WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement regarding key health and climate provisions from the Inflation Reduction Act —legislation the senators helped pass in August to help Virginia lower drug and energy costs, imrove access to health care, and tackle cllimate change—that will go into effect on January 1, 2023:

“This year, we were proud to have helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, historic legislation that will lower costs for Virginians while also tackling climate change, which is wreaking havoc on Virginia communities. We are thrilled that essential pieces of this law will go into effect on January 1 to help bring down health and long-term energy bills for families across the Commonwealth, by increasing access to affordable health care and helping Virginians diversify their energy sources.”

Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act to lower prescription drug costs, help more seniors and low-income Virginians get access to the vaccines they need to stay healthy, and help more Virginians get health care coverage:

On January 1, 2023:

• Penalties on drug manufacturers that increase prices: Starting in 2023, manufacturers will be required to keep the increase in the cost of their drugs at or below inflation.
• Free vaccines for Medicare recipients: Starting in 2023, people with Medicare will not have to pay to receive vaccines under Medicare Part D, which includes vaccines for shingles, HPV, MMR, diphtheria, and pertussis. 4.1 million people with Medicare received a vaccine under Medicare Part D in 2020, including 85,000 Virginians.
• A $35 cap on the cost of insulin: Starting in 2023, out-of-pocket costs for insulin—regardless of how much a patient needs—will be capped at $35 per month under Medicare. As of 2020, over 74,000 Virginians with Medicare Part D used insulin and paid, on average, approximately $51 per month out-of-pocket to purchase the drug. Some people are currently paying up to $900 a month for the insulin they need to stay alive.
• Extension of ACA subsidies: During the pandemic, Congress enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to help lower health care premiums for millions of Americans. Beginning on January 1, the Inflation Reduction Act will extend these enhanced subsidies through 2025 to help make Virginians’ health insurance more affordable. Over 300,000 Virginians were covered by the ACA in 2022.

On April 1, 2023:

• Limits to inflation effects on certain drugs: Starting April 1, 2023, people with Medicare may pay a lower coinsurance for some Part B drugs if the drug’s price increased faster than the rate of inflation.

On October 1, 2023:

• Free vaccines for Medicaid recipients: Medicaid and CHIP will cover vaccines for all Medicaid-covered adults. Currently, vaccine coverage is optional for states.

Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act that kick in on January 1, 2023 to address climate change by helping cut dangerous pollution across Virginia:

• Boosts to clean energy investments: An expanded tax credit for clean energy manufacturers will incentivize investment in and production of renewable energy technologies like solar power and offshore wind. $4 billion of these investments have been reserved exclusively for use in coal communities. All clean energy tax credits include a bonus for meeting domestic manufacturing requirements related to steel, iron, or other manufactured components.
• Improvements to Home Energy Efficiency: Homeowners will be able to receive up to 30 percent back through tax credits for making energy efficiency improvements to their home—generally up to a maximum of $1,200 per year but potentially up to $3,200 if improvements include heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, or biomass stoves.
• Increased Access to Electric Vehicles: Qualified individuals will get up to a $7,500 consumer credit for the purchase of new electric vehicles. Incentives will also go into place to help ensure those vehicles are produced in North America. Qualified individuals will also be able to receive a tax credit of up to $4,000 for certain used electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids purchased through a dealership. In order to qualify for the full value of the credit, the vehicle must: have a battery capacity of at least 7kW hours; generally be a model at least two years old; and be sold by a participating dealer that is licensed in the jurisdiction. For new vehicles, eligible taxpayers include single filers with incomes under $150,000 annually and households with joint incomes under $300,000 annually if the head of household earns under $225,000 annually. The vehicle’s price is limited to $55,000 for compact vehicles and $80,000 for SUVs, vans, and pick-ups. For used EVs, single filers must have an income under $75,000 annually or $150,000 as a household, as long as the head of household makes under $112,500 annually. The used vehicle’s price is limited to $25,000.

###

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced that they successfully secured over $200 million in federal funding for Virginia in the newly released text of the government funding bills for Fiscal Year 2023. The bills are expected to be passed by the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives and then signed by President Joe Biden.  

“This bill funds critical national priorities, including health care, education, scientific research and veterans services. It builds on the important progress Congress has made this year to lower costs, fight gun violence, and create good-paying jobs here in the U.S.,” said Sen. Warner. “I’m especially proud that we secured $200 million in funding for key projects all over Virginia.”

“Our annual budget has always been an opportunity to secure resources for Virginia priorities, and the budget text released yesterday shows that we are on track to do the same again this year,” said Sen. Kaine. “This budget will raise pay for servicemembers, support pediatric disease research, expand internet access, and help our communities stay healthier and safer from gun violence. It will also bring over $200 million back home to Virginia to support essential local projects for everything from improving our water treatment facilities and roads to putting public transportation and substance abuse treatment within reach for more Virginians. The time is now to get this bill across the finish line and signed into law.” 

As part of last year’s budget process, the Senate restarted a process that allows members of Congress to work with the communities they represent to request funding for local community projects, otherwise known as earmarks, in a manner that promotes transparency and accountability. This process allows Congress to dedicate federal funding for specific projects.

Through strong advocacy, the senators secured funding in the budget bills for the following projects in Virginia: 

• For projects in Northern Virginia, click here.
• For projects in Central Virginia, click here.
• For projects in Southwest Virginia and Southside, click here.
• For projects in the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
• For projects in Hampton Roads, here.
• For projects that impact communities in multiple regions across the Commonwealth,? here.

In addition, the budget bills include funding for the following Warner and Kaine priorities: 

Investing in Kids: Provides $8 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), which provides financial assistance to help low-income families access child care. This is $1.85 billion more than Fiscal Year 2022, representing a 30 percent increase in funding for the program. The bill also includes $11.996 billion, $960 million more than Fiscal Year 2022, for Head Start, the national school readiness program. Last year, Virginia received more than $120 million through the CCDBG program, and Virginia’s Head Start programs served 15,000 vulnerable children and their families. Increasing funding for the CCDBG program is a core tenant of Sen. Kaine’s child care and early childhood education proposal to expand the supply of quality child care facilities, increase child care and Head Start teacher wages, and lower child care costs for families across the country.   

Addressing Americans’ Mental Health Needs: Expands the number of mental health care options available for seniors by ensuring seniors can access marriage and family therapists and licensed professional counselors under Medicare for the first time. This expansion is based on a bill Sen. Kaine cosponsored, the Mental Health Access Improvement Act. The budget also includes Sen. Kaine’s bipartisan Investing in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Act, legislation to support children’s access to mental health care by providing grants to human service agencies or non-profits to develop, maintain, or enhance early intervention mental health programs for children from 0 to 12 years of age. 

Increasing Access to Affordable Housing:  Includes $1.5 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which will lead to the construction of 10,000 housing units nationally; $3.3 billion for the Community Development Block Grant program, which cities and counties can use to build affordable housing or for economic and community development projects that benefit low- and moderate-income housing; funding for 11,700 new housing choice vouchers; and dedicated funding to address homelessness, housing for the disabled, and housing for older Americans, among other investments. The budget also establishes a new $85 million competitive grant fund for localities looking to increase housing construction. 

Increasing Military Pay and Compensation:?Includes $1.5 billion to fully fund a 4.6 percent pay raise for servicemembers that Sen. Kaine helped authorize as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which writes the annual National Defense Authorization Act. Also includes $515 million towards military family support programs. Sen. Warner, who pushed for this funding, has long stressed the need for increased support for servicemembers through legislation such as the?Military Hunger Prevention Act?that helps low-income military families put food on the table and through a number of provisions in this year’s defense bill.

Making Our Communities Safer:?Provides $50 million for Community Violence Prevention grants to support communities in developing comprehensive, evidence-based violence intervention and prevention programs, including efforts to address gang and gun violence through partnerships between community residents, law enforcement, local government agencies, and other community stakeholders. The bill also includes $45 million in funding to a Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to train police officers in de-escalation, implicit bias, and preventing unlawful force. This funding will also go towards strengthening crisis intervention teams by embedding mental and behavioral health professionals alongside law enforcement officers. Finally, the bill includes $125 million for anti-recidivism programs, helping formally incarcerated individuals re-integrate peacefully into society.

Supporting America’s Veterans: Provides $5 billion to implement the Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which Sens. Warner and Kaine successfully pushed to pass earlier this year. This legislation expanded health care services and benefits to veterans with conditions related to toxic exposure during their service. The budget also includes $118.7 billion for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical care and $2.7 billion to support critical services and housing assistance for veterans and their families experiencing housing insecurity. 

Expanding High-Speed Internet Access: Includes $364 million for the USDA’s ReConnect Program to expand access to high-speed broadband to remote underserved areas. As governors and senators, Warner and Kaine have long supported expanding broadband access in Virginia. During the pandemic, they secured significant funding for broadband through the?Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Sens. Warner and Kaine also joined a bipartisan letter to Senate leadership requesting this funding earlier this year. Sen. Warner also personally secured billions of dollars for broadband expansion in both the?American Rescue Plan?and the?Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. 

Strengthening the Prescription Drug Pipeline: Includes bipartisan provisions championed by Kaine to strengthen the pipeline and increase transparency for critical medicines, which would lower costs and make it easier for physicians and patients to plan for the future. Sen. Kaine first outlined these steps in two bipartisan bills, the Interchangeable Biologics Clarity Act and the Biologics Market Transparency Act.  

Boosting Local Economies:?Includes $200 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission and $20 million—an increase of $15 million compared to last year’s budget—for the Southwest Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) to support their work to build economic partnerships, create opportunity, and foster economic development. Sens. Kaine and Warner, along with the late Representative A. Donald McEachin, led the push to increase SCRC funding. 

Restoring the Chesapeake Bay: Includes $92 million for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Program, which is the leading federal program that coordinates restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Expanding Defense Workforce Training: Includes $830.2 million for the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) Program Office, which funds a range of efforts at the Department of Defense to support the defense industrial base, including a pilot program in Danville which is currently training students in machining, welding, metrology and manufacturing for jobs in shipbuilding.

Boosting Scientific Research and Innovation: Includes $1.8 billion in funding to help implement the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Sens. Warner and Kaine led efforts in the Senate to secure funding from the legislation for Virginia, noting in a letter to the Department of Commerce that Virginia has a leading technology workforce and semiconductor manufacturing presence, making the Commonwealth an ideal location for future federal investments in semiconductor research and manufacturing. 

Making Higher Education More Affordable: Provides a $500 boost or 7.2 percent increase to the maximum Pell Grant in the 2023-2024 school year, raising the maximum award to $7,395. This is the largest increase in the maximum Pell grant award since the 2009-10 school year and further builds off the $400 increase provided last year. The omnibus also includes $1 billion, an increase of $137 million or 15 percent, for programs to strengthen Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions.

Addressing the Opioid Epidemic: Includes the Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NOPAIN) Act, legislation Warner and Kaine cosponsored to reduce barriers to non-opioid pain management for those enrolled in Medicare. The budget also includes the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act, legislation Sen. Kaine cosponsored to reduce barriers to accessing medication-assisted treatment for individuals living with substance use disorders.

Fighting Eating Disorders: The bill includes the Anna Westin Legacy Act, legislation cosponsored by Warner to help those affected by eating disorders through improved health care professional training and clarity of mental health parity.

Supporting the Direct Care and Family Caregiver Workforce: Includes $2 million for a project to identify new strategies to attract and retain a qualified direct care workforce. A similar provision was included in Sen. Kaine’s Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act, legislation designed to address direct care and family caregiver workforce shortages. 

Addressing Americans’ Long COVID Needs:?Includes $10 million for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to provide the research needed to ensure those experiencing Long COVID have access to the patient-centered, coordinated care they need. This effort was first outlined in Sen. Kaine’s?CARE for Long COVID Act. 

Extending Telehealth Access: Extends COVID-19-related telehealth flexibilities for two full years, through 2024, drawing on legislation introduced by Warner and cosponsored by Kaine to allow more Americans to utilize telehealth services and expand the types of health care providers eligible to offer telemedicine.

Keeping Kids Healthy: Extends the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides low- and no-cost health coverage for thousands of low-income children in Virginia, for an additional two years.

Improving Cybersecurity in Health Care: Includes several provisions addressing cybersecurity vulnerabilities across the health care sector. Last month, Sen. Warner released a policy options paper outlining current cybersecurity threats facing health care providers and systems and offering a series of policy solutions to improve cybersecurity across the industry, several of which were included in the bill.

Supporting Miners Suffering from Black Lung Disease: Includes $12.19 million for Black Lung Clinics. Warner and Kaine have actively worked to secure benefits for miners and their families suffering from black lung disease. In August, the?Inflation Reduction Act,?supported by both Sens. Warner and Kaine, permanently extended the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund excise tax at a higher rate, providing more certainty for miners, miner retirees, and their families who rely on the fund to access benefits. 

Improving Access to Lifesaving Drugs: Includes significant improvements to the Food and Drug Administration’s Accelerated Approval Pathway, an important regulatory mechanism that provides early access to treatments and cures for patients with serious and life-threatening conditions. Sen. Kaine has long advocated for these improvements, which he outlined in his bipartisan Modernizing Accelerated Approvals Act.    

Funding for Pediatric Cancer Research:?Provides $12.6 million to fund childhood cancer research through the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act—legislation?championed?by Sens. Warner and Kaine and named after a child from Loudoun County who died from a brain tumor in 2013.

Supporting Hospital-Based Nurse Training Programs: Includes a technical correction to protect funding for programs that train nurses and other allied health professionals at hospital-based nursing programs across the country. This provision is based on the Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act, legislation Sen. Kaine cosponsored. 

Addressing Physician Shortages: Provides for the distribution of 200 additional Medicare-funded graduate medical education (GME) residency positions, with 100 slots specifically dedicated to increasing the number of mental health residencies. Sen. Kaine has long-supported expansion of GME residency positions and is a cosponsor of the Physician Shortage Reduction Act to do so.

Supporting Rural Hospitals: Includes a two-year extension for Medicare payment programs that are vital to rural hospitals: the Medicare Dependent Hospital program and the Low Volume Adjustment Hospital program. Sen. Kaine cosponsored legislation in support of this action, the Rural Hospital Support Act. The budget also includes $5 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to establish an Office of Rural Health, a step first outlined in the Rural Health Equity Act, which was led by the late Congressman A. Donald McEachin in the U.S. House of Representatives and cosponsored by Sen. Kaine in the Senate.  

Fighting Global Hunger:? Includes over $2 billion in international food aid and to promote U.S. agricultural exports overseas. This funding is critical to combatting global hunger and malnutrition. This funding follows?Sen. Kaine’s work to highlight and address the threat Russia’s invasion of Ukraine poses to food security around the world, and?Warner’s support for non-governmental organizations responding to the food crisis. It also includes $154 billion—an increase of $13.4 billion compared to last year’s budget—for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps. Last year, 756,600 Virginians, or 9 percent of Virginia’s population, relied on food stamps.

Fighting Pandemics and Promoting Access to Medical Countermeasures: Includes provisions from Sen. Kaine’s bipartisan bill, the Promoting Access to Critical Countermeasures by Ensuring Specimen Samples (ACCESS) to Diagnostics Act, to support quicker research and development of medical countermeasures to disease outbreaks and pandemics, including diagnostic tests, vaccines, and therapeutics, in response to emerging infectious diseases. The budget also includes $10.56 billion—a $731 million increase compared to last year’s budget—to support global health and vaccination efforts worldwide. This funding is critical to protecting Virginians from the impacts of disease outbreaks around the world. 

Modernizing America’s Health Data Infrastructure:?Includes $175 million—an increase of $75 million compared to last year’s budget—to modernize the public health data systems that help support healthy communities throughout America and Virginia. Also included are provisions from Sen. Kaine’s?Improving Data Accessibility Through Advancements (DATA) in Public Health Act to increase timely and accurate information sharing between local, state, and federal public health departments to improve preparedness for emerging public health threats and create a grant program to strengthen the quality and completeness of demographic data collection used by public health entities. 

Strengthening Transportation and Recreation Infrastructure:?Provides $150 million for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, in addition to $45 million for the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program, which will support multi-purpose trails across Virginia. 

Supporting Key Missing Persons Program: Includes $1 million to help with the nationwide implementation of the Ashanti Alert system. In 2018, Sen. Warner secured?unanimous Senate passage?of the Ashanti Alert Act, legislation that created a new federal alert system for missing or endangered adults between the ages of 18-64.?The bill was signed into law on December 31, 2018. 

Supporting Economic Growth for Underserved Communities:?Provides $324 million for the U.S. Department of the Treasury Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund, which supports businesses’ economic growth in underserved communities. The successful push by Sens. Warner and Kaine follows Sen. Warner’s efforts to support CDFIs through legislation including the?Jobs and Neighborhood Investment Act?and the creation of the bipartisan?Senate Community Development Finance Caucus. 

Protecting Democracy:  Includes provisions to ensure that electoral votes tallied by Congress accurately reflect each state’s vote for president and provides specific guidelines for the point at which candidates elected president and vice president can receive the resources provided for their transition into office. Sens. Warner and Kaine have long called for legislation to safeguard future elections, and Sen. Warner was among the bipartisan group of senators who negotiated these proposals.

Assisting Ukraine in the Fight Against Russia’s Illegal Invasion: Provides $44.9 billion in emergency assistance to support the Ukrainian people, to strengthen our NATO allies, and to defend global democracy in response to Russian aggression.  

Supporting Our Afghan Allies: Provides funding to help eliminate processing backlogs and expedite adjudications of Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) cases. Virginia is home to one of the largest Afghan diaspora populations in the United States and led the U.S. in resettling Afghan allies following the U.S. withdrawal.  

Supporting Order and Safety at Our Border: Includes funding to support 19,855 Border Patrol agents, 300 more agents compared to last year’s budget, in addition to $800 million to support Customs and Border Patrol’s management of migrant processing facilities. The budget also provides resources for various programs to help improve the conditions that drive migration from Central America, including programs focused on counter-narcotics efforts and economic development. As Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Kaine has long advocated for efforts to address the root causes of migration. 

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today wrote the Youngkin administration expressing concerns with the deployment of the Ashanti Alert, which provides rapid dissemination of information to law enforcement agencies, media, and the public about adults who have been reported missing, along with suspect information in cases of suspected abduction.

“Since the enactment of the state law in 2018, there have been eight Ashanti Alerts issued in Virginia. Data provided by the Virginia State Police (VSP) indicates that, of the eight alerts, three victims were safely located, three victims were found murdered, and two victims are currently unaccounted for. Based on these results, I am deeply concerned that the Ashanti Alert, as currently implemented, is not living up to its full potential,” Sen. Warner wrote. 

“The story of Marie Covington underscores this concern. Ms. Covington was last seen on August 17, 2022 at 9:57pm and was reported missing to Virginia Beach Police (VBP) by her family on August 18, 2022 at 10:25pm. Despite Covington’s disappearance meeting the activation criteria, VSP did not issue an Ashanti Alert until August 20, 2022 at 9:50pm – two days after she was reported missing. In that time period, police had already located her car, which was driven by the individual who was later arrested for her murder. The Ashanti Alert was issued only two hours before she was found deceased,” he continued. “The Ashanti Alert program was created to facilitate cooperation and improve communication between public safety entities, with the ultimate goal of saving the lives of endangered individuals. To that end, it is imperative that Ashanti Alerts in Virginia be issued promptly to maximize their effectiveness and serve their purpose.”

In order to ensure proper use of the alert, Sen. Warner requested answers to the following questions:

1. What proportion of missing persons cases result in the issuance of an Ashanti Alert?
2. In a specific case, who is responsible for making the determination that “abduction poses a credible threat,” as required by the Ashanti Alert program?
   1. What policies govern the substance of this determination?
   2. What policies govern the timing of this determination?
   3. Were these policies revised as a result of the delay in the Covington case?
3. Why was an Ashanti Alert not issued in the Covington case until two days after Marie Covington was reported missing?
4. In the seven cases for which we do not have data, how much time elapsed between the missing person report and the issuance of an Ashanti Alert?
5. Who has general oversight authority over the implementation of the Ashanti Alert law?
   1. If there is no state official with this authority, why not?

Sen. Warner secured unanimous passage of the Ashanti Alert Act through the Senate on December 6, 2018 and the bill was signed into law on December 31, 2018. Since its implementation, Sen. Warner has consistently secured $1 million annually in government spending to support states who chose to implement an Ashanti Alert system. This funding is included in the Fiscal Year 2023 government spending bill that is being considered in the Senate.

A copy of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Governor Youngkin,

I write to you today regarding the execution of the Ashanti Alert program in the Commonwealth.

As you may be aware, in 2018, Virginia enacted the Critically Missing Adult Alert Plan, also known as the Ashanti Alert, following the tragic death of Ashanti Billie, a 19-year-old who was abducted in Norfolk, Virginia and whose body was discovered 11 days after she was first reported missing. Because Ashanti was too old for an Amber Alert to be issued and no similar network for adults existed at the time, her parents, family, and friends struggled to get word out of her disappearance in a timely fashion.

In the Senate, I was proud to champion the bipartisan passage of the federal Ashanti Alert Act and have subsequently secured federal funding for its implementation every year since its enactment. Today, almost half of all states have a similar alert system that meets the requirements of the federal Ashanti Alert program.

Since the enactment of the state law in 2018, there have been eight Ashanti Alerts issued in Virginia. Data provided by the Virginia State Police (VSP) indicates that, of the eight alerts, three victims were safely located, three victims were found murdered, and two victims are currently unaccounted for. Based on these results, I am deeply concerned that the Ashanti Alert, as currently implemented, is not living up to its full potential.

The story of Marie Covington underscores this concern. Ms. Covington was last seen on August 17, 2022 at 9:57pm and was reported missing to Virginia Beach Police (VBP) by her family on August 18, 2022 at 10:25pm. Despite Covington’s disappearance meeting the activation criteria, VSP did not issue an Ashanti Alert until August 20, 2022 at 9:50pm – two days after she was reported missing. In that time period, police had already located her car, which was driven by the individual who was later arrested for her murder. The Ashanti Alert was issued only two hours before she was found deceased.

I know you share my goal of ensuring that we do everything in our power to make sure missing persons in Virginia are returned home safely. To that end, I am seeking the following information from your office:

1. What proportion of missing persons cases result in the issuance of an Ashanti Alert?
2. In a specific case, who is responsible for making the determination that “abduction poses a credible threat,” as required by the Ashanti Alert program?
   1. What policies govern the substance of this determination?
   2. What policies govern the timing of this determination?
   3. Were these policies revised as a result of the delay in the Covington case?
3. Why was an Ashanti Alert not issued in the Covington case until two days after Marie Covington was reported missing?
4. In the seven cases for which we do not have data, how much time elapsed between the missing person report and the issuance of an Ashanti Alert?
5. Who has general oversight authority over the implementation of the Ashanti Alert law?
   1. If there is no state official with this authority, why not?

The Ashanti Alert program was created to facilitate cooperation and improve communication between public safety entities, with the ultimate goal of saving the lives of endangered individuals. To that end, it is imperative that Ashanti Alerts in Virginia be issued promptly to maximize their effectiveness and serve their purpose. Thus, I seek your cooperation and that of relevant state agencies and stakeholders in ensuring that the Ashanti Alert program succeeds in preventing future tragedies and protecting the safety of Americans.

###

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that Epic Games, Inc. – the creator of the popular video game Fortnite – would pay $520 million over allegations the company violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and deployed design tricks, known as dark patterns, to dupe millions of players into making unintentional purchases:

“I’m glad to see the FTC cracking down on the use of manipulative dark patterns against children. Companies and platforms that cater to young people have a responsibility to protect their users — not to target them with deceptive interfaces that manipulate them into ceding their personal information or making unwanted purchases. I will continue working to pass my DETOUR Act in order to establish greater safeguards for users of all ages.”

Sen. Warner has been a leader in Congress pushing for increased transparency and protections surrounding user data and privacy. His legislation, the DETOUR Act, would prohibit companies from using deceptive dark patterns to manipulate users into handing over their data. 

###

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $25,000,000 in federal funding for the expansion of I-64 in New Kent County. Awarded through the Department of Rural Surface Transportation Grant program (RURAL), this funding will add a third lane to I-64 in each direction, widen shoulders, add rumble strips and wider and flatter clear zones for an approximately 10-mile segment in New Kent County.

“This substantial investment for improvements to I-64 will make the highway safer, easier to travel, and help connect our rural communities,” the Senators said. “We see this grant as a sign of progress toward fulfilling the administration’s commitment to closing the I-64 gap by adding a third lane all the way from Hampton Roads to Richmond, but more work remains. We are glad to see the bipartisan infrastructure law continue to deliver funding that will help improve and ease the stress on Virginia’s highway system.”

Sens. Warner and Kaine have consistently pushed for infrastructure funding for Virginia to help fund much-needed improvement projects across the Commonwealth. As part of the bipartisan infrastructure law Sen. Warner helped negotiate and Sen. Kaine supported, the Department of Transportation’s RURAL grant program was created to provide funds that paved the way for investments in highway infrastructure throughout Virginia and the country. In May, Sen. Kaine led a push that Sen. Warner joined to urge the U.S. Department of Transportation to make investments to reduce congestion in the I-64 corridor between Richmond and Hampton Roads.

###

* High-quality photographs of Sen. Mark R. Warner are available for download here *

Photos may be used online and in print, and can be attributed to ‘The Office of Sen. Mark R. Warner’

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today applauded Senate passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the country’s annual defense bill.

“As the Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I am keenly aware of the importance of the National Defense Authorization Act. I’m proud to have voted to pass legislation that will boost our national security by providing support for our servicemembers and their families, investing in projects that increase military readiness, and supporting critical jobs in Virginia while reinforcing our commitment to Ukraine’s fight against authoritarian brutality. I look forward to President Biden signing this legislation quickly,” said Sen. Warner.

The package provides $857.9 billion in funding for our nation’s defense, and includes a number of Warner-championed provisions that would:

• Help provide better housing support for servicemembers and their families. These provisions direct DoD to reevaluate methodologies for calculating the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) to better reflect servicemembers’ housing needs, and look at barriers to home ownership that are unique to members of the military. These provisions are based on two Warner-sponsored bills, the BAH Calculation Improvement Act and the Increasing Home Ownership for Servicemembers Act.

• Authorize more than $285 million in funding for 14 military construction projects in Virginia, including in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Dahlgren, Newport News, Ft. Belvoir, Langley, and at the Pentagon:
  • $125 million for Submarine Pier 3 at Naval Station Norfolk.
  • $47.72 million for a Dry Dock Saltwater System for CVN-78 at Norfolk Naval Shipyard.
  • $26.6 million for a SOF (Special Forces) operations building addition at Dam Neck.
  • $19 million for a primary distribution substation at Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads.
  • $18 million for a commercial vehicle inspection facility at the Pentagon.
  • $16.86 million for submarine logistics support facilities at Naval Station Norfolk.
  • $10.5 million for Langley AFB for Air Force Reserve construction and land acquisition projects.
  • $10.4 million for G/ATOR (Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar) support facilities at Dam Neck.
  • $10 million to support research and development of advanced fuels to support future DOD energy requirements. This development would happen at BWXT in Lynchburg, cementing Lynchburg’s leadership as a center for innovation.
  • $3.4 million for backup power generation at Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads.
  • $2.5 million for electrical substation upgrades at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division.
  • $2.3 million for Child Development Center planning and development at Naval Station Norfolk.
  • $1.23 million for Weapons Integration and Test Campus planning and development at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division.
  • $1.1 million for a secondary cooling system at NCE Springfield at Fort Belvoir.

• Accelerate the construction of two new Child Development Centers in Hampton Roads to help provide critical child care for infants and children on installations. This provision mirrors a Congressionally Directed Spending request made by Sen. Warner to help address the larger challenges military families face with the supply of available child care.

• Accelerate the construction of two new Child Development Centers in Hampton Roads to help provide critical child care for infants and children on installations. This provision mirrors a Congressionally Directed Spending request made by Sen. Warner to help address the larger challenges military families face with the supply of available child care.

• Overhaul how the military understands and studies food insecurity among members of in the military. The provision – based on an amendment led in the Senate by Sen. Warner – will improve how the military collects data and analyzes rates of food insecurity among servicemembers and their families, to better measure and more effectively address the concerning issue of food insecurity in the military.

• Support the critical work of the U.S. Intelligence Community by including the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (IAA). The IAA allocates funding, provides legal authorities, and enhances congressional oversight of the Intelligence Community.

• Bring federal data collection into the 21^st century and boost financial transparency by modernizing data collection by the federal financial regulators. This provision is based on Sen. Warner’s Financial Data Transparency Act, which requires these regulators to develop common data formatting standards that promote the usability and organization of financial data they already collect from regulated institutions – rules that will make data easier for the public to use and for agencies to process.

The bill also includes a number of other crucial measures supported by Sen. Warner.

To support investments in our nation’s defense and diplomatic capabilities, this bill would:

• Support Navy shipbuilding with $32.6 billion in funding for the procurement of 11 battle force ships, including full funding for the Columbia-class submarine program and for the procurement of two Virginia-class submarines. The bill also would reverse plans for the early retirement of 12 vessels in the coming year. The legislation also guarantees a minimum of 31 operational amphibious warfare ships for the Navy and Marine Corps.

• Support the critical work of the U.S. State Department by advancing funding and a range of provisions vital to supporting our nation’s diplomatic efforts the men and women who work tirelessly to advance those around the world.

• Support the work of the U.S. Coast Guard with more than $28 billion in funding.

• Authorize nearly $132 million for defense research activities at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions. Last year, Sen. Warner successfully led an effort in the NDAA to better position HBCUs and MSIs to compete for federal research dollars.

For members of the military and their families, this bill would:

• Authorize a 4.6 percent pay raise to servicemembers and Department of Defense (DoD) civilians.

• Take steps to address the suicide and mental health crisis in the military by directing DoD to undertake more detailed research into mental health and rates of suicide. This provision seeks to provide a better understanding of the different ramifications across military career fields. It also directs an Inspector General review of efforts by the Navy to prevent and respond to suicides in light of deaths in the Hampton Roads region and elsewhere.

• Make historic reforms to the military justice system’s handling of certain offenses, including sexual assaults. Following years of tireless effort by advocates, this bill would remove commanders from all prosecutorial and judicial functions for a range of covered offenses. Sen. Warner is a proud sponsor of Sen. Gillibrand’s Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act of 2021, which, combined with bipartisan efforts across both Chambers this year, formed the foundation for these reforms.

• Tackle issues with military housing by:
  • Extending DoD’s authority to raise the Basic Allowance for Housing for military families living in higher-cost areas of the country.
  • Improving oversight over military housing issues and codifying the position of Chief Housing Officer. Sen. Warner has pushed to have a single, designated lead for housing at DoD to improve accountability to residents as well as Congress, and to promote and increase coordination.
  • Requiring the Secretary of Defense to implement health-related recommendations made by the Department’s Inspector General related to privatized military housing.

• Tackle food insecurity by:
  • Expanding eligibility for the Basic Needs Allowance to help ensure that all men and women in uniform and their families have the basic necessities they need. The Basic Needs Allowance was created through the Warner-sponsored Military Hunger Prevention Act, and is aimed at combating disturbing rates of food insecurity in the military.
  • Creating a pilot program to better address rates of food insecurity among veterans. This provision would offer grant funding to organizations that are actively working to address this challenge.
  • Adding $210 million in authorized funding for the military’s commissary system to help support food access for servicemembers and their families.

• Increase access to timely child care for military families who undergo a permanent change of station by creating a pilot program to provide child care-related reimbursement to these families.

For the ongoing effort to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s authoritarianism, this bill would:

• Extend the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) – one of the main tools used by the U.S. in support of Ukraine’s defensive needs – and authorize $800 million for this program in the coming fiscal year.
• Authorize more than $6 billion to fully fund the European Deterrence Initiative.
• Hold Russia accountable for its atrocities by stating that the United States will collect, analyze, and preserve evidence related to Russian war crimes, and will assist in pursuing appropriate accountability for those responsible.

• Increase transparency and accountability by taking steps to ensure that Inspectors General are able to adequately conduct oversight of U.S. funding to ensure it is most effectively being applied in support of Ukraine’s efforts.
• Express the full commitment of the United States to NATO and to continuing Ukrainian assistance during Russia’s violent and illegal invasion.
• Authorize more than $2.7 billion for munitions production capacity, and direct an assessment of our defense industrial base’s capacity long-term.

To bolster our ability to compete in the 21^st century, this bill would:

• Continue to strengthen U.S.-India relations by directing the Departments of Defense and State to pursue greater engagement and expanded cooperation with India related to emerging technology, joint R&D, defense and cyber capabilities, and other opportunities for collaboration – including for reducing India’s reliance on Russian-built defense equipment. These provisions support an effort by Sen. Warner, co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, to highlight the importance of our defense partnership with India, and to support accelerated efforts by India to diversify defense systems.

• Better invest in emerging technologies by boosting funding for basic and applied research and development of advanced tech by $2.85 billion including the allocation of funding for research at Virginia-based institutions Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth University.

• Support the commercialization of critical capabilities by authorizing $300 million in funding for new bio-manufacturing facilities.
• Authorize an increase of $120 million for 5G technology R&D and transition support.

• Authorize an increase of $75 million for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as it looks to implement recommendations put forward by the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (AI). It would also authorize an increase of $50 million for AI at U.S. Cyber Command, and require more strategic, longer-term planning related to DoD’s efforts to rapidly adopt AI to relevant cyber missions.
• Support DARPA’s quantum computing activities with an increase of $20 million.
• Increase productivity and cooperation in microelectronics by establishing a working group of government, private sector, and academia experts to better enable coordination and consultation related to R&D and manufacturing.
• Support technology improvements and advancements in our military by requiring the DoD to report transition plans for 5-G communications infrastructure at all military installations as well as establish a consortium specifically for the purpose of studying cybersecurity problems within the DoD.  

###

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $940,732 in federal funding to help Virginians with disabilities access affordable housing. The funding is awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Mainstream Vouchers program, which is similar to other Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) but specifically helps people with disabilities between ages 18-62 access housing.

“Every Virginian, including those living with a disability, deserves a decent place to live,” said the Senators. “We’re glad this funding will help more Virginians find a safe place to call home.”

The funding is distributed as follows:

• $502,140 for the Virginia Housing Development Authority, which will be distributed across Virginia
• $228,485 for the Lynchburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority
• $174,521 for the Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority
• $35,586 for the People Inc. of Southwest Virginia in Abingdon

Sens. Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long worked to increase affordable housing in Virginia. In September, the senators announced over $4.2 million for affordable housing in the Commonwealth. In July, the Senators announced nearly $800,000 to help Virginians with disabilities access affordable housing. They’ve introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close widening wealth and homeownership gaps.

###

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, issued the following statement applauding last night’s unanimous Senate passage of legislation Sen. Kaine led to recognize and reaffirm the significant contributions of the African diaspora to the growth and prosperity of the U.S. The passage of the bill—which was cosponsored by Sen. Warner and U.S. Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Chris Coons (D-DE)—came on the first day of the Biden-Harris Administration’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, which is being attended by African leaders from across the continent.

“Our Commonwealth and our country wouldn’t be what they are today without the African diaspora, which has made countless contributions to our communities despite extraordinary adversity,” said the Senators. “We are gratified by the passage of this legislation to acknowledge, appreciate, and celebrate this fast-growing and dynamic community, and will continue working to ensure that its members have a seat at the table to share their essential perspectives.”

Virginia is home to more than 115,000 African immigrants, thousands of whom are small- and medium-sized business owners who have helped bring more than $200 million in international trade to the state. The Virginia General Assembly passed a resolution to designate September as Virginia African Diaspora Heritage Month in March 2022.

Full text of the bill is available here.

###

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives voted to pass the Respect for Marriage Act, legislation that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and extend federal protections for gay and interracial marriages:

“We are glad to see the House of Representatives take the important step of passing the Respect for Marriage Act to guarantee that same-sex and interracial marriages are recognized across the country. Following decisions by the Supreme Court to overturn established precedent in rulings such as Dobbs, it is crucial that we sign this bill into law to ensure that the right of marriage is recognized across the nation for all Americans.

“This legislation is a first step. We must also act to ensure that same-sex and interracial couples are protected in the Commonwealth by repealing Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriages. As long as this ban is in place, too many Virginians stand to see one of their most fundamental rights dismantled should the Obergefell ruling be overturned.”  

In 2006, Virginia passed a ban on same-sex marriage which remains in the Virginia Constitution today. The Obergefell Supreme Court decision, which is currently the law of the land, overrides Virginia’s ban. However, if the Supreme Court overturns Obergefell, the right of LGBTQ Virginians to marry in the Commonwealth would be jeopardized unless that ban is repealed.

Sens. Warner and Kaine were among the 212 members of Congress who signed an amicus brief arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court that same-sex married couples should have the same legal security, rights, and responsibilities that federal law provides all other married couples. Sens. Warner and Kaine are also cosponsors of the Equality Act, which would amend federal civil rights laws to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in education, employment, housing, credit, and federal jury service.

The Respect for Marriage Act passed through the Senate last month by a vote of 61-36, with both Sens. Warner and Kaine supporting the legislation. It now heads to President Biden’s desk for signature.

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), today applauded the inclusion of a number of Virginia priorities in the draft of the nation’s annual defense bill that was announced late last night after weeks of talks between House and Senate negotiators. A full summary of the draft FY23 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is available here.

“As the Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I’m glad to see an agreement on draft legislation that will help bolster our military readiness, support critical Virginia jobs, tackle the needs of military families, and reinforce our commitment to Ukraine in its fight against authoritarianism. I look forward to considering this legislation in the Senate,” said Sen. Warner.

The proposal supports $857.9 billion in funding for our nation’s defense, and includes a number of Warner-championed provisions that would:

• Help provide better housing support for servicemembers and their families. These provisions direct DoD to reevaluate methodologies for calculating the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) to better reflect servicemembers’ housing needs, and look at barriers to home ownership that are unique to members of the military. These provisions are based on two Warner-sponsored bills, the BAH Calculation Improvement Act and the Increasing Home Ownership for Servicemembers Act.

• Authorize more than $285 million in funding for 14 military construction projects in Virginia, including in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Dahlgren, Newport News, Ft. Belvoir, Langley, and at the Pentagon.

• Accelerate the construction of two new Child Development Centers in Hampton Roads to help provide critical child care for infants and children on installations. This provision mirrors a Congressionally Directed Spending request made by Sen. Warner to help address the larger challenges military families face with the supply of available child care.

• Overhaul how the military understands and studies food insecurity among members of in the military. The provision – based on an amendment led in the Senate by Sen. Warner – will improve how the military collects data and analyzes rates of food insecurity among servicemembers and their families, to better measure and more effectively address the concerning issue of food insecurity in the military.

• Support the critical work of the U.S. Intelligence Community by including the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (IAA). The IAA allocates funding, provides legal authorities, and enhances congressional oversight of the Intelligence Community.

• Bring federal data collection into the 21^st century and boost financial transparency by modernizing data collection by the federal financial regulators. This provision is based on Sen. Warner’s Financial Data Transparency Act, which requires these regulators to develop common data formatting standards that promote the usability and organization of financial data they already collect from regulated institutions – rules that will make data easier for the public to use and for agencies to process.

The bill also includes a number of other crucial measures supported by Sen. Warner.

To support investments in our nation’s defense and diplomatic capabilities, this bill would:

• Support Navy shipbuilding with $32.6 billion in funding for the procurement of 11 battle force ships, including full funding for the Columbia-class submarine program and for the procurement of two Virginia-class submarines. The bill also would reverse plans for the early retirement of 12 vessels in the coming year.

• Support the critical work of the U.S. State Department by advancing funding and a range of provisions vital to supporting our nation’s diplomatic efforts the men and women who work tirelessly to advance those around the world.

• Support the work of the U.S. Coast Guard with more than $28 billion in funding.
• Authorize nearly $132 million for defense research activities at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions. Last year, Sen. Warner successfully led an effort in the NDAA to better position HBCUs and MSIs to compete for federal research dollars.

For members of the military and their families, this bill would:

• Authorize a 4.6 percent pay raise to servicemembers and Department of Defense (DoD) civilians.

• Take steps to address the suicide and mental health crisis in the military by directing DoD to undertake more detailed research into mental health and rates of suicide. This provision seeks to provide a better understanding of the different ramifications across military career fields. It also directs an Inspector General review of efforts by the Navy to prevent and respond to suicides in light of deaths in the Hampton Roads region and elsewhere.

• Make historic reforms to the military justice system’s handling of certain offenses, including sexual assaults. Following years of tireless effort by advocates, this bill would remove commanders from all prosecutorial and judicial functions for a range of covered offenses. Sen. Warner is a proud sponsor of Sen. Gillibrand’s Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act of 2021, which, combined with bipartisan efforts across both Chambers this year, formed the foundation for these reforms.

• Tackle issues with military housing by:
  • Extending DoD’s authority to raise the Basic Allowance for Housing for military families living in higher-cost areas of the country.
  • Improving oversight over military housing issues and codifying the position of Chief Housing Officer. Sen. Warner has pushed to have a single, designated lead for housing at DoD to improve accountability to residents as well as Congress, and to promote and increase coordination.
  • Requiring the Secretary of Defense to implement health-related recommendations made by the Department’s Inspector General related to privatized military housing.

• Tackle food insecurity by:
  • Expanding eligibility for the Basic Needs Allowance to help ensure that all men and women in uniform and their families have the basic necessities they need. The Basic Needs Allowance was created through the Warner-sponsored Military Hunger Prevention Act, and is aimed at combating disturbing rates of food insecurity in the military.
  • Creating a pilot program to better address rates of food insecurity among veterans. This provision would offer grant funding to organizations that are actively working to address this challenge.
  • Adding $210 million in authorized funding for the military’s commissary system to help support food access for servicemembers and their families.

• Increase access to timely child care for military families who undergo a permanent change of station by creating a pilot program to provide child care-related reimbursement to these families.

For the ongoing effort to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s authoritarianism, this bill would:

• Extend the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) – one of the main tools used by the U.S. in support of Ukraine’s defensive needs – and authorize $800 million for this program in the coming fiscal year.
• Authorize more than $6 billion to fully fund the European Deterrence Initiative.
• Hold Russia accountable for its atrocities by stating that the United States will collect, analyze, and preserve evidence related to Russian war crimes, and will assist in pursuing appropriate accountability for those responsible.

• Increase transparency and accountability by taking steps to ensure that Inspectors General are able to adequately conduct oversight of U.S. funding to ensure it is most effectively being applied in support of Ukraine’s efforts.
• Express the full commitment of the United States to NATO and to continuing Ukrainian assistance during Russia’s violent and illegal invasion.
• Authorize more than $2.7 billion for munitions production capacity, and direct an assessment of our defense industrial base’s capacity long-term.

To bolster our ability to compete in the 21^st century, this bill would:

• Continue to strengthen U.S.-India relations by directing the Departments of Defense and State to pursue greater engagement and expanded cooperation with India related to emerging technology, joint R&D, defense and cyber capabilities, and other opportunities for collaboration – including for reducing India’s reliance on Russian-built defense equipment. These provisions support an effort by Sen. Warner, co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, to highlight the importance of our defense partnership with India, and to support accelerated efforts by India to diversify defense systems.

• Better invest in emerging technologies by boosting funding for basic and applied research and development of advanced tech by $2.85 billion.

• Support the commercialization of critical capabilities by authorizing $300 million in funding for new bio-manufacturing facilities.
• Authorize an increase of $120 million for 5G technology R&D and transition support.

• Authorize an increase of $75 million for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as it looks to implement recommendations put forward by the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (AI). It would also authorize an increase of $50 million for AI at U.S. Cyber Command, and require more strategic, longer-term planning related to DoD’s efforts to rapidly adopt AI to relevant cyber missions.
• Support DARPA’s quantum computing activities with an increase of $20 million.
• Increase productivity and cooperation in microelectronics by establishing a working group of government, private sector, and academia experts to better enable coordination and consultation related to R&D and manufacturing.

###

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD BROADCAST-QUALITY PHOTOGRAPHY, AUDIO, AND VIDEO FROM SEN. WARNER'S TREE DECORATION  

SANTA’S WORKSHOP (WASHINGTON) – Christmas cheer has spread to the Senate! Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) welcomed students from Dumfries Elementary School to his Capitol Hill office to kick off the holiday season with carols, milk and cookies, and decoration of the office Christmas tree. This year’s tree, a 12-foot Fraser fir, is from Mt. Rogers Tree Farm in Grayson County, Va.

The fifth-graders helped Sen. Warner decorate his tree with homemade ornaments before serenading members of his staff with classic carols such as “Jingle Bells” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” 

This holiday tradition has been held annually, and Sen. Warner was thrilled to once again host students following a two-year pandemic pause. 

###