WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the below statement following Congressman Bob Goodlatte’s (R-VA) announcement that he will retire at the end of 2018: 

“Bob Goodlatte has served the people of Virginia in Congress for more than two decades. I have appreciated the opportunity to work with Congressman Goodlatte on a variety of issues important to our constituents in the Roanoke Valley. I thank him for a lifetime of public service, and extend him and Maryellen my very best wishes for the future.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R.  Warner (D-VA), Dean Heller (R-NV), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) introduced bipartisan legislation to help students make smarter decisions in the financing of their higher education. The Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act would promote financial literacy by providing students who are recipients of federal financial aid with comprehensive counseling services. Nationwide, Americans owe more than $1.45 trillion in student loan debt, outstripping credit cards and auto loans as the country’s leading source of non-housing debt. 

“More than 60% of Virginia’s college students will graduate with some form of student loan debt, and average debt in the Commonwealth tops $29,000 per graduate. I would not have had the opportunity to be so successful in business had I graduated with such a financial burden,” said Sen. Warner. “We should be empowering students to make smarter choices about their financial future. This legislation aims to provide a full picture on the loans they are receiving, allowing them to take full advantage of the opportunities available to them.”

“This legislation empowers Nevada's students and Americans throughout the country with the tools needed to make well-informed, sound financial decisions related to their college education," said Sen. Heller. “It's a positive step toward addressing student debt and preparing young students for a successful future, and I encourage my colleagues to support it." 

“Too many families in Virginia are weighed down by massive student loan debt, sometimes because they lacked services and information that could’ve helped them make a better-informed decision on a loan,” said Sen. Kaine. “I’m proud to once again join Senators Warner, Gardner and Heller on this simple but important bill that makes it easier for students and families to access financial counseling.”

“Access to financial counseling will help students who receive federal financial aid better understand the process before undertaking massive student loan debt,” said Sen. Gardner. “A high quality education provides students with the tools they need to succeed, and financial literacy is an essential component to achieving that success. This bipartisan proposal will help tens of thousands of students better plan for their future.”

A survey of current students and recent graduates with a high level of student loan debt found that more than 40 percent could not recall having received financial counseling, even though counseling is already required before students can receive their first federal loan. Further, no counseling is provided to students who receive only a Pell Grant or to parents who take out federal loans to help pay for their children’s education. As a result, many students graduate unable to manage the loans they used to finance their education, leading to significant hardship for borrowers and greater risk for taxpayers.

To help students make smart decisions about financing their higher education, the Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act will promote financial literacy through enhanced counseling for all recipients of federal financial aid.

In addition, the bill: 

• Ensures borrowers—both students and parents—who participate in the federal loan program receive interactive counseling each year that reflects their individual borrowing situation.
• Provides awareness about the financial obligations students and parents are accumulating by requiring borrowers to consent each year before receiving federal student loans.
• Informs low-income students about the terms and conditions of the Pell Grant program through annual counseling that will be provided to all grant recipients.
• Directs the Secretary of Education to maintain and disseminate a consumer-tested, online counseling tool that institutions can use to provide annual loan counseling, exit counseling, and annual Pell Grant counseling.

The need for the legislation became clear at a roundtable discussion on college affordability and student debt hosted by Sens. Warner and Kaine last year with student government presidents from 20 Virginia colleges and universities. During the meeting, students urged more transparency and flexibility in navigating the confusing maze of loan and repayment programs available to college students, as well as more accountability for colleges to hold down costs. 

In the Senate, Sen. Warner has introduced several bills to improve transparency, accountability and affordability in higher education, and help borrowers better manage their student loan debts. The Dynamic Student Loan Repayment Act would make income-based repayment the default option for borrowers. The Employer Participation in Repayment Act would allow employers to apply pre-tax income to help their employees with student loan payments. 

Sen. Warner is currently working with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) to reintroduce The Student Right to Know Before You Go Act, which would provide college-bound students powerful new tools for comparing colleges and universities on measures such as total cost, likelihood of graduating, and potential earnings by program. 

The Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act was previously introduced in the 114^th Congress. A companion bill passed the House of Representatives last year by voice vote, and has been reintroduced this year.  

A copy of the legislative text is available here. A one-page summary and answers to frequently asked questions are available here.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) urged the Trump Administration to reconsider dramatic entrance fee increases that the Department of Interior has proposed at 17 iconic national parks across the United States. In Virginia, this proposal would increase fees at Shenandoah National Park to $70 per vehicle during peak season. In a letter to Secretary Ryan Zinke, the senators instead offered bipartisan legislation they introduced earlier this year as a solution to address the long-term national park maintenance backlog, which is estimated to be at $11.3 billion.

“These fee increases, many of which are two-to-three times that of current levels, could price out many of our constituents and other individuals and families across the country from visiting these national treasures….we do not believe that shifting the burden to our park visitors in the form of significant fee increases is an appropriate or practical way to reduce the deferred maintenance backlog,” said the senators. 

The National Park Service Legacy Act would help eradicate the maintenance backlog at the Park Service by directing existing revenues from mineral royalties toward high-priority deferred maintenance needs of the National Park Service, including investing in critical NPS infrastructure like Arlington Memorial Bridge. 

“This bipartisan legislation would help repair and restore the aging and deteriorating infrastructure of our national parks and ensure that these treasure are preserved for future generations to enjoy. It would allow the Park Service to reduce its maintenance backlog without having to significantly increase the cost of admittance for visitors of our national parks,” the senators added. 

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

October 31, 2017

The Honorable Ryan Zinke

Secretary

Department of the Interior

1849 C Street, NW

Washington, D.C. 20240

Dear Mr. Secretary:

We write today in response to the National Park Service’s proposal to sharply increase entrance fees at 17 of our most iconic national parks across the United States – including at Shenandoah National Park in our home state of Virginia. These fee increases, many of which are two-to-three times that of current levels, could price out many of our constituents and other individuals and families across the country from visiting these national treasures. We urge you to reconsider these dramatic fee increases and recommend that you pursue alternative pathways to raise revenue at the Park Service to reduce the growing maintenance backlog.

We wholeheartedly agree that significant steps must be taken to address the maintenance backlog at the Park Service, which is currently estimated at $11.3 billion. However, we do not believe that shifting the burden to our park visitors in the form of significant fee increases is an appropriate or practical way to reduce the deferred maintenance backlog. In fact, the Park Service has estimated that the fee increases, once implemented, would only increase park revenue by $70 million per year. Even if this additional revenue was allocated solely to address the maintenance backlog, it would only represent a fraction of the Park Service’s deferred maintenance needs in Virginia ($750.6 million), much less the nationwide total. At the same time, the proposed fee increases could dramatically impact the ability of individuals to access these lands.

Under your proposal, the peak-season entrance fee would be $70 per private, non-commercial vehicle, $50 per motorcycle, and $30 per individual person. To access Shenandoah National Park, individuals would face a threefold increase in the price of admittance from $10 to $30, while the fee for motorcyclists would more than double from $20 to $50, and individuals with private vehicles would face a $35 increase. If these fee increases were to go into effect, it would have a significant impact on the ability of our constituents and other visitors to access one of Virginia’s most beautiful and cherished areas.

Here in the Senate, we have partnered with a bipartisan group of our colleagues to introduce legislation that would reduce the $11.3 billion maintenance backlog at the Park Service in a fiscally responsible way that would not shift the cost burden to park goers. Our bill, the National Park Service Legacy Act of 2017, would help eradicate the maintenance backlog at the Park Service by establishing a dedicated fund at the U.S. Treasury – named the “National Park Service Legacy Fund” – that would direct revenues from mineral royalties that are not otherwise designated by law to other purposes toward high-priority deferred maintenance needs of the National Park Service. Over the next 30 years, this fund will provide more than $11 billion to deferred maintenance projects, addressing the highest priority areas as identified by the Park Service itself. The bill also includes a philanthropic component that prioritizes projects that can receive private matching dollars.

This bipartisan legislation would help repair and restore the aging and deteriorating infrastructure of our national parks and ensure that these treasure are preserved for future generations to enjoy. It would allow the Park Service to reduce its maintenance backlog without having to significantly increase the cost of admittance for visitors of our national parks. We urge you to withdraw your proposal that would dramatically increase entrance fees at 17 national parks across the nation and encourage you to support our legislation that would create a dedicated fund to address the maintenance backlog issue at the National Park Service.

Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Mark R. Warner                                                                     

United States Senator                                                            

Tim Kaine

United States Senator

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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 on the indictments of former Trump campaign officials Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, and the news that former campaign adviser George Papadopoulos has pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI: 

“Today’s indictments of two top Trump campaign officials, including former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, is a significant and sobering step in what will be a complex and likely lengthy investigation by the Special Counsel. That is why it is imperative that Congress take action now to protect the independence of the Special Counsel, wherever or however high his investigation may lead. Members of Congress, Republican and Democrat, must also make clear to the President that issuing pardons to any of his associates or to himself would be unacceptable, and result in immediate, bipartisan action by Congress.

“We have also learned this morning that, during this investigation, George Papadopoulos made false statements to the FBI about his contacts with Russians at the same time he was serving as an adviser to the Trump campaign. This is just the latest in a series of undisclosed contacts, misleading public statements, potentially compromising information, and highly questionable actions from the time of the Trump campaign that together, remain a cause for deep concern and continued investigation. 

“The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will continue its bipartisan probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential election.”  

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell asking him to bring legislation that would reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to the floor for a vote as soon as possible. CHIP, which covers 66,000 children and 1,100 pregnant women in Virginia alone, is set to run out of funding on January 31 if Congress fails to reauthorize the program. Families in Virginia rely on CHIP to cover doctor visits, hospital care, prescription medicines, eyeglasses, immunizations, and regular check-ups for kids up to 19 years old with minimal cost sharing and without premiums. CHIP expired on September 30, and despite bipartisan work by the Senate Finance Committee, the reauthorization bill has not been brought up for a vote.

“We write to emphasize the importance of a prompt reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for the state of Virginia,” the Senators said. “We ask that you bring bipartisan legislation reauthorizing this important program to the floor as soon as possible. CHIP has been very important to protecting the health care of children in our state.”

The Senators stressed that the uncertainty around funding the program has put strain on the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services, which is preparing to notify families of the impending loss of coverage. They also voiced strong support for the hard work that has gone into a bipartisan compromise offered by Senators Hatch and Wyden.

“This bill represents a bipartisan compromise that will extend CHIP for five years, giving states sufficient time to plan their budgets and make sure families do not face uncertainty related to their health care coverage. We urge you to bring a bill to the floor quickly that includes pay-fors that are acceptable to both sides. It is imperative that Congress act quickly to end the uncertainty around health care coverage for thousands of Virginia children,” the Senators concluded.

View full text of the letter below and PDF can be found HERE:

Dear Leader McConnell,

We write to emphasize the importance of a prompt reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for the state of Virginia. We ask that you bring bipartisan legislation reauthorizing this important program to the floor as soon as possible.

CHIP has been very important to protecting the health care of children in our state. In FY 2016, Virginia received $263.9 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 193,000 children. This coverage includes doctor visits, hospital care, prescription medicines, eyeglasses, immunizations, and regular check-ups for kids under 19 years old with minimal cost sharing and without premiums. Since 2009, dental coverage has also been included in the program.

The uncertainty surrounding CHIP has already started to have an impact on our constituents. According to the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services, the state will be forced to send letters on December 1, 2017 notifying families of impending loss of coverage, causing confusion and great concern for families who rely on CHIP for their children’s medical coverage. Enrollment will be frozen on January 31, and by the end of January, Virginia will have insufficient funds to continue the program. Making matters worse, our state legislature does not come back into session until January, and will not have time to find solutions to avoid major disruptions to these kids’ health care.

There has always been a bipartisan consensus on the importance of reauthorizing CHIP, and this year is no different. On September 18th, Senators Hatch and Wyden introduced the Keeping Kids Insurance Dependable and Secure Act. This bill represents a bipartisan compromise that will extend CHIP for five years, giving states sufficient time to plan their budgets and make sure families do not face uncertainty related to their health care coverage. We urge you to bring a bill to the floor quickly that includes pay-fors that are acceptable to both sides. It is imperative that Congress act quickly to end the uncertainty around health care coverage for thousands of Virginia children. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement today after the White House directed the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a pilot program meant to accelerate the adoption of unmanned aircraft by allowing state and local government to experiment with allowing drone operations in their airspace.

“I am glad the Administration has finally taken this long-awaited step to help our country keep its edge in the development of autonomous aircraft technology. This drone pilot program will help us explore the enormous potential of this technology to create jobs and expand the reach of small businesses all across the country, while also providing crucial participation from states and localities. As this program is implemented, we must ensure that federal authority over our airspace is maintained to protect against a burdensome and complicated patchwork of local rules that could impede the full implementation of this innovative technology. Virginia has been a leader in the field of unmanned aircraft systems and I look forward to making the case that we should be a leading participant in this program.”

Virginia is home to one of six FAA-approved sites where researchers are testing the safest and most effective ways to incorporate UAS into the existing airspace. Sen. Warner has been a strong supporter of research and investment in unmanned systems, including driverless cars, drones, and unmanned submersibles.    

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (D-VA) joined 30 of their Senate colleagues in writing to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) requesting information on the impact of the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act highlighted in a recent report from the Washington Post and “60 Minutes.” The Senators are working with the agencies to ensure they have the tools they need to fight the addiction epidemic.

“In light of these reports and as Congress evaluates this law taking into account the nation’s addiction epidemic, it is critical that we have all the information necessary to ensure the federal government is doing everything it can to help support our states and local communities in our collective fight against this epidemic,” wrote the Senators in the letter. “We want to ensure the Drug Enforcement Administration and other related agencies have all of the tools necessary to fight this epidemic.”

Current law requires the DEA Administrator to submit a report to Congress identifying any residual issues with diversion efforts, including information on whether coordination between the industry and law enforcement has helped with diversion. This report is past-due and the Senators want HHS and the DEA to provide the information so they can determine how the best action to take to ensure the DEA has the tools it needs to fight the opioid epidemic.

Full text of the letter is available below and here. 

Acting Secretary Eric Hargan

United States Department of Health and Human Services

200 Independence Ave, SW

Washington, DC 20201

Acting Administrator Robert Patterson

United States Drug Enforcement Administration

8701 Morrissette Dr. 

Springfield, VA 22152

Dear Acting Secretary Hargan and Acting Administrator Patterson:

This weekend’s Washington Post article entitled “The Drug Industry’s Triumph Over the DEA” and CBS’s related 60 Minutes expose on the opioid epidemic have raised significant questions regarding the impact of the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act (P.L. 114-145), which was signed into law in April of 2016. As members of Congress from states severely affected by the nation’s addiction epidemic, we are concerned by these recent news reports and the issues they raise, and we write to request that you immediately provide Congress with an update on the law’s impact on the war against addiction.

In light of these reports and as Congress evaluates this law taking into account the nation’s addiction epidemic, it is critical that we have all the information necessary to ensure the federal government is doing everything it can to help support our states and local communities in our collective fight against this epidemic. We want to ensure the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other related agencies have all of the tools necessary to fight this epidemic, which is why we also request that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in coordination with DEA, immediately provide Congress with a status update on the Report to Congress required under Section 3 of the law.

As you are aware, Section 3 of P.L. 114-145 requires the Secretary of HHS, in coordination with the DEA Administrator and in consultation with other relevant executive offices, to submit a report to Congress identifying any residual issues with diversion of controlled substances. The law also requires the Administration’s Report to Congress to include a section detailing “how collaboration between Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and the pharmaceutical industry can benefit patients and prevent diversion and abuse of controlled substances,” as well as a section with suggested “steps to improve reporting requirements so that the public and Congress have more information regarding prescription opioids.” 

This report was due to Congress on April 16, 2017. As of October 16, 2017 – exactly 6 months past the deadline for this information – no such report has been submitted to the relevant congressional committees. As Congress revisits the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act and considers whether the DEA has all of the tools it needs to play an effective role in combatting this public health emergency, it is critical that we have the information necessary to evaluate this law. 

We urge HHS to act swiftly to provide the relevant committees with an update on the impact of P.L. 114-145 and a report on any challenges in diversion control that may have been exacerbated by the law’s passage by no later than October 30, 2017, as well as a complete Report to Congress as laid out in Section 3 of the law, as soon as possible. 

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WASHINGTON— U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Finance and Budget Committees, today responded to the announcement by President Trump that he will unilaterally cut off the Cost-Sharing Reduction (CSR) payments required under the Affordable Care Act, thereby increasing Americans’ health premiums by 20 percent or more.

“The Trump Administration is determined to inject chaos and confusion through its unilateral efforts to sabotage the Affordable Care Act, even though these actions will again raise costs and limit healthcare choices for working families. There is no debate about the results of President Trump’s irresponsible actions in the past 24 hours. By taking a wrecking ball to the ACA, the Trump Administration has itself created additional hardship and anxiety for many Virginia families, and undermines real progress on the Senate’s bipartisan efforts to bring stability to the individual health care marketplace,” said Sen. Warner.  

Fifty-six percent of Virginians who buy insurance in the ACA marketplace rely on cost-sharing reductions to keep their health care costs affordable. In fact, in some Virginia localities—including Lee, Scott, Wise, Halifax, Sussex, Accomack, Page, Madison, Rappahannock, and Richmond counties—approximately 100% of marketplace enrollees receive some form of cost sharing reduction.

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), eliminating the CSRs will raise ACA premiums for next year by an estimated 20 percent as insurers raise prices to make up for the lost payments. It’s also expected that the number of uninsured Americans would rise by 1 million in 2018, relative to current law, and by 2020, premiums are expected to increase by 25 percent. Ending the payments is also expected to cost the government an additional $194 billion over the next decade, compared to current law.

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WASHINGTON – Senator Mark Warner joined with the entire Virginia Delegation to send a letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), Dr. David Shulkin, regarding the VA’s late payment to Veterans Choice Program (VCP) providers.

In August of 2014, Congress authorized veterans to access private health providers to assist the overwhelmed VA Health Care system. Congress continues to fund the program; however, the VA has repeatedly struggled to make prompt payments to outside health providers as required by the law. Throughout the Commonwealth, health providers such as Riverside Health, Carilion Clinic, Wellmont Health System, and many more have experienced late payments for their services to our veterans through the VA Choice Program. In many cases, the payments from the VA come as late 120 days, or longer, past the date services were provided.

“VA related claims have taken an average of 177 days to be paid, or 3.5 times longer than the average of all third party payers,” said Mark Duncan, Director of Government Relations at Riverside Health System. “In one of the most egregious examples, a veteran was discharged on October 16, 2014. Reimbursement for that patient’s services was received from the VA on June 12, 2017—961 days following discharge.”

Exacerbating the late payment problem is the fact that VA employees are making duplicate payments to certain providers, as highlighted by a recent memorandum released by the VA’s Inspector General (IG). The IG noted that some third-party administrators are receiving overpayments due to improper training and administration on the VA side, which results in the delayed payments to providers who are still waiting to be reimbursed.

“We want the Department of Veterans Affairs and VCP to succeed. We have done our part to continue to fund VCP, now we need you to properly administer the program,” the delegation wrote. “Our health providers who have stood up and answered the call to provide services to veterans and, most importantly, our veterans deserve a health care system that works. Do not jeopardize the care our veterans receive due to poor processes.”

The Members requested the VA fix this problem and immediately develop a long-term solution aimed at ensuring that payments are made within 30 days of receiving an invoice. They also request clarification on the future of third party administrators involved with the Veterans Choice Program.

Virginia Delegation members signing the letter include, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, and U.S. Reps. Rob Wittman (VA-1), Scott Taylor (VA-2), Bobby Scott (VA-3), A. Donald McEachin (VA-4), Tom Garrett, Jr. (VA-5), Bob Goodlatte (VA-6), Dave Brat (VA-7), Don Beyer (VA-8), H. Morgan Griffith (VA-9), Barbara Comstock (VA-10), and Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11).

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WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine joined U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) to introduce the Automatic Gun Fire Prevention Act, a bill to close a loophole that allows semi-automatic weapons to be easily modified to fire at the rate of automatic weapons, the sale of which have been significantly curtailed and strictly regulated for more than 30 years. This bill would ban the sale, transfer, importation, manufacture or possession of bump stocks, trigger cranks, and similar accessories that accelerate a semi-automatic rifle’s rate of fire.

“Fully automatic machine guns have been strictly regulated since 1986 under President Reagan. This bill will fix an egregious loophole that was exploited by the Las Vegas shooter to cause unspeakable mayhem, killing dozens and injuring hundreds of innocent civilians,” said Sen. Warner. “This measure sends the message that we can honor and respect the second amendment while also ensuring people don’t skirt our laws to turn legally obtained firearms into weapons of war.” 

“We continue to suffer horrific mass shootings like the one we saw in Las Vegas this week -- in Virginia we know the unbearable pain they cause -- but Congress has remained unwilling to do anything to help stop them from happening again and again,” Kaine said. “This bill would help curb deadly gun violence by closing a dangerous loophole that allows someone to make a semi-automatic weapon even more dangerous. We need to take long overdue action on gun safety and quickly pass this bill that can save lives.”

Under the National Firearms Act, the sale, manufacture, and transfer of automatic weapons are illegal. However, bump stocks, slide fire devices and other similar accessories are able to be attached to semi-automatic weapons, allowing them to reach fully-automatic rates of fire. Semi-automatic rifles typically have a rate of fire between 45 and 60 rounds per minute. A bump stock, or other similar device increases the semi-automatic rifle's rate of fire between 400 and 800 rounds per minute.

The bill also makes clear that its intent is to target only those accessories that increase a semi-automatic rifle’s rate of fire. Legitimate accessories used by hunters would be exempt. The bill also contains exceptions for lawful possession of these devices by law enforcement and the government.

Senators joining Warner, Kaine, and Feinstein include Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ed Markey (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Bob Casey (D-PA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tom Carper (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chris Coons (D-DE), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA).

Kaine, who was Governor of Virginia during the Virginia Tech mass shooting, and Warner have long supported improving mental health policy and passing commonsense measures to curb gun violence, including requiring background record checks prior to gun purchases and improving the number and accuracy of records submitted to the national background check system. 

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WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced the bipartisan Commonsense Reporting Act of 2017 to streamline and modernize employer reporting requirements under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). This legislation would strike a balance between ensuring the Treasury Department has the necessary data to determine availability of affordable coverage, while cutting down on unnecessary paperwork and administrative costs for businesses.

The ACA requires employers and insurers to report information about health insurance coverage to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at the end of the tax year. The legislation directs the Treasury Department to implement an alternative, prospective reporting system that is more workable and less burdensome for employers than current regulations.

“This legislation couples important data collection with the flexibility and efficiency employers need to continue implementing the law,” said Sen. Warner. “It’s time to find common ground with serious legislative efforts that provide more affordable, accessible, and quality health care to all Americans, regardless of where they purchase their coverage. Americans deserve better – hopefully this is the first step of many bipartisan solutions.” 

“I have heard from hundreds of employers in Ohio that have spent hundreds of administrative hours attempting to comply with the reporting requirements in the Affordable Care Act. This added time and resources has not improved the quality of health insurance employers offered but only further discouraged employers from offering health insurance and hiring more workers. This bipartisan bill will help streamline the reporting process by allowing employers to report information to the IRS prospectively, easing the burden for employers and employees,” said Sen. Portman.

The Commonsense Reporting Act streamlines this process by establishing a voluntarily system which would allow employers to report pertinent information before open enrollment begins, to minimize the administrative burden at the back-end, and limit the collection of unneeded information.

The Commonsense Reporting Act has been endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, America’s Health Insurance Plans, Retail Industry Leaders Association, American Hotel and Lodging Association, American Rental Association, American Staffing Association, National Association of Convenience Stores, National Association of Health Underwriters, National Association of Home Builders, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, National Business Group on Health, National Federation of Independent Business, National Grocers Association, National Restaurant Association, National Retail Federation, NATSO for America’s Truck and Travel Stops.

A summary of this legislation can be found here. The full text is also available here. 

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WASHINGTON— U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced today that Southwest Virginia will receive a total of $2,524,817 in federal funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to improve infrastructure and promote economic development.  

“The Appalachian Regional Commission is an engine for economic development in Southwest Virginia and these grants show the important role it plays in helping revitalize the region,” the Senators said.“These funds will support needed improvements to critical infrastructure and create jobs that will increase economic opportunities for these communities.”

Project descriptions and grant amounts are listed below:

• William King Museum of Art (Abingdon, Va.) - $500,000. This grant will help the William King Museum of Art will help fund Phase 1 of a larger cultural campus expansion project. The funds will go towards access improvements, additional parking and renovating a currently vacant facility that will become the new Center for Studio Art and Education. With the improvements at the campus, 10 artisans will take up residency at the facility, 2 jobs will be created and 2,500 new visitors are anticipated. In addition to ARC funds, local sources will provide $657,000, bringing the total project funding to $1,157,000. 
• Southwest Virginia Early Childhood Workforce Development (Abington, Va.) - $99,933. This grant will help United Way of Southwest Virginia assist 70 workers obtain child care credentials and improve child development services for 20 existing businesses in a 13-county area. In addition, the grantee will provide training and other assistance to individuals who wish to establish their own childcare programs in underserved areas, resulting in 10 new enterprises capable of serving 120 children. In addition to ARC funds, local sources will provide $61,783 in matching funds. 
• Project Discovery Program (Abingdon, Va.) - $75,844. This grant will help People Incorporated of Virginia expand its academic advancement and college attendance program to serve more low-income, first-generation college-bound high school students. The project will provide assistance to 60 students with college readiness skills and financial opportunities. The project will serve Dickenson, Buchanan, Russell, and Washington Counties. In additional to ARC funds, local sources will provide $39,391, bringing the total project funding to $113,235.
• Frog Level Phase II Water Project (Lee County) - $500,000. This grant will help provide reliable public water supply to Lee County as well as support economic development for the newly-established school of veterinary medicine. In addition to ARC funds, state sources will provide $948,680, and local sources will provide $108,652, bringing the total project funding to $1,557,332.
• Cool & Connected Pennington Gap Project (Pennington Gap, Va.) - $7,500. This grant will help the city of Pennington Gap fund the renovation of space and the creation of a community computer center at the basement of the Lee Theatre, purchase computer equipment, and provide Wi-Fi access in Leeman’s field. In addition to ARC funds, Sunset Digital Communications will provide $4,000, bringing the total project funding to $11,500.
• Cool & Connected Jonesville Project (Jonesville, Va.) - $7,500. This grant will help fund the renovation of a community computer center in Jonesville, Virginia at an existing town-owned building located in the town’s Cumberland Bowl Park. The minor renovations will include computer equipment and Wi-Fi access at the park. In addition to ARC funds, Sunset Digital Communications will provide $4,000, bringing the total project funding to $11,500.
• Tacoma Sewer Project (Wise County) - $500,000. The grant will help the Wise County Public Service Authority begin a project that will provide public sewer collection to a previously unserved community of 48 households and two businesses, and eliminate public and environmental health concerns related to improperly disposed raw sewage. In addition to ARC funds, state sources will provide $750,000, and local sources will provide $155,901, bringing the total project funding to $1,405,901.
• Lyric Theater Project (St. Paul, Va.) - $300,000. This grant will help the Town of St. Paul renovate and stabilize the interior and exterior of the Lyric Theater to stabilize the building. The renovation will equip the building to hold conferences, events and performing arts for visitor and tourists. The facility will be affiliated with The Crooked Road Music Heritage Trail. In addition to ARC funds, local sources will provide $135,000, bringing the total project funding to $435,000. 
• Spearhead Trails in SW Virginia Project (Coeburn, Va.) - $92,300. This grant will help the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority (SRRA) to fund a study that will examine existing and potential economic benefits of the Spearhead Trails on the surrounding region, identify priorities for future development, and help SRRA develop a sustainable organizational model. SRRA was chartered by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 2008 to support outdoor recreation and tourism investment in the Coalfields of Southwest Virginia. In addition to ARC funds, state sources will provide $30,000 and local sources will provide $7,700, bringing the total project funding to $130,000.
• Donnkenny, Breaks and Tivis Pump Stations Replacement Project (Dickenson County) - $441,740. This grant will help replace three deteriorating below-ground pump stations with above-ground facilities that meet current design standards. The new pump stations will provide water to 571 households and 10 businesses in distressed communities, as well as to nine tourism-related businesses in the Breaks Interstate Park, and will ensure that reliable infrastructure is in place to support future economic development, particularly that which is related to tourism. In addition to ARC funds, state sources will provide $150,000, and local sources will provide an additional $102,260, bringing the total project funding to $694,000.

Since its inception in 1965, ARC has generated over 300,000 jobs and $10 billion for the 25 million Americans living in Appalachia. ARC has provided funding and support for job-creating community projects across the 13 Appalachian states, producing an average of $204 million in annual earnings for a region often challenged by economic underdevelopment. President Trump’s budget proposes eliminating the program entirely.

In June, Warner and Kaine joined a group of six other U.S. Senators urging Senate appropriators to fully fund the Appalachian Regional Commission in 2018 at $152 million, and reject the Trump Administration’s proposal to end the state-federal partnership.

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