WASHINGTON –U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today announced Virginia transit and highway systems are expected to receive more than $8 billion in federal funds over the next five years as a result of the bipartisan infrastructure deal signed into law last month.

“The bipartisan infrastructure law is delivering real, hard-fought wins to communities across the Commonwealth and the nation to maintain our roads, bridges, and rail,” the senators said. “Already we are seeing the impact this meaningful legislation will have throughout Virginia.”

Virginia’s transit systems are expected to receive over $1.2 billion over the next five years. The funds are expected to be distributed as follows:

• Blacksburg, VA: $18,442,213
• Bristol, VA – Bristol TN: $7,893,935
• Charlottesville, VA: $19,185,122
• Fredericksburg, VA: $20,992,768
• Harrisonburg, VA:  $14,476,058
• Kingsport, TN-VA: $11,780,158
• Lynchburg, VA: $18,976,348
• Richmond, VA: $104,922,587
• Roanoke, VA: $22,258,920
• Staunton-Waynesboro, VA: $6,770,544
• Virginia Beach, VA: $176,559,982
• Washington, DC-VA-MD: $2,742,614,626
• Williamsburg, VA: $14,401,113
• Winchester, VA: $8,736,841

Additionally, as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Virginia transit systems will be able to compete for approximately $34.7 billion in nationwide discretionary grant programs for important priorities like improving bus and train station accessibility and expanding rural transit options.

The bill also renews the federal funding commitment for WMATA through fiscal year 2030, which means $1.2 billion for the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority over the next eight years to ensure the Metro is safe and efficient for Virginians.

In addition, Virginia’s highways, bridges, and electric vehicle charging stations are expected to receive over $7.7 billion in funding over the next five years. The funding will be distributed by program as follows:

• National Highway Performance Program: $3,821,862,528
• Surface Transportation Block Grant: $1,859,284,475
• Bridge Replacement, Rehabilitation, Preservation, Protection, and Construction Program: $536,761,305
• Highway Safety Improvement Program: $408,582,208
• Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program: $311,405,743
• PROTECT Formula Program: $188,510,787
• National Highway Freight Program: 183,657,838
• Carbon Reduction Program: $165,786,199
• National Vehicle Electric Formula: $106,376,132
• Appalachian Development Highway System: $102,835,469
• Metropolitan Planning: $51,902,542
• Railway-Highway Crossings Program: $24,798,925

The funding represents a portion of federal funds headed to Virginia as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a bipartisan, once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure that was negotiated by Sen. Warner and strongly supported by Sen. Kaine. Last week, the Senators announced that Virginia airports are slated to receive $400 million over the next five years as a result of the bipartisan infrastructure law.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) joined U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), chair of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, in a letter with 64 colleagues pushing committee leadership to keep the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act (MJIIPA) in the final NDAA bill language. The bipartisan and bicameral letter is signed by 44 senators and 22 members of the House. MJIIPA would professionalize how the military prosecutes serious crimes by moving the decision over whether to prosecute them to independent, experienced military prosecutors, and was successfully included in the committee-passed Senate National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022. MJIIPA currently has 66 Senate co-sponsors and the House companion legislation has 220 co-sponsors, representing a majority of the House.

“It is outrageous that the Senate and House Armed Services Committees would even consider stripping out a provision that is backed by a bipartisan majority in both chambers and has been included in the Senate version of the bill. Sexual assault in the military is a serious concern and demands a real solution, not a watered-down provision slipped in the final bill behind closed doors. Retaining the full Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act provision will ensure that the will of this strong majority is respected. It is the only reform that will provide true independence for prosecutors in the military justice system and is essential to ensure that victims, accused, and the public all have full faith and confidence in the military justice process.” – said Senator Gillibrand.

In addition to the bill’s widespread congressional support, veterans service groups are also applying pressure to congressional leadership. On November 23, coalition of veterans groups—including the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, AMVETS, Student Veterans of America, the Service Women Action Network and Vietnam Veterans of America— wrote a letter to congressional leaders pushing them not to remove or water down military sexual assault reform provisions in the final NDAA. The American Legion sent a similar letter on November 29.

Furthermore, earlier this month, 29 state attorneys general, led by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, penned a letter to congressional leadership urging Congress to swiftly pass Senator Gillibrand’s widely supported MJIIPA. 

In addition to Sens. Warner and Gillibrand, the signers include Senators Baldwin (D-WI), Bennet (D-CO), Blumenthal (D-CT), Booker (D-NJ), Brown (D-OH), Cardin (D-MD), Carper (D-DE), Casey (D-PA), Coons (D-DE), Cortez Masto (D-NV), Cruz (R-TX), Duckworth (D-IL), Durbin (D-IL), Ernst (R-IA), Feinstein (D-CA), Grassley (R-IA), Hawley (R-MO), Hassan (D-NH), Heinrich (D-NM), Hickenlooper (D-CO), Hirono (D-HI), Kaine (D-VA), Klobuchar (D-MN), Leahy (D-VT), Lujan (D-NM), Markey (D-MA), Marshall (R-KS), Menendez (D-NJ), Merkley (D-OR), Murphy (D-CT), Murray (D-WA), Padilla (D-CA), Sanders (I-VT), Schatz (D-HI), Shaheen (D-NH), T. Smith (D-MN), Stabenow (D-MI), Tuberville (R-AL), Van Hollen (D-MD), Warnock (D-GA), Warren (D-MA), and Wyden (D-OR).

Members of the House include Representatives Adams (D-NC), Bass (D-CA), Brown (D-MD), Carson (D-IN), Davis (D-IL), Escobar (D-TX), Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Garamendi (D-CA), Hayes (D-CT), Horsford (D-NV), Hudson (R-NC), Johnson (D-GA), Khanna (D-CA), Lee (D-CA), McBath (D-GA), Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Mullins (R-OK), Norton, (D-DC), Speier (D-CA), Turner (R-OH), Veasey (D-TX) and Williams (D-GA).

For the full letter, please click here.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine applauded $5,493,100 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to improve infrastructure in rural communities across the Commonwealth. The funding was awarded through the Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program, the Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program, the Community Facilities Disaster Grants, and the Economic Impact Initiative Grants Program, all administered by USDA Rural Development. These programs offer direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants to develop or improve essential public facilities in rural communities.

“We’re glad to see these federal dollars go toward improving the infrastructure of our rural communities,” said the Senators. “These investments will help essential community facilities better serve their communities.”

USDA’s Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grants, Disaster Grants, and Guaranteed Loans programs offer direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants to develop or improve essential community facilities in rural areas. A breakdown of the funding is below: 

• The Buchanan County Board of Supervisors in Grundy will receive a grant of $23,200 to purchase a properly equipped side-by-side utility task vehicle, cargo trailer, and four helmets to better serve the community.

• The Town of Glen Lyn will receive a grant of $75,000 to purchase a new fully equipped patrol vehicle.

• The Town of Kilmarnock will receive a grant of $22,000 to purchase a 2021 Ford patrol interceptor utility vehicle.

• The Commonwealth Catholic Charities in Norton will receive a grant of $50,000 to purchase two new, properly equipped vehicles, furniture, and equipment to provide transportation and equipment needed to offer foster care services in the area.

• The Broadwater Academy in Exmore will receive a grant of $37,500 to purchase computers, IT equipment, a mower, and a trailer and to replace older grounds maintenance equipment.

• The Drakes Branch Volunteer Fire Department will receive a grant of $97,500 to refurbish the Department's brush truck.

• The Town of Drakes Branch will receive a grant of $97,500 to purchase heating ventilation and air conditioning and equipment.

• The Town of Farmville will receive a grant of $36,600 to purchase 29 mobile radios to replace all of the town's portable radios.

• The Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Neck in Kilmarnock will receive a grant of $68,000 to purchase Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics furniture, computers, and appliances.

• The County of Halifax will receive a grant of $128,700 to purchase a front loader refuse truck.

• The Healthy Harvest Food Bank, Inc. in Warsaw will receive a grant of $200,000 to purchase aquaponics equipment for the greenhouse classroom. This equipment will be used to produce vegetables, fish, and other types of seafood.

• The County of Richmond will receive a grant of $91,700 to purchase a new medic unit ambulance.

• The Children’s Center in Franklin will receive a grant of $16,600 to purchase an air purification system and an awning to provide proper protection from UV rays for the children and staff at eight childcare and early childhood education facilities.

• The Town of Scottsville will receive a grant of $5,300 and a loan of $15,200 to purchase a new patrol vehicle and related equipment.

• The Eastern Shore Public Library in Accomac will receive a grant of $25,000 to purchase portable steel-framed shelving, computers, monitors, and software. This new steel-framed shelving will be used for the children's section of the Accomac branch.

• The County of Accomac will receive a grant of $75,000 to purchase a new radio communications console for the 911 call center.

• The Shenandoah Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. will receive a grant of $47,200 and a loan of $87,800 to purchase fire and rescue equipment.

• The Town of Glade Spring will receive a grant of $75,000 and loan of $84,300 to purchase a new properly equipped sanitation vehicle with a packer.

• The William King Museum of Art in Abingdon will receive a grant of $66,000 to purchase a new 250,000 kilowatt, 120/208 volt 3 stage diesel generator to provide backup electricity to ensure year-round protection of the museum's collections.

• The Wise County Public Service Authority in Wise will receive a grant of $50,000, another grant of $25,000, and a loan of $85,000 to purchase three new and properly equipped service trucks, which are essential to the county’s water and sewer systems.

• The Town of Tappahannock will receive a loan of $123,500 to purchase a 2021 community freightliner sanitation vehicle. 

• The Town of Tappahannock will receive a loan of $53,300 to purchase sewer cameras, helping the town’s staff closely inspect sewer lines.

• The Harvest Outreach Center in Rustburg will receive a loan of $775,000 to purchase a building and equipment for a school in the area.

• The Town of Lawrenceville will receive a loan of $215,000 to purchase a used ladder truck and new accessories.

• The Town of Crewe will receive a loan of $68,200 to purchase two new patrol vehicles and equipment including mobile data terminals.

• The Town of Blackstone will receive a loan of $520,000 to purchase a new ladder truck.

• The Buckhorn Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. in South Hill will receive a loan of $400,000 to purchase a pumper fire truck.

• People Incorporated of Southwest Virginia in Abingdon will receive a loan of $1,700,000 to purchase and renovate a building to be used as an administrative office. This project will involve moderate rehabilitation of the main building's interior and basic exterior improvements.

The Economic Impact Initiative Grants program  assists in the development of essential community facilities in rural communities. A breakdown of the funding is below: 

• The Town of Gordonsville will receive a grant of $3,000 to purchase 11 patrol ballistic vests and two carriers for each vest to provide safety and protection for officers.

• The Town of Marion will receive a grant of $50,000 to purchase equipment for the town’s patrol vehicle fleet. The equipment includes mobile data terminals, radios, officer safety barriers, emergency lighting with controls, radar units, vehicle graphics, and flashlights.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, issued the following release:

“Members of both parties deeply respect Chair Powell for his forceful leadership at the Fed during an especially difficult time. Stability at the central bank is important as our economy continues to recover and as we seek to combat the effects of inflation driven by challenges in the global supply chain. Chair Powell is a strong choice and I look forward to working with him to make sure our economic recovery lifts up all of our communities.

“I also applaud President Biden’s nomination of Governor Brainard, who has shown great leadership when it comes to ensuring robust regulation of our financial system. She will make an excellent Vice Chair at a crucial time as the Fed addresses issues such as regulation of digital assets, the risks of climate change, and cross-border regulatory coordination.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today announced $718,750 in federal funding from the Department of Justice through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). Both Senators are long-time supporters of funding for the COPS program via the Appropriations process. These funds will allow Virginia law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire career law enforcement officers to better serve communities, reduce crime, and advance public safety through community policing efforts.

“Community policing allows our police departments to build relationships with the communities they serve,” the Senators said.“These funds will help make our police departments more effective and more responsive while fostering a positive and strong relationship between officers and members of the community.”

The funding will be distributed as follows:

• The City of Buena Vista will receive $93,750. 

• The City of Manassas Park will receive $250,000.

• The City of Radford will receive $375,000. 

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WASHINGTON – As the Senate continues to negotiate the nation’s annual defense bill, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) is championing a set of measures to better support Virginia’s military families. If included in the final version of the bill and signed into law, these measures could help tackle food insecurity among members of the military and their families, allow for greater accountability and oversight over military housing, and pause proposed restructuring of the military health system until the proposal’s impact on servicemembers can be fully assessed.

“The brave men and women who serve in our military should never have to worry about putting food on the table, about having a safe place to live, or about being able to access the timely and quality health care they have earned,” said Sen. Warner. “That’s why I’m proud to introduce these amendments to our nation’s annual defense bill to further protect military families in Virginia and around the country.”

To combat food insecurity in the military, Sen. Warner is pushing for an amendment that would direct the Secretary of Defense to designate an existing senior official as the lead for addressing food insecurity in the military and for coordinating with other relevant agencies. Another Warner amendment would direct the U.S. Government Accountability Office to conduct an independent review of an upcoming Department of Defense study on food insecurity, to ensure the Department is appropriately addressing the needs of servicemembers and their families, and to provide independent analysis of proposed Department action. A third amendment championed by Sen. Warner would create a limited, nationwide pilot program, through which commissaries could offer food boxes full of fresh produce to servicemembers facing food insecurity, free of charge.

These amendments come amid a 2021 survey by the Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN), which found that one in five respondents reported experiencing food insecurity – a spike from one in eight in 2019. 

Sen. Warner has been a strong advocate for addressing food insecurity – especially among military families. He is a lead cosponsor of the Military Hunger Prevention Act, and in March, he joined Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) in urging the Biden administration to develop concrete steps to tackle the alarming rate of food insecurity among military families. Sen. Warner is also the author of the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act and the FEMA Empowering Essential Deliveries (FEED) Act – bills to tackle the food security gap in the U.S. Additionally, Sen. Warner supported the passage of the American Rescue Plan, which extended a 15 percent increase in SNAP benefits through September 30, 2021.

To improve housing conditions for servicemembers and their families, Sen. Warner also introduced two amendments that would create more transparency and allow for greater accountability around privatized military housing. One amendment would direct the U.S. Government Accountability Office to prepare a report for Congress that outlines the ways in which tenants are making use of recent housing reforms. Specifically, this report would detail the degree to which tenants are utilizing certain new protections and tools from the Warner-championed Tenant Bill of Rights,  as well as a provision that allows tenants to access an analysis of the metrics that determine any performance incentive paid to their privatized housing provider. A separate amendment would require that this analysis be posted online, as it’s currently only available to tenants who request it from their installation’s housing office. Allowing for the publication of this data would help increase accountability and inform future action by Congress.

Sen. Warner has fiercely advocated for and secured a number of reforms to privatized military housing over the years, in response to the well-documented health hazards in military homes across the country. He successfully secured large portions of his military housing legislation in the FY20 NDAA, and subsequently passed provisions in the FY21 NDAA to improve military housing metrics.

To protect access to timely and quality health care for servicemembers, Sen. Warner has also introduced an amendment to pause the proposed restructuring and realignment of Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) – a proposal that would transition some servicemembers from receiving care at MTFs, to receiving care from community providers. Sen. Warner’s amendment would pause this restructuring for one year following the NDAA’s passage, and require a U.S. Government Accountability Office assessment of the proposed cuts. This assessment would help provide a better picture of the proposal’s impact on servicemembers, ensuring that they are able to continue accessing needed care, especially in light of added pandemic demands. 

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 WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Rob Portman (R-OH), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Jon Tester (D-MT) issued the following statement after the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was signed into law. The law represents the largest investment in infrastructure in our nation’s history. 

“Today’s signing of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a victory for all Americans. When Congress puts America’s needs over politics, we make genuine progress. We were proud to work together on this historic investment in our nation’s core infrastructure to modernize roads and bridges, strengthen rail and transit systems, upgrade ports, expand broadband access, improve water systems, and increase the resiliency of the nation’s energy grid. It strengthens our economy without raising taxes or increasing inflation. This legislation will positively impact every American.” 

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WASHINGTON —Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Ben Cardin (D-MD), introduced the Enhancing Military Base Resilience and Conserving Ecosystems through Stormwater Management (EMBRACE) Act, legislation to authorize the Department of Defense (DOD) to carry out stormwater management projects at military installations to improve resilience at the facilities while protecting waterways and stormwater impacted ecosystems, such as those that feed into the Chesapeake Bay. Senator Kaine is pushing to include the legislation in the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) this year.

“Sea level rise, flooding, and stormwater pollution threatens not only our environment and economy, but our military readiness too,” said Senator Kaine. “I’m proud to introduce the EMBRACE Act, legislation to help our Armed Forces protect our military bases and environment from the effects of climate change. This is a collaborative approach to defend our nation, improve our waterways, and preserve our environment for generations to come.”

“Military bases across the Commonwealth are at risk of flooding due to climate change. The EMBRACE Act will allow for projects to reinforce these bases while protecting our waterways and the Chesapeake Bay. These projects are crucial to keeping our military facilities operational and ready,” said Senator Warner.

“The impacts of the climate crisis – from flooding to natural disasters – increasingly threaten Maryland communities, including our military installations. We need all hands on deck to respond, which is why our legislation authorizes the Department of Defense to help reduce stormwater runoff that threatens access to clean water and the health of the Chesapeake Bay. This common-sense bill will support our efforts to protect both civilian and military communities, while also supporting a clean and healthy Bay,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“Climate change, including more extreme weather and flooding events that increase stormwater runoff, has significant implications for U.S. national security and defense. This legislation bolsters the work of the Department of Defense – a federal agency partner of the Chesapeake Bay Program restoration effort – to reduce runoff and improve water quality by implementing stormwater management practices at military installations,” said Senator Cardin.

Stormwater remains the only pollutant in the Chesapeake Bay watershed that continues to increase. Climate related impacts, such as increased rainfall intensity, only exacerbate this problem. As the second largest federal landholder in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, DOD plays a vital role in reducing stormwater loads and enhancing climate resiliency.

Specifically, the EMBRACE Act would:

• Make stormwater management projects eligible for federal funding under either military construction projects, military installation resilience projects, unspecified minor military construction projects, defense access roads projects, the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP), and Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program (ERCIP).
• Instructs DOD to prioritize projects that retrofit buildings and grounds on bases and improve access to roads prone to flooding.
• Supports the building of stormwater ponds and other retention strategies.
• Supports replacing impermeable paving that lets water run off with materials that let water seep into the soil, allowing projects such as rain gardens, cisterns, and planters to be eligible for funds. 

Climate change has put numerous Virginia and Maryland military bases at increased risk of flooding, including Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Air Station Oceana, Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, Langley Air Force Base, Naval Support Activity Annapolis, Naval Support Activity Bethesda, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Joint Base Andrews, and Naval Support Activity South Potomac.

The EMBRACE Act is endorsed by The Chesapeake Bay Commission, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Chesapeake Conservancy, Choose Clean Water Coalition, American Flood Coalition Action, the Nature Conservancy, Southern Environmental Law Center, and Wetlands Watch.

In the U.S. House of Representatives, Representatives Bobby Scott (VA-03), Rob Wittman (VA-01), and Elaine Luria (VA-02) introduced companion legislation in September. The bill also passed as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 in September in the House of Representatives.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Rob Portman (R-OH), and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced a bipartisan amendment to the annual defense authorization bill to require critical infrastructure owners and operators and civilian federal agencies to report to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) if they experience a cyber-attack, and most entities to report if they make a ransomware payment. The amendment is based on the Cyber Incident Reporting Act and Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2021 authored by Peters and Portman, and advanced by the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where they serve as Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively.

“Cyber-attacks and ransomware attacks are a serious national security threat that have affected everything from our energy sector to the federal government and Americans’ own sensitive personal information,” said Senator Peters, Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “I’m grateful to my colleagues for working together to introduce this bipartisan amendment that will take significant steps to strengthen cybersecurity protections, ensure that CISA is at the forefront of our nation’s response to serious breaches, and most importantly, requires timely reporting of these attacks to the federal government so that we can better prevent future incidents and hold attackers accountable for their crimes.”

“As cyber and ransomware attacks continue to increase, the federal government must be able to quickly coordinate a response and hold bad actors accountable,” said Senator Portman, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “That’s why I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan amendment to the FY 2022 NDAA to update the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) and give the National Cyber Director, CISA, and other appropriate agencies broad visibility into the cyberattacks taking place across our nation on a daily basis to enable a whole-of-government response, mitigation, and warning to critical infrastructure and others of ongoing and imminent attacks. This bipartisan amendment to significantly update FISMA will provide the accountability necessary to resolve longstanding weaknesses in federal cybersecurity by clarifying roles and responsibilities and requiring the government to quickly inform the American people if their information is compromised.”

“It seems like every day, Americans wake up to the news of another ransomware attack or cyber intrusion, but the SolarWinds hack showed us that there is nobody responsible for collecting information on the scope and scale of these incidents,” said Senator Warner, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. “We can’t rely on voluntary reporting to protect our critical infrastructure – we need a routine reporting requirement so that when vital sectors of our economy are affected by a cyber breach, the full resources of the federal government can be mobilized to respond to, and stave off, its impact. I’m glad we were able to come to a bipartisan compromise on this amendment addressing many of the core issues raised by these high-profile hacking incidents.”   

“Having a clear view of the dangers the nation faces from cyberattacks is necessary to prioritizing and acting to mitigate and reduce the threat,” said Senator Collins. “My 2012 bill would have led to improved information sharing with the federal government that likely would have reduced the impact of cyber incidents on both the government and the private sector. Failure to enact a robust cyber incident notification requirement will only give our adversaries more opportunity to gather intelligence on our government, steal intellectual property from our companies, and harm our critical infrastructure. I urge my colleagues to pass our amendment, which is common sense and long overdue.”

The amendment would require critical infrastructure owners and operators to report to CISA within 72 hours if they are experiencing a substantial cyber-attack. Many other organizations, including businesses, nonprofits, and state and local governments, would also be required to report to the federal government within 24 hours if they make a ransom payment following an attack. Additionally, the amendment would update current federal government cybersecurity laws to improve coordination between federal agencies, force the government to take a risk-based approach to security, as well as require all civilian agencies to report all cyber-attacks to CISA, and major cyber incidents to Congress. It also provides additional authorities to CISA to ensure they are the lead federal agency in charge of responding to cybersecurity incidents on federal civilian networks.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) in a bicameral letter with over 50 of their colleagues to President Joe Biden and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urging the Administration to provide critical protections to Cameroonians in the midst of the current humanitarian crisis facing the nation. Senator Van Hollen is the Chair of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy and Congresswoman Bass is the Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations.

The lawmakers begin, “We write to you today to request that you issue an immediate 18-month designation of either Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Cameroon. A humanitarian crisis and civil war characterized by massive internal displacement, war crimes, and shortages of essentials like water, food, healthcare, and housing make safe return impossible, and we must act quickly to extend protection against deportation to Cameroonian nationals in the United States (U.S.).”

They go on to underscore the worsening crisis in Cameroon, noting, “Based on the high risk of armed conflict and kidnapping, the U.S. State Department has issued ‘Do Not Travel’ warnings for six regions: the North, Far North, North-West, South- West, East, and parts of Adamawa. In its most recent human rights report on Cameroon, the State Department identified a troubling catalogue of human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary detention, violence against women and children, and targeted attacks against members of the LGBTQ+ community. The United Nations estimates that 4.4 million people in Cameroon need assistance, with over 1.5 million people internally displaced and another 67,000 Cameroonian refugees displaced in Nigeria. An estimated 38,790 Cameroonians currently living in the U.S. would benefit from a DED or TPS designation for Cameroon.”

“Cameroon is facing three separate humanitarian crises sprawling across its ten regions: conflict with the armed Islamist group Boko Haram in the Far North region; a political and humanitarian crisis in the Anglophone North-West and South-West regions; and a refugee crisis in the East, near the border with the Central African Republic. Inter-communal violence has also affected several regions. The government’s continued crackdowns on peaceful political opposition and security forces’ documented use of incommunicado detention and torture contribute to the danger of return.5 Deportees from the U.S. are at particular risk of being targeted for actual or imputed opposition to the government and have experienced arbitrary detention and other abuses upon return,” they continue.

The lawmakers close the letter urging, “Announcing a TPS or DED designation for Cameroon would serve as a key and strategic part of the U.S. government’s commitment to human rights and international stability, safeguarding Cameroonians in the U.S. from a return to these dangerous conditions. We call upon this administration to do its part to protect Cameroonians. Given that the devastating human consequences of these humanitarian crises in Cameroon have escalated in recent months, this protection is urgently needed now more than ever.”

In addition to Senator Van Hollen and Congresswoman Bass, the letter was signed by Senators Kaine, Shaheen, Murray, Padilla, Booker, Markey, Cardin, Brown, Warren, Smith, Klobuchar, Warner, and Warnock and Representatives Nadler, Lofgren, Velazquez, Ruppersberger, Vargas, Beatty, Gwen Moore, Norton, Johnson, Jr., Brown, Lee, McGovern, Schakowsky, Espaillat, Connolly, Raskin, Lieu, Jacobs, Sewell, Evans, Garamendi, Tlaib, Jayapal, Adam Smith, Lowenthal, Ocasio-Cortez, Jones, Cicilline, Meng, Rush, Watson Coleman, Quigley, Castro, Dean, McCollum, Chu, Napolitano, Garcia, Gallego, Pressley, Khanna, and Clarke.

The full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas:

We write to you today to request that you issue an immediate 18-month designation of either Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Cameroon. A humanitarian crisis and civil war characterized by massive internal displacement, war crimes, and shortages of essentials like water, food, healthcare, and housing make safe return impossible, and we must act quickly to extend protection against deportation to Cameroonian nationals in the United States (U.S.).

TPS is a form of statutory deferred action afforded to nationals of a country living in the U.S. if conditions in the country make return unsafe. The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may designate a country for TPS if conditions in the country meet requirements regarding ongoing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions in the country that prevent safe return. TPS provides protection from deportation and permission to work in the U.S. for the duration of the designation.

DED serves as a vital foreign policy tool of the President and another mechanism to protect foreign nationals in the U.S. from civil, political, and humanitarian crises in their home country that make it unsafe for them to return, or whose suspension of deportation serves other U.S. foreign policy or domestic interests. DED provides similar protections as TPS, but it does not require registration and is only triggered when an individual is identified for removal. A DED designation uses minimal administrative resources and has an immediate effect for eligible individuals.

Based on the high risk of armed conflict and kidnapping, the U.S. State Department has issued “Do Not Travel” warnings for six regions: the North, Far North, North-West, South- West, East, and parts of Adamawa. In its most recent human rights report on Cameroon, the State Department identified a troubling catalogue of human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary detention, violence against women and children, and targeted attacks against members of the LGBTQ+ community. The United Nations estimates that 4.4 million people in Cameroon need assistance, with over 1.5 million people internally displaced and another 67,000 Cameroonian refugees displaced in Nigeria. An estimated 38,790 Cameroonians currently living in the U.S. would benefit from a DED or TPS designation for Cameroon.

Cameroon is facing three separate humanitarian crises sprawling across its ten regions: conflict with the armed Islamist group Boko Haram in the Far North region; a political and humanitarian crisis in the Anglophone North-West and South-West regions; and a refugee crisis in the East, near the border with the Central African Republic. Inter-communal violence has also affected several regions. The government’s continued crackdowns on peaceful political opposition and security forces’ documented use of incommunicado detention and torture contribute to the danger of return. Deportees from the U.S. are at particular risk of being targeted for actual or imputed opposition to the government and have experienced arbitrary detention and other abuses upon return.

Since late 2016, Cameroon, a bilingual country with eight Francophone and two Anglophone regions, has faced a protracted humanitarian crisis in its Anglophone North-West and South- West regions resulting in the internal displacement of more than 712,000 civilians and the displacement of over 67,000 Cameroonian refugees across the border to Nigeria. Grassroots advocacy in the Anglophone regions in late 2016 called for more political autonomy or secession. In response, government security forces cracked down on protests and non-state armed groups continued to seek independence, with both sides committing serious and widespread human rights violations. As a result of this crisis, at least 4,000 civilians have been killed in the Anglophone regions alone.

The Far North region of Cameroon has been severely impacted by armed conflict between government forces and the armed Islamist group Boko Haram and its splinter faction, the Islamic State in West Africa Province. The Boko Haram insurgency, which began in Nigeria in 2009 and spread to Cameroon in 2014, has led to the deaths of more than 3,000 Cameroonians and has resulted in the internal displacement of over 340,000.

Conflict in the neighboring Central African Republic (CAR) also impacts Cameroon, which currently hosts over 330,000 refugees from the CAR in its East, Adamawa, and Northern regions after a new wave of refugees crossed the border following election-related violence in CAR in late 2020. The influx of refugees has put significant pressure on the already limited natural resources and basic social services in host communities, severely exacerbating pre- existing vulnerabilities and leading to increased incidents of criminality, kidnappings, and inter-communal violence.

The conflict in the Far North and the crisis in the Anglophone regions have also exacerbated long-standing inter-communal tensions over natural resources, resulting in violence and increased civilian casualties. In August 2021 in the Far North Region, clashes between ethnic Choa Arab herders and ethnic Mousgoum fishermen and farmers killed at least 32, injured at least 74 people, and razed at least 19 villages, representing the most violent inter-communal attack to date in Cameroon.

The Cameroonian government and security forces create risks for deportees nationwide, including crackdowns on political dissent, the security forces’ documented use of torture, and criminalization of and targeted violence towards LGBTQ+ people. Political and ethnic tensions in Cameroon have been further frayed by uprisings and violence following the 2018 presidential and 2020 local elections.

On three known deportation flights in October, November, and September of 2020 the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported an estimated 80-90 Cameroonians en masse. According to press reports and interviews with deportees, Cameroonian authorities confiscated the identification documents of most Cameroonians deported on the October and November 2020 flights.

The COVID-19 pandemic has only intensified the humanitarian crises and human rights issues in Cameroon, where violence and heavy rains have catastrophically degraded infrastructure essential to the delivery of humanitarian aid and pandemic relief. Citing limited medical resources and a high risk of contracting the virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned against all but essential travel to Cameroon. The Cameroonian government has also been criticized for its lack of transparency on the misuse of millions of dollars in pandemic relief funds.

Announcing a TPS or DED designation for Cameroon would serve as a key and strategic part of the U.S. government’s commitment to human rights and international stability, safeguarding Cameroonians in the U.S. from a return to these dangerous conditions. We call upon this administration to do its part to protect Cameroonians. Given that the devastating human consequences of these humanitarian crises in Cameroon have escalated in recent months, this protection is urgently needed now more than ever.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following release:

“After months of work, I’m encouraged that the White House has reached an agreement on a transformative budget reconciliation package to reduce child and home health care costs, invest in clean energy, combat the effects of climate change, and make life a little easier and more affordable for hardworking Americans and Virginia families. While this framework leaves room for future action on critical needs like paid family leave, I’m pleased that it does include significant investments in affordable housing and measures to close the racial wealth gap that I fought hard to include. I look forward to working with my colleagues and President Biden to get this fully paid-for framework signed into law.

“I’m pleased to hear that the House is heading towards a vote today on a bipartisan infrastructure package that I helped write. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will bring billions of dollars home to Virginia to fix our roads and bridges, invest in our ports and airports, expand broadband, and more. I urge my colleagues in the House of Representatives to approve this once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure needs without further delay.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine issued the following statement after the Senate voted to confirm Ms. Patricia Tolliver Giles and U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff for the two judicial vacancies in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division: 

“We are pleased that the Senate voted to confirm Ms. Patricia Tolliver Giles and Judge Michael Nachmanoff to be U.S. District Court Judges in the Eastern District of Virginia. We were proud to recommend both to the President for appointment to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and are confident they will serve the Commonwealth and the country with distinction.” 

Senators Warner and Kaine have been supporters of both nominees. In April, the Senators sent a letter to President Biden recommending Ms. Tolliver Giles and U.S. Magistrate Judge Nachmanoff for the vacancy in the Alexandria Division of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia following Judge Liam O’Grady’s decision to take senior status. Shortly thereafter, another vacancy opened in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to succeed Judge Anthony Trenga, who assumed senior status June 1, 2021.

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