WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), Co-Chairs of the Senate Aerospace Caucus, introduced the Aeronautics Innovation Act to help boost innovation, research and development in the aeronautics industry. The bill would provide a five-year funding commitment to advance innovation and supplement research in the field.

In 2016, the U.S. aerospace and defense industry produced more than 2.4 million jobs and generated more than $872 billion in revenue. However, without the proper strategy and investment, the U.S. risks falling behind other industrialized nations in developing and advancing the next generation of aircraft. Forecasts estimate that the world’s demand for passenger aircraft fleet above 100 seats will double over the next 20 years, generating new plane orders between 35,000 and 40,000 worth more than $5 trillion by 2035. 

“In order for the U.S. to boost its competitive edge in aeronautics, Congress must enact policies that invest in long-term research and development,” said Sen. Warner. “With countries across the globe looking to profit from record demand in the coming years for commercial aircraft, competition is fierce to lead the way in developing next-generation technology. This bill lays out a blueprint for how the U.S. can lead the world in a new age of manufacturing, where we can build the safest, quietest, most-fuel efficient and environmentally friendly planes available. Virginia is home to a thriving aerospace industry with leading federal facilities such as NASA Langley, and this bill will continue to support the nation’s next-generation capabilities in this important industry.”

“The future of our aerospace industry depends on our investment in research, testing and manufacturing,” said Sen. Moran. “Kansas has demonstrated the significant impact a commitment to forward-thinking can have, and continues to play a prominent role in the national aerospace industry. Across the country, the industry is poised to make groundbreaking discoveries, perfect new technology and build better and more efficient aircraft. The investment that can be made by passing this legislation will make certain that our successes can continue into the next generation.”

“We applaud Senators Warner and Moran, the Senate Aerospace Caucus Co-Chairs, for championing the Aeronautics Innovation Act, which will provide continuity and budget stability for aeronautics research. American industry partners are the leaders of innovation and need to maintain our competitive edge. If enacted, this legislation will boost our economy and protect our national security, ensuring American technological superiority in air and space,” said Eric Fanning, President and Chief Executive Officer, Aerospace Industries Association.

“The National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) is excited to support this important legislative initiative, which will ensure continued U.S. leadership in aeronautics amid increased worldwide competition and investments by other governments.  Aeronautics is a critical industry for our economy and national defense and represents a significant portion of our nation’s exports. The Aeronautics Innovation Act will not only increase our investments in aeronautics research but will also re-focus them on critical innovative growth areas such as: unmanned aerial systems, autonomy, urban air mobility, composite materials, as well as flight test vehicles to demonstrate these technologies so U.S. companies can then take advantage of them,” said Dr. Douglas O. Stanley, President and Executive Director, National Institute of Aerospace.

“The Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance (HRMFFA) writes in strong support of the Aeronautics Innovation Act.  We encourage your colleagues to co-sponsor this necessary legislation to help increase economic growth, sustain national security and maintain America’s leadership in science and technology,” said Craig R. Quigley, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.), Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance

“Through our involvement in NASA’s Unmanned Traffic Management and UAS in the National Airspace System research programs, we’ve seen firsthand the value of NASA’s leadership in enabling the burgeoning UAS industry to move from innovation towards successful integration, and the tremendous dividends of strong public-private partnerships in this field. This bill helps ensure the continuation of the many NASA-led efforts that are rapidly advancing UAS integration––fueling growth in the UAS industry and supporting U.S. leadership in this critical and expanding sector,” said Mark Blanks, Director, Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership.

“I fully support The Aeronautics Innovation Act being introduced by Senators Warner and Moran, including the aeronautics funding augmentation it proposes. The future challenges posed by demonstrating sustained hypersonic flight, developing a viable commercial supersonic transport system and achieving routine autonomous aerial systems operations will benefit greatly from the knowledge base and technology developed by NASA Aeronautics. An increased NASA Aeronautics funding stream will sustain NASA technology development and assure that NASA expertise and facilities will be available to the  industry and military for future national systems development programs,” said Delma C. Freeman, Jr., Chairman, NASA Aerospace Support Team, Retired Director NASA Langley Research Center.

“As a key element of our overall mission in advocating for aerospace advancement within the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Virginia AeroSpace Business Association (VASBA) is in full support of NASA’s New Aviation Horizons (NAH) Initiative which includes developing new X-planes that will be cleaner, faster and quieter.  NASA has successfully demonstrated the value of X-planes in advancing flight technologies and aerospace engineering, and we strongly believe the NAH initiative will place Virginia at the forefront of the next generation of aircraft and air traffic management systems using advanced technologies and configurations.  We believe that the NAH initiative and complementary investments efforts such as Senator Warner’s Aeronautics Innovation Act will offer tremendous opportunities to industry and universities throughout Virginia,” said Robert P. Fleishauer, Ph.D, PMP, President, Virginia Aerospace Business Association. 

The Senate bill is also endorsed by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), the Small UAV Coalition, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Unmanned Systems Association of Virginia (USAV), and the National Institute for Aviation Research.

Key provisions of the Aeronautics Innovation Act include:

• Authorizing robust funding levels for NASA’s Aeronautics directorate over the next five years: $790 million in FY 2019, $930 million in FY 2020, $974 million in FY 2021, $996 million in FY 2022, and $1.03 billion in FY 2023.
• Ensuring sustained Congressional support for the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate’s (ARMD) Strategic Implementation Plan, a forward looking strategy that supports the future needs of aviation communities.
• Affirming NASA’s key role in the long-term research in transformative aeronautics technologies.
• Establishing a national policy for aeronautics research that will maintain U.S. superiority in air capabilities and aviation industrial leadership.
• Establishing a new series of experimental plane, or “X-Plane,” programs rooted in ARMD’s strategic plan that will restore NASA’s capacity to see legacy priority initiatives through to completion and achieve national economic and security objectives.
• Directing NASA’s continuing support of unmanned aircraft system development, particularly unmanned traffic management and on-demand mobility technologies.
• Creating the 21st Century Aeronautics Research Capabilities Initiative, a program designed to modernize NASA’s aeronautics facilities, such as wind tunnels and modeling & simulation capabilities.

This is the companion bill to bipartisan legislation introduced by Reps. Steve Knight (R-CA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Bobby Scott (D-VA) and others in the House of Representatives. 

The full text of the Senate bill can be found here.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced bipartisan legislation to protect horses from the abusive practice known as “soring” – in which show horse trainers intentionally apply substances or devices to a horse's limb to make each step painful, forcing a horse to perform an exaggerated high-stepping gait that is rewarded in show rings. While soring is prohibited under federal law, a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Inspector General (IG) report has found that some horse trainers often go to great lengths to continue this inhumane practice. 

“For more than 400 years, horses have been a part of Virginia’s culture. But despite a federal ban, horse soring—an act that deliberately inflicts pain on these animals—continues in some segments of the walking horse industry,” said Sen. Warner. “This bipartisan bill will finally put an end to this cruel and abusive practice.”  

“We commend Senators Crapo and Warner for introducing the PAST Act to crack down on the terrible cruelty of horse soring. This legislation won’t cost taxpayers any additional money but it will fix gaping holes in the current federal law that have enabled this abuse to persist for almost half a century.  It’s time for Congress to enact these urgently-needed reforms – to get rid of the failed system of industry self-policing, eliminate the devices that are integral to the soring process, and establish meaningful penalties for perpetrators,” said Sara Amundson, President of Humane Society Legislative Fund.  

“The American Horse Council - the voice of the nation’s equine sector which directly supports nearly one million U.S. jobs and contributes $122 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - applauds the leadership of Sens. Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Mark Warner (D-VA) for introducing the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act of 2018.   Although “soring” - which is the practice of inflicting pain on a horse’s limb to produce an accentuated gait - has declined since Congress enacted the Horse Protection Act in 1970, the PAST Act will build on this progress by modernizing inspection and revising penalties for violations,” said Julie M. Broadway, President of the American Horse Council. 

 “We are very pleased that the Prevent All Soring Tactics Act is being introduced in the Senate, and would like to thank Senators Warner and Crapo for their leadership on this important horse welfare issue. The AVMA condemns the act of soring and feels that the current system of inspection and enforcement is not sufficient to stop this inhumane practice,” said Dr. Michael Topper, President of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 

“Soring is an intentional, cruel act which must end. As doctors of veterinary medicine, the AAEP will continue to support the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act and work to eliminate this inhumane practice on horses,” said Dr. Margo Macpherson, President of the American Association of Equine Practitioners. 

The Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act would: 

• Eliminate self-policing by requiring the USDA to assign a licensed inspector if the show's management indicates its intent to hire one. Licensed or accredited veterinarians, if available, would be given preference for these positions.

• Prohibit the use of action devices and pads on specific horse breeds that have historically been the primary victims of soring. Action devices, such as chains that rub up and down an already-sore leg, intensify the horse's pain when it moves, so that the horse quickly jolts up its leg.

• Increase the penalties on an individual caught soring a horse from a misdemeanor to a felony which is subject to up to three years' incarceration, increase fines from $3,000 to $5,000 per violation, and permanently disqualify three-time violators from participating in horse shows, exhibitions, sales or auctions.

In 2017, the USDA Office of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) incorporated some of the major tenets of the PAST Act in a rule meant to strengthen certain aspects of the Horse Protection Act. However, the rule was not finalized before the end of the Obama Administration and the Trump Administration halted that process. The PAST Act would codify these changes into law.

Numerous groups have endorsed the bill, including the Humane Society of the United States, the American Horse Council, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, and the American Association of Equine Practitioners. The PAST Act was introduced in previous years by Sen. Warner and former Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH).

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine have cosponsored the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, a bipartisan bill that would legalize and clearly define hemp as an agricultural commodity, removing it from the list of controlled substances. Currently, hemp falls under the definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act and, while it is cultivated for research purposes in Virginia, the agriculture industry cannot currently grow it for commercial use. Hemp is distinct from marijuana in that it has a miniscule concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and thus no narcotic capability. The plant is estimated to be used in more than 25,000 products spanning agriculture, textiles, recycling, automotive, furniture, food, nutrition, beverages, paper, construction materials and personal care.

“The American agricultural industry should not be held back by outdated restrictions on hemp production that prevent us from creating more jobs and growing our economy,” Warner said. “Hemp products are already bought, sold, and consumed right here in the United States. This bipartisan bill will help Virginia farmers, manufacturers and small businesses benefit from the economic growth we have seen in this industry.”

“Agriculture is Virginia’s leading economic sector, and I am always on the lookout for ways to support our agricultural economy,” Kaine said. “Hemp was grown in Virginia by Thomas Jefferson, and research and input from Virginia agricultural stakeholders, agricultural scientists at JMU and Virginia Tech, and economic development leaders like the Tobacco Commission have shown that it is safe and holds economic promise for rural Virginia. I’m satisfied that this bill takes sensible steps to address law enforcement concerns and, in turn, that it makes sense to remove industrial hemp from the federal controlled substance list.” 

The legislation will also give states the opportunity to become the primary regulators of hemp; allow hemp researchers to apply for competitive federal grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture; and make hemp farmers eligible to apply for crop insurance. The legislation also addresses law enforcement concerns about hemp’s similarity to marijuana by requiring states to submit hemp growth and production plans for USDA approval. The 2014 farm bill authorized industrial hemp to be made available for agricultural research purposes. Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the University of Virginia, and James Madison University have been active in hemp research in recent years.

View full text of the bill, here.

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $43,246,753 in federal funding to support affordable housing development across Virginia. The funding, which will go to 26 municipalities across the Commonwealth, has been awarded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Public Housing Capital Fund.

“Families all across the Commonwealth should have access to safe and affordable housing,” the Senators said. “We are pleased that these federal dollars will help support the health and safety of Virginia communities.”

President Trump’s FY 2019 budget eliminates funding for the Public Housing Capital Fund. The Capital Fund provides critical federal dollars to Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) in Virginia for the development, financing, and modernization of public housing developments and for managementimprovements. In March, Sens. Warner and Kaine voted in favor of the omnibus bill that provides more than $2.75 billion in funding to the Capital Fund program.

The selected Virginia housing authorities and funding amounts are listed below:

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined a group of bipartisan Senators in sending a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin, the Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, and the U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, urging the Administration to protect national security interests when negotiating the U.S.-China trade relationship. This comes after President Trump has publicly pledged to lift a seven-year ban on American firms doing business with Chinese telecom company ZTE.

“There can be no question that China seeks to surpass the U.S. both economically and militarily and become the world’s foremost superpower, and neither the Federal Government nor private U.S. companies should aid and abet that effort,” the Senators wrote.  “As such, we implore you to reject any proposal to soften restrictions on the transfer to China of U.S.-made military technologies and advanced dual-use technologies, including semiconductors." 

“We urge you not to compromise lawful U.S. enforcement actions against serial and pre-meditated violators of U.S. law, such as ZTE.  This is particularly critical when the violators are state-owned and -influenced, part and parcel of China’s policies and practices designed to strengthen its own national security innovation base, and essential tools of efforts to spread China’s influence in other countries that pose national security threats to the United States. Export control and sanctions laws should not be negotiable, because fidelity to the rule of law is a key part of what distinguishes the U.S. from a country like China that is ruled by a Communist dictatorship,” the Senators concluded.

As the Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Sen. Warner has publicly voiced his concern that rolling back trade restrictions on Chinese telecom company ZTE would pose significant national security risks to the United States. Last week, Sen. Warner joined a group of 34 Senators urging President Trump not reverse trade restrictions on ZTE. 

In addition to Sen. Warner, the letter was signed by Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), John Cornyn (R-TX), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Steve Daines (R-MT), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mike Rounds (R-SD), John Thune (R-SD), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Bob Casey (D-PA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bill Nelson (D-FL), David Perdue (R-GA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Angus King (I-ME)

Full text of the letter can be found below.

The Honorable Steven Mnuchin        

Secretary of the Treasury             

U.S. Department of the Treasury   

1500 Pennsylvania Ave., NW     

Washington, DC  20220              

The Honorable Wilbur Ross

Secretary of Commerce              

U.S. Department of Commerce

1401 Constitution Ave., NW     

Washington, DC  20230             

The Honorable Robert E. Lighthizer

U.S. Trade Representative

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

600 17th St., NW        

Washington, DC 20508

Dear Secretary Mnuchin, Secretary Ross, and Ambassador Lighthizer:

As you work to secure a fair and equitable trading and investment relationship with China for the American people, we write to express serious concerns over reports that China, in the ongoing negotiations, is pushing for access to U.S.-made military technologies and advanced dual-use technologies.  We strongly support these critical negotiations to rebalance the U.S.-China economic relationship, but U.S. national security must remain the paramount consideration.  Therefore, we strongly urge you to reject any proposal by China to loosen existing restrictions on the export or other transfer of these sensitive U.S. technologies.  Any such move would bolster China’s aggressive military modernization and significantly undermine long-term U.S. national security interests.  

We agree with General Joe Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that within seven years, China will pose the greatest threat to U.S. national security of any nation.  Likewise, we concur with the Department of Defense’s most recent report on “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China,” which states that “China’s military modernization is targeting capabilities with the potential to degrade core U.S. military-technological advantages.  To support this modernization, China uses a variety of methods to acquire foreign military and dual-use technologies . . . .  Several cases emerged in 2016 of China using its intelligence services, and employing other illicit approaches that violate U.S. laws and export controls, to obtain national security and export-restricted technologies, controlled equipment, and other materials.” 

Clearly, the Chinese Communist Party regards these sensitive technologies as essential for China’s military modernization and is accelerating its efforts to acquire such technologies through both legal and illegal means, including cyber theft, civil-military integration policies, coercion through joint ventures with foreign companies, targeted investment, and exploitation of the access of private Chinese nationals to such technologies.  We must guard against such efforts and remain vigilant in protecting our national security innovation base. 

As you know, export controls are designed to protect national security.  The relaxing of these or other technology transfer restrictions would directly contradict and undermine key parts of President Trump’s 2017 National Security Strategy (NSS).  The NSS states that, “China and Russia . . . are fielding military capabilities designed to deny America access in times of crisis and to contest our ability to operate freely in critical commercial zones during peacetime.  In short, they are contesting our geopolitical advantages and trying to change the international order in their favor.”

There can be no question that China seeks to surpass the U.S. both economically and militarily and become the world’s foremost superpower, and neither the Federal Government nor private U.S. companies should aid and abet that effort.  As such, we implore you to reject any proposal to soften restrictions on the transfer to China of U.S.-made military technologies and advanced dual-use technologies, including semiconductors.  We do support a balanced and constructive relationship with China, but one that is clear-eyed about China’s predatory, comprehensive efforts to acquire sensitive technologies that would increase the risk China poses to the United States and our allies in the Indo-Pacific region and elsewhere.  

In addition, we urge you not to compromise lawful U.S. enforcement actions against serial and pre-meditated violators of U.S. law, such as ZTE.  This is particularly critical when the violators are state-owned and -influenced, part and parcel of China’s policies and practices designed to strengthen its own national security innovation base, and essential tools of efforts to spread China’s influence in other countries that pose national security threats to the United States.  Export control and sanctions laws should not be negotiable, because fidelity to the rule of law is a key part of what distinguishes the U.S. from a country like China that is ruled by a Communist dictatorship. 

Thank you for your attention to these concerns. 

Sincerely,

CC:  The Honorable James N. Mattis, Secretary of Defense

        The Honorable Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State

         The Honorable John Bolton, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement on attempts to undermine the Special Counsel’s investigation:

“The first thing any new member of the Intelligence Committee learns is the critical importance of protecting sources and methods. Publicly outing a source risks not only their life, but the lives of every American, because when sources are burned it makes it that much harder for every part of the intelligence community to gather intelligence on those who wish to do us harm.

“It would be at best irresponsible, and at worst potentially illegal, for members of Congress to use their positions to learn the identity of an FBI source for the purpose of undermining the ongoing investigation into Russian interference in our election. Anyone who is entrusted with our nation’s highest secrets should act with the gravity and seriousness of purpose that knowledge deserves.”

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WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar, urging him to take swift action to stabilize the insurance marketplace. On May 4, the majority of health insurers filed initial rates with the Virginia Bureau of Insurance proposing to raise premiums between 15 and 64 percent in 2019 – a move that could impact more than 400,000 Virginians who purchase their health care coverage through the individual marketplace. 

“We are concerned that these substantial rate increases will negatively impact hundreds of thousands of individuals in Virginia that purchase their plans on the health insurance marketplace,” wrote the Senators. “Additionally, we are disappointed to know that these increased costs are largely a result of policies the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Republicans in Congress have pursued and implemented.”

In 2017, the Trump Administration ended cost sharing reduction payments under the Affordable Care Act, a move that subsequently destabilized the individual marketplace and increased premiums for people who do not receive financial assistance on the marketplace.  Since then, Congressional Republicans and the Administration have taken several steps to undermine the success of the Affordable Care Act, including repealing the individualmandate and expanding the availability of short-term health plans that don’t cover many basic health care costs such as prescription drugs, maternity care, or preventive health services. According to experts, expanding the availability of these plans – which don’t protect consumers from discrimination on the basis of age, gender, or pre-existing conditions – will draw younger and healthier consumers out of the health care marketplaces and further raise premiums for individuals who depend on the individual market to purchase their health care coverage.   

In filing their proposed rates for 2019 with the Virginia Bureau of Insurance, insurers directly cited the elimination of cost-sharing reductions, the expansion of short-term plans, and the elimination of the individual mandate to justify double-digit rate increases.  

“Double digit premium increases are not only unacceptable, they are also avoidable. We are committed to work with you to take proactive steps to lower premiums in Virginia and across the country. This would include prioritizing proposals that would establish a federal reinsurance program and continuing cost sharing reduction payments while adopting policies to hold harmless those people who do get financial help in the marketplace,” the Senators told Sec. Azar. “We also would encourage you to revise your recently proposed rule to expand the use of short term limited duration plans. Finally, we urge you to reverse recent policies to shorten the annual open enrollment period, slash funding for consumer outreach and assistance, and other efforts to undermine consumer protections. Without these important changes it is likely Virginians and other Americans will continue to experience significant premium increases in the future.”

In addition, according to a study by Medicare's chief actuary that was released on Tuesday, President Trump’s plan to expand short-term health insurance policies will drive up federal spending by $1.2 billion next year and by a total of $38.7 billion over 10 years – significantly more than the Trump Administration’s original estimates.

Sens. Warner and Kaine previously raised similar concerns in a public statement after Virginia insurers filed their initial rates for 2019.

The full text of today’s letter can be found below and here.

Honorable Alexander M. Azar II

Secretary

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

200 Independence Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20201 

Dear Secretary Azar,

We write to you regarding the 2019 proposed premium rates in Virginia. The majority of insurers filed proposed rates with the Virginia Bureau of Insurance earlier this month that propose to increase premium rates for plans on the health insurance marketplace between 15 and 64 percent in 2019. We are concerned that these substantial rate increases will negatively impact hundreds of thousands of individuals in Virginia that purchase their plans on the health insurance marketplace. Additionally, we are disappointed to know that these increased costs are largely a result of policies the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Republicans in Congress have pursued and implemented.

Virginia insurers have directly cited actions by HHS to eliminate cost sharing reduction payments, which increased premiums for those who don’t get financial help in the marketplace, and a recently proposed rule to expand the use of short term limited duration (STLD) plans when explaining the justification for their substantial rate increases. In addition, insurers have stated that premiums were further increased when Republicans in Congress and President Trump passed legislation repealing the individual shared responsibility provision. Together, these changes have made it more difficult – and in some cases impossible – for many Virginians to afford their health care premiums.

Doctors, hospitals, patient organizations and the medical community have raised concerns that the actions listed above will result in patients paying more money for less care. They have the potential to disproportionally hurt older Americans and individuals with pre-existing conditions by making it more difficult for them and other Virginians to get affordable plans that cover basic benefits such as hospitalization, behavioral health, prescription drugs, and maternity care. The Urban Institute estimated that the impact on premiums due to expanded STLD policies and the loss of the individual shared responsibility provision is 19 percent, while, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office projects that repeal of the ACA’s individual shared responsibility provision alone will increase individual market premiums by 10 percent in 2019.

Double digit premium increases are not only unacceptable, they are also avoidable. We are committed to work with you to take proactive steps to lower premiums in Virginia and across the country. This would include prioritizing proposals that would establish a federal reinsurance program and continuing cost sharing reduction payments while adopting policies to hold harmless those people who do get financial help in the marketplace. We also would encourage you to revise your recently proposed rule to expand the use of short term limited duration plans. Finally, we urge you to reverse recent policies to shorten the annual open enrollment period, slash funding for consumer outreach and assistance, and other efforts to undermine consumer protections. Without these important changes it is likely Virginians and other Americans will continue to experience significant premium increases in the future.

We are willing to work with you on the steps listed above and other proposals that will stabilize the health insurance marketplace and reduce premiums for enrollees. We simply ask that you work with us, rather than against us, to achieve the important and shared goal of ensuring affordable and accessible health care coverage for Virginians. Thank you for your consideration of our letter and we look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and co-founder of the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, released the following statement after the White House eliminated the role of Cybersecurity Coordinator on the National Security Council, a position created to harmonize the federal government’s approach to cybersecurity and digital warfare:  

“It’s frankly mindboggling that the Trump Administration has eliminated the top White House official responsible for a whole-of-government cyber strategy, at a time when the cyber threat to our nation is greater than ever. Our adversaries are investing heavily in 21st century cyber warfare capabilities, and if we only view national security through a conventional 20th century lens, we’re going to find ourselves unable to respond to increasingly asymmetric cyber threats down the road.”
 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined more than two hundred of their Senate and House colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar expressing opposition to the implementation of a domestic gag rule on Title X, the only federal grant program solely dedicated to family planning and related preventive services. This new gag rule would interfere with doctors’ ability to provide patients information about reproductive care. According to reports, President Trump could direct HHS to implement the rule as early as this month. 

Each year, roughly four million people rely on Title X-funded health centers for basic preventive health care, including cancer screenings, birth control, sexually transmitted infection screenings, pregnancy testing, and well-woman exams that include breast and pelvic examinations along with a pap smear. In Virginia, more than 140 health centers rely on Title X funding. In keeping with longstanding legal, ethical and medical standards of health care, Title X providers can offer patients medically accurate counseling on and referrals for all pregnancy options-including parenting, adoption, and abortion.

"The domestic gag rule would bar patients from receiving information to support their ability to make informed decisions about their own reproductive health," wrote the Senators. "We strongly oppose efforts to undermine the integrity of the Title X program and harm the millions of people who rely on it for care. Federal health policy should be evidence-based and produced with the best interests of patients in mind."

Reinstatement of the gag rule, which has never been fully implemented, would be President Trump's latest attempt to fulfill his pledge to "defund Planned Parenthood," whose health centers serve 40 percent of the patients who go to Title X for contraceptive care. If Planned Parenthood were eliminated as a Title X-funded provider, other Title X-funded health centers would have to expand their contraceptive caseloads by an average of 70 percent. The move would disproportionately impact communities of color, the uninsured, and low-income individuals, and could reverse progress made in critical areas. Title X has helped women avoid 822,000 unintended pregnancies, which would have resulted in 387,000 unplanned births and 278,000 abortions. Title X also yields critical cost savings to the American healthcare system - every dollar invested in Title X saves more than seven dollars in Medicaid-related costs.

Nearly two-thirds of Title X patients have incomes at or below the federal poverty level, and 43 percent of patients are uninsured. In 2016, nearly 4,000 Title X-funded health centers provided 720,000 Pap tests, nearly one million women with breast exams, and 1.2 million HIV tests. Title X providers offer confidential, medically accurate, and evidence-based care. Implementing a domestic gag rule would do enormous harm to the millions of patients across the country who count on the high standard of medical care provided by these health centers.

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

Dear Secretary Azar,

We are writing today in support of the Title X family planning program (Title X) and to express our strong opposition to any changes to Title X that would restrict access to affordable, high-quality and lifesaving reproductive healthcare in communities across the country.

Title X is the nation’s only federal program dedicated to providing family planning services to low-income and otherwise underserved individuals. Each year, roughly four million women, men, and adolescents rely on Title X-funded health centers for basic preventive health care, including cancer screenings, birth control, sexually transmitted infection (STI) screenings, pregnancy testing, and well-woman exams. Nearly two-thirds of Title X patients have incomes at or below the federal poverty level, and 43% of patients are uninsured. In 2016, nearly 4,000 Title X-funded health centers performed 720,000 Pap tests, provided nearly one million women with breast exams, and administered 1.2 million HIV tests. Title X providers offer confidential, medically accurate, and evidence-based care, ensuring that patients receive the highest standard of medical care.

In addition to providing care to low-income, uninsured, and underinsured individuals, Title X yields critical cost savings to the American healthcare system. Every dollar invested in Title X saves more than seven dollars in Medicaid-related costs. By helping individuals obtain the preventive services they need, Title X advances the health and well-being of individuals, families and our nation as a whole while saving taxpayer dollars in the process.

In keeping with longstanding legal, ethical and medical standards of healthcare, Title X providers offer patients medically accurate counseling on and referrals for all pregnancy options—including parenting, adoption and abortion. The Title X program has never funded abortion services at its health centers. Health centers that receive Title X to provide family planning care may also separately provide abortions using non-federal funds. 

In spite of the critical role that Title X-funded health centers play in promoting the health and wellbeing of millions of people, President Trump may seek to dramatically reduce the reach of Title X by reinstating the “domestic gag rule,” which was first issued under the Reagan administration but was never fully implemented.  This “gag rule” would bar patients from receiving information to support their ability to make informed decisions about their own reproductive health. This means that the millions of patients who obtain care at Title X-funded health centers annually would be denied the ability to receive complete and accurate information about their medical options, including counseling on, and referrals, for abortion. On top of the ban on counseling and referrals, the “gag rule” would impose additional requirements intended to bar providers from participating in Title X that also separately provide abortion services. 

Calls to reinstate these policies directly acknowledge this effort as an opportunity for President Trump to fulfill his pledge to “defund Planned Parenthood,” whose health centers remain an essential part of the family planning safety net, serving 40 percent of Title X patients. In reality, other providers of Title X-funded care would face immense challenges in attempting to absorb the patients that would lose access to care if Planned Parenthood were eliminated as a Title X-funded provider. According to recent analyses, other Title X-funded providers would have to expand their contraceptive caseloads by an average of 70 percent just to maintain access to contraceptive care at current levels. 

A “domestic gag rule” would have a devastating impact on the overall Title X network and the millions of individuals who rely on it for care. This move would disproportionately impact communities of color, the uninsured, and low-income individuals, and it could reverse progress made in critical areas. For example, unintended pregnancy rates in the U.S.—including those among teenagers—have been declining.  We cannot threaten to reverse this progress by crippling Title X: in 2015 alone, the contraceptive services supported by Title X helped women to avoid 822,000 unintended pregnancies, which would have resulted in 387,000 unplanned births and 278,000 abortions.

We strongly oppose efforts to undermine the integrity of the Title X program and harm the millions of people who rely on it for care. Federal health policy should be evidence-based and produced with the best interests of patients in mind.

Sincerely,

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today held a closed hearing to complete its review of the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on “Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections.”  The testimony of former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former Director of CIA John Brennan, and former Director of NSA Mike Rogers will inform the Committee’s final report on this “chapter” of its Russia inquiry.

Chairman Burr said, “The first task in our inquiry was to evaluate the Intelligence Community’s work on this important piece of analysis.  Committee staff have spent 14 months reviewing the sources, tradecraft, and analytic work, and we see no reason to dispute the conclusions.  There is no doubt that Russia undertook an unprecedented effort to interfere with our 2016 elections.  I look forward to completing the Committee’s inquiry and issuing our findings and recommendations to the American people.” 

“Despite the short time frame they had to prepare it, the intelligence community did a very good job with the ICA,” said Vice Chairman Warner.“After a thorough review, our staff concluded that the ICA conclusions were accurate and on point. The Russian effort was extensive, sophisticated, and ordered by President Putin himself for the purpose of helping Donald Trump and hurting Hillary Clinton. In order to protect our democracy from future threats, we must understand what happened in 2016. And while our Committee’s investigation remains ongoing, one thing is already abundantly clear – we have to do a better job in the future if we want to protect our elections from foreign interference.”

Today’s closed hearing is a bookend to the hearing the Committee held in January 10, 2017, on Russian Active Measures.  Staff will finalize this chapter of the report on the Intelligence Community’s work and submit it for a classification review. 

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WASHINGTON – During a hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today to consider the nomination of Bill Evanina to serve as the nation’s top counterintelligence official, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), the Committee’s Vice Chairman, voiced concern that rolling back trade restrictions on Chinese telecom company ZTE would pose significant national security risks to the United States.

In recent days, President Trump has publicity expressed his desire to reverse trade restrictions placed on the company for violating sanctions on Iran and North Korea. 

“On the question of counterintelligence with China, a number of members of this committee have raised concerns about certain Chinese telecom companies and their penetration into the American market. I was actually pleased that the President acted on one of those companies, ZTE. Now it appears that that is simply a bargaining chip in negotiations with China. I don’t think that is the appropriate way,” said Sen. Warner during the nomination hearing. 

“If this is a security threat, then it is a security threat and needs to be dealt with as such — not as a bargaining chip in greater trade negotiations,” added Sen. Warner.

On Sunday, May 13 Trump tweeted, “President Xi of China, and I, are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast. Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done!” The next day, Trump followed with another tweet: “ZTE, the large Chinese phone company, buys a big percentage of individual parts from U.S. companies. This is also reflective of the larger trade deal we are negotiating with China and my personal relationship with President Xi.”

Earlier today, Sen. Warner joined a group of 34 Senators urging President Trump not to reverse trade restrictions on ZTE.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that the College of William and Mary (W&M) will receive $1,199,858 in federal funding to recruit Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) students to become secondary school mathematics and science teachers.

“This critical funding will support the recruitment of math and science teachers to six high need school districts,” said the Senators. “Enhancing STEM education is a critical priority, and we are thrilled that William & Mary students and the National Science Foundation are partnering with schools in the local community to pursue this important endeavor.”

The funds, awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), will provide scholarships and stipends to help encourage outstanding mathematics majors to explore a career in education, help students sustain an enduring commitment to teaching STEM, and develop students' ability to connect effectively with diverse communities. As a result of the project, William & Mary hopes to prepare and place 33 new teachers to work with six high needs school districts in rural, suburban and urban schools in Gloucester, New Kent, York, Williamsburg-James City, Newport News and Hampton counties.

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