WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Sens. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and 24 of his Senate Democratic colleagues in sounding the alarm about increased harassment and violence against members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In a letter to President Donald Trump, the Senators stressed that America’s leaders have a responsibility to avoid using rhetoric that fuels racism towards Asian Americans, and to prevent confusion about COVID-19 from being exploited to target communities of color.

“It is imperative that we make clear that the enemy in our midst is not the Asian or Asian-American community, but rather a virus that endangers us all,” wrote the Senators. “We must counter the mistaken belief that there is any link between the virus and a person’s ethnicity. Such misconceptions have contributed to a surge of hate crimes against AAPI communities, acting as a pretext for individuals who exploited this crisis as an opportunity to harm people whose racial and ethnic backgrounds differ from their own.”

The letter follows a recent call from a group of leading U.S. national security experts who have demanded heightened attention to the intensification of hate crimes targeting the Asian and Asian American diasporas, particularly as communities of color in the United States are already being disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Similarly, on March 20, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights expressed concern over the sharp rise in violent attacks against Asian Americans. The CDC, UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have also warned against the social stigma that has targeted the Asian American community in the wake of COVID-19. 

“History teaches us that injustice and divisions in the United States have been exploited domestically for political purposes and can be exploited by other governments for strategic purposes,” the Senators continued. “Racist rhetoric and hateful attacks against Asians and members of the AAPI community are unjust and utterly inconsistent with our core values. Such incidents also play into the Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda and messaging in ways that undermine our unity, national interests, and global leadership.” 

Sen. Warner has been outspoken about the need to prevent discrimination and harassment towards Asian Americans during this pandemic. He has previously urged the coronavirus taskforce only to distribute accurate information about the virus and dispel misinformation or discriminatory rhetoric to help prevent suspicion, panic and race-based assaults. Additionally, he has requested that the Vice President correct the record on mixed Trump administration messages related to COVID-19, and that the FBI conduct community outreach and engage leaders of Chinese American and Asian American organizations to increase connectivity and dialogue.

In addition to Sens. Warner, Menendez, Schumer, Duckworth and Hirono, the letter was signed by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL) Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Christopher S. Murphy (D-CT), Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-OR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jack Reed (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

A copy of the letter can be found here and below:

 

Dear Mr. President:

Recently, a group of U.S. national security leaders signed a letter raising alarm about the surge in anti-Asian racism in the context of COVID-19, and concern that prejudice and stigmatization undermine American values of hope and U.S. leadership abroad.

We, the undersigned Members of the U.S. Senate, echo these concerns.

We, too, are alarmed by the severity and increasing frequency of hate crimes and race-based harassment against Asians and members of the Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in the United States—assaults that endanger their safety, well-being, dignity, and livelihoods. U.S. leaders in every sector and at every level — including in both the Executive and Legislative branches of our government — must take action against anti-Asian racism and express support for Asian diaspora and AAPI communities.

The COVID-19 pandemic presents urgent threats to America’s health, prosperity, and national security. It has brought out the best of our nation: healthcare workers have labored around the clock to care for patients, scientists have raced to develop a vaccine and therapeutics, and local officials and community leaders have taken action to ensure the most vulnerable among us have access to supplies and services.

Alarmingly, the crisis has also spawned numerous disturbing incidents of racism and discrimination in the United States. On March 20, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights expressed concern over the sharp rise in violent attacks against Asian Americans. It is imperative that we make clear that the enemy in our midst is not the Asian or Asian-American community, but rather a virus that endangers us all.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises discussing the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in ways that reduce and avoid stigma, while refraining from using any terms (such as “Chinese virus” or “Wuhan virus”) that exacerbate prejudice and discrimination in ways that place lives at risk of violence. We must counter the mistaken belief that there is any link between the virus and a person’s ethnicity. Such misconceptions have contributed to a surge of hate crimes against AAPI communities, acting as a pretext for individuals who exploited this crisis as an opportunity to harm people whose racial and ethnic backgrounds differ from their own.

We represent diverse states and communities, and some of us have also been personally targeted by prejudice. All of us must stand today in solidarity with the Asian and AAPI communities and amplify the many statements of concern that AAPI leaders and community organizations have issued in recent weeks.

We believe that our nation is strongest when we live up to our guiding principles, including the embrace of equality and diversity. Intolerance and stigmatization risk dividing our society and hurting our most vulnerable precisely when we must unite and stand strong to confront the pandemic.

History teaches us that injustice and divisions in the United States have been exploited domestically for political purposes and can be exploited by other governments for strategic purposes. Racist rhetoric and hateful attacks against Asians and members of the AAPI community are unjust and utterly inconsistent with our core values. Such incidents also play into the Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda and messaging in ways that undermine our unity, national interests, and global leadership.

Once the worst of this global crisis is past, it will be important to re-examine the factors and decisions that facilitated the rapid global diffusion of the outbreak from its origin in China, including the initial failure of the Chinese government to heed the concerns of doctors and its efforts to suppress the warnings of whistleblowers and downplay the danger of the virus. For the time being, however, we must prioritize and concentrate on mobilizing an effective response that overcomes initial missteps, while galvanizing the international collaboration that is critical to constraining this global threat.

U.S. policy to address the pandemic must respect and defend human rights and civil liberties. The novel coronavirus presents a major threat to the health and wellbeing of all people in the United States, but the Asian diaspora and AAPI communities now face harmful rhetoric and even horrifying physical violence. We must prioritize, at this perilous moment, reducing those dangers to the greatest extent possible.

Recognizing the urgency of this crisis and the imperative of combating the prejudices that have intensified in its wake, we pledge to work with you to confront the racism that so many encounter in their daily lives, in online and offline settings, and to tackle systemic prejudice even as we combat this unprecedented pandemic.

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WASHINGTON - Following reports of escalating foreign cyber espionage and cybercrime targeting American health institutions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tom Cotton (R-AR), David Perdue (R-GA), and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) called on top U.S. cybersecurity officials to take immediate steps to bolster defenses, coordinate with hospitals, and engage in deterrence against such attacks. 

The bipartisan group of Senators wrote to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and United States Cyber Command after reports that Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and criminal groups have launched hacking campaigns targeting the U.S. health care and medical research sectors in recent weeks. These malicious campaigns included ransomware attacks hitting hospitals, disinformation about health related to COVID-19, and spying on U.S. medical response and research. 

“[O]ur country’s healthcare, public health, and research sectors are facing an unprecedented and perilous campaign of sophisticated hacking operations from state and criminal actors amid the coronavirus pandemic,” wrote the Senators in a letter to CISA Director Christopher Krebs and Cyber Command Commander Paul Nakasone. “Disinformation, disabled computers, and disrupted communications due to ransomware, denial of service attacks, and intrusions means critical lost time and diverted resources. During this moment of national crisis, the cybersecurity and digital resilience of our healthcare, public health, and research sectors are literally matters of life-or-death.”

The Senators urged the agencies to make cyber threat information public to enable better defensive efforts, as well as raise public alarm and issue statements putting adversaries on notice. The Senators also called on the agencies to provide technical assistance to help states in their cybersecurity efforts, convene stakeholders in the medical sector to make sure they have the necessary resources, and engage in deterrence actions as necessary. 

The full text of the letter is available here and copied below.

 

 

Dear Mr. Krebs and General Nakasone,

We write to raise our profound concerns that our country’s healthcare, public health, and research sectors are facing an unprecedented and perilous campaign of sophisticated hacking operations from state and criminal actors amid the coronavirus pandemic. These hacking attempts pose an alarming risk of disrupting or undermining our public health response at this time of crisis. We write to urge the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in coordination with United States Cyber Command, and its partners to issue guidance to the health care sector, convene stakeholders, provide technical resources, and take necessary measures to deter our adversaries in response to these threats.

In recent weeks, Russian, Chinese, Iranian, and North Korean hacking operations have targeted the health care sector and used the coronavirus as a lure in their campaigns.  In March, the cyber security firm FireEye reported that a Chinese hacking group, APT41, carried out one of the broadest hacking campaigns from China in recent years, beginning at the onset of the pandemic.^[1] According to researchers, APT41 is a sophisticated Chinese state sponsored group that specializes in espionage against healthcare, high-tech, and political interests.^[2] This latest campaign sought to exploit several recent vulnerabilities in commonplace networking equipment, cloud software, and office IT management tools—the same systems that we are now more reliant on for telework and telehealth during this pandemic. Included in the new Chinese espionage campaign are the healthcare and pharmaceutical nonprofits and companies bracing to respond to the coronavirus. APT41’s campaign also appears to reflect a broader escalation from Chinese groups in recent weeks.^[3]

China is not alone in exploiting the coronavirus pandemic against our interests. Russian, Iranian, and North Korean government hackers have reportedly targeted international health organizations and the public health institutions of U.S. allies.^[4] Additionally, the State Department has identified disinformation operations from Russia, Iran, and China that sought to spread false information about coronavirus to undermine the nation’s response to the pandemic.^[5] Unless we take forceful action to deny our adversaries success and deter them from further exploiting this crisis, we will be inviting further aggression from them and others.

The cybersecurity threat to our stretched and stressed medical and public health systems should not be ignored. Prior to the pandemic, hospitals had already struggled to defend themselves against an onslaught of ransomware and data breaches. Our hospitals are dependent on electronic health records, email, and internal networks that often heavily rely on legacy equipment. Even a minor technical issue with the email services of the Department of Health and Human Services meaningfully frustrated efforts to coordinate the federal government’s service.^[6] Disinformation, disabled computers, and disrupted communications due to ransomware, denial of service attacks, and intrusions means critical lost time and diverted resources. During this moment of national crisis, the cybersecurity and digital resilience of our healthcare, public health, and research sectors are literally matters of life-or-death.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and Cyber Command are on the frontlines of our response to cybersecurity threats to our critical infrastructure. Hospitals, medical researchers, and other health institutions need the expertise and resources your agencies have developed defending against these same sophisticated threats. We urge you to take all necessary measures to protect these institutions during the coronavirus pandemic, including:           

1.)    Provide private and public cyber threat intelligence information, such as indicators of compromise (IOCs), on attacks against the healthcare, public health, and research sectors, including malware and ransomware.

2.)    Coordinate with the Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation on efforts to increase public awareness on cyberespionage, cybercrime, and disinformation targeting employees and consumers, especially as increased telework poses new risks to companies.

3.)    Provide threat assessments, resources, and additional guidance to the National Guard Bureau to ensure that personnel supporting state public health departments and other local emergency management agencies are prepared to defend critical infrastructure from cybersecurity breaches.

4.)    Convene and consult partners in the healthcare, public health, and research sectors, including its government and private healthcare councils, on what resources and information are needed to reinforce efforts to defend healthcare IT systems, such as vulnerability detection tools and threat hunting.

5.)    Consider issuing public statements regarding hacking operations and disinformation related to the coronavirus for public awareness and to put adversaries on notice, similar to the joint statement on election inference issued on March 2nd.

6.)    Evaluate further necessary action to defend forward in order to detect and deter attempts to intrude, exploit, and interfere with the healthcare, public health, and research sectors.

 We stand ready to work with you to provide any further resources necessary in this effort. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

 Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) joined U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and 35 Democratic Senators in urging Vice President Mike Pence and other members of the Trump Administration to take action to help ensure the safety of the nation’s food supply and protect essential workers in the food supply chain. 

“It is vital that we do everything we can to protect food supply workers,” wrote the Senators. “Breakdowns in the food supply chain could have significant economic impacts for both consumers and agricultural producers. It is also imperative that precautions are taken to ensure the stability and safety of our food supply.”

There have been numerous reports of essential workers in meatpacking plants, processing facilities, farms, grocery stores, and markets falling ill from COVID-19. Some workers have reportedly felt pressured to go to work even when feeling sick. There are also serious concerns about the health of farmworkers who often work, live, and travel in close proximity, making social distancing very difficult.

“The severe shortages of adequate COVID-19 testing capability and personal protective equipment are exacerbating these problems,” wrote the Senators. “Lack of access to tests and personal protective equipment leaves essential food supply workers at even higher risk and makes the virus more likely to spread, harming more workers and further damaging our food supply chain.”

The Senators urged the White House and federal agencies to coordinate with state and local governments and the private sector to take aggressive action to protect essential workers and the food supply from further damage. The Senators also asked a series of questions about the actions being taken and coordination with the food industry.

In addition to Senator Stabenow, the letter was signed by Senators Stabenow, Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Robert Casey (D-Penn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Angus King (I-Maine), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Jackie Rosen (D-Nev.).

The letter was sent to Vice President Pence, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Food and Drug Commissioner Stephen Hahn, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler, and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf.

The full text of the letter is below. A PDF of the letter is available here.

Dear Vice President Pence, Secretary Perdue, Commissioner Hahn, Administrator Wheeler, Acting Secretary Wolf:  

We write today to inquire about the actions you are taking to ensure the safety of our nation’s food supply and protect our essential federal and private sector food supply chain workforce. There have been numerous reports of essential workers in meatpacking plants, processing facilities, farms, grocery stores, and markets falling ill from COVID-19. Other sources have reported that employee absences are high as people fear going into work due to the threat of infection. Some workers have reportedly felt pressured to work even when feeling sick. There are also serious concerns about the health of farmworkers who plant and harvest our crops and often work, live, and travel in close proximity, making social distancing very difficult.

The severe shortages of adequate COVID-19 testing capability and personal protective equipment are exacerbating these problems. Lack of access to tests and personal protective equipment leaves essential food supply workers at even higher risk and makes the virus more likely to spread, harming more workers and further damaging our food supply chain. Beyond the risk of infection, the lack of personal protective equipment is also harmful to farmworkers who apply pesticides and lack basic protections.

It is vital that we do everything we can to protect food supply workers and federal employees from COVID-19 infection. Breakdowns in the food supply chain could have significant economic impacts for both consumers and agricultural producers. It is also imperative that precautions are taken to ensure the stability and safety of our food supply. 

During this public health crisis, the White House and your agencies must coordinate with state and local governments and the private sector to take aggressive action to protect essential workers in the food supply chain. We need bold action and creative solutions, including greatly increased testing and tracing of those exposed to the virus in order to stop the spread. This is critically important to protect our essential workforce, our food supply chain, our agricultural economy, and rural America from further damage. We ask you to respond to the following questions by April 24, 2020:

1.     What are your plans for and what actions have you taken to help ensure the safety of essential food supply chain workers?  In the event that essential food supply chain workers, including all farmworkers, contract COVID-19, what are the preparedness and response plans and actions to control the outbreak, ensure treatment of workers, and ensure that our food supply is maintained? 

2.     USDA’s coronavirus website instructs the food industry to follow protocols set by local and state health departments for guidance about its business operations. 

a.     How are your agencies coordinating with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to ensure that employers know what is necessary to protect their essential food supply chain workers from COVID-19?

b.     A clear safety and health standard applicable to this novel virus would ensure employers understand what is necessary to keep essential food supply chain workers healthy so they can continue to work to keep the food chain strong. Have your agencies asked Secretary Scalia to use his existing authorities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to ensure employers of essential food supply chain workers institute necessary safety and health accommodations to deal with this virus? If not, why not?

c.     What are your agencies doing to create consistency regarding  recommendations from federal agencies that address issues related to monitoring of symptoms, sanitation practices, social distancing, personal protective equipment standards, and communication requirements? 

3.     Has the federal government worked with states or the food industry to develop contingency plans or guidance on how to adjust supply chains or move workforce capacity to other areas to address any personnel shortages?

4.     What concerns and unmet needs have you heard from the food supply industry regarding protection of these essential workers?  What are you doing to address shortages of personal protective equipment for private sector essential food supply chain workers?  

5.     What actions have you taken to make COVID-19 testing readily available to essential food supply chain workers?  

6.     Have you taken any actions to work with state and local governments and industry partners to find alternative housing options for essential food supply chain workers who have been infected by or exposed to COVID-19 to help stop it from spreading to others?   

7.     Protecting the health and safety of USDA inspectors from COVID-19 is critically important. 

a.     How many USDA inspectors have been infected by COVID-19? 
b.     Have infections of inspectors caused any slowing in or reduction of inspections or production? 
c.     Has USDA appropriately notified its personnel of the new COVID paid sick and family leave polices recently enacted by Congress? 
d.     USDA briefed congressional staff and said it has been unable to supply masks for all of its food inspectors and has instead offered to reimburse its employees for making or purchasing their own masks. What is USDA doing to supply all FSIS inspectors, APHIS inspectors, and AMS essential personnel with appropriate personal protective equipment and what is the timeframe when USDA will be able to provide this equipment? 

We thank you for your immediate attention to these questions. 

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine joined 30 of their colleagues to call for state, local, and tribal governments to receive dedicated, flexible funding in the next COVID-19 emergency funding package. While Virginia has received $3.3 billion to support its COVID-19 response, the Senators are pushing for the next emergency coronavirus relief package to provide assurances that funding can be used to prevent potentially devastating budget cuts and that localities of all sizes will receive dedicated funding. Earlier this month, Senators Warner and Kaine urged Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to provide Virginia maximum flexibility to use funding from the CARES Act to help address budget shortfalls and prevent harmful budget cuts to services vital to addressing the economic and health crises.

The Senators said, “On behalf of our state, local, and tribal governments, it is essential that you include robust, dedicated, and flexible funding to all units of state and local government in the next interim emergency coronavirus package to support their ongoing efforts in the fight against this pandemic. Not only are these public servants on the front line of the immediate response effort, they are also major employers navigating unprecedented declines in revenue just as the need for their services hits an all-time high. We can and we must work together to get this essential funding to our local partners as quickly as possible.” 

The letter was led by Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV). In addition to Warner and Kaine, it was signed by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Doug Jones (D-AL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Tom Carper (D-DE), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

You can read the full letter here and below.

 

Dear Leader McConnell and Secretary Mnuchin: 

On behalf of our state, local, and tribal governments, it is essential that you include robust, dedicated, and flexible funding to all units of state and local government in the next interim emergency coronavirus package to support their ongoing efforts in the fight against this pandemic. Not only are these public servants on the front line of the immediate response effort, they are also major employers navigating unprecedented declines in revenue just as the need for their services hits an all-time high. We can and we must work together to get this essential funding to our local partners as quickly as possible.

While the Coronavirus Relief Fund authorized in the CARES Act (P.L. 116-136) was an important first step, there is no guarantee that any of that funding will reach the millions of Americans who live in communities with fewer than 500,000 residents. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has made it clear that no unit of local government representing fewer than 500,000 residents is eligible to apply for direct funding. The next interim emergency coronavirus package must include dedicated funding for the cities, counties, tribes, and other local governments that serve these communities. 

The intent of the legislative language authorizing the Coronavirus Relief Fund was to provide flexible funding to state and local jurisdictions as they respond to an unfolding national health and economic crisis. Flexibility is critical as federal response guidelines change almost daily. Our local partners have to constantly adjust and adapt to maintain a consistent response while grappling with dramatically reduced state and local revenues that are the direct result of COVID-19’s effects on our economy. While we remain hopeful that the U.S. Department of the Treasury will issue implementation guidance for the Coronavirus Relief Fund that is consistent with the aforementioned Congressional intent, we also know that our state, local, and tribal partners need certainty now that they can use all current and future federal funds to cover reductions in revenues resulting from the public health emergency and faltering COVID-19 economy.

Our local partners, unlike the federal government, have a legal requirement to balance their budget. They do not have the luxury of carrying debt over year after year. We stand with our country’s governors, mayors, county officials, and tribal leaders in asking you to put politics aside and support our local partners. They cannot afford to wait any longer.

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Today, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA, Joe Manchin (D-WV) and seven Senators called for the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to implement emergency standards to protect America’s brave coal miners who continue to power our nation during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Coal miners are the backbone of this country; they have always risked their lives to provide the power that keeps our lights on and the energy flowing to our homes and businesses. When it comes to the coal industry, the health and safety of our miners must continue to be our top priority. Again, we strongly urge MSHA to immediately issue the emergency standards necessary to protect our nation's miners as we work toward finding solutions to the current public health crisis,” the Senators said in part.

Senator Manchin is joined by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Bob Casey (D-PA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Doug Jones (D-AL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Mark Warner (D-VA).

 

The letter can be read in full below or click here.

 

Dear President Trump: 

We write to echo the request of America’s coal miners by urging the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), the federal government's principal agency directed to prevent mine illness, injury, and death, to exercise its authority to issue emergency standards to safeguard miners as the nation continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As you are well aware, coal miners are especially prone to the dangers of COVID-19 because of the nature of their work. Unlike other professions where social distancing recommendations are practicable, coal mining requires the continuous clustering of people working in close proximity of one another. Clustering usually begins in the locker rooms where miners prepare for the day's shift by putting on their protective gear. It continues when the miners climb into their mantrips, mine cars, and elevators where they are carried to the extraction sites. While there, the miners will breathe the same air, utilize the same machinery, tools, and instrumentalities to move the coal out of the mine and into the stream of commerce. Once their shifts conclude, the miners will return to the locker rooms, utilize showering facilities, and exchange orders with the next shift before heading home to their families. This process repeats itself between every shift, and at every mine, exponentially increasing the probability of exposure to the COVID-19 virus. 

We understand that individual mine operators and local unions have implemented their own measures in an attempt to mitigate the risks of exposure to this highly contagious virus. However, we believe that a uniform implementation of practices detailed within an MSHA emergency standard would ensure that the highest level of precautionary measures were in place at every mine. 

Coal miners are the backbone of this country; they have always risked their lives to provide the power that keeps our lights on and the energy flowing to our homes and businesses. When it comes to the coal industry, the health and safety of our miners must continue to be our top priority. 

Again, we strongly urge MSHA to immediately issue the emergency standards necessary to protect our nation's miners as we work toward finding solutions to the current public health crisis. Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this matter.

 

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Scott (R-SC) are calling to protect at-risk Medicare beneficiaries and ensure access to potentially life-saving services by allowing for the full participation of CDC-recognized virtual suppliers in the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) for at least the duration of the COVID-19 emergency. A letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services states in part, “We continue to strongly support permanent eligibility for these providers, who have the potential to dramatically expand access to beneficiaries in need, and we urge you to ensure their eligibility for at least the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. This step would both enable access for millions of eligible beneficiaries and provide key foundational data on the effectiveness and integrity of virtual programs within the MDPP.  According to the CDC and emerging research from across the globe, older individuals and those suffering from serious medical conditions, such as diabetes, are at a higher risk of experiencing severe illness, and even death, after contracting COVID-19. While all Americans should adhere to the instructions of health professionals and practice social distancing, these directives are all the more important for at-risk populations, including those whom the MDPP aims to serve.” Also signing the letter were Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Gary Peters (D-MI), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Tina Smith (D-MN), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Martha McSally (R-AZ). Last year, Sens. Warner and Scott sent a letter to the agencies requesting that virtual providers be fully integrated in the MDPP expanded model, but the Administration has not yet facilitated their inclusion. CMS’s recent interim final rule with comment period (IFC) provided modest flexibilities for some existing suppliers regarding virtual make-up sessions, but these temporary changes will prove insufficient to ensure meaningful access.  Read the letter in its entirety here and below. Also, a list of COVID-19 resources can be found here.   April 16, 2020  The Honorable Alex M. Azar II Secretary Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, SW  Washington, DC 20201  The Honorable Seema Verma, M.P.H. Administrator Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 7500 Security Boulevard  Baltimore, MD 21244 Dear Secretary Azar and Administrator Verma:  In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we are writing to request that you build upon the steps taken in your recent interim final rule with comment period (IFC) by making CDC- recognized virtual Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) providers eligible for reimbursement in the Medicare DPP (MDPP) expanded model. We continue to strongly support permanent eligibility for these providers, who have the potential to dramatically expand access to beneficiaries in need, and we urge you to ensure their eligibility for at least the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. This step would both enable access for millions of eligible beneficiaries and provide key foundational data on the effectiveness and integrity of virtual programs within the MDPP.  According to the CDC and emerging research from across the globe, older individuals and those suffering from serious medical conditions, such as diabetes, are at a higher risk of experiencing severe illness, and even death, after contracting COVID-19. While all Americans should adhere to the instructions of health professionals and practice social distancing, these directives are all the more important for at-risk populations, including those whom the MDPP aims to serve.  Even before this pandemic began to spread in the United States, many Medicare beneficiaries faced considerable access challenges that prevented them from participating in this potentially life-saving program. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has exacerbated those gaps. In-person sessions risk life-threatening viral exposure, and yet beneficiaries cannot readily turn to virtual programs as a viable alternative, given persistent reimbursement barriers. While CMS’s recent IFC took an important step forward in recognizing the value of certain types of virtual sessions from a subsection of providers, the parameters outlined in the rule create barriers to entry for many high-quality virtual providers and potential new participants, in addition to substantially  constraining options for beneficiaries currently participating in the program. In contrast with a number of other flexibilities included in the IFC and waivers released by CMS, which leverage innovative technological tools to improve access and care quality, the agency’s temporary policy changes for the MDPP leave significant opportunities for further development and enhancement.  The COVID-19 public health emergency exemplifies the importance of integrating virtual health technology solutions into our healthcare system on a sustainable, long-term basis, and we will continue to work to ensure that CDC-recognized virtual providers are full participants in the MDPP expanded model. In the near term, however, we ask that you protect at-risk populations and preserve and bolster access to a proven program by allowing for robust and meaningful virtual provider reimbursement eligibility during this public health emergency.  ###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and 16 Senators in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to ensure that any forthcoming COVID-19 legislation includes robust federal subsidies so that individuals who lose their job as a result of this pandemic can maintain their employer-sponsored health coverage. 

One option for Americans who lose their jobs, or drop below the hours necessary to be eligible for employer-sponsored health coverage, is COBRA. COBRA allows people to keep the employer-sponsored coverage that they selected for up to 18 months.  However, instead of having employers contribute to the premium costs, individuals are responsible for having to pay the full insurance premium themselves—an average of $1,700 a month for a family plan—which is often unaffordable for those newly unemployed.  In today’s letter, the Senators called on Congress to craft a bill that provides a robust federal COBRA premium subsidy for individuals who would otherwise lose their employer-sponsored coverage as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Allowing families to maintain the coverage they previously selected will help ensure continuity of care and limit disruption for both families and employers as our economy gets back on track,” the Senators wrote.  “We stand ready and eager to work with you to ensure that the next COVID-19 relief package includes this important policy, which will ensure that millions of people losing their jobs as a result of this pandemic will not also suddenly become uninsured and at risk for catastrophic health care costs.” 

In the U.S., over half of Americans receive their health coverage through their employer.  Depending on the extent of unemployment as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, between 23 to 35 million workers could end up losing their employer-based health care coverage. 

Along with Durbin, today’s letter is also signed by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tom Carper (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jack Reed (D-RI), Doug Jones (D-AL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Brian Schatz (D-HI). 

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

 

Thank you for your efforts to date to ensure swift passage of multiple bipartisan pieces of legislation vital to helping our nation’s families, health care providers, and small businesses cope with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Looking forward, we recognize that additional legislation will be necessary to improve the public health and America’s ailing economy. To that end, we strongly urge you to ensure that any forthcoming COVID-19 package include robust federal subsidies so that individuals can maintain on their employer-sponsored health coverage when they lose their jobs.

Over the last three weeks, approximately seventeen million people have filed unemployment claims in their state. However, this unprecedented number of filings only reflects claims filed through April 4. Many more Americans are likely out of work, or soon will be, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Forecasters predict that as many as 20 million people could lose their jobs by the end of April. Compounding this problem is the fact that unemployment for these individuals and their families will also mean they will lose their existing employer-sponsored health insurance. 

In the U.S., over half of Americans receive their health coverage through their employer. Of the seventeen million Americans who have recently lost their jobs due to COVID-19, it is estimated that more than six million of these individuals have also lost their employer-sponsored health care. Depending on the extent of unemployment, between 23 to 35 million workers could lose their coverage.  

One option for Americans who lose their jobs, or drop below the hours necessary to be eligible for employer-sponsored health coverage, is COBRA. COBRA allows people to keep the employer-sponsored coverage that they selected for up to 18 months. However, people have to pay the full insurance premium—an average of $1,700 a month for a family plan—which is often unaffordable for those newly unemployed. Congress must step in and assist these individuals and families.

Following the 2008 financial crisis, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) was signed into law, which made COBRA continuation coverage more affordable and accessible to those who unexpectedly became unemployed. The law offered a 65 percent COBRA premium subsidy to individuals from September 1, 2008 to May 31, 2010. While well-intentioned and helpful to some, many individuals were unable to participate in the program because the remaining 35 percent insurance costs were still too expensive for them to cover.

We have heard from our constituents, as we know you have too. They are in dire economic circumstances. Despite government relief—in the form of extending monthly bill deadlines and increasing unemployment insurance—it will not be enough for most Americans to continue affording the health insurance policy they and their families elected through their employer’s plan. Allowing families to maintain the coverage they previously selected will help ensure continuity of care and limit disruption for both families and employers as our economy gets back on track. In order to provide our constituents adequate relief and to improve upon ARRA’s COBRA provision, we believe Congress must craft a bill that provides a robust federal COBRA premium subsidy for individuals who would otherwise lose their employer-sponsored coverage as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We stand ready and eager to work with you to ensure that the next COVID-19 relief package includes this important policy, which will ensure that millions of people losing their jobs as a result of this pandemic will not also suddenly become uninsured and at risk for catastrophic health care costs. 

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take immediate action to ensure that individuals all across the country have access to broadband, as more Americans are forced to rely on the internet for telework, telehealth, and online learning amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. According to the FCC’s latest figures, more than 20 million Americans continue to lack access to meaningful broadband service, with at least 770,000 Virginians currently unserved.

“Under the current circumstances, this lack of broadband access threatens to greatly – and potentially lastingly – exacerbate disparities in health, education, and economic equity,” wrote Sen. Warner. “On nearly a daily basis, I hear from Virginians who are struggling to engage in telework, supervise their children’s online learning, and engage in telehealth over antiquated DSL connections that make even a single one of these activities virtually impossible.”

“While I applaud a number of the steps the Commission has taken to improve service and widen access, including encouraging spectrum leases to utilize underutilized spectrum, temporarily waiving the E-Rate and Rural Health Care gift rules, and (after encouragement from offices such as mine) releasing a public notice clarifying that community use of E-Rate supported Wi-Fi networks is permitted, much more work remains to be done,” he continued. “While a number of preexisting broadband programs, such as the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, will help close the broadband gap in the long-term, I encourage you to take action that can enable expanded coverage now.” 

Specifically, Sen. Warner urged the FCC to make it easier for wireless providers to increase existing signal contours, such as by temporarily increasing relevant power limits for Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) in rural and exurban areas and by relaxing current antenna height restrictions. He also encouraged the Commission to help facilitate backhaul options in unserved and underserved areas such as by clarifying that currently underutilized, E-Rate supported connections can be leveraged to support backhaul connections by fixed and mobile wireless providers during this health emergency.

In the letter, Sen. Warner also encouraged the FCC to work with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Department of Defense to reduce the size of exclusion zones that prevent many WISPs from taking advantage of the emergency Special Temporary Authority (STA) that allows unlicensed access to the 5850-5895 MHz band. In Virginia, for example, the 75-kilometer exclusion zones have prevented use of this spectrum in large areas, including the vast majority of the Eastern Shore.

Sen. Warner has been a longtime advocate of expanding broadband in rural and underserved areas. Earlier this week, he wrote to the FCC, encouraging the Commission to reform service rules to bring broadband to rural areas.

A copy of the letter can be found here and below. 

 

Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary

Federal Communications Commission

Office of the Secretary

445 12th Street, SW

Washington, DC 20554

Dear Chairman Pai, 

Across the nation, Americans are struggling with the new reality of COVID-19 social distancing, with an unprecedented number of Americans reliant on internet connectivity for telework, telehealth, and online learning. For too many Americans, however, even this challenging new status quo is unattainable: according to the latest figures from the FCC, over 20 million Americans still lack access to meaningful broadband service, with at least 770,000 Virginians currently unserved.  Many accounts suggest that even these figures tend to underestimate the broadband gap.   

This digital divide impacts nearly every aspect of life for Virginians living without access to broadband, as it has become a precondition to meaningful participation in the digital economy. This contrast has become more stark in the last month, with an unprecedented number of Americans now heavily reliant on broadband access for telework, telehealth, and online education.

Even in normal times, lack of broadband access prevents students from achieving their full potential, denies seniors and veterans access to telemedicine solutions that can improve care and reduce costs, prevents farmers from accessing innovative precision agriculture tools, and limits the economic potential of too many rural communities. Under the current circumstances, this lack of broadband access threatens to greatly – and potentially lastingly – exacerbate disparities in health, education, and economic equity. On nearly a daily basis, I hear from Virginians who are struggling to engage in telework, supervise their children’s online learning, and engage in telehealth over antiquated DSL connections that make even a single one of these activities virtually impossible. 

While I applaud a number of the steps the Commission has taken to improve service and widen access, including encouraging spectrum leases to utilize underutilized spectrum, temporarily waiving the E-Rate and Rural Health Care gift rules, and (after encouragement from offices such as mine) releasing a public notice clarifying that community use of E-Rate supported Wi-Fi networks is permitted, much more work remains to be done. While a number of preexisting broadband programs, such as the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, will help close the broadband gap in the long-term, I encourage you to take action that can enable expanded coverage now.

For instance, the FCC should facilitate actions by wireless providers to dramatically increase existing signal contours, such as by temporarily increasing relevant power limits for Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs), particularly in rural and exurban areas where the risk of degradation to other users is lower, and by relaxing current antenna height restrictions. Similarly, the Commission should look to help facilitate backhaul options in under- and unserved areas, such as by clarifying that currently underutilized, E-Rate supported connections can be leveraged to support backhaul connections by fixed and mobile wireless providers during this health emergency. E-Rate supported schools and libraries often possess robust connections in many rural areas that lack meaningful home broadband options. 

Lastly, while grant of emergency Special Temporary Authority (STA) to allow unlicensed access to the 5850-5895 MHz band should certainly help, in states like Virginia the 75 kilometer exclusion zones have prevented use of this spectrum in large areas, including the vast majority of the Eastern Shore. I encourage you to work with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Department of Defense to reduce the size of these exclusions zones during this public health emergency. 

I believe Congress erred when it failed to include funding for home broadband in the CARES Act. I fear that, absent immediate action by the FCC, the persistence of the broadband gap could go down as one of the major reasons our economy was not well-positioned to respond to COVID-19. What we do in the next weeks and months will be pivotal.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON – Following concerns about worker safety in Virginia, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined Senator Tammy Baldwin and 32 of their Senate colleagues in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer calling for any future coronavirus response legislation to include a requirement that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issue an Emergency TemporaryStandard (ETS) to guarantee protections for all essential workers.

“We write to request that any future COVID-19 pandemic legislation include language that ensures proper training and protection for workers on the front lines fighting this virus, and those working to provide the essential supplies and services for all of us during these unprecedented times.  The single best way to do this is to require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requiring employers to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to protect their workers.  We feel strongly that employees need enforceable standards in place to be safe at work and for those they serve to be safe as well,” wrote the Senators in their letter to Senate leadership.

An ETS from OSHA would require all employers nationwide to implement a comprehensive plan to ensure proper training and protections for those workers who must continue going to work during the pandemic, including with personal protective equipment and access to hand sanitizer or adequate facilities to wash their hands.

“Millions of Americans are bravely going to work every day, helping in the direct response to COVID-19 and providing essential services to keep our country running. These frontline workers are doctors, nurses, and health care staff in our hospitals, emergency responders, grocery store workers, farmworkers, meat and poultry processing plant workers, construction workers, transit workers, and many more,” the Senators wrote. “Many of these workers are working shoulder to shoulder yet lack necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), access to hand sanitizer, or the facilities to wash their hands with warm water and soap as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We feel strongly that the federal government has an obligation to protect employees during this public health emergency. There is a current lack of consistency surrounding the monitoring of symptoms, sanitation practices, social distancing, personal protective equipment standards, and communication requirements that must be addressed.”

The Senators highlighted the fact that the United Food and Commercial Workers union—which represents 1.3 million retail, food package/processing, and grocery workers—is reporting that at least 30 grocery store workers have died, and at least 3,000 have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19.  Major meat processing companies such JBS USA in Colorado, Smithfield Foods in South Dakota, and Tysons Food Inc. in Iowa have temporarily shut down certain operations due to COVID-19 cases among employees and concerns that it may spread.

In addition to Warner, Kaine, and Baldwin, the letter was signed by Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Thomas R. Carper (D-DE), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Angus S. King, Jr. (D-ME), Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Gary Peters (D-MI).

The full letter is available here.

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SPRINGFIELD – As our nation continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and 26 of their Senate colleagues in a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to automatically extend work authorizations for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients and other impacted immigrants.

More than 200,000 DACA recipients are working in occupational areas the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) identifies as part of the “essential critical infrastructure workforce.”  TPS recipients, like DACA recipients, are vital contributors to our economy and health care workforce, with more than 130,000 TPS holders serving as “essential critical infrastructure workers.”

“This simple measure, which is well within your executive authority, will save American lives and avoid further disruptions to our economy,” the Senators wrote.  “By contrast, going ahead with your Administration’s efforts to deport more than a million DACA and TPS recipients would be needlessly cruel and greatly weaken our nation’s essential workforce.”

An estimated 41,700 DACA recipients and approximately 11,600 TPS recipients work in the health care industry, including physicians and physicians in training, intensive care nurses, paramedics, respiratory therapists, nursing assistants, and health technicians.  Additionally, an estimated 14,900 DACA recipients are teachers, many of whom are distance educating American children during the pandemic.

With U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offices closed to the public, and many USCIS services suspended, it is likely that Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for many immigrants will expire.  EAD renewals are already backlogged and additional processing delays are inevitable due to COVID-19 disruptions.  Additionally, with hundreds of millions of Americans under stay-at-home orders, and hundreds of thousands infected with COVID-19, it will be difficult for many immigrants to collect the required information and submit renewal applications and fees within the required timeframe.

Along with Sens. Warner and Durbin, today’s letter is also signed by Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tom Carper (D-DE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tom Udall (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Kirstin Gillibrand (D-NY), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Angus King (I-ME), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV). 

 

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

 April 15, 2020

Dear President Trump: 

As our nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, we strongly urge your Administration to automatically extend work authorizations for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients and other impacted immigrants.  This simple measure, which is well within your executive authority, will save American lives and avoid further disruptions to our economy.  By contrast, going ahead with your Administration’s efforts to deport more than a million DACA and TPS recipients would be needlessly cruel and greatly weaken our nation’s essential workforce. 

DACA provides temporary relief from deportation to immigrants who arrived in the United States as children if they register with the government, pay a fee, and clear criminal and national-security background checks.  These young people, known as Dreamers, are American in every way except for their immigration status.  More than 800,000 Dreamers have come forward and received DACA, which has allowed them to contribute more fully to their country and their communities in myriad ways.  More than 200,000 DACA recipients are working in occupational areas the Department of Homeland Security identifies as part of the “essential critical infrastructure workforce.”  An estimated 41,700 DACA recipients work in the health care industry, including physicians and physicians in training, intensive care nurses, paramedics, respiratory therapists, nursing assistants, and health technicians.  Additionally, an estimated 14,900 DACA recipients are teachers, many of whom are distance educating American children during the pandemic.

TPS currently provides safety in the United States to approximately 411,000 people from 10 countries, the majority of whom have lived in the United States for more than two decades.  Like DACA recipients, TPS recipients must register with the government, pay a fee, and clear criminal and national-security background checks.  Collectively, more than 90 percent of TPS recipients are nationals of El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti, three of the six countries for which your Administration has attempted to terminate TPS.  TPS recipients, like DACA recipients, are vital contributors to our economy and healthcare workforce.  More than 130,000 TPS holders are “essential critical infrastructure workers,” including 11,600 health care workers.

With U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offices closed to the public, and many USCIS services suspended, it is likely that Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for many immigrants will expire.  USCIS’s recent decision to process renewals using previously submitted biometrics means that EAD renewals can be adjudicated without a new biometric appointment. However, EAD renewals are already backlogged and additional processing delays are inevitable due to COVID-19 disruptions.  Additionally, with hundreds of millions of Americans under stay-at-home orders, and hundreds of thousands infected with COVID-19, it will be difficult for many immigrants to collect the required information and submit renewal applications and fees within the required timeframe.

Your Administration can immediately ease burdens for thousands of American families, and prevent further, unnecessary economic disruptions during this public health emergency by automatically extending employment authorizations for DACA and TPS recipients and other impacted immigrants.  As Jesus Contreras, a DACA recipient paramedic in Houston who is on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19, says, “We’re not only going to have to worry about this pandemic, but we’re going to have to worry about our immigration status and deportation.”  Similarly, Aldo Martinez, a DACA recipient paramedic in Fort Myers, Florida who is responding to calls from COVID-19 patients, says that losing work authorization would “create more chaos in an already chaotic situation.”  Dr. Manuel Bernal Mejia, a resident in the emergency room at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Chicago, says DACA is “letting me treat and care for patients that are facing this deathly pandemic right now.… If you take away DACA. . . it is at least one doctor less to take care of a patient who is critically ill with this virus.”

You can order DHS to immediately ensure that Jesus, Aldo, Manuel, and hundreds of thousands of others in our essential workforce are not forced to stop working when the need for their services has never been greater.  We urge you to prioritize our nation’s health, safety, and economic wellbeing as we grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,    

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) urging for swift approval of Virginia’s request to participate in the agency’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Online Purchasing Pilot Program. This program allows SNAP recipients to use their benefits to purchase items online with authorized retailers in an effort to follow the social distancing guidelines during the coronavirus outbreak.

“The current public health crisis has resulted in an unprecedented rise in unemployment and a subsequent increase in demand for our nation’s anti-hunger programs, including SNAP. While USDA has moved swiftly to reduce barriers and increase access to this program during the current public health emergency, most SNAP recipients are only able to utilize these benefits in person at grocery stores or other retailers. This requirement places SNAP recipients at higher risk of infection, as they are not able to utilize various online grocery delivery services that are available for consumers,” wrote the Senators in a letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue.

The 2014 Farm Bill required USDA to establish a pilot program to test the feasibility of SNAP beneficiaries utilizing their benefits online with authorized retailers. To date, only a small number of states are authorized to participate in this program and have set up systems to allow SNAP recipients in their respective states to use their benefits with online retailers. In light of the current public health emergency, USDA is working to expand the program to additional states on a case-by-case basis if they meet the requirements to administer the online program.  

In their letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, Sens. Warner and Kaine urge the agency to approve the Virginia Department of Social Services request to participate in the pilot program and expand the program nationwide.

“To ensure the health and safety of SNAP beneficiaries in the Commonwealth, we urge USDA to work with the Virginia Department of Social Services to approve Virginia’s request to participate in the Department’s SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot as quickly as possible. We also urge USDA to do everything within its power to expand this program nationwide so SNAP recipients across the country have the option to use online grocery delivery options and reduce their exposure to COVID-19,” they continued. 

Sens. Warner and Kaine have been strong advocates of expanded access to food assistance for families in the Commonwealth amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Last month, the Senators successfully pushed USDA to waive a requirement that needlessly forced children to physically accompany their parent or guardian to a school lunch distribution site in order to receive USDA-reimbursable meals. Additionally, the Senators secured Virginia’s USDA Disaster Household Distribution Program designation, which allows food banks to distribute USDA foods directly to Virginia families in need while limiting interactions between food bank staff, volunteers, and recipients.

A copy of today’s letter is available here and below.

 

The Honorable Sonny Perdue

Secretary

United States Department of Agriculture

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20250

Dear Secretary Perdue: 

We write today in support of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s request to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Online Purchasing Pilot Program. Inclusion in this program will allow Virginia SNAP recipients to use their benefits to purchase groceries online from authorized retailers, reducing the risk of exposure to the coronavirus for thousands of individuals in the Commonwealth.

The current public health crisis has resulted in an unprecedented rise in unemployment and a subsequent increase in demand for our nation’s anti-hunger programs, including SNAP. While USDA has moved swiftly to reduce barriers and increase access to this program during the current public health emergency, most SNAP recipients are only able to utilize these benefits in person at grocery stores or other retailers. This requirement places SNAP recipients at higher risk of infection, as they are not able to utilize various online grocery delivery services that are available for consumers.

The 2014 Farm Bill required USDA to establish a pilot program to test the feasibility of SNAP beneficiaries utilizing their benefits online with authorized retailers. To date, only a small number of states are authorized to participate in this program and have set up systems to allow SNAP recipients in their respective states to use their benefits with online retailers. Due to the current public health emergency, we understand USDA is working to add interested states to the program on a case-by-case basis if they meet the requirements to administer the online program.

To ensure the health and safety of SNAP beneficiaries in the Commonwealth, we urge USDA to work with the Virginia Department of Social Services to approve Virginia’s request to participate in the Department’s SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot as quickly as possible. We also urge USDA to do everything within its power to expand this program nationwide so SNAP recipients across the country have the option to use online grocery delivery options and reduce their exposure to COVID-19.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to continuing to work with you to ensure every American has access to healthy and nutritious foods during this public health emergency.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined Sen. Elizabeth Warren to introduce the bicameral Equitable Data Collection and Disclosure on COVID-19 Act. The bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to collect and report racial and other demographic data on COVID-19 testing, treatment, and fatality rates, and provide a summary of the final statistics and a report to Congress within 60 days after the end of the public health emergency. It would require HHS to use all available surveillance systems to post daily updates on the CDC website showing data on testing, treatment, and fatalities, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, age, socioeconomic status, disability status, county, and other demographic information. 

The legislation comes as reports across the United States point to stark racial disparities in COVID-19 cases and fatalities. In Michigan, Black residents account for 33% of confirmed COVID cases and 40% of fatalities, despite making up only 14% of the state’s population.  In Louisiana, 70% of those who have died from COVID-19 so far are Black, compared with 32% of the state’s population. Initial data from Boston shows that among people whose race was reported, more than 40% of people infected were Black, compared with only 25% of the population.

“It’s deeply troubling that the coronavirus is disproportionately impacting communities of color. It’s imperative that we get data to help us understand the scope of this crisis and take action to reduce racial disparities,” the Senators said.

Specifically, the Equitable Data Collection and Disclosure on COVID-19 Act would require the reporting of the following data disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, age, socioeconomic status, disability status, county, and other demographic information:

• Data related to COVID-19 testing, including the number of individuals tested and the number of tests that were positive.
• Data related to treatment for COVID-19, including hospitalizations and intensive care unit admissions and duration;
• Data related to COVID-19 outcomes, including fatalities.

The legislation would also authorize $50 million in funding for the CDC, state public health agencies, the Indian Health Service, and other agencies to improve their data collection infrastructure and create an inter-agency commission to make recommendations on improving data collection and transparency and responding equitably to this crisis. 

The Equitable Data Collection and Disclosure on COVID-19 Act is endorsed by the National Urban League, Lawyer’s Committee on Civil Rights, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum and National Action Network. In the House, the legislation is being introduced by Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Representative Karen Bass (D-CA-37), Representative Barbara Lee (D- CA-13), and is co-sponsored by 80 of their colleagues. 

Warner and Kaine also joined their colleagues in sending a letter to Vice President Pence regarding the racial health disparities among COVID-19 patients. The letter highlights racial disparities in the mortality rate of the virus, calls for disaggregated racial data in COVID-19 case reporting, asks the Administration for more information on its outreach to minority communities, and requests that COVID-19 vaccine and drug trials include diverse participants. 

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