WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine applauded  President Biden’s announcement of new efforts to lower high-speed internet costs for Virginians and all Americans, including commitments from 20 internet providers to either increase speeds or cut prices to no more than $30/month for Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)-eligible households. Warner and Kaine helped create the ACP, which was established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Warner negotiated and they both voted to pass. 1,908,000 or 23% of people in Virginia will be eligible for the ACP.  

“We’ve made great progress in expanding broadband in Virginia, but too many Virginians still face challenges in accessing internet due to high costs. These steps to lower internet costs for families are critical to address that gap. We’re glad the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help more families stay connected with friends and loved ones, access telehealth services, and find job and educational opportunities online,” Sens. Warner and Kaine said.

Specifically, the ACP program provides a $30 per month discount, or $75 per month for households on tribal lands, for low-income families to use toward any internet service of their choosing. Today’s commitments from the 20 internet providers will mean tens of millions of ACP-eligible households will receive high-speed internet at no cost. Households can also receive a one-time $100 discount for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. Eligible households must have an income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or have a family member that meets at least one of these criteria outlined by the Federal Communications Commission. Virginians can go to GetInternet.gov to sign up for the ACP and find participating providers in their area.

As Governors and Senators, Warner and Kaine have long supported expanding broadband access in Virginia. During the pandemic, they secured significant funding for broadband through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the December 2020 government funding bill, which included COVID relief, and the  American Rescue Plan. They also introduced legislation to help students access the internet at home. The Fiscal Year 2022 government funding bill supported by Warner and Kaine included $550 million to expand access to broadband and $450 million for the ReConnect program to help rural communities access the internet.

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 WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement after Boeing announced that its Arlington, Virginia campus just outside Washington, D.C. will serve as the company's global headquarters:

“For well over a year, I’ve been making my case to Boeing senior leadership that Virginia would be a great place for its headquarters, and late last year, I was happy to learn that my efforts were successful. As the former Governor of Virginia, I was proud to secure Virginia’s standing as the best state for business and the best-managed state, among other honors, and I’ve been proud to work in my role as Senator to help continue to cultivate the kind of pro-business environment that world-class companies like Boeing need to grow and thrive.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), one of the Senators tasked with negotiating the U.S. jobs and competitiveness package, released the following statement after the Senate moved to begin negotiations between the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, following a series of procedural votes:

“It has taken the Senate far too long to get to this point, but I’m pleased to finally have the green light to start these critical negotiations. This package stands to bring manufacturing back to the U.S., create good-paying jobs, and propel our innovation economy forward. I look forward to a productive series of negotiations and will work to get this bill to President Biden’s desk as soon as possible.”

In April, Sen. Warner, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, was selected to serve on the conference committee of Senators and House members working to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of the jobs and competitiveness bill. This bill has been known variously as the Bipartisan Innovation Act, America COMPETES Act, the United States Innovation and Competition Act, and the Endless Frontier Act.

Once the conference committee comes to an agreement on a final version of the bill, the House and Senate will each vote on whether to send that bill to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.  

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WASHINGTON— U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine applauded House passage of their bipartisan legislation to commemorate historic sites that catalyzed litigation leading to the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. The bill, which unanimously passed the Senate earlier this month, now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. The legislation 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, it will 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. This designation would help protect the site.

The 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka transformed the United States, overruling Plessy v. Ferguson and striking down school segregation as unconstitutional. The Brown decision was a major catalyst of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

“Seventy-one years after Barbara Johns led a protest against school segregation at Moton High School in Farmville, we’re thrilled that our legislation to commemorate the Moton Museum and other historic sites associated with Brown v. Board of Education is headed to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law,” said Sens. Warner and Kaine. “We’re proud to help preserve this history and recognize stories of courageous Americans who fought for justice and equality.”

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 under-recognized histories of the Brown v. Board of Education case.

In collaboration with local partners and other stakeholders, the National Trust will continue its work to bring recognition to communities that fought for school integration and make connections between communities engaged in the fight for educational equity, past and present.

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

Sens. Warner and Kaine were also proud to secure $500,000 in dedicated funding for critical facility upgrades at the Moton Museum in Farmville through the Fiscal Year 2022 budget, and supported efforts to honor Barbara Johns as one of Virginia’s two statues in the United States Capitol.

The bill text is available here.

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 WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $2,642,519 in federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for the Virginia State Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS). This funding will go towards improving call and text response rates at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

he last two years of the pandemic, we have seen an increased demand for mental health services,” the senators said. “We are pleased that this funding will allow the Commonwealth to provide more timely assistance to those who are in crisis and in need of help.”

Currently in Virginia, the DBHDS has an in-state answer rate of 83 percent. The goal of this funding is to increase answer rates at call centers to 90 percent by the end of the grant period. In addition, SAMSHA has a stated goal of answering 90 percent of calls within 15 seconds and 95 percent of calls within 20 seconds by the end of the grant period.

This funding comes ahead of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s July transition from the current 10-digit number to a three-digit, 988, dialing code. With the switch, SAMHSA is expecting an increase in calls. 

In February of last year, Sens. Warner and Kaine announced funding for the Richmond Behavioral Health Authority to help expand access to and improve the quality of mental health and substance use disorder programs.

This funding was provided through the American Rescue Plan which was supported by both Sens. Warner and Kaine.

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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 (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. 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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BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEOS AND PHOTOS AVAILABLE HERE 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement on his intent to support Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court:

“Judge Jackson is a trailblazer and a highly-qualified jurist. Her wide-ranging endorsements – from conservative jurists, civil rights organizations, law enforcement groups, and through her previous bipartisan Senate confirmations – speak to her sterling credentials.

“During her hearing and our meeting, Judge Jackson demonstrated a strong command of constitutional law, a patient and reasoned temperament, and a warm devotion to her family and to the United States. Her confirmation would also take a long overdue step toward making the composition of the Supreme Court better reflect the people it represents by finally including a Black woman.

“After careful consideration, I believe Judge Jackson embodies the highest intellect, impartiality, and honesty, and I look forward to casting my vote in support of her nomination."

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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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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,