Press releases
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2,088 rows where chamber = "House", state = "VA" and year = 2018 sorted by date descending
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| url | title | date ▲ | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399069 | Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 12.31.18 | 2018-12-31 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | VA | Morgan Griffith | G000568 | morgangriffith.house.gov | legacy | The year 1619 does not loom as large in American memory as some others from our colonial experience. When thinking of those early times of English settlement in North America, 1607, the year Jamestown was founded, and 1620, when the Pilgrims landed in what is now Massachusetts, are more likely to come to mind. Yet the events of 1619 had a profound impact. They are worth remembering as we enter 2019 and mark the passage of 400 years. One of them was a great stain: the beginning of slavery in English North America, with the first record of enslaved Africans arriving in Jamestown. While slavery ended with the Thirteenth Amendment passed by a Republican Congress in 1865 and subsequently ratified by the states, its effects still linger. Another event marked a major shift in the culture of Jamestown: the first large-scale recruitment of women to the colony. While some women had arrived earlier, the settlement retained the overall character of the soldiers and adventurers who had first established it. The Virginia Company's recruitment of about 90 women introduced families into the social fabric of the colony and gave it longer-term prospects. A third event was one of our Commonwealth's signal contributions to the American story. In a church in Jamestown on July 30, the Governor, four councilors, and 22 burgesses representing the colony's jurisdictions gathered. They reviewed the laws imposed by the Virginia Company and its charter, regulated commerce and settler conduct, and heard grievances from the colonists. That first session lasted less than a week, adjourning on August 4 due to the summer heat, but it was the beginning of what is today the House of Delegates, the oldest elected legislative body to have continuously met in the world. I say continuously met as, although the Parliament of the United Kingdom has older roots than our House of Delegates (the rules of that first Assembly were modeled on English parliamentary procedure), during the rule of Oliver Cromwell in the 1650s Parliament was dissolved and … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-navy-block-buy-decision | Kaine Statement On Navy Block Buy Decision | 2018-12-31 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 31, 2018 Kaine Statement On Navy Block Buy Decision WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement today after the Navy announced its intent to block buy two Ford-class aircraft carriers: I'm thrilled the Navy has decided to pursue a block buy for aircraft carriers, something I've been advocating to save billions in taxpayer dollars and offer more certainty to the Hampton Roads defense community. This smart move will save taxpayer dollars and help ensure the shipyards can maintain a skilled workforce to get the job done.Newport News buildsthe finest carriers in the world, and I know they are ready to handle this increase in work as we make progress toward the Navy's goal of a 355-ship fleet. Kaine has long supported the block buying of aircraft carriers. He has championed language in annual defense and funding bills to allow for a block buy and frequently discussed the benefits with military leadership. ### Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/senators-urge-trump-to-reverse-course-raise-pay-for-federal-employees | Senators Urge Trump to Reverse Course, Raise Pay for Federal Employees | 2018-12-31 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 31, 2018 Senators Urge Trump to Reverse Course, Raise Pay for Federal Employees ~Senate had approved 1.9 percent pay increase on a bipartisan basisbut on December 28,the President unilaterallyimposed a pay freeze for non-military federal workers~ WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) sent a letter to President Donald Trump, urging him in the strongest possible terms toback off aplannedpay freeze forcivilian federal employees in 2019. "We write to urge you in the strongest possible terms to reverse your decision to freeze pay rates for non-military federal workers in 2019. After months of indecisiveness and mixed signals, your decision further penalizes hard-working federal employees already straining under the impact of the unnecessary government shutdown that began on December 22nd,"the Senators told Trump."Freezing pay for federal workers adds insult to injury for dedicated public servants already subject to political attacks and gamesmanship." While the White House's FY19 budget proposed an across-the-board pay freeze for non-military federal workers, in August, the Senate approved appropriations legislation providing for a 1.9 percent pay increase for federal workers. However, the House's failure to take up the bill allowed President Trump to sign an executive order on December 28 -- day six of thepartial government shutdown -- unilaterallyfreezing pay for civilian federal employees. In today's letter, the Senators pushed Trump to change course, highlighting bipartisan support for the Senate-passed 1.9 percent pay raise. They also underscored how freezing pay hinders the federal government's hiring competitiveness with the private sector, and called out the President for not doing more to prioritize human capital investments. The Senators also committed to working towards a pay adjustmentfor FY19 if President Trump fails to reverse his decision. "There should be a … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/sen-warner-on-the-president-signing-the-ashanti-alert-act-into-law | Sen. Warner on the President Signing the Ashanti Alert Act Into Law | 2018-12-31 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement after President Trump signed the Ashanti Alert Act legislation that will create a new federal alert system for missing or endangered adults between the ages of 18-64into law: "Despite the tragic loss of Ashanti Billie, with the love and support of Meltony and Brandy Billie along with the Hampton Roads community, the Ashanti Alert Act is now law of the land. In this New Year, it is my hope that this important law enforcement tool can help save countless lives." The Ashanti Alert Act is named after Ashanti Billie, the 19-year-old who was abducted in Norfolk, Va. on September 18, 2017. Her body was discovered in North Carolina 11 days after she was first reported missing. At the time of Ashanti's abduction, she was too old for an Amber Alert and too young for a Silver Alert. The Ashanti Alert, like the other alert systems, would notify the public about missing or endangered adults, ages 18-64, through a national communications network to assist law enforcement in the search. In June, Gov. Northam signed into law legislation introduced by Del. Jay Jones creating a statewide Ashanti Alert system in Virginia. In September, the House of Representatives unanimously passed its version of theAshanti Alert Act, which was introduced by outgoing Congressman Scott Taylor. After the House billin its original formwas blocked from passing in the Senate, Sen. Warner worked with his colleagues to make modifications to the bill to allow for its eventualpassage by unanimous consentin that chamber. In December, the House of Representatives passed the modified Ashanti Alert Act, sending it to the President's desk for signature. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/senators-urge-trump-to-reverse-course-raise-pay-for-federal-employees | Senators Urge Trump to Reverse Course, Raise Pay for Federal Employees | 2018-12-31 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) sent a letter to President Donald Trump, urging him in the strongest possible terms toback off aplannedpay freeze forcivilian federal employees in 2019. "We write to urge you in the strongest possible terms to reverse your decision to freeze pay rates for non-military federal workers in 2019. After months of indecisiveness and mixed signals, your decision further penalizes hard-working federal employees already straining under the impact of the unnecessary government shutdown that began on December 22nd,"the Senators told Trump."Freezing pay for federal workers adds insult to injury for dedicated public servants already subject to political attacks and gamesmanship." While the White House's FY19 budget proposed an across-the-board pay freeze for non-military federal workers, in August, the Senate approved appropriations legislation providing for a 1.9 percent pay increase for federal workers. However, the House's failure to take up the bill allowed President Trump to sign an executive order on December 28 -- day six of thepartial government shutdown -- unilaterallyfreezing pay for civilian federal employees. In today's letter, the Senators pushed Trump to change course, highlighting bipartisan support for the Senate-passed 1.9 percent pay raise. They also underscored how freezing pay hinders the federal government's hiring competitiveness with the private sector, and called out the President for not doing more to prioritize human capital investments. The Senators also committed to working towards a pay adjustmentfor FY19 if President Trump fails to reverse his decision. "There should be a particular sense of urgency in bolstering, rather than undermining, the competitiveness of the federal workforce considering that the share of federal employees eligible for retirement is expected to jump to 30 percent in five years,"the Senators wrote. "As a busin… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/statement-sen-warner-on-navy-s-announcement-to-block-buy-two-ford-class-aircraft-carriers | Sen. Warner on Navy's Announcement to Block Buy Two Ford-Class Aircraft Carriers | 2018-12-31 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement after the U.S. Navy announced they will block buy two Gerald R. Ford aircraft carriers: I am pleased that the Navy has announced its plan to move forward in the procurement of two aircraft carriers, which will generate significant cost savings for taxpayers. This announcement is not only important for the men and women of the Newport News shipbuilding industry, it also makes a critical investment in our nation's defense by ensuring the Navy has the capabilities needed to combat any adversary. Sen. Warner has continued to express support for the block buy of Ford-class aircraft carriers that would save taxpayer dollars and strengthen our national defense. In December 2017, Sen. Warner joined Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and 15 Senators in a letter to Defense Secretary James Mattis to support the Pentagon's pursuit in the block buy in FY2019. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/op-ed | Op-Ed: Stop treating federal employees like bargaining chips, Mr. President | 2018-12-28 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | Roughly 2 million civilian employees work for the federal government. They are men and women of every racial background and from every state in the country. Yet there is one thing they all have in common: They made a choice to serve, even knowing, in many cases, that they could be making more money in the private sector. Unfortunately, it appears that we have a president who, rather than leading the nation's public workforce, consistently chooses to belittle it. The latest example came when the president took to Twitter on Thursday morning, day six of an unnecessary government shutdown instigated by congressional Republicans at President Trump's behest. In what has become a familiar pattern of politicizing the largely nonpartisan, nuts-and-bolts work of the federal government, Trump tried to exert political pressure on congressional Democrats to fund his ineffective border wall by asking: Do the Dems realize that most of the people not getting paid are Democrats? What the president fails to understand is that federal employees don't go to work wearing red or blue jerseys. What they do wear are the badges of law enforcement and the hats of park rangers and the uniforms of first responders, and they make up the backbone of our government. They bring their skills and expertise to strengthen our nation and make a difference in the lives of their fellow citizens, regardless of political affiliation. As the senior senator from Virginia, I represent hundreds of thousands of federal employees and service members. I have no idea how many of them are Democrats, but I know this: They include voters and nonvoters alike; they are independents and Republicans and Democrats and libertarians and vegetarians. Those who are hurt by this shutdown include Forest Service firefighters and National Weather Service forecasters in red states, and U.S. marshals and Drug Enforcement Administration agents in blue states. What distinguishes them isn't their partisan affiliation it's their commitment to serving our country. Like … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-on-trump-shutdown | Scott Statement on Trump Shutdown | 2018-12-22 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement: Republicans currently control the House of Representatives, the Senate and the White House, yet we are entering the second government shutdownthisyear. The Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan solution to keep the government open until February 8thwhile we continue to debate the best way tofund the government for the remainder of the fiscal year, and House Democrats were willing to support that compromise. However, House Republicans blockeda clean continuing resolutionat the request of President Trump. This Republican dysfunction will force government employees to pay the price. 800,000 of them will be forced to go without pay during the holidays including 420,000 federal employees who will have to work without pay. This shutdown will needlesslyhurt federal employees andunderminepublic safety. I stand willing and ready to find common ground to do right thing for the American people. # # # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/mceachin-statement-partial-government-shutdown | McEachin Statement on Partial Government Shutdown | 2018-12-22 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | A. McEachin | M001200 | mceachin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) issued this statement on President Trump's partial government shutdown: At the expense of the American people, President Trump got exactly what he asked for another government shutdown. Shutting down our government jeopardizes our economy as well as denies Americans their income and services. Unfortunately, House Republicans decided that funding for the divisive border wall was more important than governing in the best interest of the people when we had the opportunity to avoid this shutdown. ### Contact: Jamitress Bowden (202) 306-0546 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2366 | Wittman Statement on Government Shutdown | 2018-12-22 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | VA | Robert Wittman | W000804 | wittman.house.gov | legacy | The House has done our job. We passed a funding bill that not only kept our government open, but provided the necessary appropriations to keep our nation safe. This situation was completely avoidable, and it all stems back to a broken budgeting system. As I've done in every session since I've been in Congress, I have been urging leadership to fund our government with a budget passed through regular order instead of budgeting by crisis through a Continuing Resolution (CR). Our government needs long term budget certainty and they cannot continue working under the constraints of yet another CR. I am disappointed in Congress for allowing our funding decisions to get to this critical point and for not being able to come to an agreement on how to move forward without allowing a partial government shutdown. The federal workforce deserves the certainty of proper funding to do their jobs. To protect them during this lapse in appropriations, Representative Beyer (VA-8) and I introduced legislation that would guarantee back pay to all furloughed federal workers. This shutdown means that now, more than ever, it is absolutely critical that Congress get back to passing a budget and appropriations bills on time. For years now, I have introduced a resolution that says that Congress can't leave for August recess until all 12 appropriations bills have passed the House. That resolution would make it so we don't find ourselves in situations like this one. We can't continue to find ourselves in these completely avoidable, crisis situations. We must work for a permanent solution that will provide a path to fiscal certainty for our federal agencies. Congressman Rob Wittman represents the 1st District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he is the Chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399067 | Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 12.21.18 | 2018-12-21 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | VA | Morgan Griffith | G000568 | morgangriffith.house.gov | legacy | Christmas brings with it many traditions and memories. Whether a family gathering, an annual party, a song, a food, or something else, almost everyone has something they look forward to savoring at this time of year. I recall from my childhood the delight my sister Betsy and I took for years in a Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer decoration my mother made for her classroom and brought home from the school where she taught. It was a profile cutout with the body covered in white cotton balls and a red ball nose. From when we were three or four years old to about fifteen, we insisted that it hang on the door of our little house on Broad Street, even having it remade when the original one wore out. Certain songs and books centered on Christmas still strike a chord, year after year, and I have used this column during the holiday season to dwell on some of my favorites, each with its own backstory making it especially powerful or resonant. For example, to return to Rudolph, this story originated with a Montgomery Ward catalog writer named Robert L. May. He created the red-nosed reindeer for a coloring book the store gave to children, pouring himself into it after his wife passed away. With the help of his brother-in-law, a composer, May then fashioned the story into a song. Several high-profile singers passed on recording it, so the legend goes, but Gene Autry's wife persuaded him to sing it. His version is the one most familiar to us. In 2014, I wrote in my Christmas column about Charles Dickens' first novel, The Pickwick Papers, which he published in 1837. One of its stories involved a lonely, miserable man, who on Christmas Eve was shown the past and the future by supernatural beings and reformed his life as a consequence. If this story strikes you as familiar even though you have never read The Pickwick Papers, you may recognize it as the general plot to a book Dickens published six years later. A Christmas Carol, Dickens' tale of the reformation of the miser Ebenezer Scrooge after his haunting by the Ghosts … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1139 | Beyer And Connolly Seek GSA Action To Correct Asbestos Tracking Deficiencies In Federal Buildings, Following GAO Report | 2018-12-21 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Donald Beyer | B001292 | beyer.house.gov | legacy | Congressmen Don Beyer and Gerry Connolly today wrote to the Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) seeking fixes to problems identified by a General Accountability Office investigative report into asbestos in federal buildings. The report found that the GSA has failed to abide by its own tracking and recording guidelines, including the operation of a tracking database called IRIS, which tracks asbestos surveys in GSA-owned buildings constructed prior to 1998. The Representatives wrote: As you are aware, GSA's policy requires that the agency should have an asbestos survey in each building constructed prior to 1998, when asbestos was widely used in building construction, and should enter the results of that survey into GSA's building inventory database, IRIS. However, according to GAO, asbestos-related survey data was missing for 66 percent of the 436 GSA-controlled office buildings constructed prior to 1998. In addition, although GSA policy requires annual reinspection of asbestos-containing material in federal buildings to assess their condition and whether they pose a potential health risk, the GSA's inventory database that is supposed to track this information did not have a data field designed to capture the reinspection information. Adding a data field to properly capture this information should not be a difficult fix. The GAO recommended that GSA take action to address asbestos-related shortcomings in the agency's federal building database by: (1) implementing a plan to enter the missing asbestos data (either by obtaining the $550,000 for system upgrades or training additional individuals to use the current database); and (2) adding a mechanism to track the reinspection data for asbestos-containing materials (or ensuring that the aforementioned database upgrade includes this fix). Failure to make these minor upgrades to the system would be negligent with regard to federal employees' health and safety. We urge you to prioritize this $550,000 for the database system upgrades in your FY… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-on-secretary-devos-rescinding-guidance-that-protect | Scott Statement on Secretary DeVos Rescinding Guidance that Protect Students Civil Rights | 2018-12-21 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | As originally released by the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Democrats WASHINGTON, DC Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Department of Education announced that it is rescinding the 2014 ED-DOJ Discipline Guidance. The Department's decision to rescind the 2014 discipline guidance will undermine access to a quality education for students of color and students with disabilities. The guidance was issued to help schools address thetroubling and undeniable evidencethat Black students, boys, and students with disabilities receive harsher punishments than their classmates for similar or lesser offenses, without jeopardizing students' safety. Rescinding the guidance will stall, if not reverse our progress toward addressing these disparities. Even worse, by using the school safety commission report to justify this decision, the Department is sending a terrible message that schools are safest when they discriminate against students of color. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act expressly prohibits policies and programs that disproportionately impact students of color, regardless of their intent. With or without the discipline guidance, the administration is legally responsible for ensuring school discipline policies do not have a disparate impact on historically disadvantaged students. Congress must hold the administration accountable for meeting its obligation to fully enforce federal civil rights law and for providing justifications for this decision based on facts, not rhetoric. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1529 | Beyer and Connolly Seek GSA Action To Correct Asbestos Tracking Deficiencies In Federal Buildings, Following GAO Report | 2018-12-21 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Congressmen Don Beyer and Gerry Connolly today wrote to the Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) seeking fixes to problems identified by a General Accountability Office investigative report into asbestos in federal buildings. The report found that the GSA has failed to abide by its own tracking and recording guidelines, including the operation of a tracking database called IRIS, which tracks asbestos surveys in GSA-owned buildings constructed prior to 1998.The Representatives wrote: As you are aware, GSA's policy requires that the agency should have an asbestos survey in each building constructed prior to 1998, when asbestos was widely used in building construction, and should enter the results of that survey into GSA's building inventory database, IRIS. However, according to GAO, asbestos-related survey data was missing for 66 percent of the 436 GSA-controlled office buildings constructed prior to 1998. In addition, although GSA policy requires annual reinspection of asbestos-containing material in federal buildings to assess their condition and whether they pose a potential health risk, the GSA's inventory database that is supposed to track this information did not have a data field designed to capture the reinspection information. Adding a data field to properly capture this information should not be a difficult fix. The GAO recommended that GSA take action to address asbestos-related shortcomings in the agency's federal building database by: (1) implementing a plan to enter the missing asbestos data (either by obtaining the $550,000 for system upgrades or training additional individuals to use the current database); and (2) adding a mechanism to track the reinspection data for asbestos-containing materials (or ensuring that the aforementioned database upgrade includes this fix). Failure to make these minor upgrades to the system would be negligent with regard to federal employees' health and safety. We urge you to prioritize this $550,000 for the database system upgrades in your FY2020… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/mceachin-statement-decision-rescind-2014-discipline-guidance-package | McEachin Statement on Decision to Rescind 2014 Discipline Guidance Package | 2018-12-21 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | A. McEachin | M001200 | mceachin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) issued this statement following Secretary DeVos' decision to rescind the 2014 Discipline Guidance Package: Rescinding the Obama-era discipline guidance is extremely disappointing but not surprising. Over the last two years, the Trump Administration has actively worked since day one to weaken or eliminate critical civil rights protections for students. Rescinding the guidelines that have helped make schools fairer and safer while reducing unfair discipline disparities will harm students of color and students with disabilities. With this move, the administration sends a clear message that it is not committed to ensuring fair and equitable treatment of all children in our nation's schools. These disparities exist in my congressional district, and I have worked extensively to address them in several ways, including my call last year for a district-wide investigation of our school systems. Instead of removing these protections, Secretary DeVos should maintain and expand them. With or without the discipline guidance, the administration is still legally responsible for ensuring students are free from discrimination. I look forward to working with my colleagues next Congress to ensure the administration does its job and protects our children. ### Background: As the son of a special education teacher, Congressman McEachin worked for decades to address school discipline issues as a member of Virginia's General Assembly and has continued that work in the 115th Congress. Rep. McEachin co-led a bicameral letter in support of preserving the 2014 Discipline Guidance Package and hosted a congressional briefing with Ranking Member Bobby Scott on protecting students' civil rights. Contact: Jamitress Bowden (202) 225-6365 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://tomgarrett.house.gov/media/press-releases/us-withdrawal-spells-doom-minority-communities-middle-east | U.S. Withdrawal Spells Doom for Minority Communities in the Middle East | 2018-12-21 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | VA | Thomas Garrett | G000580 | tomgarrett.house.gov | legacy | Bipartisan Letter to President Trump Regarding Troop Withdrawal From Syria WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Representative Tom Garrett (VA05) is expected to deliver a letter to President Trump urging a reversal of this week's announcement to withdraw American troops from Syria. Joining him are over a dozen bipartisan cosponsors who share the same concern over this decision with more members still signing on late into the afternoon. In this letter, these collective members state: Removing troops from Syria at this time poses a threat to the national security of the United States. Your administration has made great and effective strides in the fight to combat ISIS and to counter terrorism around the world. The nearly 2,000 servicemen and women stationed in Syria play a pivotal role in rooting out the remaining ISIS cells in the Northeast region of the country. U.S. troops must remain in country until all immenent threats haveabated. During Thanksgiving recess, Garrett traveled to Northeastern Syria and Iraq and met with Syrian Democratic Forces including Kurds, Arabs, and Christians on the ground. While there, he obtained firsthand knowledge of the dire necessity of continued cooperation between the United States and its allies in the region. Over the last fifteen years, the Christian population of Iraq and Syria has been slashed by ethnic cleansing and genocide plummeting from three million to under five hundred thousand in that time frame alone. In referencing this number, Garrett added, If the U.S. withdraws now, there is arguably no future for Christians in the region. Last week, Rep. Garrett delivered aFloor speechoutlining his visit and the evolving situation with Turkey's aggressive expansion into Kurdish controlled regions of Syria. Full text of the letter may be seen above. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/a-look-back-at-2018 | A Look Back at 2018 | 2018-12-21 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | News Alert: Sign Up for E-Newsletters News Alert: Click Here for Resources for Federal Workers | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-06-27T23:11:43Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-trump-decision-to-withdraw-troops-from-afghanistan-and-syria | Kaine Statement On Trump Decision To Withdraw Troops From Afghanistan And Syria | 2018-12-21 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 21, 2018 Kaine Statement On Trump Decision To Withdraw Troops From Afghanistan And Syria WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement on President Trump's decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and Syria: Just this month,military leaders confirmed to me that there were no plans to change our military strategy in Afghanistan. The President's decision to withdraw American forces from Syria and Afghanistan on a whim are thelatest in a series of reckless decisions by a Commander in Chief who advances his political goals at the expense of our security. By ignoring the advice of his military advisors, President Trump's incoherent decision-making is destroying partnerships we have forgedwith allies across the world. This irresponsible move by the President poses a serious threat to servicemembers as they conduct a hasty withdrawal in an uncertain security environment. ### Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-and-kaine-celebrate-bill-renaming-charlottesville-post-office-becoming-law | Warner & Kaine Celebrate Bill Renaming Charlottesville Post Office Becoming Law | 2018-12-21 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 21, 2018 Warner & Kaine Celebrate Bill Renaming Charlottesville Post Office Becoming Law WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine celebrated that the bill to rename a Charlottesville post office as the Captain Humayun Khan Post Office was signed into lawtoday.U?.S. Army Captain Humayun Khan, a graduate of the University of Virginia, was born on September 9, 1976, and died on June 8, 2004, while in service to his country during Operation Iraqi Freedom.He was killed by an improvised explosive device outside of his base in Baqubah, Iraq.His efforts that morning saved the lives of more than one hundred soldiers. Captain Khan is revered not only in Charlottesville, but across the nation,the Senators said.With the dedicationof this post office, we're showing the Khan family that we're forever grateful forhis service and sacrifice for our country. The United States Postal Service (USPS) facility is located at 180 McCormick Road in Charlottesville, Virginia. The bill, introduced by Congressman Tom Garrett, cleared the House unanimously on November 29thand passed the Senate on December 12th. In early December, Warner and Kainewrote to theChair and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, the Senate Committee that overseesUSPS, voicing their support for renaming the post office. ### Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/call-on-trump-administration-to-stop-pushing-health-insurance-plans-that-weaken-pre-existing-condition-protections | Call On Trump Administration to Stop Pushing Health Insurance Plans That Weaken Pre-Existing Condition Protections | 2018-12-21 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Today U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) led a group of 38 Senators in calling on the Trump Administration to withdraw recent changes that makes it easier for states to promote junk plans. These health care plans typically lack protections for people with pre-existing conditions and would increase costs for millions of Americans. Under the Administration's new guidance, states can use federal subsidies to pay for these subpar plans by utilizing a section of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) intended to give states additional flexibility to implement targeted improvements that expand coverage, reduce costs and provide more comprehensive benefits. The Senators argue that the Administration is improperly using Section 1332 to allow states to do the exact opposite. We have serious concerns they will increase health care costs for millions of consumers while weakening protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions. In light of substantive concerns that we have with the impact on patients, and procedural concerns that we have with the manner in which these significant policy changes have been promulgated, we ask that you immediately withdraw this guidance and re-engage with stakeholders, states, and Congress,said the Senators in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma, and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. The Senators made it clear these actions did not reflect Congress' intent in creating the 1332 waiver program, stating the Administration's recent guidance significantly changes enforcement of these four important guardrails, undermining Congressional intent and posing a significant risk to consumers that now have affordable and comprehensive health coverage. Additionally the proposed changes, which were outlined in guidance provided by the Administration and a discussion paper released a few months back, will allow states to increase out-of… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/senate-intel-vice-chair-warner-on-dni-report | Senate Intel Vice Chair Warner on DNI Report | 2018-12-21 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the below statement after the Director of National Intelligence concluded that Russia and other foreign countries used social media and additional means of influence to target Americans during the 2018 midterm elections: As the Director of National Intelligence reminds us, the Russians did not go away after the 2016 election. Now that the Russian playbook is out in the open, we're going to see more and more adversaries trying to take advantage of the openness of our society to sow division and attempt to manipulate Americans. Congress has to step up and enact some much-needed guardrails on social media, and companies need to work with us so that we can update our laws to better protect against attacks on our democracy. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/statement-senate-intel-vice-chair-warner-on-dni-report | STATEMENT: Senate Intel Vice Chair Warner on DNI Report | 2018-12-21 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the below statement after the Director of National Intelligence concluded that Russia and other foreign countries used social media and additional means of influence to target Americans during the 2018 midterm elections: As the Director of National Intelligence reminds us, the Russians did not go away after the 2016 election. Now that the Russian playbook is out in the open, we're going to see more and more adversaries trying to take advantage of the openness of our society to sow division and attempt to manipulate Americans. Congress has to step up and enact some much-needed guardrails on social media, and companies need to work with us so that we can update our laws to better protect against attacks on our democracy. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/warner-kaine-celebrate-bill-renaming-charlottesville-post-office-after-captain-khan-becoming-law | Warner & Kaine Celebrate Bill Renaming Charlottesville Post Office After Captain Khan Becoming Law | 2018-12-21 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine celebrated that the bill to rename a Charlottesville post office as the Captain Humayun Khan Post Office was signed into lawtoday.U .S. Army Captain Humayun Khan, a graduate of the University of Virginia, was born on September 9, 1976, and died on June 8, 2004, while in service to his country during Operation Iraqi Freedom.He was killed by an improvised explosive device outside of his base in Baqubah, Iraq.His efforts that morning saved the lives of more than one hundred soldiers. Captain Khan is revered not only in Charlottesville, but across the nation,the Senators said.With the dedicationof this post office, we're showing the Khan family that we're forever grateful forhis service and sacrifice for our country. The United States Postal Service (USPS) facility is located at 180 McCormick Road in Charlottesville, Virginia. The bill, introduced by Congressman Tom Garrett, cleared the House unanimously on November 29thand passed the Senate on December 12th. In early December, Warner and Kainewrote to theChair and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, the Senate Committee that overseesUSPS, voicing their support for renaming the post office. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1134 | Beyer and Wittman Introduce Legislation To Protect Federal Workers Pay As Government Shutdown Looms | 2018-12-20 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Donald Beyer | B001292 | beyer.house.gov | legacy | Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) and Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) today will introduce the Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act, legislation to guarantee back pay to furloughed workers in the event of a government shutdown. Funding for the federal government expires at midnight tomorrow. We do not want a government shutdown, but if it comes our bill would protect federal workers from the worst of the consequences, said Rep. Beyer. This legislation is designed to shield civil servants, who need to support their families, from the disastrous effects of failure to agree on a measure to fund the government. We hope it will not be needed, but time is running out and the current outlook is not good. The bill currently has 66 bipartisan cosponsors. "Federal employees should not be penalized for Congress' inability to get its job done on time," Rep. Wittman said. "This legislation sends a clear signal to our federal workers that they will not be harmed in the unfortunate event of a shutdown. While this legislation would minimize the impacts of funding uncertainty, my focus remains on returning Congress to a regular schedule of budgeting and passing appropriations bills." Together the two Virginia Congressmen represent nearly 120,000 federal employees. A shutdown would temporarily suspend paychecks for federal employees in affected agencies, and retroactive pay for federal workers must be approved by Congress. The Beyer-Wittman legislation would guarantee that no federal employees would lose pay if a government shutdown occurs. Similar legislation was passed to pay civil servants in the wake of the government shutdown in early 2018. Text of the Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act can be found here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-on-passage-of-first-step-act | Scott Statement on Passage of First Step Act | 2018-12-20 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the First Step Act of 2018: Our criminal justice system is long overdue for significant and comprehensive reform. For far too long, policymakers have chosen to play politics by enacting so-called tough on crime' slogans and soundbites, such as three strikes and you're out,' mandatory minimum sentencing,' and even rhymes such as, you do the adult crime, you do the adult time.' These policies may sound appealing, but their impact ranges from a negligible reduction in crime to an actual increase in crime. A better policy has always been to follow evidence and research to reduce crime and save money. I voted in favor of the First Step Act when it was first considered in the House in May of this year, despite my concerns with the process. I commend Representatives Jeffries and Collins for incorporating several provisions that I have advocated for over the last several congresses. These include fixing the calculation of good time credits, improving the auditing process for enforcing the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), prohibiting the shackling of pregnant and post-partum women, expanding the use and transparency of compassionate release for terminally ill prisoners, and requiring the Bureau of Prisons to house prisoners closer to home so they can maintain ties to their family and community. The bill also makes significant new investments in programs designed to reduce recidivism. The bill before us today includes several sentencing reform provisions that were not included in the House bill, but have been proposed in the Sentencing Reform Act and the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act in this and the last session of Congress. Some of the sentencing provisions are long overdue. The bill finally makes retroactive the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, legislation that I authored in the House and that was signed into law by President Obama that finally reduced the crack-power cocaine sentencing disparit… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1532 | Connolly Joins Beyer and Wittman to Introduce Legislation to Protect Federal Employee Pay During Shutdown | 2018-12-20 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Vice Ranking Member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, joined Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and Rob Wittman (R-VA) in introducing the Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act. This legislation would guarantee back pay to furloughed federal employees during a potential shutdown. The bill currently has 66 bipartisan cosponsors. Federal employees shouldn't be held hostage by the President for a wall we were promised Mexico would pay for, said Congressman Gerry Connolly. Our bipartisan legislation will protect federal workers if the President moves forward with his reckless promise to shut down the government, and ensure they do not lose pay. We do not want a government shutdown, but if it comes our bill would protect federal workers from the worst of the consequences, said Rep. Beyer. This legislation is designed to shield civil servants, who need to support their families, from the disastrous effects of failure to agree on a measure to fund the government. We hope it will not be needed, but time is running out and the current outlook is not good. "Federal employees should not be penalized for Congress' inability to get its job done on time," Rep. Wittman said. "This legislation sends a clear signal to our federal workers that they will not be harmed in the unfortunate event of a shutdown. While this legislation would minimize the impacts of funding uncertainty, my focus remains on returning Congress to a regular schedule of budgeting and passing appropriations bills." | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/mceachin-statement-installation-seec-vice-chair | McEachin Statement on Installation as SEEC Vice-Chair | 2018-12-20 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | A. McEachin | M001200 | mceachin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) issued this statement following his installation as a Vice-Chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC): Scientific reports, record breaking natural disasters, and my constituents especially our courageous young people have made it crystal-clear: the time to act on climate is now. As members of SEEC's leadership team, we will take bold steps together to address our climate crisis. We will encourage our national transition to a clean energy economy; promote the creation of well-paying green jobs; and advocate for strong environmental protections, all while fighting to address long-standing environmental injustices. I am confident that in the new Democratic Majority, SEEC members will help lead our colleagues and our country toward a more sustainable future. I am excited and honored to be part of the leadership that will help make that happen. ### Contact: Jamitress Bowden (202) 225-6365 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mceachin-recovered-500000-constituents-successfully-resolved-1000-cases | Rep. McEachin Recovered $500,000 for Constituents, Successfully Resolved 1,000 Cases in First Term | 2018-12-20 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | A. McEachin | M001200 | mceachin.house.gov | legacy | Richmond, Va. As his first term in Congress comes to an end, Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) proudly announced that his office has successfully resolved 1,000 individual constituent issues with federal agencies resulting in the successful recovery of more than $500,000.00 for constituents of the 4th Congressional District of Virginia. The resolved cases involved work with a wide range of federal departments and agencies including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration, and the Department of State. My office works diligently every day to advocate on behalf of our constituents and resolve issues when possible. I could not be prouder of the work my staff and I have accomplished in returning more than half of one million dollars to the people of the 4th Congressional District in our first term, said Congressman Donald McEachin. Although our federal agencies are designed to serve the American people, there are instances when constituents struggle to get the results they need. That is when my office can work directly with a federal agency liaison on their behalf. We look forward to continuing our service to constituents in the 116th Congress. Congressman Donald McEachin has served as a steadfast advocate for his constituents by working with government partners at the federal, state, and local levels. ### Contact: Jamitress Bowden (202) 225-6365 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://tomgarrett.house.gov/media/press-releases/garrett-announces-fifth-district-service-academy-nominations | GARRETT ANNOUNCES FIFTH DISTRICT SERVICE ACADEMY NOMINATIONS | 2018-12-20 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | VA | Thomas Garrett | G000580 | tomgarrett.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Tom Garrett (R-VA) is excited to announce the Class of 2023 nominees from Virginia's Fifth District into the United States Service Academies. As an Army Veteran, Congressman Garrett was proud to see high interest among high school students hoping to attend the U.S. service academies. A list of the students Congressman Garrett nominated to be formally considered for official appointments are as follows: United States Naval Academy Sarah Lattig- The Plains, VA Dale Sturdifen II- Clarksville, VA Kevin McEachin- Marshall, VA Charles Drummond- Farmville, VA Christopher Austin- Charlottesville, VA Grant Nichols- Halifax, VA Kevin Byrne- Charlottesville, VA Brianna Smiley- Ruckersville, VA Christopher Accashian- Warrenton, VA Jackson Perry- Charlottesville, VA West Point Military Academy Bryce Jones- Amissville, VA Nathan Kaczka- Charlottesville, VA Connor McGuiggan- Earlysville, VA Justin Cannon- Warrenton, VA Andres Santiago- Broad Run, VA Jason Tyree- Henry, VA Kevin McEachin- Marshall, VA Charles Drummond- Farmville, VA Sarah Lattig- The Plains, VA Madison Slevin- Warrenton, VA United States Air Force Academy Charles Lange- Charlottesville, VA Aaron Bailey- Rustburg, VA Sadie Connor- Scottsville, VA Jackson Perry- Charlottesville, VA Woodrow Turbyfill- Ferrum, VA Brandon Alcorn- Hardy, VA Elizabeth Wombacher- Charlottesville, VA Mark Delp Jr.- Charlottesville, VA Gavin Segraves- Crozet, VA Christopher Austin- Charlottesville, VA United States Merchant Marine Academy Paige Smith- Virginia Beach, VA Joshua Wine- Warrenton, VA Kevin Cheely- Afton, VA Kevin McEachin- Marshall, VA Charles Drummond- Farmville, VA Jason Tyree- Henry, VA Please join us in congratulating these outstanding young men and women who are sure to make Virginia's Fifth Congressional District and our Armed Forces very proud in the years to come. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2364 | Wittman Thanks Secretary Mattis for Unparalleled Service | 2018-12-20 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | VA | Robert Wittman | W000804 | wittman.house.gov | legacy | Wittman Thanks Secretary Mattis for Unparalleled Service WASHINGTON - Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-1), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, released this statement following Secretary of Defense General James Mattis' retirement announcement. General Mattis is a man of utmost character. He has been known as many things, Chaos, the Warrior Monk, Secretarybut chief among them, he has been known as the living embodiment of the Marine Corps motto, Semper Fidelis, Always Faithful. From enlisting in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1969 to retiring as the Secretary of Defense forty-nine years later, Secretary Jim Mattis has served this great country with honor and distinction. During those 49 years he has always been faithful to his marines, all who have served in uniform, the civilians who have served under him, and most of all his countrymen. As Secretary of Defense, he led the charge to rebuild our military, restore readiness, and project power around the world. His contributions to the United States of America will not be soon forgotten. Thank you, General Mattis, for your service to our nation; you are an exceptional American and a true patriot. Congressman Rob Wittman represents the 1st District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he is the Chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2365 | Wittman Votes to Fund Border Wall | 2018-12-20 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | VA | Robert Wittman | W000804 | wittman.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Today, Congressman Wittman (VA-01) released this statement after voting to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) with an additional $5.7 billion for construction of a wall on the U.S. southern border: Yet again we find ourselves budgeting by crisis. We should not be funding our government through continuing resolutions (CRs) they are a short-term solution to a long-term problem. This situation was completely avoidable; Last week, instead of staying in town to get the job done, Members had a six-day weekend when critical funding issues were at stake. In fact, I said it this summer and I'll say it again now, Members of Congress should've worked through August to pass all the appropriations bills through regular order. Although I am fundamentally against CRs, it is critical that we protect our nation. I have received countless calls and emails from constituents over the past few days in support of building a border wall, and I was proud to cast my vote today in favor of protecting our homeland and finally delivering on one of our key promises. We are at a crisis point. From October 2017 through July 2018, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 6,423 pounds of cocaine, 532 pounds of heroin, 439,531 pounds of marijuana, 10,382 pounds of methamphetamine, and 332 pounds of fentanyl. On average last year, the Department of Homeland Security prevented 10 individuals tied to terrorknown or suspected terroristseach day from traveling or attempting to travel to the United States. We can't continue to let this happen. Simply put, we promised the American people that we would protect our southern border, and we must honor that promise. We need to address our illegal immigration crisis, and I stand ready and willing to come to a solution that puts Americans first. Until Congress can get a budget and appropriations bills passed on-time, through regular order, I'll keep introducing my No Budget, No Pay Act and Stay on Schedule resolution which says simply this: if Congress can't get the job done they shouldn't get a p… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-resignation-of-secretary-mattis | Kaine Statement On Resignation Of Secretary Mattis | 2018-12-20 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 20, 2018 Kaine Statement On Resignation Of Secretary Mattis WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement on the resignation of Secretary of Defense James Mattis: Secretary Mattis has served this country with distinction and honor for nearly five decades. He is one of the finest public servants I have worked with in 24 years in public life. Mattis protects this nation against the worst instincts of a President who puts our national security at risk. His announced departure should alarm every American. ### Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/president-signs-compromise-farm-bill-that-legalizes-industrial-hemp-production | President Signs Compromise Farm Bill That Legalizes Industrial Hemp Production | 2018-12-20 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 20, 2018 President Signs Compromise Farm Bill That Legalizes Industrial Hemp Production ~ Legislation includes other Warner-Kaine priorities to increase Chesapeake Bay clean-up funding, protect Va. agricultural products, prevent animal abuse, and fund SNAP ~ WASHINGTON Today, President Trump signed into law a compromise package that includes Virginia priorities championed by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA). These include an increase in funding for Chesapeake Bay clean-up efforts, protections for Virginia agricultural products, increased protections to prevent animal abuse, and funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The 2018 Farm Bill also includes a Warner-Kaine sponsored measure to legalizeindustrial hempproduction, a crop which is already cultivated for research purposes in Virginia but which the agriculture industry cannot currently grow for commercial use. We are proud this bipartisan legislation finally ending a ban that has held back our farmers from participating in the emerging industrial hemp market has been signed into law. This is an industry that will help bring new business to Virginia and create new jobs, said the Senators. This compromise bill is a big win for Virginia, adding measures to expand successful Chesapeake Bay clean-up efforts, protect Virginia commodities like dairy and cotton, and maintain funding for a nutrition assistance program that Virginia families depend on. Warner and Kaine's priorities for Virginia in the 2018 Farm Bill include: Hemp Farming Act: a bill that would remove hemp from the federal list of controlled substances, allowing Virginia farmers to grow and sell the plant as an agricultural commodity. States would be given authority to regulate hemp, and hemp researchers will be able to apply for USDA grants. Hemp farmers would also be eligible to collect crop insurance under this provision. The 2014 Farm Bill authorized industrial hemp to be made available for agricultural research purposes. Virgin… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/president-signs-compromise-farm-bill-that-legalizes-industrial-hemp-production | President Signs Compromise Farm Bill That Legalizes Industrial Hemp Production | 2018-12-20 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Today, President Trump signed into law a compromise package that includes Virginia priorities championed by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA). These include an increase in funding for Chesapeake Bay clean-up efforts, protections for Virginia agricultural products, increased protections to prevent animal abuse, and funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The 2018 Farm Bill also includes a Warner-Kaine sponsored measure to legalizeindustrial hempproduction, a crop which is already cultivated for research purposes in Virginia but which the agriculture industry cannot currently grow for commercial use. We are proud this bipartisan legislation finally ending a ban that has held back our farmers from participating in the emerging industrial hemp market has been signed into law. This is an industry that will help bring new business to Virginia and create new jobs, said the Senators. This compromise bill is a big win for Virginia, adding measures to expand successful Chesapeake Bay clean-up efforts, protect Virginia commodities like dairy and cotton, and maintain funding for a nutrition assistance program that Virginia families depend on. Warner and Kaine's priorities for Virginia in the 2018 Farm Bill include: Hemp Farming Act: a bill that would remove hemp from the federal list of controlled substances, allowing Virginia farmers to grow and sell the plant as an agricultural commodity. States would be given authority to regulate hemp, and hemp researchers will be able to apply for USDA grants. Hemp farmers would also be eligible to collect crop insurance under this provision. 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. However, Congress must act in order to legalize hemp production for commercial purposes. Hemp is distinct from marijuana in that it has a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/sen-warner-praises-final-passage-of-ashanti-alert-act | Sen. Warner Praises Final Passage of Ashanti Alert Act | 2018-12-20 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) praised final passage in Congress of the Ashanti Alert Act, legislation that will create a new federal alert system for missing or endangered adults between the ages of 18-64. Currently, the U.S. does not have an alert system for missing adults. The bill now heads to President Trump's desk for his signature. The Ashanti Alert Act is named after Ashanti Billie, the 19-year-old who was abducted in Norfolk, Va. on September 18, 2017. Her body was discovered in North Carolina 11 days after she was first reported missing. At the time of Ashanti's abduction, she was too old for an Amber Alert and too young for a Silver Alert. The Ashanti Alert, like the other alert systems, would notify the public about missing or endangered adults, ages 18-64, through a national communications network to assist law enforcement in the search. In the wake of an unspeakable tragedy, Meltony and Brandy Billie did something extraordinary: they channeled grief into a determination that other families would be spared the anguish of losing a loved one like they did Ashanti. Though no one can ever erase their pain, I hope it comforts them now to know that Ashanti's death will not have been in vain, said Sen. Warner. Ashanti's memory will carry on in the lives that will be saved through this new alert system. If you knew Ashanti, then you knew that you had a friend. I have said often that she never met a stranger. Though it has been hard coping with her leaving me, her earthly father, I have great joy knowing that she is with her heavenly Father and one day we will see one another again. I am eternally grateful for her lifea life well livedbecause through the Ashanti Alert Act lives will be saved, said Meltony Billie, father of Ashanti Billie. I thank my family for carrying me when I began to weaken, I want to thankMichael Muhammad, Kimberly Wimbish, Attorney Don Scott, Delegate Jay Jones and his team, Congressman Scott Taylor and his team, Senator Mark Warner and his team, and I dare not for… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/vice-chairman-warner-on-doj-chinese-hacking-indictment | Vice Chairman Warner on DOJ Chinese Hacking Indictment | 2018-12-20 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the below statement after the Department of Justiceannouncedcharges against two hackers associated with the Chinese government: The Department of Justice, and in particular Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, should be congratulated for their work on this announcement.DOJ's recent moves to hold China accountable are important inexposing some of the threats posed by China as it attempts to pursue economic and technological dominance over the United States. While legal action is important, a truly effective response will require a coordinated approach with our allies and a comprehensive strategy to protect our national security and enhance U.S. competitiveness and resiliency. We have to punch back against China's malign activities but we also have to do more than play defense if we're going to truly check China's bad behavior. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-bill-to-combat-alzheimers-disease-will-become-law | Kaine Bill to Combat Alzheimer's Disease Will Become Law | 2018-12-19 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 19, 2018 Kaine Bill to Combat Alzheimer's Disease Will Become Law WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, praised the House of Representatives' passage of legislation he introduced with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) called theBuilding Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act.This bill will build out the systems necessary to create a public health infrastructure to combat Alzheimer's disease and promote brain health. The legislation cleared the Senate unanimously on December 12th and will now head to President Trump's desk for his signature. My family, like nearly 150,000 Virginia families, knows what it's like to have a loved one with Alzheimer's. As I've shared my story, it seems as though every colleague I have in the Senate and everybody I talk to out in the community has an Alzheimer's story that's very close to them,Kaine said. The numberof people who have Alzheimer's in this countryis alreadyhuge,andit's frighteningtolook at what the projections are in the next ten or twenty years. I'mproudthat this bipartisan bill will help strengthen the public health response to Alzheimer's so we can provide much-needed relief to those affected by this devastating disease now and in the years to come. More than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer's. In 2018, the United States will spend $277 billion, including $186 billion in costs to Medicare and Medicaid, to care for those with Alzheimer's. The number of Americans with Alzheimer's is expected to nearly triple to almost 14 million by 2050, costing the nation as much as $1.1 trillion. This legislation would apply a public health approach to Alzheimer's disease by establishing a modern infrastructure for the prevention, treatment, and care of Alzheimer's and related dementias. Coordinated primarily by the Centers of Disease and Prevention (CDC), it would establish: Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Public Health Cen… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/sen-warner-on-sec-s-adoption-of-a-transaction-fee-pilot-for-nms-stocks | Sen. Warner on SEC's Adoption of a Transaction Fee Pilot For NMS Stocks | 2018-12-19 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance and Investment, released the following statement after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted a transaction fee pilot for National Market System (NMS) stocks to test the effects of maker-taker fee models on order routing and execution quality. The pilot program will create two test groups, one that bans rebates and linked pricing with another that tests a fee cap of $0.0010: I've long urged the SEC to take the step it has taken today, and I'm heartened to see the SEC adopt this pilot. It's time we get this data to better understand stock exchange transaction-based fees and rebates so we can make sure our market structure is benefiting Main Street investors. Under the maker-taker pricing model, securities exchanges pay rebates to brokers that send bids and offers not intended for immediate execution, in the hopes of incentivizing liquidity in the market. Brokers who immediately execute their orders pay fees, which offset the rebates paid to brokers who create liquidity by not immediately executing their orders. However, this model has come under Congressional scrutiny aftera 2013 studyfound evidence it created a conflict of interest for brokers who may be incentivized to send orders that generate the largest rebate for the broker, rather than the best trade for the client. Since 2014, Sen. Warner has been raising concerns about the maker-taker model. In April 2016, Sen. Warner and Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID)wrote to the SECexpressing support for a pilot program to study the effects of rebates on U.S. equity markets. In July 2017,Warner wroteto newly-appointed SEC Chairman Jay Clayton and called for pursuing the full elimination of [maker-taker] rebates. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/sen-warner-votes-for-criminal-justice-reform | Sen. Warner Votes for Criminal Justice Reform | 2018-12-19 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today cast his vote in support ofbipartisan legislation that would reform the federal criminal justice system. While this measure is not a cure-all for the problems that plague our criminal justice system, this is an overdue step to improve a system that still imprisons too many people particularly people of color for committing nonviolent crimes. Instead, this bill will allow law enforcement to redirect taxpayer resources toward catching and punishing dangerous and violent criminals,said Sen. Warner. TheFirst Step Act, a bipartisan bill to lower the recidivism rate and reduce sentences for certain nonviolent offenders, tonight passed the Senate in an overwhelmingly bipartisanvote. The compromise legislation has support from a broad range of Democrats and Republicans, including President Trump, and has been endorsed by a number of law enforcement groups, including the Fraternal Order of Police (the nation's largest police group),as well as the National District Attorneys Association, the American Bar Association, and the National Governors Association. Some of the changes included theFirst Step Actinclude: Under the bill, offenders who are deemed to be at low risk to commit more crimes will be given incentives to reduce their sentences and access to evidence-based programs (like drug treatment) to better prepare them to return to their neighborhoods and become productive members of the community. The bill also contains a number of sentencing reforms: for instance, it gives federal judges more discretion in sentencing low-level non-violent offenders who cooperate with the government, so that the sentence truly fits the crime. It also reduces some mandatory minimums, and makes sure that only repeat offenders are subjected to the harshest forms of sentencing, as Congress intended. And for a long time, the law disproportionately targeted African Americans by punishing possession of crack cocaine at a much higher level than powder cocaine. Under this bill, those w… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/senate-intel-statement-on-treasury-department-s-sanctions-on-oleg-deripaska-companies | Senate Intel Statement on Treasury Departments Sanctions on Oleg Deripaska, Companies | 2018-12-19 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) and Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) released the following statement on the Treasury Department'sannouncementthat it intends to delist companies owned by Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska amid restructuring and corporate governance changes: Today's announcement, which comes as a result of negotiated changes to the En+ corporate structure, does not change the fact that Mr. Deripaska, his employees, and his companies work at Vladimir Putin's behest and operate as de facto representatives of the Russian government - a government that has occupied and intimidated its neighbors, sought to disrupt free and fair elections, violated nuclear treaties, and continued to wage influence campaigns to undermine western democracies, including our own. While the Treasury Department has made great strides in reducing Mr. Deripaska's ownership state in En+ and making beneficial changes to the corporate governance, this deal will require constant monitoring to ensure that neither Mr. Deripaska nor the Russian government violate the terms of the agreement. The addition of Victor Boyarkin, one of Mr. Deripaska's key lieutenants, to the sanctions list will help counter some of Russia's malign influence efforts, and is a welcome step. We will continue monitoring these sanctions' effects, and to hold accountable those who would violate them. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/senate-unanimously-passes-warner-backed-bill-to-ensure-veterans-receive-full-housing-benefits | Senate Unanimously Passes Warner-Backed Bill to Ensure Veterans Receive Full Housing Benefits | 2018-12-19 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON The U.S. Senate unanimously passed theForever GI Bill Housing Payment Fulfillment Act, bipartisan legislation backed by U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) to ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reimburses veterans for missed or underpaid Forever GI Bill housing benefits. Thousands of Virginia veterans and their families depend on Forever GI Bill housing benefits while pursuing higher education. But the VA has dropped the ball in carrying out the law as Congress intended,said Sen. Warner.Now that this bill has passed overwhelmingly in the Senate, it's time to get this bill through the House and swiftly signed into law so that veterans can receivethe full housing benefits they rightfully earned and deserve. The Forever GI Bill that was signed into law in July 2017 included changes to how veteran housing benefits are calculated. However, because of missteps in updating their IT systems combined with a lack of internal processes, the VA has failed to provide timely or accurate payments as set by the Forever GI Bill. Delayed or insufficient VA payments have forced many student veterans into difficult financial circumstances. However, the VA has indicated that it will be more than a year before it will be able to correctly calculate veterans' housing allowance under the Forever GI Bill. TheForever GI Bill Housing Payment Fulfillment Actwould require the VA to: End improper payments as soon as possible; Establish a team of specialists who will be responsible to report to Congress a detailed plan to correct this egregious error; Provide a report to Congress by July 2020 that identifies how many beneficiaries were impacted and to what extent, aggregated by state; and Certify the department is fully compliant with the law. The legislation is also sponsored by Sens. John Boozman (R-AR), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jon Tester (D-MT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH). La… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/warner-kaine-urge-congressional-leaders-to-include-miners-priorities-in-end-of-year-legislation | Warner & Kaine Urge Congressional Leaders to Include Miners' Priorities in End-of-Year Legislation | 2018-12-19 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) are urging congressional leadership to include in end-of-year legislation an extension of the coal excise tax at current levels for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, the addition of orphan miners from 2018 bankruptcies into the Coal Act, and a permanent fix to ensure the solvency of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) 1974 Pension Plan. Our nation's coal miners made a commitment to provide our nation with the energy we needed to power our nation to prosperity and they risked their health and lives to do so. Now is not the time to pull back on funding or abandon our miners in their hour of need. It is time for us to keep our full promise to them and ensure their benefits are not lost,the Senators wrote in a letter to Senate and House leaders. In addition to Sens. Warner and Kaine, the letter was signed by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV), Bob Casey (D-PA), Doug Jones (D-AL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and U.S. Reps. Matt Cartwright, Conor Lamb, Mike Doyle, Marcia Fudge, Wm. Lacy Clay, Bennie Thompson and Brenda Lawrence. Sens. Warner and Kaine are strong advocates for coal miners and their families. In August, they introduced andpassed into lawlegislation to improve early detection and treatment of black lung disease among coal miners. Last year, they successfully fought to permanently protect more than 10,000 retired coal miners and their families in Virginia who were in danger of losing their health benefits. Sens. Warner and Kaine are also leading sponsors of theBlack Lung Benefits Improvement Actto ensure black lung claims are processed fairly and quickly, and of theAmerican Miners Pension Act, which would protect the pensions of more than 7,000 retired Virginia coal miners who are in danger of losing their benefits if the 1974 UMWA Pension Plan becomes insolvent. The full text of the letter to congressional leadership is availablehereand below: Dear Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Speaker Ryan and Leader Pelosi: We write to ask you to in… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-on-the-school-safety-commission-report | Scott Statement on the School Safety Commission Report | 2018-12-18 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | As originally released by the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Democrats WASHINGTON, DC Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the release of the Trump administration's school safety commission report. The Federal School Safety Commission Report is not a serious or good-faith effort to make schools safer for students and educators. The report's recommendations ignore both the research consensus and the demands of students and parents for tougher gun laws. Instead, the report promotes a longstanding, conservative agenda to undermine policies that protect students' civil rights. The report makes no recommendations to address the common denominator in school tragedies easy access to assault-style firearms designed for the battlefield. Rather than confronting the role of guns in gun violence, the Trump administration blames school shootings on civil rights enforcement specifically the 2014 guidance that assists local school leaders in ending discrimination in discipline without jeopardizing school safety. This guidance has no connection to school shootings. The 2014 guidance was issued to help address the troubling and undeniable evidence outlined in a recent GAO report that Black students, boys, and students with disabilities receive harsher punishments than their classmates for similar or lesser offenses. The Commission's report ignores this disparate impact and attempts to blame civil rights protections for school tragedies. This sends the message that schools are safest when they discriminate against students of color. With or without the discipline guidance, the administration is legally responsible for ensuring students are free from discrimination. Congress will hold the administration accountable for meeting its obligation to fully enforce federal civil rights law and for providing fast-based justifications for the report's recommendations. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://goodlatte.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1316 | Goodlatte and Gowdy Release Transcript of Interview with Former Director Comey | 2018-12-18 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | VA | Robert Goodlatte | G000289 | goodlatte.house.gov | legacy | House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-SC) today released the transcript of the second day of former FBI Director James Comey's interview before the Committees.The transcript of Mr. Comey's interview can be found HERE. Background: In October 2017, the House Judiciary Committee and House Oversight and Government Reform Committee opened a joint investigation into decisions made by the Justice Department in 2016 and 2017. To date, the Committees have interviewed many key witnesses and have reviewed thousands of pages of documents. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/mceachin-meets-richmond-postmaster-search-solutions-constituents-issues | McEachin Meets with Richmond Postmaster in Search of Solutions for Constituents Issues | 2018-12-18 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | A. McEachin | M001200 | mceachin.house.gov | legacy | Richmond, VA Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04)sent a letterto Richmond Postmaster Thekkekara reiterating his concern that local United States Postal Service (USPS) representatives were unaware of many complaints regarding mail delivery in Richmond. During an in-person meeting held on Monday, Rep. McEachin personally informed Postmaster Thekkekara and members of the Richmond USPS team about the several constituent complaints he and his staff have received in the last 30 days. The constituents of the 4thCongressional District deserve the best quality of service from the programs their tax dollars support. To ensure quick results for my constituents, I informed Postmaster Thekkekara directly about the outstanding number of issues we see in the Richmond area. I am pleased that our offices were able to agree on open, regular communication to achieve our shared goal for those experiencing delivery issues,said Congressman McEachin. I am hopeful that yesterday's meeting was helpful for Postmaster Thekkekara, most importantly, to help my constituents receive their mail expeditiously. Since the last meeting with local USPS representatives, Congressman McEachin has regularly communicated with USPS representatives at the federal and local level to advocate for mail delivery improvements across the 4thCongressional District. Constituents who continue to experience postal delivery troubles, should contact Congressman McEachin's office at (804) 486-1840 or call USPS' local complaint line directly at (804) 775-6313. Full letter text is available here. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-senate-passage-of-bipartisan-first-step-act | Kaine Statement On Senate Passage Of Bipartisan First Step Act | 2018-12-18 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 18, 2018 Kaine Statement On Senate Passage Of Bipartisan First Step Act WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement after the Senate passed the First Step Act: Racial disparities and mandatory minimums have left countless Americans in prison fornonviolentoffenses. Passage of this compromise bill is a much-needed first step to fix the sentencing and incarceration policies that have disproportionately hurt communities of color.We should build on this success by pursuing anti-profiling and civil rights reforms to makeadditionalimprovements to our criminal justice system. ### Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/pilot | Virginian-Pilot Editorial: Critical need for better cyber security | 2018-12-18 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | This editorial was originally published in The Virginian-Pilot on 12/18/2018 MEMBERS OF Congress, other government leaders and the private sector should heed Virginia Sen. Mark Warner's call for a major overhaul of the nation's approach to cyber security. The technology that pervades our lives on almost every level is dangerously vulnerable to hackers, and neither the government nor the private sector is making much progress toward protecting sensitive and private information. Cyber security seems to be like the old saying about the weather everybody talks about it, but nobody does anything about it. In recent years, we've seen a rash of data breaches resulting in identity theft and fraudulent charges on credit cards. In 2013, a data breach at Target stores exposed 41 million customer payment cards. More recently, data breaches have exposed the personal data of millions of customers of the Marriott hotel chain and millions of people whose information was on file with Equifax, the giant credit-reporting company. The list of breaches goes on, with many smaller-scale security lapses causing problems for people but not making headlines. Then there are the hacking attacks on social media, which range from mildly annoying to downright sinister, such as the Russian efforts to spread false information during our 2016 presidential campaign. Even more alarming are the threats to national security, including the potential for cyber attacks on critical defense systems. The United States' heavy use of technology and the Internet means it has highly sophisticated tools, but it also means it is especially vulnerable to cyber attacks. As home to some of the nation's most important military installations, Hampton Roads and other areas of Virginia have a special interest in beefing up security. Warner has good reason to be concerned, not only because he represents Virginia, but also as the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. With U.S. Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, the committee chairman, he's le… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/rtd-editorial-chinese-hackers-are-stealing-us-blind-we-don-t-have-to-help-them | RTD Editorial: Chinese hackers are stealing us blind. We don't have to help them. | 2018-12-18 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | This Editorial was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on 12/18/2018 According to a news story in Friday's Wall Street Journal, Chinese hackers are breaching Navy contractors to steal everything from ship-maintenance data to missile plans, officials and experts said, triggering a top-to-bottom review of cyber vulnerabilities. While the entire Department of Defense has had its share of cyber vulnerabilities, the sea service seems to be having an especially egregious time with security breaches by its contractors. The news story says that victims have included large contractors as well as small ones, some of which are seen as lacking the resources to invest in securing their networks. This is completely unacceptable. Last week, Sen. Mark Warner released A New Doctrine for Cyberwarfare & Information Operations. In it, he noted several notorious American intelligence failures of late and the urgency with which we need to develop a sound U.S. cyber doctrine. Warner said he believes we have entered a new era of nation-state conflict: one in which a nation projects strength less through traditional military hardware, and more through cyber and information warfare. The senator is right. The entire nation, but especially our security, defense, and intelligence agencies, need to get deadly serious about cyber security. According to the consultancy firm Willis Tower Watson, 90 percent of all cyber claims stem from either human negligence, error, or malicious intent. We need to start holding people and organizations accountable when a security breach is caused by carelessness, ineptitude, or failure to install regular maintenance updates. As for military contractors if they can't guarantee cybersecurity, they should not be granted a contract. If small contractors don't have the resources to protect their networks, they shouldn't be bidding for jobs. Chinese hackers are stealing us blind as it is; we don't need to leave the front door wide open for them. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399066 | Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 12.17.18 | 2018-12-17 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | VA | Morgan Griffith | G000568 | morgangriffith.house.gov | legacy | C. Bascom Slemp President Trump recently named Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney as his acting Chief of Staff. Having worked with Mick when he represented South Carolina in the House of Representatives, I think the President has made a good choice. Earlier in the search process, attention focused on a current colleague of mine and another Freedom Caucus member, Congressman Mark Meadows (R-NC). At a Freedom Caucus meeting, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) observed that if Meadows was selected, he would be the most conservative White House Chief of Staff since the Coolidge Administration of 1923-29. This remark drew my interest, for as I noted to Senator Lee, the Chief of Staff's equivalent under President Calvin Coolidge was an earlier representative of Virginia's Fighting Ninth, C. Bascom Slemp. Slemp was born in Turkey Cove in Lee County in 1870. His father was active in politics, and at the age of eleven Slemp served as a page in the House of Delegates. He later attended the Virginia Military Institute and studied law at the University of Virginia, eventually practicing in Big Stone Gap. In 1907, Slemp's father, by then representing the Ninth District in Congress, died, and he won the race for the vacant seat. He served several terms in Congress before retiring in 1923. As it happened, that year Calvin Coolidge ascended to the presidency upon the death of Warren Harding, and he needed a private secretary to assist in his dealings with Congress and the 1924 presidential election. President Coolidge recalled in his autobiography, I was especially fortunate in securing C. Bascom Slemp as my Secretary, who had . . . a wide acquaintance with public men and the workings of legislative machinery. His advice was most helpful. Slemp aided Coolidge as he finished Harding's term and won a resounding victory to the Presidency in his own right. Slemp resigned in 1925 and returned to practicing law in Big Stone Gap (where the federal building is named after him) and Washington. When he died in 1943, Slemp … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://tomgarrett.house.gov/media/press-releases/following-recent-independent-trip-syria-virginia-congressman-warns-turkey-s | Following Recent Independent Trip to Syria, Virginia Congressman Warns of Turkeys Agenda in the Region | 2018-12-17 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | VA | Thomas Garrett | G000580 | tomgarrett.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. Thomas Garrett Jr. just returned from a trip to Northeast Syria and Iraq where he met with top leadership in both regions that have been the ONLY reliable allies in the fight against ISIS. While there, Congressman Garrett spoke to the Deir A Zour Civil Council only miles from the front lines against ISIS and the Manbij Military Council which is the unit directly threatened by Turkey's recent attacks. In an evolving development this week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is nowthreatening to attack American Forces and its allies to expand its territorial gains. Following Rep. Garrett's recent visit, he stated: We look the other way or do nothing so often that it becomes second nature but across the globe minorities are persecuted, exterminated, and displaced by raging governments or radical uprisings and the West stays quiet. With ISIS continuing engagement on the battlefield we have to correct the missteps that have taken place in this region. The answer isn't to remove these individuals from their country of origin but rather to create a circumstance where they can live safely in their home without fear. It should be noted that while Turkey says it will not target U.S. forces directly, this is an IMPOSSIBLE act as the U.S. Forces and Syrian Democratic Forces are co-located. Garrett added, Turkey is manipulating U.S. policy by spending millions per month in D.C. to buy influence. They lie about the pro-freedom multi-ethnic Syrian Democratic Council and suggest the Kurds control regions where I met with the actual leaders, who are not only Kurdish, but also Arab and Christian. Someone needs to tell the truth here, and the U.S. should stop acting as if Erdogan is an ally. He is not. President Trump has been in direct contact with President Erdogan to prioritize American soldiers in harm's way but the conversation is ongoing. Congressman Garrett's recent speech on the House floor regarding this issue may be seenhere. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2361 | Wittman on ACA Ruling | 2018-12-17 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | VA | Robert Wittman | W000804 | wittman.house.gov | legacy | Wittman on ACA Ruling f t # e Washington, December 17, 2018 Wittman on ACA Ruling WASHINGTON - Congressman Wittman released the following statement on the Affordable Care Act ruling by a U.S. District Court in Texas: Since the day we were told we had to pass the Affordable Care Act to find out what was in it, the law has failed to deliver on its promises to lower costs, increase access to care, and expand choice. It further showed that government-run healthcare does not sufficiently address the core challenges facing our healthcare system; in many cases, physician choice disappeared and premium costs skyrocketed. Judge Reed O'Connor's decision is a pivotal step to repealing this legislation and replacing it with a patient-centered system that prioritizes lower costs, choice, and access. We need a healthcare system that empowers individuals and families to make decisions for themselves based on their needs, wants, and budget. We need to work to include common sense provisions that we can all agree on: ensure coverage to those with pre-existing conditions, allow young people to stay on a parent's plan, eliminate lifetime caps for insurance coverage. It is critical we lower the cost of healthcare and ensure all Virginians can access coverage; individuals should be able to do what's best for them, not what the government dictates for them. I look forward to working toward patient-provider centered reforms that expand choices for consumers, increase access to care, reduce health care costs, and enhance transparency in the healthcare system. Congressman Rob Wittman represents the 1st District of Virginia. He serves … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2362 | Wittman Welcomes Wounded Warrior Fellow to Constituent Services Team | 2018-12-17 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | VA | Robert Wittman | W000804 | wittman.house.gov | legacy | Wittman Welcomes Wounded Warrior Fellow to Constituent Services Team f t # e Washington, December 17, 2018 Wittman Welcomes Wounded Warrior Fellow to Constituent Services Team WASHINGTON - Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) welcomes U.S. Marine John Kuhnle to his Stafford district office staff. Kuhnle, who was selected through the House of Representatives Wounded Warrior Fellowship Program, will assist with Veterans case work and outreach efforts. As a Wounded Warrior Fellow, Kuhnle's duties will include liaising with the Department of Veterans Affairs on behalf of Rep. Wittman's constituents and organizing Veteran outreach projects, which allow Congressman Wittman to hear directly from local Veterans about issues facing their community. "No one is better qualified to serve our Veterans than Veterans themselves," Rep. Wittman said."I am honored to welcome John to the staff and know he will serve First District Veterans with the same selflessness and dedication he displayed during his military service to our Nation." "I'm excited to join Congressman Wittman's staff as a Wounded Warrior Fellow and look forward to assisting my fellow veterans to ensure they receive the benefits they earned and deserve,"Kuhnle said. John Kuhnle served in the Marine Corps as a Field Artillery Senior Sergeant, as well as a Substance Abuse Control Officer. A resident of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Kuhnle also worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as a contactor with Linden Resources. The Wounded Warrior Fellowship Program was established by the House of Representatives to provide employm… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/new-reports-shed-light-on-internet-research-agency-s-social-media-tactics | New Reports Shed Light on Internet Research Agencys Social Media Tactics | 2018-12-17 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, third-party experts released two independent analyses of social media tactics used by Russia's Internet Research Agency (IRA) in their attempts to influence U.S. political discourse. The reports are the first comprehensive analyses of their kind conducted by entities other than social media companies themselves, and are based in part on data provided by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI). The reports, titled The Tactics and Tropes of the Internet Research Agency and The IRA and Political Polarization in the United States, 2015-2017, were authored by New Knowledge, and University of Oxford and Graphika, respectively. Statement from Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC): Increasingly, we've seen how social media platforms intended to foster open dialogues can be usedby hostile foreign actors seeking to manipulate and subvert public opinion. This newly released data demonstrates how aggressively Russia sought to divide Americans by race, religion and ideology, and how the IRA actively worked to erode trust in our democratic institutions. Most troublingly, it shows that these activities have not stopped. As we work to address these threats, these reports are proof positive that one of the most important things we can do is increase information sharing between the social media companies who can identify disinformation campaigns and the third-party experts who can analyze them. Statement from Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA): These reports demonstrate the extent to which the Russians exploited the fault lines of our society to divide Americans in an attempt to undermine and manipulate our democracy. These attacks against our country were much more comprehensive, calculating and widespread than previously revealed. This should stand as a wake up call to us all that none of us are immune from this threat, and it is time to get serious in addressing this challenge. That is going to require some much-needed and long-overdue guardrails when it comes to social media.… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1129 | Ryan Zinke To Step Down One Day Before Dems Get Oversight Powers | 2018-12-15 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Donald Beyer | B001292 | beyer.house.gov | legacy | Ryan Zinke To Step Down One Day Before Dems Get Oversight Powers f t # e Washington, December 15, 2018 Huff Post | Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has often said that he's not afraid of a fight. In an interview with Breitbart News last month, the former Montana congressman and Navy SEAL dismissed reports that his days in the Trump administration were numbered as nothing more than rumors. I've been in a lot of firefights. I don't mind getting shot at, he said. It is better to charge up a hill under fire than cower in a foxhole. ... Stepping down now may spare Zinke some embarrassment, but it will not reduce the need for oversight of the Administration's poor stewardship at Interior, Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said in a statement. Click here to read the full article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-affordable-care-act-ruling | Kaine Statement on Affordable Care Act Ruling | 2018-12-15 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 15, 2018 Kaine Statement on Affordable Care Act Ruling WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, issued the following statement today following the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas's ruling that the Affordable Care Act is invalid: This is devastating news for the tens of millions of Americans who could lose their health care. Americans with a history of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, an injury, or a whole host of other medical conditions who were protected under the Affordable Care Act are now at risk of losing their insurance. For the sake of all protected under the ACA, an appeals court needs to overturn this decision, and the Trump Administration needs to stop its cruel attacks on our health care. ### Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1127 | Bonamici, Beyer Lead 96 Members in Calling on Trump to Act on Climate Change, Defend the Findings of the National Climate Assessment | 2018-12-14 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Donald Beyer | B001292 | beyer.house.gov | legacy | Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee's Environment Subcommittee,and Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Vice Ranking Member of the Committee,led 96 members in urging President Trump to heed the dire warnings in the second volume of the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA) and act on climate change. The NCA is the most comprehensive science-based evaluation of the consequences of climate change, the risks of inaction, and potential adaptation strategies for the United States to date. In a recent Washington Post interview, the President dismissed the NCA's findings. The Members call on President Trump to reverse his Administration's attacks on the environment and take climate change seriously. We write to convey our grave concern that time is running out for the United States to work to reverse and mitigate the worst effects of a warming climate, the Members write. We ask that you heed the dire warning of the Fourth National Climate Assessment and work with us to protect the health of our planet. The NCA adds to the overwhelming research indicating that the consequences of inaction on climate change will be serious and swift. According to the NCA, without intervention, we will see record heat waves, more acidic oceans, raging wildfires, rising sea levels, and a surge in extreme weather events all in our lifetime. The National Climate Assessment makes clear that greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are the only explanation for the observed global warming over the last six decades. Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere are now higher than at any time in the last three million years, and we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Rather than ignoring the important findings of the NCA, we request that you reconsider maintaining the nation's commitment to the Paris Agreement and fully implement and enforce the Clean Power Plan, fuel economy standards, methane emission controls, and safeguards for clean air and clean water. We urg… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-on-the-passage-of-bipartisan-juvenile-justice-bill | Scott Statement on the Passage of Bipartisan Juvenile Justice Bill | 2018-12-13 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | As originally released by the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Democrats WASHINGTON, DC Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), the top Democrat on theCommittee on Education and the Workforce, issued the following statement after the passage of the Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2018 (H.R.6964), which reauthorizes and reforms the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) to help state and local leaders better serve juvenile offenders and at-risk youth. Today is the culmination of a multi-year, bipartisan effort to improve our juvenile justice system. Rather than setting policy based in slogans and soundbites, the Juvenile Justice Reform Act is guided by the best-available evidence and the best interests of young offenders, at-risk youth, and communities across the country. This legislation strengthens each of the core protections for children in the juvenile justice system: It ensures children are treated separately both in approach and location than adult offenders; it shifts the focus from punishing young people to supporting them through education and programming; and it puts a spotlight on the racial disparities in our juvenile justice system. I am particularly gratified that this bill incorporates key elements of the Youth P.R.O.M.I.S.E. Act, which I have worked on over the last decade, as a way to reduce juvenile delinquency and gang involvement. Lastly, while the bill reauthorizes the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) through 2020, I look forward to working with my colleagues next Congress on a full reauthorization of RHYA programs that makes needed improvements and recognizes the need for appropriate funding for such programs. I'd like to thank Chairwoman Foxx and Representative Lewis for their steadfast work in producing a bill that will change the trajectory for countless young people and strengthen our communities. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1527 | Connolly Leads Letter to OMB Director Mulvaney on Trump Administration's Compliance with Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act | 2018-12-13 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Today, Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney requesting a compliance report on the Trump administration's implementation of the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act of 2016 (FATAA; PL 114-191). Connolly was joined by FATAA co-authors Judge Ted Poe (R-TX) and Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Marco Rubio (R-FL). Representatives Adam Smith (D-WA) and Ted Yoho (R-FL), and Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Chris Coons (D-DE), co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus for Effective Foreign Assistance, also signed the letter. We are writing to support efforts to improve the transparency and accountability of U.S. foreign assistance, including the implementation of the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act of 2016, the members wrote. With better information about U.S. aid, decision-makers, taxpayers, partner countries, and civil society have a much clearer picture of where the U.S. is spending its money, for what purpose, and with what result. The members requested additional information on progress made including: A list of agencies that have failed to adopt goals, performance metrics, and monitoring and evaluation plans by OMB's January 2019 deadline; A list of agencies that have failed to publish timely, high-quality aid data; And a full report of OMB's efforts to consolidate duplicative aid dashboards and consolidate State's ForeignAssistance.gov (FA.gov) and USAID's Foreign Aid Explorer (FAE) websites. Please provide all requested information and a briefing by January 12, 2019. We look forward to continuing to work with you to advance the accountability and effectiveness of U.S. foreign aid, the members concluded.We must ensure that FATAA is being properly implemented in order to maximize the impact of U.S. foreign aid, said George Ingram, MFAN Co-Chair and Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Evaluation policies, hig… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1528 | Connolly and Chabot Introduce Bipartisan Global Health Security Act | 2018-12-13 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Today, Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Congressman Steve Chabot (R-OH) introduced the bipartisan Global Health Security Act, which reaffirms the United States' commitment to promoting global health security. The legislation is cosponsored by House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY), and Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Ami Bera (D-CA), and Ann Wagner (R-MO). The Global Health Security Act seeks to address two main issues that U.S. global health security staffing and activities are largely reliant on an executive order and not specifically supported in law, and that the U.S. needs a permanent designated official responsible for coordinating the interagency response to a global health security emergency. Republican and Democratic presidents alike have recognized the critical importance of global health security from President Obama's role in launching the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) to President Trump's National Security Strategy and National Biodefense Strategy. The Global Health Security Act codifies U.S. investments in the ability to prepare for and respond to public health threats and reduce or prevent their spread across borders. In particular, this bill bolsters U.S. commitments under the Global Health Security Agenda, which is a multilateral initiative to build countries' capacity to manage infectious disease threats and elevate heath security as a global priority. Saving lives from the next global pandemic starts with investing in preparedness before it strikes, said Rep. Gerald E. Connolly. As we've seen time and time again, diseases do not respect borders, and global health crises have immense security, economic, and humanitarian consequences. Our legislation recognizes the critical role of U.S. leadership in international health security, enshrines U.S. global health security policy in statute, and ensures that there is a permanent designated official responsible for coordinating these efforts … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2347 | Wittman Votes in Favor of Farm Bill | 2018-12-13 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | VA | Robert Wittman | W000804 | wittman.house.gov | legacy | Wittman Votes in Favor of Farm Bill f t # e Washington, December 13, 2018 Wittman Votes in Favor of Farm Bill WASHINGTON Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018: Food security is national security. This bill keeps family farmers and foresters that live right here in the First District in mind by providing them certainty and stability as they continue to provide food and fiber to markets across the world. Agriculture and forestry is one of the most important economies in the Commonwealth, employing over 442,000. This Farm Bill provides solid support for our rural economies and provides low cost foods to consumers. Many rural Americans have little to no access to broadband, and, here in Virginia, almost 29 percent of people living in rural areas lack access to any broadband service at all. We often take our access to high-speed internet for granted. This bill helps rural communities to combat the opioid crisis and improves broadband delivery services in rural areas to the unserved. As major priorities of mine, I am thrilled that these provisions were included, and I was proud to vote for them. H.R. 2 also contained important forestry management reforms that will be critical to protecting our communities from future wildfire destruction. This bill includes much-needed reforms to promote work and individual success and self-sufficiency. By strengthening work requirements, more and more people are encouraged to pursue opportunities. Our economy is booming. As we have learned month after month through job reports, new jobs are created every day across the c… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-us-senate-vote-to-end-us-support-for-the-war-in-yemen | Kaine Statement On U.S. Senate Vote To End U.S. Support For The War In Yemen | 2018-12-13 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 13, 2018 Kaine Statement On U.S. Senate Vote To End U.S. Support For The War In Yemen WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement after the Senate voted 56-41 to cease U.S. support for the war in Yemen and passed a resolution to hold Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi: Today the Senate showed that we won't stand by silently as the United States supports a war that's killed thousands of people and forced millions more to the brink of famine. We won't enable a President who chooses to cover up for Saudi leadership instead of standing up for American values. And we won't let Saudi Arabia get a free pass for the horrific murder of a journalist and Virginia resident. For months, Kaine has been calling on his colleagues to vote for the bipartisan joint resolution, which he is a co-sponsor of, to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis in Yemen. The resolution was introduced by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Chris Murphy (D-CT). Kaine has beenoutspokenagainst the Saudi-sponsored murder of Virginia resident Jamal Khashoggi and has called to cease arms sales to Saudi Arabia until there is real accountability for Khashoggi's death and dramatic improvement in the nation's treatment of journalists and political dissidents. ### Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-and-kaine-praise-senate-passage-of-bill-to-rename-charlottesville-post-office-after-captain-khan | Warner & Kaine Praise Senate Passage Of Bill To Rename Charlottesville Post Office After Captain Khan | 2018-12-13 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 13, 2018 Warner & Kaine Praise Senate Passage Of Bill To Rename Charlottesville Post Office After Captain Khan Bill now heads to President Trump's desk for signature WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine praised Senate passage of a bill to rename a Charlottesville post office as the Captain Humayun Khan Post Office. U.S. Army Captain Humayun Khan, a graduate of the University of Virginia, was born on September 9, 1976, and died on June 8, 2004, while in service to his country during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was killed by an improvised explosive device outside of his base in Baqubah, Iraq.His efforts that morning saved the lives of more than one hundred soldiers. It's hard to encapsulate the importance of Captain Khan's heroic efforts, but we hope that this gesture honors his memory and service to the nation, for which we are forever grateful, the Senators said. We hope that President Trump will quickly sign this bill into law. The United States Postal Service (USPS) facility is located at 180 McCormick Road in Charlottesville, Virginia. The bill, introduced by Congressman Tom Garrett, cleared the House unanimously on November 29th and will now head to President Trump's desk for his signature. In early December, Warner and Kaine wrote to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, the Senate Committee that oversees USPS, voicing their support for renaming the post office. ### Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/warner-kaine-praise-senate-passage-of-bill-to-rename-charlottesville-post-office-after-captain-khan | Warner & Kaine Praise Senate Passage of Bill to Rename Charlottesville Post Office After Captain Khan | 2018-12-13 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine praised Senate passage of a bill to rename a Charlottesville post office as the Captain Humayun Khan Post Office. U.S. Army Captain Humayun Khan, a graduate of the University of Virginia, was born on September 9, 1976, and died on June 8, 2004, while in service to his country during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was killed by an improvised explosive device outside of his base in Baqubah, Iraq.His efforts that morning saved the lives of more than one hundred soldiers. It's hard to encapsulate the importance of Captain Khan's heroic efforts, but we hope that this gesture honors his memory and service to the nation, for which we are forever grateful, the Senators said. We hope that President Trump will quickly sign this bill into law. The United States Postal Service (USPS) facility is located at 180 McCormick Road in Charlottesville, Virginia. The bill, introduced by Congressman Tom Garrett, cleared the House unanimously on November 29th and will now head to President Trump's desk for his signature. In early December, Warner and Kaine wrote to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, the Senate Committee that oversees USPS, voicing their support for renaming the post office. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/warner-on-senate-passage-of-a-resolution-to-end-u-s-military-assistance-in-saudi-led-war-in-yemen | Warner on Senate Passage of a Resolution to End U.S. Military Assistance in Saudi-led war in Yemen | 2018-12-13 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the below statement following the passage of S.J.Res.54, ajoint resolution to end U.S. military support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen: I voted for the resolution to end unauthorized U.S. military involvement in Yemen because I can no longer, in good conscience, support the current approach by the Saudi-led coalition in that conflict. As the years-long conflict drags on, the people of Yemen are suffering one of the most devastating humanitarian crises in the world. Despite stated commitments by the Saudis to improve the targeting of their air strikes, scores of innocent civilians continue to be killed by careless bombings, and deep lasting progress towards a negotiated end to the violence has remained elusive.The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia remains an important partner in confronting shared threats like al-Qaeda and ISIL and in countering Iran, and we will continue to work on shared security interests, but we should be clear that the United States will not provide unconditional assistance to their operations in Yemen. Unfortunately, at a moment in which it is most needed, the Trump Administration has abdicated America's moral leadership. In filling that void and in light of the actions by the Saudis both in Yemen and in Jamal Khashoggi's murder, the Senate must send a message that America's moral voice will not be diminished. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/washington-post-virginia-s-senators-do-the-commonwealth-proud | Washington Post: Virginias senators do the commonwealth proud | 2018-12-13 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | We have gotten so used to hyperpartisan sniping and dull-witted sound bites that when you finally hear one two, even! politicians demonstrate a granular grasp of the issues, pragmatism and farsightedness, it's both surprising and invigorating. The Virginia Chamber of Commerce got a dose of grown-up governance on Thursday morning at a round table with Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.). Before the event I asked Kaine about the prospects for end-of-year legislation. I think criminal justice prospects are high. ... The budget issue is a challenge, it really is. Congress laid out two options, he said $1.6 billion in border security funding (up from the $1.3 billion last year that the administration could not spend entirely) or pass everything else (there are six other, noncontroversial appropriations bills) and keep talking for two months. (Warner cracked, I'm still waiting for the check from Mexico.) On the Yemen issue he said, We are going to have a strong vote in the Senate. ... [It] sends two very important messages that we are starting to pull back to ourselves the initiation of war ... and to the Saudis that they aren't going to be able to walk around on Capitol Hill as if they have a free pass. Interestingly, he noted that as his last act of public service, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) squirreled away a provision in the newly passedfarm billthat would make it unnecessary for the House to vote on whatever the Senate passes on Saudi Arabia. Kaine and Warner were both enthusiastic about issues that don't necessarily get headlines. Warner spoke passionately about the need to improve investment in human capital be it by tax changes, accounting changes or changes in education policy. He said that we need to think much more radically" in bolstering workforce capital. Kaine, who will be working on a new higher education funding bill next year, emphasized the need to promote alternatives to four-year colleges. (He noted that the labor shortage is so acute that employers are looking to tak… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399065 | Griffith Statement on Farm Bill | 2018-12-12 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | VA | Morgan Griffith | G000568 | morgangriffith.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement after voting in favor of the 2018 Farm Bill: I voted yes on the 2018 Farm Bill to provide stability and continuity for our important agricultural industry. Although I remain concerned about some of the bill's provisions and its omissions, many farmers in the Ninth District depend on programs that this farm bill renews. I think the final version of the farm bill is a missed opportunity. It leaves out important reforms, including work requirements for able-bodied adults in the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program and forestry provisions on western lands, that have strong support in the House and among the public. Further, the conference report includes an extraneous change to the definition of interstate stalking. The farm bill appears to make crossing interstate lines to harass pets, including rodents, fish, and turtles, a felony. This provision is so poorly defined that one could possibly be prosecuted for throwing a rock at a fish in a koi pond. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1522 | Top Oversight Democrat Wants Hearing on Trump Wasting DHS Funds | 2018-12-12 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Griffin Connolly The second-highest ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is calling for a public hearing on the Trump administration's reported wasteful spending on border security.The inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security found that a staffing plan green-lighted by the president has been marred by wasted resources and overlapping responsibilities among employees and contractors. In one case, the government paid outside consulting firm Accenture nearly $14 million to hire two border patrol agents. While President Trump threatens a holiday shutdown for a wall that Mexico was supposed to pay for, we find out his Administration spent $14 million to hire two border agents, Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly said in a statement, referring to Congress' Dec. 21 deadline to get a spending package or continuing resolution to the president's desk to stop the government from shutting down over Christmas. Connolly is in line to be the vice-chairman of the House Oversight Committee when Democrats take back the majority in January. Congress gave him money for border security and he is wasting it, Connolly said of Trump. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee must look into this. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inked the Accenture group's federal services subsidiary to a $297 million contract in 2017 to hire thousands of new employees as part of Trump's plan to curb illegal crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border. But Accenture is nowhere near satisfying its 7,500-person hiring goal over the next 5 years, the inspector general wrote in a report issued last week. Further, CBP has used significant staffing and resources to help Accenture do the job for which it was contracted. As such, we are concerned that CBP may have paid Accenture for services and tools not provided. The customs agency risks wasting millions of taxpayer dollars on a hastily approved contract that is not meeting its proposed performance expectations, the inspector general reported. ht… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1523 | CBP issues partial stop work order on Accenture hiring contract | 2018-12-12 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Nicole Ogrysko Customs and Border Protection has issued Accenture Federal Services, the vendor the agency hired to help CBP recruit border patrol agents and officers more quickly, a partial stop work order. The agency coordinated with Accenture and has asked the vendor to reduce emphasis on some elements of the contract to allow more emphasis on others, a CBP spokeswoman wrote in an email to Federal News Network. Specifically, the agency asked Accenture to stop work on applicant processing, because the agency has more than enough capacity available to handle those activities on its own, the spokeswoman said. In addition, CBP will resume responsibility for performing polygraphs on its applicants. And because there are a limited number of polygraphists in the market, it makes more sense for CBP to perform that work rather than having Accenture compete with the agency for polygraph personnel and resources, the agency said. We do continue to need and see positive results from activities related to marketing, advertising, applicant care and data analytics, the CBP spokeswoman said. Therefore, we are asking Accenture to continue effort in those areas while we continue to assess what, if any, more permanent changes to the contract might be appropriate. The partial stop work order notice came before a damning report from the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general, which questioned whether Accenture had truly lived up to the promises described in the $297 million contract that CBP signed with the company last November. We remain focused on fulfilling our client's expectations under our contract, a spokeswoman for Accenture Federal Services said in an email to Federal News Network. Accenture had agreed to help the agency move qualified applicants through CBP's 12-step hiring process, test and vet candidates and improve the process for the better. Mission shortfalls Under the contract, which includes one base year and four additional option years, CBP asked Accenture to help the agency hire 7,500 qualified appl… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/mceachin-statement-farm-bill-conference-report | McEachin Statement on Farm Bill Conference Report | 2018-12-12 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | A. McEachin | M001200 | mceachin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) issued this statement on his vote in support of the Conference Report on the farm bill: As I promised I would, I stood up for the needs of the farmers in my district in this critical legislation. After months of hard work and conversation, we finally have a bill that supports and assists farmers in Virginia and across the country who feed our families. I am pleased that with this legislation we can fulfill our moral obligation to fight hunger, and give farmers the fair, level playing field they need to do business and feed America. Earlier this year, I led more than 100 of my colleagues on a letter opposing anti-environmental and conservation provisions in the previously passed House version of the Farm Bill. While there is always more work to be done, I am pleased that our collective efforts yielded the removal of the most egregious provisions. I am committed to being a strong voice against policies that harm our Earth. ### Contact: Jamitress Bowden (202) 225-6365 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/mceachin-statement-third-anniversary-paris-agreement-adoption | McEachin Statement on Third Anniversary of Paris Agreement Adoption | 2018-12-12 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | A. McEachin | M001200 | mceachin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) issued this statement observing the third anniversary of the Paris Agreement adoption during the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference: The Paris Agreement is a monumental step toward globally addressing and mitigating the impact of climate change. This partnership was designed to keep our world livable and healthy. Our withdrawal will endanger everyone who shares this one planet. The Trump Administration's refusal to respond to our environmental crisis jeopardizes the world as we know it from infrastructure to our economy, to public health. Climate change is truly one of the most important issues we face, and we must do all we can to ensure that our children and children's children have clean water, land, and air. The Paris Agreement is a crucial first step. Inaction on this issue is not an option. ### Contact: Jamitress Bowden (202) 225-6365 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/united-climate-and-environmental-justice-task-force-co-chairs-introduced | United for Climate and Environmental Justice Task Force Co-Chairs Introduced Environmental Rights Legislation | 2018-12-12 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | A. McEachin | M001200 | mceachin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04), along with his United for Climate and Environmental Justice Task Force co-chairs, Congresswomen Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Nanette Diaz Barragn (CA-44), introduced legislation to affirm all people's right to clean air, pure water, and the sustainable preservation of our natural environment. Climate change continues to ravage our communities, contributing to ever-worsening droughts, storms, and other severe weather events. Our seas are rising, threatening homes and livelihoods. These threats affect all people, but communities of color and low-income communities continue to suffer disproportionately. It is our responsibility to pursue climate justice, and serve the American people by implementing stronger protections, said Congressman McEachin. This amendment seeks to guarantee that all Americans enjoy clean air, pure water, and access to a healthy natural environment. By enshrining these critical safeguards in our Constitution, we will ensure that our both our environment and our people are protected. As a founding co-chair or the United for Climate and Environmental Justice Task Force, I am proud to join my colleagues, Representatives Donald McEachin and Nanette Diaz Barragn, in introducing this critical amendment, said Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. Everyone in our country and in our world deserves access to clean air and clean water. This is about safeguarding our environment, but it is also about advancing equity in all of our communities, especially the frontline communities that bear disproportionate impacts of climate change. It is about protecting the health of our children and our future. This amendment is past-due, and I look forward to advancing it alongside my colleagues in Congress. Access to clean air and clean water are two of the biggest challenges facing the health and well-being of communities across America. For too long, our most vulnerable communities, including my own district, have been at the frontlines of the environmental injustices inf… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2344 | SURVEY: Should Congress fund the wall? | 2018-12-12 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | VA | Robert Wittman | W000804 | wittman.house.gov | legacy | SURVEY: Should Congress fund the wall? f t # e Washington, December 12, 2018 Friend- In order to avoid a partial government shutdown, Congress must pass a government funding bill by December 21st. President Trump has indicated that he will not sign a funding bill unless it funds a southern border wall. That being said, I want to know what you think. Do you think a government funding package should include funding for a southern border wall? [_]Yes [_] No [_] I don't know [_] Other Your opinion helps shape how I represent you in Washington. Sincerely, Rob f t # e | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/senate-passes-landmark-legislation-to-combat-alzheimers | Senate Passes Landmark Legislation to Combat Alzheimer’s | 2018-12-12 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 12, 2018 Senate Passes Landmark Legislation to Combat Alzheimer's Washington, D.C. Today, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed theBuilding Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act, legislation authored by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Tim Kaine (D-VA). This bipartisan bill would, for the first time, create a public health infrastructure across the country to combat Alzheimer's disease and preserve brain health. The BOLD Act now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration. Alzheimer's disease is one of the greatest and under-recognized public health threats of our time. Five and a half million Americans are living with the disease, and that number is soaring as our overall population grows older and lives longer,said Senator Collins, a founder and Senate co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease. After decades of increasing investments in biomedical research for Alzheimer's, we are ready for the next step: to translate research into practice. The BOLD Act takes a multi-pronged public health approach that would create a modern infrastructure for the prevention, treatment, and care of Alzheimer's and related dementias. The bipartisan BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act will fund and promote early diagnosis, effective intervention, and better treatment options and establish Centers of Excellence to educate the public and professionals on the illness. I'm proud to support this bipartisan effort to support doctors, caregivers and all those working to improve the quality of life and finally find a cure for people suffering the effects of Alzheimer's and related cognitive disorders,said Senator Cortez Masto. To prevent millions of more Americans and their families from being devastated by Alzheimer's, we have to tackle this disease on all fronts. The BOLD Act helps us do that by empowering our federal and state public health infrastructure to play an expanded role and by … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1126 | Beyer Statement on Trumps Dirty Water Rule | 2018-12-11 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Donald Beyer | B001292 | beyer.house.gov | legacy | Beyer Statement on Trump's Dirty Water Rule f t # e Washington, December 11, 2018 Rep. Don Beyer today issued the following statement on the Trump Administration's proposal to significantly weaken protections for wetlands and waterways under the Clean Water Act's jurisdiction: Trump's proposed rule to gut the Clean Water Act's environmental protections for streams and wetlands will put at risk the water sources that tens of millions of Americans depend upon, said Rep. Beyer. Trump is again acting to boost the profits of industry magnates and corporate polluters who spent millions to get him elected, while pretending EPA data showing the harm this will do to streams and wetlands simply doesn't exist. The Dirty Water Rule is a farcical abuse of office which will damage the health of Americans and their environment. The new definitions of protected waters were announced by EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler, a former coal lobbyist, and embattled Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-van-hollen-secure-funding-to-aid-chesapeake-bay-in-final-2018-farm | Scott, Van Hollen Secure Funding to Aid Chesapeake Bay in Final 2018 Farm Bill | 2018-12-11 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Today, the House and Senate leaders of the Agriculture Committeesunveileda bipartisan, bicameral2018Farm Billconference report.The conference reportcontains severalmajor provisions from theChesapeake Bay Farm Bill EnhancementsAct,whichwas introduced by Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)last year. Improving conservation practices throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed is critical to our efforts to help restore the Chesapeake Bay, and that is why we introduced the Chesapeake Bay Farm Bill Enhancements Act, said Congressman Scott. I am very thankful that the leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees have decided to include important provisions of our legislation in this year's Farm Bill so we can continue our work to protect and restore the Bay. The Chesapeake Bay isn't just a national treasure it is vital to Maryland jobs and our economy,said Senator Van Hollen.I introduced the Chesapeake Bay Farm Bill Enhancements Act to boost restoration efforts and improve the health of the Bay. I want to thank Chairman Roberts and Ranking Member Stabenow for working with me to include much of the legislation in this year's Farm Bill. This new investment will help ensure that our Bay economy continues to thrive and that Marylanders and tourists can enjoy this treasure for generations to come. This final Farm Bill contains major provisions of the Chesapeake Bay Farm Bill Enhancements Act including: $300 million in mandatory funding for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), which provides funding to conservation partners and agricultural producers to work together to reduce pollution and improve water quality. A higher percentage of RCPP funding for Critical Conservation Areas like the Bay an increase from 35 percent to 50 percent. Important reforms and technical assistance for partners. # # # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1521 | Connolly Calls for House Oversight Hearing on IG Report Finding Trump Administration Spent $14 Million to Hire Two Border Agents | 2018-12-11 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Connolly Calls for House Oversight Hearing on IG Report Finding Trump Administration Spent $14 Million to Hire Two Border Agents f t # e Washington, December 11, 2018 Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Vice Ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, released the following statement on today's Huffington Post report that the Trump administration spent $14 million to recruit two border agents. While President Trump threatens a holiday shutdown for a wall that Mexico was supposed to pay for, we find out his Administration spent $14 million to hire two border agents. Congress gave him money for border security and he is wasting it. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee must look into this. The full OIG report is available here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mceachin-joined-lcv-panel-fellow-united-climate-and-environmental | Congressman McEachin Joined LCV Panel with Fellow United for Climate and Environmental Justice Task Force Co-Chairs | 2018-12-11 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | A. McEachin | M001200 | mceachin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04), and his United for Climate and Environmental Justice Task Force co-chairs, Congresswomen Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Nanette Diaz Barragn (CA-44), participated in a panel discussion about the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), and its importance to all communities. I will never stop fighting for the LWCF, and for the communities it helps across the country, said Congressman Donald McEachin. Over the past five decades, LWCF has protected some of our nation's most treasured places. Because of LWCF, people across the country have the chance to explore the great outdoorstaking in sunshine, breathing clean air, and enjoying beautiful vistas they might never otherwise have seen. They are able to visit countless historical sites, including battlefields in my district, that tell the rich story of our nationplaces that could otherwise have been lost forever. All Americans should be able to visit these places; future generations deserve to see them in all their undiminished glory. In my own district, LWCF has protected important stretches of the James Riverboth the water and the shore, added Rep. McEachin. I want my children and grandchildren to enjoy those areas just as much as I haveand I want the same for families across our nation. If that is the future we want, there is only one option: we must permanently reauthorize and fully fund LWCF. Despite broad bipartisan support for the program, Republican congressional leaders let LWCF expire earlier this year on September 30, 2018. The more than 50-year-old program has helped protect some of America's most iconic landscapes, including the Grand Canyon and the Appalachian Trail. LWCF has also supported urban open spaces ranging from New York City's Central Park, to neighborhood ball fields and local parks in nearly every congressional district across the country. CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS ### Contact: Jamitress Bowden (202) 306-0546 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/senate-passes-compromise-farm-bill-that-legalizes-industrial-hemp-production- | Senate Passes Compromise Farm Bill That Legalizes Industrial Hemp Production | 2018-12-11 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 11, 2018 Senate Passes Compromise Farm Bill That Legalizes Industrial Hemp Production ~ Includes other Warner-Kaine priorities to increase Chesapeake Bay clean-up funding, protect Va. agricultural products, prevent animal abuse, and fund SNAP ~ WASHINGTON Today, the U.S. Senate passed a compromise package that includes Virginia priorities championed by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA). These include an increase in funding for Chesapeake Bay clean-up efforts, protections for Virginia agricultural products, increased protections to prevent animal abuse, and funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The 2018 Farm Bill also includes a Warner-Kaine sponsored measure to legalizeindustrial hempproduction, a crop which is already cultivated for research purposes in Virginia but which the agriculture industry cannot currently grow for commercial use. This compromise bill includes significant victories for Virginia, including measures to expand successful Chesapeake Bay clean-up efforts, protect Virginia commodities like dairy and cotton, and maintain funding for a nutrition assistance program that Virginia families depend on, said the Senators. And, after decades of waiting, states will be allowed to choose the best way to regulate production of industrial hemp. We are proud to support this bipartisan legislation that finally puts an end to a ban that has held back our farmers from participating in the emerging industrial hemp market, an industry that will help bring new business to Virginia and create new jobs. Warner and Kaine's priorities for Virginia in the 2018 Farm Bill include: Hemp Farming Act: a bill that would remove hemp from the federal list of controlled substances, allowing Virginia farmers to grow and sell the plant as an agricultural commodity. States would be given authority to regulate hemp, and hemp researchers will be able to apply for USDA grants. Hemp farmers would also be eligible to collect crop insurance under this provision.… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-and-kaine-announce-more-than-165-million-in-head-start-funding-for-virginia | Warner & Kaine Announce More Than $16.5 Million In Head Start Funding For Virginia | 2018-12-11 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 11, 2018 Warner & Kaine Announce More Than $16.5 Million In Head Start Funding For Virginia WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $16,557,883 millionin federal grant funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for Head Start programs throughout Virginia. We're pleased to announce funding through the Head Start program to support young children across Virginia, the Senators said. The Head Start program is important to ensuring that schools and organizations have the resources they need to support early childhood development. The following organizations will receive funding: Lynchburg Community Action Group Inc. will receive $3,344,772. Eastern Shore AAA/CAA in Exmore will receive $1,932,019. People Incorporated of Virginia in Abingdon will receive $4,449,701. Buchanan County Head Start in Grundy will receive $1,463,253. Clinch Valley Community Action, Inc. in Tazewell will receive $1,665,748. Augusta County School Board in Verona will receive $2,257,832. Lee County School District in Jonesville will receive $1,444,558. As Governors and Senators, Warner and Kaine have advocated for investments in early childhood education. Head Start programs promote school readiness for children under 5 years old from low-income families through health, education, family support, and social services. ### Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-kaine-welcome-announcement-that-wmata-will-receive-20-million-in-funds-to-rehab-seven-virginia-metro-stations | Warner, Kaine Welcome Announcement that WMATA Will Receive $20 Million in Funds to Rehab Seven Virginia Metro Stations | 2018-12-11 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 11, 2018 Warner, Kaine Welcome Announcement that WMATA Will Receive $20 Million in Funds to Rehab Seven Virginia Metro Stations ~ Grant money will be used to improve and update outdoor platforms on the Blue and Yellow lines ~ WASHINGTON Today U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded an announcement by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) will receive $20 million in federal funds to support platform rehabilitation work at seven outdoor Metrorail stations in Virginia. The funding provided through the DOT's Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant program, formerly known as the TIGER program, will be used to restore platforms, increase safety and improve the rider experience at the Braddock Road, King Street, Eisenhower Avenue, Van Dorn Street, Franconia-Springfield, National Airport, and Huntington stations on the Blue and Yellow lines. This is a welcome federal investment in stations that serve thousands of Virginia residents and commuters every day, said the Senators. After years of exposure to snow, rain, wind, and other elements, many of Metro's outdoor platforms are in need a significant rehabilitation. This money is part of a significant multi-year effort to improve safety at Metro's outdoor stations, the majority of which are located in Northern Virginia. ### Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/senate-passes-compromise-farm-bill-that-legalizes-industrial-hemp-production | Senate Passes Compromise Farm Bill That Legalizes Industrial Hemp Production | 2018-12-11 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Today, the U.S. Senate passed a compromise package that includes Virginia priorities championed by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA). These include an increase in funding for Chesapeake Bay clean-up efforts, protectionsfor Virginia agriculturalproducts, increased protections to prevent animal abuse, andfunding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).The 2018 FarmBill also includes aWarner-Kaine sponsored measuretolegalizeindustrial hempproduction, a crop which is already cultivated for research purposes in Virginia but which the agriculture industry cannot currently grow for commercial use. This compromise bill includes significant victories for Virginia, including measures to expand successful Chesapeake Bay clean-up efforts, protect Virginia commodities like dairy and cotton, and maintain funding for a nutrition assistance program that Virginia families depend on,said the Senators.And, after decades of waiting, states will be allowed to choose the best way to regulate production of industrial hemp. We are proud to support this bipartisan legislation that finally puts an end to a ban that has held back our farmers from participating in the emerging industrial hemp market, an industry that will help bring new business to Virginia and create new jobs. Warner and Kaine's priorities for Virginia in the 2018 Farm Bill include: Hemp Farming Act: a bill that would remove hemp from the federal list of controlled substances, allowing Virginia farmers to grow and sell the plant as an agricultural commodity. States would be given authority to regulate hemp, and hemp researchers will be able to apply for USDA grants. Hemp farmers would also be eligible to collect crop insurance under this provision. 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. However, Congress must ac… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/warner-kaine-announce-more-than-16-5-million-in-head-start-funding-for-virginia | Warner & Kaine Announce more than $16.5 Million in Head Start Funding for Virginia | 2018-12-11 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $16,557,883 millionin federal grant funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for Head Start programs throughout Virginia. We're pleased to announce funding through the Head Start program to support young children across Virginia,the Senators said. The Head Start program is important to ensuring that schools and organizations have the resources they need to support early childhood development. The following organizations will receive funding: Lynchburg Community Action Group Inc. will receive $3,344,772. Eastern Shore AAA/CAA in Exmore will receive $1,932,019. People Incorporated of Virginia in Abingdon will receive $4,449,701. Buchanan County Head Start in Grundy will receive $1,463,253. Clinch Valley Community Action, Inc. in Tazewell will receive $1,665,748. Augusta County School Board in Verona will receive $2,257,832. Lee County School District in Jonesville will receive $1,444,558. As Governors and Senators, Warner and Kaine have advocated for investments in early childhood education. Head Start programs promote school readiness for children under 5 years old from low-income families through health, education, family support, and social services. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/warner-kaine-welcome-announcement-that-wmata-will-receive-20-million-in-funds-to-rehab-seven-virginia-metro-stations | Warner, Kaine Welcome Announcement that WMATA Will Receive $20 Million in Funds to Rehab Seven Virginia Metro Stations | 2018-12-11 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Today U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded an announcement by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) will receive $20 million in federal funds to support platform rehabilitation work at seven outdoor Metrorail stations in Virginia. The funding provided through the DOT's Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant program, formerly known as the TIGER program, will be used to restore platforms, increase safety and improve the rider experience at the Braddock Road, King Street, Eisenhower Avenue, Van Dorn Street, Franconia-Springfield, National Airport, and Huntington stations on the Blue and Yellow lines. This is a welcome federal investment in stations that serve thousands of Virginia residents and commuters every day,said the Senators. After years of exposure to snow, rain, wind, and other elements, many of Metro's outdoor platforms are in need a significant rehabilitation. This money is part of a significant multi-year effort to improve safety at Metro's outdoor stations, the majority of which are located in Northern Virginia. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399064 | Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 12.10.18 | 2018-12-10 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | VA | Morgan Griffith | G000568 | morgangriffith.house.gov | legacy | Help for Sexual Assault Victims Before the 115th Congress concludes, the House of Representatives will take up an important bill I cosponsored with Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), the Megan Rondini Sexual Assault Victims Protection Act. The namesake of the bill was a student at the University of Alabama. One night, Megan was raped by a man from a prominent local family. She went to the local hospital and reported the incident to the police, but the hospital did not have the proper resources to deal with sexual assault, and the police soon focused on infractions they believed she had committed. The district attorney did not pursue a case against Megan's attacker, and her emotional and mental state declined. She transferred universities, but still, the rape and its aftermath haunted her, and ultimately, she took her own life. Megan's story shows that we have to do better for sexual assault victims. The bill introduced in her name will help. Under the provisions of the Megan Rondini Sexual Assault Victims Protection Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) would set up a task force to identify the barriers that block access to sexual assault forensic examiners, sexual assault nurse examiners, and other forensic medical examiners. The task force would help states improve their ability to gather evidence. When this bill becomes law, by July 1, 2019, the HHS website would include resources and best practices developed by stakeholders for responding to sexual assault, and an annual summit would be convened by the Secretary to address gaps in health care regarding sexual assault. Improving responses to sexual assault cases will also be the subject of an upcoming hearing by the House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, of which I am Vice Chairman. We will examine the availability of Sexual Assault Forensic Exams (SAFE kits) and sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) in hospitals. By improving access to proper resources and professionals trained in responding to sexual assa… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-mceachin-announced-2018-congressional-app-challenge-winner | Congressman McEachin Announced 2018 Congressional App Challenge Winner | 2018-12-10 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | A. McEachin | M001200 | mceachin.house.gov | legacy | Richmond, Va. Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) announced the winner of the 4th Congressional District's 2018 Congressional App Challenge Dylan Pruitt who won with his application Heroku MUD. Dylan is a senior in the engineering specialty program at Nansemond River High School in Suffolk, Virginia. Dylan's dedication to coding and designing a new app is most impressive. A command of computer science skills will be a wonderful skill in our 21st-century workforce and Dylan is well on his way to achieving greater success, said Congressman Donald McEachin. I am proud of Dylan and look forward to his bright future. The Congressional App Challenge is the most prestigious competition that acknowledges students for their command of computer science. Dylan will represent Virginia's 4th Congressional District at the federal level. His Heroku MUD app will be on display in the United States Capitol. ### Contact: Jamitress Bowden (202) 306-0546 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/representatives-mceachin-schneider-introduced-paris-climate-act | Representatives McEachin, Schneider Introduced P.A.R.I.S. Climate Act | 2018-12-10 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | A. McEachin | M001200 | mceachin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressmen A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) and Brad Schneider (IL-10) introduced the Produce All Relevant Information to Safeguard (P.A.R.I.S.) Climate Act at the same time the United Nations Climate Change annual conference takes place in Poland. Climate change poses an existential threat to the world as we know it, and preventing that change is one of the most pressing issues we face. Public health, environmental quality, and our economy are at risk if we do not act. Several international and domestic reports have confirmed the urgency of our situation, and this administration must use the facts we have to protect the American people and everyone with whom we share this one Earth, said Congressman McEachin. Three years after the signing of the Paris Agreement at the UN Climate Change Conference, Congressman Schneider and I introduced the P.A.R.I.S. Climate Act because we know the Paris Agreement was a crucial step toward ensuring our world is livable and healthy, and science shows our withdrawal endangers that precious goal. The Trump Administration is stubbornly set on ignoring the science of climate change and slowing our transition to renewable sources of energy, said Congressman Schneider. The recently released National Climate Assessment illustrates that time is running out to curb emissions and address the climate threat to our economy, nation, and planet. Our legislation would require the Administration to answer for its wrong-headed decision to unilaterally withdraw from the international Paris Agreement. I will continue to work with Congressman McEachin and my colleagues to put the United States on a path to lower emissions and reengagement with the international community. The P.A.R.I.S. Climate Act will require the Secretary of State to regularly publish a public assessment that highlights exactly how anomalous and damaging the Trump administration's decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement truly is. This straightforward bill demands regular answers to the following questions: How many … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-on-november-jobs-report-1 | Scott Statement on November Jobs Report | 2018-12-07 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | As originally released by the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Democrats WASHINGTON, DCRanking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement afterthe Bureau of Labor Statisticsannounced that the economy added155,000 jobsin November. The unemployment rate held steady at 3.7 percent. Today's jobs report reveals the economic state of workers and middle-class families remains fragile despite a prolonged period of low unemployment. Wages have remained largely stagnant particularly for low-wage earners and too many workers are forced to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet. What's worse, the Majority's major legislative accomplishment from the 115thCongress was a massive tax cut that overwhelmingly benefits corporations and the wealthy. Next year, this Committee will work to build an economy that works for everyone, not just the wealthy few. This means raising the federal minimum wage, expanding access to overtime pay, protecting all workers from discrimination, expanding access to health care and child care, and ensuring that all Americans can retire with dignity. # # # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-colleagues-urge-devos-to-hold-student-loan-companies-accountable-increase-transparency-to-ensure-companies-are-following-the-law | Kaine, Colleagues Urge DeVos to Hold Student Loan Companies Accountable, Increase Transparency To Ensure Companies Are Following the Law | 2018-12-07 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 07, 2018 Kaine, Colleagues Urge DeVos to Hold Student Loan Companies Accountable, Increase Transparency To Ensure Companies Are Following the Law Following DeVos' troubling pattern of shielding student loan companies from accountability, Senators urge DeVos to increase transparency and accountability for companies receiving taxpayer-funded contracts Senators: Borrowers, taxpayers, schools, and policymakers are poorly served by the lack of transparency over student loan servicing Washington, D.C. Led by U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Senator Tim Kaine joined 24 colleagues in a letterto Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos highlighting the need for the Department of Education to ensure student loan servicing companies that receive federal contracts are following the law and operating in the best interest of student loan borrowers. In the letter, the Senators cited concerns with Secretary DeVos' past actions to shield student loan companies and debt collectors from accountability and urged her to make performance information about student loan companies public to ensure that corporations receiving taxpayer-funded contracts are following the law. The Department's goal of modernizing our student loan repayment system has the potential to provide borrowers with consistent and quality help while they repay their student loans,the Senators wrote.To realize this vision, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) must ensure that student loan companies and debt collectors are using federal taxpayer dollars fairly, effectively, and legally. NextGen will only succeed if the Department begins to hold student loan companies accountable to the law, and if the Department allows state and federal regulators to do their job. After Secretary DeVosdialed back a series of consumer protectionsfor student loan borrowers andended the Department's cooperationwith the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, DeVosclaimed that st… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/senate-passes-bipartisan-legislation-kaine-cosponsored-to-strengthen-veteran-owned-small-business | Senate Passes Bipartisan Legislation Kaine Cosponsored To Strengthen Veteran-Owned Small Business | 2018-12-07 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 07, 2018 Senate Passes Bipartisan Legislation Kaine Cosponsored To Strengthen Veteran-Owned Small Business WASHINGTON, D.C. The U.S. Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation that was cosponsored by U.S. Senator Tim Kaine and introduced by Senator Tammy Duckworthto helpveteran entrepreneurs grow their small businesses and expand economicopportunity. TheVeterans Small Business Enhancement Act, which now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives, would allowveteran small business owners to acquire equipment and property that the federal government no longer has a use for by addingveterans to the list of eligible recipients for federal surplus personal property, which already includes women and minority small business owners as well as Veterans Service Organizations. When the men and women who have tirelessly served our nation come home and begin new careers in their communities, we owe them our support,Kaine said. That's why one of my top priorities in the Senate has been easing servicemembers' transition from active duty to the civilian workforce. I'm excited that this commonsense legislation brings us closer to that goal by helping veterans who own small businesses thrive and in turn strengthen their communities. Kaine has focused in the Senate on supporting veterans, servicemembers, and their families. He's been a leader on efforts to reduce unemployment for veterans and military spouses and ensure those who serve our nation receive the health care and benefits they were promised.The first bill Kaine introduced in the Senate theTroop Talent Actof 2013 was a bill to ease the transition for servicemembers into the civilian workforce.This year, Kaine introduced two bills theMilitary Spouse Employment Act of 2018and theJobs and Childcare for Military Families Act of 2018 to reduce military spouse unemployment and support military families. Key provisions of these two military spouse billsweresigned into lawas part of the Fiscal Year 2019National Defense Authorization Act(NDAA). The… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/senate-passes-bipartisan-legislation-kaine-cosponsored-to-strengthen-veteran-owned-small-businesses | Senate Passes Bipartisan Legislation Kaine Cosponsored To Strengthen Veteran-Owned Small Businesses | 2018-12-07 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 07, 2018 Senate Passes Bipartisan Legislation Kaine Cosponsored To Strengthen Veteran-Owned Small Businesses WASHINGTON, D.C. The U.S. Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation that was cosponsored by U.S. Senator Tim Kaine and introduced by Senator Tammy Duckworthto helpveteran entrepreneurs grow their small businesses and expand economicopportunity. TheVeterans Small Business Enhancement Act, which now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives, would allowveteran small business owners to acquire equipment and property that the federal government no longer has a use for by addingveterans to the list of eligible recipients for federal surplus personal property, which already includes women and minority small business owners as well as Veterans Service Organizations. When the men and women who have tirelessly served our nation come home and begin new careers in their communities, we owe them our support,Kaine said. That's why one of my top priorities in the Senate has been easing servicemembers' transition from active duty to the civilian workforce. I'm excited that this commonsense legislation brings us closer to that goal by helping veterans who own small businesses thrive and in turn strengthen their communities. Kaine has focused in the Senate on supporting veterans, servicemembers, and their families. He's been a leader on efforts to reduce unemployment for veterans and military spouses and ensure those who serve our nation receive the health care and benefits they were promised.The first bill Kaine introduced in the Senate theTroop Talent Actof 2013 was a bill to ease the transition for servicemembers into the civilian workforce.This year, Kaine introduced two bills theMilitary Spouse Employment Act of 2018and theJobs and Childcare for Military Families Act of 2018 to reduce military spouse unemployment and support military families. Key provisions of these two military spouse billsweresigned into lawas part of the Fiscal Year 2019National Defense Authorization Act(NDAA). T… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-and-kaine-announce-300000-to-support-danville-innovation | Warner & Kaine Announce $300,000 To Support Danville Innovation | 2018-12-07 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 07, 2018 Warner & Kaine Announce $300,000 To Support Danville Innovation WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $300,000 for Southside Business Technology Center, Inc. in Danville, a group that funds local entrepreneurs to support start-up companies. This money will support the Launch Place Seed Fund2, a non-profit that is working to diversify the Dan River region's economy through entrepreneurship. The goal of the project is to support the region's transition to an economy that recruits, retains, and develops start-up businesses and supports expansions. We're thrilled to announce funding to drive start-up creation in Danville. These dollars will help create innovative jobs in the region and stimulate growth by diversifying the local economy, the Senators said. This funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration's Seed Fund Support Grants. The Trump Administration's fiscal year 2018 budget proposed to eliminate funding for the Economic Development Administration. Following a letter from Warner and Kaine to the Senate Appropriations Committee, Congress rejected this proposal. ### Print Email Tweet | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/warner-calls-for-society | Warner Calls for Society-Wide Cyber Doctrine | 2018-12-07 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON OnFriday, December 7, 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, delivered a major policy speech at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) on the need for a U.S. cyber doctrine. Russia's interference in the 2016 election, relying on a hybrid strategy of conventional cyber-theft, weaponized leaks, and wide-scale social media disinformation, marked a turning point in how we understand the threat landscape. And these active measures have continued well past the 2016 election, illustrating the pressing need for the United States to develop a clear and explicit plan for responding to any future attacks. In his remarks, Sen. Warner called for a whole-of-society doctrine to respond to the cyber and misinformation threats facing our nation. Watch the Speech Listen to the Speech (via Lawfare) Read the Speech 2018.12.07 CNAS Warner Cyber Doctrine Speech as-Prepared by MarkWarner on Scribd | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/warner-himes-welcome-input-on-portable-retirement-accounts | Warner & Himes Welcome Input on Portable Retirement Accounts | 2018-12-07 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Responding to changes in the economy and the nature of work, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Congressman Jim Himes (D-CT) today released aproposalfor portable accounts that would make saving for retirement easier for American workers who can increasingly expect to work multiple jobs for multiple employers over the course of a career. In awhite paper, Sen. Warner and Rep. Himes put forward a proposal for a new type of retirement savings vehicle, the Portable Retirement and Investment Account (PRIA). The accounts which would be universal for all Americans, and travel from job to job over the course of a lifetime in a workforce would offer those workers who are not currently well-served by existing retirement programs a new avenue to save and manage their retirement assets. The accounts would not replace 401(k)s, IRAs, and other existing retirement accounts and would also make it easier for employees to consolidate their existing retirement accounts if they change jobs. Changes in the nature of work mean that Americans are more likely to change jobs and be engaged in non-traditional forms of work than they were a generation ago, but our policies haven't kept up with these shifts. As more and more Americans can expect to hold multiple jobs across a career, a year, and even a day, we need to provide them with access to flexible, portable benefits such as retirement savings that will carry with them from employer to employer and gig to gig,said Sen. Warner. Input from stakeholders will becritical as we look towards developing functional solutions that will work for employers and employees alike. Millions of Americans are not properly preparing for retirement and need a mechanism that makes it easier to save throughout their lives. To achieve this, Congress should create a portable retirement account that is personalized and independent from employment status. I've introduced a version in the House as a first draft and am grateful to Senator Warner in joining me to develop the idea further in a bicam… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/warner-kaine-announce-300-000-to-support-danville-innovation | Warner & Kaine Announce $300,000 to Support Danville Innovation | 2018-12-07 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $300,000 for Southside Business Technology Center, Inc. in Danville, a group that funds local entrepreneurs to support start-up companies. This money will support the Launch Place Seed Fund2, a non-profit that is working to diversify the Dan River region's economy through entrepreneurship. The goal of the project is to support the region's transition to an economy that recruits, retains, and develops start-up businesses and supports expansions. We're thrilled to announce funding to drive start-up creation in Danville. These dollars will help create innovative jobs in the region and stimulate growth by diversifying the local economy,the Senators said. This funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration's Seed Fund Support Grants. The Trump Administration's fiscal year 2018 budget proposed to eliminate funding for the Economic Development Administration. Following a letter from Warner and Kaine to the Senate Appropriations Committee, Congress rejected this proposal. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/washington-post-sen-warner-calls-for-national-cyber-policy-overhaul | Washington Post: Sen. Warner calls for national cyber-policy overhaul | 2018-12-07 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | ByJoseph Marks The U.S. government has failed for decades to mount a workable defense against foreign cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns and must shift tactics or risk losing this century's major battles, Sen. Mark R. Warner said in a cyber-policy speech Friday. That shift should include greater investments in military cybertechnology, more funding for cybersecurity research and development and a reinvigorated process of building international cyber norms with allies and punishing nations that violate them, Warner (D-Va.) said during a speech at the Center for a New American Security think tank. One new global rule the United States could advocate would be an agreement that nations will not hack one another's private companies, he said. Warner, who is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, attributed U.S. cyberdefense failures to numerous causes, including underinvestment at the State and Defense departments, convoluted oversight by overlapping congressional committees and market incentives that do not reward companies for investing in cyber protections. He also called out Facebook, Twitter and other social media companies, saying they are not doing enough to secure their platforms against malign influence operations such as the Russian campaign that spread disinformation in advance of the 2016 election. Warner, a former telecommunications investment executive, is leading the Senate's investigation into Russia's influence campaign, along with Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), chairman of the Intelligence Committee. The government's underinvestment in cybersecurity has been partly driven by a naive belief that the U.S. model of a free and open Internet would naturally beat out Russian and Chinese models, which view the Internet as a place for commerce but also for censorship and disinformation operations, Warner said. In fact, China has been wildly successful at harnessing the economic benefits of the Internet in the absence of political freedom, Warner said, adding that today, China… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/ranking-member-scott-statement-on-education-corporation-of-america | Ranking Member Scott Statement on Education Corporation of America | 2018-12-06 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | As originally released by the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Democrats WASHINGTON, DCRanking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) statement on today's announcement that the Education Corporation of America (ECA) will close all of its more than 75 campuses, affecting roughly 20,000 students. ECA is accredited by ACICS and makes up about half of ACICS accredited schools. ECA's abrupt closure calls into question the Department's recent decision to reinstate ACICS as a recognized accreditor. We have repeatedly warned about the risks low-quality, for-profit education companies and irresponsible accreditors pose to students and taxpayers across the country. Today's announcement is another painful reminder of those risks. Just as with ITT Technical Institute and Corinthian Colleges, Education Corporation of America's (ECA) abrupt closing will leave thousands of students with non-transferrable credits, crippling debt, and few of the job opportunities they were promised. And, once again, the programs being shuttered were accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) until the day before ECA announced they were closing. Students, their families, and the federal government rely on accreditors to set a standard for quality higher education and determine which institutions should be eligible to receive federal student aid. It is particularly notable that within the past two weeks the Department moved to restore ACICS as a recognized accreditor, despite its long record of granting legitimacy to schools like ECA. Previously ECA unsuccessfully attempted to be recognized by another accreditor but was ultimately denied because they failed to meet the minimum standards. This announcement captures many of the substantive issues we have raised about the Department's efforts to rollback accountability in for-profit education by lowering standards for schools and accreditorsand making it harder for defrauded students to be made whole. I hope the Department will take this opportunity to rethink its … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1520 | Connolly Statement on Chairman Sharon Bulovas Announcement She Will Not Seek Re-election | 2018-12-06 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Connolly Statement on Chairman Sharon Bulova's Announcement She Will Not Seek Re-election f t # e Washington, December 6, 2018 Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), former Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, released the following statement on Chairman Sharon Bulova's announcement that she will not seek re-election:I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Sharon Bulova for more than 20 years and she is a true community treasure. Under her leadership, she turned the idea of the Virginia Railway Express into a reality. As Chairman, she guided the County through the worst of the Great Recession, while still maintaining the critical investments and services that Fairfax residents have come to expect. And over her years of public service, she has helped transform our community into one that is envied by all others. Sharon's time on the Board will be remembered for her decency and commitment to collegiality, her willingness to listen to her constituents and bring people together, and her drive to leave Fairfax a better place for future generations. I want to thank my dear friend for her lifetime of service and the undeniable mark she has left on our community. f t # e | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://goo.gl/vmLhRg | After No Reply Or Public Explanation To Previous Request, Top Senate & House Democrats Demand In-Person Briefing From DOJs Chief Ethics Official On Whether He Has Advised Mr. Whitaker To Recuse Himself From Overseeing The Mueller Investigation | 2018-12-06 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | goo.gl | legacy | Washington, D.C. Top Senate and House Democrats today sent a new letter to the Department of Justice's Chief Ethics Official, Assistant Attorney General Lee J. Lofthus, demanding an in-person meeting and renewing their November 11, 2018, requestto which they received no replyto immediately be notified in writing as to whether he or any other ethics officials at the Department of Justice have advised Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to recuse himself from the Special Counsel investigation, and to be provided with all ethics guidance Mr. Whitaker has been given to date. Despite the serious ethical considerations that should preclude any involvement by President Trump's handpicked Attorney General Matthew Whitaker with Special Counsel Mueller's investigation, the Democrats note that 14 months after joining the DOJ, Mr. Whitaker's ethics review is still incomplete. The Democrats' previousletter, signed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking Member Adam Schiff, and House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Elijah Cummings, included a number of examples of Mr. Whitaker's many conflicts of interest and hostile statements toward Special Counsel Mueller's investigation. These examples include Mr. Whitaker's televised statement suggesting that the investigation be defunded or subjected to strict limitations on its scope, a published online opinion piece referring to the investigation as a witch hunt, and a statement in which he clearly pre-judged the outcome of the investigation. Senate and House Democrats' second letter to Assistant Attorney General Lee J. Lofthus renewing their request can be foundhereand below: The Honorable Lee J. Lofthus Assistant Attorney General for Administration and Designated Agen… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-and-warner-celebrate-pay-raise-progress-for-federal-employees-in-virginia-beach-and-norfolk | Kaine & Warner Celebrate Pay Raise Progress For Federal Employees In Virginia Beach And Norfolk | 2018-12-06 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 06, 2018 Kaine & Warner Celebrate Pay Raise Progress For Federal Employees In Virginia Beach And Norfolk The Senators have pushed the Trump Administration to approve these raises that now await Trump's authorization If authorized, a locality pay adjustment will go into effect January 2019 for approximately 30,400 Virginians WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark R. Warner are celebrating new progress in their efforts toward securing a much-deserved pay raise for federal employees in Virginia Beach and Norfolk starting in January of 2019. In November, the Federal Salary Council confirmed its recommendation for these raises, a process that was started in 2015, and tomorrow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) within the Trump Administration will formally publish in the Federal Register the final rule that includes these raises, indicating that they will be set by the President. Kaine and Warner have pushed OPM to take the necessary steps to implement a pay raise for federal employees in the region. In Virginia Beach and Norfolk, the cost of living has greatly outpaced federal salary increases, and while federal employees in the region could have been receiving higher pay for the last year, OPM's delay in implementing the pay scale adjustment exacerbated the situation for Virginia families who had been long-expecting a raise. We are thrilled that the hardworking federal employees in Virginia Beach and Norfolk will finally receive the long-overdue pay raise we've pushed for to counter the high cost of living, the Senators said. These individuals work hard every day to serve our country, and it's a shame that many of them have struggled to get by as the cost of living has outpaced federal salary increases. We hope that President Trump will quickly set these pay rates to offer Virginians peace of mind as they head into the holiday season. Last year, Kaine and Warner wrote to the Acting Director of OPM concerned that federal employees in the Hampton Roads region… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/murray-kaine-and-senate-democrats-urge-department-of-justice-watchdog-to-investigate-decision-making-process-for-epstein-case | Murray, Kaine, and Senate Democrats Urge Department of Justice Watchdog to Investigate Decision-Making Process for Epstein Case | 2018-12-06 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | December 06, 2018 Murray, Kaine, and Senate Democrats Urge Department of Justice Watchdog to Investigate Decision-Making Process for Epstein Case In 2007, then-U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta entered a non-prosecution agreement with Jeffrey Epstein, accused of abusing and coercing young girls into sex acts According to new Miami Herald investigation, Epstein was given the deal of a lifetime Senate Democrats raised alarm during Acosta's nomination process for Secretary of Labor, new details raise further questions about Acosta's handling of the case Washington, D.C. Led by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Tim Kaine (D-VA), 16 Senate Democrats sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General requesting an investigation into the DOJ's decision-making process when then-U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta entered into a non-prosecution agreement with accused serial sexual abuser, Jeffrey Epstein. Acosta's involvement in the case was brought up during his nomination process for Secretary of Labor by Senators Murray and Kaine, and the Senators are calling for the DOJ Inspector General to investigate given new information brought to light in the Miami Herald's reporting. We are deeply concerned by Mr. Epstein's horrific, serial abuse of children and new revelations about the process by which he was given, to quote the Herald, the deal of a lifetime,' the Senators wrote. It is essential that an independent investigatory office conduct an investigation to determine whether DOJ policies and procedures were followed in this matter. In addition to the request for an independent investigation, the Senators also voiced concern that the plea bargain Acosta struck with Epsteinwhich was kept secret from the victimsviolated the Crime Victims' Rights Act, which provides victims with important protections, including the right to be informed of any plea agreement. Epstein was accused of coercing underage girls into… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |
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