WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), were joined today by Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) and 14 Senators in sending a letter to Department of Defense Secretary James Mattis expressing their support for the Pentagon’s pursuit to block buy two Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers in FY2019.

“Committing to a block-buy for the newest generation of aircraft carriers would save us both time and money while offering much needed stability to our shipbuilders in Hampton Roads and suppliers across the Commonwealth as they build the ships to meet our nation’s national security needs,”Kaine said. “It is critical that we ensure tomorrow’s Navy has the next-generation of warships necessary to meet challenges around the world, and this procurement strategy will ensure that our flexible force continues to be ready and agile.”

“It is the official policy of the United States government – and in the interest of our national security – to meet the Navy’s requirement for 355 ships,”Wicker said. “That requirement includes having a total of 12 aircraft carriers, which are the centerpieces of American power on the seas.  Attaining this goal is going to require better procurement strategies and use of taxpayer dollars. Secretary Mattis has my full support to move forward with a block buy for the next two Ford-class carriers.” 

In addition to Wicker, Kaine, and Warner, the letter was signed by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Luther Strange (R-AL), and Thom Tillis (R-NC). 

The letter reads in full:

Dear Secretary Mattis,

As you continue preparation of the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request for the Department of Defense, we write to express our support for the block buy of Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers.  It is our understanding that the Navy and industry have been evaluating the feasibility of block-buy for CVN-80 and CVN-81, as well as the potential cost savings from such a procurement strategy.  We applaud the Department of Defense’s efforts to examine smarter and more efficient acquisition approaches and would actively support the Department’s pursuit of a block buy of Ford-class aircraft carriers in Fiscal Year 2019.

Previous block-buys have yielded savings of several percent of the total cost of the ships when compared to annual procurements, which could be in excess of $1 billion for two Ford-class carriers. Total savings could grow to something closer to $2 billion if the procurement intervals between the ships are additionally shortened from five-year centers to three- or four-year centers, which would be consistent with the Navy's goal of achieving and maintaining the 12-carrier force called for in the Navy's 355-ship requirement.

In light of the increased budgetary demands placed on the Department, we believe that revisiting a proven acquisition method, one that could be executed without reducing funding for other vital shipbuilding programs, is not only warranted, but a sound investment. 

As recent events in the Pacific have shown, our nation's carrier fleet is under considerable demand, with 3 of 11 deployed and 7 of 11 carriers underway in recent weeks.  A block-buy of Ford-class will help the Navy achieve its objective of 12 carriers that better meets combatant commander requirements and readiness goals to sustain worldwide operations.  Additionally, a block-buy would continue to signal to the shipbuilding industrial base about our nation’s resolve to field a 355-ship fleet.  Over the past 25 years, our shipbuilding industrial base has undergone a massive consolidation.  The community, which used to tap into more than 17,000 suppliers now relies on fewer than 3,000 across the country. These remaining suppliers would significantly benefit from the predictability and stability of a known future workload.  We believe the stability offered by a block-buy approach would enable suppliers to develop greater efficiencies and invest in their own businesses, which would further benefit other Navy shipbuilding programs as well.

At the forefront of today’s Navy is the Nimitz class carrier and Virginia-class submarine, both of which are successful products of block-buy type initiatives.  As we look to the next 50 years, we believe a wise investment of our precious defense dollars would be in the time-proven acquisition method of block-buy for our next generation of aircraft carrier. Thank you for your consideration and service to our country. 

Click here to view a copy of the signed letter.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement after the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) announced they will begin to notify families tomorrow who have one or more family members enrolled in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) that they will lose coverage on January 31^st if Congress does not pass a bipartisan CHIP reauthorization bill: 

“Today is a scary day for a lot of families in Virginia, and it was completely preventable. We asked Senator McConnell multiple times to help us support the 66,000 children and 1,100 pregnant women in Virginia who receive their health care through the CHIP program, but Republican leadership still hasn't brought it forward for a vote. There is a bipartisan bill on the table, and it’s critical that we pass it before Congress leaves for the holidays so we can give some peace of mind to Virginia parents who are worried about whether their children will have health insurance in the new year.”

Warner and Kaine have urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to immediately pass bipartisan legislation to reauthorize CHIP, with letters in October and December. 

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to immediately pass bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides health care coverage for 128,000 children in Virginia, by including it in any upcoming government funding legislation. The CHIP program is set to run out of funding on January 31^st if Congress fails to reauthorize the program, and if no action is taken, Governor Terry McAuliffe and the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services will be forced to notify families in the coming days of their impending loss of health care coverage. This is the second letter to McConnell from Warner and Kaine urging passage of CHIP. 

“We write again to emphasize our support for the prompt reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). We ask that you include bipartisan legislation reauthorizing CHIP in any upcoming funding legislation. Prompt reauthorization of this program is necessary to protect the health of thousands of Virginia children and families,” Sens. Warner and Kaine told Leader McConnell in a letter sent today.

Previously, Sens. Warner and Kaine wrote to Leader McConnell in October, asking to expedite a vote on the CHIP reauthorization. The Senators have yet to receive a response to the earlier letter.

“On September 18th, Senators Hatch and Wyden introduced the Keeping Kids Insurance Dependable and Secure (KIDS) Act. This bill represents a bipartisan compromise that will extend CHIP for five years. We wrote you on October 26, 2017, after you had failed to schedule a vote for three weeks, requesting bipartisan legislation reauthorizing CHIP be brought to the floor as soon as possible. It has been more than nine weeks since funding for this essential program expired,” wrote the Senators today.

Added the Senators, “It is imperative that Congress act quickly to end the uncertainty around health care coverage for thousands of Virginia children. The Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services is preparing to notify families of the impending loss of coverage. As such, we request that a full CHIP reauthorization be included in the next available legislative vehicle, so we can prevent letters from going out in Virginia that will unnecessarily frighten parents whose children are in CHIP. On January 31, 2018, Virginia will have insufficient funds to continue the program, and thousands of children in our state would be at risk of losing health care coverage. We can, and must, put an end to this uncertainty.”

View full text of the letter below and PDF can be found here. 

Dear Leader McConnell, 

We write again to emphasize our support for the prompt reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). We ask that you include bipartisan legislation reauthorizing CHIP in any upcoming funding legislation. Prompt reauthorization of this program is necessary to protect the health of thousands of Virginia children and families. 

CHIP has been essential to guaranteeing that the children in our state can access health coverage. In FY 2017, Virginia received $285.9 million from CHIP. Between Virginia’s separate CHIP program, the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security, and CHIP-funded Medicaid, our state provides coverage for nearly 128,000 children. This includes 66,000 children on CHIP alone. This coverage includes doctor visits, hospital care, prescription medicines, eyeglasses, immunizations, and regular check-ups for kids under 18 years old with minimal cost sharing and without premiums. Since 2009, dental coverage has also been included in the program.

On September 18th, Senators Hatch and Wyden introduced the Keeping Kids Insurance Dependable and Secure (KIDS) Act. This bill represents a bipartisan compromise that will extend CHIP for five years. We wrote you on October 26, 2017, after you had failed to schedule a vote for three weeks, requesting bipartisan legislation reauthorizing CHIP be brought to the floor as soon as possible. It has been more than nine weeks since funding for this essential program expired.

It is imperative that Congress act quickly to end the uncertainty around health care coverage for thousands of Virginia children. The Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services is preparing to notify families of the impending loss of coverage. As such, we request that a full CHIP reauthorization be included in the next available legislative vehicle, so we can prevent letters from going out in Virginia that will unnecessarily frighten parents whose children are in CHIP. On January 31, 2018, Virginia will have insufficient funds to continue the program, and thousands of children in our state would be at risk of losing health care coverage. We can, and must, put an end to this uncertainty.

We remain committed to urging you to bring the KIDS Act to the floor quickly and include offsets acceptable to both sides. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement regarding the President’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and direct the State Department to begin the process to move the U.S. embassy:   

“The President’s decision today to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital comes at the wrong time and unnecessarily inflames the region. This announcement upends long-standing U.S. policy and international agreements that the status of Jerusalem should be determined as part of a peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians, not unilaterally.

“I have been, and remain a strong and consistent ally of Israel. The relationship between our countries is unique – defined by close friendship, strategic cooperation and mutual respect. As Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I fear the administration’s decision at this time will alienate key partners in the Middle East, fuel growing anti-American sentiment, and put U.S. diplomatic and security personnel at risk in the region and beyond. I further remain concerned that it undermines the ability to broker a peace settlement between the Israelis and Palestinians, and undercuts Israel’s security by placing overwhelming pressures on Israeli-Palestinian security coordination.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) urged Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai to delay a planned December 14^th vote to roll back net neutrality rules until an investigation can be completed into reports that internet “bots” – automated computer programs designed to pose as people – filed hundreds of thousands of comments to the FCC during the net neutrality policymaking process.

“A free and open Internet is vital to ensuring a level playing field online, and we believe that your proposed action may be based on an incomplete understanding of the public record in this proceeding,” the Senators wrote in a letter to Chairman Pai. “In fact, there is good reason to believe that the record may be replete with fake or fraudulent comments, suggesting that your proposal is fundamentally flawed.”

“Without additional information about the alleged anomalies surrounding the public record, the FCC cannot conduct a thorough and fair evaluation of the public’s views on this topic, and should not move forward with a vote on December 14, 2017,” the Senators continued.

“The FCC must invest its time and resources into obtaining a more accurate picture of the record as understanding that record is essential to reaching a defensible resolution to this proceeding,” the Senators concluded.

In addition to Sens. Warner and Kaine, the letter was signed by Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Angus King (I-ME), Al Franken (D-MN), and Cory Booker (D-NJ). 

The full text of the letter appears below. A copy of the letter is available here.

December 4, 2017

The Honorable Ajit Pai

Chairman

Federal Communications Commission

445 12th Street Southwest

Washington, DC 20554

Dear Chairman Pai:

We are deeply concerned by your recently released proposal to roll back critical consumer protections by dismantling the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) current net neutrality rules. A free and open Internet is vital to ensuring a level playing field online, and we believe that your proposed action may be based on an incomplete understanding of the public record in this proceeding. In fact, there is good reason to believe that the record may be replete with fake or fraudulent comments, suggesting that your proposal is fundamentally flawed.

To this end, we request a thorough investigation by the FCC into reports that bots may have interfered with this proceeding by filing hundreds of thousands of comments. Furthermore, an additional 50,000 consumer complaints seem to have been excluded from the public record in this proceeding, according to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests filed by the National Hispanic Media Coalition.  Without additional information about the alleged anomalies surrounding the public record, the FCC cannot conduct a thorough and fair evaluation of the public’s views on this topic, and should not move forward with a vote on December 14, 2017. 

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has spent the past six months conducting an investigation into the fraudulent comments, and found that “hundreds of thousands” of comments may have impersonated New York residents, a violation of state law. He further asserts that the FCC has not cooperated with requests for additional data and information. Data scientist Jeff Kao has also run an analysis of the public record, and estimates that over a million comments filed in support of repealing net neutrality may have been fake. These reports raise serious concerns as to whether the record the FCC is currently relying on has been tampered with and merits the full attention of, and investigation by, the FCC before votes on this item are cast. 

A transparent and open process is vitally important to how the FCC functions. The FCC must invest its time and resources into obtaining a more accurate picture of the record as understanding that record is essential to reaching a defensible resolution to this proceeding.  As a result, we are requesting that you delay your planned vote on this item until you can conduct a thorough review of the state of the record and provide Congress with greater assurance of its accuracy and completeness.  

Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – Virginia’s two Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, along with U.S. Reps. Don Beyer and Gerry Connolly (both D-VA) and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) , today announced that after years of effort by the Senators and House members, the National Park Service (NPS) has approved $227 million to initiate a long-awaited contract to fully repair and rehabilitate Arlington Memorial Bridge. The 85-year-old bridge, owned and maintained by NPS, is a vital daily route connecting Arlington, Virginia and the District of Columbia.  

The Virginia and D.C. delegations, with support of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, played a decisive role in successfully advocating for a federal FASTLANE project grant, as well as secured additional appropriations to launch the Memorial Bridge rehabilitation project in January. Construction will begin in the fall of 2018, with the project being completed in 2021, giving the bridge a lifespan of an additional 85 to 100 years. During construction, at least three lanes of traffic will remain open at all times to allow for continued use of the span. Identifying the remaining required funds allows the NPS to save $35 million in costs by completing the project in one phase rather than two, and will allow the project to be finished 18 months sooner than previously estimated.

“It is hard to overstate the importance of this progress on a key transportation project for this region,” Sen. Warner said. “It required the combined efforts of all of us from the national capital region – those of us serving in both houses of Congress, as well as the District government, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Transportation Department. These partnerships allowed the Park Service to design an innovative project that will save money and time for  the region’s commuters and visitors.”   

“Arlington Memorial Bridge is among the nation’s most deteriorated bridges, and I’m extremely proud that after years of hard work, the National Park Service has committed full funding for rehabilitation of the bridge. This is a huge win for Northern Virginia commuters, as well as visitors to the nation’s capital,” Sen. Kaine said. “As we celebrate this good news, we should also redouble our efforts to pass a major infrastructure bill so other aging bridges don’t degrade to such a terrible condition in the first place.”

“After years of work to secure funding to fix Arlington Memorial Bridge, today’s announcement gives us hope that the bridge will remain safe and serviceable into the 22nd century,” Rep. Beyer said. “Our tour of the bridge and press conference in 2015 crystalized the dire need for this funding. Since then I have worked together with my colleagues in Congress, leaders from Virginia and the District, and two Administrations to secure the money for these structural repairs. This truly is great news, and I thank everyone whose efforts brought us here.”

"This is a victory for Northern Virginia commuters and the effort to improve our nation’s ailing infrastructure,” Rep. Connolly said. “I am pleased the National Park Service stepped up to the plate to address this uniquely federal transportation challenge. Communities across the country deserve this kind of good news about their old and failing infrastructure.”

“As Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, I could not be more delighted that the National Park Service has secured full funding to repair a critical priority, the iconic Memorial Bridge, with significant cost and time savings,” Rep. Norton said.  “When I visited the bridge before construction, I saw firsthand how it was barely standing, and why traffic has to be rerouted, bringing even more traffic congestion on both sides of the river.  With full funding rather than the phased dollars we already secured, we can finally break ground.”

The Memorial Bridge, which carries 68,000 vehicles daily between Washington, D.C. and Arlington, Va., was originally opened in 1932 with a 75-year design life. It is now structurally deficient, having never undergone a major rehabilitation. As a result a 10-ton load limit remains in effect, and large vehicles, including trucks and buses, are prohibited from crossing. Without a major overhaul, it has been expected that the Bridge would have to be closed to vehicular traffic beginning in 2021. However, NPS has an annual budget of just $20 million for transportation projects across all its assets in the National Capital Region.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments has previously estimated that closing the Memorial Bridge could cost local governments $75 million per year in transportation outlays alone. Moreover, transit studies suggest that traffic from the bridge would spill over onto other area bridges, particularly the 14th Street Bridge and Roosevelt Bridge, further exacerbating congested roadways in Northern Virginia and Washington, DC.

Last year, the region’s congressional delegation was instrumental in securing $90 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation for Phase 1 of the reconstruction of the Arlington Memorial Bridge, with NPS providing an additional $60 million in matching funds. At the time, NPS estimated that more than $100 million in additional funding would be needed in order to bring the Memorial Bridge into a state of good repair.

Due to years of chronic underfunding, NPS has been forced to defer billions of dollars in necessary maintenance on transportation infrastructure such as Memorial Bridge, as well as other facilities it operates, like visitor centers, rest stops, trails and campgrounds. In March, Sen. Warner and Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) announced legislation, the National Park Service Legacy Act, to address the maintenance backlog at the National Park Service, which is currently more than $11 billion, and Sen. Kaine is one of a dozen bipartisan co-sponsors who have signed on to support the effort.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance and Investment, today pressed Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi on the company’s recent disclosure that hackers accessed the personal information of 57 million users last year.  Uber paid the hackers $100,000 to pledge to destroy the data – which included the names and driver’s license numbers of 600,000 drivers, and names, phone numbers, and email addresses of millions of riders – and did not disclose the hack to regulators or users until last week.

Warner posed the following questions to Khosrowshahi: 

1. According to reports, Uber’s systems were breached after the attackers discovered log-in credentials to an AWS account used to handle payments. Why weren’t more robust access management mechanisms, including strong multi-factor authentication, enabled to prevent unauthorized access to passenger and driver data?
2. Who conducted the initial investigation for Uber that successfully identified the hackers? What “assurances” were provided by the hackers to prove they did, in fact, delete the compromised data? 
3. Unlike ransomware payments, in which payment is made to recover or regain access to inaccessible data or systems, it appears the motivation behind this payment was principally to prevent the public or authorities from learning of the breach. What rationale was provided by senior executives for covering up this breach?
4. Uber has alleged that it was required to provide information relating to the breach and subsequent cover-up to prospective investors. Can you explain why Uber chose not to disclose the breach to drivers and users prior to, or at least at the same time as, a prospective investor?
5. Reports indicate that Uber successfully “tracked down the hackers and pushed them to sign nondisclosure agreements.” While some information necessary to accomplish this could certainly have been gleaned from traditional digital forensic tools, these reports – combined with Uber’s past pattern of conduct – raise serious questions about how Uber was able to track down the criminals who breached Uber’s systems and blackmailed the company, and whether these actions might have constituted violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. As you know, no private right exists for companies to “hack back” those who compromise their systems. In the process of tracking down these hackers, did Uber or any authorized party acting on its behalf engage in unauthorized access of third party systems?
6. Uber’s decision to identify the responsible parties and commit them to a non-disclosure agreement thwarts law enforcement’s ability to bring criminal hackers to justice. To the extent Uber had lawfully acquired information enabling it to identify the hackers who had compromised its systems, ensure they would abide by agreements to delete the data and not to disclose the breach, and transfer them $100,000, it conceivably had enough information at hand to assist law enforcement in the apprehension of these criminals. Why did Uber choose not to provide relevant forensic information to law enforcement and has this information been provided to law enforcement in the last week?

Sen. Warner is a former technology executive and the co-founder of the Senate’s bipartisan Cybersecurity Caucus. Sen. Warner is working to finalize bipartisan legislation to create a comprehensive, nationwide and uniform data breach standard, requiring timelier consumer notification for breaches of financial data and other sensitive information, and setting national data-protection standards for companies handling sensitive personal information. 

A PDF of the signed letter is available here.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced today that communities in Hampton Roads will receive $2,201,300 from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to provide assistance in repairing or reconstructing federal roads and land damaged by Hurricane Matthew. The October 2016 storm brought torrential rains, high winds, coastal flooding and road closures across Hampton Roads due to washouts and flooding.

“These funds will give communities in Hampton Roads needed resources to continue repairs to area roads damaged by the storm so they can be brought back to a safe and suitable condition,” the Senators said.

The first grant of $2,000,000 will go to the Virginia Department of Transportation to help with the repair or reconstruction of federal-aid highways and roads on federal lands in Southampton County and the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Norfolk that suffered serious damage or catastrophic failures as a result of the storm. The second grant of $201,300 will go to the Virginia Fish and Wildlife Service to do similar repairs in the cities of Virginia Beach, Suffolk, and Gates. 

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, today joined Republicans and Democrats, including Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), to introduce the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act, bipartisan legislation to reduce regulatory burdens on community banks and credit unions and provide new protections to consumers.

The legislation is the result of bipartisan negotiations among Warner, Crapo, and Banking Committee members Sens. Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and Jon Tester (D-MT).

“This bipartisan bill is the result of years of tough negotiations among Democrats and Republicans,” said Sen. Warner. “The goal is simple: to help Main Street by rolling back unnecessary and burdensome regulations on credit unions and small community banks while ensuring that larger banks remain subject to the rules I helped put in place after the financial crisis to prevent another meltdown on Wall Street. This proposal makes targeted, commonsense fixes that will provide tangible relief to the community banks that are lifelines for smaller and rural communities. It also strengthens protections for veterans, the elderly and other consumers, and encourages community-based lending to boost economic growth and create jobs.”

“A strong and vibrant economy is important for American consumers, businesses, and the stability of the financial sector,” said Chairman Crapo. “The bipartisan proposals on which we have agreed will significantly improve our financial regulatory framework and foster economic growth by right-sizing regulation, particularly for smaller financial institutions and community banks.”

Following the 2008 financial meltdown, Sen. Warner helped write and pass into law the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and he continues to support the important reforms included in the law. The legislation introduced today is carefully written to provide needed regulatory relief to main street—community banks and credit unions—which were inadvertently burdened by rules and regulations intended to hold Wall Street accountable. This bill will promote economic growth by making commonsense reforms to increase consumer lending, while protecting consumers.

Among provisions in the regulatory relief package are several proposals to protect and deliver relief to Virginia consumers:

• Community Banks and Credit Unions: This package includes a number of provisions related to community banks and credit unions that would increase their ability to extend credit to Virginia small businesses and families, while maintaining important consumer protections.
• Free Annual Credit Freeze for Consumers: This provision would require credit bureaus to include one free credit freeze and a free credit unfreeze per year, which would help protect consumers after the massive Equifax data breach that may have compromised the personal information of approximately 145 million Americans.
• Protecting Veterans Credit: This provision would protect the credit ratings of veterans wrongly penalized by medical bill payment delays by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This measure would prohibit medical debt from services received through the Choice Program and other VA community care programs from being reported to credit reporting agencies for one year. In addition it would establish a dispute process for veterans seeking to remove adverse actions already on their reports.

Full bill text is available here. A section-by-section can be accessed here.

“I thank Virginia's Congressional Delegation for their support of this legislation. Virginia's more than 725,000 veterans have served and sacrificed for our Nation and our Commonwealth. This service can sometimes lead to wounds and injuries that require ongoing care - which is not always fully covered by their veterans benefits. When they must incur out of pocket expenses for themselves and their families’ medical care, we must ensure that this does not also come with a bad credit score that could affect them for years to come. This bill will help our veterans in addressing credit issues or preventing a small credit problem from escalating,” said Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Carlos Hopkins.

Virginia Bankers Association (VBA) President and CEO Bruce Whitehurst stated, “This package represents an important first step toward better tailoring of regulation to allow banks to serve their customers and communities more effectively and efficiently, much to their benefit. This bipartisan compromise also underscores the fact that the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 took the regulatory pendulum too far and created unintended consequences for borrowers. It is great to see movement toward a more balanced approach to financial regulation and we appreciate the leadership of Senators Warner and Kaine.”

“This is a major step forward. Our community bankers are eager to do more to build their local economies, but over-regulation holds them back. The best provisions in this bill make getting a mortgage less complicated and more possible, and other good provisions simplify rules and reports, freeing bankers to do more good work with their customers and their communities,” said Virginia Association of Community Banks (VACB) President Steve Yeakel. “In particular, we want to acknowledge the leadership of both Senator Warner, who helped to forge the compromise, and Senator Kaine, whose early support gives the bill a strong foundation and a real chance at success on the Senate floor.”

“ICBA strongly supports the bipartisan regulatory relief package announced today and thanks Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo and Sens. Joe Donnelly, Heidi Heitkamp, Jon Tester and Mark Warner for driving this agreement,” Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) President and CEO Camden R. Fine said. “Community bank regulatory relief is needed to improve lending and strengthen economic growth at the local level. We are pleased to see many provisions of ICBA’s Plan for Prosperity included in the agreement and thank all senators from both sides of the aisle who have contributed to this important initiative.”

“NAFCU thanks Chairman Crapo and his Democratic partners in the Senate for including provisions in this package that would lead to regulatory relief for credit unions,” said National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU) President and CEO Dan Berger. “We look forward to working with members of the Senate Banking Committee, their staff and other senators as this package moves through the legislative process. This bill is a step in the right direction, and we will continue to push for more relief for the industry and its 110 million member-owners.”

“This bill includes credit union-specific provisions that provide meaningful regulatory relief, a sign that policymakers are paying close attention to the needs of credit union members,” Credit Union National Association (CUNA) President/CEO Jim Nussle said. “We thank Sen. Crapo and his colleagues for working across party lines to advance regulatory relief legislation, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with them as the bill moves through the legislative process.”

In addition to Sens. Warner and Kaine, the bill was introduced by Democratic Sens. Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Jon Tester (D-MT), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Gary Peters (D-MI) and Michael Bennet (D-CO). Republican sponsors of the bill are Sens. Mike Crapo (R-ID), Bob Corker (R-TN), Tim Scott (R-SC), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Mike Rounds (R-SD), David Perdue (R-GA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Kennedy (R-LA), Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Jim Risch (R-ID). The bipartisan bill was also sponsored by Sen. Angus King (I-ME).

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced today that the Redevelopment & Housing Authorities in the cities of Roanoke and Petersburg will receive $666,661 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide housing assistance for Virginia families and veterans.

“These funds will allow local communities to focus their efforts on helping Virginia families live in safe housing they can afford,” the Senators said. “We are confident this additional funding will make a significant and necessary impact in improving living conditions in the Commonwealth.” 

Last year, up to $75,000,000 was made available by Congress to public housing agencies to use for administrative costs associated with housing voucher renewals, supportive housing for veterans, and other unforeseen circumstances that would prevent the agency from continuing rental assistance to families.

Individual amounts are listed below:

• Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $533,621
• Petersburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $133,040

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $115,700 in Economic Impact Initiative Grants from the United States Department of Agriculture towards the purchase of police vehicles, public works vehicles, and equipment for rural communities in the towns of Orange, Pound, Pulaski, Weber City, Wise, and Page County.

“We are pleased to announce funding for these communities to upgrade and improve public safety equipment,” the Senators said. “This funding will help ensure that our first responders in these communities have the resources they need to keep Virginians safe.”

The following localities will receive funding through the USDA:

·         The Town of Orange will receive $25,000 towards the purchase of three police vehicles and equipment.

·         The Town of Pound will receive $25,000 towards the purchase of one police vehicle, one public works vehicle and equipment.

·         The Town of Pulaski will receive $25,000 towards the purchase of two police vehicles and equipment.

·         The Town of Weber City will receive $25,000 towards the purchase of one police vehicle and equipment.

·         The Town of Wise will receive $5,200 towards the purchase of one police vehicle and equipment.

·         Page County will receive $10,500 towards the purchase of two police vehicles and equipment.

The USDA’s Economic Impact Initiative Grant program provides funding for rural communities facing high unemployment and economic challenges. Funding awarded through this program seeks to improve community facilities that are used for health care, public safety, and public service.