, reassurance, and direction. Regional and national TAS leaders must provide the support that those in offices like Richmond TAS need in order to operate effectively.

With the knowledge of Richmond TAS’s personnel issues and leadership challenges in mind, I ask you to answer the following questions by March 25:

1. How long has Richmond TAS been performing in the bottom 50 percent of TAS offices nationwide?

2. What metrics does TAS use to track performance of its local offices? What specific factors have contributed to Richmond TAS’s poor performance?

3. What steps, if any, did TAS headquarters take to improve performance at Richmond TAS prior to January 2025?

4. What support does TAS headquarters plan to offer Richmond TAS’s leadership to improve performance?

5. How does TAS headquarters plan to address staffing shortages at Richmond TAS to ensure that Virginians receive the level of taxpayer service that they deserve?

While pre-existing personnel and leadership issues at Richmond TAS have left morale among its staff low, the workplace atmosphere there likely will deteriorate further in the coming months as Trump Administration policies cause more staff to leave. Already quite strained with just 17 case advocates, another two advocates and a senior case advocate have accepted the Musk-Trump buyout, which will take effect on May 15. At that point, only 15 case advocates will remain to serve all of Virginia—a nearly 25 percent reduction in staff.

Further, according to recent news reports, President Trump plans to cut IRS staffing by a total of 50 percent. If these cuts are applied across the board, Richmond TAS will be left with a skeleton crew of case advocates, further jeopardizing essential taxpayer services. I strongly oppose any staffing reductions that undermine TAS’s ability to serve Virginians, and I urge you to push back against harmful personnel decisions that will negatively impact taxpayers.

Thank you for the work that you do to advocate for Virginia’s taxpayers. I look forward to your response and to working together to improve the service that TAS provides to my constituents.

Sincerely,

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Mike Crapo (R-ID), co-chairs of the Senate Community Development Finance Caucus, issued the following statement:

“When the CDFI Fund was developed 30 years ago, it was created in the form of a private-public partnership to promote access to capital in our most underserved urban and rural communities.

“Since 1994, the CDFI sector has grown to over 1400 institutions, located in every state and territory in the nation — and leveraging at least $8 in private sector investment for every $1 in public funding received.

“As co-chairs of the Community Development Finance Caucus, a group which has grown to 28 members, 14 Democrats and 14 Republicans, we are proud to reaffirm our bipartisan commitment to support the CDFI Fund’s mission.”

###

WASHINGTON –Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Chris Coons (D-DE), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, and U.S. Reps. Adam Smith (D-WA), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Jim Himes (D-CT), Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement in response to Russia rejecting a joint U.S. and Ukrainian agreement for a 30-day ceasefire.

“Make no mistake—Putin is stringing the world along but his answers amount to a no while President Zelensky responded with a clear and unambiguous yes. President Trump is making a major mistake by continuing to put all the pressure on President Zelensky and none on Putin.

“Putin continues to push his demands to subjugate Ukraine. He has manipulated and rejected President Trump’s efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and to achieve peace. He has indicated that a monthlong ceasefire might even give Ukraine’s forces a chance to retreat, regroup, and rearm, saying, ‘Does that mean Ukraine will use those 30 days to continue forced mobilization, get weapons supplies, and prepare its mobilized units?’ This comment proves that Putin is still trying to weaken Ukraine so that he is in a better position to win the war, not achieve a just peace.

“Remember, Putin started this war and only he can stop it. He won’t stop until it can be shown that he cannot achieve his maximalist goals. Ukraine needs security guarantees to continue defending itself and the Administration should be working to that end. This includes providing arms and intelligence support to Ukraine to deter Russia and working with allies and partners to support lasting security for Ukraine in the future.

“We all want peace. We’re not going to get to peace unless the president starts putting pressure on Putin and demonstrates strength and support for Ukraine so that they are able to pursue a ceasefire with Russia and negotiate a just and sustainable end to Putin’s war.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement:

“While the government will remain open, we are frustrated that this funding bill gives a blank check to Donald Trump and Elon Musk to continue attacking the federal workforce and dismantling the services Virginians rely on. This bill lacks the meaningful proposals we offered as amendments to rein in and defund DOGE and protect our veterans from being indiscriminately fired – because Republicans blocked them all. As Donald Trump and Elon Musk continue to seek giant tax cuts for billionaires while laying off workers, slashing services, and tanking our economy, we will keep standing up for everyday Virginians, who have had enough of this chaos and lawlessness. That means we are already gearing up for our next fight: forcing a Senate vote on our legislation to challenge Trump’s senseless trade war with Canada, which will only raise costs for Virginians.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement:

“The House-passed continuing resolution took a mean-spirited and gratuitous shot at the District of Columbia that would lead to huge cuts to policing, public transit, schools and more. I’m glad we were able to work with Senator Collins and others to pass a bill to fix this problem in the Senate, and now the House must act as soon as possible.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) have introduced the Protect Our Probationary Employees Act, legislation aimed at protecting recently fired federal workers. The legislation would ensure that if and when employees are reinstated, they will not need to restart their probationary period for the same job they previously held. The legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03).

“Over the past 50 days, more than 20,000 non-political civil servants have been ruthlessly booted from their jobs without cause. Unsurprisingly, a number of these individuals are now being reinstated, either through legal proceedings or because the Trump-Musk administration has realized that these jobs were necessary, and these employees not easily replaced,” said Sen. Warner. “This important legislation would ensure that those dedicated civil servants are able to pick back up where they left off and finish out their probationary periods without penalty.”

“The Trump-Musk illegal purge of federal employees has unfairly harmed thousands of dedicated civil servants and their families, while threatening the critical services they provide day in and day out to the American people. There is clearly no method to this madness – swept up in this chaos were longtime career employees who were recently promoted, along with others who had received glowing performance reviews for their good work. We will continue fighting to reverse these reprehensible actions in the courts – and as those efforts allow employees to return to their jobs, this legislation guarantees that these employees don’t have to restart the clock,” said Sen. Van Hollen.

Sen. Warner has been outspoken about the ramifications the Trump-Musk administration’s reckless actions will have on the federal workforce. During Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Russell Vought’s confirmation hearing, Sen. Warner grilled him on his plans to ‘traumatize’ federal workers. Sen. Warner has also repeatedly warned of the impact these actions will have on public health, national security, and veterans' services. He highlighted the real-world impact of these cuts during President Trump’s State of the Union Address, bringing Ashley Ranalli, a recently fired National Park Service ranger, as his guest.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner today joined Sens. Peter Welch (D-VT), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) in introducing the bipartisan Protecting Pharmacies in Medicaid Act, legislation to limit abusive pricing practices by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The Senators’ legislation cracks down on PBMs’ use of ‘spread pricing,’—charging Medicaid more than PBMs pay pharmacies for a drug—which drives up costs for Medicaid and short-changes pharmacies that are already struggling to stay in business. The bill would save Medicaid an estimated $2 billion over 10 years.

“Independent pharmacies deliver critical health care, including providing life-saving prescriptions, to patients all across the Commonwealth. Unfortunately, for too long, PBMs have engaged in shady tactics to line their own pockets at the expense of these small businesses and sick seniors. That’s why I’m proud to introduce the Protecting Pharmacies in Medicaid Act, legislation that will put an end to the abusive practice of spread pricing and bring down costs for patients and our local pharmacies,” said Sen. Warner.
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“Pharmacies are essential to the care and wellbeing of our rural communities. But spread pricing by pharmacy benefit managers is making it harder than ever for community pharmacies to stay in business and lining the pockets of middlemen,” said Sen. Welch. “This bill takes an important step to limit PBMs’ abusive pricing practices, protect our pharmacies, and support our rural communities. I’m grateful to have Senators Marshall, Warner, and Cassidy’s partnership on this bipartisan legislation to protect the health of Vermonters and Americans across the country.”

“Pharmaceutical industry middlemen use a variety of tricks to line their own pockets at the expense of small, independent pharmacies and senior citizens,” said Sen. Marshall. “Prohibiting PBM spread pricing will cut costs for prescription drugs relied upon by Medicaid enrollees while simultaneously preserving access to local pharmacies that have financially struggled in recent years due to PBMs cutting them out of their share of payments. I’m grateful to partner with Senator Welch on this important legislation that is pro-consumer, pro-small business, and pro-taxpayer.”

“My goal as a doctor in the exam room was to provide the best care at the most affordable price for the patient. The same principle should apply to Medicaid,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Taxpayers should not be cheated by those looking to take advantage of Medicaid.”
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Spread pricing has been linked to the increasing failure rate for independent pharmacies, which are a critical source of health care and community for rural communities in Vermont, Kansas, and across the United States. Between 2018 and 2021, more pharmacies closed than opened in Vermont and across the country.

The Protecting Pharmacies in Medicaid Act will require Medicaid’s payments to PBMs to be passed directly to pharmacies, excluding administrative fees. The bill also requires all pharmacies participating in state Medicaid programs to report National Average Drug Acquisition Costs (NADAC) to increase transparency in drug pricing and ensure reimbursements to pharmacies reflect the true costs of prescription drugs.

The Protecting Pharmacies in Medicaid Act is endorsed by the Food Industry Association (FMI), National Association of Specialty Pharmacy, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, and the National Community Pharmacist Association.

“These are among the PBM reforms needed right away by Americans and their pharmacies. These also are among the reforms backed overwhelmingly in the Congress on a bipartisan basis. Every day that PBM reform is delayed is another day that Americans pay inflated drug prices, that care gets more remote for people and for communities, and that pharmacies are forced out of business. NACDS thanks Senators Peter Welch, Roger Marshall, Mark Warner, and Bill Cassidy and the cosponsors for their continued leadership, and urges swift action by the Congress to right these wrongs of the middlemen's pharmaceutical benefit manipulation,” said Steven C. Anderson, President and CEO, National Association of Chain Drug Stores.

“Time and time again, PBMs have been caught using tactics like spread pricing to take advantage of the system, lining their pockets while harming patients and the taxpayers they are supposed to serve. Through spread pricing in Medicaid alone, PBMs can cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars each year,” said B. Douglas Hoey, CEO, National Community Pharmacists Association. “These policies nearly made it through Congress at the end of last year. That is why we are grateful for Senators Peter Welch (D-VT), Roger Marshall (R-KS) , Mark Warner (D-VA), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) for introducing the Protecting Pharmacies in Medicaid Act, which not only promotes transparency and prohibits spread pricing, but it makes sure pharmacies are paid fairly, allowing them to continue serving their communities.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) introduced bipartisan legislation to support spaceports across the nation, boosting investment in the next frontier while addressing the concerning spaceport bottleneck preventing more frequent launches. The Alleviating Spaceport Traffic by Rewarding Operators (ASTRO) Act would award funding to spaceports with a proven track records of successful launches in order to help to promote America’s strategic, military, and commercial interests in space exploration while supporting local economies surrounding spaceports.

“Space has proven to be the next frontier in terms of strategic and economic growth for the U.S., and the coming years will be critical to securing our future in the space realm,” Sen. Warner said. “This legislation will help us address the urgent need to ramp up operations at successful spaceports, allowing for more frequent launches and further exploration in space.”

“As global competition in space accelerates, the United States must invest in the infrastructure that supports our commercial and national security launch capabilities,” Sen. Sullivan said. “The ASTRO Act will provide critical resources to modernize and expand our spaceports – fueling essential upgrades at facilities like the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Kodiak – to ensure we remain the world’s leader in space launch. I’m glad to work with Senator Warner and Senator Luján on this bipartisan effort to strengthen our space industry and enhance our national security.“

“American space exploration is a key component of our strategic interests and economic growth,” Sen. Luján said “As space exploration continues to grow, it is critical that our spaceports, including Spaceport America, have the resources they need to accommodate the increasing demand for space launches. That’s why I’m proud to partner with Senators Warner and Sullivan on this bipartisan effort to support our nation’s spaceports and unlock critical investments for space launches.”

America faces a severe and worsening “spaceport bottleneck” as the need for space launch facilities vastly outpaces supply, creating very high demand on a small number of facilities. The ASTRO Act would provide non-federal spaceports the resources they need to build transit infrastructure and quickly increase launch capacity and cadence. Under the ASTRO Act, spaceports would receive $250,000 for each licensed launch and $100,000 for each permitted launch up to $2.5 million annually, promoting investment in spaceports that already have a successful record.

Spaceports across the nation would be eligible for these funds, including the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia.

Full text of the ASTRO Act is available here.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the statement below on the Trump tariffs that went into effect today. These 25 percent tariffs will target foreign steel and aluminum, triggering additional tariffs and retaliatory fees and hurting consumers.

“Let’s be clear, today’s action by the Trump administration to levy a 25 percent tax on the importation of all steel and aluminum into the U.S. will jack up costs for consumers and small businesses across the Commonwealth and the nation. These tariffs will significantly increase input costs for small businesses, put homeownership further out of reach for Virginians, and threaten good-paying manufacturing jobs across America. They will also endanger the Commonwealth’s greatest economic engine – the Port of Virginia – by targeting commerce and potentially threatening activity at the port. Americans don’t want a reckless and misguided trade war. I’m going to keep working to lower prices for families and fighting to ensure we don’t turn our back on our allies.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined a bipartisan, bicameral group of their colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to quickly publish clear guidelines on administering disaster relief aid to farmers following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

“Following the destruction caused by recent natural disasters, including the catastrophic damages caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, our agricultural producers are heavily relying on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to efficiently and fairly disperse this assistance,” wrote the members. “As the backbone of rural America, our workers in the agriculture and forestry industries desperately need access to the emergency funding Congress provided.”

The members continued, “It is critical that the USDA efficiently deploys the $20.78 billion in agriculture disaster relief aid to critical areas across the nation, especially in the Southeast. These losses have created an immediate financial burden on an already fragile agriculture economy.”

“Clear direction and quick action from the USDA on disaster payment structure would provide certainty and, in many cases, a lifeline for farmers to continue their operations. Lack of clarity in the rulemaking process for natural disaster programs will prevent many farmers from fully utilizing the aid,” the members wrote.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have been vocal advocates for significant federal resources to support Virginia’s recovery from Hurricane Helene and both met with Virginians impacted by Hurricane Helene in Southwest Virginia. They voted to pass short-term government funding legislation that included $110 billion in disaster relief for communities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton after repeatedly urging Congress to act. The senators also successfully secured robust disaster relief funding for public lands as part of this disaster package. Last month, they sent a letter to the Administration urging swift distribution of funds for public lands.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Secretary Rollins,

Congratulations on your confirmation as the next United States Secretary of Agriculture. We appreciate your recent comments underscoring your commitment to providing farmers with economic relief and disaster aid payments. We write to further urge an expedited rulemaking process for the agricultural disaster relief funding provided by Congress this past December. Following the destruction caused by recent natural disasters, including the catastrophic damages caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, our agricultural producers are heavily relying on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to efficiently and fairly disperse this assistance. As you know, these natural disasters have caused irreparable damage to commodity and specialty crops, livestock, forestlands, and infrastructure, leaving farmers, ranchers, and foresters in desperate need of support. As the backbone of rural America, our workers in the agriculture and forestry industries desperately need access to the emergency funding Congress provided.

Our nation’s agricultural producers are thankful for the $110 billion disaster relief package that has been signed into law, and it is critical that the USDA efficiently deploys the $20.78 billion in agriculture disaster relief aid to critical areas across the nation, especially in the Southeast. These losses have created an immediate financial burden on an already fragile agriculture economy. Over the past two years, farm income has dropped drastically. In 2023, farm income dropped by $34.6 billion from the previous year, and in 2024, farm income dropped another $8.2 billion. This, coupled with the projected U.S. farm trade deficit to hit $49 billion in fiscal year 2025, has left farmers facing difficult financial conditions under which to renew lines of credit for this year’s growing season.

Producers from vulnerable agriculture communities that were hit hard by these recent natural disasters are at risk of greatly downsizing or having to shut down their operations if the agricultural disaster relief funding is not fully accessible in the upcoming months. Clear direction and quick action from the USDA on disaster payment structure would provide certainty and, in many cases, a lifeline for farmers to continue their operations. Lack of clarity in the rulemaking process for natural disaster programs will prevent many farmers from fully utilizing the aid.

We appreciate the USDA’s focus on this urgent matter. As you continue your role as the Secretary of Agriculture, we respectfully ask that you work to create transparent rulemaking in order to provide our producers a clear understanding of how to access these critical funds. We stand ready to collaborate with you and your team at the USDA to maximize the positive impact of this vital aid.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement:

“We thank the National Transportation Safety Board for their work investigating the January 29 tragedy at Reagan National, and for issuing today’s preliminary report and findings. We must take every step necessary to make sure an accident like this can never happen again. While the full NTSB investigation continues, we appreciate the willingness of the Secretary of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration to immediately implement the urgent safety recommendations from today’s preliminary report.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Todd Young (R-IN), Angus King (I-ME), James Lankford (R-OK), and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) introduced the Critical Minerals Security Act, which would help secure U.S. access to critical mineral supply chains and counter Chinese industry dominance by directing the U.S. Department of the Interior to evaluate the global supply and ownership of critical minerals, establishing a process to assist U.S. companies seeking to divest critical minerals operations in foreign countries, and developing a method for sharing intellectual property for clean mining and processing technologies with U.S. allies and partners:

“Our national security depends on our ability to identify secure sources of critical minerals and support domestic industry in mining, refining, and processing these minerals,” said Sen. Warner. “This legislation takes strong steps to protect our nation’s supply chain for critical minerals, which are essential to combatting China’s continued attempts to monopolize this industry.”

“Despite the important role critical minerals play in everything from consumer electronics to military defense, we need more information to secure a reliable, long-term supply of these minerals,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would ensure the U.S. and our allies understand how critical minerals are controlled around the world so we can counter foreign countries of concern.”

“The Chinese Communist Party is aggressively attempting to monopolize critical mineral resources, and the United States urgently needs to diversify our supply chain and strengthen ties with allies,” said Sen. Young. “Our legislation would respond to China’s actions by better tracking global mineral reserves and devising a national strategy for advancing mining technologies and international cooperation.”

“Critical minerals are essential to America’s national security and energy resiliency since these raw materials are used to power everything from complex military technologies to personal goods like smartphones,” said Sen. King. “The bipartisan Critical Minerals Security Act would help us better understand and leverage the rare earth minerals supply chain, while also reducing our continued reliance on China and other bad actors for these minerals. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for recognizing the importance of strengthening American industry to build jobs here at home and countering supply chain control of these minerals by foreign adversaries.”

“The United States shouldn’t remain dependent on communist China or other adversaries for critical and rare earth minerals used by our defense, health care, aerospace, technology, and energy industries,” said Sen. Lankford. “It is critical to know which mines are run by our allies and which are run by adversaries around the world. Securing the supply chain for critical minerals makes American energy and national security even stronger.”

"The U.S. can’t lead the world in AI, quantum computing, and clean energy with China holding all the cards,” said Sen. Hickenlooper. “We can secure our future by working hand in glove with our allies to build a stable supply of critical minerals.”

Background:

To address information gaps, the Critical Minerals Security Act would direct the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to submit a report to Congress no later than one year after enactment and every two years afterwards on all critical mineral and rare earth element (REE) resources around the world that includes:

Which resources are controlled by the U.S., an ally or partner, or a foreign entity of concern;
From which mines critical minerals and REEs are being extracted and estimates of their output volumes;
Which foreign entities of concern are involved in mining critical minerals and REEs;
Which entities in the U.S. and countries that are allies or partners are involved in mining critical minerals and REEs;
An assessment, prepared in consultation with the Secretary of State, of ways to collaborate with countries in which mines or mineral processing operations are located and operated by other countries to ensure U.S. access;
A compilation, prepared in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, of cases in which entities were forced to divest stock in mining or processing operations for critical minerals and REEs based on government rulings of a foreign entity of concern;
Cases in which the government of a foreign entity of concern purchased an entity forced to divest stock;
And cases in which mining or processing operations for critical minerals and REEs were not subject to a government ruling but were taken over by a foreign entity of concern.

The legislation would also require the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to establish a process under which a U.S. entity seeking to divest stock in mining or mineral processing operations for critical minerals and REEs in a foreign country may notify the Secretary of the Interior and allow the Secretary to assist in finding another purchaser that is not under the control of a foreign entity of concern.

Lastly, it would require the Secretary of the Interior to develop and submit a progress report to Congress on:

A strategy to collaborate with U.S. allies and partners to advance clean mining, refining, separation, and processing technologies;
And a method for sharing intellectual property (IP) resulting from the development of these technologies to share with allies and partners.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, (both D-VA), joined a bipartisan group of 27 of their Senate colleagues in introducing the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act, legislation that would allow previously-vetted health care providers to enroll as participating providers in Medicaid programs across state lines to treat children with complex medical needs.

“Specialized care is crucial when treating complex medical issues, especially for children, but too often bureaucratic red tape interferes in treatment for patients with out-of-state Medicaid coverage,” said Sen. Warner. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation that will eliminate redundancies for health care professionals and ensure that kids are getting the care they need, when they need it.”

“Ensuring that sick kids have access to the specialized care they need is critical,” said Sen. Kaine. “This bill will allow health care providers who have already demonstrated quality care to avoid redundant screening processes and care for children who have out-of-state Medicaid coverage. I am proud to be joining a bipartisan group of colleagues in introducing this important legislation to reduce delays in kids’ access to care.”

Under the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act, state Medicaid programs would be required to create a process for qualifying out-of-state providers to enroll as providers in multiple states to treat children with complex medical conditions. To qualify for this accelerated process, a health care provider must have previously been screened by Medicare or by the state Medicaid program, as well as pose a limited risk of fraud or waste as determined by the state Medicaid program or federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long supported efforts to improve health care access for children. In 2014, the senators introduced the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act, which established crucial federal funding for pediatric cancer research. Sens. Warner and Kaine introduced legislation to reauthorize this funding in 2021, ultimately securing its reauthorization in the Senate by a unanimous vote in December 2024 in the final hours of the 118th Congress.

A link to the text of the bill can be found here.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) released the following statements after introducing the Patients Before Middlemen (PBM) Act, which would delink the compensation of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from drug price and utilization. It would also ensure fair treatment of all pharmacies by requiring Medicare Part D plans to contract with any willing pharmacy that meets reasonable terms and conditions.

“For too long, Seniors on fixed incomes have had to worry about the high cost of prescription drugs. Meanwhile, PBMs continue to contribute to this phenomenon by keeping drug prices high and reimbursements for local pharmacies low. Seniors on Medicare – and the Medicare program itself – can’t afford to be taken advantage of by middlemen who don’t contribute to quality of care. I’m proud to introduce this legislation as part of our ongoing fight to get these policies across the finish line,” said Sen. Warner.

“The Patients Before Middlemen Act would increase transparency and reduce prescription drug costs for seniors at the pharmacy counter. For too long, middlemen have taken advantage of misaligned incentives in the pharmaceutical supply chain at the expense of taxpayers and seniors. We need to put patients before the profits of pharmacy benefit managers,” said Sen. Blackburn.

“Seniors shouldn’t have to choose between paying for essential medications and other basic needs,” said Sen. Hassan. “This bipartisan legislation will help stop pharmacy benefit managers from exploiting loopholes that allow them to drive up drug prices, saving seniors their hard-earned money while also saving taxpayer dollars. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I will continue to work to lower prescription drug costs for Granite Staters and all Americans.”

PBMs are third-party intermediaries that manage prescription drug benefits and pharmacy networks on behalf of health plans, including Medicare Part D plans. PBMs perform multiple functions, including determining which medications will be covered by health insurance plans and how much patients will pay.

The PBM industry was created to assist employers with managing overall prescription drug costs and benefits. However, the current system incentivizes PBMs to steer health plans and seniors towards more expensive prescription drugs. Currently, PBMs’ income is often linked to the price of a drug. By tying administrative fees, rebate-based compensation, and other payments to a percentage of the list price, current arrangements incentivize increases in sticker prices, harming patients at the pharmacy counter. Existing regulations allow Part D plan sponsors to contract selectively with pharmacies, favoring preferred networks that often exclude independent pharmacies.

The PBM Act would:

Ensure pharmacies are given fair and equitable treatment by requiring Part D plans to contract with any willing pharmacy and introduce the designation of essential retail pharmacies to provide better classification in rural and underserved areas.

Enhance transparency and accountability, ensuring PBMs are not limited patient access to available pharmacy options under Medicare Part D.

Prohibit PBM compensation based on the price of a drug as a condition of entering into a contract with a Medicare Part D plan. Under this legislation, PBM service fees would not be connected to the price of a drug, discounts, rebates, or other fees.

Create an enforcement mechanism requiring PBMs to pay to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary any amount in excess of the designated service fees.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement on Trump administration’s short-sighted plan to slash over 80,000 employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs:

“Our nation’s veterans have served our country valiantly and we owe it to them to take care of them when they come home. The Department of Veterans Affairs serves nearly 10 million veterans nationwide providing quality health care, disability services, and financial and career counseling. In recent years, with legislation like the PACT Act, we have made significant improvements to delivering quality care to these heroes. This move by the Trump administration would completely erase that progress. Eliminating over 80,000 jobs would not only decimate our workforce, but would hurt the veterans who too often struggle to access the benefits they have earned. To put it simply: our veterans deserve better, and I’m going to fight this move tooth and nail.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement:

“The Trump administration has followed its recent ill-advised and weak decision to cut off military assistance to Ukraine by now also callously shutting off intelligence sharing with the hard-pressed Ukrainians as they continue to defend their country against the ongoing military onslaught of Vladimir Putin’s army. Instead of standing up to Putin, President Trump has given away American power to Russia – from voting at the UN with Russia and North Korea and against all of our allies, to directly negotiating with Russia at the highest levels while excluding Ukraine, to refusing to condemn Vladimir Putin’s dictatorship while unjustly calling the democratically elected Ukrainian president a ‘dictator’ and ejecting him from the White House. And, all the while, Putin has not let up on his illegal assault against Ukraine. Allied intelligence support has been crucial to enable Ukraine to defend itself from the first days of the conflict in February 2022, to unmask Russian invasion plans and intentions, and to save countless innocent lives. Let me be clear: Cutting off intelligence support to our Ukrainian partners will cost lives.”

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WASHINGTON– Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, (D-VA), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), unveiled legislation to undo President Donald Trump’s wildly unpopular tariffs on Canadian goods, which amount to a 25 percent tax on goods imported from one of America’s top trading partners and closest allies.

“Virginians can’t afford the cost of President Trump’s tariffs, which will raise prices on everything from groceries to houses and cars,” said Sen. Warner. “Congress must step in before President Trump tanks our economy.”

“Americans want prices to go down—not skyrocket, which is exactly what will happen if Congress lets President Trump slap new taxes on goods from one of our largest trading partners and closest allies,” said Sen. Kaine. “We don’t need to guess what kind of damage these senseless new taxes will do. During Trump’s first term, his trade wars spelled disaster for Virginians, particularly for farmers and foresters who were hit especially hard. Congress has a responsibility to stop that from happening again, and I urge all of my colleagues to join me in blocking Trump from destroying our economy.”

“This Administration is igniting a reckless trade war and regular Americans are paying the price,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “Costs for everyone will go up and our farmers and businesses will suffer. Canada is Minnesota’s top trading partner and is a key U.S. ally. We must reverse these damaging tariffs before it’s too late.”

In Virginia in 2024, Canada was the largest export market and accounted for 15 percent of Virginia exports. In Virginia in 2022, top goods exports to Canada included motor vehicles and transportation equipment, such as medium- and heavy-duty trucks. 56.1 percent of Southwest Virginia’s economic output is dependent on trade.

Polls have overwhelmingly demonstrated that the American people do not support Trump’s trade wars. According to a recent survey by Public First, just 28 percent of American adults supported specifically applying tariffs to Canada, while 43 percent opposed.

Specifically, the senators’ legislation would work by terminating the February 1 emergency that Trump used to launch his trade war with Canada, and thus eliminate the tariffs on Canadian imports implemented as a result. Trump’s order cites the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA), an unprecedented use of IEEPA in its nearly half century history. After an initial one-month delay, President Trump decided to move forward with the tariffs, with the import taxes starting to be collected on March 4, 2025. In total, President Trump’s IEEPA tariffs will cost the average American household up to $2,000 a year, with the Canada tariffs making up a significant portion of that. These IEEPA tariffs represent the largest tax increase on American families in recent history.

A copy of the legislation is available here.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) wrote a letter to President Trump urging approval of Virginia’s updated request for an expedited Major Disaster Declaration following the February winter storms that caused widespread flooding and damage to Southwest Virginia. The updated request by the Commonwealth of Virginia asks for Individual Assistance and Public Assistance for the counties of Bland, Giles, Lee, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, and Wise. The original request included the counties of Buchanan, Dickenson, and Tazewell.

Today’s letter of support comes more than two weeks after the Senators and Rep. Griffith originally wrote to President Trump in support of Virginia’s original request for a Major Disaster Declaration, which has not yet been granted.

“Unfortunately, this storm has resulted in at least four fatalities, caused significant damage to regional infrastructure, left over 203,000 customers without power at its peak, caused over 270 road closures including low water bridges and road washouts, resulted in multiple 9-1-1 center outages,” said the lawmakers. “The towns of Grundy and Hurley (Buchanan County) experienced catastrophic flooding, with the river gauges in these towns spiking historical flood levels. Over 150 swift water rescues, including evacuations, were made. The ability to perform thorough damage assessments has been hampered by access to areas, the safety of damage assessment teams, and stretched local capacity due to ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene.”

“Since the initial request for an expedited Major Disaster Declaration, additional impacts have been revealed now that post-storm assessments are taking place,” they continued. “This amended expedited Major Disaster Declaration would ensure the availability of key federal resources to support the Commonwealth’s efforts to guarantee public safety and rapid recovery from the direct and indirect effects of this destructive storm event.”

Expedited Major Disaster Declarations are granted for catastrophes of unusual severity and magnitude when field damage assessments are not feasible or may not be necessary to determine the requirement for supplemental federal assistance. The Administration’s approval of a declaration would provide a surge of federal resources and support, allowing Virginia to more quickly respond to and recover from the direct and indirect consequences caused by Hurricane Helene.

A copy of today’s letter can be found here and below.

Dear President Trump:

We write to express our strong support for Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s amended Major Disaster Declaration request for the Commonwealth of Virginia due to the ongoing impacts of February Winter Storms. An expedited Major Disaster Declaration is necessary due to the widespread flooding and damage to Southwest Virginia, which is still recovering from historic destruction caused by Hurricane Helene last fall. This amended request includes additional localities impacted by recent storms that had preliminary damage assessments delayed due to ongoing response, debris, high water, and snowstorms.

On February 10, 2025, Governor Youngkin declared a state of emergency in the Commonwealth of Virginia in advance of February Winter Storms. Following widespread impacts throughout Southwest Virginia, Governor Younkin requested an expedited Major Disaster Declaration on February 16, 2025. This request included Individual Assistance and Public Assistance for Buchanan, Dickenson, and Tazewell counties and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program assistance statewide. On February 26, 2025, Governor Youngkin submitted an amended expedited Major Disaster Declaration request for Individual Assistance and Public Assistance that included the following additional localities and counties: Bland, Giles, Lee, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, and Wise.

As these winter storms and flooding moved inland, over seven inches of rain fell in some areas of Southwest Virginia with significant life-threatening flash flooding across some of Virginia’s most vulnerable and least resourced areas. Unfortunately, this storm has resulted in at least four fatalities, caused significant damage to regional infrastructure, left over 203,000 customers without power at its peak, caused over 270 road closures including low water bridges and road washouts, resulted in multiple 9-1-1 center outages. The towns of Grundy and Hurley (Buchanan County) experienced catastrophic flooding, with the river gauges in these towns spiking historical flood levels. Over 150 swift water rescues, including evacuations, were made. The ability to perform thorough damage assessments has been hampered by access to areas, the safety of damage assessment teams, and stretched local capacity due to ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene.

Since the initial request for an expedited Major Disaster Declaration, additional impacts have been revealed now that post-storm assessments are taking place. This amended expedited Major Disaster Declaration would ensure the availability of key federal resources to support the Commonwealth’s efforts to guarantee public safety and rapid recovery from the direct and indirect effects of this destructive storm event. Significant federal assistance is needed in Southwest Virginia to help our constituents who are already recovering from the widespread damage of Hurricane Helene, which was the most significant disaster in the Commonwealth in over a decade. It is important to note this is the fifth major flood in this area in the past five years.

We thank you for your consideration of Governor Youngkin’s request for an amended expedited Major Disaster Declaration and request you act expeditiously to approve this designation to ensure the Commonwealth has the resources available to support our constituents following this tragic storm event. We look forward to working with you, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other relevant federal agencies to support the Commonwealth of Virginia’s disaster response efforts.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released a statement after President Trump enacted a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, jacking up costs for American families:

“President Trump's reckless tariffs on our neighbors in Canada and Mexico are nothing more than a tax on American families. At a time when Virginians are already struggling with the cost of living, President Trump’s irrational tariffs on our allies will raise prices on everything from groceries to cars to houses, and they will kill American jobs. President Trump was elected on a promise to bring down rising prices, but these tariffs do the opposite.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement on President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress:

“Tonight, President Trump touted policies that are raising prices for Americans, draining our federal workforce, illegally threatening government programs and benefits, and terrorizing the immigrant communities that have shaped Virginia. The president bragged about his reckless plan to isolate America from its allies, turn our back on long-kept partnerships, raise taxes on hardworking families, and reverse historic advancements in U.S. innovation and competition. Our country can – and should – do better. I will continue doing everything I can to fight for Virginians.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement:

“Ukraine has been bravely fending off Vladimir Putin’s cruel and unjust invasion for over three years. U.S. assistance – supported by Congress on a bipartisan basis – has helped Ukraine resist and hold its ground against a Russian army that was supposed to take Kyiv in weeks or even days. Now President Trump threatens those hard-fought gains and imperils the lives of the Ukrainian people by unilaterally cutting off the aid that has helped Ukraine maintain its freedom in the face of aggression. Cutting off arms now only undermines the prospect of a peace deal that depends on Ukraine’s ability to negotiate from a position of strength. I call on President Trump to reverse this short-sighted decision, which weakens the United States’ credibility on the global stage.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) reintroduced legislation to formally designate the Blue Ridge Music Center’s outdoor amphitheater the “Rick Boucher Amphitheater” after former Rep. Rick Boucher.

“We are deeply appreciative of Congressman Boucher’s commitment to public service, and his continued work for Southwest Virginia,” the senators said. “We can think of no better way to honor his years of public service than by dedicating this treasured music center, which he championed during his years in office, after him.”

Former Rep. Boucher, an Abingdon native, represented Southwest Virginia’s ninth congressional district in the House of Representatives from 1983 to 2011. Rep. Boucher was an early supporter of the development of the Blue Ridge Music Center and continued to advocate for the project throughout his tenure. He also served as the Chairman of the U.S. House Energy Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet as well as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality while in Congress.

Located in Galax, VA, the Blue Ridge Music Center is home to a visitor center, outdoor amphitheater, indoor interpretive center, and the Roots of American Music Museum, which highlights the historical significance of the region’s musical culture. The museum was featured in USA TODAY’s Top 10 Best Free Museums in the United States for 2025. The Blue Ridge Music Center is operated by the National Park Service with musical programming coordinated through a partnership with the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. On August 25, 2022, Sen. Kaine toured the center and performed at Midday Mountain Music.

The legislation previously passed the Senate on December 23, 2022 but did not pass the House of Representatives before the end of the 117^th Congress.

Full text of the legislation is available here.

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