WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement on the Biden administration’s decision to issue a Temporary Protected Status designation for Cameroon: 

“We are pleased to see the Biden administration recognize the humanitarian crisis threatening the people of Cameroon. This TPS designation will ensure that Cameroonians already living in the U.S. are not forced to return to a nation torn by unrelenting violence.” 

Sens. Warner and Kaine have been strong advocates for the TPS program. In November, they joined a number of their colleagues in calling on the administration to provide protections to Cameroonians fleeing violence. 

Established by the U.S. Congress through the Immigration Act of 1990, TPS is a temporary, renewable program that provides relief from deportation and access to a work permit for foreign nationals from certain countries who are unable to return safely to their home country due to natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary conditions.

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine applauded unanimous Senate passage of their bipartisan legislation to commemorate the historic sites that catalyzed litigation leading to the 1954 landmark Supreme Court decision, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. The bill will expand the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Kansas and designate National Park Service (NPS) Affiliated Areas in Delaware, South Carolina, Kansas, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Specifically, the legislation would recognize the Moton Museum, formerly the Robert Russa Moton High School, in Farmville, Virginia, where Barbara Johns led a protest against school segregation and demanded better conditions for Black students.

The 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka transformed the United States, striking down the separate-but-equal doctrine established by Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896. The Brown decision ended the practice of legalized segregation in educational facilities and was a major catalyst of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

“Seventy years ago, 16-year-old Barbara Johns led a walkout to protest school segregation alongside all 450 of her fellow Black classmates at the Robert Russa Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia. Ms. Johns’ student-led demonstration spurred one of the five cases that would eventually head to the Supreme Court under the Brown v. Board of Education lawsuit,” said Sen. Warner. “As we honor Barbara Johns’ legacy in the halls of Congress with her statue, I’m proud to join this effort to commemorate the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site and further recognize the vital role played by the R.R. Moton School in Farmville in ending school segregation.”

“In April 1951, Barbara Johns led her classmates in a protest to demand better conditions for Black students at the segregated Moton School in Farmville, Virginia. I’m proud the Senate passed our bipartisan bill to honor the Moton Museum and other historic sites connected to Brown v. Board of Education,” said Sen. Kaine. “As we approach the 68th anniversary of this landmark ruling, we must continue to tell inspiring stories of Americans fighting for equality and recommit ourselves to upholding the principle of equal protection under the law.”

The legislation was crafted in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In the Senate, the bill was led by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and supported by U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), Tom Carper (D-DE), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Roger Marshall (R-KS).

“With the passage of the Brown v. Board National Historic Site Expansion Act to designate all of the sites associated with this monumental Supreme Court case, history is not just memorialized but also made whole,” said Paul Edmondson, President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “At the National Trust, we have been diligently working to reveal and amplify a more complete view of our national history and we’re pleased to have partnered with Senator Coons and Congressman Clyburn in this important work. The heroism of the communities, parents and schoolchildren who dared to demand equal access to education can now be properly celebrated through these historic places.”

“This preservation process reveals how all history is truly made,” said Brent Leggs, Executive Director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. “So often it takes more than one great man, woman or even a single community to create change, despite the way the stories of history are often recounted. Actually, it requires many ‘ordinary people with extraordinary vision’ to move a society forward. We applaud those courageous attorneys, families, and activists, some known and others unknown, who put so much at risk to secure educational equality for all Americans. Thanks to our preservation partners, the full history of this landmark case will forever be memorialized and interpreted to inspire the next generation of social justice leaders.”

“The Robert R. Moton Museum is excited to join with communities involved in the historic Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision. In seeking to become an affiliated area of the National Park Service, we know this affiliation will allow us the opportunity to better collaborate with other communities involved in the historic Brown decision as we work to ensure that countless individuals have the opportunity to know of the courage and sacrifice that citizens made towards equality in education,” said Mr. Cameron D. Patterson, Executive Director of the Robert R. Moton Museum in Farmville, Virginia. “The Moton Museum Board of Trustees, Moton Museum Community Council, and our partner institution Longwood University in offering their support towards this effort, recognize that the resources and benefits offered from this affiliation with the National Park Service will only strengthen our ability to fulfill our mission as a museum.”

The creation of NPS Affiliated Areas in Delaware, Virginia, and the District of Columbia for sites associated with the Brown v. Board of Education case and an expansion of the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site to include the related sites in South Carolina provides an opportunity for these sites to tell their own uplifting, under-recognized stories of students, parents, and their allies who helped shape American society. 

Enactment of this legislation has the potential to appropriately recognize the sites associated with the other four court cases and help them to combine current uses with preservation and public education.  In collaboration with local partners and other stakeholders, the National Trust will continue their collective work to bring recognition to communities that fought for school integration, helping these sites to tell their own history of the Brown v. Board of Education case and make connections to other communities engaged in the fight for educational equity, past and present.

On Wednesday, the bipartisan bill unanimously passed in the House Committee on Natural Resources. The House will soon consider the bill, and then it will go to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.  

The bill text is available here.

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WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Tim Scott (R-SC) and U.S. Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI) and Mike Kelly (R-PA) introduced a bipartisan, bicameral bill reforming Opportunity Zones, the tax incentive for individuals who reinvest unrealized capital gains into high-impact projects in underserved communities. Additionally, U.S. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Todd Young (R-IN) and Representatives Terri Sewell (D-AL-07), Dan Kildee (D-MI-05), and Jackie Walorski (R-IN-02) co-sponsored the legislation, called the Opportunity Zones Transparency, Extension, and Improvement Act.

Booker and Scott originally introduced the Investing in Opportunity Act in April 2016. A provision based on the bill was included in the 2017 tax bill. As communities across the country have begun to see investments take hold, the lawmakers are proposing a series of improvements to the tax incentive.

“I am proud to co-sponsor this Opportunity Zone reform bill that will provide more transparency and reporting for these zones,” said Senator Warner. “I was an original leader on the bipartisan Investing in Opportunity Act, which led to the creation of Opportunity Zones, and I know this bill will make meaningful progress and substantially improve the policy.” 

“The Opportunity Zone incentive has the potential to unleash much-needed economic growth in high poverty communities across the country – communities that investors too often overlook. But without robust guardrails in place, the incentive could be undermined or abused by those who aren’t committed to uplifting rural and urban communities across the country,” said Senator Booker. “I am proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Scott to help restore the original promise of opportunity zones by steering private capital to reinvest in underserved communities that have been historically left behind and working to level the economic playing field.”

“The Opportunity Zone program represents the good that leaders can do for communities across the country when we work together toward common sense solutions,” said Senator Scott. “Independent reporting shows that investments in Opportunity Zones are making a huge impact across the country, with billions of dollars flowing into impoverished neighborhoods. I am glad to build on that success with this legislation to make the program stronger, so that we can ensure this incentive is benefitting the Americans who need it most.”

"Opportunity Zones are bringing capital to communities in rural and underserved areas and investing in our local economies," said Representative Kind. "In order to ensure this program is used as it was intended, we need strong transparency and accountability measures in place. I'm proud to help introduce this bipartisan, bicameral legislation to maximize the potential of Opportunity Zones, improve safeguards, and drive economic growth across the country."

“Opportunity Zones have brought new life to America’s Main Streets and communities that have not seen this type of investment in decades,” Representative Kelly said. “Nationally, one of the best-known Opportunity Zones is in my congressional district in Erie, Pennsylvania.  Due to great community partners and private investment, local leaders have been able to leverage the revitalization of downtown Erie.  Our new legislation will help ensure that Opportunity Zones can continue to revitalize communities like Erie for years and decades to come along with giving taxpayer’s the peace of mind that the government is working for them locally.”

“Gaps in Opportunity Zone programs have barred economically distressed areas from accessing the critical resources they need to create new local opportunities. This legislation will help close those gaps and ensure that Opportunity Zone investments lift up low-income communities – spurring further investments and ultimately benefiting Marylanders,” said Senator Van Hollen. “Maryland’s own Sparrows Point and Turner Station, alongside hundreds of recovering regions across the country, stand to see renewed economic vitality and more good-paying jobs as a result of this solution.” 

“The creation of the Opportunity Zones initiative in the 2017 tax reform law has succeeded in attracting capital and investments to historically distressed communities. They serve as a critical tool to create jobs, revitalize neighborhoods, and lift Hoosiers out of poverty, which is why I am proud to help introduce the Opportunity Zones Transparency, Extension, and Improvement Act. This bipartisan legislation will better optimize Opportunity Zone investment in neighborhoods and communities across Indiana while strengthening transparency and reporting metrics to improve on the initiative’s success,” said Senator Young.

This bipartisan legislation would improve Opportunity Zones by:

• Reinstating and expanding the reporting requirements that were present in the Investing in Opportunity Act (IIOA), the original stand-alone legislation that created Opportunity Zones, but were stripped out in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act due to procedural rules.
• Ending Opportunity Zones that are not impoverished. While the vast majority of Opportunity Zones are truly impoverished areas, the legislation would sunset a small percentage of Opportunity Zone designations for tracts with a median family income at or above 130 percent of the national median family income. States would be able to designate a new tract in high-need communities for every tract sunsetted under this provision.
• Creating pathways for smaller-dollar impact investments by allowing Qualified Opportunity Funds (QOFs) to be organized as a "fund of funds" that may invest in other QOFs, providing smaller communities and projects with the financing they need.
• Providing operating support and technical assistance to high-poverty and underserved communities through a State and Community Dynamism Fund. Flexible grants will help states drive private and public capital to underserved businesses and communities.
• Extending the tax incentive for two years in order to facilitate continued investment. It took the Treasury Department nearly two years to issue final regulations governing Opportunity Zones, during which time many investors and stakeholders stayed on the sidelines awaiting clear rules for the policy. Extending the policy by an equal amount of time will help investors and communities fully use the tool as Congress intended -- which is especially important now with the economy in recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The full text of the legislation can be viewed here. 

The one-pager of the legislation can be viewed here.

The section by section of the legislation can be viewed here.  

Quotes in support of the legislation can be viewed below:

John Lettieri, President and CEO, Economic Innovation Group:

“Supporting economic growth in low-income communities remains an urgent challenge as the country recovers from the severe disruption of the pandemic. One powerful way to do that is to strengthen the Opportunity Zones incentive, which has proven to be an effective tool for encouraging investment in struggling areas throughout the country,” said John Lettieri, President and CEO of the Economic Innovation Group. “The Opportunity Zones Transparency, Extension, and Improvement Act would enhance the policy on multiple fronts, including by enacting careful reporting and measurement standards, strengthening the incentive to draw in greater investment, creating new ways to attract funding for high-impact activities, and refining the map of designated communities to better align with the intent of the law. EIG applauds the bill’s sponsors for their thoughtful, bipartisan leadership in bringing this important legislation to fruition.” 

Jonathan Tower, Managing Partner, Arctaris Impact Investors:

“Arctaris Impact Investors has invested in the revitalization of under-invested communities for 13 years over 7 funds and, in our experience, the Opportunity Zone incentive is more efficient for delivering capital and social impact to low income census tracts than all the other federal and local economic development programs combined.  The proposed amendments will help attract more institutional-grade capital to OZ funds, and Arctaris looks forward to expanding its platform to support the growth of diverse businesses, community infrastructure, and real estate.  Further, Arctaris has long advocated for and adhered to higher standards for impact reporting than contained in the original legislation, and we welcome the greater transparency requirements in the proposed amendments.”

Martin Muoto, CEO, SoLa Impact:

“This bipartisan legislation to improve the Opportunity Zones policy will drive investors to focus more on social impact in communities like South Los Angeles,” said Martin Muoto, CEO of SoLa Impact. “The OZ legislation has enabled SoLa to leverage private capital to build over 1,500 affordable and workforce housing units and house hundreds of formerly homeless residents.”

Alex Flachsbart, Founder and CEO, Opportunity Alabama:

“As presented, The Opportunity Zones Transparency, Extension, and Improvement Act will be the biggest step forward for Opportunity Zones in the program’s history. Providing a longer deferral window and allowing the feeder fund concept will substantially improve the flow of capital into the program - and, thanks to inclusion of additional reporting requirements, we can finally get real data on where those funds will flow. Most important, though, is the inclusion of the State and Community Dynamism Fund, a tool that - if properly implemented - could make Opportunity Zones the most effective incentive in the tax code at driving impactful, ground-up community development work."  

John Persinger, CEO, Erie Downtown Development Corporation:

“Opportunity Zones are helping to fuel a $100 million revitalization of downtown Erie, Pennsylvania, which is home to one of the poorest zip codes in America,” said John Persinger, CEO of the Erie Downtown Development Corporation. “Strengthening the oversight provisions and generally improving the legislation will ensure that Opportunity Zones continue to help those communities with the greatest economic and social needs, communities like Erie.”

Rick Wade, Senior Vice President, U.S. Chamber of Commerce:

“The Opportunity Zone program is a positive, compelling example of government and the private sector working together to solve our nation's challenges. Investments made possible through the Opportunity Zone program will help underserved communities struggling to bounce back from pandemic-induced economic hardships. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is proud to support this bipartisan legislation that ensures Opportunity Zone financing reaches the areas of our country that need it the most and expands the reach of a public-private partnership on track to decrease the poverty rate by 11 percent,” said Rick Wade, Senior Vice President at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Stephanie Copeland, Partner, Four Points Funding:

"The changes addressed in this bill not only practically strengthens the Opportunity Zone program, but also continues to align investors to the intent of the incentive. We are thrilled to see the thoughtful progress."

Katie Kramer, Vice President, Council of Development Finance Agencies:

“The Council of Development Finance Agencies is grateful to Congress for their efforts to introduce important reforms to Opportunity Zones. The State and Community Dynamism Fund is critically needed at the local levels to fully deploy comprehensive OZ strategies in disinvested communities. We stand ready to support the implementation of the Opportunity Zones Transparency, Extension, and Improvement Act.”

Ross Baird, CEO and Founder, Blueprint Local:

“As active Opportunity Zone investors, we are excited to see this legislation that can ultimately drive much more impact in distressed communities. It is very positive to see the reporting requirements, which will bring transparency to this catalytic program and drive more impact in communities, as well as the fund of funds provision, which will help many more investors participate in the program and help the country’s most impactful projects find the capital they need.”

Ben Seigel, Opportunity Zones & Impact Investment Coordinator, Baltimore Development Corporation:

"From Day 1, the Baltimore Development Corporation embraced Opportunity Zones as a tool for attracting impact capital to underserved neighborhoods and projects in our city. We were one of the first cities in the country to hire an Opportunity Zones Coordinator to match investors with projects, as well as track and monitor investments and their impact. While we have been pleased with the results to date, we know that Opportunity Zones can do a lot more to drive inclusive economic growth in our city. This new legislation would significantly increase the promise and potential of Opportunity Zones in a place like Baltimore City by extending the incentive period, requiring impact reporting, and investing additional resources into OZ projects and local capacity building in underserved communities."

Jeremy Keele, Managing Partner, Catalyst Opportunity Funds:

"We're really supportive of this new legislation to improve key elements of the Opportunity Zone policy. As impact-focused investors active in the OZ strategy, we believe the proposed changes are likely to improve transparency and accountability program-wide, and more directly target capital and other resources into the low-income communities around this country that stand to benefit most from OZ investment."  

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced the designation of $232,426,060 in federal funds for Virginia transit systems. This largest-ever investment in Virginia transit was authorized by the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act negotiated by Sen. Warner and supported by Sen. Kaine. The funding will be awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration formula programs and distributed to transit systems throughout the Commonwealth.

“Thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law, Virginia continues to receive funding for much-needed transportation upgrades,” the senators said. “This investment in the Commonwealth’s public transit will make lives easier for every Virginian who relies on public transportation while creating good-paying jobs for workers.”  

Because of this record investment in transit, Virginia is set to receive a 28.7 percent increase in funds over last year’s total apportionment.

In addition to the $232 million guaranteed for Virginia, the Commonwealth is expected to receive a portion of the $280,270,139 in funding designated to the D.C. Metro Area, which includes Northern Virginia, D.C., and Maryland. This funding will be divided across transit agencies and localities within the area.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Chris Coons (D-DE) reintroduced legislation to give low- and moderate-income workers more access to lifelong learning opportunities. The Lifelong Learning and Training Account Act would establish a tax-preferred savings account with a generous government match to support workers looking to retrain or develop new skills throughout their careers.

In the coming years, more workers will be required to learn new skills throughout their careers. A National Academies of Sciences report focused on information technology and the U.S. workforce recently stressed the need to prepare individuals for the changing labor market. Due to automation, the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that up to a third of the U.S. workforce will need to learn new skills or find new work in new occupations by 2030. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 87 percent of workers believe training and developing new job skills throughout their work life is essential to succeed in the workplace. The Lifelong Learning and Training Account Act would give workers a tool to access that training by providing them with a portable, government-matched savings vehicle for lifelong learning.

“Access to lifelong learning and education is a critical tool that workers need to succeed in today’s economy. Therefore, it is essential for the federal government to support Americans’ ability to retrain and upskill throughout their career,” said Sen. Warner. “This is a no-brainer investment that would help workers continue to expand their skillsets and grow their earning potential. It would also help employers who need skilled workers to fill those jobs, particularly in a competitive labor market.”

“By strengthening access to skills training and fostering a culture of lifelong learning, we can support American workers while ensuring we have a workforce ready to fill the jobs of tomorrow,” said Sen. Coons. “That’s why I’m proud to partner with my colleague Senator Warner to invest in our future with this needed investment, and make available the growth and retraining we know will be vital in a competitive, global economy.”

“Small business owners often struggle to find skilled workers, which has become even more challenging during this competitive labor market,” said John Arensmeyer, Founder & CEO of Small Business Majority. “In fact, Small Business Majority's scientific opinion polling found more than one-third of small employers said it is difficult to find candidates with the right education, skills or training. Since small firms rarely have enough time to dedicate to extensive staff training or sufficient funds to pay for employee education, the Lifelong Learning and Training Account Act would be a huge boost to small businesses by offering them another way to invest in the development of their staff. This legislation would also help solo entrepreneurs invest in their own development and acquire skills without the aid of an employer.”

The Lifelong Learning and Training Account Act creates employee-owned Lifelong Learning and Training Account (LLTA) savings plans. Contributions to an LLTA by low- and moderate-income workers or their employers would be eligible for a dollar-for-dollar federal match of up to $1,000. Under this legislation, the federal matching funds would be directly deposited into the LLTA immediately after a contribution by the worker or employer. The worker would then get to choose how to use the LLTA funds, which could be applied towards any training that leads to a recognized post-secondary credential.

For workers that need to contribute to the cost of updating their job skills, this significant federal investment can make a huge difference in whether or not these workers seek additional training. If employers are willing to match employees’ savings, the returns can be even greater—a $500 contribution by a worker would create $2,000 in training opportunities (a $500 match by the employer, and then a $1,000 match from the federal government.) The accounts are portable from job to job, and always under workers’ control.

Contributions by workers and employers are after-tax dollars, but face no additional taxes on earnings if the LLTA funds are used for qualified training expenses. Eligibility is for workers age 25 to 60, with incomes of up to $82,000 per worker. States will manage the accounts. Accounts are designed to encourage the worker to use the funds to regularly update their skills, rather than build up large balances over many years. Restrictions are put in place to ensure that the government’s matching dollars go only to qualified training expenses.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and a bipartisan group of their colleagues in introducing the Support Kids Not Red Tape Act, which would grant the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) additional flexibility so that schools and summer meal sites can stay open and improve access to free, healthy meals for children. The additional flexibility would mean less red tape and more options for families, including by allowing families to pick up a week’s worth of meals or having meals delivered to their home on the school bus. These flexibilities have been crucial to feeding students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. With 90% of schools still facing many challenges as they return to normal operations, these flexibilities would give schools much-needed support to keep kids fed.

“Every child, regardless of where they live, deserves nutritious meals,” said Sens. Warner and Kaine. “Ensuring that school districts have the flexibility and federal resources they need to keep feeding their students is essential to our fight to end childhood hunger in America. This legislation will help us do that.”

“We should make it easier for kids to get the meals they need – not harder. Our bill cuts red tape and keeps the priority on giving children the healthy meals they need and deserve,” said Senator Stabenow. “As we come out of this pandemic, schools are doing their best - but it takes time for them to transition back to their operations before COVID. We can’t let hungry kids get caught in the middle. Without this support, up to 30 million kids who get food at school will see their essential breakfast and lunch meals disrupted. And millions of hungry kids who rely on summer meals may have nowhere to go to get food.”

More specifically, the bipartisan Support Kids Not Red Tape Act would:

• Extend USDA’s authority to issue waivers from June 30, 2022 to September 30, 2023, which would extend USDA school meal flexibilities. This is simply a continuation of the authority USDA has had and exercised throughout the pandemic. This would cover this summer, as well as the full 2022-2023 school year, and summer of 2023, and create a transition plan to help schools adjust back to normal school meal operations starting October 1, 2023.
• Direct states to submit a transition plan to USDA so that schools will be prepared and supported when transitioning back to normal National School Lunch Program operations after the increased flexibilities end.
• Direct the Secretary to provide technical assistance to states on drafting transition plans and to School Food Authorities on meeting meal standards during the waiver period.

Since the pandemic began, Warner and Kaine have secured federal funding to expand access to food assistance for students, including successfully pushing USDA to make food distribution policies more flexible for Virginia’s families. They also helped secure Virginia’s request to operate a Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program to ensure children have access to healthy food while at home. In March 2022, Warner and Kaine sent a letter urging USDA to issue guidance to better address the growing food insecurity crisis among college students. 

In addition to Warner, Kaine, and Stabenow, this legislation was also cosponsored by 49 members of the Senate, including: Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Susan Collins (R-ME), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tina Smith (D-MN), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tom Carper (D-DE), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Gary Peters (D-MI), Angus King (I-ME), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Jon Tester (D-MT), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA).

Full text of the legislation is available here. A summary of the legislation is available here.

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U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) joined Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) in sending a letter urging Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power to press international donors at the United Nations pledging conference to fulfill the current $3.8 billion funding gap for humanitarian aid for Afghanistan and to ensure that aid can reach the Afghan people in need.

“The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is deepening, with more than half the population - 23 million people - in need of assistance. In response, the UN has released an appeal to international donors for $4.4 billion to meet the humanitarian needs in Afghanistan - the largest single country appeal in history. In advance of the high-level pledging event for the country scheduled for March 31, we urge the administration to work closely with our international partners to generously commit and rapidly deliver funds that will help save lives in Afghanistan,” the senators wrote.

The senators continued: “As the economy craters, the suffering of the Afghan people deepens. Today, 95% of households in Afghanistan don’t have enough food to eat. By this summer, 97% of Afghans will be living below the poverty line—trying to survive on less than two dollars a day. With nine million people just one step away from famine, this humanitarian crisis could kill more Afghans than the past 20 years of war.”

“We understand that the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan is driving unprecedented levels of suffering of the Afghan people, and urge robust oversight to ensure that all assistance gets to the people of Afghanistan. Without the full participation of female humanitarian staff in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all humanitarian services, aid will not be delivered in a manner that upholds humanitarian principles, and will be unable to reach the most vulnerable Afghan women and girls in the hardest to reach areas. The Taliban must allow unhindered humanitarian access, safe conditions for humanitarians, independent provision of assistance to all vulnerable people, and freedom of movement for aid workers of all genders,” the senators wrote.

The senators concluded: “Amid crises in Yemen, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Syria, and elsewhere, the international community must not lose focus on Afghanistan. We encourage you to press key international donors to make up the current $3.8 billion funding deficit for humanitarian programs and to expediently deliver such funds. These include countries in the region and members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, as well as likeminded partners who have generously supported Afghanistan in years past. Finally, we encourage you to work closely with our allies in the region to ease any restrictions on humanitarian access in Afghanistan to enable humanitarian partners to reach people in need.”

The letter led by Senator Murphy was signed in addition to Senator Warner by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-VA) Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR.), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH).

Full text of the letter is available below.

Dear Secretary Blinken and Administrator Power,

The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is deepening, with more than half the population - 23 million people - in need of assistance. In response, the UN has released an appeal to international donors for $4.4 billion to meet the humanitarian needs in Afghanistan - the largest single country appeal in history. In advance of the high-level pledging event for the country scheduled for March 31, we urge the administration to work closely with our international partners to generously commit and rapidly deliver funds that will help save lives in Afghanistan. 

Even prior to the Taliban’s takeover, Afghanistan’s economy suffered from longstanding structural problems. The country was highly dependent on external aid, which financed 75% of public expenditures and were equal to about 40% of the country’s GDP. The Taliban’s takeover caused a pullback in foreign aid and strained the liquidity and solvency of Afghanistan’s financial sector. The IMF estimates that the country’s economy will contract up to 30% this year, and many of the senior officials and technical experts needed to provide sound economic management have fled the country. While humanitarian aid is critical to saving lives in the short-term, it cannot replace a functioning economy in Afghanistan. These underlying structural economic problems will take years to solve. 

As the economy craters, the suffering of the Afghan people deepens. Today, 95% of households in Afghanistan don’t have enough food to eat. By this summer, 97% of Afghans will be living below the poverty line—trying to survive on less than two dollars a day. With nine million people just one step away from famine, this humanitarian crisis could kill more Afghans than the past 20 years of war.

Robust international commitments to support humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan are more critical now than ever. Last year, Afghanistan faced a 40% loss of wheat production due to drought and economic deterioration related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past month, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has further raised the price of wheat in the global food market. The World Food Programme had previously depended on Russia and Ukraine for more than half of the wheat it provides to countries such as Afghanistan.  

We understand that the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan is driving unprecedented levels of suffering of the Afghan people, and urge robust oversight to ensure that all assistance gets to the people of Afghanistan. Without the full participation of female humanitarian staff in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all humanitarian services, aid will not be delivered in a manner that upholds humanitarian principles, and will be unable to reach the most vulnerable Afghan women and girls in the hardest to reach areas. The Taliban must allow unhindered humanitarian access, safe conditions for humanitarians, independent provision of assistance to all vulnerable people, and freedom of movement for aid workers of all genders.

In the immediate aftermath of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, Congress passed a supplemental appropriations bill that included $915 million in humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan. With that funding, Congress sent a strong signal that the United States must lead a robust response by the international community to the ongoing humanitarian crisis. We support the administration’s initial 2022 contribution of more than $308 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan on January 11^th. At the upcoming pledging event on March 31^st, we urge the administration to commit additional, substantial funding to the Afghanistan response as soon as possible to ensure vital assistance programs are not reduced or cancelled. A significant U.S. pledge is vital to encourage other countries to follow suit. Generous and timely investments, delivered to the right agencies on the front lines, are instrumental to saving lives and staving off famine in Afghanistan.

Amid crises in Yemen, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Syria, and elsewhere, the international community must not lose focus on Afghanistan. We encourage you to press key international donors to make up the current $3.8 billion funding deficit for humanitarian programs and to expediently deliver such funds. These include countries in the region and members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, as well as likeminded partners who have generously supported Afghanistan in years past. Finally, we encourage you to work closely with our allies in the region to ease any restrictions on humanitarian access in Afghanistan to enable humanitarian partners to reach people in need.

Thank you for your urgent attention to this crisis, as the people of Afghanistan deserve our unwavering support.

Sincerely,

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement in response to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) announcement making available an additional 35,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for fiscal year (FY) 2022. These visas will be set aside for U.S. employers seeking to employ additional workers between April 1, 2022 and September 30, 2022:

“Last week I met with Secretary of Homeland Security Mayorkas and emphasized the need for the Biden administration to make additional H-2B visas available so that Virginia’s seafood businesses can meet their labor needs. Every year, my office hears from seafood businesses about how difficult it is to find and hire workers in an industry with incredibly demanding but temporary jobs like processing crabs and shucking oysters. These businesses – often small and family-owned – live in a constant state of worry, unsure whether they’ll have to cancel contracts because they can’t get the workers that they need. I thank the Biden administration for making these additional visas available, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to reform the H-2B visa program to ensure our processors have the labor certainty they need for their businesses to grow and thrive.”

The H-2B Temporary Non-Agricultural Visa Program allows U.S. employers to hire seasonal, non-immigrant workers during peak seasons to supplement the existing American workforce. In order to be eligible for the program, employers are required to declare that there are not enough U.S. workers available to do the temporary work, as is the case with the seafood industry, which relies on H-2B workers for tough jobs such as shucking oysters and processing crabs.

Sen. Warner has long advocated for the expansion of H-2B visas in order to ensure that seafood processors in Virginia have the seasonal workforce they need. Last year, Sen. Warner, joined by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ben Cardin, and Chris Van Hollen (both D-MD), urged the Biden administration to make available the maximum number of congressionally-authorized H-2B visas to support local seafood businesses.

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WASHINGTON —Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), and U.S. Reps. Bobby Scott and Elaine Luria (both D-VA), issued the following statement, applauding an additional $223,871,000 in federal funding for key Virginia projects, including the Norfolk Harbor Widening and Deepening Project, the City of Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Project, and the Virginia Beach Coastal Storm Risk Management Study:

“We’re elated to see the bipartisan infrastructure law continue to deliver wins for Hampton Roads. This funding will advance key infrastructure projects in the region that will invest in the Port of Virginia, boost the local economy, create good-paying jobs, and preserve Virginia’s status as a leader in maritime trade and defense. We’re particularly excited to see that this funding will allow Virginia Beach to initiate its Coastal Storm Risk Management Study – an important step in protecting the community from the devastating effects of climate change.” 

This funding, awarded through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), was made possible by the bipartisan infrastructure law, which was negotiated by Sen. Warner and supported by Sen. Kaine and Reps. Scott and Luria.

The Norfolk Harbor Deepening and Widening Project will receive an additional $72,371,000 to improve navigation and expand capacity by deepening and widening Norfolk Harbor’s shipping channels. Specifically, $40 million will be used to dredge and widen Thimble Shoal Channel West. $32,371,000 will be used to complete the remaining features of the project, including the Atlantic Ocean Channel and the channel to Newport News. This project received $69,331,000 through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in January 2022 and an additional $83,700,000 in March 2022 through the Fiscal Year 2022 omnibus. Completion of this project will enable safer access for larger commercial and military vessels and provide significant new economic opportunities for the region.

The City of Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Project will receive an additional $150,000,000, to build the downtown Norfolk to Ghent floodwalls with gates at the Hague. This funding will also go towards continuing designs for phases within other portions of the city, and starting on the non-structural flood neighbor components of the project. This project received $249,331,000 through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in January 2022 to initiate construction. When completed, this project will help reduce and manage flooding for major portions of the City of Norfolk through a system of surge barriers, tidal gates, floodwalls, levees, pump stations, and non-structural measures.

The Virginia Beach and Vicinity Coastal Storm Risk Management Study will receive $1,500,000 to initiate and complete the project’s feasibility study phase. Sens. Warner and Kaine and Rep. Luria have long advocated for federal funding to support this project, which is crucial to the long-term vitality and resilience of the City of Virginia Beach and the entire Coastal Virginia region.

Sens. Warner and Kaine and Reps. Scott and Luria have long worked to secure funding for these key projects. In January, they applauded $369 million in federal funding for a number of projects awarded through the USACE. The lawmakers have consistently urged the Biden administration and the USACE for funding to start construction on the Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Project, including in 2020 and 2021. They similarly pressed for funding for the Norfolk Harbor Project in 2020 and 2021. In 2018, Sens. Warner and Kaine successfully got Norfolk Harbor and the Virginia Beach and Vicinity Coastal Storm Risk Management Study authorized as part of the Water Resources Development Act. They also successfully pushed for the authorization of construction of the Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Project as part of the 2020 Water Resources Development Act.   

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) joined Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs in a letter to the Federal Reserve Board, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, National Credit Union Administration, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, urging them to work with banks and credit unions to ensure small businesses have access to safe and sound credit as Main Street recovers from COVID-19.

“Recent research by the Federal Reserve System found that less than one-third of small businesses that applied for traditional financing in 2021 received all the funding they sought compared to recent years,” the lawmakers wrote. “…Banks are choosing to lend to bigger firms, and smaller businesses are suffering the consequences in an already restrictive environment.”

The lawmakers also highlighted racial and gender disparities in small business lending. “About 14% of Black and Asian business owners, and 19% of Hispanic business owners, received all the financing they sought in 2021, compared to 34% of white small business owners. The COVID-19 pandemic has only worsened pre-existing inequalities in our economy for businesses owned by entrepreneurs from historically underserved communities,” they wrote. “A driving force behind the nation’s economy, businesses owned by people of color, women, and veterans need access to financing opportunities by banks and credit unions.”

U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) also signed the letter.

A copy of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Chair Pro Tempore Powell, Acting Chair Gruenberg, Chair Harper, and Acting Comptroller Hsu:

As small businesses across the U.S. work toward economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, access to financing is vital to continuing the current rate of small business growth. As new business formation continues, we must ensure small businesses are receiving the credit they need.  As such, we write to encourage your agencies to work with banks and credit unions in their communities to offer safe and sound financing access to small businesses.

Recent research by the Federal Reserve System found that less than one-third of small businesses that applied for traditional financing in 2021 received all the funding they sought compared to recent years. Additionally, the research also found that more than half of firms were in fair or poor financial condition at the time of the survey, and nearly all firms faced at least one operational or financial challenge in the prior 12 months. The difficulty small businesses are experiencing in getting access to financing is a significant concern for the economy as small businesses comprise 99.9% of U.S. businesses and employ 46.8% of U.S. employees.

Many small businesses have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels in terms of revenue and employment, and this is especially true for small businesses owned by people of color. Research by the Federal Reserve Bank found racial differences in financing sought among small business owners. About 14% of Black and Asian business owners, and 19% of Hispanic business owners, received all the financing they sought in 2021, compared to 34% of white small business owners. The COVID-19 pandemic has only worsened pre-existing inequalities in our economy for businesses owned by entrepreneurs from historically underserved communities. A driving force behind the nation’s economy, businesses owned by people of color, women, and veterans need access to financing opportunities by banks and credit unions.

Banks are choosing to lend to bigger firms, and smaller businesses are suffering the consequences in an already restrictive environment. The data reported by the Federal Reserve Banks show that underwriting standards for commercial clients are diverging primarily based on business size. In a separate survey conducted by the Fed earlier this year, senior loan officers reported easing standards for large and medium-sized businesses than for smaller ones.

The strong deposit growth at banks and credit unions should be used to support increased lending opportunities to small businesses by banks and credit unions in their communities. The latest financial performance data released by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) shows total assets in federally insured credit unions rose by $215.8 billion, or 11.7 percent, to $2.06 trillion over the year ending in the fourth quarter of 2021, and insured shares and deposits grew $166.8 billion, or 11.4 percent, to $1.63 trillion. Likewise, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) total assets on insured commercial banks and savings institutions rose by $1.9 trillion, or 8.5 percent, to $23.7 trillion over the year ending in the fourth quarter of 2021, and insured deposits grew $1.9 trillion, or 10.5 percent, to 19.7 trillion.

As new business formation rose to record highs in 2021, there is a clear and important economic need for small business to have access to financing. Numbers released by the U.S. Census Bureau found that 5.4 million new business applications were filed in 2021, exceeding the record set in 2020 of 4.4 million.

We urge the banking agencies to work with banks and credit unions to encourage more lending to small businesses in a safe and sound way. We look forward to continuing to work with you to ensure small businesses across the U.S. are receiving access to financing to continue to rebuild their Main Street communities.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Thomas Carper (D-DE.), members of the Senate Corporate Governance Working Group, released the following statement to commend President Biden’s budget proposal to restrict stock sales by corporate executives: 

“We are pleased that President Biden’s Budget calls for addressing the misaligned incentives that encourage excessive stock buybacks, often at the expense of investments in workers, innovation, and communities. Congress needs to address this issue, and we’re working on common-sense legislation that will reform executive compensation and incentivize American companies to prioritize long-term economic growth.”

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine introduced the Shenandoah Mountain Act, legislation to establish a 92,000-acre Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area (SMNSA) in Rockingham, Augusta, and Highland counties. National Scenic Areas are established by Congress to protect the scenic, historic, recreational and natural resources in specific areas, while allowing compatible uses such as outdoor recreation activities.

“Virginia’s natural treasures provide free recreation opportunities for folks all around the commonwealth – all while creating jobs and supporting our local economies,” Warner said. “I’m proud to sponsor this legislation, which will help safeguard these treasures and ensure that Virginians can make the most of them for years to come.”  

“These challenging past two years have underscored that getting out into nature is critical to our health and well-being,” Kaine said. “The establishment of this National Scenic Area will help us share the gifts of Shenandoah Mountain and the George Washington National Forest with visitors from near and far, while also boosting our local economies, protecting drinking water sources, and preserving the wildlife that make this area so special.”

The SMNSA encompasses four Wilderness areas: Skidmore Fork, Little River, Ramsey’s Draft, and Lynn Hollow, which in sum include 10 peaks above 4,000 feet and 150 miles of trails to attract campers, hikers, mountain bikers, fishermen, birders, and equestrians. The legislation also establishes a 5,764 wilderness area at Beech Lick Knob, located 10 miles north of the SMNSA.

In addition to providing world class trails, the area includes headwaters for the Potomac and James Rivers and watershed that provide municipal drinking water sources for Harrisonburg, Staunton, and communities farther downstream. Cold mountain streams in the area are also a stronghold for native brook trout. Today’s legislation would permanently protect those rivers and streams from industrial development, and also help safeguard populations of at-risk species, such as the Cow Knob and Shenandoah Mountain Salamander, that are natural to the area.

In 2019, the tourism economy directly employed 5,365 people and generated $601 million in expenditures in Augusta, Rockingham, and Highland Counties, as well as Harrisonburg and Staunton. In addition to the direct benefits to tourism and other businesses, JMU scientists estimate that lands within the SMNSA proposal already generate $13.7 million per year in other local benefits, including the value of the water supply and energy savings. Designation of the SMNSA would further grow this value.

In addition to Staunton, Augusta, Rockingham, and Harrisonburg local governments, over 400 businesses and organizations have endorsed the designation. A full list of supporters is available here.  

Full text of the legislation is available here.

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