Press Releases

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and a member of the Senate Banking Committee, released the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order “Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign Interference in a United States Election”:

“In order to deter foreign interference in future elections, we must make it clear to Russia and other adversaries that interference is unacceptable, and will have painful consequences.

“Unfortunately, President Trump demonstrated in Helsinki and elsewhere that he simply cannot be counted upon to stand up to Putin when it matters. While the Administration has yet to share the full text, an executive order that inevitably leaves the President broad discretion to decide whether to impose tough sanctions against those who attack our democracy is insufficient.

“If we are going to actually deter Russia and others from interfering in our elections in the future, we need to spell out strong, clear consequences, without ambiguity. We remain woefully underprepared to secure the upcoming elections, and an executive order is simply no substitute for congressional action, such as the strong measures included in the bipartisan DETER Act.”

Sen. Warner is a co-sponsor of the Defending Elections from Threats by Establishing Redlines (DETER) Act.

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced a total of $5,524,852 in federal funding for Washington Dulles International and Warrenton-Fauquier Airports through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

“We are pleased to support upgrades at airports in Northern Virginia that will improve travel for Virginians and visitors. These are long-term investments in cleaner technology and upgraded infrastructure,” the Senators said.

Washington Dulles International will receive $4,000,000 to install 112 electrical recharging stations for electrical ground support equipment. The project aims to implement clean technology infrastructure to reduce ground emissions and improve air quality through the Voluntary Airport Low Emissions (VALE) Program.

Warrenton-Fauquier will receive $1,524,852 to complete the construction of an airplane ramp and finish the new terminal area.

The funding was awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program within DOT. The program supports infrastructure improvement projects at airports across the country, including runways, taxiways, aprons, terminals, aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles, and snow removal equipment. Warner and Kaine have long fought for funding for Virginia’s airports and pushed back against the Trump Administration’s suggested budget cuts to DOT to ensure that critical upgrades like these can happen. The Senate is expected to consider an FAA reauthorization measure in the coming weeks.

###

WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to expedite disaster relief efforts in Virginia ahead of Hurricane Florence, which is projected to have a significant impact on the Commonwealth in the coming days. The Senator, along with the entire Virginia congressional delegation, previously requested that President Trump issue a federal emergency declaration for the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Administration took this step yesterday, allowing FEMA and other federal agencies to begin offering preemptive assistance ahead of the storm.

“Even as the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and localities continue their precautionary efforts, I am concerned about the potential of severe flooding in the Commonwealth. Hurricane Florence is expected to cause serious flash flooding, mudslides, and river flooding in parts of Virginia that do not have a history of flooding and have already received large amounts of rainfall this year. These areas may not have the resources available to immediately respond to large scale flooding. I urge you to work with VDEM and localities in Virginia to coordinate disaster relief efforts and ensure that these communities have the resources and technical assistance they need to respond to this storm,” wrote Sen. Warner in a letter to FEMA Administrator Brock Long.

Gov. Northam has declared a state of emergency in Virginia in preparation for Hurricane Florence, and has ordered the evacuation of more than 200,000 residents living in affected areas. Sen. Warner and Sen. Tim Kaine have been requesting coordination and assistance from federal agencies in preparation for the hurricane, including the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), following reports that Naval Station Norfolk warned its employees of potential flooding at the base, and will continue monitoring additional storm developments that may require increased federal assistance.

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

Dear Administrator Long,

I write to you today to express my concerns about the potential effects of Hurricane Florence on the Commonwealth of Virginia. Hurricane Florence remains an exceptionally powerful storm that is expected to make landfall in the Carolinas and Virginia later this week. On Tuesday, September 11, 2018, President Donald J. Trump declared a state of emergency in Virginia, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal agencies to offer preemptive assistance to the Commonwealth. I urge you to move expeditiously to implement disaster relief efforts to ease the hardship for Virginians who will be impacted by this storm.

Even as the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and localities continue their precautionary efforts, I am concerned about the potential of severe flooding in the Commonwealth. Hurricane Florence is expected to cause serious flash flooding, mudslides, and river flooding in parts of Virginia that do not have a history of flooding and have already received large amounts of rainfall this year. These areas may not have the resources available to immediately respond to large scale flooding. I urge you to work with VDEM and localities in Virginia to coordinate disaster relief efforts and ensure that these communities have the resources and technical assistance they need to respond to this storm.

Hurricane Florence has the potential to cause significant damage in certain areas of Virginia. I urge you to act quickly to make all necessary resources available to alleviate the impacts of this dangerous storm. Thank you for your attention to this matter and please let me know how I can work with you to ensure a swift and effective recovery effort.

Sincerely,

Mark Warner

###

WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) wrote to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to offer assistance in protecting military facilities and personnel in Virginia ahead of Hurricane Florence. Virginia has a significant footprint for each of the branches of our nation’s military and is home to Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval complex in the world. This week, the station warned its employees about the possibility of flooding and urged them not to leave their vehicles parked at the base during the storm.

“As sea levels rise, these installations in particular have faced increased frequency and severity of flooding in recent years. Given the critical role that Hampton Roads military installations play in supporting our nation’s security, we ask that you keep us apprised of any assistance you may need to ensure the safety of servicemembers and their families, installations, and infrastructure, and to swiftly address any potential damage resulting from the storm. We look forward to working with you to ensure that the military is able to quickly recover following Hurricane Florence,” wrote the Senators in a letter to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

On September 8, 2018, Gov. Northam declared a state of emergency in Virginia in preparation for Hurricane Florence, which is projected to have a significant impact on the Commonwealth in the coming days. On Monday, Sens. Warner and Kaine led the Virginia congressional delegation in a letter calling on President Trump to support the Governor’s request to issue a federal emergency declaration ahead of the storm.

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

The Honorable James N. Mattis
Secretary of Defense
U.S. Department of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301

Dear Secretary Mattis,

As Hurricane Florence strengthens in the Atlantic on its projected path toward the East Coast, we write to offer our assistance and support as the Department of Defense takes the appropriate steps to ensure the safety of its personnel and infrastructure in Virginia. Our state hosts significant footprints for each of the branches of our nation’s military, and is home to the largest naval complex in the world, Naval Station Norfolk.

In preparation for the storm, the Commonwealth of Virginia has declared a state of emergency, and has requested Federal support in dealing with potential emergency response. Additionally, we understand that the Navy has ordered Sortie Condition Alpha, meaning ships from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek and Naval Station Norfolk will be getting underway to avoid the worst of the storm. We are grateful for the steps the Department of Defense has taken so far.

As sea levels rise, these installations in particular have faced increased frequency and severity of flooding in recent years. Given the critical role that Hampton Roads military installations play in supporting our nation’s security, we ask that you keep us apprised of any assistance you may need to ensure the safety of servicemembers and their families, installations, and infrastructure, and to swiftly address any potential damage resulting from the storm.

We look forward to working with you to ensure that the military is able to quickly recover following Hurricane Florence. Thank you again for your preparation on this critical effort.

Sincerely,

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement today on his decision to vote against the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court:

“This is the most consequential Supreme Court vacancy in a generation, yet it has been the least transparent confirmation process in recent history. Thanks to unprecedented efforts by the Trump Administration to conceal large portions of Judge Kavanaugh’s record and the nominee’s unwillingness to answer basic questions before the Judiciary Committee, much of Judge Kavanaugh's record and judicial philosophy remain a mystery to the American people. But what we have seen provides reason enough to vote against this nominee.

“His past rulings, writings, and evasive answers before the Judiciary Committee lead to the inescapable conclusion that, as a Supreme Court justice, Judge Kavanaugh would seek to undermine and eventually overturn Roe v. Wade, and would fail to protect people with pre-existing conditions from discrimination by insurance companies.

“I am also deeply troubled by Judge Kavanaugh’s views on executive power. We currently have a president whose conduct is at the center of a federal criminal investigation, but in his testimony before the Judiciary Committee, Judge Kavanaugh refused to say whether he thinks it is constitutional for presidents to be investigated, and whether he continues to believe that the president has the power to fire a prosecutor criminally investigating him. In this country, no one, not even the president, is above the law. Should the president’s legal team decide, as they have threatened, to contest that principle in court, it is imperative that the Supreme Court ensure that the president is held accountable.

“For all these reasons, I must vote no on Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination.”

###

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Rob Portman (R-OH) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to urge the Administration to consider expanding the dual enrollment Pell experiment to meet the goal of 10,000 participating low-income high school students. Under the Department’s experiment, a limited number of high school students taking college-credit courses have access for the first time to federal Pell Grants. One of the participating sites is Central Virginia Community College (CVCC) in Lynchburg, Virginia. Sen. Warner visited CVCC earlier this year and heard firsthand from students, teachers, and administrators involved with the dual enrollment program about the program’s success.

In addition to assessing whether the experiment is on-track to have 10,000 participating students—and, if not, considering accepting another round of applications—the letter from Sens. Warner and Portman also raises two funding issues that were discussed on the visit and recommends potential solutions.

“Central Virginia Community College and other institutions participating in the Department’s experiment continue advancing our understanding of how best to implement dual enrollment programs that access Pell Grant funding,” said Sen. Warner. “We should take every opportunity to harness their experience and expertise to better meet the needs of students who may apply for similar programs in the future.”

“The cost of college tuition and fees continue to rise, and early college high schools can play a critical role in helping students get head start on college,” said Sen. Portman. “I strongly support expanding access to programs that help students get college credit while in high school. I will also continue to push for our bipartisan legislation ‘Go to High School, Go to College’ to make this pilot permanent and provide more options for college to low-income students.”

Sens. Warner and Portman have championed legislation that would permanently expand Pell Grant eligibility to early college high school students, and led efforts toexpand access to dual and concurrent enrollment in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

A copy of the Senators’ letter is available here and below.

September 11, 2018

The Honorable Betsy DeVos

Secretary of Education

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20202

Dear Secretary DeVos:

We write today regarding the U.S. Department of Education’s ongoing institution-based experiment to provide access to Pell Grants for eligible students participating in dual enrollment programs. Specifically, we write to request the Department consider accepting another round of applications for additional institutions to join the experiment, and to relay feedback we have received on the experiment’s current construction and offer recommendations as to how it might be modified for an additional round of applications to have an even greater impact for low-income students and the institutions that serve them. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Under the Department’s dual enrollment experimental site, 43 diverse programs nationwide run by approved Institutions of Higher Education have been selected to allow up to 10,000 low-income high school students to access their Pell grants in order to participate. Access to federal financial aid under the experiment is designed to offset the costs of tuition, fees, and books for dual enrollment programs that provide students with the opportunity to earn a minimum of twelve college credits on a pathway towards a degree or credential as well the support services necessary to ensure their success. We request that the Department assess whether the currently participating institutions are likely to meet the Department's goal of 10,000 participating students; and consider accepting another round of applications for additional institutions to join the experiment beginning with the next school year.

We would also encourage the Department to consider making changes to the experiment for any new institutions admitted, responsive to feedback from the initial set of institutions selected to participate in the experiment. The experiment presently requires that, “Participating institutions…ensure that after all Federal Pell Grants, State, local, institutional aid, or other resources have been applied to student charges, students are not responsible for any remaining institutional charges as a result of enrolling in the postsecondary program as part of the institution's dual enrollment arrangement under the experiment.” While we appreciate the presumed intent of this requirement to ensure access and affordability, it has come to our attention that this stipulation has had the unintended consequence of impeding or imperiling some students’ ability to participate in the experiment altogether.

It is our understanding that at least one institution has already withdrawn from the experiment because they were unaware of the sizeable financial obligation and unable to fulfill it. Another institution would have followed suit were it not for extraordinary measures taken by the state’s higher education coordinating body and community college system to identify and allocate the necessary funds. At a minimum, we would encourage the Department to make this fiduciary requirement clearer in future iterations of the experiment and provide participating schools—many of them community colleges or minority-serving institutions—with guidance on identifying funding sources. We would also urge you to consider making additional federal funding available to participating schools or allowing students to contribute some modest amount towards their postsecondary courses to help institutions offset costs.

Further, the experiment requires that participating schools demonstrate that, “Federal Pell Grants made available to students to enroll in participating institutions through this experiment must not supplant public and institutional sources of funding for an institution’s dual enrollment arrangement(s).” While we share the Department’s desire to see expanded access to dual enrollment programs for low- and moderate-income students, this requirement, too, has had unintended consequences in its implementation. One school district that would have otherwise been qualified and eager to participate in the experiment was deemed ineligible to apply because they already finance their Pell-eligible students’ costs. Were the experiment’s supplement-not-supplant language crafted differently, this school district would have been able to reach even more students—expanding dual enrollment access across the board, while still providing access for their Pell-eligible population. While we share the experiment’s objective to encourage additional investment in dual enrollment access, we would encourage you to consider and adopt a more tailored supplement-not-supplement requirement that gives schools slightly more latitude in determining how to allocate funds amongst dual enrollment participants.

Thank you for your continued commitment to the Department’s Pell dual enrollment experimental site, and for your consideration of these recommendations. Please do not hesitate to have your staff contact Lauren Marshall at (202) 527-0431 or Lauren_Marshall@warner.senate.gov or Megan Harrington at (202) 224-3353 or Megan_Harrington@portman.senate.gov with any questions. We look forward to continuing to work with you on this promising initiative.

Sincerely,

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $3,714,216 million in federal funding for ten Virginia fire departments through Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The funding, which will go to fire departments in Patrick Springs, Forest, Strasburg, Chatham, Martinsville, Norfolk, Spotsylvania, Exmore, Fries, and Yorktown will be awarded through FEMA’s Assistant to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs.

“Firefighters put their lives on the line every day. These federal dollars will help fire departments across Virginia update and purchase new equipment and support essential staffing needs, ensuring they have the resources to do their jobs,” the Senators said.

The following Virginia fire departments will receive funding under the AFG program:

Patrick Springs Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. will receive $90,000 to purchase personal protective equipment.
Forest Volunteer Fire Company will receive $95,910 to purchase personal protective equipment.
Strasburg Fire Department will receive $52,143 to update its source capture exhaust system technology.
Chatham Fire Department will receive $15,239 to support search and rescue training.
Dyers Store Volunteer Fire Department in Martinsville will receive $166,896 purchase self-contained breathing apparatus equipment.

The following Virginia fire departments will receive funding under the SAFER program:

Norfolk Fire – Rescue will receive $1,035,021 to support hiring efforts.
Spotsylvania County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management will receive $1,149,277 to support hiring efforts.
Community Fire Company, Inc. in Exmore will receive $232,800 to support recruitment efforts.
Fries Fire Dept. will receive $178,616 to support recruitment efforts.
York County Fire and Life Safety will receive $698,314 to support hiring efforts.

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. The primary goal of SAFER is to enhance the local fire departments’ ability to comply with staffing, response, and operational standards. FEMA’s SAFER program specifically provides funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase or maintain the number of trained firefighters available in their communities.

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration for awarding Accomack County Airport $3,649,906 in federal funding. Accomack County will use the funding to rehabilitate and improve lighting on the runway.

“These federal dollars will help make improvements to ensure safer travel to and from Accomack for both Virginians and visitors,” the Senators said.

###

WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, along with U.S. Reps. Rob Wittman (VA-01), Scott Taylor (VA-02), Bobby Scott (VA-03), A. Donald McEachin (VA-04), Tom Garrett (VA-05), Bob Goodlatte (VA-06), Dave Brat (VA-07), Don Beyer (VA-08), Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Barbara Comstock (VA-10), and Gerry Connolly (VA-11), called on President Donald Trump to issue a federal emergency declaration ahead of Hurricane Florence, a tropical storm which was recently upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane and is expected to make landfall somewhere on the southeast or Mid-Atlantic coast Thursday night. Virginia’s congressional delegation wrote to the President in support of a request from Gov. Ralph Northam in advance of the storm’s potentially devastating effects on the Commonwealth of Virginia.

“A federal emergency declaration would ensure the full availability of federal resources to support the Commonwealth’s efforts to guarantee public safety and rapid recovery from the direct and indirect effects of Hurricane Florence. Thank you for your consideration of Governor Northam’s request. We look forward to working with you, FEMA, and other relevant federal agencies to ensure that the Commonwealth of Virginia has the resources available to ensure the safety of our constituents,” wrote the Virginia Senators and Representatives.

On September 8, 2018, Gov. Northam declared a state of emergency in Virginia in preparation for Hurricane Florence, which is projected to have a significant impact on the Commonwealth in the coming days. It is increasingly likely that Virginia will face damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and potentially life-threating storm surge flooding. Many localities have already ordered mandatory evacuations to prevent potential physical harm or loss of life.

The full text of the letter can be found below:

Dear Mr. President:

We write today to express our support for Governor Ralph S. Northam’s request for a federal emergency declaration in advance of Hurricane Florence’s potentially devastating effects on the Commonwealth of Virginia.

As you may know, on September 8, 2018 Governor Northam declared a state of emergency in Virginia in preparation for Hurricane Florence, which is projected to have a significant impact on the Commonwealth in the coming days. It is increasingly likely that Virginia will face damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and potentially life-threating storm surge flooding due to Hurricane Florence. Many localities have already ordered mandatory evacuations to prevent potential physical harm or loss of life.

Governor Northam’s emergency declaration ensures a fully coordinated state response to support local recovery efforts. The Commonwealth has activated the Virginia Evacuation Coordination Team for Operational Response to assess the storm’s potential effects and the Virginia Emergency Operations Center is already coordinating the state’s response with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

A federal emergency declaration would ensure the full availability of federal resources to support the Commonwealth’s efforts to guarantee public safety and rapid recovery from the direct and indirect effects of Hurricane Florence.

Thank you for your consideration of Governor Northam’s request. We look forward to working with you, FEMA, and other relevant federal agencies to ensure that the Commonwealth of Virginia has the resources available to ensure the safety of our constituents.

Sincerely,

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement after George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign adviser, was sentenced for lying to the FBI about his interactions with suspected Russian intermediaries during the 2016 presidential campaign:

“Despite constant attacks by the President and his allies, Special Counsel Robert Mueller and his team have once again demonstrated that they are conducting a serious, professional investigation into the Trump campaign’s contacts with Russians during the 2016 election.

“As an influential foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, Mr. Papadopoulos was informed that Russia had ‘dirt’ on Hillary Clinton in the form of ‘thousands of emails’ at a critical time during the campaign. He also had access to, and communications with, the campaign’s top leaders. That’s not conjecture – that is according to Mr. Papadopoulos himself.

“I still have significant questions about how high that information went, and I know the Senate Intelligence Committee would like to hear directly from Mr. Papadopoulos.”

###

WASHINGTON— U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), along with Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), introduced the Health Care Staffing Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation to make common-sense changes in staffing policies at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and improve veterans’ care at VA health care facilities.

At many VA health centers around the country, veterans face wait times of weeks or even months for an appointment. These severe roadblocks to providing timely and quality health care to veterans stem in part from a shortfall of tens of thousands of medical staff. The Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act would reduce bureaucratic obstacles to make it easier for the VA to boost staffing at VA health centers and reduce wait times.

“Our veterans face too many obstacles in accessing the world-class care they deserve,” said Sen. Warner. “Long wait times at VA medical facilities prevent our nation’s veterans from getting the care they should receive given the sacrifices they have made for this country. This bipartisan measure will help create a steady pipeline of qualified health care professionals who are instinctively familiar with the needs of our growing veteran population.”

“Our veterans have stood up for us, and we must stand up for them,” said Sen. Merkley. “Long wait times put our veterans’ health in jeopardy and are simply unacceptable. It’s common sense to eliminate unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles, and to create a ‘docs-to-doctors’ pipeline so that servicemembers who have served in health care roles in the military can easily transition their service into the VA system.”

“For too long, the VA has struggled to recruit and retain frontline health care providers, further exacerbating the issues already plaguing the VA system,” said Sen. Tillis. “The Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act directly addresses this problem by reducing bureaucratic barriers and by creating a streamlined process for transitioning servicemembers to bring their invaluable training and experience to the VA, which will make it easier for VA facilities across the nation to provide our veterans with the high quality care they need and deserve.”

“Our veterans deserve the highest quality of care,” said Sen. Brown. “This bill will remove red tape so we can put veterans’ needs first, increase the quality of care provided to those who served our country, and empower VA to hire enough staff to improve the overall veteran experience at different facilities.”

The legislation would make it easier for servicemembers who have served in medical roles to transfer directly into the VA system and make it easier to transfer or share medical staff and services across VA facilities.

To provide VA with a large pool of trained medical staff who are already serving their country, the “Docs-to-Doctors” program improves the ability of the VA to recruit veterans who served as health care providers while in the military by:

• Requiring that VA receive a list of servicemembers who served in a health care capacity while in the military or as part of the Coast Guard and have filed for separation in the previous 12 months; and

• Treating these veterans as applicants from within the VA to allow for a more expeditious hiring process.

Currently, certain VA medical professionals have to “recredential” every time they change hospitals or provide services at a hospital outside of their VA regional healthcare system. VA health care providers report that his can take from six weeks to three months, or even longer. In a unified health care system like the VA, it needlessly limits the VA’s flexibility to have medical professionals provide services where they are most needed. The Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act would require the VA Secretary to create uniform credentialing rules for medical professionals across the Veterans Health Administration.

The Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act is supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), and The American Legion.

“DAV has long advocated for Congress and federal departments to work with state and local governments, employers, trade unions, and licensure and credentialing entities, to establish a clear process so that military training meets civilian certification and licensure requirements and allows veterans to take their vocational certifications and training directly into the civilian sector once they leave military service,” said Garry J. Augustine, DAV Washington Headquarters Executive Director. “If passed and signed into law, the Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act will eliminate employment barriers for military healthcare workers, allowing them to continue serving their fellow citizens by utilizing their top-notch vocational training without delay.”

“Veterans from medical occupational fields should be able to count their military service and experience when transitioning to the civilian healthcare workforce,” said Brett Reistad, National Commander, The American Legion. “The Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act would streamline the process for separating veterans and help address the staffing shortage at VA medical facilities across the country. This bill, as currently written, is good for our veterans and good for America.”

The Health Care Staffing Improvement Act has also been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR).

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine praised grant funding for seven Virginia fire departments through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), totaling $1,482,078 . The funding, which will go to fire departments in Montross, Newport, Ivanhoe, Abingdon, Coeburn, Dungannon, and Bloxom, will be awarded through FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program.

“Firefighters put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities. We are pleased they will receive federal dollars to support them as they help keep Virginians safe,” the Senators said.

The following Virginia fire departments will receive funding under the AFG program:

The Westmoreland Volunteer Fire Department Inc. in Montross will receive $81,280 to update its source capture exhaust system technology.
The Simmonsville Volunteer Fire Department in Newport will receive $240,000 to purchase self-contained breathing apparatus equipment.
The Ivanhoe Volunteer Fire Department in Wythe County will receive $72,858 to purchase personal protective equipment.
The Abingdon Fire Department in Washington County will receive $778,910 to purchase self-contained breathing apparatus equipment.
The Coeburn Volunteer Fire Department in Wise County will receive $85,715 to purchase personal protective equipment.
The Dungannon Volunteer Fire Department in Scott County will receive $61,410 to purchase personal protective equipment.
The Bloxom Volunteer Fire Company in Accomack County will receive $161,905 to purchase self-contained breathing apparatus equipment.

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Justice filed charges against a North Korean spy in connection with the 2014 cyberattack on Sony Pictures Entertainment and the 2017 Wannacry ransomware attack:

“This indictment is the result of years of hard work by the FBI and the Department of Justice, and it is an important step in making clear to our adversaries that these kinds of criminal activities are unacceptable. It also points to the need for a clearly thought-out and articulated strategy for deterring and punishing state-sponsored cyberattacks.”

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Mark Warner (D-VA) and Congressmen Donald McEachin (D-VA) and Bobby Scott (D-VA) announced their plans to introduce bicameral resolutions to commemorate Arthur Ashe, a Richmond, VA native, on the 50^th anniversary of his historic win at the 1968 U.S. Open Tennis Championship. The resolution honors Ashe’s humanitarian contributions to civil rights, education, the movement against apartheid in South Africa, and HIV/AIDS awareness. The 2018 U.S. Open Tennis Championship is currently underway.

“Virginians will always be proud of what Arthur Ashe accomplished on and off the court,” Kaine said. “He set an example of how to be a leader, and 50 years after his historic win, he deserves this recognition.”

“As an avid tennis player, I’ve always been a fan of Arthur Ashe. Not only was he an incredible athlete, but he was also a great humanitarian and an advocate for many important causes. He built his legacy both on the court and through the many other efforts he championed around the world, and I’m excited to sponsor this resolution honoring that legacy,” Capito said.

“Although most remember Arthur Ashe as a fierce competitor on the tennis court, he was also an activist and an incredible force for racial and social justice,” said Warner. “This much deserved tribute honors him for using his platform to be a champion for all.”

“I am so proud to introduce a House Resolution honoring the life, legacy, and leadership of the great Arthur Ashe,” said McEachin. “Ashe’s contributions to American history continue to make his fellow Richmonders proud – just as we were on the historic day 50 years ago.”

“This bicameral resolution will further solidify the legacy of Arthur Ashe by honoring his legacy both on and off the court. As Virginians and Americans we are inspired by his achievements,” said Scott.

Full text of the resolution is below:

Title: Commemorating Arthur Ashe, a native of Richmond, Virginia, on the 50th anniversary of his historic win at the 1968 U.S. Open Tennis Championship and honoring his humanitarian contributions to civil rights, education, the movement against apartheid in South Africa, and HIV/AIDS awareness.

Whereas Arthur Ashe won the U.S. Open Tennis Championship on September 9, 1968, in the first year the tournament was open to professionals, while he was on active duty based at the United States Military Academy, also known as West Point;

Whereas Arthur Ashe’s victory, following his amateur U.S. National Championship title two weeks earlier, marked the first time an African-American man won a major title;

Whereas Arthur Ashe was born in Richmond, Virginia, on July 10, 1943, and raised by his widowed father in a house on the grounds of Brook Field, the largest playground for blacks in Richmond, the segregated capital of the former Confederacy;

Whereas Arthur Ashe first learned to play tennis at 7 years old and showed enough talent to later receive coaching and guidance from Dr. Robert Walter Johnson, a pioneer for black tennis players;

Whereas, although prohibited in Richmond from competing in tournaments and practicing at municipal indoor courts because of segregation, Arthur Ashe won the National Junior Indoor tennis title, becoming the first African-American male to do so and earning a scholarship in 1963 to play tennis at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps;

Whereas Arthur Ashe graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and was assigned to West Point by the United States Army, where he earned promotions to first lieutenant and also led the tennis program;

Whereas the amateur and professional tennis accomplishments of Arthur Ashe included National Collegiate Athletic Association singles and doubles titles, the Australian Open title in 1970, and the Wimbledon title in 1975;

Whereas Arthur Ashe became the first black player selected to the Davis Cup team for the United States, which he later coached;

Whereas Arthur Ashe’s accomplishments on the tennis court gave him a platform to pursue social justice during a turbulent time in the civil rights era;

Whereas Arthur Ashe’s activism included efforts to end apartheid in South Africa;

Whereas Arthur Ashe pushed for, and eventually earned, a visa to play in the National Championships in South Africa in 1973;

Whereas Arthur Ashe was arrested twice, first for protesting outside the Embassy of South Africa in Washington, D.C., and later for protesting the repatriation of Haitian refugees by the United States Government;

Whereas Arthur Ashe researched the history of African-American athletics and published a groundbreaking book, “Hard Road to Glory: A History of the African-American Athlete”, celebrating the accomplishments of heroes known and unknown;

Whereas after suffering a heart attack in 1979 and contracting HIV/AIDS as a result of a blood transfusion, Arthur Ashe resolved to educate the people of the United States and the world about the disease and advocated for more resources to end an epidemic that disproportionately affected marginalized communities, including communities of color;

Whereas Arthur Ashe succumbed to complications from HIV/AIDS and died on February 6, 1993, and became the first African American to lie in state at the Governor’s Mansion in Richmond; and

Whereas President Bill Clinton posthumously awarded Arthur Ashe the Presidential Medal of Freedom on June 20, 1993, and the Richmond City Council voted unanimously to erect a statue on historic Monument Avenue to honor his achievements: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) honors Arthur Ashe, a native of Richmond, Virginia, on the 50th anniversary of his historic win at the U.S. Open Tennis Championship; and

(2) celebrates his contributions to education, scholarship, the anti-apartheid movement, and HIV/AIDS awareness.

###

WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) cosponsored legislation to overturn President Trump’s expansion of “junk insurance” plans. The Trump Administration recently released its final regulation on allowing Short-term Limited Duration Insurance (STLD) plans to expand eligibility for bare-bones health insurance plans, which do not have to provide the same level of minimum coverage as individual policies sold under the Affordable Care Act. According to experts, this move will undermine protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions by allowing insurance companies to market and sell more plans without vital consumer protections. In addition, this change will destabilize our country’s health care system and drive up health care costs for patients by shrinking the number of individuals in plans on the individual insurance marketplace.

The resolution of disapproval introduced in the Senate and cosponsored by 44 Senators, including Sens. Warner and Kaine, would rescind the final “junk insurance” plan rule. Congressional Review Act (CRA) disapproval resolutions that obtain the support of 30 Senators on a discharge petition force a vote on the Senate floor. Senators now have the support needed to file a discharge petition and force a vote under the CRA. A simple majority vote in the Senate would pass the resolution and send it to the House of Representatives.

“Virginians have a lot to lose if the Trump Administration is allowed to continue its policy allowing junk plans that will deny coverage to those with preexisting conditions and take away access to essential services like prescription drugs, emergency room visits, and maternity care,” said the Senators. “Congress should overturn this misguided attempt to undermine these critical consumer protections and refocus on reducing the growing insurance costs caused by the President’s ongoing attempts to sabotage the Affordable Care Act.”

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACSCAN) has said President Trump’s rule “poses a serious threat to cancer patients’ ability to access quality, affordable health coverage.” ACSCAN also said the rule “will likely leave older and sicker Americans in the individual insurance marketplace with few, if any, affordable health coverage choices” and that “patients living with serious conditions will be left paying more for the coverage they need if they can afford coverage at all.”

For months, Sens. Warner and Kaine have been sounding the alarm on President Trump’s plans to undermine protections for people with pre-existing conditions by expanding health care plans that do not have many vital consumer protections. They have urged the Administration to take swift action to stabilize the insurance marketplace and halt the expansion of “junk” health insurance plans.

In addition to Sens. Warner and Kaine, the resolution is cosponsored by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Doug Jones (D-AL), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jon Tester (D-MT), Tom Udall (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Text of the resolution is available here.

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $416,248 in federal funding for James City County to prevent violence against women. The funds will be used toward a program that will educate domestic violence survivors about risk factors for homicide and provide them with support services, train and educate criminal justice professionals and allied agencies on best practices to investigate and prosecute crimes against women, and identify potential high-risk offenders. The money is awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice through the Violence Against Women Act.

“We are proud to announce this federal funding to help James City County address and prevent violence against women,” the Senators said. “We are thankful to local leaders who are collaborating with non-profits and criminal justice professionals to protect the community.”

In 2013, Warner and Kaine supported the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, a bill that authorized the funding available in today’s grant and created essential protections for survivors of sexual violence and domestic abuse. Congress must reauthorize the law, which expires every five years, before the end of the month.

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and 41 of their Democratic colleagues in a letter to Secretary DeVos condemning her reported plans to allow states and school districts to use federal funds to purchase firearms and firearm trainings for teachers and other school staff. The grants Secretary DeVos is considering using were created in the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), and are intended to keep students safe and healthy, provide a well-rounded education, and help school districts more effectively use education technology.

“This plan runs counter to the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act and will make our schools more dangerous, and our students less safe,” wrote the Senators. “We urge you to abandon this proposal immediately, deny state and school district requests to use federal funds for this purpose, and instead work with us and other stakeholders to focus on other efforts that enhance student safety and prevent violence.”

If Secretary DeVos goes through with this plan, the New York Times reports this would be the first time a federal agency authorized the purchase of weapons without a Congressional mandate. Just a few months ago, Congress once again reiterated this position by preventing federal funds from being used to purchase firearms or firearms training in the bipartisan Stop School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training program.

“Students across the country deserve to learn in an environment that is safe and free of weapons. Introducing more guns into schools and classrooms is likely to lead to more, not less, violence. Reports of an unintentional firing in a classroom and even a gun being left in an elementary school bathroom illustrate the very real dangers to our children of arming teachers and other school staff,” continued the Senators.

In addition to Warner, Kaine, and Murray, the letter was signed by Senators Feinstein (D-CA), Nelson (D-FL), Schumer (D-NY), Murphy (D-CT), Blumenthal (D-CT), Durbin (D-IL), Markey (D-MA), Baldwin (D-WI), Bennet (D-CO), Booker (D-NJ), Brown (D-OH), Cardin (D-MD), Carper (D-DE), Casey (D-PA), Coons (D-DE), Cortez Masto (D-NV), Duckworth (D-IL), Gillibrand (D-NY), Harris (D-CA), Hassan (D-NH), Heinrich (D-NM), Hirono (D-HI), Jones (D-AL), King (I-ME), Klobuchar (D-MN), Leahy (D-VT), McCaskill (D-MO), Menendez (D-NJ), Merkley (D-OR), Peters (D-MI), Reed (D-RI), Sanders (I-VT), Schatz (D-HI), Shaheen (D-NH), Smith (D-MN), Stabenow (D-MI), Udall (D-NM), Van Hollen (D-MD), Warren (D-MA), Whitehouse (D-RI), and Wyden (D-OR).

Full text of the letter is below and PDF is HERE.

The Honorable Betsy DeVos

Secretary of Education

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20202

Dear Secretary DeVos:

We write to express our strong opposition to the Department’s reported plans to allow States and school districts to purchase firearms or firearms training for teachers and other school staff with federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) funds.^[1] This plan runs counter to the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and will make our schools more dangerous, and our students less safe. We urge you to abandon this proposal immediately, deny state and school district requests to use federal funds for this purpose, and instead work with us and other stakeholders to focus on other efforts that enhance student safety and prevent violence.

The Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant program, authorized under Title IV-A of ESSA in 2015, provides funds to States and school districts for a range of activities intended to keep students safe and healthy, provide a well-rounded education, and help school districts more effectively use education technology. Congress never intended for these funds to be used to purchase weapons, or train teachers in how to use weapons in schools. In fact, Congress denounced the presence of firearms in schools in ESEA section 4102(5)(B), when it defined the term “drug and violence prevention” as a program that fosters “the creation and maintenance of a school environment free of weapons.”^[2]

Within the realm of education, it is the Federal government’s longstanding position to prohibit federal funds from being used to purchase weapons. Just a few months ago, Congress reiterated that position with the bipartisan Stop School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training program, which ensures “No amounts provided as a grant under this part may be used for the provision to any person of a firearm or training in the use of a firearm.”^[3] According to the New York Times, your Department acknowledges that moving forward with this plan would be the first time a federal agency has authorized the purchase of weapons without Congressional mandate.^[4] Establishing such a precedent would be dangerous and clearly against Congressional intent.

Educators already face the daunting task of educating our next generation. Teachers and other school staff should be focused on providing instruction, engaging families, and providing students with the skills and supports they need to succeed in the workforce and in life, not on managing and potentially responding to threats with deadly force. In fact, a recent poll showed that the overwhelming majority of educators do not want to be armed, and instead many believe social emotional learning, mental health supports, and increased wraparound services and funding are a more effective way to keep students safe.^[5]

Students across the country deserve to learn in an environment that is safe and free of weapons. Introducing more guns into schools and classrooms is likely to lead to more, not less, violence. Reports of an unintentional firing in a classroom^[6] and even a gun being left in an elementary school bathroom^[7] illustrate the very real dangers to our children of arming teachers and other school staff.

Title IV-A provides the opportunity for states and school districts to tailor their programming to local needs and improve school safety and student learning. The Administration’s proposal to allow States and school districts to use federal ESEA funds to arm teachers and other school staff not only runs counter to Congressional intent and established federal precedent, but would take schools and communities backwards in pursuit of these goals. We urge you to disallow any State or local educational agency from using ESEA funds for these purchases and to work with Congress to ensure our students are healthy, safe, and well-supported.

###

^[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/23/us/politics/devos-guns-in-schools.html

^[2] Elementary and Secondary Education Act, section 4102(5)(B)

^[3] H.R.1625 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018

^[4] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/23/us/politics/devos-guns-in-schools.html

^[5] https://teachplus.org/news-events/press-release/teachers-overwhelmingly-oppose-idea-arming-teachers-schools-new-national

^[6] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/03/14/teacher-accidentally-discharges-firearm-in-calif-classroom-he-was-trained-in-gun-use/

^[7] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cops-teacher-left-gun-in-bathroom-elementary-kids-found-it/

WASHINGTON— U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that nine Virginia airports will receive a total of $10,669,159 in federal funding from the Department of Transportation (DOT).

“We are pleased to announce these funds that will allow Virginia airports to make the necessary improvements to ensure safer travel to and from the Commonwealth,” the Senators said. “This federal funding will not only help to revitalize our airports, but will also help boost tourism across Virginia.”

Airports and project amounts are listed below:

Norfolk International Airport—$5,974,019. These funds will go towards rehabilitating Concourse A and to help construct a 5,000 square foot general aviation customs inspection facility.
Tappahannock-Essex Airport—$274,050. These funds will go towards an environmental study to evaluate any potential environmental impacts related to the proposed extension of the parallel taxiway and a non-aeronautical development area identified on the airport's layout plan.
New Kent County Airport—$991,901. These funds will help to rehabilitate 24,000 square yards of the existing terminal apron pavement.
Washington Dulles International Airport—$492,188. These funds will go towards acquiring 75 Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) squitter units for airport ground vehicles to improve surface situational awareness and safety. ADS–B is a surveillance technology in which an aircraft determines its position via satellite navigation and periodically broadcasts it, enabling it to be tracked.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport— $492,188. These funds will go towards acquiring 75 Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) squitter units for airport ground vehicles to improve surface situational awareness and safety. ADS–B is a surveillance technology in which an aircraft determines its position via satellite navigation and periodically broadcasts it, enabling it to be tracked.
Louisa County/Freeman Field Airport—$346,500. These funds will help the construction of perimeter fences to deter unauthorized persons and vehicles from entering onto the airfield, thereby increasing airport safety.
Ingalls Field Airport (Bath County, VA)—$81,000. These funds will help to construct a 360 square foot hangar building to assist the airport in being revenue-generating and in turn self-sustaining. Funds will also go towards construction of a similarly sized snow removal equipment building that will help extend the life of the equipment by protecting it from adverse weather conditions.
Luray Caverns Airport—$184,230. These funds will go towards the construction of a 12,500 square yard terminal apron to provide aircraft parking.
Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional/Woodrum Field Airport—$1,833,083. These funds will go towards the implementation of additional security enhancements.

The funding was awarded through the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program within DOT. The program supports infrastructure improvement projects at airports across the country, including runways, taxiways, aprons, terminals, aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles, and snow removal equipment. Sens. Warner and Kaine have long fought for funding for Virginia’s airports and pushed back against the Trump Administration’s suggested budget cuts to DOT to ensure that critical upgrades like these can happen. The Senate is expected to consider a long-term FAA reauthorization measure in the coming weeks.

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today released the following statement on President Trump’s unilateral move to freeze federal employee pay in 2019:

“Let’s be clear: the President’s decision to cancel any pay increase for federal employees is not motivated by a sudden onset of fiscal responsibility. Today’s announcement has nothing to do with making government more cost-efficient – it’s just the latest attack in the Trump Administration’s war on federal employees.

“I’ve worked for years in the Senate to reduce duplicative and wasteful spending, and make government more efficient. If President Trump seriously wants to make that a priority, then I’d be happy to work with the White House on that effort. But let’s be honest: the President and his party, which controls both houses of Congress, have had every chance over the last 18 months to get serious about tackling our fiscal challenges. Instead, the President ballooned the deficit by trillions of dollars with a tax giveaway primarily benefitting big business and the wealthiest Americans. I can think of nothing more hypocritical or disingenuous than to turn around and throw hardworking federal employees under the bus on the pretext of fiscal responsibility.

“Congress can and must stand up to the President and reject this assault on our federal workers by passing the 1.9 percent pay raise that the Senate approved on August 1.”

###

WASHINGTON— U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that Hampton Roads Transit will receive a total of $2,290,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

“This federal funding ensures that Hampton Roads can invest in newer and more energy-efficient public buses,” the Senators said. “These upgrades will help modernize the public bus fleet and reduce our carbon footprint while improving the reliability of the public transit network for a region that is in critical need of new transportation investments.”

The funding was awarded through the U.S. DOT Federal Transit Administration’s Low or No Emission Program (Low-No). The federal funding assists state and local governments in purchasing or leasing zero-emission and low-emission transit buses and supporting facilities for recharging, refueling and maintaining their fleet. In the Senate, Sens. Warner and Kaine continue to advocate for funding to improve transportation and mass transit priorities. In 2015, Sens. Warner and Kaine voted in favor of the FAST ACT, a bipartisan House-Senate agreement that funds national transit and highway projects over five years. In August 2018, Sens. Warner and Kaine voted in support of a spending package that provides $26.6 billion in discretionary spending for U.S. DOT for FY2019. The spending bill will now go to conference where it will be reconciled with a version passed by the House of Representatives.

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $150,000 in federal funding to help transform the 8,667 square foot space in the old Prices Fork Elementary School in Montgomery County into a local food enterprise center. The transformed space will include a commercial incubator kitchen, farm-to-table restaurant, a local craft brewery, a retail consignment market, and business incubation and support services.

“This revitalization is the result of a real partnership between local businesses and the community to invest in Prices Fork. We’re proud to support the project with federal funding that will help contribute to the food center’s success,” the Senators said.

This grant was awarded through the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business Development Grants Program.

###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement after the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed G. Zachary Terwilliger to fill the vacancy of U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia:

“We are pleased that our colleagues agreed Zachary Terwilliger is well-qualified to serve as the next U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia,” the Senators said. “Mr. Terwilliger has ample experience in the Eastern District, and we’re glad he will be able to continue his good work in Virginia.”

Terwilliger previously served in the U.S. Department of Justice as Associate Deputy Attorney General and Chief of Staff in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General.

Warner and Kaine recommended Terwilliger to the White House for nomination to the position after a panel of attorneys from across the Commonwealth—selected by Warner and Kaine—evaluated candidates and determined Terwilliger was highly qualified for the position. The Eastern District of Virginia has offices in Alexandria, Richmond, Newport News, and Norfolk.

###

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Mike Rounds (R-SD), both members of the Senate Banking Committee, introduced legislation that would help expand access to mortgages for the self-employed, gig workers, and other creditworthy individuals with non-traditional forms of income while protecting consumers. The Self-Employed Mortgage Access Act would help creditworthy borrowers with non-traditional forms of income by allowing lenders to verify an applicant’s income using additional forms of documentation other than the W-2.

“An increasing number of Americans make their living through alternative work arrangements, like gig work or self-employment. Too many of these otherwise creditworthy individuals are being shut out of the mortgage market because they don’t have the same documentation of their income – paystubs or a W-2 – as someone who works 9-to-5. This bill will allow these workers to supply other forms of paperwork to verify their income while continuing to protect consumers from predatory lending,” said Sen. Warner.

“Small businesses in South Dakota are the backbone of our economy and the heartbeat of our communities,” said Sen. Rounds. “We shouldn’t unfairly punish entrepreneurs, farmers and other small business owners because they don’t earn income on a W-2. Our legislation gives financial institutions flexibility in the forms of documentation that can be used when applying for mortgage credit, making it easier for South Dakota families to realize their dreams of homeownership.”

In response to the mortgage crisis, in 2010, Congress included in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act a requirement that creditors determine whether a borrower can afford to repay a mortgage loan as part of the lending process. In January 2013, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) adopted the Ability-to-Repay (ATR) Rule, which requires lenders to look at a customer’s income, assets, savings, and debt in relation to monthly loan payments in order to satisfy the requirements for a Qualified Mortgage (QM). Since the QM standard was finalized, lenders and investors in the mortgage market have shown a clear preference for QM loans due to the potential for liability associated with making non-QM loans.

Unless a loan is eligible for sale to the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) or insurance by government agencies, QM loans require lenders to satisfy the rigid requirements of the CFPB’s Appendix Q guidelines. These guidelines often results in a less precise calculation of income for borrowers with non-W-2 income sources, such as rental income, retirement income, or income from self-employment. The effect is creditworthy individuals relying on non-traditional income, who represent up to 42 million Americans, or 30 percent of the labor force, are unduly constrained in their ability to obtain a mortgage.

The legislation would expand the types of documentation that self-employed individuals could submit to demonstrate they are a credit worthy borrower and banks could use to keep a loan in qualifying mortgage status. Those types of documentation include the IRS Form 1040 Schedule C for sole proprietorships, the IRS Form 1040 Schedule F for farming, the IRS Form 1065 Schedule K-1 for partnerships and the IRS Form 1120-S for S Corporations.

“The ability to repay and associated Qualified Mortgage rules are among the most important consumer protections to emerge from the financial crisis and the Dodd-Frank Act. This bill would provide common sense direction to the CFPB in its application of the statutory requirements and give lenders and consumers alike an easier, less burdensome way to meet these tests without weakening their important protections for consumers,” said Barry Zigas, Director of Housing, Consumer Federation of America.

“The Mortgage Bankers Association strongly supports the Self-Employed Mortgage Access Act, introduced by Senators Mark Warner and Mike Rounds. This bipartisan, common sense legislation would allow the use of prudent and well-established underwriting standards to responsibly expand access to mortgage credit by providing lenders and investors greater certainty about standards for validating borrower ability to repay. We believe consumers who own small businesses or are otherwise self-employed should not face unnecessary obstacles to homeownership. By allowing the use of standards already in place at FHA, VA, USDA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac, this legislation better ensures that all consumers are treated on a level playing field when it comes to mortgage underwriting,” said Bill Killmer, Senior Vice President of Legislative and Political Affairs, Mortgage Bankers Association.

“The consumer protections embedded in the ability to repay and Qualified Mortgage rules must be preserved as a centerpiece of post-financial crisis mortgage reforms. But experience has demonstrated that inadequate lender guidance on how to underwrite applicants that do not fit a standardized model has left many consumers underserved. By expanding responsible lender guidance beyond that available in Appendix Q, this bill should broaden access to credit for self-employed, seasonal workers, and low- and moderate-income borrowers,” said Michael Stegman, Senior Fellow, Housing Finance Program, Center for Financial Markets, The Milken Institute.

Full bill text is available here.

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today released the following statement on today’s GSA Inspector General’s report on the FBI headquarters decision:

“The IG’s findings are extremely troubling. The IG report reinforces the concerns that I have had since the Trump Administration halted the consolidated FBI headquarters procurement process. It highlights problems – both procedural and financial – that have resulted from Trump’s impulsive decision to halt a process that was years in the making. It is clear that the Administration’s flawed approach has failed, and that our law enforcement and intelligence workforce would be best served by returning to plans to build a consolidated headquarters building.”

Sens. Warner and Tim Kaine have for years worked with the Maryland Senators as well as the bipartisan Virginia delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives to secure funding for a new FBI headquarters to replace the current, deteriorating J. Edgar Hoover building in Washington, which was built in 1974. In 2014, the General Services Administration (GSA) announced that a site in Springfield, Va. was one of three finalists for a consolidated HQ that would house all 11,000 area FBI employees, who are currently scattered across multiple sites in D.C., Virginia and Maryland. However, in July 2017, the Trump Administration abruptly backed away from more than five years of government preparations to relocate the FBI HQ, announcing instead in February 2018 plans to demolish the existing FBI headquarters in Washington and build a new facility in its place. The GSA has estimated that this new plan would cost $3.3 billion – including $1.9 billion in construction costs, added to the cost of temporarily relocating thousands of FBI employees while the existing structure is demolished and a new building constructed in its place.

###

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the below statement on the passing of U.S. Sen John McCain (R-AZ):

"We lost a hero tonight. John McCain served this country with honor, purpose and courage for his entire life, regardless of the personal cost. He was a giant of the Senate. His service, sacrifice and patriotism should be an inspiration to every American.

"My heart goes out to Cindy and the entire McCain family. The prayers of a grateful nation are with them during this difficult time."

###

« First < Prev Next > Last »

Press Releases

Sep 12 2018

Sep 12 2018

Sep 12 2018

Sep 11 2018

Sep 11 2018

Sep 11 2018

Sep 11 2018

Sep 11 2018

Sep 10 2018

Sep 07 2018

Sep 07 2018

Sep 07 2018

Sep 06 2018

Sep 06 2018

Sep 06 2018

Sep 05 2018

Aug 31 2018

Aug 30 2018

Aug 30 2018

Aug 30 2018

Aug 29 2018

Aug 28 2018

Aug 28 2018

Aug 27 2018

Aug 25 2018