WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) and Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) released the following statement:

“We have obviously followed today’s reporting about Michael Cohen with great interest. He appears to be pleading guilty to very serious charges, however, we have no insight into any agreements he and his legal team have allegedly reached with prosecutors in New York. 

“What we can say is that we recently re-engaged with Mr. Cohen and his team following press reports that suggested he had advance knowledge of the June 2016 meeting between campaign officials and Russian lawyers at Trump Tower. Mr. Cohen had testified before the Committee that he was not aware of the meeting prior to its disclosure in the press last summer. As such, the Committee inquired of Mr. Cohen’s legal team as to whether Mr. Cohen stood by his testimony. They responded that he did stand by his testimony. 

“We hope that today’s developments and Mr. Cohen’s plea agreement will not preclude his appearance before our Committee as needed for our ongoing investigation.”

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $43,637 in federal funding for the York County Department of Fire and Life Safety through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistant to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. The fire department will use the funding to replace a 20-year old air compressor. The new compressor will provide breathing air to support firefighters when working in dangerous environments. 

“We are pleased to announce federal funding to support York County’s Fire Department and ensure they have the tools they need to serve the community and keep the firefighters safe,” the Senators said. 

The primary goal of FEMA’s AFG program is to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters by providing direct financial assistance to eligible fire departments, nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Services organizations and State Fire Training Academies for critically-needed resources.

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) joined Jack Reed (D-RI) and 46 of their Democratic colleagues in a letter to Office of Management & Budget Director Mick Mulvaney to urge the Trump Administration to continue protecting servicemembers and their families from abusive financial practices. The Senators are asking the Trump Administration not to abandon protections established under the Military Lending Act (MLA). The MLA was passed in 2006 with bipartisan support to help safeguard active-duty military members and their families from financial fraud, predatory loans, and abusive credit practices.  Among other military consumer protections, the law caps the annual interest rate for an extension of consumer credit to a servicemember or their dependents at 36 percent.  

“The CFPB should not be abandoning its duty to protect our servicemembers and their families, and we seek your commitment that you will utilize all of the authorities available to the CFPB to ensure that servicemembers and their families continue to receive all of their MLA protections,” the Senators wrote.  

This week, the New York Times reported that: “The Trump Administration is planning to suspend routine examinations of lenders for violations of the Military Lending Act, which was devised to protect military service members and their families from financial fraud, predatory loans and credit card gouging, according to internal agency documents.  Mick Mulvaney, the interim director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, intends to scrap the use of so-called supervisory examinations of lenders, arguing that such proactive oversight is not explicitly laid out in the legislation, the main consumer measure protecting active-duty service members, according to a two-page draft of the change.” 

And NPR reported that the Trump Administration is also taking aim at financial protections for members of the military by proposing to ease restrictions on “gap insurance” that could open up servicemembers to getting cheated by predatory practices when they purchase cars.

The Senators highlighted that U.S. troops face unique financial challenges and that the financial readiness of our servicemembers is directly tied to military readiness, calling on Mr. Mulvaney not to halt military lending checks or undertake measures that would potentially harm U.S. troops and their families.

“In addition, for our servicemembers, especially those who are deployed overseas facing hostile fire, it is unreasonable to place the burden of detecting and reporting MLA abuses on servicemembers, especially when they should be given every opportunity to focus squarely on their missions,” wrote the Senators.  “What the CFPB is reported to be contemplating is equivalent to forcing our armed forces to stop using radar, sonar, and other early warning technologies and instead react to threats as they occur.   No one would force our armed forces to do so, and the CFPB should not similarly force any of its examiners to turn a blind eye.  For generations, Americans have set partisanship aside and have made every effort to provide servicemembers and their families with all the resources and protections they deserve.  We ask no less of you and, as such, seek your commitment that you will continue the CFPB’s tradition of ensuring that servicemembers and their families receive all of their MLA protections by utilizing all of the authorities available to the CFPB.”

The Office of Servicemember Affairs at the CFPB has handled more than 90,000 consumer complaints from servicemembers and their families and taken action to help return hundreds of millions into the pockets of servicemembers affected by harmful practices. 

The text of the letter is below:    

August 15, 2018

Mick Mulvaney                                                                     

Director                                                                                

Office of Management and Budget                                       

725 17th Street, NW                                                               

Washington, DC 20503                                                        

Dear Director Mulvaney:

We write regarding reports that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) will no longer protect servicemembers and their families by including the Military Lending Act (MLA) as part of the CFPB’s routine lender examinations due to a purported lack of authority.  These reports are puzzling because the CFPB already possesses the authority to enforce the MLA and examine many types of lenders for the purposes of “detecting and assessing risks to consumers and to markets for consumer financial products and services.”  The CFPB should not be abandoning its duty to protect our servicemembers and their families, and we seek your commitment that you will utilize all of the authorities available to the CFPB to ensure that servicemembers and their families continue to receive all of their MLA protections.

By enacting the MLA, Congress sent a clear bipartisan message that high-cost lending is a clear risk to military consumers that must be addressed to also protect military readiness.  Indeed, among its provisions, the MLA caps the annual interest rate for an extension of consumer credit to a servicemember or his or her dependents at 36%.  CFPB examinations and the CFPB’s Office of Servicemember Affairs have been critical components of ensuring the detection and prevention of risks to military consumers.  Such examinations serve as the early warning system for MLA deficiencies so that they do not snowball into costly losses for servicemembers and avoidable litigation costs and penalties for lenders.

Given your senior role at the Office of Management and Budget, we are sure you are aware that the MLA also helps the Department of Defense (DOD) to save taxpayer funds based on the following DOD justification for its MLA rule:

“Losing qualified Service members due to personal issues, such as financial instability, causes loss of mission capability and drives significant replacement costs. The Department estimates that each separation costs the Department $58,250.  Losing an experienced mid-grade noncommissioned officer (NCO), who may be in a leadership position or key technical position, may be considerably more expensive in terms of replacement costs and in terms of the degradation of mission effectiveness resulting from a loss of personal reliability for deployment and availability for duty.”

Needlessly stopping MLA examinations altogether and choosing instead to rely on reports of MLA violations after they occurred is further perplexing given that the CFPB is already conducting lender examinations of credit products that are also subject to the MLA.  Such a policy decision would be both inefficient and irresponsible to require a CFPB examiner to ignore as part of his or her examination risks to military consumers who are protected by the MLA.  In addition, for our servicemembers, especially those who are deployed overseas facing hostile fire, it is unreasonable to place the burden of detecting and reporting MLA abuses on servicemembers, especially when they should be given every opportunity to focus squarely on their missions.  

What the CFPB is reported to be contemplating is equivalent to forcing our armed forces to stop using radar, sonar, and other early warning technologies and instead react to threats as they occur.   No one would force our armed forces to do so, and the CFPB should not similarly force any of its examiners to turn a blind eye.  For generations, Americans have set partisanship aside and have made every effort to provide servicemembers and their families with all the resources and protections they deserve.  We ask no less of you and, as such, seek your commitment that you will continue the CFPB’s tradition of ensuring that servicemembers and their families receive all of their MLA protections by utilizing all of the authorities available to the CFPB.   We request that you respond with your commitment no later than Monday, August 20.

Sincerely,

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today announced $75,000 in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support small businesses and job creation in rural Southwest Virginia communities affected by changes in the coal industry. The funds were awarded to Virginia Community Capital, Inc., which will provide technical assistance – such as one-on-one counseling, education, and workshops – to a minimum of ten small businesses in order to help them succeed and grow. 

“As the nation’s economy continues to recover, there is still a lot of work to do to ensure struggling communities aren’t left behind,”said the Senators. “That is why we’re pleased to announce these critical federal dollars to help small businesses in Southwest Virginia receive tools they need to thrive in a 21^st century economy.”

Today’s announcement is expected to result in the creation or retention of 15 jobs in rural communities that were impacted by a shift in coal production. The funding was awarded through the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a competitive grant designed to support targeted technical assistance, training and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small businesses in rural areas. 

As Governor, Warner help establish Virginia Community Capital (VCC) as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) with an initial $15 million investment, with the goal of leveraging that initial investment for an economic return to underserved areas. Since its inception, VCC has grown that original investment into more than $1 billion in statewide impact, with VCC-financed projects creating or retaining more than 6,495 jobs across the Commonwealth. In the Senate, Sens. Warner and Kaine have pushed for federal dollars to support rural communities in Southwest Virginia, including fully funding the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Economic Development Administration. 

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $846,000 in federal funding for the County of Orange Fire & EMS through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistant to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. The fire department will use the funding to purchase 132 self-contained breathing apparatuses with spare cylinders and 66 additional face pieces. 

“We are pleased to announce funding to help Orange County’s Fire Department purchase the equipment it needs to support operations and ensure it can best serve the community,” the Senators said. 

The primary goal of FEMA’s AFG program is to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters by providing direct financial assistance to eligible fire departments, nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Services organizations and State Fire Training Academies for critically-needed resources.

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $400,000 in federal funding for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham County Drug Court Program and $350,000 in federal funding for the Richmond Adult Drug Treatment Court (RADTC) Program.

“We are pleased to announce funding to ensure drug courts in Virginia can provide treatment services, enhance public safety, and reduce crime in local communities. Drug courts are a critical part of our criminal justice system because they focus on prevention and rehabilitation, so those suffering from addiction have a better chance at recovery and are less likely to commit crimes in the future, ” the Senators said.

The funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) wrote a letter to John Gore, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice (DOJ), pressing for more answers on how the Administration is implementing actions specifically outlined by S.J.Res.49, a joint resolution condemning racial hate and directing a coordinated federal effort to address hate violence, following the deadly protests in Charlottesville, Va. on August 11 and August 12, 2017.

The bipartisan resolution introduced by Sens. Warner and Kaine along with Sens. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Cory Gardner (R-CO), unanimously passed both chambers of Congress and was signed into law by President Trump on September 14, 2017. The resolution explicitly condemned white nationalists, white supremacists, the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and other hate groups involved in prompting the deadly attack in Charlottesville, Va. that killed counter-protester Heather Heyer, injured several others, and led to the deaths of two Virginia state troopers responding to the violence. Additionally, the resolution outlined specific actions for the Administration to take to fight hate violence, including thoroughly investigating all acts of hate crimes and domestic terrorism by hate groups, and calling upon the Administration to “use all resources available to the President and the President's Cabinet to address the growing prevalence of those hate groups in the United States.”

Now, nearly one year after the bipartisan resolution was signed into law by President Trump, Sens. Warner and Kaine are pressing for answers on actions the Administration is taking - or not taking - to uphold the terms of the resolution calling for a coordinated federal effort to fight hate violence. 

“We are particularly interested if you have implemented, or plan to implement, the following: the creation of a task force dedicated to addressing hate violence, sufficient funding for civil rights offices, robust data collection procedures to document the prevalence and nature of hate crimes in the U.S., a federal website on hate violence to convene resources and communicate effectively to the public, the development of incentives for participation in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Hate Crime Statistics Act reports, increased training and education for jurisdictions that underreport hate crimes, and the use of grants to promote strong enforcement on these issues,” wrote the Senators.

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

John M. Gore
Acting Assistant Attorney General
Civil Rights Division
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530

Dear Acting Assistant Attorney General Gore:

Nearly one year has passed since the violence and domestic terrorist attack that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia between August 11 and August 12, 2017. As the one year anniversary of that tragedy approaches, we write regarding the progress made by the Department of Justice in carrying out the actions called for in S.J.Res.49, a joint resolution condemning that event.

President Trump signed the resolution into law (P.L. 115-58) on September 14, 2017. As Virginia’s Senators, we led the effort that unanimously passed both chambers of Congress and was signed into law by the President. The legislation rejects White nationalists, White supremacists, the Ku Klux Klan, Neo-Nazis, and other hate groups, and urges action from the President and his administration to combat this growing threat.

Specifically, the law urges the Attorney General to work with “the Secretary of Homeland Security to investigate thoroughly all acts of violence, intimidation, and domestic terrorism by these groups to determine if any criminal laws have been violated and to prevent those groups from fomenting and facilitating additional violence.” Further, the law directs the Attorney General to collaborate with “the heads of other Federal agencies to improve the reporting of hate crimes and to emphasize the importance of the collection, and the reporting to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, of hate crime data by State and local agencies.”

More broadly, the law directs the administration to use all available resources to address the growing prevalence of hate groups.

Given the direction provided to the Department of Justice in this legislation, we request that you provide our offices an update within 30 days of receipt of this letter on activities that you have undertaken in furtherance of the provisions of S.J. Res 49, as well as a full report on the multi-agency efforts on hate crimes data collection.

As you implement this request, we are particularly interested if you have implemented, or plan to implement, the following: the creation of a task force dedicated to addressing hate violence, sufficient funding for civil rights offices, robust data collection procedures to document the prevalence and nature of hate crimes in the U.S., a federal website on hate violence to convene resources and communicate effectively to the public, the development of incentives for participation in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Hate Crime Statistics Act reports, increased training and education for jurisdictions that underreport hate crimes, and the use of grants to promote strong enforcement on these issues.

We appreciate your attention on this important matter and look forward to your response within 30 days.

Sincerely,

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine praised the Town of Appomattox receiving $3,501,000 in federal funding to support improvements to the existing sewage treatment and collection system to avoid health hazards. The funding will replace and repair collection lines, rehabilitate manholes, construct a new wet well and new wastewater pump station, level sensors, and improve gas monitoring.

“We are pleased that Appomattox will receive funding to support the renewal of aging infrastructure. This funding will help alleviate sanitary hazards so we can protect the health of the community,” the Senators said.

The sewage treatment and collection system in Appomattox serves 700 residential users and 70 businesses.

The funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program. Funding from this program is used to ensure clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage and solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage for households and businesses in rural areas. 

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $456,000 in federal funding to support the James River Expansion Project. The funding will be used to purchase equipment to assist in the expansion around the Richmond Marine Terminal.

“We’re pleased to announce funding to increase shipment capacity at the Port of Virginia and ensure that it continues to serve as an important economic hub in the region,” the Senators said.

The funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD).

###

Washington, DC—Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Mark Warner (D-VA) introduced a bipartisan bill to improve professional development opportunities for teachers and school leaders in high-needs school districts called the Teacher and School Leaders need Education and Development to be Empowered Resources in Schools (LEADER) Act. 

“Having strong teachers, school leaders, and administrators is vital to a strong school,” said Hatch. “By supporting training programs that develop aspiring teachers, principals, and other school leaders and give them the practical experience needed to succeed in the classroom, we can respond to the need for the best educator development. As Utah and other states struggle to staff schools with well qualified educators, my Senate colleagues and I are working to enable schools in high-need districts to partner with a broader range of organizations to provide more professional development opportunities for educators and help prepare them for a career in the classroom. This proposal both ensures that teachers, principals, and school leaders have greater access to the resources they need to thrive in their professions and inspire a new generation of Americans.”

“We must ensure that all students can learn from excellent teachers and school leaders,” said Bennet. “Colorado’s communities recognize the importance of investing in the preparation and development of our educators. From Denver to Alamosa, districts have crafted residency programs to raise the bar for the skills, experience, and support we provide to our future teachers. This legislation builds on Colorado’s momentum to provide more teachers and school leaders with access to the tools they need to succeed in our classrooms and schools.” 

“Teachers and school leadership play a vital role in nurturing and shaping young minds capable of solving today’s toughest problems,” said Cornyn. “This legislation would help give educators in Texas’ high-need school districts the opportunities and resources necessary to motivate students to succeed in school and beyond.” 

“I’m proud to join Senator Hatch, Senator Bennet, and Senator Cornyn in introducing this bipartisan legislation to expand professional development opportunities for teachers and school administrators,” said Warner. “When we empower educators, their students benefit.”  

Statements of Support

Many local, state and national organizations have endorsed the bill. A letter signed of support has been signed by the following groups: Center for the Study of Education Policy, Council for Exceptional Children, Deans for Impact, Democrats for Education Reform, EdAllies (MN), Educators for Excellence, Hope Street Group, Knowledge Alliance, National Center for Learning Disabilities, National Council of Teachers of English, New Leaders, NJ Principals and Supervisors Association, NYC Leadership Academy, Profound Gentlemen, TASH, and Teach Plus. Click [HERE] to read the full letter.

Jean Desravines, New Leaders Chief Executive Officer
“The proposal put forth today by Senators Hatch, Bennet, Cornyn, and Warner highlights what research and our experience have long shown: school leadership matters greatly for students. We are especially encouraged by the bill’s recognition that a large and growing number of teachers, principals, and other school leaders are trained through nontraditional programs. The proposal would provide the opportunity for a wider array of innovative and effective programs to partner and compete for funding under Title II—while also being held accountable for delivering real results for kids. By focusing on research-based practices and evidence of effectiveness, the bill advances a crucial goal: getting well-prepared, well-supported leaders in every school, especially those serving the students and communities most in need.”

Tabitha Grossman, Hope Street Group National Director, Education Policy and Partnerships

"We know from research that the quality of school leadership influences teachers' decisions about remaining in the profession. Keeping more teachers in the profession is a priority and efforts to strengthen the preparation of school leaders is one we support."

Alice Johnson Cain, Teach Plus Executive Vice President, Policy and Partnerships

"Teachers know that strong principal leadership is an essential ingredient in successful schools.  The Teacher and School LEADERS Act will ensure more of our public schools get the outstanding leadership they need so more students can succeed."

Background

Research has shown that strong school leaders can dramatically improve the quality of teaching and accounts for 25 percent of a school’s effect on student achievement. Despite the critical importance of school leadership within a school, our current state of educator preparation and training does not adequately prioritize the need to recruit, select and train teacher and school leaders, particularly in high-need schools. At the same time, recent reports and statistics show that traditional methods of training new educators do not adequately prepare them for the realities of teaching or leading in a school setting. To do their best for students, aspiring teachers, teacher leaders, principals and other school leaders need more practical, on-the-job experience and targeted support from their preparation programs and colleges. Innovative programs and partnerships are responding to the need for stronger educator development, but continued innovation and progress require even more dramatic changes to the sector.

Reforming Teacher Quality Partnership Grants to Support Principals and School Leaders

This legislation amends Part A of Title II of the Higher Education Act to support opportunities for principal and school leader preparation programs within the Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Program. In doing so, it explicitly allows for high-need school districts to enter into partnerships with colleges and education and non-profit entities to support programs that recruit, select, and train educators who aspire to fill leadership roles in high-need schools. It also supports pre-service residency opportunities for aspiring school leaders which would train them to offer high-quality administration and leadership to geographically diverse or high-need schools.  

Allowing for More Innovation in Educator Preparation Will Help Elevate the Sector

This legislation also affords high-needs school districts the opportunity to forge new partnerships for the newly re-named Teacher, Principal, and Other School Leader Quality Enhancement grants under Title II of the Higher Education Act.  It allows districts to choose which teacher or school leader preparation organization (e.g., a college of education, nonprofit provider, alternative certification provider, etc.) will serve as their primary partner for the grant, based on shortages in teacher areas and qualifications.

This bill also fosters a stronger connection between teacher and school leaders' professional development and induction within the partnership grants.  It allows for up to 10 percent of grant funds to be used to create a nexus between a teacher’s clinical experiences and their professional development once placed in a school or district.  By strengthening the link between educator preparation and professional development, this bill will help teachers and school leaders develop and will support innovation in educator preparation based on district feedback.

Furthermore, this legislation encourages teachers and school leaders to use both qualitative and quantitative data to improve student achievement and classroom instruction. It also requires the Institute of Educational Sciences to evaluate independently the effectiveness of the Teacher, Principal, and Other School Leader Quality Enhancement Grants.

###

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded Senate passage of bipartisan legislation to fund federal programs under the Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Department of the Treasury (USDT), Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Department of Interior (DOI).

On a bipartisan 92-6 vote, the Senate approved the Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations package that covers funding for Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD); Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration; Interior and Environment; Financial Services and General Government; and all of their related agencies. The bill will now go to conference where it will be reconciled with a version passed by the House of Representatives. 

“This bipartisan package maintains key Virginia priorities and pushes back against the Administration’s attempts to impose draconian cuts to vital federal programs,” said the Senators. “The bill keeps federal commitments to help fund the Metro system, which is critical to the capital region, and maintain cleanup efforts for the Chesapeake Bay. In addition, these funds will help expand broadband access to rural communities in Virginia and provide support to the six Virginia tribes that earned federal recognition this year so they can finally access the services and benefits they are owed.”

The following list includes many of the provisions Sens. Warner and Kaine advocated for on behalf of Virginia that were included in the appropriations package:

•  WMATA: The bill includes the full federal funding of $150 million for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) capital improvement. Warner and Kaine previously urged Senate appropriators to fund WMATA at authorized levels.
• Virginia Tribes: Earlier this year, Congress passed and the president signed into law the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2017, legislation introduced by Sens. Warner and Kaine which for the first time granted federal recognition to six Virginia tribes: the Chickahominy, the Eastern Chickahominy, the Upper Mattaponi, the Rappahannock, the Monacan, and the Nansemond. The appropriations bill provides $1.12 million to largely help these Virginia tribes access the benefits and resources now available to them after their successful, decades-long effort to secure federal recognition.
• Chesapeake Bay: The bill provides $73 million for the Chesapeake Bay Program, a regional partnership that directs and conducts the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. It also includes $2.02 million for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Water Trails Network, which helps increase public access and the use of ecological, cultural and historic resources of the Chesapeake region.
• Broadband Grants: The bill provides $30 million to fund a grant program administered by the Rural Utilities Service that brings critical services to some of the most rural, underserved areas in America. The program provides financing to support new or improved broadband access across rural America and enable telecommunications providers to fill gaps where there is little or no broadband service. Broadband access has become a critical part of basic economic infrastructure for Virginians and is vital for job creation.
• FBI Headquarters: The bill does not include funding for the Trump Administration’s plan to demolish the existing FBI headquarters in Washington and build a new facility in its place. Senate appropriators specifically note in the bill that they will continue to be reluctant to provide additional funds for this project due to the unanswered questions from the Administration regarding their new plan, including the revision of longstanding mission and security requirements for the new facility.
• National Park Service: The bill provides $3.2 billion for operations of the National Park Service. In 2017, more than 24 million individuals visited Virginia’s 21 National Parks. National Park Service assets also fill critical transportation needs for Virginians, such as the link the Arlington Memorial Bridge, to visit historic sites like Arlington National Cemetery and the national monuments in the District of Columbia.
• Wolf Trap: The bill provides $2.2 million for the National Capital Performing Arts Fund, which provides the funding needed to operate Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Northern Virginia.
• Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG): CDBG helps communities develop projects that meet unique housing, infrastructure, and economic development needs and supports job creation. The bill provides $3.4 billion for CDBG, equal to the fiscal year 2018 level. The bill rejects the President’s proposals to increase rent for public housing residents and protects critical sources of funding for affordable housing such as the HOME program. Sens. Warner and Kaine have strongly opposed President Trump’s efforts to cut funding for affordable housing.
• Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT): The bill includes $500 million for payments to counties through the PILT program, in order to help local governments offset losses in property taxes due to non-taxable federal lands within their boundaries.
• Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program: The bill includes $270 million to assist individuals and families so they can quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis or homelessness.
• Unmanned Systems: The bill appropriates $6 million in matching funds for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) research. The original FY19 T-HUD base bill made $3 million available as matching funds for companies that partner with the UAS test sites like the one at Virginia Tech, which are working towards integrating UAS into the national airspace. After Sen. Warnerintroduced an amendment to boost UAS research funding levels, the final bill doubled that amount to $6 million.
• Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI): The bill provides $1 million to help bring grocery stores and other healthy food retailers to underserved urban and rural communities across America. Recent changes to the program included in the Senate-passed version of the 2018 Farm Bill closely follow Sen. Warner’s efforts in the Senate to eradicate food deserts.  
• Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants: The bill provides $33 million for this national competitive grant program that aims to help rural communities obtain the technology and training needed to connect educational and medical professionals with the teachers and medical providers who serve rural residents. USDA has awarded over $587,000 to Virginia telemedicine projects which provide health care services in rural areas, including mental health, drug addiction treatment, and funded two mobile health units that offer on-site care and telemedicine video conferencing with doctors and specialists. USDA also awarded over $215,000 to Pittsylvania County Schools to purchase video conferencing equipment to provide interactive distance learning services for students and educators.
• Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA): The bill includes a 1.9 percent salary boost for federal civilian employees.
• Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF): The bill provides $425 million for LWCF, which has helped preserve forests, trails, wildlife refuges, historic battlefields, and Chesapeake Bay lands and waters in Virginia. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, the Virginia outdoors industry supports approximately $21.9 billion in annual consumer spending and 197,000 direct jobs.
• BUILD infrastructure grants: The bill provides $1 billion for competitive transportation grants through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program, formerly known as “TIGER” grants. Virginia has previously used these grants for projects including I-95 Express Lanes, I-564 connector from Norfolk International Terminals at the Port of Virginia, I-64 Delta Frames Bridges in Rockbridge County, the Pulse bus-rapid transit system in Richmond, and Northstar Boulevard in Loudoun County near Dulles.

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement today after Facebook announced that it removed 32 Pages and accounts from Facebook and Instagram that showed connections to and activity consistent with previous Russian disinformation efforts: 

“Today’s disclosure is further evidence that the Kremlin continues to exploit platforms like Facebook to sow division and spread disinformation, and I am glad that Facebook is taking some steps to pinpoint and address this activity. I also expect Facebook, along with other platform companies, will continue to identify Russian troll activity and to work with Congress on updating our laws to better protect our democracy in the future.”  

In October, Sen. Warner – along with Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John McCain (R-AZ) – introduced the Honest Ads Act to help prevent foreign interference in elections and improve the transparency of online political advertisements.

###