WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) praised an announcement by United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Katherine Tai that the Republic of India will reduce prohibitively high tariffs on U.S. turkey products – an important Virginia commodity.

“For months we’ve urged the U.S. Trade Representative to work to reduce the tariffs that make it difficult for Virginia’s producers to export poultry products to India. Today, we’re proud to report that USTR has finally come to an agreement with India to reduce these retaliatory tariffs. This move will help strengthen the strong partnership between our two nations while generating increased demand for Virginia poultry and supporting economic activity in the Valley,” said Sens. Warner and Kaine.

“The National Turkey Federation applauds the efforts by the U.S. and Indian governments to significantly reduce the tariffs. This move creates an important new market for U.S. turkey producers and will give Indians more affordable access to a nutritious, delicious protein,” said Joel Brandenberger, President and CEO of National Turkey Federation. “NTF congratulates the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the leadership of USDA on this accomplishment, and we thank Senators Mark R. Warner and Thom Tillis for spearheading congressional efforts to ensure U.S. turkey growers are able to effectively compete in this fast-growing marketplace.”

In 2021, Virginia was the sixth largest turkey source in America after producing 14.5 million birds. Turkey production plays a key role in the Commonwealth's poultry industry, which provides a direct economic impact of $5.8 billion and contributes $13.6 billion in economic activity in Virginia.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have been strong proponents of lowering tariffs that harm Virginia poultry producers. In June, ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States, the Senators were joined by a number of their colleagues in urging Ambassador Tai to increase market access for U.S. turkey and poultry products. These products previously faced significant barriers to the Indian market due to prohibitively high tariff rates. Earlier this year, Sen. Warner also praised the end of retaliatory tariffs on apples, another major Virginia commodity.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine applauded $3,586,000 in federal funding for the Wise County Public Service Authority to improve the county’s water system. Currently, Wise County’s water system is unable to provide the minimum working water pressure of 20 PSI under Virginia state code. Wise County has a serious need for upgrades to its water system, and this funding will help upgrade the county’s water infrastructure to ensure the system is up to code. The funding will replace approximately 29,120 linear feet of water line and install 12 gate valves, 10 fire hydrant assemblies, and associated water appurtenances.

“Reliable water systems are critical to protect the health of our communities and support businesses in the region,” said the senators. “We’re glad this federal funding will help Wise County upgrade their water infrastructure.”

The funding is awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Department of Rural Development’s Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program, which provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to homes and businesses in rural communities. In addition to the over $3.5 million grant, Wise County will receive a federal loan of $1,202,000.

Warner and Kaine have long supported efforts to improve infrastructure across the Commonwealth. Last year, the senators announced over $46 million in federal funding as part of the bipartisan infrastructure law to replace lead water lines and ensure safe drinking water throughout Virginia.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $1,000,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the A.L. Philpott Manufacturing Extension Program (MEP), also known as GENEDGE Alliance, in Martinsville. This funding will help GENEDGE support small and medium-sized medical device manufacturers across Virginia in their efforts to strengthen medical supply chain resiliency and improve product quality by providing the manufacturers increased access to specialized expertise and resources. Specifically, with this funding, GENEDGE will assist the businesses in increasing sales, creating jobs, training more experts in the medical device manufacturing process, reducing risks in the process, providing educational resources, and growing our manufacturing industry.

“Virginians rely on their medical devices every day, and supporting our medical manufacturing industry is critical to ensure patients and providers can access the products they need,” said the Senators. “The pandemic highlighted the importance of ensuring our domestic medical supply chains are strong to improve public health, lower costs, and reduce our reliance on other nations. This funding will strengthen our efforts to do just that. We’re glad these federal dollars will help GENEDGE support small and medium-sized manufacturers across Virginia by training workers, creating jobs, reducing risks in the manufacturing process, and improving the quality of medical devices.”

GENEDGE is a part of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) National Network. In Fiscal Year 2022, the MEP National Network generated $35.80 in new sales growth for manufacturers for every one dollar received in federal funding, which is up $9.60 from Fiscal Year 2021. Last year, Sens. Warner and Kaine announced over $2 million in federal funding for GENEDGE.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (D-VA) announced the inclusion of key Virginia priorities in the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2024 draft funding bills. All 12 bills were passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee on a bipartisan basis.

“We are proud to announce that the Senate’s draft government spending legislation for Fiscal Year 2024 includes critical funding that will keep the government open, back record investments in infrastructure and U.S. competitiveness, uplift rural and underserved communities, support servicemembers and military families, provide assistance to miners suffering from black lung disease, and support key industries that are central to Virginia’s economy. We’re also proud to have secured more than $111 million for specific community projects all throughout Virginia as we work to ensure our federal budget meets Virginians’ needs. We hope that our colleagues in the House of Representatives will negotiate in good faith in order to reach a compromise on a final deal that includes funding for these important priorities,” said Sens. Warner and Kaine.

As part of the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations process, members of Congress were able to work with the communities they represent to request funding for local community projects, otherwise known as earmarks, in a manner that promotes transparency and accountability. This process allows Congress to dedicate federal funding for specific projects in Virginia. The Senators worked to secure more than $111 million for community projects across the Commonwealth. In addition to battling for these priorities, the Senators will work to ensure funds obtained by Virginia House members also remain in the final spending bills. 

More information regarding specific projects in Virginia that will receive Congressionally Directed Spending is available below:

• For projects in Northern Virginia, click here.
• For projects in Central Virginia, click here.
• For projects in the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
• For projects in Southwest Virginia and Southside, click here.
• For projects in Hampton Roads, click here.
• For projects that impact communities in multiple regions across the Commonwealth click here.

 
The following list includes many provisions championed by Sens. Warner and Kaine on behalf of Virginia that were included in the 12 government funding bills: 

Boosting Local Economies: Includes $200 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission and $20 million for the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission to support their work to build economic partnerships, create opportunity, and foster economic development.  

Implementing the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022: Includes $11 billion to implement the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, championed by Sens. Warner and Kaine. Funding will allow the U.S. to keep pace with China and other competitors in scientific fields that can power the economy, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, microelectronics, clean energy, and advanced communications. Sen. Warner first introduced the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) for America Act in June 2020 along with Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX).  

Implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA): Provides full funding for numerous transportation programs authorized in the IIJA, including $29.5 billion for the National Highway Performance Program, $3.1 billion for the Highway Safety Improvement Program, $245 million for the Rail-Highway Grade Crossings Program, $14.3 billion for the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, and $2.4 billion for the Bridge Investment Program. Sen. Warner was a lead author and negotiator of the IIJA.  

Strengthening Transportation and Recreation Infrastructure: Provides $150 million for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and $45 million for the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program, which supports multi-purpose trails. 

Making Our Communities Safer: Provides $732 million – a $32 million increase from Fiscal Year 2023 – for Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution programs to prevent violence and better support survivors. This legislation also includes over $534 million for Community Oriented Policing Services to support state and local law enforcement and communities in developing comprehensive, evidence-based violence intervention and prevention programs based on partnerships between community residents, law enforcement, local government agencies, and other community stakeholders. This includes efforts to address gang and gun violence and improve school safety.

Support for Missing Persons Program: Includes $1 million to help with the nationwide implementation of the Ashanti Alert system. In 2018, Sen. Warner secured unanimous Senate passage of the Ashanti Alert Act, legislation that created a new federal alert system for missing or endangered adults between the ages of 18-64. The bill was signed into law on December 31, 2018. 

Investing in Children: Provides $8.7 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), which provides financial assistance to help low-income families access child care. This is $700 million more than Fiscal Year 2023. The bill also includes $12.3 billion, $300 million more than Fiscal Year 2023, for Head Start, the national school readiness program. In July, Sens. Warner and Kaine urged the White House to provide additional funding to help stabilize the child care industry. In April, Sen. Kaine introduced the Child Care for Working Families Act, legislation that would help ensure families can find and afford child care by expanding access to more high-quality options, stabilizing the child care sector, and helping ensure child care workers taking care of our nation’s kids are paid livable wages. The bill also includes $15 million for the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health program – a program that Sen. Kaine reauthorized via bipartisan legislation.  

Making Higher Education More Affordable: Provides a $250 boost to the maximum Pell Grant in the 2024-2025 school year, raising the maximum award to $7,645. The bill also includes over $1 billion, an increase of $5 million, for programs to strengthen Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other minority-serving institutions.

Supporting K-12 Education: Provides over $18.5 billion for Title I-A grants, which supports school districts with low-income students. This is $175 million more from Fiscal Year 2023. The bill also provides over $5 billion for the primary Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Special Education State grant program, an increase of $175 million from Fiscal Year 2023. In July, Sen. Kaine reintroduced the IDEA Full Funding Act, legislation that would ensure Congress fulfills its commitment to fully fund IDEA through regular, mandatory increases in spending.

Investing in Affordable Housing: Includes $1.5 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which provides fundingto state and local governments for housing construction, and $3.3 billion in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), which can be used to support affordable housing, community development, and economic development. Also includes $3.9 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants (HAG), to help families and individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Sens. Warner and Kaine are strong advocates for affordable housing funding each year.

Supporting Nutrition Programs: The bill includes $6.3 billion – a $615 million increase from Fiscal Year 2023 – for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to ensure over 6 million women, infants, and children can access adequate nutrition. It also fully funds the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to serve an estimated 42 million people per month – with no new restrictions on eligibility – and fully funds the Child Nutrition Programs to help serve an estimated 5 billion lunches and 2.6 billion breakfasts to kids across the country. 

Fighting Global Hunger: Provides $1.8 billion for the Food for Peace program and $248.3 million for the McGovern-Dole Food for Education program, while the State and Foreign Operations bill provides a $691 million increase in funding for humanitarian assistance programs, including increased investments in addressing global hunger and enhancing food security.  

Preventing and Treating Substance Use: Provides $5 billion – an increase of $125 million over Fiscal Year 2023 – for opioid treatment and prevention. This includes $40 million for the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant; $20 million for the State Opioid Response grants; $10 million for the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program; and $20 million for NIH opioid research programs. 

Fighting the Flow of Fentanyl: Includes $719 million to improve the detection and seizure of fentanyl and other narcotics at ports of entry with new technology and personnel. Invests $105 million in new resources to disrupt transnational criminal organizations and stop fentanyl and illicit drugs at their source. Sens. Warner and Kaine are both cosponsors of the Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act, a sanctions and anti-money laundering bill targeting the illicit fentanyl supply chain. Earlier this year, Sens. Kaine and Joni Ernst (R-IA) led bipartisan legislation to direct increased federal attention to fentanyl trafficking by utilizing the tools of the Department of Defense and involving Mexico as an active partner to combat the fentanyl crisis. That legislation was included in the Senate-passed National Defense Authorization Act.

Addressing Long COVID Needs: Includes $10 million for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to support access to comprehensive, coordinated, and person-centered care, particularly for underserved, rural, vulnerable, or minority populations that are disproportionately impacted by the effects of Long COVID. Also includes $5 million for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to establish a network of Long COVID Centers of Excellence that can gather, develop and disseminate data regarding evidence-based treatment; educate and train providers on best practices; conduct outreach to affected populations and community organizations; and coordinate access to care. Sen. Kaine has been a strong advocate for helping individuals with Long COVID, including by leading the bipartisan Long COVID Support Act with Sen. Todd Young (R-IN).

Supporting Rural Health: Includes a $12 million increase for Rural Health programs. This includes a $10 million increase in the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program and a $2 million increase for the Rural Health Outreach program, which supports projects that demonstrate new and innovative modes of outreach in rural areas. Also includes $5 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to establish an Office of Rural Health. Sen. Kaine supported the establishment of this office as a cosponsor of the Rural Health Equity Act, and led a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee in FY23 requesting this funding.

Addressing the Maternal Mortality Crisis: Includes an increase of $10 million for the Implementing a Maternal health and Pregnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) Initiative to combat alarming rates of maternal mortality, as well as an increase of $2.5 million for programs to improve health outcomes during and after pregnancy and reduce disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes. Also includes $110.5 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Safe Motherhood and Infant Health programs, which is a $2,500,000 increase from fiscal year 2023 and more than $1.7 billion for the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, which is a $10,000,000 increase from fiscal year 2023. Sen. Kaine led a bipartisan letter to the Appropriations Committee asking for robust funding for these programs.

Pandemic Preparedness: Includes $3.67 billion for the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR). This includes a $20 million increase for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to support the advanced development of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics and devices for potential serious public health threats, and $75 million to establish a new program in manufacturing and production to ensure that critical resources including medical countermeasures and ancillary supplies are manufactured in the United States. 

Increasing Funding for Pediatric Research: Provides $12.6 million to further fund the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act—legislation championed by Sens. Warner and Kaine and named after a child from Loudoun County who died from a brain tumor in 2013. 

Supporting the Refugee Resettlement Program: Includes $133 million for refugee settlement to meet the goal of 125,000 refugee admissions for Fiscal Year 2024. 

Expanding Home Energy Assistance: Includes $4.075 billion – an increase of $75 million from Fiscal Year 2023 – for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which provides assistance to low-income households to help heat or cool their homes. Sens. Warner and Kaine have been strong advocates for lowering energy costs and have consistently advocated for robust funding for LIHEAP. 

Expanding High-Speed Internet Access: Includes $98 million for the USDA’s ReConnect Program to expand access to high-speed broadband to remote underserved areas. Sens. Warner and Kaine have been vocal advocates for expanding broadband. As Governors and Senators, Sens. Warner and Kaine have long supported expanding broadband access in Virginia. During the pandemic, they secured significant funding for broadband through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Sens. Warner and Kaine also joined a bipartisan letter to Senate leadership requesting this funding earlier this year, and Sen. Warner personally secured billions of dollars for broadband expansion in both the American Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. 

Increasing Military Pay and Compensation: Fully funds the 5.2 percent pay raise for servicemembers, while providing $29.6 billion for housing and $8.4 billion for subsistence – including BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) and BAS (Basic Allowance for Subsistence—food for servicemembers not living in government quarters).

Economic Support for Underserved Communities: Provides $341 million for the U.S. Department of the Treasury Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund. Sens. Warner and Kaine requested this funding. Sen. Warner has led efforts in Congress to support CDFIs through legislation including the Jobs and Neighborhood Investment Act and the creation of the bipartisan Senate Community Development Finance Caucus.  

Small Businesses: Provides $1.2 billion to the Small Business Administration to help small businesses thrive. This funding will support SBA’s lending programs, which increase access to capital for small businesses, as well as their entrepreneurial development programs, which include services that help entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses, such as the Small Business Development Center and Women’s Business Centers networks.

Addressing Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Delays and Customer Service Issues: Includes $12.3 billion for the IRS, which will enable it to continue to update ancient computer systems, improve customer service, and reduce wait times for refunds and other services. Sens. Warner and Kaine have consistently pushed the IRS to address poor customer service and severe delays within the department.  

Support for Miners: Includes $12.19 million for Black Lung Clinics. Sens. Warner and Kaine have actively worked to secure benefits for miners and their families suffering from black lung disease. In July, Sens. Warner and Kaine reintroduced the Relief for Survivors of Miners Act, which would ease restrictions to make it easier for miners’ survivors to successfully claim benefits. In June, the Senators also urged the Biden Administration to issue new silica standards to protect miners across America – a push that helped contribute towards the release of those standards.

Restoring the Chesapeake Bay: Includes $93 million for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Chesapeake Bay Program, the primary federal program that coordinates Chesapeake Bay restoration and protection efforts throughout the Bay watershed.

Strengthening Our Ports: Provides $1.2 billion for the Maritime Administration (MARAD), including $213 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), which supports the buildout and modernization of our nation’s ports including the Port of Virginia.

Advancing Scientific Discovery: Includes $8.43 billion – an increase of $330 million from Fiscal Year 2023 – for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science. DOE’s Office of Science sponsors basic research in the physical sciences and supports 22,000 researchers at 17 national laboratories across the country, including Jefferson Lab in Newport News, Virginia.

Protecting our Courts: Provides $11.4 million to improve security of the Walter E. Hoffman Courthouse in Norfolk, Virginia. Sen. Kaine visited the Hoffman Courthouse in 2020 to observe the serious security vulnerabilities firsthand and the Senators have been fighting to enhance its security ever since. The Senators last wrote to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) in January 2023 to push for the long delayed security measures.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine celebrated the one year anniversary of the InflationReduction Act becoming law. Last August, the senators voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, legislation to lower health care and prescription drug costs, bring down energy bills, and tackle climate change—all while lowering the deficit.

“From capping the cost of insulin to $35 per month for seniors on Medicare to helping more families make energy efficient home improvements, the Inflation Reduction Act is already lowering costs for hundreds of thousands of Virginians in the year since it became law,” said the senators. “In the years ahead, we look forward to seeing the law’s impacts, including a $2,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs for Medicare recipients. We remain committed to making sure communities across Virginia continue to benefit from the law’s many provisions." 

Below is a list of provisions that have already taken effect in the year since the law was enacted.

Health Care

• Black lung benefits: The law permanently extends the black lung excise tax at a higher rate, providing more certainty for miners, miner retirees, and their families who rely on the fund to access benefits. In Virginia, thousands of miners and their families have received benefits through the trust fund since it was established, including approximately 2,600 Virginians in 2021. Watch here to learn more about what this means for miners and miner retirees like Mr. James Gibbs, a Bristol native, the At-Large International Vice President of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), and Kaine's guest to the 2023 State of the Union.
• $35 cap on the cost of insulin: Out-of-pocket costs for insulin—regardless of how much a patient needs—is capped at $35 per month under Medicare. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, 36,461 Virginians on Medicare who use insulin now pay no more than $35 per month. Click here to learn how seniors like Mrs. Marguerite Bailey Young of Fredericksburg, who was Warner’s guest to the 2023 State of the Union, are benefiting from the $35 cap. 
• Free vaccines for Medicare recipients: People with Medicare no longer have to pay to receive vaccines under Medicare Part D, which includes vaccines for shingles, HPV, MMR, diphtheria, and pertussis. 1,095,331 Virginia seniors on Medicare are able to receive the shingles vaccine and other recommended vaccines at no cost.
• Extension of ACA subsidies: During the pandemic, Congress enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to help lower health care premiums for millions of Americans. The Inflation Reduction Act extended these enhanced subsidies through 2025 to help make Virginians’ health insurance more affordable. 304,469 Virginians with ACA coverage are receiving assistance to lower the cost of their premium. In 2022, Virginians saved an average of $508 per month on their health insurance premium.
• Penalties on drug manufacturers that increase prices: Manufacturers are required to keep the increase in the cost of their drugs at or below inflation.

Clean Energy 

• Boosts to clean energy investments: Clean energy manufacturers can apply for expanded tax credits that incentivize investment in and production of renewable energy technologies like solar power and offshore wind. The Inflation ReductionAct set aside $4 billion in credits for businesses that make these investments in energy communities that have seen closures of coal mines or retirements of coal-fired power plants in recent years. This means that communities in Virginia, especially Southwest Virginia, are well-positioned to benefit from many of these tax credits and funding opportunities.
• Improvements to home energy efficiency: Homeowners can receive up to 30 percent back through tax credits for making energy efficiency improvements to their home—generally up to a maximum of $1,200 per year but potentially up to $3,200 if improvements include heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, or biomass stoves. 
• Increased access to electric vehicles: Qualified individuals can get up to a $7,500 consumer credit for the purchase of new electric vehicles. There are additional incentives to help ensure those vehicles are produced in North America. Qualified individuals can receive a tax credit of up to $4,000 for certain used electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids purchased through a dealership. In order to qualify for the full value of the credit, the vehicle must: have a battery capacity of at least 7kW hours; generally be a model at least two years old; and be sold by a participating dealer that is licensed in the jurisdiction. For new vehicles, eligible taxpayers include single filers with incomes under $150,000 annually and households with joint incomes under $300,000 annually if the head of household earns under $225,000 annually. The vehicle’s price is limited to $55,000 for compact vehicles and $80,000 for SUVs, vans, and pick-ups. For used EVs, single filers must have an income under $75,000 annually or $150,000 as a household, as long as the head of household makes under $112,500 annually. The used vehicle’s price is limited to $25,000.

While many provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act have already been implemented, there are additional provisions that will begin later this year or in the years to come.

• Medicare drug price negotiation: On September 1, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will release a list of the first 10 drugs covered under Part D eligible for the Medicare drug price negotiation program. The Inflation Reduction Act provided Medicare with the ability to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for the first time in history. The negotiated prices will go into effect in 2026.
• Free vaccines for Medicaid recipients: On October 1, 2023, Medicaid and CHIP will cover vaccines for Medicaid-covered adults. Currently, vaccine coverage is optional for states. 2,040,696 Virginia Medicaid recipients will have access to expanded vaccine coverage.
• Cap on out-of-pocket costs on prescription drugs: Beginning in 2025, there will be a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket costs on prescription drugs for seniors covered under Medicare Part D. Some estimates have shown that Virginia seniors on Medicare will save an average of $440.62 on out-of-pocket costs on prescription drugs thanks to this cap. Watch here to hear what this cap will mean for seniors like Mr. Irv Varkonyi from Fairfax.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today urged CEOs of several prominent artificial intelligence (AI) companies to address reports that their chatbots are easily exploited to provide detailed instructions that promote eating disorders. In a series of letters to the CEOs of Open AI, Google, and Snap, Sen. Warner called attention to concerning responses and urged each company to immediately stop disseminating harmful content.

According to a recent study from the Center for Countering Digital Hate, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Bard and Snapchat’s My AI consistently generate content that promote eating disorders. When prompted, these chatbots provide detailed information on hiding uneaten food from parents, instructions to trigger a gag reflex, and promote “chewing and spitting” as an extreme weight loss method, among other troubling examples. 

“The failure of your company to implement adequate safeguards to protect vulnerable individuals, especially teens and children, from well-established and foreseeable harms is of grave concern, and I urge you to quickly take steps to fix this glaring problem,” Sen. Warner wrote. 

The letters raise concerns specific to each chatbot’s troubling responses and highlight the high occurrence and fatality rates of eating disorders. Research from Sen. Warner’s office further showed that leading datasets used for model training include harmful eating disorder content – potentially embedding harmful associations into the most powerful generative models.

“I urge you to immediately take steps to protect vulnerable users from your products by implementing safeguards that prevent your products from providing harmful advice and recommendations related to eating disorders, including securing against prompt injection techniques,” Sen. Warner continued. 

The letters also raise concern with the inability of leading generative AI companies to implement adequate safeguards from well-established and foreseeable harms. Each letter concludes with a request for a written plan from each company on their efforts to eradicate these harmful model behaviors.

Sen. Warner, a former tech entrepreneur, has been a vocal advocate for responsible AI development and deployment. Earlier this week, he wrote to Google CEO Sundar Pichai to raise concerns about Google’s testing of new AI technology in real medical settings. Last month, he called on the Biden administration to work with AI companies to develop additional guardrails around the responsible deployment of AI. In April, Sen. Warner directly expressed concerns to several AI CEOs – including Sam Altman and Sundar Pichai – about the potential risks posed by AI, and called on companies to ensure that their products and systems are secure.  He has also introduced several pieces of legislation aimed at making tech safer and more humane, including the RESTRICT Act, which would comprehensively address the ongoing threat posed by technology from foreign adversaries; the SAFE TECH Act, which would reform Section 230 and allow social media companies to be held accountable for enabling cyber-stalking, online harassment, and discrimination on social media platforms; and the Honest Ads Act, which would require online political advertisements to adhere to the same disclaimer requirements as TV, radio, and print ads.

Copies of each letter can be found here. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark Warner joined Sens. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Edward Markey (D-MA), and others to urge the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to enforce its existing regulations regarding consent for receiving telemarketing calls, also known as robocalls. The letter also asks the FCC to issue guidance along the lines of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) recent Business Guidance restating the FCC’s long-held requirements for these unwanted telemarketing calls. By issuing guidance similar to the FTC’s, the FCC will assist telemarketers and sellers in complying with these requirements. 

“While the consideration of new regulations may be appropriate in some instances, we believe that the FCC’s current regulations already prohibit many of the activities that lead to the proliferation of unwanted telemarketing calls,” wrote the Senators. “Both the regulations issued in 2003 delineating the rules for telemarketers to obtain consent for calls to lines subscribed to the Do Not Call Registry, and those issued in 2012 governing consent to receive telemarketing calls made with an artificial or prerecorded voice or an automated telephone dialing system, clearly set out the types of protections intended by Congress to eliminate unwanted telemarketing calls.”

The Senators concluded, “As Congress instructed the FCC ‘to maximize consistency with the rule promulgated by the Federal Trade Commission’ relating to the implementation of the Do-Not-Call Registry, we respectfully urge the FCC to issue a guidance along the lines of the FTC’s recent Business Guidance restating its long-held requirements for these unwanted telemarketing calls. As inconsistent rules governing the same activity would be problematic, by issuing guidance similar to the FTC’s, the FCC will assist telemarketers and sellers in complying with these requirements.”

Sen. Warner, a former cell phone entrepreneur, has been active in fighting robocalls for many years. He sponsored the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act to give regulators – including the FCC – more time to find scammers, increase civil forfeiture penalties, require service providers to adopt call authentication and blocking, and bring relevant federal agencies and state attorneys general together to address impediments to criminal prosecution of robocallers. Former President Trump signed the TRACED Act into law in 2019. In July, he applauded new efforts from the FTC to crack down on spam calls.

In addition to Sens. Warner, Lujan, and Markey, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Angus King (I-ME), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Gary Peters (D-MI). This letter is endorsed by Appleseed, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, Electronic Privacy Information Center, National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates, National Consumers League, Public Citizen, Public Knowledge, and U.S. PIRG.

Full text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Chairwoman Rosenworcel:

We are heartened that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering ways to curtail the number of unwanted telemarketing calls—currently over 1.25 billion every month—in a proceeding pending under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). As the Commission recognizes, the continued onslaught of illegal calls threatens the trustworthiness and usefulness of our nation’s telephone system.

While the consideration of new regulations may be appropriate in some instances, we believe that the FCC’s current regulations already prohibit many of the activities that lead to the proliferation of unwanted telemarketing calls. Both the regulations issued in 2003 delineating the rules for telemarketers to obtain consent for calls to lines subscribed to the Do Not Call Registry, and those issued in 2012 governing consent to receive telemarketing calls made with an artificial or prerecorded voice or an automated telephone dialing system, clearly set out the types of protections intended by Congress to eliminate unwanted telemarketing calls. Both of these regulations allow robocalls calls only if the call recipients sign a written agreement relating to calls from a single seller. 

Additionally, the FCC’s 2003 regulation for telemarketing calls to lines registered on the Do Not Call Registry requires that the “signed, written agreement” must be “between the consumer and the seller.” This requirement provides two protections. First, it means that the seller, not a telemarketer or a lead generator, or anyone other than the seller, or the agent of the seller, must be party to the agreement with the consumer. Second, it limits the calls that are covered by the agreement to calls related only to the seller that was the party to the agreement. Enforcement of the current limitations applicable to agreements providing consent for telemarketing calls under the existing regulations would eliminate the sale and trading of these consents which have led to the proliferation of unwanted telemarketing robocalls.

Moreover, as many of these agreements are entered into online, current federal law requires specific protections for consumers receiving writings through electronic records in the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (the E-Sign Act). One example of these protections in the E-Sign Act is the prohibition of oral communication as a substitute for a writing. Although telemarketers routinely ignore the requirements of the E-Sign Act, the legislation’s mandate for E-Sign consent before writings can be provided in electronic records in 15 U.S.C. § 7001(c) is fully applicable.

Finally, as Congress instructed the FCC “to maximize consistency with the rule promulgated by the Federal Trade Commission” relating to the implementation of the Do-Not-Call Registry, we respectfully urge the FCC to issue a guidance along the lines of the FTC’s recent Business Guidance restating its long-held requirements for these unwanted telemarketing calls. As inconsistent rules governing the same activity would be problematic, by issuing guidance similar to the FTC’s, the FCC will assist telemarketers and sellers in complying with these requirements. This guidance should also emphasize that the obligations imposed by the E-Sign Act apply when these agreements are entered into online.

We appreciate your work to curb unwanted and illegal robocalls. Issuing guidance that emphasizes the meaningful requirements of current regulations as well as the requirements of the federal E-Sign Act will go a long way to reduce the number of unwanted robocalls. Thank you for your consideration of this request.

 
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today released the following statement on a notice by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) that it will consider creating a special registration process that would allow quality health care providers to prescribe controlled substances over telehealth safely, as they’ve done during the pandemic. Sen. Warner has been a vocal advocate for telehealth and has previously called on the DEA to establish this process.

“Telehealth was a lifesaver for patients during the peak of the pandemic and has since opened the door to uncomplicated and reliable access to a doctor for patients who need it. Given the shortage of mental health providers and the increased need for access to prescribers through telehealth, I’m pleased that the DEA is finally looking into establishing a rule to allow specially trained prescribers to continue administering controlled substances virtually without requiring an in-person visit. This rule will be especially meaningful to patients who rely on medications that treat opioid use disorder, among many others. I encourage prescribers and patients to participate in the DEA’s public comment period and provide their input on this proposed rule.” 

Since 2008, Congress has directed the DEA to set up a special registration process, an exception process under the Ryan Haight Act, a law that regulates the online prescription of controlled substances. This special registration process would open up the door for quality health care providers to evaluate a patient and prescribe these medications over telehealth safely, as was done for years during the pandemic.

Sen. Warner, a former tech entrepreneur, has been a longtime advocate for increased access to telehealth. He is an original cosponsor of the CONNECT for Health Act, which would expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent, improve health outcomes, and make it easier for patients to safely connect with their doctors. He previously wrote to both the Biden and Trump administrations, urging the DEA to finalize regulations long-delayed by prior administrations allowing doctors to prescribe controlled substances through telehealth. Sen. Warner also sent a letter to Senate leadership during the height of the COVID-19 crisis, calling for the permanent expansion of access to telehealth services.

In 2018, Sen. Warner included a provision to expand financial coverage for virtual substance use treatment in the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018. In 2003, then-Gov. Warner expanded Medicaid coverage for telemedicine statewide, including evaluation and management visits, a range of individual psychotherapies, the full range of consultations, and some clinical services, including in cardiology and obstetrics. Coverage was also expanded to include non-physician providers. Among other benefits, the telehealth expansion allowed individuals in medically underserved and remote areas of Virginia to access quality specialty care that isn’t always available at home.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and John Thune (R-SD) urged the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to more effectively promote educational assistance programs that would help alleviate the burden of student loan payments. Specifically, the senators are focused on efforts to make employers and employees aware of their Employer Participation in Repayment Act, which allows employers to contribute up to $5,250 tax-free to employees’ student loans annually through 2025.

“This provision within section 127 is a win-win for employers and employees, as it provides a pathway towards student loan debt relief for borrowers and provides employers with another option to recruit and retain talent necessary to grow their businesses,” the senators wrote.

In April of this year, Sen. Warner questioned IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel on the organization’s outreach efforts regarding benefits available to borrowers. During the exchange, Commissioner Werfel committed to devoting significant efforts to making taxpayers aware of these benefits. Since then however, little progress has been made to make employers and employees aware of these programs, which would greatly reduce stress of monthly payments for borrowers and help employees retain qualified candidates.  

“During your testimony before the Senate Finance Committee on April 19, 2023, you stated that outreach on section 127, including ensuring that taxpayers are aware of such benefits, is a top priority of the agency,” the senators continued. “However, we have found that resources on educational assistance programs are difficult to locate on the IRS website. Additionally, within these hard-to-find and limited resources, the expansion of the program to include student loan debt as a qualifying tax-free educational expense is not highlighted as new information and the eligibility window is deeply buried. Furthermore, online IRS webinars have failed to adequately promote employer-provided educational assistance programs and call attention to student loan debt payments as a qualifying expense.” 

The senators requested the IRS take a series of steps to better promote these programs and ensure that employers and employees are fully aware of the benefits afforded to them, including that:

• The IRS host and publish webinars on employer-provided educational assistance programs;
• The IRS publish new and robust resources to aide employers seeking to take advantage of section 127 benefits;
• And the IRS communicate expanded section 127 benefits and new resources to employers and employees, including, but not limited to, transmitting this information through IRS e-newsletters for business owners.

Created in 1978 and made permanent in 2012, section 127 of the IRS Code provides a tax benefit allowing employers to contribute up to $5,250 in tax-free annual assistance to employees pursuing continued education. In 2019, with broad bipartisan support, Sens. Warner and Thune introduced the Employer Participation in Repayment Act, legislation that extends this tax-free benefit to employees’ existing student loans. The senators played a key role in extending this provision through 2025 as part of the 2021 government spending package.  

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

Dear Commissioner Werfel,

We write to urge the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to take meaningful steps to effectively promote educational assistance benefits provided under section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code, specifically the temporary provision within the law that allows employers to contribute up to $5,250 tax-free towards their employees’ student loans annually. This provision within section 127 is a win-win for employers and employees, as it provides a pathway towards student loan debt relief for borrowers and provides employers with another option to recruit and retain talent necessary to grow their businesses.

Nationwide, Americans owe more than $1.7 trillion in student loan debt, outstripping credit cards and auto loans as the country’s leading source of non-housing debt. With increased college costs leading to students taking on more debt, the need for innovative solutions to ease the burden of student loan debt is greater than ever. That is why we were pleased to secure passage of our Employer Participation in Repayment Act (EPRA), which reformed educational assistance programs under section 127 to include student loans payments as a qualifying educational expense.

Prior to this change, employers with educational assistance programs could provide their employees with up to $5,250 per year in tax-free benefits for ongoing education purposes (e.g., tuition and fees). The EPRA provision that we championed as part of the CARES Act amended section 127, expanding the $5,250 tax-free, annual benefit to include student loan payments through 2020, with subsequent legislation extending this benefit through 2025. In other words, as a result of this change in the law, employers are provided with an important tool to help their employees pay down outstanding student loan debt.

The modernization of section 127 better meets the needs of today’s workforce, as it not only helps individuals pay down their student loans, but also serves as a unique tool for employers to attract and retain talented employees. Additionally, employer-sponsored student loan repayment under section 127 helps employees get out of debt faster and put more of their hard-earned paycheck towards other necessities. While we were proud to champion this necessary expansion of section 127, as its sunset date approaches we want to make sure that we are maximizing the reach of this important benefit.

According to a 2023 survey of over 4,000 participants representing independent organizations, 48% of respondents indicated that their organization provides undergraduate or graduate tuition assistance. However, only 8% of responding organizations shared that they offer student loan repayment as an educational assistance benefit. This underscores the need for the IRS to use all tools at the agency’s disposal to increase awareness among employers about recent changes to section 127. Furthermore, the IRS should take steps to ensure that employers of all sizes have resources available to them to quickly form an educational assistance program for their workforce.

During your testimony before the Senate Finance Committee on April 19, 2023, you stated that outreach on section 127, including ensuring that taxpayers are aware of such benefits, is a top priority of the agency. However, we have found that resources on educational assistance programs are difficult to locate on the IRS website. Additionally, within these hard-to-find and limited resources, the expansion of the program to include student loan debt as a qualifying tax-free educational expense is not highlighted as new information and the eligibility window is deeply buried. Furthermore, online IRS webinars have failed to adequately promote employer-provided educational assistance programs and call attention to student loan debt payments as a qualifying expense.

To ensure that employers and employees are fully aware of the benefits afforded to them under section 127, we request that you take the following actions:

1)      We request that the IRS host and publish webinars on employer-provided educational assistance programs. Webinars should provide details on student loan debt being a qualifying expense under section 127 and provide participants with the opportunity to engage in a meaningful Q&A session with IRS staff. Furthermore, webinars should be scheduled with adequate notice periods, promoted in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, including industry associations, and published prominently on the agency’s website for future reference.

2)      We request that the IRS publish new and robust resources to aide employers seeking to take advantage of section 127 benefits. These new resources should include a sample written plan for employers to utilize and the addition of a ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ section on employer-provided educational assistance programs to the IRS webpage. These resources should be clearly visible and prominently displayed on the IRS webpage.

3)      Finally, we ask that the IRS communicate expanded section 127 benefits and new resources to employers and employees, including, but not limited to, transmitting this information through IRS e-newsletters for business owners.

We are hopeful that by providing additional resources and informing employers and employees of section 127 benefits, we will address our shared goals of promoting workforce development, improving worker recruitment and retention, and providing much-needed student loan debt relief.

We appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON –This week, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Deb Fischer (R-NE), joined by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and John Thune (R-SD), introduced the Deceptive Experiences To Online Users Reduction (DETOUR) Act to prohibit large online platforms from using deceptive user interfaces, known as “dark patterns,” to trick consumers into handing over their personal data. The bill would also require these platforms to obtain consent from users for covered research and prohibit them from using features that result in compulsive usage by children and teens.

The term “dark patterns” is used to describe online interfaces in websites and apps designed to intentionally manipulate users into taking actions they otherwise would not. These design tactics are frequently used by social media platforms to mislead consumers into agreeing to settings and practices more beneficial to the company. 

“Dark patterns – manipulative online designs that trick you into signing up for services you don’t want or spending money you don’t mean to – are everywhere online, and they make user experience worse, and data less secure. The DETOUR Act will end this practice while working to instill transparency and oversight that the tech world lacks,” said Sen. Warner. “Consumers shouldn’t have to navigate intentionally misleading interfaces and design features in order to protect their privacy.” 

“Manipulative 'dark pattern' interfaces trick users – including children – online. The ‘choices’ platforms present can often be deceptively obscured to exploit users' personal data and behavior,” said Sen. Fischer. “It’s wrong, and our bipartisan bill will finally crack down on this harmful practice. I encourage my colleagues to support the DETOUR Act to increase trust online and protect consumer privacy.”

Dark patterns can take various forms, pushing users into agreeing to terms stacked in favor of the service provider. These deceptive practices can include deliberately obscuring alternate choices or settings through design or other means or the use of privacy settings to push users to ‘agree’ as the default option while more privacy-friendly options can only be found through a much longer process, detouring through multiple screens. Frequently, users cannot find the alternate option, if it exists at all, and simply give up looking.

The result is that large online platforms have an unfair advantage over users and often force consumers to give up personal data such as their contacts, messages, web activity, or location in order to benefit of the company.

The Deceptive Experiences To Online Users Reduction (DETOUR) Act aims to curb this manipulative behavior by prohibiting large online platforms (those with over 100 million monthly active users) from relying on user interfaces that intentionally impair user autonomy, decision-making, or choice. The legislation:

• Prohibits large online operators from designing, modifying, or manipulating user interface with the purpose or substantial effect of obscuring, subverting, or impairing user autonomy, decision-making, or choice to obtain consent or user data.
• Prohibits subdividing or segmenting consumers for the purposes of behavioral experiments without a consumer’s informed consent, which cannot be buried in a general contract or service agreement. This includes routine disclosures for large online operators, not less than once every 90 days, on any behavioral or psychological experiments to users and the public. Additionally, the bill would require large online operators to create an internal Independent Review Board to provide oversight on these practices to safeguard consumer welfare.
• Prohibits user design intended to create compulsive usage among children and teens under the age of 17 years old.

“Social media companies often trick users into giving up their personal data – everything from their thoughts and fears to their likes and dislikes – which they then sell to advertisers. These practices are designed to exploit people; not to serve them better. Senator Warner and Senator Fischer’s DETOUR Act would put a stop to the destructive and deceptive use of dark patterns,” said Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate.

“Momentum is building, in Congress and across the states, to force tech companies to reduce the serious harm to kids and teens caused by the way that these companies design and operate their platforms," said James P. Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media. “The reintroduction of the DETOUR Act comes at just the right time to add another important element of protection for children and their families. We applaud Senators Warner and Fischer for working together to try to stop companies from utilizing manipulative design features that trick kids into giving up more personal information and compulsive usage of their platforms for the sake of increasing their profits and engagement without regard for the harm it inflicts on kids.”

“The proposed legislation represents an important step towards reducing big tech companies’ use of dark patterns that prioritize user engagement over well-being. As a developmental scientist, I’m hopeful the DETOUR Act will encourage companies to adopt a child-centered approach to design that places children’s well-being front and center, reducing the burden on parents to look out for and avoid dark patterns in their children’s technology experiences,” said Katie Davis, EdD, Associate Professor at the University of Washington.

“The DETOUR Act proposed by Sen. Warner and co-sponsors represents a positive and important step to protect American consumers,” said Colin M. Gray, PhD Associate Professor, Indiana University. “DETOUR provides a mechanism for independent oversight over large technology companies and curtailing the ability of these companies to use deceptive and manipulative design practices, such as ‘dark patterns,’ which have been shown to produce substantial harms to users. This legislation provides a foothold for regulators to better guard against deceptive and exploitative practices that have become rampant in many large technology companies, and which have had outsized impacts on children and underserved communities.”

Sen. Warner, a former tech entrepreneur, has been one of Congress’s leading voices calling for accountability in Big Tech. He has introduced several pieces of legislation aimed at addressing these issues, including the ACCESS Act earlier this week, which will promote competition in social media by making it easier to transport user data to new sites; the RESTRICT Act, which would comprehensively address the ongoing threat posed by technology from foreign adversaries; the SAFE TECH Act, which would reform Section 230 and allow social media companies to be held accountable for enabling cyber-stalking, online harassment, and discrimination on social media platforms; and the Kids Online Safety Act, which would protect children online by providing young people and parents with the tools, safeguards, and transparency they need to protect against online harms. 

Full text of the bill is available here. 

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U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), applauded today’s Senate passage of the nation’s annual defense bill, which includes top priorities for Virginia, as well as a number of measures championed by Sen. Warner. 

“I’m pleased to see the Senate move forward on a defense bill that provides our military and Department of Defense with the resources needed to preserve our national security. This legislation includes critical measures to improve quality-of-life for servicemembers, advance critical military construction projects, strengthen Virginia’s shipbuilding industry, and support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression,” said Sen. Warner. “I was proud to vote in favor of this legislation and hope that my colleagues in the House of Representatives will work in good faith to reach a final compromise between the two chambers.” 

The legislation supports $886.3 billion in funding for our nation’s defense, and includes crucial measures supported by Sen. Warner.

Servicemembers and the civilian defense workforce:

• Authorizes a 5.2 percent pay raise for military servicemembers and Department of Defense (DoD) civilian workforce.
• Improves living conditions for enlisted servicemembers by greenlighting improvements to the quality and oversight of barracks. This provision specifically authorizes the replacement of substandard barracks and establishes new requirements that enlisted housing meet the same basic standards as all other military housing.
• Improves living conditions for junior Navy Sailors whose vessels are undergoing an extended maintenance overhaul. This legislation authorizes basic allowance for housing (BAH) payments that allow these servicemembers to live in commercial housing, rather than aboard the ship.
• Supports more equitable housing rates in markets with limited housing inventory by modifying the calculation of basic allowance for housing (BAH) rates.
• Allows for additional financial support for servicemembers, by reducing the threshold used to determine high cost-of-living areas for the purpose of providing a cost-of-living allowance to servicemembers assigned to locations in the continental United States.
• Requires a pilot program to assess the effectiveness of increased compensation for DoD childcare employees, in improving the ability to recruit and retain providers. To help address the overwhelming demand for childcare, last year Sen. Warner was able to secure $3.5 million in planning & design funding to support two new child development centers at Hampton Roads installations. This year’s Senate-passed NDAA would authorize $78 million in construction funding for additional facilities.
• Encourages a comprehensive review of the Navy’s efforts to prevent and respond to incidents of death by suicide, suicide attempts, and suicidal ideation in commands and organizations within the Navy that have not been reviewed by other studies.

Strengthening our nation’s defense and cyber defense capabilities:

• Authorizes $16.7 billion for military construction projects, including $625 million for 19 military construction projects in Virginia.
• Authorizes the Navy to enter into one or more contracts for the multiyear procurement of the next block of 10 Virginia-class submarines.
• Directs the Navy to schedule maintenance and repair activities for amphibious ships in order to ensure that 24 such warships are available for worldwide deployment at any given time.
• Requires the development of a regional cybersecurity strategy to support the operations of each geographic combatant command.
• Requires the establishment of a dedicated cyber intelligence capability to support information-sharing on technology developments, capabilities, operations, and intentions of actors who pose cyber threats.
• Directs DoD to support institutions of higher education on cyber workforce education and development efforts in the fields of cybersecurity, intelligence, data science, information security management, and quantum information science.
• Increases transparency surrounding the DoD’s investments in Artificial Intelligence by requiring DoD to provide an annual report to Congress detailing the categories of AI technologies and their respective investment amounts, and an analysis of how these investments support broader AI direction and strategies at the Department. This provision stems from an amendment by Sen. Warner.
• Strengthens the security of U.S. elections infrastructure by requiring that voting systems undergo simulated attacks as part of their standard certification process. This provision, written by Warner, would direct the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to require that systems seeking certification undergo penetration testing, a practice that allows researchers to search for vulnerabilities by attempting to attack a system with the same tools and techniques used by cybercriminals.

Countering aggression by adversaries like Russia and China:

• Prohibits the purchase of drones from countries like China that pose a national security threat. This provision, championed in part by Warner, prohibits federal dollars from being used to procure commercial off-the-shelf drone or covered unmanned aircraft systems from countries identified as posing a national security threat. 
• Authorizes the full budget request for the European Deterrence Initiative (EDI) and the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI).
• Establishes the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative, a defense initiative with allies and partners of the United States, including Australia, Japan, and India.
• Underscores the United States’ commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and emphasizes the importance of maintaining a unified response to the Russian Federation’s unjust war in Ukraine. Sen. Warner has been a strong supporter of NATO, which conducts crucial work in Virginia at NATO Allied Command Transformation in Hampton Roads.
• Supports Ukraine in its fight against Russian attacks and aggression byextending the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) through fiscal year 2027 and authorizing the full budget request of $300 million in fiscal year 2024.The USAI is one of the main tools used by the U.S. in support of Ukraine’s defensive needs. This legislation also extends waivers for the streamlined acquisition of defense stocks related to Ukraine and authorizes additional munitions eligible for multiyear procurement contracts.
• Limits or prohibits Department of Defense funding for institutions or researchers that contract with Chinese or Russian institutions that engage in intellectual property theft or are linked to the Chinese or Russian military, or intelligence services.
• Provides support to Taiwan by establishing a comprehensive training, advising, and institutional capacity-building program for the military forces of Taiwan.

Now that both the Senate and the House of Representatives have passed their versions of the annual defense bill, negotiators from both chambers will have to participate in a conference process to negotiate a final bill to send to the President’s desk.  

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WASHINGTON — The Senate Finance Committee today approved on a 26-1 vote the Modernizing and Ensuring PBM Accountability (MEPA) Act, bipartisan legislation to help address rising prescription drug prices by regulating the middlemen who manage prescription drug benefits on behalf of health insurers.

“For too long, and without any transparency, pharmacy middlemen have moved away from their origins negotiating to bring prices down on behalf of insurers and consumers and have instead moved toward extracting profit, leading to higher drug prices, more federal spending, and bigger out-of-pocket costs for Virginians,” said Sen. Warner, a member of the Committee and a co-author of the legislation. “The Inflation Reduction Act we enacted last year finally gave Medicare the power to negotiate prices for some of the most expensive prescription drugs for seniors on Medicare, but Congress needs to do more to lower the price of medicines, including through reforms to PBMs. I’m proud of our work today in the Finance Committee, and am hopeful that we can bring a bill to the Senate floor and get it to the president’s desk soon.”

Included in the legislation are multiple bipartisan bills proposed by Sen. Warner, including S. 2493, the PBM Reporting Transparency Act, which would hold PBMs accountable for providing good value to seniors and Medicare by making public information about the contracts between PBMs and Medicare prescription drug plans; S. 2408, the IMPROVE Part D Regulations Act, which would require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to conduct patient-focused listening sessions about potential improvements to Medicare Part D; and an amendment requiring CMS to make sure that PBMs aren’t standing in the way of fair reimbursements for smaller pharmacies, such as long-term care pharmacies and home infusion pharmacies, that serve medically complex patients.

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