Press Releases

Webb, Warner announce $148 million in public safety funds for Virginia

Federal grants help fund state, local law enforcement as well as public safety organizations

Oct 15 2010

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner today announced $148 million in federal grants to Virginia agencies, municipalities, and public safety organizations. The 296 U.S. Department of Justice grants support public safety projects across the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Sen. Webb, Warner announce grants to five Va. community health centers

$30 million to create construction, health care jobs and increase patient capacity

Oct 08 2010

U.S. Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner today announced that Virginia has received almost $30 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to increase capacity at five community health centers serving the uninsured and underinsured.

Sen. Warner's proposal mandating more accountability & savings across federal gov't clears committee

Co-sponsors include 2 Republicans, 2 Democrats & 1 Independent

Sep 29 2010

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner’s (D-VA) bipartisan legislation to make government work better by requiring every federal agency to set clear performance goals that can be accurately measured and publicly reported to Congress and taxpayers was approved by a key Senate committee today. The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee passed The Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 this morning.

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner's proposal to boost credit for small businesses adopted by Senate

Proposal is one component of package of incentives, tax breaks for small business

Sep 16 2010

Senator Warner today joined a bipartisan majority of the Senate in voting for passage of the Small Business Lending Act, legislation that includes his proposal to encourage additional credit to small businesses hurt by the credit crunch after the 2008 financial crisis. The legislation (HR 5297), which passed today 61-38, also includes several other incentives for small businesses to grow and hire new workers.

Sens. Warner, Webb announce $26 million in grants for rural broadband expansion

Grants will provide high-speed, affordable broadband and create jobs

Aug 19 2010

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Jim Webb announced today that Virginia has received a combined $26 million in federal grants for three regional projects that will expand rural broadband access, creating hundreds of jobs and providing a platform for additional economic activity and job creation. The U.S. Department of Commerce grants target rural and economically distressed areas with low rates of broadband accessibility.
The Defense Department has announced plans to shut-down one of its 10 major military commands. Defense Secretary Robert Gates wants to eliminate the Joint Forces Command, a Hampton Roads-based command which trains troops from different services to fight together.
"I can see no rational basis for dismantling JFCOM since its sole mission is to look for efficiencies and greater cost-savings by forcing more cooperation among sometimes competing military services," Senator Warner said in response to news that the Defense Department has announced plans to shut-down the Joint Forces Command, a Hampton Roads-based command which trains troops from different services to fight together.

U.S. Sen Warner: Army accepts pro-bono I-T assistance for Arlington National Cemetery from Northern Va. Technology Council

NVTC to assess I-T challenges at Arlington, digitize and protect paper records

Aug 06 2010

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner announced today that the Army has accepted an offer from the Northern Virginia Technology Council to assess the information technology challenges at Arlington National Cemetery, where the continued use of paper records has been tied to the recent disclosure of misidentified and misplaced remains. In addition, NVTC members will immediately work to digitize the paper records and maps to protect these fragile records from damage or loss.
The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs today passed S. 1619, the Livable Communities Act, which included two important amendments proposed by Senator Warner. The bill represents a coordinated effort of the Department of Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to better plan for future community growth while encouraging affordable housing, more accessible transit options and reduced energy use.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner issued the following statement today regarding this week’s U.S. Senate vote to fund a national settlement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and thousands of African-American farmers who settled their discrimination law suit against the USDA in 1999.

Webb, Warner and Boucher announce $1.2 million investment

In nursing, technological education in Southwest Virginia

Jul 30 2010

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner today announced that a network of three community colleges will share a $1.2 million federal grant to provide nursing education in new technologies to nursing students in Southwest Virginia. Virginia Highlands Community College (VHCC) in Abingdon is leading the consortium, called the Virginia Appalachian Tricollege Nursing Program (VATNP), which also includes Southwest Virginia Community College (SVCC) and Mountain Empire Community College (MECC). The grant money will be used to strengthen the education and preparation of the nursing workforce in Southwest Virginia leading to higher quality care for the medically underserved population of the rural Appalachia.

Sens. Webb, Warner Question Renovation Plans for Roanoke VA Regional Office

Suggest a new facility would better serve area veterans

Jul 29 2010

Washington, DC—Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner today sent a letter requesting Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and General Services Administrator Martha Johnson re-evaluate plans to renovate the Roanoke Veterans Affairs Regional Office (VARO). The renovations, as currently planned, would likely exacerbate the VARO’s high backlog rate without solving some of its major infrastructure needs.

Sens. Webb and Warner announce $5.5 million in transportation grants to seven Va. regional airports

Grants will extend or repave runways, purchase snow removal and other safety equipment

Jul 29 2010

WASHINGTON -- Sens. Jim Webb (D-VA) and Mark Warner (D-VA) announced today that Virginia has received nearly $5.5 million in grants to upgrade runways and purchase safety equipment at seven regional airports in Virginia. The U.S. Department of Transportation grants are for use in projects intended to enhance safety and bring airports up to Federal Aviation Administration standards. The projects include renovating runways and, in some cases, purchasing new firefighting or snow removal equipment.

Sens. Warner, Klobuchar, LeMieux win support for measure to boost US innovation, economic competitiveness

Amendment to COMPETES Act requires 10-year competitiveness plan

Jul 22 2010

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and George LeMieux (R-FL) successfully amended the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 during today’s Senate Commerce Committee meeting to include an amendment that will promote long-term job growth and boost the economic competitiveness of the United States. The amendment also is co-sponsored by Senators Tom Udall (D-NM) and Mark Begich (D-AK).
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined President Obama and other Congressional leaders today at the bill signing ceremony for historic financial regulatory reform legislation he helped craft as a member of the Senate Banking Committee. The new law, which comes almost two years after the nation’s financial system almost collapsed, has been described as the most ambitious overhaul of financial regulation in a generation.
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner today announced that a network of community colleges, workforce investment boards and health care providers in 29 western Virginia localities will share a $4.7 million federal grant to provide job training in health care information technology. Virginia Highlands Community College in Abingdon is leading this regional effort, called the Western Virginia Health Information Technology Education (HITE) Initiative. The program will create and or expand regional training programs to provide Virginians with skills and the required credentials to be able to work in the health care industry’s transition to electronic medical records.

Senator Warner To Lead National Initiative to Enlist Business Community In Volunteer Service

Billion + Change offers opportunities for employers, employees to serve their communities

Jun 28 2010

NEW YORK – U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today challenged America’s business leaders to become engaged in a more significant and structured way in supporting community service by their employees. Senator Warner, who has been active in non-profit and community service programs for more than 20 years, has agreed to lead the Billion + Change initiative created by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner today announced that the State of Virginia has been awarded $1,498,683 from the U.S. Department of Labor for on-the-job training programs to help Virginians get back to work. The funding is made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, supported by both senators.

Warner works for solutions to IT challenges at Arlington National Cemetery

~ Va. Senator receives Army briefing on cemetery mismanagement ~

Jun 24 2010

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) was briefed today by U.S. Army officials on the results of their investigation into chronic problems at Virginia’s Arlington National Cemetery and pledged to work to help correct many of systemic mismanagement issues at the cemetery, including its failure to incorporate modern information technology.