WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced bipartisan legislation that would rename the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The change would accurately reflect the Department’s increasing focus on improving the quality of life of more than 45 million Americans living in rural areas. The Department already provides significant financial resources and technical assistance to rural communities in the form of loans, loan guarantees, and grants that help support economic development in these areas. Renaming the agency would help highlight its mission of providing rural communities with access to critical infrastructure, broadband, telecommunications connectivity, capital, healthcare, and other essential resources.

“President Lincoln called USDA ‘The People’s Department’ because, dating back to its founding in 1862, it has always been the primary government entity charged with boosting economic development in rural communities. But at the time of USDA’s creation, nearly half of all Americans lived on farms, compared to just 2 percent today,” said Sen. Warner. “This bipartisan bill would highlight the USDA’s ongoing efforts to help rural communities thrive and underscore that part of its mission is increasing economic opportunity in rural America.”

“USDA plays an instrumental role in improving the lives of millions of Americans living in rural areas—especially in states like West Virginia,” said Sen. Capito. “The department has provided West Virginians access to increased broadband connectivity, improved health services, and critical infrastructure, and remains an important partner in these and other efforts. Renaming USDA will make it possible to recognize the agency’s role in creating more economic opportunity in rural communities, as well as its increasing role in rural development.”

“Today, the Department of Agriculture does more than provide assistance to farmers, it provides residents in rural areas in West Virginia with financial and technical assistance to confront the challenges many areas currently face,” said Sen. Manchin. “That’s why I believe the Department should be renamed and known for the services it should be focusing on, such as improving access to critical infrastructure, broadband, telecommunications connectivity, capital, healthcare, and other essential resources. Last year, I co-chaired the Appalachia Initiative where I discussed ways to address the challenges the rural communities in West Virginia face. This legislation will help shine a light on the Department of Agriculture’s vital work to ensure rural America does not get left behind.”

“USDA plays a critical role in promoting infrastructure and economic development in rural America. Too many rural communities lack clean drinking water, reliable broadband internet, and adequate health and transportation resources,” said Sen. Kaine. “The rural development mission of USDA is just as important as its agriculture, food safety, and nutrition missions and should be reflected in its title.”

President Abraham Lincoln signed into law an act of Congress in 1862 that established the United States Department of Agriculture. Currently, USDA is made up of 29 agencies and offices with nearly 100,000 employees who serve the American people at more than 4,500 locations across the country and abroad. The Department is the federal agency in charge of meeting the needs of farmers and ranchers, promoting agricultural trade and production, working to assure food safety, protecting natural resources, fostering rural communities and ending hunger in the United States and internationally. In 2012, USDA commemorated its 150^th anniversary.

“Rural communities are a key pillar of America, however, they are often challenged by geographic isolation and persistent poverty. For the residents of rural America that continue to feel left behind in today’s economy, The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Act of 2017 offers a renewed focus on the economic matters specific to their community. BPC Action hopes this step by Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Joe Manchin (D-WV) will better focus federal efforts around conditions in rural America and produce pragmatic solutions such as those recommended by BPC’s Appalachia Initiative,” said Michele Stockwell, Executive Director of BPC Action.

“The National Cotton Council greatly appreciates the work and support of Sen. Warner to help address economic challenges facing the cotton industry and broader concerns in agriculture and across rural America.  We support the Senator’s efforts to highlight the critically important role of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in providing rural development support and economic opportunities in our rural communities,” said Reece Langley, VP of Washington Operations of the National Cotton Council.

"America's turkey farmers appreciate Sen. Warner's support for the rural communities that supply our farm inputs and where many of the facilities that process the turkeys we raise are located. This effort to rename the Department of Agriculture "the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development" reinforces the importance of rural development in the mission of the Department and to rural communities. The National Turkey Federation thanks Sen. Warner for working to ensure the communities where our families, friends and neighbors work and go to school have access to the infrastructure and resources needed to thrive and grow" said Joel Brandenberger, President of the National Turkey Federation.   

“Historically, Rural Development programs have not been a priority within the Agriculture Department, regardless of political party in charge. We believe renaming the Department would elevate the Rural Development mission area and better reflect the importance of these programs for rural communities across the country,” said Robert A. Rapoza, Executive Secretary of the National Rural Housing Coalition.

Sens. Warner and Manchin, along with Sens. David Perdue (R-GA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), are co-chairs of the bipartisan Appalachia Initiative, a task force convened with the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) to find pragmatic, bipartisan solutions to Appalachia’s challenges. Last year, they released a report with a set of bipartisan recommendations to boost economic growth in Appalachia. Sens. Warner, Capito, and Manchin, along with Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), have also introduced bipartisan legislation to expand economic opportunity in Appalachia. 

The text of the bill can be found here.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine sent a letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis sharing Virginia’s concern over the risks of offshore drilling on military assets in Hampton Roads. In the letter, Warner and Kaine raise concerns about how drilling would affect military activities in Hampton Roads, given the region’s deep national security footprint. They also ask if the Department has conducted a comprehensive study assessing the specific challenges the proposed five-year drilling plan may create for military activities in the region. They highlight that Hampton Roads is home to the largest naval installation in the world, Naval Station Norfolk, and has more than a dozen other DOD installations across all service branches.

“We are concerned that allowing offshore drilling in this area would create new challenges for the region’s DOD installations and the activities taking places on and around these waters. In late 2015, we were briefed by DOD on a new map that showed three types of areas impacted: 1) areas that definitively would conflict with military activities, 2) areas that could accommodate drilling with certain stipulations, and 3) areas that are all clear. According to that brief, the Virginia OCS has more acres that meet the first two categories than the third,” the Senators wrote.

Kaine and Warner have also raised concerns about the threat of offshore drilling on the environment and tourism and have called on President Trump to listen to local voices in Virginia and exempt the Commonwealth from this proposal, as the Administration has done in Florida. Kaine has traveled to Virginia Beach and the Eastern Shore to meet with local elected officials and military personnel, as well as industry and community leaders, to talk about their concerns over the Administration’s proposal to expand offshore drilling.

A copy of the letter is available here and below:

April 19, 2018

The Honorable James Mattis

Secretary of Defense

1300 Defense Pentagon

Washington, D.C. 20301-1300

Dear Secretary Mattis:

We write to share our concerns regarding the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s Draft Proposed Program to authorize drilling leases on the mid-Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf offshore of Virginia.

Though we have shared our concerns with BOEM and the Interior Department, we would also like to share with you some particular concerns related to the Department of Defense. In particular, we would like to inquire whether you have conducted a comprehensive study assessing the specific challenges the new 5-year plan may create for military activities in the Hampton Roads region and the Virginia offshore.

As you know, the Virginia coastal region of Hampton Roads has a deep national security footprint. It is home to the largest naval installation in the world at Naval Station Norfolk and more than a dozen other DOD installations across all service branches. Along with tourism and international port commerce, national security is a longstanding pillar of the regional economy.

We are concerned that allowing offshore drilling in this area would create new challenges for the region’s DOD installations and the activities taking places on and around these waters. In late 2015, we were briefed by DOD on a new map that showed three types of areas impacted: 1) areas that definitively would conflict with military activities, 2) areas that could accommodate drilling with certain stipulations, and 3) areas that are all clear. According to that brief, the Virginia OCS has more acres that meet the first two categories than the third.

To further illustrate this point, we are enclosing a presentation from the former commanding officer of Naval Station Norfolk summarizing the complexities that offshore drilling rigs would create for military activities on the Virginia OCS. We would also note that Florida, a state with similar geography and a similar DOD footprint, was previously removed from the drilling lease schedule.

We have concern that drilling in the region would overall create unnecessary risks. We hope DOD will carefully scrutinize what allowing Virginia OCS drilling would mean for regional military assets.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Mark R. Warner                                                                                Tim Kaine

U.S. Senator                                                                                       U.S. Senator

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) expressed increased concern over how President Trump’s trade war would hurt Virginia’s soybean production, which is the Commonwealth’s number one cash crop. China’s Ministry of Commerce has recently announced they will begin proactively taxing Chinese companies that import some American agricultural products at 178.6% to discourage imports. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) has confirmed that China is the Commonwealth’s biggest export market for agricultural goods and suggestedPresident Trump’s tariffs could hurt Virginia businesses and employees. Soybean production in Virginia accounts for roughly $187 million in economic output, which helps supports thousands of jobs in the Commonwealth. Amid escalating rhetoric by the Trump Administration, China announced that it is considering raising tariffs on soybeans, beef, and other critical agriculture commodities produced in Virginia.  

“Virginia’s soybean producers should not be held hostage to the uncertainty of President Trump’s trade games,” said Sen. Warner. “While China should be held accountable for its unfair trade practices, this should not be done at the expense of the hardworking soybean farmers in this country. President Trump needs to work with us to find the best way to resolve these disputes and avoid threatening an industry that creates thousands of new jobs and brings millions of dollars to rural communities in Virginia.”

“Clearly China is not taking President Trump’s threats lightly and we’re going to start feeling the pain of his rash actions. Our farmers deserve better than this,” said Sen. Kaine. “President Trump says he wants to create jobs and stimulate the economy yet his actions will have the opposite effect. His inflammatory, bullying tactics are going to hurt Virginians.”

“Exports are a vital source of income for Virginia’s farmers and here in the Commonwealth we have worked hard to open new markets around the world for our agriculture and forestry exporters. However, these efforts are jeopardized by threats of tariffs and trade wars at the national level,” said Bettina Ring, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry. “I hope that our trade negotiators will keep our hardworking farmers and agribusinesses front of mind when working with their Chinese counterparts to solve this trade dispute.”

“The Virginia Soybean Association is concerned with the potential of trade wars within the global marketplace, including China. International trade is vital for the economic viability of the soybean industry,” said Nick Moody, President of the Virginia Soybean Association. “Uncertainty in trade agreements directly affect the stability of markets and price, which is a major concern for producers in a business that is already largely dependent on weather. Our hope is for the administration to work with leaders in international markets to create solid solutions to these trade disputes, which will not continue to disrupt soybean markets.”

According to VDACS, agriculture is Virginia’s largest private industry, with an economic impact of $70 billion annually that provides more than 334,000 jobs.The agriculture and forestry industries combined have a total economic impact of over $91 billion and provide more than 442,000 jobs in the Commonwealth. Every job in agriculture and forestry supports 1.7 jobs elsewhere in Virginia’s economy. Production agriculture alone employs 54,000 Virginians and accounts for more than $3.8 billion in economic output. Almost 10 percent of Virginia’s gross domestic product (GDP) is directly tied to agriculture and forestry.

Sens. Warner and Kaine previously raised concerns about how President Trump’s trade war with China could hurt Virginia businesses and employees, listing the set of products grown and made in Virginia that have been targeted by the Chinese for duties. They also wrote to the Administration last week warning that withdrawing from the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)—another significant source of agricultural exports for Virginia—would negatively impact Virginia’s agricultural industry.

Below is a detailed list of soybean producing areas in Virginia as of 2017. A comprehensive list can be found here. 

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Washington, D.C. – In a letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations and the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Ed Markey (D-MA) requested an increase in funding for Alzheimer’s disease research as they work to set appropriations levels for fiscal year 2019.  Senator Collins is the founder of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's disease and co-chairs the group with Senators Warner, Markey, and Pat Toomey (R-PA).    

“Alzheimer's disease and other dementias pose a grave threat to the health of our people and to the fiscal well-being of our nation,” Senators Collins, Warner, and Markey wrote.  “Nearly 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's today, a number that is projected to increase to approximately 14 million by 2050.  Alzheimer's and other dementias cost our nation an estimated $277 billion a year, including $186 billion in costs to Medicare and Medicaid.” 

“While the challenges posed by Alzheimer's are substantial, continued breakthroughs in science and therapy could help achieve the national goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer's disease by 2025… [W]e urge you to continue making Alzheimer's disease research at the NIH a priority so that we can ramp up to the level necessary to achieve the 2025 goal set by the National Plan,” the Senators continued.  “We…also urge you to provide appropriate support to Alzheimer's disease and dementia initiatives through the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that seek to support family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and to expand awareness and understanding of this disease.” 

In 2011, Senator Collins authored the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA), with then-Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN).  NAPA convened a panel of experts, who determined that $2 billion per year in research funding is needed to achieve our goal of preventing and treating Alzheimer’s by the year 2025.  Senator Collins helped to secure $1.8 billion—an increase of $414 million—for Alzheimer’s research in the fiscal year 2018 funding bill, which brings us within reach of the $2 billion goal.

Senators Collins, Warner, and Markey’s letter was signed by a total of 38 Senators: Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Kennedy (R-LA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), James Risch (R-ID), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Todd Young (R-IN), Tom Carper (D-DE), John Hoeven (R-ND), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD),  Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jack Reed (D-RI), Gary Peters (D-MI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Angus King (I-ME), Bob Casey (D-PA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Tim Kaine (D-VA).

To view a signed PDF of the letter, click HERE.

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Mulvaney, who serves on a temporary basis as the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), not to undo or weaken the CFPB’s payday lending rule.

The rule would require lenders to determine upfront whether or not a borrower can afford to pay back a loan without having to take out another loan. The rule represents an important step in reining in predatory business practices by payday lenders nationwide that are designed to exploit the financial hardships facing millions of hardworking families.

“The payday lending rule’s purpose is pretty simple: lenders should figure out whether a borrower is able to pay back a loan so that consumers don’t get caught up in a revolving cycle of debt,” said Sen. Warner during his questioning of Director Mulvaney.

Congress created the CFPB to protect Americans from unfair, deceptive and abusive lending practices. Predatory lenders often target hardworking borrowers who find themselves in need of quick cash—often for things like necessary car repairs or medical emergencies—by charging them excessive interest rates and hidden fees that trap them in long-term cycles of debt. Nearly 12 million Americans use payday loans each year, incurring more than $9 billion annually in fees. The CFPB developed the payday lending rule over the course of five years and reviewed more than 1 million public comments. 

Last month, Sen. Warner also wrote to Director Mulvaney urging him not to repeal the payday lending rule.

The full transcript of Sen. Warner’s exchange with Director Mulvaney follows:

Warner: I want to talk to you about the payday lending rule. Now, I think the payday lending rule’s purpose is pretty simple—and I think actually most Americans regardless of side would agree on this—that lenders should figure out upfront whether a borrower is able to pay back a loan and to make sure that consumers don’t get caught up in a revolving cycle of debt by folks that don’t have the same kind of regulatory oversight that our traditional lending institutions do. Now, you’ve been in this job a few months, acting in this job. Did you order the Bureau to engage in a rule making process to reconsider the rule on payday lending?

Mulvaney: Yes sir.

Warner: And how would revoking the rule or changing it help consumers, particularly consumers who are living paycheck to paycheck?

Mulvaney: Senator, I don’t automatically conclude that making an indication to revisit the rule assumes that we will be revoking the rule or even changing the rule. I have the right under the statute to revisit the rules, which I'm doing, but we have not arrived at any preconceived notions of outcomes. That would violate the Administrative Procedures Act, which we have not done.

Warner: But sir, my understanding is this rulemaking took a number of years. It was a subject of a great deal of scrutiny. I believe there was industry input as well as consumer input and, I guess, I really wonder why in your first few months of coming into this acting role that this would rise to the top of a priority that would say we need to relook at the practices of payday lenders, which I think most folks would agree is a last resort financial tool and one that was absolutely appropriate for this Bureau to take on.

Mulvaney: Again I think was appropriate for it to take on. Although I think you could make the argument that the statute simply says you have to supervise this industry, which may not include regulating, different story for another day perhaps. But why was it at the top of the list? Because it was the last thing the previous Director did on his way out the door. There was a bunch of public criticism as to, or questions, as to whether or not it had been rushed. So for a variety of reasons, I thought it was entirely appropriate in my role as acting Director to do that the very first thing. In fact, I think I did it the first or second day I was there.

Warner: Mr. Mulvaney, I think there was a great deal of work that went on and I think the previous Director took those actions because of an ongoing need that people on both sides the aisle had discussed for a long time. I was disappointed you took that as your first action.

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-Va.) joined a group of Senators in a letter to Senate appropriators calling on them to commit to using the full $2 billion that was allocated in last month’s bipartisan budget agreement for its intended purpose of repairing and modernizing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) infrastructure.

While that Congressional framework established how much money should be provided to address veterans’ hospital maintenance and backlogged construction projects, leaders of Congressional appropriation committees are in charge of deciding how that funding is allocated. Facing a shortfall in funding for the Veterans Choice Program, which allows certain veterans to seek medical care outside of the VA system, the VA has proposed diverting dollars meant for infrastructure improvements to cover the program. Warner and Kaine believe that appropriators must fund both initiatives to hold up our nation’s bargain to veterans.

“It is important that Congress not enable VA to continue to cannibalize one aspect of its budget to pay for another,” wrote the Senators in a letter to Senate appropriators.  “Our veterans deserve better than a VA that cannot invest in their future long term because they are constantly repurposing funding to address short sighted budget decisions. Increased funding for VA medical facilities will make significant progress in reducing the nationwide backlog in VA construction and infrastructure work that has impacted veterans’ access to critical medical and long-term care services. VA is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, yet many of its facilities are over 50 years old and are in desperate need of modernization. As VA facilities deteriorate, veterans are left without accessible care.”

Other Senators joining Sens. Warner and Kaine in signing the letter include Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jon Tester (D-MT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Chairman Moran and Ranking Member Schatz:

As you review appropriations for fiscal year 2019, we ask that you honor the commitments made under the Bipartisan Budget Agreement Act of 2018 to provide $2 billion in fiscal year 2019 for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) infrastructure repairs and modernization. In February, Congress reached a comprehensive bipartisan budget agreement that included $4 billion to be spent in fiscal year 2018 and 2019 for investments in VA infrastructure. We are deeply concerned by the VA’s proposal to divert this funding to the Veterans Choice Program and ask that you ensure that the $2 billion granted under the Bipartisan Budget Agreement for fiscal year 2019 be used for its original purpose. While we support providing additional healthcare options for veterans in the community, private sector programs should not be funded at the expense of the specialized care at VA.

Increased funding for VA medical facilities will make significant progress in reducing the nationwide backlog in VA construction and infrastructure work that has impacted veterans’ access to critical medical and long-term care services. VA is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, yet many of its facilities are over 50 years old and are in desperate need of modernization. As VA facilities deteriorate, veterans are left without accessible care. It is not a choice when veterans are forced to seek care through the private sector because they cannot seek care safely within the VA.

Likewise, investing in VA infrastructure repairs and modernization will recruit talented medical professionals at a time when the VA is grappling with maintaining adequate staffing levels. Strong funding for infrastructure modernization will set VA facilities apart from their counterparts in the community and improve hiring and retention efforts. The importance of ensuring VA has high quality providers cannot be understated and Congress must pursue all solutions to bolstering the VA’s recruitment efforts – including upgrading VA facilities to attract top talent. Used wisely, federal funding for VA infrastructure could resolve a litany of challenges and must not be repurposed.

In fiscal year 2018, you supported the Bipartisan Budget Agreement Act and appropriated $2 billion as the first down payment to improving VA infrastructure. Of the $2 billion, $1 billion was allocated for nonrecurring maintenance of VA medical facilities; $425 million for minor construction; and $575 million for grants for construction of State Extended Care Facilities. We applaud the Committee’s action and urge you to continue to provide funding for deferred maintenance on crumbling hospitals and unfinished construction projects, as well as funding to address the approximately 70,000 identified code deficiencies at hospitals and clinics nationwide in fiscal year 2019.

Congress agreed to provide the VA with $2 billion in fiscal year 2019 with the understanding that it will be used to rebuild and improve VA hospitals and clinics. The VA’s proposal to repurpose this funding to the Veterans Choice Program not only disregards this intent, but it is another troubling example of the agency’s history of poor financial management. It is important that Congress not enable VA to continue to cannibalize one aspect of its budget to pay for another. Our veterans deserve better than a VA that cannot invest in their future long term because they are constantly repurposing funding to address short sighted budget decisions.

Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to working with you to ensure our veterans receive the best quality care possible.

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WASHINGTON— U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) today called on Twitter and Alphabet, Inc., the parent company of Google, to implement stronger transparency and accountability standards for online political advertisements. Specifically, the Senators called on the companies to voluntarily implement the provisions in the Honest Ads Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by Sens. Klobuchar, Warner and John McCain (R-AZ) that would require online political advertisements to abide by the same disclosure rules as television and radio ads. 

Russia attempted to influence the 2016 presidential election by buying and placing political ads on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Google. However, Americans had no way of knowing who was behind the ads, because, unlike radio and television ads, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) has exempted large swathes of online ads from general requirements to include disclaimers about who is responsible for the content, and platforms are not required to make public information about political ad purchases as cable, satellite, and broadcast providers must.

“This lack of transparency has dangerous implications for our democracy. As we saw in the 2016 presidential election, foreign actors can seek to influence the electorate without voters’ knowledge through online political advertising,” wrote Sens. Warner and Klobuchar in a pair of letters today to Alphabet CEO Larry Page and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. 

On Friday, April 6, Facebook announced that it would endorse and implement the disclosure requirements outlined in the Honest Ads Act. In today’s letters, Sens. Warner and Klobuchar asked Google and Twitter to do the same. 

“The Honest Ads Act would apply analogous rules to online political advertisements that currently exist in traditional media, bringing long-overdue transparency to the opaque market of online political advertising. It would extend existing disclaimer obligations that print, broadcast, and cable ads must already meet to analogous political ads disseminated on online platforms… And it would require digital platforms to maintain a public record of political ads purchased by an advertiser who spends more than $500 in any 12 month period,” wrote the Senators. “Lastly, it requires that all advertising platforms – whether broadcast, radio or digital – make reasonable efforts to ensure that the prohibition on foreign nationals attempting to influence our elections through donations, expenditures or other things of value is not violated. These measures not only increase transparency in political advertising, but also promote accountability – both of platforms and of political advertisers.” 

To read the Senators’ letter to Alphabet CEO Larry Page, click here. To read their letter to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, click here. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine raised concerns after Virginia’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services confirmed that proposed tariffs could hurt Virginia businesses and employees, as China is the Commonwealth’s biggest export market for agricultural goods. Yesterday China announced that it is considering raising tariffs on soybeans, beef, and other critical agriculture commodities produced in Virginia in response to President Trump’s proposed tariffs. President Trump recently tweeted that “trade wars are good.” 

“President Trump should be making it easier for Virginia farmers and families to get ahead, not driving us head-first into a harmful trade war,” the Senators said. “The President’s reckless actions aren’t ‘good’ for the farmers and local businesses whose products would face huge taxes from China. And President Trump causing massive volatility in the stock market sure isn’t ‘good’ for our economy or Virginia families’ retirement savings. We wish the President would think about hardworking Virginians before making rash decisions with serious implications for our communities.”

China announced tariffs on 106 U.S. products yesterday, including items produced in rural communities in Central, Southern, and Southwest Virginia, as well as the Valley, the Eastern Shore, and the Northern Neck. Below is the full list of products that are set to be subject to duties, many grown in Virginia: 

1. Yellow soybean

2. Black soybean

3. Corn

4. Cornflour

5. Uncombed cotton

6. Cotton linters

7. Sorghum

8. Brewing or distilling dregs and waste

9. Other durum wheat

10.  Other wheat and mixed wheat

11.  Whole and half head fresh and cold beef

12.  Fresh and cold beef with bones

13.  Fresh and cold boneless beef

14.  Frozen beef with bones

15.  Frozen boneless beef

16.  Frozen boneless meat

17.  Other frozen beef chops

18.  Dried cranberries

19.  Frozen orange juice

20.  Non-frozen orange juice

21.  Whiskies

22.  Unstemmed flue-cured tobacco

23.  Other unstemmed tobacco

24.  Flue-cured tobacco partially or totally removed

25.  Partially or totally deterred tobacco stems

26.  Tobacco waste

27.  Tobacco cigars

28.  Tobacco cigarettes

29.  Cigars and cigarettes, tobacco substitutes

30.  Hookah tobacco

31.  Other tobacco for smoking

32.  Reconstituted tobacco

33.  Other tobacco and tobacco substitute products

34.  SUVs with discharge capacity of 2.5L to 3L

35.  Other vehicles equipped with an ignited reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and a drive motor that can be charged by plugging in an external power source. Cylinder capacity displacement exceeding 2500ml, but not exceeding 3000ml for SUVs (4 wheel drive)

36.  Vehicles with discharge capacity of 1.5L to 2L

37.  Other vehicles equipped with an ignited reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and a drive motor that can be charged by plugging in an external power source. Cylinder capacity displacement exceeding 1000ml, but not exceeding 1500ml for SUVs (4 wheel drive)

38.  Passenger cars with discharge capacity 1.5L to 2L, 9 seats or less

39.  Other vehicles equipped with an ignited reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and a drive motor that can be charged by plugging in an external power source. Cylinder capacity displacement exceeding 1000ml, but not exceeding 1500ml for 9 passenger cars and below

40.  Passenger cars with discharge capacity of 3L to 4L, 9 seats or less

41.  Other vehicles equipped with an ignited reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and a drive motor that can be charged by plugging in an external power source. Cylinder capacity displacement exceeding 3000ml, but not exceeding 4000ml for 9 passenger cars and below

42.  Off-road vehicles with discharge capacity of 2L to 2.5L

43.  Other vehicles equipped with an ignited reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and a drive motor that can be charged by plugging in an external power source. Cylinder capacity displacement exceeding 2000ml, but not exceeding 2500ml for off-road vehicles

44.  Passenger cars with discharge capacity of 2L to 2.5L, 9 seats or less

45.  Other vehicles equipped with an ignited reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and a drive motor that can be charged by plugging in an external power source. Cylinder capacity displacement exceeding 2000ml, but not exceeding 2500ml for 9 passenger cars and below

46.  Off-road vehicles with discharge capacity of 3L to 4L

47.  Other vehicles equipped with an ignited reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and a drive motor that can be charged by plugging in an external power source. Cylinder capacity displacement exceeding 3000ml, but not exceeding 4000ml for off-road vehicles

48.  Diesel-powered off-road vehicles with discharge capacity of 2.5L to 3L

49.  Other vehicles equipped with an ignited reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and a drive motor that can be charged by plugging in an external power source. Cylinder capacity displacement exceeding 2500ml, but not exceeding 3000ml for diesel-powered off-road vehicles

50.  Passenger cars with discharge capacity of 2.5L to 3L, 9 seats or less

51.  Other vehicles equipped with an ignited reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and a drive motor that can be charged by plugging in an external power source. Cylinder capacity displacement exceeding 2500ml, but not exceeding 3000ml for 9 passenger cars and below

52.  Off-road vehicles with discharge capacity of less than 4L

53.  Other vehicles equipped with an ignited reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and a drive motor that can be charged by plugging in an external power source. Cylinder capacity displacement not exceeding 4000ml for off-road vehicles

54.  Other vehicles which are equipped with an ignited reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and a drive motor and can be charged by plugging in an external power source

55.  Other vehicles that are equipped with a compression ignition type internal combustion engine (diesel or semi-diesel) and a drive motor, other than vehicles that can be charged by plugging in an external power source

56.  Other vehicles which are equipped with an ignition reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and a drive motor and can be charged by plugging in an external power source

57.  Other vehicles that are equipped with a compression-ignition reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and a drive motor that can be charged by plugging in an external power source

58.  Other vehicles that only drive the motor

59.  Other vehicles

60.  Other gasoline trucks of less than 5 tons

61.  Transmissions and parts for motor vehicles not classified

62.  Liquefied Propane

63.  Primary Shaped Polycarbonate

64.  Supported catalysts with noble metals and their compounds as actives

65.  Diagnostic or experimental reagents attached to backings, except for goods of tariff lines 32.02, 32.06

66.  Chemical products and preparations for the chemical industry and related industries, not elsewhere specified

67.  Products containing PFOS and its salts, perfluorooctanyl sulfonamide or perfluorooctane sulfonyl chloride in note 3 of this chapter

68.  Items listed in note 3 of this chapter containing four, five, six, seven or octabromodiphenyl ethers

69.  Contains 1,2,3,4,5,6-HCH (6,6,6) (ISO), including lindane (ISO, INN)

70.  Primarily made of dimethyl (5-ethyl-2-methyl-2oxo-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorin-5-yl)methylphosphonate and double [(5-b Mixtures and products of 2-methyl-2-oxo-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorin-5-yl)methyl] methylphosphonate (FRC-1)

71.  38248600a articles listed in note 3 to this chapter containing PeCB (ISO) or Hexachlorobenzene (ISO)

72.  Containing aldrin (ISO), toxaphene (ISO), chlordane (ISO), chlordecone (ISO), DDT (ISO) [Diptrix (INN), 1,1,1-trichloro-2 ,2-Bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane], Dieldrin (ISO, INN), Endosulfan (ISO), Endrin (ISO), Heptachlor (ISO) or Mirex (ISO). The goods listed in note 3 of this chapter

73.  Other carrier catalysts

74.  Other polyesters

75.  Reaction initiators, accelerators not elsewhere specified

76.  Polyethylene with a primary shape specific gravity of less than 0.94

77.  Acrylonitrile

78.  Lubricants (without petroleum or oil extracted from bituminous minerals)

79.  Diagnostic or experimental formulation reagents, whether or not attached to backings, other than those of heading 32.02, 32.06

80.  Lubricant additives for oils not containing petroleum or extracted from bituminous minerals

81.  Primary Shaped Epoxy Resin

82.  Polyethylene Terephthalate Plate Film Foil Strips

83.  Other self-adhesive plastic plates, sheets, films and other materials

84.  Other plastic non-foam plastic sheets

85.  Other plastic products

86.  Other primary vinyl polymers

87.  Other ethylene-α-olefin copolymers, specific gravity less than 0.94

88.  Other primary shapes of acrylic polymers

89.  Other primary shapes of pure polyvinyl chloride

90.  Polysiloxane in primary shape

91.  Other primary polysulphides, polysulfones and other tariff numbers as set forth in note 3 to chapter 39 are not listed.

92.  Plastic plates, sheets, films, foils and strips, not elsewhere specified

93.  1,2-Dichloroethane (ISO)

94.  Halogenated butyl rubber sheets, strips

95.  Other heterocyclic compounds

96.  Adhesives based on other rubber or plastics

97.  Polyamide-6,6 slices

98.  Other primary-shaped polyethers

99.  Primary Shaped, Unplasticized Cellulose Acetate

100. Aromatic polyamides and their copolymers

101. Semi-aromatic polyamides and their copolymers

102. Other polyamides of primary shape

103. Other vinyl polymer plates, sheets, strips

104. Non-ionic organic surfactants

105. Lubricants (containing oil or oil extracted from bituminous minerals and less than 70% by weight)

106. Aircraft and other aircraft with an empty weight of more than 15,000kg but not exceeding 45,000kg

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced today that three major Virginia bus transportation systems will receive $8.64 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The bus transportation systems receiving funding are: The Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC), the Blacksburg Transit, and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).

“We are pleased to announce direct federal funding to help improve the commute for thousands of Virginians,” said the Senators. “These critical dollars will help connect our communities and ensure continued access to reliable and affordable public transportation for riders across our region.” 

Bus systems and grant amounts are listed below:

• The Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) – $3,600,000.00 – This grant funding will help purchase newer buses to replace their aging fleet.
• The Blacksburg Transit – $1,440,000.00 – This grant will help add buses to its fleet to keep up with ridership demands of the region.
• The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) – $3,600,000.00 – This grant will replace bus shelters across Northern Virginia to ensure rider safety and security.

This funding was granted through USDOT’s Bus & Bus Facilities Infrastructure Investment Program, a program that provides federal resources for bus systems to rehabilitate, replace, or purchase buses and bus-related equipment.

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined a group of 41 Senators in a letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Acting Director Leandra English and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney urging them to end any efforts to undermine and repeal the CFPB’s payday lending rule. The rule represents an important step in reining in predatory business practices by payday lenders nationwide that are designed to exploit the financial hardships facing millions of hardworking families.

“We understand that the CFPB is delaying the rule by granting waivers to companies who would otherwise be taking steps to begin complying with the rule, and that the Bureau may be offering the payday loan industry an opportunity to undermine the rule entirely. We view these actions as further efforts to undermine the implementation of this important consumer protection rule,” the Senators wrote.    

Congress created the CFPB to protect Americans from unfair, deceptive and abusive lending practices. Predatory lenders often target hardworking borrowers who find themselves in need of quick cash—often for things like necessary car repairs or medical emergencies—by charging them excessive interest rates and hidden fees that trap them in long-term cycles of debt. Nearly 12 million Americans use payday loans each year, incurring more than $9 billion annually in fees. The CFPB developed the payday lending rule over the course of five years and reviewed more than 1 million public comments. 

“The CFPB’s role in serving as a watchdog for American consumers while making our financial markets safe, fair, and transparent continues to be of critical importance. To this end, we urge you to end any efforts to undermine and repeal this critical consumer protection,” the Senators continued.

The letter also called into question efforts at the CFPB to dismiss ongoing enforcement actions against predatory lenders, calling such actions antithetical to the CFPB’s mission of serving as a watchdog for American consumers. 

Other Senators joining Sens. Warner and Kaine in signing the letter include U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ed Markey (D-MA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tina Smith (D-MN), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tom Udall (D-NM), Chris Coons (D-DE), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Angus King (I-ME), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Tom Carper (D-DE), Gary Peters (D-MI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Joe Donnelly(D-IN), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Doug Jones (D-AL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Bill Nelson (D-FL).

Full text of the letter is available here and below: 

Leandra English
Acting Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
1700 G Street N.W.
Washington, D.C., 20552

Mick Mulvaney
Director, Office of Management and Budget
725 17th Street N.W.
Washington, D.C., 20503

Dear Ms. English and Mr. Mulvaney:

We write to express concern regarding the announcement that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) will begin the process of reconsidering and eventually repealing the Bureau’s recently finalized Payday, Vehicle Title, and Certain High-Cost Installment Loans rule, also known as the “payday lending rule.”  We view this action as well as the dismissal of ongoing enforcement actions against predatory lenders as antithetical to the CFPB’s mission.

Research has shown that short-term payday loans trap consumers in high-interest debt for long periods of time and can result in serious financial harm, including increased likelihood of bankruptcy. Nearly 12 million Americans use payday loans each year, incurring more than $9 billion in fees. While short-term loans may help families facing unexpected expenses, predatory short-term loans with interest rates exceeding 300 percent often leave consumers with a difficult decision: defaulting on the loan or repeated borrowing. According to the CFPB, nearly 80 percent of payday loans are renewed within 14 days, and at least 27 percent of borrowers will default on their first loan. The CFPB also found that nearly 20 percent of title loan borrowers have had their vehicles seized by the lender when they are unable to repay this debt. The majority of all payday loans are renewed so many times that borrowers end up paying more in fees than the amount they originally borrowed.  This predatory business model exploits the financial hardships facing hard working families, trapping them into long-term debt cycles. 

The recent financial crisis, during which Americans lost more than $19 trillion in household wealth demonstrated clearly the need for a federal agency whose sole mission is to protect American consumers in the financial marketplace.  Congress created the CFPB, granting it the authority to crack down on these types of predatory lending practices. 

After conducting a five-year study and reviewing more than 1 million public comments, the CFPB used this vested authority to issue a rule in October 2017 requiring payday and car title lenders to ensure that consumers have the ability to repay each loan and still manage to meet their basic living needs and major financial obligations without needing to borrow again over the next 30-day period. This commonsense requirement is coupled with protections that provide consumers with reasonable repayment options common with other types of credit. 

We stand with a majority of our constituents in supporting the final rule and oppose efforts to repeal or undermine the final rule, which protects consumers from predatory payday, title loan, and high-cost installment lenders.  Bipartisan polling shows that the CFPB’s action to curb predatory lending reflects the will of the vast majority of Americans. According to a 2017 survey, 73 percent of Americans support the CFPB’s rule requiring payday lenders to make sure that consumers have the ability to repay before extending a loan.

We understand that the CFPB is delaying the rule by granting waivers to companies who would otherwise be taking steps to begin complying with the rule, and that the Bureau may be offering the payday loan industry an opportunity to undermine the rule entirely. We view these actions as further efforts to undermine the implementation of this important consumer protection rule.  

We are also troubled by the CFPB’s recent enforcement actions related to payday lending.  The CFPB recently decided to drop a lawsuit filed by the Bureau in 2017 against four payday lending companies in Kansas. These companies were being sued for flouting state laws by running illegal payday lending operations, including charging interest rates between 440 percent and 950 percent. The CFPB also is reportedly halting, without any explanation, a nearly four-year CFPB investigation into allegations that a South Carolina-based payday loan company engaged in deceptive lending practices. 

The CFPB’s role in serving as a watchdog for American consumers while making our financial markets safe, fair, and transparent continues to be of critical importance. To this end, we urge you to end any efforts to undermine and repeal this critical consumer protection. 

Sincerely,

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Sen. Warner met with ARC Co-Chair last month in his Senate office in Washington

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement after the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Tim Thomas, President Trump’s nominee to be the Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission: 

“I was proud to support Mr. Thomas’ nomination to lead federal efforts to foster economic development in Appalachia,” said Sen. Warner. “Despite the Administration’s attempt to defund the Appalachian Regional Commission, I worked with my colleagues on a bipartisan funding agreement this week that just increased its funding by $3 million—the highest level approved in decades. Now that he has been confirmed as its co-chair, I trust Mr. Thomas will carry out his duties with a clear focus on expanding economic opportunities in the region and I look forward to working together to achieve this.” 

The Appalachian Regional Commission is a federal-state partnership that has invested in 25,000 projects across Appalachia’s 420 counties. For more than fifty years, ARC has provided funding and support for job-creating community projects across the 13 Appalachian states, producing an average of $204 million in annual earnings for a region often challenged by economic underdevelopment. Since its inception in 1965, ARC has generated over 300,000 jobs and $10 billion for the 25 million Americans living in Appalachia.

A bipartisan Congressional budget agreement passed by Congress this week included a $3 million increase in additional funding for ARC, for a total of $155 million in FY18. In his budget plan, President Trump had proposed eliminating funding for the ARC entirely. In response, Sen. Warner and a bipartisan coalition of Senators who represent Appalachian states called on President Trump to reverse his proposal to zero out funding for this important federal-state partnership. In 2017 alone, Sen. Warner announced over $7 million in ARC grant funding for projects in Virginia’s Appalachian counties.

Sen. Warner serves as a co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Appalachia Initiative, which has laid out a roadmap for bipartisan legislation to jumpstart economic growth in the region. He has introduced bipartisan legislation to support and encourage public-private partnerships in Appalachia that improve regional infrastructure, encourage entrepreneurship, and create jobs.  

Mr. Thomas served on the state staff of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as a field representative based in the Senator’s Bowling Green office. A native Kentuckian, Thomas previously served in the administration of former Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher as a special assistant to the secretary of the Kentucky Environmental Cabinet, handling matters including legislative initiatives for the agency, according to the ARC In a meeting last month, Sen. Warner and Thomas discussed their shared priorities for Appalachia, including workforce development and combatting the opioid crisis.

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WASHINGTON, DC – Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) today introduced a revised Secure Elections Act, a bill to strengthen election cybersecurity in America. The Senators originally introduced the legislation in December, and have since worked with stakeholders to revise and strengthen the bill. With today’s reintroduction, Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) and Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) also co-sponsored the bill.

The revised legislation maintains the original purpose of the bill to streamline cybersecurity information-sharing between federal intelligence entities and state election agencies; provide security clearances to state election officials; and provide support for state election cybersecurity infrastructure. Today’s revised bill modifies reporting requirements for state election offices; transitions the election security advisory panel from the Department of Homeland Security to the Election Assistance Commission; and makes grants eligible to local jurisdictions, among several other minor modifications. 

“This week’s Intelligence Committee hearing confirmed the need for America to make the security of our election infrastructure a priority,” said Lankford. “During the 2016 election, Russian entities hacked presidential campaign accounts, launched cyber-attacks against at least 21 state election systems, and attacked a US voting systems software company. This revised Secure Elections Act adequately helps the states prepare our election infrastructure for the possibility of interference from not just Russia, but possibly another adversary like Iran or North Korea or a hacktivist group. Although funding for election security is included in the Omnibus appropriations bill, Congress still must pass the Secure Elections Act in order to put needed election improvements into law.” 

“We know—and our top intelligence officials have confirmed—that our election systems remain a target,” said Klobuchar, who is also Ranking Member of the Rules Committee with jurisdiction over federal elections. “The bipartisan group of co-sponsors on the Secure Elections Act have been working with state election officials and the Department of Homeland Security to improve this bill and ensure those on the front-lines of administering elections are equipped with the information and resources necessary to keep them safe. This week we made progress by securing $380 million in funding, but it’s not enough. There are 227 days until the next federal election and primaries have already begun, Congress should pass the bipartisan Secure Elections Act immediately.” 

“Our democracy is under attack by foreign actors who seek to undermine and destabilize our country,” said Chairman Burr. “This bill will help strengthen our cybersecurity heading into upcoming election cycles, and has provisions to ensure that threat information is promptly shared with the states.” 

“Elections – at all levels – are central to our democracy, to our institutions and to our government’s legitimacy,” said Vice Chairman Warner. “During the 2016 campaign, we saw unprecedented targeting of election infrastructure by Russian actors. As we’ve heard in recent weeks from our nation’s top intelligence officials, the Russians will continue to attack our elections. We need to make sure states and localities have the resources and federal support they need to make election security a top priority.” 

“Election security is not a bipartisan issue, it’s a nonpartisan issue,” said Harris. “With 2018 elections across the country underway, the urgency to act is clear. We need to improve communication between states and federal authorities, fortify and upgrade election infrastructure, and implement best practices. We know there will be a new set of threats this year and we must be prepared to meet them.”

“While our investigation is still ongoing, we know for certain that the Russians were relentless in their efforts to meddle in the 2016 elections, and that those efforts are ongoing,” said Collins. “This bipartisan legislation will strengthen the integrity of our election process by ensuring that local voting officials have the information and financial resources they need to secure their voting systems. Given that we are already in an election year, the need to act now is urgent.”

“Our democracy hinges on Americans' ability to fairly choose our own leaders. As we approach the midterm elections and the next presidential election cycle, we need to act quickly to protect the integrity of our voting process,” said Heinrich. “Our bipartisan legislation will improve and modernize protections for our voting systems, registration data, and ballots to prevent theft, manipulation, and malicious computer hacking. Until we take these necessary steps, our nation's democratic institutions will remain vulnerable.” 

“The Russians have been trying to break the backs of democracies all over the world,” said Graham. “And although they did not change the outcome, they clearly interfered in our 2016 election. This bipartisan legislation will help defend our elections from foreign interference and sends a strong signal to other bad actors – like Iran and North Korea -- that similar acts will not be tolerated.  We are committed to defending and promoting confidence in American democracy by providing states with the resources they need to safeguard their election systems.”

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