Press releases
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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562 rows where party = "Democrat", state = "VA" and year = 2016 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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| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=E84120EA-8917-4D32-BCF9-4DB12B4CAACF | Statement of Sen. Warner on Administration Response to Russian Interference | 2016-12-29 | 2016 | 2016-12 | 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 Intelligence Committee in the 115th Congress, issued a statement today on the Obama Administration's announcement that it will impose additional sanctions on Russia in response to Russian hacking and interference in the electoral process: "The actions the President took today are an important step, but preventing Russia from interfering in our elections will require a sustained response from the next administration and from Congress. "We are obligated to conduct a thorough, timely and bipartisan investigation in the 115th Congress with the goal of releasing as much information as possible, while protecting sources and methods, so that the American people can understand exactly what happened and what could well happen again if we fail to respond appropriately. "Make no mistake: Russia's actions were not those of a friend. I am grateful to the intelligence community for their hard work to warn us about Russia's efforts to interfere in the democratic process. I will continue to urge the incoming administration to respect the expertise and conclusions reached by our intelligence professionals, and to take actions that treat Russia's interference with the seriousness it deserves." # # # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-scott-to-close-richmond-district-office-on-january-2-2017 | Rep. Scott to Close Richmond District Office on January 2, 2017 | 2016-12-28 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | NEWPORT NEWS, VA – On Monday, January 2, 2017, Congressman Bobby Scott will be closing his Richmond District Office due to redistricting. As a result of court-ordered redistricting, the boundaries of the Third Congressional District of Virginia have changed. Effective on January 3, 2017, Congressman Scott will no longer represent the following localities in the United States Congress: the cities of Petersburg and Richmond, and the counties of Charles City, Henrico, Prince George and Surry. At the start of his new term on January 3, 2017, Congressman Scott will represent the following localities in the new Third Congressional District: the county of Isle of Wight, all of the cities of Franklin, Newport News, Portsmouth and parts of Chesapeake, Hampton, Norfolk, and Suffolk. “It has been a privilege to represent the citizens in these communities,” said Rep. Scott. “During my time in Congress, I have built long lasting relationships that played a vital role in my ability to effectively serve my constituents in Congress. I look forward to working with their new representatives on issues important to our Commonwealth in the 115th Congress.” The Richmond and Newport News offices will be available to assist constituents during this transition. If you live in one of the impacted localities and have a current case with the office, please call 757-380-1000 immediately to advise the office to either return all of your documents or give the office permission to forward your case to your new Member of Congress. # # # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-joins-group-of-senators-asking-trump-to-help-congress-bring-down-drug-prices | Kaine Joins Group Of Senators Asking Trump To Help Congress Bring Down Drug Prices | 2016-12-22 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Joins Group Of Senators Asking Trump To Help Congress Bring Down Drug Prices Thursday, December 22, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined Senate Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to President-elect Donald Trump outlining specific steps his Administration should take to help Congress bring down the cost of prescription drugs. “It is undeniable that more and more families are struggling to access medications, and in many cases, are forced to choose between paying for prescription drugs and other necessities, like food and shelter. The American public is fed up, with roughly 8-in-10 Americans reporting that drug prices are unreasonable, and that we must take action to lower costs,” said the Senators in the letter. “You now have the authority to push for a future that prioritizes patients. We are ready to advance measures to achieve this goal and we urge you to partner with Republicans and Democrats alike to take meaningful steps to address the high cost of prescription drugs through bold administrative and legislative actions.” In a letter sent to Trump, the Senators expressed their shared frustration over the cost of drugs and outlined several ways Trump can make good on his promise to lower the rising cost of prescription drugs for consumers including: allowing the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate better prices for Medicare recipients; requiring drug companies to disclose costs associated with creating drugs so prices are more transparent; putting an end to abusive price gouging; and ensuring innovation that will lead to greater competition and more affordable, effective drugs. In June, Kaine called on U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) to review patient perspectives on access to health care and the impact of high out-of-pocket expenses. Kaine has also previously pressed the Administration on its efforts to inf… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-and-kaine-call-on-president-elect-trump-to-stand-with-women-protect-access-to-family-planning-centers- | Warner & Kaine Call On President-Elect Trump To Stand With Women, Protect Access To Family Planning Centers | 2016-12-22 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Warner & Kaine Call On President-Elect Trump To Stand With Women, Protect Access To Family Planning Centers Thursday, December 22, 2016 WASHINGTON – Today, Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), along with 32 of their Senate colleagues, sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump urging him to oppose any efforts to restrict federal funding from supporting Title X family planning centers. “The economic security of women and their families is directly tied to a woman’s access to reproductive health care, including birth control and counseling,” wrote the Senators in the letter. “Despite numerous Court decisions supporting and reiterating the importance of reproductive health care for women and families, Republicans in Congress have repeatedly attempted to restrict federal funding from supporting Title X family planning centers in communities nationwide.” Enacted with strong bipartisan support in 1970, the Title X family planning provider network is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services. In fact, four out of ten women who received care at health centers funded by Title X consider it to be their only source of health care. Last year alone, Title X provided basic primary and preventive health care services such as pap tests, breast exams, and HIV testing to more than 4.1 million low-income women and men at more than 4,100 health centers, more than 130 of them in Virginia. In 2014, Title X-funded health centers served more than 66,000 Virginia residents, more than half of whom had incomes at or below the federal poverty level, meaning they earned $11,670 a year or less. In December, the Obama Administration finalized a historic rule that protects the Title X program from partisan efforts to undermine women’s access to health care, by ensuring that federal funds are awarded based on a provider’s ability to serve patients—not based on any discriminatory purp… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=1BDBB011-431A-4AE2-B256-B2B0F890FA66 | Warner & Kaine Call on President-Elect to Protect Access to Family Planning Centers | 2016-12-22 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON – Today, Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), along with 32 of their Senate colleagues, sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump urging him to oppose any efforts to restrict federal funding from supporting Title X family planning centers. “The economic security of women and their families is directly tied to a woman’s access to reproductive health care, including birth control and counseling,” wrote the Senators in the letter. “Despite numerous Court decisions supporting and reiterating the importance of reproductive health care for women and families, Republicans in Congress have repeatedly attempted to restrict federal funding from supporting Title X family planning centers in communities nationwide.” Enacted with strong bipartisan support in 1970, the Title X family planning provider network is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services. In fact, four out of ten women who received care at health centers funded by Title X consider it to be their only source of health care. Last year alone, Title X provided basic primary and preventive health care services such as pap tests, breast exams, and HIV testing to more than 4.1 million low-income women and men at more than 4,100 health centers, more than 130 of them in Virginia. In 2014, Title X-funded health centers served more than 66,000 Virginia residents, more than half of whom had incomes at or below the federal poverty level, meaning they earned $11,670 a year or less. In December, the Obama Administration finalized a historic rule that protects the Title X program from partisan efforts to undermine women’s access to health care, by ensuring that federal funds are awarded based on a provider’s ability to serve patients—not based on any discriminatory purpose. In today’s letter, the Senators called on President-elect Trump to commit to implement a final rule by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) which reinforces exi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=CE3107FE-1E32-4697-885A-15BCCEF7CAFE | Banking Committee Democrats Press Wells Fargo for Answers on Phony Accounts Scandal | 2016-12-22 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON – Democrats on the U.S. Senate Banking Committee including Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today called on Wells Fargo’s board of directors to respond to questions that the bank’s management has failed to answer following a scandal over its fraudulent sales practices. In response to questions from Sen. Warner, Wells Fargo previously indicated that as many as 41,000 fraudulent accounts could have been opened in Virginia without customers’ knowledge. In a letter, the Senators asked Wells Fargo’s board for details about its ongoing investigation of the fraud, the timeline of when the board learned about the bank’s illegal practices, actions the board took to address the problem, and reasons why it didn’t investigate the misconduct sooner. The Senators also asked for responses to questions that Wells Fargo’s management has continued to dodge but the board is in a position to answer. “[C]ontinued failure to answer questions – especially basic questions – about the causes and consequences of the fraud that Wells Fargo permitted for many years does nothing to restore the trust of Wells Fargo’s customers and shareholders, many of whom are our constituents,” the Senators wrote. “In our view, waiting until spring 2017 to provide more documents and information to our questions is not diligence.” The Senators asked Wells Fargo's board to respond by Jan. 6, 2017. The letter was jointly submitted by Sens. Warner, Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jon Tester (D-MT), Mark Warner (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), and Joe Donnelly (D-IN). In September, the Banking Committee Democrats asked Wells Fargo to answer dozens of questions for the record to clarify and supplement the Sept. 20 testimony of the bank’s former chief executive, John Stumpf, before the Banking Committee. Wells Fargo's response on Nov. 15 either ignored or provided insufficient responses to a host of the Senators’ questions. In several instances, Wells Fargo declined to provide dir… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=805 | Engel-Connolly Offer Sanctions Legislation To Respond to Election Interference | 2016-12-21 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | “We need to know exactly who was behind the foreign interference in our election and we need to respond swiftly and effectively." share: f t Democratic members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs have introduced legislation that would impose sanctions on any foreign person or entity found to interfere illegally with a U.S. election. The Protect American Democracy Act (H.R. 6533), authored by Ranking Member Eliot L. Engel (NY) and Representative Gerald E. Connolly (VA), would bar entry to the United States and freeze U.S.-based assets of anyone involved in such interference.All 19 Democratic members of the Foreign Affairs Committee are original cosponsors of the bill.“We need to know exactly who was behind the foreign interference in our election and we need to respond swiftly and effectively. We also need to make sure governments don’t view future U.S. elections as an easy target. This legislation is a no-brainer. It sends a clear message that the United States won't stand quietly by as Russia or any other foreign power tries to undermine our democracy,” said Rep. Engel. “The Democrats on the Foreign Affairs Committee are speaking with a unified voice, and I hope members on both sides of the aisle will do the right thing by getting behind this legislation and other efforts and respond to this attack on the United States.”“There is a broad consensus among the U.S. intelligence community that Russia directed a deliberate effort to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. That should trouble every American," said Rep. Connolly. "One of our most cherished institutions, democratic elections free of foreign interference, has been attacked. Congress must come together in a bipartisan fashion to demonstrate that there is a cost to such attacks on American democratic institutions. I am glad to join with Ranking Member Engel to introduce legislation that would publicly identify and authorize sanctions against foreign persons and countries that unla… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=806 | Connolly Urges Russian Authorities To Drop Charges Against Ukrainian Journalist Mykola Semena | 2016-12-21 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Connolly Urges Russian Authorities To Drop Charges Against Ukrainian Journalist Mykola Semena f t # e Washington, December 21, 2016 Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) released the following statement today urging Russian authorities to drop all charges against Ukrainian journalist, Mykola Semena, and allow him to seek immediate medical attention.“Ukrainian journalist Mykola Semena was formally charged on December 7 under the Russian criminal code for allegedly violating Russia’s territorial integrity by expressing the view that Crimea is Ukrainian territory. Semena’s wrongful arrest follows Russia’s forcible and illegal annexation of Crimea and willful violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity in 2014. Semena is currently under house arrest in Simferopol and needs urgent medical attention in Kyiv. Russian authorities should drop the charges against him and permit him to leave the peninsula in order to seek immediate medical treatment in Ukraine.”Congressman Connolly is the sponsor of the Crimea Annexation Non-recognition Act. The legislation prohibits federal agencies from taking action that recognizes Russian sovereignty over Crimea. In July, Connolly successfully offered an amendment to the STAND for Ukraine Act, which would create only one condition under which the President can relax Crimea-related sanctions - the restoration of Ukraine's sovereignty over Crimea. He also successfully amended the National Defense Authorization Act to prohibit the use of funds on any activity that recognizes Russian sovereignty over Crimea. f t # e | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=463 | Beyers Science Prize Competitions Act Passes, Set To Become Law | 2016-12-20 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Donald Beyer | B001292 | beyer.house.gov | legacy | As the 114th Congress drew to a close last week, the House and Senate passed the America COMPETES reauthorization which included text from Rep. Don Beyer's Science Prize Competitions Act. The measure encourages federal agencies to use prize competitions as incentives for innovation in scientific research. The President is expected to sign the larger bill, including Rep. Beyer's provision, into law before the end of the year. I'm so pleased that we ended this Congress on a bipartisan note, passing a bill which will encourage scientific research and development, said Rep. Don Beyer. Prize competitions have a centuries-old history of motivating exploration and innovation. Some of America's best moments, including the Space Race and Charles Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic, were motivated by competition. When we reach new frontiers of science and technology, all of us win. I would like to thank Senator Udall for his tremendous support and recognize his efforts to push the legislation over the finish line in the final days. Successful prize competitions attract innovators and entrepreneurs who apply American ingenuity to solve problems, said Sen. Tom Udall, sponsor of the Senate version of the bill. Past competitions hosted in New Mexico, for instance, helped develop commercial spaceflight and improve water desalination technology. Prizes are often a cost-effective way to spur innovation, and I am proud to have worked with Congressman Beyer to see this visionary measure enacted. Prize competitions date back centuries and have a successful track record accelerating technological development in many fields. Their goal is to incentivize problem solving and reward cash prizes for the best solution, often from new and unorthodox ideas. Prize competitions allow federal agencies to crowdsource creative solutions and tap into both traditional and non-traditional sources of innovation, said Chris Frangione, Vice President of Prize Development for XPRIZE. We applaud the bipartisan, bicameral effort on the Ame… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-tours-opioid-abuse-treatment-center-in-newport-news- | Kaine Tours Opioid Abuse Treatment Center In Newport News | 2016-12-20 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Tours Opioid Abuse Treatment Center In Newport News Tuesday, December 20, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, who will join the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) next year, visited an opioid/methadone treatment facility in Newport News to discuss how recent legislation will help address the opioid epidemic hitting Virginia, which claimed more lives in the state in 2014 than vehicle crashes and has been declared a public health emergency. Kaine toured the facility, which is a residential and day treatment program for recent mothers and pregnant women dealing with substance use disorders. “The opioid addiction problem is a public health emergency in Virginia,” Kaine said. “As a member of the HELP Committee next year, with increased ability to work closely on legislation that will address this epidemic, I wanted to come to this facility today to see a unique addiction treatment program for pregnant and expecting mothers. So much of the success of this facility is about the coordination of care and being able to offer comprehensive services to mothers who come here looking for help. That is a key piece of the strategy to address this crisis that I will take back with me to Congress.” This month, Congress passed the 21st Century CURES Act with strong bipartisan support to fund critical biomedical research, including the Cancer Moonshot Initiative and research on the opioid abuse crisis. This July, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) that included several measures to curb opioid abuse authored by Kaine, became law. The bill expanded the availability of Naloxone to first responders and law enforcement. The overdose antidote has reversed more than 26,000 overdose cases between 1996 and 2014. CARA will also support additional resources to identify and treat incarcerated individuals struggling with substance use disorders, expand drug take-back efforts to promote safe disposal of unused or unwanted prescription… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/at-roundtable-discussion-on-importance-of-protecting-the-affordable-care-act-kaine-announces-new-appointment-to-senate-help-committee | At Roundtable Discussion On Importance Of Protecting The Affordable Care Act, Kaine Announces New Appointment To Senate HELP Committee | 2016-12-19 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | At Roundtable Discussion On Importance Of Protecting The Affordable Care Act, Kaine Announces New Appointment To Senate HELP Committee Kaine to serve in key legislative role on healthcare and education issues Monday, December 19, 2016 Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine announced his appointment to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) during a discussion on health care access with health care providers and advocacy groups in Richmond. “I’m excited to announce that I will be a member of the Senate HELP Committee in the next Congress and will have the chance to work on two long-time passions of mine, healthcare and education. This is a critical moment for healthcare in America and I’m motivated now more than ever to fight against harmful policy proposals that seek to reverse the progress we’ve made in increasing access to care for millions of Americans. In this new role, I will also look for ways to further address the opioid abuse epidemic that affects every corner of the Commonwealth. “From my experience growing up and working in my dad's ironworking shop and as the co-founder of the Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, I’m a strong believer that high-quality CTE programs are a proven pathway to success. Serving on the HELP Committee will allow me to continue my work in the Senate to advocate for CTE, ensure postsecondary education opportunities are affordable and high-quality early childhood education programs are accessible, and support job training initiatives to expand economic growth in the U.S. I look forward to working closely with Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray, and building relationships with other members on the HELP Committee, in order to advance commonsense legislation on issues that directly impact the Virginia economy and working families in the Commonwealth.” Today at the Daily Planet, a Richmond community health center, Kaine toured new facilities available to patients and … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=570EF920-3FA8-4C70-847A-B05D00BFE8BC | Warner & Stabenow Make Friendly Wager on Bahamas Bowl | 2016-12-19 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON— U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) made a friendly wager today on the outcome of the 2016 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl between the Old Dominion University Monarchs from Norfolk, Va. and the Eastern Michigan University Eagles from Ypsilanti, Mich. Sen. Warner is wagering a case of beer from Norfolk-based brewery O’Connors against beer that Sen. Stabenow will provide from Ypsilanti’s Arbor Brewing Company Microbrewery. This is the first bowl bid for ODU (9-3, 7-1 C-USA), and only the second in program history for EMU (7-5, 4-4 MAC). “Coach Bobby Wilder and the ODU Monarchs are headed to the Bahamas after winning eight of their last nine games and finishing their season 9-3,”said Sen. Warner. “It is impressive the Monarchs are bowl-bound in just their eighth season of football, and I’m confident ODU will defeat EMU for the third time in three years.” “The mighty Eastern Michigan University Eagles are one of four talented teams from our great state headed to a bowl game this year,” said Senator Stabenow. “I have no doubt that Coach Creighton has the team focused, determined, and prepared to topple the Old Dominion Monarchs. We are all looking forward to a big win for the Eagles in Nassau.” The event, officially known as the “Popeyes Bahamas Bowl,” is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)-sanctioned Division 1 college football game, which will be played in Nassau, Bahamas at the Thomas Robinson Stadium on December 23rd this year. # # # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-nomination-of-mick-mulvaney-as-omb-director | Kaine Statement On Nomination Of Mick Mulvaney As OMB Director | 2016-12-17 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Statement On Nomination Of Mick Mulvaney As OMB Director Saturday, December 17, 2016 WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement following President-elect Trump’s announcement that he will nominate Rep. Mick Mulvaney to be Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB): “I’m worried by President-elect Trump's nomination of Rep. Mike Mulvaney as Director of OMB due to his past unwillingness to support bipartisan budget compromises, his pro-shutdown record, his advocacy for slashing federal services and workers and his goal of defunding Planned Parenthood. As a member of the Budget Committee, and as a Senator who represents more than 170,000 federal employees, I intend to question Rep. Mulvaney on his approach to budgeting and vision for this important agency.” ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=801 | Connolly Statement on Metro GM Personnel Actions Following the Falls Church Derailment | 2016-12-15 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Connolly Statement on Metro GM Personnel Actions Following the Falls Church Derailment f t # e Washington, December 15, 2016 Congressman Gerry Connolly released the following statement after Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld announced 28 personnel actions, including 6 terminations and 9 more pending: "I applaud the tough decisions and decisive personnel actions by Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld. Accountability and commitment to safety must be the new standard. This should serve as a clarion call to the workforce, from top-to-bottom, that the status quo is no longer acceptable." | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-kaine-introduce-bill-to-reinvigorate-coal-communities- | Warner, Kaine Introduce Bill To Reinvigorate Coal Communities | 2016-12-15 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Warner, Kaine Introduce Bill To Reinvigorate Coal Communities Thursday, December 15, 2016 Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine introduced the RECLAIM Act last week, legislation that will provide funds to states and Indian tribes for the purpose of promoting economic revitalization, diversification, and development in economically distressed communities through the reclamation and restoration of land and water resources adversely affected by coal mining. “We have a lot of work to do to ensure that communities that have historically relied on coal are not being left behind by rapid technological and economic shifts,” said Warner. “The RECLAIM Act will speed up the release of a billion dollars already set aside to help Appalachian communities respond to environmental damage from coal mining, and fast-track investments in projects to restore the environment, create new jobs, and diversify the economy so that more people have greater access to economic opportunities.” “Mine reclamation supports 300 to 400 Virginia jobs per year, contributes to economic revitalization, and cleans up contaminated land and water. For decades, coal companies have been paying fees per ton of coal to support reclamation projects, and today, many of those dollars sit in a federal account, unused. Senator Warner and I are proud to co-sponsor this common-sense bill, with our Democratic colleagues from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, that will turn those dollars loose to support new reclamation projects in Southwest Virginia,” Kaine said. The RECLAIM Act aims to support new economic and community development opportunities in impacted coal communities. This legislation utilizes $1 billion of existing funds from the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund to revitalize coal communities. Last week, Warner spoke on the Senate floor to push Congress to protect the health and pension benefits of retired coal miners and their families by passing the bipartisan Miners Protection Act, which … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=F0D09B9C-39C0-4FCC-9C70-FF5CCA313D32 | President Obama Signs Sen. Warner's Bill to Honor OSS Veterans | 2016-12-15 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON – This morning the White House announced that President Obama has signed into law legislation authored by Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) to honor veterans of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) with the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of their superior service and major contributions during World War II. “The members of the OSS were essential to the Allied forces’ victory in World War II, but for many years, their heroic contributions – which included some of the most daring covert operations of the war — remained shrouded in secrecy, their impact largely unknown to the American people. I am pleased that we are finally able to recognize them publicly with the Congressional Gold Medal,” said Sen. Warner, the incoming Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. “The members of the OSS are part of the proud tradition of American intelligence professionals who have worked tirelessly and quietly in defense of our nation since its founding. They serve in anonymity, knowing that their greatest contributions to our safety and security may never be made public. We seldom hear about their successes or their sacrifices, but they allow us to go about our everyday lives free from fear of those who wish to do us harm, and for that, we owe these brave men and women not only respect, but enduring gratitude.” The OSS conducted critical operations during the war including establishing intelligence networks, training resistance organizations throughout Europe and Asia, and carrying out “mercy missions” at the end of the war to save the lives of thousands of Allied prisoners of war. It was created in 1942 under the leadership of General William J. Donovan to better coordinate and oversee American intelligence operations. At its peak, 13,000 members served in the OSS including notable names such as Julia Child, Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., John Ford, and James Donovan, who was depicted in the 2015 movie, “Bridge of Spies.” Sen. Warner is the incoming Vice Chair of the Senate Select Com… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=461 | Beyer Assails Triumvirate of Anti-Environment Cabinet Nominees | 2016-12-13 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Donald Beyer | B001292 | beyer.house.gov | legacy | Rep. Don Beyer issued the following statement today on President-elect Trump's recent nominations: The trio of Scott Pruitt for Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State, and Gov. Rick Perry for Secretary of Energy confirms our worst fears about President-elect Trump's intentions on climate change and the environment. As Oklahoma's Attorney General, Scott Pruitt organized and led a national push to oppose the EPA. He made himself the mouthpiece for the fossil fuel industry as it fought protections of air and water quality. As a denier of climate science, he is unqualified to run the nation's premiere agency on the environment and the fight against climate change. At the helm of Exxon-Mobil, Rex Tillerson continued the corporation's efforts to undermine climate science as well as its unyielding insistence that fossil fuels remain the dominant, if not sole, energy source for the immediate future. Exxon-Mobil's regard for shareholders alone, and its refusal to acknowledge that stock value could be married with a wiser and more sustainable long-term world energy portfolio caused untold harm. It is appalling that the Secretary of State who negotiated the Paris Agreement, perhaps the most ambitious step towards fighting climate change in history, could be followed by this nominee. Rick Perry impressed almost no one during his presidential run, and his most famous statement was his call to abolish the very agency he has been tapped to lead, once he remembered that it is called the Department of Energy.' The notion that he will succeed the Obama-era Steven Chu, a Nobel Prize winner, and incumbent Ernest Moniz, an MIT nuclear physicist, is at once saddening and frightening, as was his call to close the agency tasked with developing clean energy technologies. Climate change remains the world's greatest threat. Delaying or reversing our efforts to fight climate change will have potentially catastrophic effects on the planet. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=800 | Connolly Statement on the Nomination of Rick Perry to Lead the Department of Energy | 2016-12-13 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Connolly Statement on the Nomination of Rick Perry to Lead the Department of Energy f t # e Washington, December 13, 2016 Congressman Gerry Connolly, co-chair of the House Sustainable Energy and Environmental Coalition, released the following statement on the nomination of former Texas Governor Rick Perry to lead the Department of Energy. Read more. share: f t Congressman Gerry Connolly, co-chair of the House Sustainable Energy and Environmental Coalition, released the following statement on the nomination of former Texas Governor Rick Perry to lead the Department of Energy:"President-elect Trump’s selection of Rick Perry to lead the Department of Energy continues a troubling pattern of selecting individuals to head agencies they actually wish to dismantle. These are important agencies critical to the success and future of our nation. We need leaders who inspire the career civil servants that power these agencies, not someone who denigrates their service. I will continue to vigorously oppose this Cabinet of Horrors." | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=830 | Connolly Calls on Trump to Immediately Act on Rampant Conflicts of Interest | 2016-12-13 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | “The tentacles of the Trump Organization run far and wide. How is the President-elect to act responsibly, ethically, and in our nation’s best interest, if he is still heavily invested in these holdings?” said Rep. Connolly share: f t In advance of tomorrow’s House Oversight and Government Reform Forum on the President-elect’s blatant conflicts of interest, Congressman Connolly called on Trump to immediately divest and place his holdings in a blind trust. “The President of the United States must avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest. Unfortunately, the President-elect’s vague, and now delayed, twitter promises of a “future plan” fall far short of past practice and our reasonable expectations,” said Connolly. “The president cannot serve himself while serving the nation, and the president is not above the law,” added Connolly. “It is important that Americans understand what is going on here and how far the President-elect’s conflicts of interest run. That demands transparency.” “The tentacles of the Trump Organization run far and wide. How is the President-elect to act responsibly, ethically, and in our nation’s best interest, if he is still heavily invested in these holdings?”“In fact, the problems of turning his business operations over to his children are made pretty obvious by the recent reports of Ivanka sitting in on his meeting with Prime Minister Abe of Japan, and by comments by some foreign dignitaries that they may opt to stay at Trump International Hotel to curry favor.”“For example, he will be making decisions about regulation of the financial sector and the potential dismantling of the Dodd-Frank banking law, as the Trump Organization, like most real estate empires, is heavily indebted to banks and other lenders.”“Even worse, if any foreign government or a company controlled by a foreign government does business with a Trump entity with his involvement, the President could be accused of accepting a payment in violation of the Emol… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/in-northern-virginia-kaine-rides-silver-line-with-metro-gm-to-assess-progress-on-extension-to-dulles-airport | In Northern Virginia, Kaine Rides Silver Line With Metro GM To Assess Progress On Extension To Dulles Airport | 2016-12-13 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | In Northern Virginia, Kaine Rides Silver Line With Metro GM To Assess Progress On Extension To Dulles Airport Tuesday, December 13, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, in an effort to assess progress on Phase II of the Silver Line, Kaine rode the Metro from Tyson’s Corner to the Wiehle-Reston stop with Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld and received a tour and briefing on construction of the extension to Dulles International Airport from Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) officials. As Governor of Virginia, Kaine made securing $900 million in federal funding for Phase I of the Silver Line project a top transportation priority. “I’m a huge supporter of the Silver Line,” Kaine said. “From working on getting Phase I from the drawing board to the groundbreaking as Governor, and now seeing the progress being made on Phase II; this is exciting. It is such a necessary project to keep up with the growth of Northern Virginia, and especially to serve Dulles International Airport, which is one of the two key hubs for Virginia’s national economic reach.” Later in the day, Kaine visited Prince William Forest National Park as part of the National Park Service (NPS) centennial celebration. Kaine and his staff committed to visit every NPS unit in Virginia by the end of 2016, and the visit to Prince William Forest Park completed Kaine’s effort. He also met with a chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) in Annandale to discuss workforce development and issues affecting Virginia’s federal workers. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-nomination-of-rex-tillerson-as-secretary-of-state | Kaine Statement On Nomination Of Rex Tillerson As Secretary Of State | 2016-12-13 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Statement On Nomination Of Rex Tillerson As Secretary Of State Tuesday, December 13, 2016 WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, released the following statement following President-elect Trump’s announcement that he will nominate Rex Tillerson to be Secretary of State: “I have significant concerns about the nomination of Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State that I intend to explore thoroughly as part of the confirmation process. His close connection to Vladimir Putin and the Russian government raises serious questions at a time when our national intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia engaged in cyber espionage against the United States during the 2016 Presidential election. Further, the documented efforts by ExxonMobil to fund organizations denying climate science during Tillerson's tenure at the company deserve critical attention as Virginia grapples with sea level rise in Hampton Roads and other climate driven issues.” ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=460 | National Capital Region Members Support Second Memorial Bridge Grant Application | 2016-12-12 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Donald Beyer | B001292 | beyer.house.gov | legacy | Congressional representatives from Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia urged Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx to support the National Park Service's (NPS) FASTLANE grant application for $60 million to complete Arlington Memorial Bridge repairs, a project estimated to require upwards of $250 million. The letter was sent by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Representatives Don Beyer, Gerry Connolly, Barbara Comstock, and Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. Earlier this year, the Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded NPS $90 million to begin necessary repairs. This grant would bring the total FASTLANE federal contribution to $150 million. The FASTLANE program requires NPS to provide 40 percent in matching funds. The lawmakers released the following joint statement today: We encourage Secretary Foxx and the Department of Transportation to support the National Park Service's FASTLANE application. Arlington Memorial Bridge is a critical multimodal link in the national capital region's transportation network. This additional federal money is necessary to avoid a costly, prolonged repair project that will add to the region's congestion problems for years. It is vital that this project is completed promptly, with federal support. Without an additional FASTLANE grant, NPS will need to complete the project in phases stretching multiple years, raising the potential for an extended construction timeline, additional traffic delays, and increased construction costs. A multi-phased rehabilitation project also increases the likelihood of additional emergency repairs. The full text of the delegation's letter follows, and the original copy can be viewed online here. The Honorable Anthony Foxx U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, D.C. 20590 Dear Secretary Foxx: We are pleased to provide this letter in support of the National Park Service's (NPS) Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=798 | Connolly Commends President Obama's Call for Comprehensive Investigation into Cyber Attacks Related to the 2016 Election | 2016-12-12 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Today, Congressman Gerry Connolly sent a letter to President Obama commending his recent directive to U.S. intelligence agencies to conduct a comprehensive investigation into cyber attacks related to the 2016 U.S. presidential election. This follows a November 17 letter he led with 15 other members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee requesting hearings regarding deliberate attempts by foreign countries to interfere in U.S. elections."I welcome the broadening interest in this matter and hope Congress can work in a bipartisan fashion to examine this threat," said Connolly. "Regardless of the outcome of this investigation, Russia’s actions during the 2016 election have exposed a clear and present threat to one of our most fundamental democratic institutions – elections free of foreign interference."In his letter, Connolly wrote, "Following the USIC's assertion that "the Russian Government directed the recent compromises of emails from U.S. persons and Institutions, including from U.S. political organizations" on October 7, 2016, the American people have been demanding a response. These actions by Russia constitute an assault on our democracy. We cannot allow Russia to undermine people's faith in our democratic institutions.""As we look into the specific circumstances of the 2016 election, Congress should develop a deterrence to attacks on the U.S. political system. There must be a cost to undermining American democracy," Connolly added."President-elect Donald Trump continues to deny any evidence of Russian interference and insults the professionalism of our intelligence community by accusing them of acting with political motivation. This is disturbing. President-elect Trump’s education on protecting our country should begin now. I encourage him to participate in his intelligence briefings and remain focused on the threats facing our nation."The full letter can be found here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/in-chesterfield-kaine-meets-with-paralyzed-veterans-discusses-healthcare- | In Chesterfield, Kaine Meets With Paralyzed Veterans, Discusses Healthcare | 2016-12-12 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | In Chesterfield, Kaine Meets With Paralyzed Veterans, Discusses Healthcare Monday, December 12, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was in Chesterfield to meet with members of Paralyzed Veterans of America and discuss veterans’ healthcare. In the Senate, Kaine has been a strong advocate for improved healthcare services at the VA. “My work on the Senate Armed Services Committee keeps me very involved in veterans’ healthcare and service reform issues, so I was glad I had the chance today to hear directly from Virginia’s veterans on how I can best represent their needs in Congress,” Kaine said. “I just co-sponsored a bill that would help speed up the process of determining disability benefits at the VA. It just takes too long and there’s now a backlog of about 450,000 cases. We need to devote more personnel, resources, and technology systems to work on this.” Last week, Kaine announced his support for a bill to reform the benefits appeals process at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) and address the significant backlog of appeals at the agency. In September, Kaine and U.S. Senator Mark Warner introduced the Providing Veterans Overdue Care Act, which would authorize leases for medical facilities in 15 states, including an outpatient facility in Hampton Roads. Today kicks off three days of events that Kaine will hold across Virginia focused on issues affecting families and the economy in the Commonwealth. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=AD2D9329-B90C-475E-9CBB-D0DEFC49A1F1 | Warner Joins National Capital Region Members to Support Second Memorial Bridge Grant Application | 2016-12-12 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | Washington, DC – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined congressional representatives from Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia to urge Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx to support the National Park Service’s (NPS) FASTLANE grant application for $60 million to complete Arlington Memorial Bridge repairs, a project estimated to require upwards of $250 million. The letter also included Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Representatives Don Beyer, Gerry Connolly, Barbara Comstock, and Sen. Tim Kaine. Earlier this year, the Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded NPS $90 million to begin necessary repairs. This grant would bring the total FASTLANE federal contribution to $150 million. The FASTLANE program requires NPS to provide 40 percent in matching funds. The lawmakers released the following joint statement today: “We encourage Secretary Foxx and the Department of Transportation to support the National Park Service’s FASTLANE application. Arlington Memorial Bridge is a critical multimodal link in the national capital region’s transportation network. This additional federal money is necessary to avoid a costly, prolonged repair project that will add to the region’s congestion problems for years. It is vital that this project is completed promptly, with federal support.” Without an additional FASTLANE grant, NPS will need to complete the project in phases stretching multiple years, raising the potential for an extended construction timeline, additional traffic delays, and increased construction costs. A multi-phased rehabilitation project also increases the likelihood of additional emergency repairs. The full text of the delegation’s letter follows, and the original copy can be viewed online here. The Honorable Anthony Foxx U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, D.C. 20590 Dear Secretary Foxx: We are pleased to provide this letter in support of the National Park Service’s (NPS) Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-t… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-kaine-praise-final-passage-of-bipartisan-water-infrastructure-bill | Warner, Kaine Praise Final Passage Of Bipartisan Water Infrastructure Bill | 2016-12-10 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Warner, Kaine Praise Final Passage Of Bipartisan Water Infrastructure Bill Saturday, December 10, 2016 WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine applauded final passage of the bipartisan Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN Act), also known as the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which authorizes water infrastructure projects across the nation. This bill makes investments in harbor dredging, maintenance of locks and dams, flood control, ecosystem restoration and other water-related priorities. Additionally, the bill includes a package of measures to address the drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan, as well as steps to lessen risks for similar communities across the country with aging drinking water infrastructure. The American Society of Civil Engineers’ biennial infrastructure report card gives Virginia an overall grade of C- for the state of its water and transportation infrastructure. “We voted for this bill because it makes overdue investments in many priorities important to Virginia – dredging and port infrastructure, restoration of important ecosystems like the Chesapeake Bay, and resilience to flooding and sea level rise for large coastal communities like Hampton Roads and small rural ones like Chincoteague. This bill also devotes emergency funding to deal with lead-contaminated drinking water for the people of Flint, Michigan. We appreciate the inclusion of Virginia provisions we authored and applaud the bipartisan vote on this commonsense infrastructure bill,” the Senators said. The following list includes several provisions for which Warner and Kaine advocated that were included in the final bill: · A study of Chincoteague Island evaluating the perennial flooding and erosion challenges facing the region and examining options of how to fix these issues, how much they would cost, and how much the federal cost-share would be. With nearly 2.3 million visitors last year, Assateague Island National Seashore and the adjace… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-receives-the-restoring-the-balance-award-from-the-national | Scott Receives the Restoring the Balance award from the National Conference of State Legislatures | 2016-12-09 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Wednesday, December 7, 2016, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) received the “Restoring the Balance” award from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), a bipartisan national organization committed to improving the quality and effectiveness of state legislatures. Congressman Scott, the Ranking Member of House Committee on Education and the Workforce, received the award in recognition of his leadership in negotiating and advocating for the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and replaced the No Child Left Behind Act. This prestigious award also highlights Congressman Scott’s efforts to ensure that the Department of Education’s regulations adhere to the intent of Congress. “I am honored to receive the ‘Restoring the Balance’ award and grateful for the National Conference of State Legislatures’ support,” said Congressman Scott. “When I began negotiating the Every Student Succeeds Act, my goal was to protect the civil rights legacy of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. In the coming years, it will be important for state legislators across the country to continue their hard work of engaging stakeholders and protecting the civil rights of our most vulnerable students.” # # # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-vote-to-avert-a-shutdown-and-fund-government-through-april-28- | Kaine Statement On Vote To Avert A Shutdown And Fund Government Through April 28 | 2016-12-09 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Statement On Vote To Avert A Shutdown And Fund Government Through April 28 Friday, December 9, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on his vote for a spending bill to fund the government through April 28 and avert a government shutdown: “I voted in favor of this short-term spending measure because the alternative—a government shutdown—would be disastrous for Virginia. But the default to a continuing resolution rather than a long-term appropriations package is a Congressional failure that has real-world consequences across the Commonwealth. While I’m pleased the CR will allow a 2.1 percent pay raise for military servicemembers and that it contains an exception providing the necessary funding and authorities for the Ohio Replacement Submarine Program, many other important defense priorities included in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act will go unfunded for months. I am particularly dismayed that this resolution will delay funding for the construction of a new aircraft carrier in Newport News and will only preserve the health benefits of retired mine workers and their families for four months. I urge my colleagues to abandon such backward-looking budgeting and commit to passing full-year appropriations bills forged by bipartisan compromise.” In recent weeks, Senator Kaine wrote to Defense appropriators to request procurement funding for the Ohio Replacement Program. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=2A874922-A935-4EBB-B99C-E3647F44AE23 | Sen. Warner Statement on Investigation of Russian Interference in 2016 Election | 2016-12-09 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued a statement after President Barack Obama announced he has directed the intelligence community to investigate the cyberattacks that plagued the 2016 election. On October 7, the U.S. intelligence community announced publicly that it is “confident that the Russian Government directed the recent compromises of e-mails…” and that “these thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere with the US election process.” “Interference in America’s democracy and our electoral process by any outside power is unacceptable. I commend the President for undertaking a comprehensive review of meddling in the election by Russia. Similarly, I strongly believe Congress must play a proactive role in this investigation,” said Sen. Warner. “As the incoming Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I know that one of the primary missions of the intelligence professionals in this country is to render their best professional judgment, regardless of political considerations. I look forward to working in a bipartisan manner to ensure this matter is thoroughly investigated.” ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=4C3EDD3F-A4FC-4C7B-9567-269A0B6F99F7 | Sen. Warner Floor Remarks on CR & Miners | 2016-12-09 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON—Friday evening, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate about the Continuing Resolution to fund the government through April 28th and efforts to protect the health and pension benefits of retired mineworkers and their families. A transcript and a link to download video of those remarks are below. Sen. Warner and colleagues from West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania spearheaded an effort this week to extend healthcare benefits for retired mineworkers beyond the four-month extension that was included in the House-passed Continuing Resolution stopgap spending bill. Transcription: First of all, let me echo everything that Senator Casey and Senator Brown have said. But the reason why we're here, beyond the justness of our cause, is the fact that the Senator from West Virginia, Senator Manchin, has been absolutely relentless. He has not let this issue die. For 18 months he has gone through every hoop that has been put in front of him. And it's getting through. The fact is, Senator Manchin today reintroduced the Miners Protection Act. In one day -- in one day he picked up 49 cosponsors to this legislation. We're going to have a vote later tonight. Let me be clear, I’m going to join in that protest. But as somebody who's got one heck of a lot of federal employees, we are not going to shut down the government on this issue. We should not even be even thinking about choices where we have to trade off federal workers and miners. That's not what we're sent here to do. But we are going to make sure that this fight does not end tonight. And the 49 who signed up today will be in the 50's and the 60's when we come back. Let me just close before -- and I know we've got other colleagues, but others have commented. I went through these talking points at other times. But you got to hear the voices of people being affected. I got a letter recently from Sharon. Sharon has a coal miner's family from coal mines in Dickenson County, not too far from West Virginia and Kentucky. Here is … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-on-no-vote-on-fy-2017-continuing-resolution | Scott Statement on No Vote on FY 2017 Continuing Resolution | 2016-12-08 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on his No vote on H.R. 2028, the Further Continuing and Security Assistance Appropriations Act, 2017: “I am disappointed that House and Senate Republicans could not advance a more responsible bill to fund the federal government. Continuing Resolutions are inherently bad policy and hinder the work of the federal government. Considering the uncertainty that surrounds the incoming administration, I think it is more responsible for this Congress to enact a yearlong omnibus appropriations bill for the remainder of fiscal year 2017. “With that said, the bill considered in the House today is woefully inadequate. First, the legislation fails to protect health care and pension benefits for coal miners and their families. This bill simply kicks the can down the road by extending their health care benefits for a mere four months. The bill also fails to include the bipartisan Coal Health Care and Pensions Protection Act that is paid for and would fully extend coal miner health benefits and shore up their pension fund. Failure to include this legislation breaks a promise to these hard working men and women, and jeopardizes benefits for approximately 7,600 families in Virginia. “Secondly, while the bill does address funding issues for the Ohio Replacement Program, it unfortunately does not include adequate funding for the Carrier Replacement Program. The entire Virginia congressional delegation raised this issue with House and Senate appropriators earlier this month. Without necessary funding for this program, advanced procurement for the next Ford-class aircraft carrier may be unnecessarily delayed, potentially resulting in added construction costs and likely another temporary but costly reduction in the Navy’s aircraft carrier force. “We have plenty of time left in this session of Congress to responsibly address these issues and others. We should do so before returning home tomorrow.” # # # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=458 | Beyer Statement On His Vote Against the Continuing Resolution | 2016-12-08 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Donald Beyer | B001292 | beyer.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) issued the following statement today on his vote against final passage of the continuing resolution (CR): I voted today against the continuing resolution (CR), which would fund the U.S. government for four months. Although there are components of the CR that I support, such as funding for Flint, Michigan's water crisis, the CR also all-too-conveniently sets the stage for a more conservative and destructive long-term funding vehicle come April. Today's effort was a legislative maneuver designed to limit bipartisan cooperation and enact destructive Republican principles through the budget process. It was months ago that Congress began the appropriations process to adequately fund government operations, with key investments in infrastructure, technology, research and development, the middle class, and the armed services. Yet here we are, more than two months into the fiscal year, with a harmful continuing resolution with historically low non-defense discretionary spending that forces federal agencies to meet budget shortfalls by slashing programs that help those most in need. This is not regular order despite six years of promises and single party control, and I am disappointed but not surprised that a full-year funding bill continues to elude this chamber. This bill ignores the budget agreement made last winter, breaks parity between defense and non-defense discretionary programs that many Americans rely on, and fails to appropriately address the needs of our government. The bill also grants a waiver to a recently retired general to become Secretary of Defense, a waiver only extended once in history. Such a move involves questioning of one of our most important foundational doctrines --civilian control of the military -- and deserves full debate by both chambers of Congress. Attaching this waiver to a funding bill through a midnight maneuver is an attempt to sneak that waiver past the American people without any discussion, which is not a precedent we can accept, especially given th… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-nomination-of-scott-pruitt-as-epa-administrator- | Kaine Statement On Nomination Of Scott Pruitt As EPA Administrator | 2016-12-08 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Statement On Nomination Of Scott Pruitt As EPA Administrator Thursday, December 8, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on President-elect Trump’s nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): “There are few agencies that depend more on careful review of science than the EPA. Every rule or regulation depends on an intellectually honest review of scientific consensus. And the consequences for the health and safety of the American public are critical. The nomination of an EPA Administrator who does not accept basic climate science is deeply troubling.” ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-passage-of-defense-bill | Kaine Statement On Passage Of Defense Bill | 2016-12-08 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Statement On Passage Of Defense Bill Thursday, December 8, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on final passage of the Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which contains provisions he helped secure that will benefit Virginia’s shipbuilding industry and defense community: “Each year, I work across the aisle with my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee to craft an annual defense bill that supports our military and helps our country meet today’s complex national security challenges. I was proud to support final passage of the NDAA, which contains funding and provisions to support Virginia’s defense community, ship builders constructing our Ford-class carriers and Virginia-class submarines, and public and private shipyards doing the indispensable work that keeps our nation’s strategic assets the strongest in the world. However, I am deeply disappointed that Congress has resigned itself to passing a Continuing Resolution which will threaten many of the programs we have just agreed to authorize. The inability to work in a bipartisan fashion to find compromise on a long-term appropriations bill threatens our national security, unnecessarily delays programs which increases costs, and jeopardizes the future of countless workers across the Commonwealth and the country.” The bill also included a provision, authored by Kaine, to help combat violent extremism by giving the Department of Defense (DoD) the flexibility to work cooperatively with civilian agencies like the State Department and USAID. The provision allows DoD to transfer funds to support programs at civilian agencies designed to address drivers of violent extremism. “Battlefield commanders repeatedly testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that military force alone cannot defeat terrorist groups and eliminate the scourge of violent extremism. This provision authorizes the flex… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-kaine-announce-more-than-176-million-in-funding-for-virginia-health-services-and-early-childhood-education | Warner, Kaine Announce More Than $17.6 Million In Funding For Virginia Health Services And Early Childhood Education | 2016-12-08 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Warner, Kaine Announce More Than $17.6 Million In Funding For Virginia Health Services And Early Childhood Education Thursday, December 8, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will award $17,631,822 in grants for various health care organizations, medical research and Head Start programs across the Commonwealth. “This funding is an investment in the health and education of our communities,” the Senators said. “Community health centers and Head Start programs help create a strong foundation for Virginia families, and we will continue to be steadfast supporters of these critical programs and services in Congress.” The following entities will be awarded funding directed at health and social services: U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Inc. in Arlington will receive $4,786,611 for refugee health and social services; Youth For Tomorrow - New Life Center in Bristow will receive $2,985,400 for unaccompanied migrant children services; Alexandria Neighborhood Health Services will receive $1,448,057; Johnson Health Center in Lynchburg will receive $1,285,709; Southern Dominion Health Systems in Victoria will receive $1,073,689; George Mason University will receive $197,795 for research into maternity and childhood development; Virginia Commonwealth University will receive $114,375 for research into oral diseases and disorders and $76,250 for research into maternity and childhood development; and, Old Dominion University will receive $77,500 for research into maternity and childhood development. The following entities will be awarded funding for Head Start programs: Mile High Kids and Community Development, Inc. in Virginia Beach will receive $2,479,370; People Incorporated of Virginia in Abingdon will receive $ 2,017,141; and, Augusta County School Board will receive $1,089,925. During a visit this week to Alexandria Neighborhood Health – one of t… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=5051DD56-5273-4A63-857F-DCF61E102D6C | Warner Introduces the FAST Voting Act to Help States Improve Access to Voting | 2016-12-08 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON—U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced legislation today to help states make voting faster and more accessible to all voters by making substantial improvements in the administration of their elections. The Fair, Accurate, Secure and Timely (FAST) Voting Act of 2016 would create a competitive grant program in the model of Race to the Top, encouraging states to aggressively pursue election reform. Those states that demonstrate the most comprehensive and promising reform plans will earn a greater portion of the grant funding. “The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy. But during this last election, reports indicated that computer problems, long lines, poorly trained poll workers, and outdated equipment all made it harder for voters in some places to cast their ballots,” said Sen. Warner. “The FAST Voting Act addresses these challenges by encouraging and helping states to make voting faster and more accessible through commonsense reforms like reducing long waiting times, expanding early voting opportunities, and eliminating other obstacles that prevent people from exercising their franchise." In the 2016 election, long lines and voting-machine problems were reported in well over a dozen states, including Virginia, Pennsylvania, Utah, Colorado, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Montana, Tennessee, Hawaii, Arizona, Rhode Island, and more. There were also reports of confusion over new voter ID laws in Texas and Wisconsin, improper refusals of voter registrations in West Virginia, delayed absentee ballots in Pennsylvania and Alabama, and an absence of required bilingual support in Arizona and Florida. The program tasks applicant states with creating a comprehensive and coherent plan to improve their election processes by: Providing flexible registration opportunities, including same-day registration; Providing early voti… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=972C1B0C-15D1-4788-A06A-85ED20DCC30A | Sen. Warner Statement on Passage of the Defense Authorization Bill | 2016-12-08 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), who will serve as Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee in the 115th Congress, voted today in favor of final passage for S. 2943, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). After the bill passed the Senate in a 92 to 7 vote, sending the legislation to the President, Sen. Warner released the following statement: “The defense bill that I voted for today provides important support for our men and women in uniform. It includes a 2.1 percent pay raise for service members and fully funds the Navy’s shipbuilding programs, including the Ohio-class replacement program, the Ford-class carrier program, the Virginia-class submarine program, and refueling and overhaul for the Nimitz-class carriers. These programs are all essential to maintaining our nation’s security, and they support thousands of shipyard workers in Hampton Roads. “As we face the growing threat of cyberattacks, the bill also includes provisions I championed to improve technological innovation and efficiency at the Department of Defense. “I’m pleased that the NDAA includes authorization to elevate U.S. Cyber Command to its own unified command. We should give our military the tools they need to do battle in the 21st century, whether it takes place on the field or in cyberspace, and elevating CYBERCOM will improve mission outcomes and make us more agile in defending against 21st century threats. “This bill also includes my legislation to reform DoD’s criteria for purchasing cybersecurity services and products to ensure that taxpayers are getting the best long-term deal for their investment by discouraging the misapplication of Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) as a source selection method for cyber procurement. The guidance contained in the NDAA provides DoD with the necessary tools and flexibility to ensure that the United States maintains our strategic edge in using, producing, and driving innovative and cutting-edge IT and engineering. “Additionally, I’m pleased that the bill includes bi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-levin-pallone-statement-on-court-order-to-delay-house-v-burwell | Scott, Levin, Pallone Statement on Court Order to Delay House v. Burwell | 2016-12-07 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | As originally released by the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Democrats WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Members Bobby Scott (D-VA), Sandy Levin (D-MI), and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) of the House Committees on Education and the Workforce, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce respectively, made the following joint statement after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued an order to delay the consideration of House v. Burwell: “This decision to delay the consideration of House v. Burwell until after Inauguration Day puts millions of Americans at risk of losing their health insurance coverage next year. Republicans have relentlessly attempted to repeal and undermine the Affordable Care Act since the law was enacted. If the incoming Trump Administration decides not to defend the legality of the ACA’s cost-sharing subsidies in court, the lower court ruling stands; and we would see the undermining of the insurance market as a whole – both the coverage of those American families who rely on the financial assistance, as well as those who purchase coverage on their own. President-elect Trump promised to stand up for working Americans, but this action would make people worse off, not better, and he hasn’t even taken office yet. Instead of rallying behind partisan attacks without proposing a real replacement to strengthen the law, we urge the incoming Trump Administration and Republican-led Congress to stand on the side of America’s families, students, and working people.” # # # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=457 | Beyer Introduces Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act To Protect Biodiversity | 2016-12-07 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Donald Beyer | B001292 | beyer.house.gov | legacy | This week, Representative Don Beyer introduced the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act of 2016 to begin reversing the tide of habitat loss and fragmentation for U.S. fish, wildlife, and plant species. Wildlife corridors are stretches of habitat that allow species to move from one area of habitat to another for such purposes as accessing resources, establishing new territories, shifting ranges, promoting gene flow, and adapting to the impacts of a changing climate. Corridors have been successfully implemented around the world and throughout the U.S., yet current law provides limited requirements for land and water managers to address species' connectivity needs. With roughly one in five animal and plant species in the U.S. at risk of extinction due to habitat loss and fragmentation, one of the simplest yet most effective things we can do is to provide them ample opportunity to move across lands and waters, said Rep. Beyer. The Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act establishes a National Wildlife Corridors System to ensure that species are able to move between habitats less encumbered by obstacles. The bill directs key Federal land and water management agencies to work with each other, as well as with States, tribes, local governments, and private landowners, to develop and manage national wildlife corridors in accordance with existing laws and the habitat connectivity needs of native species. Paired with a new public-facing geographic information system (GIS) database of corridors and modest additional funding to the key agencies, the National Wildlife Corridors System promises the framework to strengthen fish, wildlife, and plant species populations, while at the same time improving recreational opportunities and roadway safety for people. The bill enjoys broad support from the scientific community and more than 60 conservation organizations, including the National Wildlife Federation. "The Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act would provide the most important step of any single piece of legislation at the … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=796 | Connolly Statement on Trump EPA nominee | 2016-12-07 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Connolly Statement on Trump EPA nominee f t # e Washington, December 7, 2016 "Donald Trump’s selection of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency is the latest in a Cabinet of Horrors." share: f t Congressman Gerry Connolly released the following statement on President-elect Trump's nominee to head the Environmental Protection Agency:"Donald Trump’s selection of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency is the latest in a Cabinet of Horrors. This appointment is a devastating setback for public health and safety, addressing global climate change and is nothing more than a giveaway to the Koch Brothers and Big Oil industry. The decision to appoint an individual who has repeatedly tried to stymie and rollback important environmental regulations – and a climate change denier no less - to head the very agency charged with protecting public health and safety is reckless, cynical and must be opposed." | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=797 | Connolly Named New Dem Whip | 2016-12-07 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Today, New Dem Chair-Elect Rep. Jim Himes (CT-04) announced that Congressman Gerry Connolly, who previously served as a Vice-chair but was term-limited, will remain in leadership and serve as the Coalition's Whip.“With the election of Donald Trump, the New Democrat Coalition is more important than ever before,” said Congressman Gerry Connolly. “We will be the front line in winning back disaffected working men and women while building the innovative economy of the future where millions of jobs and rich opportunity await. I look forward to continuing to be a part of the leadership team advocating this important agenda.”The New Democrat Coalition’s leadership team will take office in the 115th Congress.The New Democrat Coalition is dedicated to maintaining America’s standing as the world’s strongest, most successful nation. Founded in 1997, the New Dems believe firmly in the power of American ingenuity and innovation, and are focused on finding ways to foster and harness this creativity to grow our economy, create new American jobs, and ensure a safer and more secure future for our country. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/citing-impact-on-virginia-families-and-economy-kaine-says-affordable-care-act-repeal-would-be-malpractice | Citing Impact on Virginia Families & Economy, Kaine Says Affordable Care Act Repeal Would be ‘Malpractice’ | 2016-12-07 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Citing Impact on Virginia Families & Economy, Kaine Says Affordable Care Act Repeal Would be ‘Malpractice’ Wednesday, December 7, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – In remarks on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine discussed the positive impacts of the Affordable Care Act, Medicare and Medicaid in Virginia, and why it is critical that Congress defend these landmark health care programs going into the next administration. Repealing the Affordable Care Act, Kaine argued, would inject needless uncertainty into the economy and have a painful impact on American families. He instead urged his colleagues to meet for bipartisan discussions on how to make improvements to the law. “A repeal [of the Affordable Care Act] without a replacement would be malpractice to the health of millions of Americans, but also malpractice to the American economy,” Kaine said. “The percentage in the nation of people who were uninsured when the Affordable Care Act was passed was 16 percent - one in six Americans was uninsured. Now, it’s 8.6 percent…327,000 more Virginians have health insurance in 2015 than in 2010.” “If you tell the entire American economy that, ‘we are going to go into the largest sector of the economy and we’re going to repeal it,’…you will inject uncertainty into an economy by a degree that has never been done by this body. I think it would have catastrophic consequences, even beyond healthcare,” Kaine continued. “If this body goes down the path of repealing this important law that provides important protections to millions… it will be one of the low moments in the history of the United States Senate.” Kaine also discussed his visit to a community health center in Alexandria, Virginia on Monday where he heard directly from patients and providers about the importance of access to quality and affordable health care. Full transcript of Kaine’s remarks: I rise to discuss the Affordable Care Act and want to make the case that its repeal without a replacement being known would be… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-announces-support-for-bill-to-ease-benefits-appeals-process-for-veterans | Kaine Announces Support For Bill To Ease Benefits Appeals Process For Veterans | 2016-12-07 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Announces Support For Bill To Ease Benefits Appeals Process For Veterans Wednesday, December 7, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced co-sponsorship of legislation to reform the benefits appeals process for veterans. Because of redundancies and inefficiencies in the current process, most veterans wait years for a decision on their appeals. The Department of Veterans Affairs Appeals Modernization Act of 2016 would replace the current process – which today stands at over 450,000 appeals awaiting a decision – with one that is simpler, more fair, and transparent. “This bill will streamline the appeals process for veterans and make it easier for the VA to address a drastic backlog,” said Kaine. “For the nearly 800,000 veterans who call Virginia home, I am committed to supporting policies that uphold the promise of high-quality healthcare and services.” The legislation would give veterans clear options after receiving an initial decision by consolidating the current appeals process into three distinct tracks: Local Higher Level Review: This lane would provide the opportunity for a quick resolution of the claim by a higher-level adjudicator at the VA Regional Office. This lane would be a good option for veterans who are confident they have all the evidence necessary to win their claim. New Evidence: This lane would be for submitting new evidence at the VA Regional Office. This lane would serve as a good option for veterans who believe that they can succeed on their claim by providing additional evidence. Board Review: In this last lane, intermediate steps currently required by statute to receive Board review would be eliminated. Furthermore, hearing and non-hearing options at the Board would be handled on separate dockets so these distinctly different types of work can be better managed. Also co-sponsoring this bill are U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal, Jon Tester, Angus King, Tom Udall, … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-passage-of-the-bipartisan-21st-century-cures-act | Kaine Statement On Passage Of The Bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act | 2016-12-07 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Statement On Passage Of The Bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act Wednesday, December 7, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on final Senate passage of the 21st Century CURES Act, which passed both chambers of Congress with strong bipartisan support and now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law: “Thanks to this bipartisan legislation, our nation’s top researchers will have additional resources they need to find cures and treatments for the devastating diseases that touch us all. The bipartisan 21st Century CURES Act includes critically important funding for breakthrough biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health, including the Cancer Moonshot Initiative. The bill also includes $1 billion in funding to combat the opioid abuse crisis, which was recently declared a public health emergency in Virginia, as well as policies to improve access to mental health care.” Kaine has been a leader in Congress on efforts to address the opioid epidemic and support disease research. In July, provisions he authored to expand opioid abuse prevention and education became law with passage of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. Kaine also partnered with former Congressman Eric Cantor to champion the Gabriella Miller Kids First Act, which authorized pediatric research within the Common Fund at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The legislation was named for 10 year-old Gabriella Miller of Loudoun County who passed away from cancer in October of 2013. During the 2015 appropriations process, Kaine secured $12.6 million in pediatric research funding for the Gabriella Miller Kids First Act. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=BF813906-99F8-45B1-8EFA-FA858616F883 | Sen. Warner Statement On Passage of 21st Century Cures Act | 2016-12-07 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON—Today, the U.S. Senate voted 94-5 to pass bipartisan legislation to facilitate medical research and innovation, accelerate the delivery of medical treatments to patients by advancing the drug approval process, and improve our mental health system. The legislation also creates a mechanism for providing funding to address the growing opioid epidemic, and to advance National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiatives, such as Alzheimer’s research and Vice President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot. Following the vote, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued a statement noting that a number of his priorities to expand access to chronic care and infusion treatments and provide additional Alzheimer’s research funding were included in the final bill. It now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law. “This bipartisan legislation will encourage biomedical innovation to target deadly diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s and help scientists and researchers deliver cures to patients. It will also expand access to critical mental health services, and provides a way to send much-needed help to hard-hit communities in Virginia and the rest of the country struggling with the devastating effects of opioid and heroin abuse,” said Sen. Warner. “I am particularly pleased that the bill also includes some of my proposed approaches to expand care for individuals suffering from chronic diseases. While the bill is not perfect, it is a balanced compromise that will help us improve our nation’s health system and enhance patient outcomes.” The 21st Century Cures Act makes significant changes to how the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tests and approves medical treatments that are brought to the market. It also will help NIH researchers deliver new cures by enhancing our research workforce, facilitating collaborative research, and providing a mechanism for Congress to provide nearly $3 billion in additional funding for NIH biomedical research initiatives—like the BRAIN and Precision Medicine Initiatives—over the next decade, to t… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-president-obamas-national-security-address | Kaine Statement On President Obama's National Security Address | 2016-12-06 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Statement On President Obama's National Security Address Tuesday, December 6, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement on the President’s address and memorandum outlining the rules governing the use of force: “I strongly agree with the President that democracies should not operate in a state of perpetual war and that Congress has a solemn duty to authorize the current mission against ISIL. I also agree with what the President wrote in the memo released this week: Decisions as important as war and peace must be made pursuant to a legal framework and that detracting from that legal framework increases the risk of ill-considered decisions by current and future presidents. However, a presidential memorandum does not achieve these goals in the same way that an open debate in Congress about the contours of proposed military action does. In addition to avoiding dangerous precedents of unilateral executive power and overreach, an open debate in the legislative branch affords the public an opportunity to understand our military engagements and sends a message of resolve to our servicemembers who risk their lives for the sake of the mission. “In May 2013, President Obama committed to engage Congress in an effort to update the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force. More than three years later, the Administration continues to stretch the 2001 AUMF well beyond its intended scope, and Congress remains unwilling to debate, clarify, and authorize our current military actions in multiple countries. I hope that a transition to a new Administration and Congress in January will give us the opportunity to review ongoing military action against terrorist groups, redraft the 2001 AUMF, and reassert Congress’ rightful place in decisions of war and peace.” ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=C77DCBA9-0442-4770-BC6A-1E5B2749F24A | Warner Applauds Final Passage of Bill to Improve DNA Testing & Forensic Technology | 2016-12-06 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON –U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today applauded a unanimous Senate vote to reauthorize Justice Department programs to support cutting-edge DNA testing and forensic technology. The Justice for All Reauthorization Act of 2016, which was cosponsored by Sen. Warner and which originally passed the Senate last June, has been approved by the House of Representatives and now is headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law. The Act reauthorizes programs which have not been updated or strengthened in twelve years, since passage of the original legislation in 2004. There have been dramatic changes in forensic technology and DNA testing practices since that time. “Virginia’s DNA program has been a model for the rest of the country, showing how advances in forensic technology can have profound impacts in delivering justice to those wrongfully convicted and to victims of unsolved crimes,” said Sen. Warner. “In the 21st century, the responsible use of the latest technological advances should not only be expected -- it should be required. I am proud to see Congress embrace this same principle by authorizing support programs that invest in the modernization of the criminal justice system.” The Justice for All Reauthorization Act of 2016 focuses on ensuring our criminal justice system is fair and effective. It provides resources for public forensic laboratories, which are critical to ensuring the efficient and accurate testing of evidence, and reducing the rape kit backlog. It strengthens crime victims’ rights and programs by increasing restitution for crime victims, requiring that interpreters be available to all federal crime victims who wish to participate in a court proceeding, and reauthorizing important programs used to notify crime victims of their rights and provide them with legal assistance. This legislation reauthorizes programs that directly benefit Virginia’s Department of Forensic Science by providing funding for the state’s DNA testing centers to develop strong programs and acquire neces… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-nomination-of-ben-carson-as-hud-secretary | Kaine Statement On Nomination Of Ben Carson As HUD Secretary | 2016-12-05 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Statement On Nomination Of Ben Carson As HUD Secretary Monday, December 5, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today on President-elect Trump’s nomination of Dr. Ben Carson to serve as the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): “The next HUD Secretary will lead an organization with over 8,000 employees and a budget of $47 billion that is charged with addressing the housing needs faced by our most vulnerable populations and enforcing the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits housing discrimination. Families face the challenge of finding an affordable and decent place to live with access to good jobs and quality schools when rents are exploding and access to the mortgage market is limited. It’s critical that Congress act to address these problems and have a strong partner at HUD to achieve results. I am interested to learn Dr. Carson’s approach to these issues.” Before serving in federal, state and local government, Kaine spent his legal career as a fair housing lawyer from 1984 to 2001. During that time, his cases were focused on implementing provisions of the Fair Housing Act throughout Virginia. As a Richmond lawyer, he represented Housing Opportunities Made Equal, Inc. (HOME) in its historic suit against Nationwide Mutual Insurance for industry-wide redlining practices in the issuance of homeowners insurance. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-nomination-of-general-james-mattis-to-be-secretary-of-defense | Kaine Statement On Nomination Of General James Mattis To Be Secretary Of Defense | 2016-12-05 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Statement On Nomination Of General James Mattis To Be Secretary Of Defense Monday, December 5, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on President-elect Trump’s nomination of General James Mattis to be the next Secretary of Defense: “General Mattis has unquestionable expertise in military operations and a unique understanding of our complex security environment. As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I look forward to hearing General Mattis’ plans for addressing both the security environment and organizational reforms to the Department of Defense. I would also like to hear how the Trump Administration intends to address the destabilizing role state actors like Russia have played on Western democracies, the threat to global security posed by nationalist movements, and considerations for a more effective counter-terrorism strategy. “With respect to the legal barrier to General Mattis serving as Secretary of Defense, I plan to carefully evaluate any exceptions to this law with respect to their implications for civilian control of the military.” ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-tours-alexandria-community-health-center-discusses-importance-of-preserving-the-affordable-care-act-and-expanding-coverage | Kaine Tours Alexandria Community Health Center, Discusses Importance Of Preserving The Affordable Care Act And Expanding Coverage | 2016-12-05 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Tours Alexandria Community Health Center, Discusses Importance Of Preserving The Affordable Care Act And Expanding Coverage Monday, December 5, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine toured a community health center in Alexandria, Virginia to discuss the importance of protecting health center funding, the Affordable Care Act, Medicare and Medicaid going into the next administration. Kaine also highlighted how community health centers are critical in providing quality healthcare to underserved communities in Virginia and received an award from the Virginia Community Healthcare Association for his legislative work on behalf of community health centers in Congress. “Community health centers serve Virginians by providing a medical home through integrated care. It’s primary medical care, dental care, behavioral health care for all ages, for people of all status,” said Kaine. “These are critical services for communities in the most urban parts of the state in Northern Virginia and some of the most rural parts. “With the incoming Congress and the new Administration, I’m going to do everything I can to continue to be a strong supporter for community health centers which are an absolutely critical part of the nation’s health care system,” Kaine continued. “We’ve made a lot of advances in providing new protections and reducing the uninsured rate across the country, and we need to work to keep those in place. We have to embrace a discussion about improvements and reforms, but we need to maintain coverage, not shed coverage, and maintain great programs like community health centers.” Kaine has advocated to ensure funding for community health centers in Virginia since taking office in 2013. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=623F28B8-E9A3-4F7F-98C7-0FB30DFF3B36 | FCC Response to IoT Concerns Offers Foundation for Trump Administration to Build Upon | 2016-12-05 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) applauded the response of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to his October 25th letter raising concerns about the proliferation of insecure Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Sen. Warner, co-founder of the bipartisan Senate Cybersecurity Caucus and the incoming Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the FCC response, which offers a plan to reduce risks from insecure devices, provides the incoming Trump Administration with a roadmap for additional work in this area. The FCC letter resulted from Sen. Warner’s questions about the October 2016 Mirai botnet attack, which utilized vulnerable devices such as internet-connected cameras and DVRs to temporarily overwhelm popular Internet sites including Twitter, Amazon, Tumblr, Reddit, Spotify and Netflix. In the past week, a sophisticated variant of Mirai reportedly infected over one-million routers in Germany, the United Kingdom and Brazil. “The Commission’s response to my questions validates my concerns about the risk of crippling cyberattacks made easier through connected consumer appliances and wirelessly connected household devices,” Sen. Warner said. “The FCC chairman confirms that internet service providers already have the authority – if not the responsibility – to protect their networks by blocking malicious and harmful traffic. I also am pleased to learn the FCC also has been discussing improved tools, including setting security standards for IoT devices, to better protect consumers as well as the broader Internet.” “The commission’s proposal for a device certification process, either by the agency or through industry self-certification, deserves strong consideration,” Sen. Warner continued. “Similarly, the FCC’s suggestion of consumer labeling requirements echoes the call by many security experts for metrics that will empower and educate consumers. I strongly urge the incoming Trump Administration to make cybersecurity a top priority, because we simply must move forward with responsible … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=E40A4081-5E84-45DE-83FE-AEC55268F4F2 | Warner: No Special Consideration for Other Bills Until We Save Coal Miners Healthcare, Retirement | 2016-12-05 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, a coalition of Senators fighting to protect the health and pensions of more than 120,000 retired coalminers nationwide announced their intent to use any means necessary to make sure that these workers and their families are protected. With 16,300 retired coal miners set to lose healthcare by Dec. 31, 2016 without Congressional action, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that they will block all attempts to pass legislation by unanimous consent in the Senate until the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) healthcare and pension shortfall is adequately addressed to give miners long-term certainty. By blocking other bills from sailing through with special privileges, the Senators hope to force House and Senate leadership to include the bipartisan mineworkers fix in the year-end spending package or allow an independent vote on the bill. The Senators released the following joint statement: “For several months, we have joined thousands of our states’ retired coal miners and their families to call for a vote on this bipartisan, paid-for bill. And for several months those calls have gone unanswered. These miners cannot wait another day and it’s up to us to protect what they’ve earned for a lifetime of dangerous, backbreaking work. We are confident this bill would pass on the floor and we demand action to provide long-term certainty for these miners.” ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/floor-statements/conference-report-on-s-2943-national-defense-authorization-act-for | CONFERENCE REPORT ON S. 2943, NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017 | 2016-12-02 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. Before addressing matters of concern to the Education and the Workforce Committee, I want to underscore my strong support for the shipbuilding and ship maintenance provisions. I have the honor of representing Hampton Roads, Virginia, the heart of our nation's shipbuilding industrial base. I strongly support the conference report's shipbuilding and ship maintenance provisions, specifically language urging the Secretary of the Navy to speed up the procurement schedule for aircraft carriers to ensure that our carrier fleet is not again reduced to 10 carriers. These provisions in the conference report will not only significantly benefit my region, but will be critical for our nation's security. I'd like to commend Congressman FORBES and Congressman COURTNEY for their efforts on this area. As a conferee and Ranking Member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, I was pleased to see that the final conference report eliminated matters of grave concern. First, the Conference Report removed Section 3512 of the House bill which redefined ``recreational vessels'' across almost all statutes. The aim of this provision was to exempt workers repairing vessels over 65 feet in length from coverage under the Longshore and Harbor Workers Act (LHWCA), such as very large yachts and luxury watercraft. By stripping injured workers of the protections under LWHCA, these workers would have been shifted into coverage under state workers' compensation laws. Many state workers' compensation benefit levels are substantially inferior to LHWCA coverage, especially in states such as Florida. Earlier this year, the Florida Supreme Court found that the Florida workers' compensation law was unconstitutional because the duration of disability benefits was so truncated and the benefit levels so anemic that they did not constitute ``a system of redress'' that ``functions as a reasonable alternative to tort litigati… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-floor-statement-in-support-of-final-national-defense-authorization | Scott Floor Statement in Support of Final National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 | 2016-12-02 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) delivered the following remarks on the House floor in support of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2017. Congressman Scott, as Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, was appointed to the conference committee in July and successfully advocated for the removal of several harmful workplace provisions that were eliminated from the final bill text. “Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. “I have the honor of representing Hampton Roads, Virginia, the heart of our nation’s shipbuilding industrial base. So I want to underscore my support for the shipbuilding and ship maintenance provisions in the bill, including the language urging the Secretary of the Navy to speed up the procurement schedule for aircraft carriers to ensure that our carrier fleet is not again reduced to 10 carriers. These provisions will not only significantly benefit my region, but will be critical to our nation’s security. I want to particularly commend my colleague from Virginia, the chair of the Seapower Subcommittee, Mr. Forbes, and the ranking member of that Subcommittee, Mr. Courtney, for their hard work on the shipbuilding aspects of the bill. “As the Ranking Member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, I was pleased to see that the final conference report eliminated three matters of grave concern that would have adversely affected working conditions for shipyard workers and employees of government contractors. “The first provision eliminated from the bill would have severely undermined the workers’ compensation benefits that many shipyard workers’ now receive under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. “The second problematic provision would have authorized taxpayer-funded employment discrimination by religious organizations. “And, a third provision would have significantly diminished the application of the Executive Order on Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces. This order … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-forbes-wittman-rigell-applauds-award-of-contract-for-new-lab-at | Scott, Forbes, Wittman & Rigell Applaud Award of Contract for New Lab at NASA Langley | 2016-12-02 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representatives Bobby Scott (VA-03), Randy Forbes (VA-04), Rob Wittman (VA-01) and Scott Rigell (VA-02) issued the following joint statement applauding today’s announcement by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) that it has awarded a $95.6 million contract to W.M. Jordan Co. of Newport News to construct the Measurement Systems Laboratory (MSL) at NASA Langley Research Center: “Today’s announcement by the General Services Administration is great news for NASA Langley and science research in Hampton Roads,” said Rep.Scott. “This project, part of NASA Langley’s 20-year revitalization plan, will expand NASA Langley’s research capabilities while saving millions of dollars in annual maintenance. As NASA Langley celebrates its 100th Anniversary next year, we look forward to continuing to work with NASA, the Virginia aerospace community, and our colleagues in Congress to ensure that NASA Langley is able to continue to implement its 20-year plan and remains an integral part of accomplishing NASA’s missions.” Rep J. Randy Forbes (VA-04) said “NASA is doing cutting-edge work and much of it is happening right here in Virginia. This contract award is part of what will enable NASA to make exciting new breakthroughs and reach new horizons – and is a sign of the bright days ahead for NASA Langley. I am proud of the bipartisan support from the Hampton Roads congressional delegation to support and advance the critical research being done there every day.” “NASA Langley is such an incredible Virginia and national asset. Construction of the MSL is a key component of NASA Langley Research Center’s long-term revitalization plan, setting course for 21st Century space and aeronautics innovation,” said Rep. Rob Wittman (VA-01) "NASA Langley has always meant a lot to me and my family," Rep.Rigell said. "I am proud that, through the bipartisan work of the delegation and others, the Research Center will be able to continue to inspire many people with the construction of the MSL, which is crucial to a path f… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-to-hold-health-care-town-hall-in-newport-news | Scott to Hold Health Care Town Hall in Newport News | 2016-12-02 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott will hold a health care town hall in Newport News on Monday, December 12, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. Congressman Scott will be joined by a representative from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Ashley Richard and Jamila Allen, both Navigators at ENROLL Virginia!, a nonpartisan, community-based organization dedicated to assisting Virginians with enrolling in health insurance offered by the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. The town hall will provide an overview of the Affordable Care Act, the Marketplace enrollment process, and other health care initiatives at the federal level. Open Enrollment for 2017 began on November 1, 2016. December 15, 2016 is the enrollment deadline for coverage to take effect on January 1, 2017. January 31, 2017 is the final enrollment deadline for coverage to take effect on March 1, 2017. Following this date, enrollment and changes to plans can occur only if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Constituents will also have the opportunity to ask questions and share their concerns. This event is free and open to the public. Newport News Healthcare Town Hall Monday, December 12, 2016 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center 2410 Wickham Ave Newport News, VA 23607 For more information about this town hall, please contact Congressman Scott's Newport News District Office at (757) 380-1000. # # # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=4A369F83-0039-409E-B75E-701607555EDD | Warner Introduces Bill to Help Wells Fargo Victims Get Their Day in Court | 2016-12-02 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, introduced legislation to give Wells Fargo customers who were victims of a fraudulent account scheme their day in court. The bank was involved in a scandal this year after it was revealed that Wells Fargo employees secretly opened roughly 1.5 million bank accounts and issued 565,000 credit cards without customers’ consent. Wells Fargo is using the forced arbitration clauses it tucked away in the fine print of contracts customers signed when they opened legitimate accounts to block them from suing over the fraudulent accounts. “Wells Fargo should not be able to take advantage of arbitration agreements customers signed when they opened legitimate accounts in order to avoid answering for the fakes ones bank employees created without customers’ knowledge,” said Sen. Warner. “Consumers who were defrauded by Wells Fargo in one of the most outrageous examples of misconduct since the financial crisis deserve their day in court.” The Justice for Victims of Fraud Act of 2016 will work hand-in-hand with a new oversight rule that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) put out in May to strengthen protections for consumers. Whereas the CFPB proposal would apply only to contracts signed after the rule is final – this bill would allow victims of Wells Fargo’s fraud to seek their day in court even if they signed contracts that included arbitration for their legitimate accounts in the past. The bill has been endorsed by The American Association for Justice, Consumers Union, the National Association of Consumer Advocates, the National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low income clients), Americans for Financial Reform, the Center for Responsible Lending, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Media Voices for Children, Allied Progress, the Woodstock Institute, the Franciscan Action Network, the Economic Policy Institute Center, California Reinvestment Coalition, Consumers for Auto Reliability and … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/floor-statements/honoring-the-life-of-debra-saunders-white | HONORING THE LIFE OF DEBRA SAUNDERS-WHITE | 2016-12-01 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mourn the loss of one of our nation's finest public servants, Dr. Debra Saunders-White. She was a good friend and a tireless advocate for increasing access to higher education for all students. This past Saturday, Debra Saunders-White passed away, and I would like to take a brief moment to celebrate her life and legacy. For many years, Debra Saunders-White was a leading voice in education as she fought to strengthen historical black colleges and universities and other minority serving institutions. As a first generation college graduate, Debra understood both the opportunities afforded by higher education and the many challenges that accompany students as they attempt to access and afford a higher education. A native of Hampton, Virginia, she attended the University of Virginia before receiving her Masters of Business Administration from the College of William and Mary and her Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from George Washington University. After completing her education, Mrs. Saunders-White spent 15 years in the private sector, working for IBM as a systems engineer before transitioning to marketing. From 1999 until 2006, Dr. Saunders-White served as the Assistant Provost of Technology at Hampton University. While at Hampton, she designed and implemented the university's first information technology organization. Her efforts made Hampton University the first HBCU in the nation to join the Internet2 community, where they earned the ``most wired university'' title by Forbes Magazine and the Princeton Review. Ultimately, Dr. Saunders-White left Hampton University and spent some time at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) as the Vice Chancellor and later served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Department of Education in President Obama's administration. In 2011, Mrs. Saunders-White became the 11th chancellor of North Carolina Central University. During her tenure, Dr. Saunders-White was held in high regard by all of her colleagu… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=444 | Beyer Seeks Answers In Hearing On Skyrocketing Rates For Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program | 2016-12-01 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Donald Beyer | B001292 | beyer.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Beyer demanded answers at a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing on the rapidly rising rates for policy holders of the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP). He expressed the anguish of constituents who contacted him about their premium increases, some of which went up by as much as 126 percent, in an exchange with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The sudden FLTCIP rate increases shocked and upset many of my constituents, said Rep. Don Beyer. Unfortunately many of their questions remain unanswered. We need to continue to push OPM to fully explain why so little information was communicated to policy-holders sooner, especially when OPM knew years in advance that premium increases would be expected.We need tangible adjustments to ensure the long-term affordability and sustainability of this program. Rep. Beyer does not sit on the Oversight Committee, but asked to take part in the hearing because of its significance to his constituents. Fellow Virginia Representative Gerry Connolly, who sits on the Oversight Committee, initially requested the hearing. Beyer added, Congress held a hearing in 2009 and nothing improved. Insurers again issued a contract with even worse price shock to beneficiaries. The conversation cannot end with this hearing. Northern Virginia is home to the largest concentration of federal employees in the nation, many of whom purchase through FLTCIP. Video of Rep. Beyer's exchanges at the hearing can be viewed here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/feinstein-kaine-statement-on-clean-extension-of-the-iran-sanctions-act | Feinstein, Kaine Statement On Clean Extension Of The Iran Sanctions Act | 2016-12-01 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Feinstein, Kaine Statement On Clean Extension Of The Iran Sanctions Act Thursday, December 1, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations & Armed Services Committees and co-author of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, released the following statement on the unanimous vote to extend the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA), a critical component of the U.S. sanctions architecture against Iran: “We voted today to extend ISA because it is consistent with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which we strongly support. In line with the agreement, the President is currently waiving sanctions as Iranian compliance with the deal is tested over the next eight years. Until then, sanctions legislation must remain in place to allow an immediate ‘snap-back’ should Iran violate the JCPOA. This is not a new sanction, but signals the continued commitment of Congress to vigorously enforce Iran’s compliance with the JCPOA and to make clear that there will be immediate consequences should Iran break the terms of the agreement, including the re-imposition of sanctions. “Today’s vote is in support of the agreement. All parties to the JCPOA contemplated that sanction statutes would remain in place until the IAEA reaches the conclusion that all nuclear material in Iran remains for peaceful purposes. At that time, Congress is to seek termination of statutory sanctions and Iran will permanently ratify the Additional Protocol. Today, the U.S. and Iran are honoring the agreement, and it would be a significant error for the U.S. to walk away from the agreement in the future.” ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-and-kaine-announce-legislation-to-expand_petersburg-national-battlefield-expected-to-become-law | Warner & Kaine Announce Legislation to Expand Petersburg National Battlefield Expected to Become Law | 2016-12-01 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Warner & Kaine Announce Legislation to Expand Petersburg National Battlefield Expected to Become Law Thursday, December 1, 2016 WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that legislation to add more than 7,000 acres to the Petersburg National Battlefield is on track to be approved by Congress as soon as next week. Text of the annual defense authorization bill released by a congressional conference committee includes legislation sponsored by the two Virginia Senators authorizing the National Park Service to acquire additional historic land sites related to the Siege of Petersburg, the longest military event of the Civil War. The National Defense Authorization Act is expected to pass the House of Representatives on Friday, with the Senate projected to follow suit early next week. “The Petersburg National Battlefield bore witness to the longest sustained siege in our nation’s military history and draws visitors from all across the country, injecting millions of dollars into the local economy every year,” said Sen. Warner. “Expanding the park will encourage tourism to the region while preserving this important piece of American history for future generations. After working on this legislation for several years now, it’s great news that we are so close to seeing it a reality.” “The NDAA ensures that the Petersburg National Battlefield will become the nation's largest protected battlefield,” Sen. Kaine said. “This hallowed ground bears witness to one of the longest, hardest and most decisive contests of the Civil War. The stories of all the combatants--including more than 16,000 African-American troops--will now be more accessible to the current generation. I thank my colleagues for their support and acknowledge the work of my predecessor Jim Webb in getting us to this day.” “After working for years with my colleagues to secure the expansion of the Petersburg National Battlefield Park, I am proud to be able to say that we have prot… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-kaine-urge-action-to-authorize-delayed-v-a-medical-leases-before-the-end-of-the-year- | Warner, Kaine Urge Action To Authorize Delayed V-A Medical Leases Before The End Of The Year | 2016-12-01 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Warner, Kaine Urge Action To Authorize Delayed V-A Medical Leases Before The End Of The Year Thursday, December 1, 2016 WASHINGTON – Today, Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined 16 of their Senate colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter urging Congressional leaders to authorize leases for 24 Department of Veterans Affairs (V-A) medical facilities before the end of the 114th Congress. Congress has not authorized major medical facility leases since 2014, which are necessary to enable the department to deliver vital care and services to veterans in Virginia and across the country. Most of these leases have been pending congressional approval for more than a year. “Veterans in each of these states deserve the timely and quality health care benefits they have earned through their service. As such, we ask that you work to include authorization for these leases in the December funding bill, or another appropriate vehicle, to be signed into law this year,” the Senators wrote. Under law, the Department of Veterans Affairs (V-A) must receive specific legislative authorization to lease medical facilities with average annual rental payments in excess of $1 million. However, Congress has not, through a regular process, recently authorized any V-A major medical facility leases, hampering the ability of the V-A to provide much-needed health care and services to veterans around the country. Among the leases that are pending is a 155,000 square foot outpatient facility in Hampton Roads, Va., which has one of the fastest-growing veterans populations in the country. Patient visits in Hampton Roads’ service area increased by 30.5 percent from 2011 to September 2014, while the national average across the V-A system was 8.6 percent. Full list of leases pending authorization include: Ann Arbor, MI - Outpatient Clinic Birmingham, AL - Outpatient Mental Health Clinic Birmingham, AL - Outpatient Specialty Clinic Boston, MA – Research Space Charleston, SC – Research Space … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=84F6FB22-938A-4C79-9F90-97254109A25B | Sen. Warner, Intelligence Committee Colleagues Urge the President to Declassify Information on Russia and the U.S. Election | 2016-12-01 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | Washington – Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), incoming Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and co-founder of the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, joined a group of committee members in asking President Obama to declassify information relating to the Russian government and the U.S. election. Intelligence Committee members Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Angus King, (I-ME), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and ex-officio member Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) signed the letter. “We believe there is additional information concerning the Russian Government and the U.S. election that should be declassified and released to the public. We are conveying specifics through classified channels,” the members wrote. ### Letter on Russia & U.S. Election by MarkWarner on Scribd | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=C045989B-33A2-4B73-A15B-8E54BA2AE481 | Sen. Warner Statement on Congressional renewal of U.S. sanctions on Iran | 2016-12-01 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON—Today U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), incoming Vice Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement on Senate passage of legislation which imposes a 10-year extension of sanctions on Iran. The Iran Sanctions Act, which Sen. Warner co-sponsored, now heads to the President: “Today I voted to extend the Iran Sanctions Act for another decade. Last renewed in 2006, this Act imposes sanctions on U.S. and foreign companies investing in Iran’s energy sector—a major component of its economy—but allows the President to waive sanctions on a case-by-case basis. Many of the Act’s sanctions, including those targeting investment in Iran’s oil and gas sector, have been waived as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that the United States and five other countries have signed with Iran to rein in Tehran’s nuclear program. I firmly believe the continuation of these sanctions is prudent to preserve America’s ability to re-impose sanctions should Iran violate that agreement and to signal to Tehran that its continued threatening and aggressive behavior will not be tolerated. In the last year alone, Iran has conducted at least four ballistic missile tests, illegally detained U.S. sailors in the Persian Gulf, threatened to shoot down U.S. Navy planes, and continued to support terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and dictators like Syria’s President Assad. I will continue to support efforts to keep Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and encourage Tehran to abide by international law and norms of behavior.” ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=EA679E20-6669-4201-BDE4-59C3FC75910B | Warner Applauds House Passage of Bill to Honor OSS Veterans | 2016-12-01 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON – Last evening, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation authored by Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) to honor veterans of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) with a Congressional Gold Medal. The bill recognizes the members of the intelligence agency for their “superior service and major contributions during World War II.” It now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law. “For many years, the heroic contributions of the OSS – which included some of the most daring covert operations of World War II — remained shrouded in secrecy, their impact largely unknown to the American public. Today, Congress is able to publicly recognize the members of the OSS for their remarkable heroism and many sacrifices,” said Sen. Warner. “As the predecessor to the modern CIA, other elements of the U.S. intelligence community, and U.S. special operations forces, the OSS once boasted nearly 13,000 members, but more than 70 years after they won the war, fewer than 100 are still with us. I know how much it means to the veterans of the OSS, as well as their families, that this legislation is finally making its way to the President’s desk to be signed into law. Congress has now ensured that their courage of spirit and their love of country will long live on in our nation’s memory.” The OSS conducted critical operations during the war including establishing intelligence networks, training resistance organizations throughout Europe and Asia, and carrying out “mercy missions” at the end of the war to save the lives of thousands of Allied prisoners of war. It was created in 1942 under the leadership of General William J. Donovan to better coordinate and oversee American intelligence operations. At its peak, 13,000 members served in the OSS including notable names such as Julia Child, Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., John Ford, and James Donovan, who was depicted in the 2015 movie, “Bridge of Spies.” A number of OSS veterans were present in the House gallery when the legislation was approved. Sen. Warner is t… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=EBDAEDB2-FFC7-4D2C-95E3-9E49E1D07CA7 | Legislation to Expand Petersburg National Battlefield on Track to Become Law | 2016-12-01 | 2016 | 2016-12 | 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) announced that legislation to add more than 7,000 acres to the Petersburg National Battlefield is on track to be approved by Congress as soon as next week. Text of the annual defense authorization bill released by a congressional conference committee includes legislation sponsored by the two Virginia Senators authorizing the National Park Service to acquire additional historic land sites related to the Siege of Petersburg, the longest military event of the Civil War. The National Defense Authorization Act is expected to pass the House of Representatives on Friday, with the Senate projected to follow suit early next week. “The Petersburg National Battlefield bore witness to the longest sustained siege in our nation’s military history and draws visitors from all across the country, injecting millions of dollars into the local economy every year,” said Sen. Warner. “Expanding the park will encourage tourism to the region while preserving this important piece of American history for future generations. After working on this legislation for several years now, it’s great news that we are so close to seeing it a reality.” “The NDAA ensures that the Petersburg National Battlefield will become the nation's largest protected battlefield,” Sen. Kaine said. “This hallowed ground bears witness to one of the longest, hardest and most decisive contests of the Civil War. The stories of all the combatants--including more than 16,000 African-American troops--will now be more accessible to the current generation. I thank my colleagues for their support and acknowledge the work of my predecessor Jim Webb in getting us to this day.” “After working for years with my colleagues to secure the expansion of the Petersburg National Battlefield Park, I am proud to be able to say that we have protected these hallowed grounds and ensured that the lands and history of this battlefield will be preserved for future generations,” said Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), who introd… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=F60FCA4F-CA96-4018-922C-F05C34143441 | Warner, Kaine Urge Action to Authorize Delayed V-A Leases | 2016-12-01 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON – Today, Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined 16 of their Senate colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter urging Congressional leaders to authorize leases for 24 Department of Veterans Affairs (V-A) medical facilities before the end of the 114th Congress. Congress has not authorized major medical facility leases since 2014, which are necessary to enable the department to deliver vital care and services to veterans in Virginia and across the country. Most of these leases have been pending congressional approval for more than a year. “Veterans in each of these states deserve the timely and quality health care benefits they have earned through their service. As such, we ask that you work to include authorization for these leases in the December funding bill, or another appropriate vehicle, to be signed into law this year,” the Senators wrote. Under law, the Department of Veterans Affairs (V-A) must receive specific legislative authorization to lease medical facilities with average annual rental payments in excess of $1 million. However, Congress has not, through a regular process, recently authorized any V-A major medical facility leases, hampering the ability of the V-A to provide much-needed health care and services to veterans around the country. Among the leases that are pending is a 155,000 square foot outpatient facility in Hampton Roads, Va., which has one of the fastest-growing veterans populations in the country. Patient visits in Hampton Roads’ service area increased by 30.5 percent from 2011 to September 2014, while the national average across the V-A system was 8.6 percent. Full list of leases pending authorization include: Ann Arbor, MI - Outpatient Clinic Birmingham, AL - Outpatient Mental Health Clinic Birmingham, AL - Outpatient Specialty Clinic Boston, MA – Research Space Charleston, SC – Research Space Daytona Beach, FL - Outpatient Clinic Denver, CO - Chief Business Office Purchased Care Gainesville, FL - Outpatient Clinic Hampton Roads, VA - Outpatient … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/floor-statements/filipino-veterans-of-world-war-ii-congressional-gold-medal-act-of-2015 | FILIPINO VETERANS OF WORLD WAR II CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT OF 2015 | 2016-11-30 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1555, the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015. Filipino Americans have contributed to American life and culture in countless ways, and one of the most noble is through military service. Over 200,000 Filipino soldiers and guerrilla fighters served with the United States Armed Forces during World War II. Their invaluable service helped provide the necessary support to defeat the Japanese in the Pacific. For over 60 years, Filipino veterans and community advocates have fought to obtain benefits and recognition that they were promised. In 2009, Congress created the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund, where eligible veterans who are U.S. citizens could receive a one-time payment of $15,000; eligible veterans who are not U.S. citizens could receive a one-time payment of $9,000. While this fund has allowed many of them to receive some compensation, in Congress we are still working to make sure these families get all of the benefits they earned, they deserved and were promised. Another way that we can recognize these heroes is by awarding them the Congressional Gold Medal. The Senate unanimously passed the Filipino World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act in July. Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of the House version of the bill and co-chair of the U.S.-Philippines Friendship Caucus, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation so that approximately 18,000 surviving Filipino veterans of World War II may be recognized for their service to our Nation. We are forever indebted to these brave soldiers, and it is important that we appropriately express our gratitude for that service. Mr. Speaker, I therefore urge my colleagues to support the bill. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/floor-statements/recognizing-retiring-members-of-the-virginia-delegation | RECOGNIZING RETIRING MEMBERS OF THE VIRGINIA DELEGATION | 2016-11-30 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for yielding and for organizing tonight's Special Order. Tonight, we honor three retiring members from the Virginia delegation to Congress: Congressmen Randy Forbes, Robert Hurt, and Scott Rigell. Despite our differences from time to time on national policy, the Virginia delegation has a long history of being able to constructively work together on issues of importance to the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Former-Senator John Warner, the longtime dean of our delegation, embodied this bipartisan work ethic, and we have already heard it referred to as the Virginia way of doing things. During their service in Congress, RANDY, ROBERT, and SCOTT have each put their mark on this institution and on national policy. Robert Hurt has been a leader on the Financial Services Committee and focused on policies to expand economic opportunity in south side Virginia and communities around the Nation. A strong advocate for community banks and credit unions over his three terms in Congress, ROBERT has also worked to ensure that consumers are financially literate with the necessary information to make the best financial choices for their families. ROBERT has always fought for what he believed to be the best interest of his constituents, and so I wish him and his family well as he returns to his home in Chatham. I have come to know SCOTT and RANDY very well as our congressional districts are adjacent to one another in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Along with our colleague, Rob Wittman, we have participated in countless joint appearances and events across Hampton Roads. In both the private and public sector, Scott Rigell has dedicated his life to serving the Hampton Roads community. In his three terms in Congress, he has developed a well-deserved reputation as a pragmatic, bipartisan leader as he addresses the Nation's fiscal issues and reforming how Congress operates. We have been working together on many issues, but I especiall… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=443 | Beyer Presents Congressional Badge of Bravery Award to U.S. Park Police Officer Carl Hiott, Constituent Who Saved Lives During the 2013 Navy Yard Shooting | 2016-11-30 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Donald Beyer | B001292 | beyer.house.gov | legacy | November 30, 2016 (Washington, DC) Rep. Don Beyer yesterday presented U.S. Park Police Officer Carl Hiott the Congressional Badge of Bravery, an award recognizing law enforcement officers for exceptional acts of bravery in the face of great personal risk. Officer Hiott, who lives in Alexandria, was part of a team which saved the lives of workers at the Washington Navy Yard in 2013, during the shooting there which claimed the lives of twelve people. Officer Hiott did a tremendous service to his community and his country, and I'm thrilled to be able to recognize him for his courageous actions during the Washington Navy Yard shooting, said Rep. Don Beyer. He put his life at risk to protect others, and undoubtedly saved lives that day. His service represents the finest example of law enforcement, and I am so proud to present him with the Congressional Badge of Bravery. The presentation was made at a ceremony in Rep. Beyer's Washington office, and attendees included Interior Secretary Sally Jewel, Jonathan Jarvis, Director of the National Park Service, and Robert Maclean, Chief of U.S. Park Police. The Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery is presented to individuals who sustain injury or put their lives at risk to perform an act characterized as bravery by the agency head who makes the nomination that placed the individual at risk of serious physical injury or death. On September 16, 2013, a lone gunman entered the headquarters of the Naval Sea Systems Command at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, DC, and began killing people. The suspect entered the building with a disassembled shotgun, assembled the shotgun in a fourth-floor bathroom, and then proceeded to make his way through the building shooting civilians and staff. At one point, he shot a security officer and took his pistol. Following 911 calls, multiple agencies, including the United States Park Police and the District's Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), began arriving and searching the building for the active shooter. United States Pa… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=786 | Top Oversight and Transportation Committee Dems Request Briefing and Documents from GSA on President-Elect Trump's D.C. Hotel Lease | 2016-11-30 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | "This is not a hypothetical conflict—there is a clear and very real conflict that will be triggered the moment Mr. Trump is sworn in as President of the United States unless concrete steps are taken now to avert it." share: f t Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Rep. Peter DeFazio, Ranking Member of the and House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Rep. Gerry Connolly, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, and Rep. André Carson, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, sent a letter to the General Services Administration requesting information about the “imminent breach-of-lease and conflict of interest issues created by President-elect Donald Trump’s lease with the U.S. Government for the Trump International Hotel building in Washington, D.C.” The lease bars any “elected official of the Government of the United States” from deriving “any benefit” from the agreement. Click here and see below to read the letter: November 30, 2016 The Honorable Denise Turner Roth Administrator U.S. General Services Administration 1800 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20405 Dear Administrator Roth: We write to request information about how the General Services Administration (GSA) plans to address the imminent breach-of-lease and conflict of interest issues created by President-elect Donald Trump’s lease with the U.S. Government for the Trump International Hotel building in Washington, D.C. Mr. Trump’s lease contains a provision specifically barring any “elected official of the Government of the United States” from deriving “any benefit” from the agreement. We do not see this as an ambiguous provision, but as a strict and categorical ban. The contractual breach threatened by Mr. Trump’s swearing-in is compounded by the general and egregious conflict of interest posed by his appointing the GSA … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-renews-call-for-congress-to-vote-on-war-against-isil-encourages-new-debate-on-changing-security-challenges | Kaine Renews Call For Congress To Vote On War Against ISIL, Encourages New Debate On Changing Security Challenges | 2016-11-30 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Renews Call For Congress To Vote On War Against ISIL, Encourages New Debate On Changing Security Challenges Wednesday, November 30, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – In remarks on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, renewed his call for Congress to vote on an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) specific to the terrorist group ISIL. He also paid tribute to Senior Chief Petty Officer Scott C. Dayton of Woodbridge, Virginia who was killed in combat in Syria last week, highlighting the costs of two and a half years of war against ISIL. “I continue to believe, and I will say this in a very personal way as a military dad, that the troops we have deployed overseas deserve to know that Congress is behind this mission,” Kaine said. “As this war has expanded into two-plus years … more and more of our troops are risking and losing their lives far from home, I am concerned and raise again something I’ve raised often on this floor – that there is a tacit agreement to avoid debating this war in the one place it ought to be debated: in the halls of Congress.” “Two and a half years of war against the Islamic State and 15 years now after the passage of the authorization in September of 2001, we see that that authorization has been stretched way beyond what it was intended to do,” Kaine continued. “President Obama recently announced that the authorization is now going to be expanded to allow use of military action against al-Shabaab, the African terrorist group - a dangerous terrorist group to be sure - but al-Shabab did not begin until 2007. So an original authorization that was very specific by this body to allow action against the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks is now being used all over the globe against organizations that didn't even exist when the 9/11 attack occurred.” As President-elect Trump prepares to take office and a new Congress will be sworn-in in January 2017, Kaine urged members of Congre… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-kaine-announce-175-million-in-federal-grants-for-virginia-preschools | Warner, Kaine Announce $17.5 Million In Federal Grants For Virginia Preschools | 2016-11-30 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Warner, Kaine Announce $17.5 Million In Federal Grants For Virginia Preschools Wednesday, November 30, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced that Virginia preschools have been awarded $17.5 million in grants from the U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Health and Human Services (HHS) to continue their work expanding access to high-quality preschool for children from low- to moderate-income families in the communities of Brunswick, Chesterfield, Fairfax, Giles, Henrico, Norfolk, Petersburg, Prince William, Richmond, Sussex, and Winchester. Both Senators have advocated for quality early childhood education since their days as governor. Kaine expanded the Virginia Preschool Initiative by increasing Pre-K enrollment by 40 percent in the Commonwealth. Warner helped secure funding for Virginia’s Smart Beginnings program, an initiative that helps local communities deliver on ensuring conditions for a strong, healthy start for young children and their families. “During each of our governorships, we worked tirelessly to improve and expand quality education to more Virginians,” said the Senators. “These continued federal grants are a testament to our Commonwealth’s commitment to expanding access to high-quality preschool, as it is a key to a promising economic future.” In the Senate, they have both supported the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 and backed continued Preschool Development Grant funding as well as authorizing the Grants in the Every Student Succeeds Act. The grants comprise the third year of awards to states that are working with local communities to prepare the nation’s most vulnerable children for success in school and beyond. This year ED recognized Virginia for serving more children under the grant than originally planned. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/view/kaine-renews-call-for-congress-to-vote-on-war-against-isil | Kaine Renews Call For Congress To Vote On War Against ISIL | 2016-11-30 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | In remarks on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, renewed his call for Congress to vote on an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) specific to the terrorist group ISIL. He also paid tribute to Senior Chief Petty Officer Scott C. Dayton of Woodbridge, Virginia who was killed in combat in Syria last week, highlighting the costs of two and a half years of war against ISIL. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=774797B0-0CA4-46B8-854A-C098753993BD | Warner Leads Senate In Recognizing 20th Anniversary of Virginia-based NGA | 2016-11-30 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), incoming Vice Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, alongside committee member Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), released the following statement after the Senate passed their resolution recognizing the 20th anniversary of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The NGA was founded on October 1, 1996. “For over 20 years, the intelligence personnel at NGA have quietly served in defense of our nation. By helping us map and understand the globe, NGA has proven to be an invaluable resource for policymakers to make the best decisions to protect our citizens in an uncertain world,” said Sen. Warner. “I am proud that Virginia is home to this vital intelligence agency. The men and women that serve there are essential not only to our intelligence gathering, but to disaster relief and humanitarian efforts that exemplify the true meaning of public service. As the incoming Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I am honored to be a part of this well-deserved recognition for their quiet sacrifice.” “Throughout its 20 year history, the NGA and its dedicated team of intelligence professionals have provided vital, timely information to keep our country safe,” Sen. Blunt said. “The agency’s work has proved invaluable to U.S. policy makers and military commanders in both war and peacetime, and during significant national security and natural disaster events. I’m proud to have NGA facilities in St. Louis and Arnold, Mo., and will continue working to support the agency’s critical mission.” The military and civilian employees serving at NGA headquarters in Springfield, VA, as well as locations throughout the United States and across the globe, produce crucial mapping, charting, and intelligence products to warfighters, first responders, civil authorities, policy makers, and the maritime and aviation communities. In the upcoming 115th Congress, Sen. Warner has been selected to serve as the highest ranking Democrat on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Las… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=C10D3F50-75DB-4181-BC64-1F26951BA841 | Warner, Lankford, Booker Introduce Legislation to Codify Presidential Innovation Fellows Program | 2016-11-30 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), James Lankford (R-OK), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced bipartisan legislation that would codify the Presidential Innovations Fellows (PIF) program, enshrining in law a pathway for government to attract experienced technology entrepreneurs and innovators to public service. The program, which was established by the White House in 2012 and enjoys bipartisan support, brings the innovation economy into government by pairing talented, diverse technologists, entrepreneurs, and innovators with top civil-servants and change-makers within the federal government to tackle some our nation’s biggest challenges. A similar bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and was overwhelmingly passed by the House back in June. “Technology has changed dramatically since I first became involved in the telecommunications business, but government has been slow to adapt to new changes in productivity and data access,” said Sen. Warner. “This bill creates a permanent pipeline for our nation’s best and brightest to innovate inside government agencies, allowing for an injection of private sector expertise without creating bureaucratic bloat or displacing change-makers within government. The contributions of the talented participants of the Presidential Innovation Fellows program will help us build a more efficient, accessible, and accountable government for generations to come.” “This is commonsense legislation that is the first step in addressing the many pressing needs of our federal workforce,” said Sen. Lankford. “I hope that, in the coming months, we can continue to identify areas to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of our federal workforce. I am pleased to introduce this bill with Senator Warner and recognize the efforts of House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who has a companion bill that has already passed the House.” “The Presidential Innovation Fellows program has furnished our nation’s boldest engineers and technolo… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=785 | Connolly Statement on Trump Transportation Secretary Nominee Elaine Chao | 2016-11-29 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Connolly Statement on Trump Transportation Secretary Nominee Elaine Chao f t # e Washington, DC, November 29, 2016 Congressman Gerry Connolly released the following statement on President-elect Trump’s announcement of former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao as his Transportation Secretary nominee: “The challenge facing the new Transportation Secretary from day one will be to increase federal support for Metrorail and resolve long-running questions about the ability of the FTA to provide robust safety oversight of our nation’s transit system. The federal government can no longer be a deadbeat when it comes to operating funds for Metrorail, and I look forward to working with the new Transportation Secretary to secure appropriate federal support for the very transit system that delivers many DOT employees to work each day.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-and-kaine-call-on-congressional-appropriators-to-secure-funding-for-carrier-replacement-program | Warner & Kaine Call On Congressional Appropriators To Secure Funding For Carrier Replacement Program | 2016-11-29 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Warner & Kaine Call On Congressional Appropriators To Secure Funding For Carrier Replacement Program Tuesday, November 29, 2016 WASHINGTON – Today, Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) asked the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense to protect funding for the Carrier Replacement Program during the Fiscal Year 2017 appropriations process. If the Department of Defense is funded temporarily through a Continuing Resolution, as is currently expected, the advance procurement funding for the program will continue at FY 2016 levels – delaying shipbuilding, jeopardizing national security and threatening jobs in Hampton Roads – unless the legislation includes an exception for the Navy to move forward with the program at funding levels requested by the President in the FY 2017 budget. “As you know, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier fleet is already stretched thin, and as a result, the Navy has required a waiver to have one fewer operational carrier than the 11 required by Congress. The current fleet of ten nuclear-powered aircraft carriers is being utilized at unprecedented rates because of a complex security environment and a delayed procurement of additional ships. This over-utilization is resulting in extended deployments, deferred maintenance, reduced operational availability, increased ownership costs and potentially shortened life spans for these strategic assets,” wrote Sens. Warner and Kaine in a letter to the leaders of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. “Ensuring stable and adequate funding for the Carrier Replacement Program is one of the foremost steps Congress can take to allay the risks associated with the current shortfall in available aircraft carriers.” Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) in Newport News, Va., is the sole designer and builder of aircraft carriers for the U.S. Navy. For FY 2017, the Department of Defense requested – and the Subcommittee recommended – fu… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=26C358DE-C69B-4CE6-AE38-754B399660F6 | Warner & Kaine Call on Congressional Appropriators to Secure Funding for Carrier Replacement Program | 2016-11-29 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON – Today, Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) asked the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense to protect funding for the Carrier Replacement Program during the Fiscal Year 2017 appropriations process. If the Department of Defense is funded temporarily through a Continuing Resolution, as is currently expected, the advance procurement funding for the program will continue at FY 2016 levels – delaying shipbuilding, jeopardizing national security and threatening jobs in Hampton Roads – unless the legislation includes an exception for the Navy to move forward with the program at funding levels requested by the President in the FY 2017 budget. “As you know, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier fleet is already stretched thin, and as a result, the Navy has required a waiver to have one fewer operational carrier than the 11 required by Congress. The current fleet of ten nuclear-powered aircraft carriers is being utilized at unprecedented rates because of a complex security environment and a delayed procurement of additional ships. This over-utilization is resulting in extended deployments, deferred maintenance, reduced operational availability, increased ownership costs and potentially shortened life spans for these strategic assets,” wrote Sens. Warner and Kaine in a letter to the leaders of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. “Ensuring stable and adequate funding for the Carrier Replacement Program is one of the foremost steps Congress can take to allay the risks associated with the current shortfall in available aircraft carriers.” Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) in Newport News, Va., is the sole designer and builder of aircraft carriers for the U.S. Navy. For FY 2017, the Department of Defense requested – and the Subcommittee recommended – funding the Carrier Replacement Program at $1.37 billion, about $500 million more than the FY 2016 appropriation, in order to ensure the timely procurement of long-lead ite… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-nomination-of-governor-nikki-haley-to-be-us-ambassador-to-the-united-nations | Kaine Statement On Nomination Of Governor Nikki Haley To Be U.S. Ambassador To The United Nations | 2016-11-23 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Statement On Nomination Of Governor Nikki Haley To Be U.S. Ambassador To The United Nations Wednesday, November 23, 2016 RICHMOND, VA – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, released the following statement following President-elect Trump’s announcement that he will nominate South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations: “I look forward to meeting with Governor Haley and considering her nomination in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. As a former Governor, I believe that Governor Haley’s executive experience would serve her well in the challenging role of negotiating with all United Nations member states and representing the United States on the Security Council. During this time of unprecedented humanitarian crisis around the globe from Syria, Yemen, and Iraq to Central African Republic and South Sudan, a responsive and consequential United Nations is necessary, and this will only happen through strong U.S. leadership. Other top challenges I plan to discuss with Governor Haley include how the United Nations can continue to counter the destabilizing activities of Iran, North Korea, terrorist groups such as ISIS and more powerfully implement its resolutions.” ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=784 | Connolly to Hold FEHBP Open Season Workshop for Federal Employees and Retirees on December 3 | 2016-11-22 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Gerry Connolly will hold his 8th annual Federal Open Season Workshop on Saturday, December 3, 2016 at the Fairfax County Government Center to assist federal employees and retirees in navigating through the many changes in the 2017 Federal Employees Health Benefits Plans (FEHBP), dental and vision insurance programs. The federal government’s Open Season for federal employees and retirees to change their health plans runs from November 14, 2016 through December 12, 2016. Connolly’s Open Season Workshop will take place at the Fairfax County Government Center on Saturday, December 3, 2016 from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. The Government Center is located at 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035. This year’s event will once again feature FEHBP expert Walt Francis, author of CHECKBOOKS’s Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees as well as a representative of the Office of Personnel Management. Representatives from the various FEHB plans and Medicare will be available to answer questions and discuss their programs with participants. “Most FEHB plans have benefit and rate changes for 2017 so it is important that federal employees and retirees know the details on how their current plans are changing and whether or not there is another option that better suits their needs,” Connolly said. “With these possible changes, it is important that every federal employee and retiree review the status of their current coverage.” Connolly urged every federal employee and retiree, as well as survivor and former spouse annuitants to make sure they review their FEHB plan coverage and other benefits before Open Season ends on December 12, 2016. “Federal employees, retirees, and annuitants who have questions or want to make sure that they have the coverage they need are welcome to attend my Open Season Workshop on December 3rd ” he said. Congressman Connolly’s Open Season workshop will feature: 10:00 am – 11:00 am Panel Discussion featuring experts on FEHB programs and available health plan options, includ… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-kaine-urge-congressional-leadership-to-take-action-to-protect-miners-before-the-end-of-the-year | Warner, Kaine Urge Congressional Leadership To Take Action To Protect Miners Before The End Of The Year | 2016-11-22 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Warner, Kaine Urge Congressional Leadership To Take Action To Protect Miners Before The End Of The Year ~ Without the Miners Protection Act, an estimated 10,000 retired coal miners in Virginia are at risk of losing health and pension benefits in the coming months ~ Tuesday, November 22, 2016 WASHINGTON – Today, Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined 20 of their Senate colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to Congressional leadership urging passage of the Miners Protection Act by the end of this year. The bill, which would protect the hard-earned health and pension benefits of retired mine workers, has bipartisan support and is currently awaiting consideration in the Senate after passing through the Senate Finance Committee in September by a large margin. “This bill is simple – it is the continuation of a longstanding commitment by our government to lifetime health and retirement benefits for our miners,” the Senators wrote. Retired miners are facing uncertainty because the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) 1974 Pension Plan is severely underfunded, still reeling from the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and the effects of a downturn in the coal industry. The Miners Protection Act would take leftover funds from a federal government program that cleans up abandoned mines to shore up the underfunded health insurance and pension plan. Without the legislation, thousands of retired coal miners – including nearly 20,000 retirees whose companies filed for bankruptcy last year alone – face the prospect of significant cuts to their pensions and health care. “The Miners Protection Act is a responsible, bipartisan solution to an immediate problem that is fully offset and has gone through regular order. We strongly encourage you to pass the Miners Protection Act of 2016 (S. 1714) by the end of this year,” the Senators concluded. Other signatories to the letter included Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bob Casey (… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=6FC28119-4671-4100-93DC-C9EC491818EB | Warner, Kaine Urge Congressional Leadership to Protect Miners Before End of Year | 2016-11-22 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON – Today, Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined 20 of their Senate colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to Congressional leadership urging passage of the Miners Protection Act by the end of this year. The bill, which would protect the hard-earned health and pension benefits of retired mine workers, has bipartisan support and is currently awaiting consideration in the Senate after passing through the Senate Finance Committee in September by a large margin. “This bill is simple – it is the continuation of a longstanding commitment by our government to lifetime health and retirement benefits for our miners,” the Senators wrote. Retired miners are facing uncertainty because the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) 1974 Pension Plan is severely underfunded, still reeling from the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and the effects of a downturn in the coal industry. The Miners Protection Act would take leftover funds from a federal government program that cleans up abandoned mines to shore up the underfunded health insurance and pension plan. Without the legislation, thousands of retired coal miners – including nearly 20,000 retirees whose companies filed for bankruptcy last year alone – face the prospect of significant cuts to their pensions and health care. “The Miners Protection Act is a responsible, bipartisan solution to an immediate problem that is fully offset and has gone through regular order. We strongly encourage you to pass the Miners Protection Act of 2016 (S. 1714) by the end of this year,” the Senators concluded. Other signatories to the letter included Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bob Casey (D-PA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Al Franken (D-MN), Patty Murray (D-WA), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Richard Burr (R-NC), Rob Portman (R-OH), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jim Risch (R-ID), Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Jerry Mor… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=441 | Beyer Introduces NO HATE Act To Strengthen Reporting Of Hate Crimes | 2016-11-21 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Donald Beyer | B001292 | beyer.house.gov | legacy | Following a sharp rise in hate crimes across the country, Representative Don Beyer introduced the National Observations of Hate, Assaults, and Threats to Equality (NO HATE) Act to improve federal data on hate crimes. In the current climate, reducing hate crimes must be an imperative for every police department in the United States, said Rep. Don Beyer. Only by accurately tracking hate crimes can we know whether we are making progress towards their prevention. Hate crime reporting is deeply flawed due to underreporting or complete lack of reporting by local law enforcement. Rep. Beyer's bill would aim to fill those gaps by requiring the Justice Department to ensure localities receiving federal funding are credibly reporting hate crimes. The bill is supported by the Anti-Defamation League, Human Rights Campaign, Southern Poverty Law Center, and other civil liberties organizations. We support Rep. Beyer's legislative initiative to connect federal funding to credible participation in the HCSA program, said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League. Data drives policy. Communities cannot know the nature and magnitude of the threat hate violence poses unless their police department is actively tracking them, training their officers to identify them, and reporting to the FBI and state officials on these specially-impactful criminal acts. With the spike in bias-motivated violence and harassment across the country, the need to address the crisis of anti-LGBTQ hate is more urgent than ever, said David Stacy, HRC's Government Affairs Director. Without a clearer picture of the full scope of this problem, our policymakers, elected officials, and law enforcement are deprived of the necessary tools to fully combat this epidemic. The No Hate Act is a necessary fix to our data-reporting requirements and we applaud Rep. Beyer for working to fill this significant hole in our nation's ability to address this often deadly violence. Over 3,000 law enforcement agencies do not report hate crimes to the FBI, creatin… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-joins-118-lawmakers-to-file-bicameral-amicus-brief-to-safeguard-rights-of-students-with-disabilities-to-receive-meaningful-public-education | Kaine Joins 118 Lawmakers To File Bicameral Amicus Brief to Safeguard Rights of Students With Disabilities to Receive Meaningful Public Education | 2016-11-21 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Joins 118 Lawmakers To File Bicameral Amicus Brief to Safeguard Rights of Students With Disabilities to Receive Meaningful Public Education Supreme Court to hear Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District, a case about the level of educational benefit school districts must provide students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Monday, November 21, 2016 Today, current and former Members of Congress filed an amicus brief to affirm Congressional intent to raise expectations for the quality of education provided to students with disabilities under IDEA At stake in the case is the ability of students with disabilities to receive access to meaningful public education Members of Congress: “Congress intended…IDEA to provide meaningful educational benefits for students with disabilities and—significantly—raise expectations for their educational outcomes.” (Washington, D.C) - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), Ranking Member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, and a bicameral group of 118 current and former Members of Congress in filing an amicus brief in the case of Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District. Currently pending before the Supreme Court of the United States, this case focuses on what Congress intended when it required that school districts provide students with disabilities a “free appropriate public education” under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Congress has repeatedly reaffirmed through multiple reauthorizations of IDEA that school districts have an obligation to provide educational benefit to students with disabilities that is substantial, not trivial. However, if the Supreme Court were to uphold the lower court ruling that IDEA requires only a slightly more than de minimus educational benefit, it would negate th… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-receives-halifax-builder-award-discusses-national-security-at-2016-halifax-international-security-forum | Kaine Receives Halifax Builder Award, Discusses National Security At 2016 Halifax International Security Forum | 2016-11-19 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Receives Halifax Builder Award, Discusses National Security At 2016 Halifax International Security Forum Saturday, November 19, 2016 HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, received the 2016 Halifax Builder Award at the Eighth Annual Halifax International Security Forum in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In accepting the award, Kaine discussed American national security strategy and the important role democratic alliances have had throughout history. The Builder Award recognizes individuals who have been instrumental to the success of the Forum and demonstrate a tireless commitment to advancing global security and strategic cooperation among democracies. Kaine traveled with a bipartisan congressional delegation to the Forum, a gathering of global leaders he has attended every year since arriving in the Senate in 2013. This year’s delegation was led by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and included Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Deb Fischer (R-NE), and U.S. Representatives Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), and Representative-Elect Mike Gallagher (R-WI). Full transcript of Kaine’s remarks: I was going to come either with a big entourage or without. I do not have a big security entourage but I have a great entourage of members of the House and Senate, Republicans and Democrats, we’re here because we value this opportunity very much. A few years ago, I went to a fortune teller and she told me I was going to win something very big in November 2016... Your welcome has been incredible, I was at a reception outside and everyone was coming up to me saying, “you have my condolences, I feel so bad." People were being so kind to me and I kept thinking, “it’s not so bad traveling with John McCain, what’s this condolence thing?” I will say, I was proud to be on a ticket with a strong woman who ma… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-and-kaine-call-on-defense-appropriations-to-secure-procurement-funding-for-ohio-replacement-program | Warner & Kaine Call On Defense Appropriations To Secure Procurement Funding For Ohio Replacement Program | 2016-11-19 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Warner & Kaine Call On Defense Appropriations To Secure Procurement Funding For Ohio Replacement Program Saturday, November 19, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine sent a letter to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense asking them to protect funding for the Ohio Replacement Program (ORP) during the Fiscal Year 2017 appropriations process. If the Department of Defense is funded through a Continuing Resolution, the Navy will lose the authority to execute advance procurement funding for the program—halting shipbuilding, jeopardizing national security and threatening jobs in Hampton Roads—unless the legislation includes an exception for the Navy to continue moving forward with the program. U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined Warner and Kaine in sending the letter. “With an uncertain path forward for the fiscal year 2017 appropriations process, we urge you to take action to keep the Navy’s top modernization program on track to maintain delivery schedules and avoid program costs increases,” the Senators wrote. “Unless the Congress provides (1) the first year of ORP funding provided through a defense appropriations bill, or (2) an anomaly in a CR, the Navy and contractor team would have to cut up to 2,300 jobs from the engineering, design, and support staff across Virginia, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. As you review funding priorities in the waning days of the 114th Congress, we urge you to include ORP in any anomalies list in the event that we are faced with funding the Department of Defense through another CR for 2017.” The text of the letter is available here and below: Dear Chairman Cochran and Ranking Member Durbin: The Ohio-class strategic ballistic missile submarine fleet is our nation’s most survivable leg of the nuclear triad safeguarding our national security. This fleet is rapidly approaching the e… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=439 | Beyer On Latest Trump Appointments: The President-elect Has Made Pervasive Islamophobia A Central Qualification For His National Security Team. | 2016-11-18 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Donald Beyer | B001292 | beyer.house.gov | legacy | I do not expect to agree with President-elect Trump on most issues, but I do expect him to lead responsibly. By appointing Senator Sessions and Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn to key positions on his administration's national security team, he has abdicated that duty.His chosen advisors have expressed views attacking women, African Americans, Jews, Muslims, Hispanics and Latinos, immigrants and new Americans, and numerous other groups. I urge him to reconsider this divisive course and withdraw these appointments. Lt. General Michael Flynn, Trump's choice for National Security Advisor, publicly stated that fear of Muslims is rational. Flynn's financial ties to Russia and Turkey represent a significant potential conflict of interest as he leads the National Security Council. He also said just a month ago that the Muslim faith itself is a political ideology, not a religion, which is the source of an existential threat on a global scale. Senator Jeff Sessions, nominated to be Attorney General, defended Trump's proposed ban on Muslims entering the United States in an interview during which he also defended Trump's attacks on the Gold Star family of Captain Humayun Khan. Sessions once referred to an African American attorney as boy, and said that civil rights groups like the ACLU, the NAACP, and Martin Luther King Jr.'s Southern Christian Leadership Conference were un-American and were attempting to force civil rights down the throats of people. As Attorney General, Sessions who has criticized the Voting Rights Act would be in charge of enforcing civil rights laws and investigating police departments for incidents of racial profiling and race-based-violence. Sessions' has also made his stance on immigration which borders on nativism the focus of many public statements. Representative Beyer previously signed the letter led by Rep. David Cicilline urging President-elect Trump to reconsider his appointment of white nationalist Steve Bannon to the position of Chief White House Strategist. He is the sponsor of a House resolu… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=782 | FairfaxNews: Connolly wants probe of foreign influence on election | 2016-11-18 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | Representative Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) and 15 members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee today requested an urgent hearing to examine reportedly deliberate attempts by foreign governments to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. In a letter sent to Ranking Member Eliot Engel, the Members wrote, “We cannot ignore these facts merely because Election Day has come and gone. The Committee must understand and be prepared to counter what constitutes a potentially unprecedented intervention by a foreign government into U.S. elections.” Besides Connolly, the letter was signed by Reps. Brad Sherman, Gregory Meeks, Albio Sires, Ted Deutch, Brian Higgins, William R. Keating, David Cicilline, Ami Bera, Alan Lowenthal, Grace Meng, Lois Frankel, Joaquin Castro, Brendan F. Boyle, Robin Kelly, and Karen Bass. The Members noted that, “On October 7, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Election Security released a joint statement saying ‘The U.S. Intelligence Community (USIC) is confident that the Russian Government directed the recent compromises of emails from U.S. persons and institutions, including from U.S. political organizations.’ The USIC went further to explicitly state that “these thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere with the U.S. election process,’ and ‘only Russia’s senior-most officials could have authorized these activities.’ We cannot ignore these facts merely because Election Day has come and gone.” The members added, “The Committee must understand and be prepared to counter what constitutes a potentially unprecedented intervention by a foreign government into U.S. elections.” https://fairfaxnews.com/2016/11/connolly-wants-probe-foreign-influence-election/ | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=783 | House Democrats Send Letter to Obama Urging Denial of Easement for Dakota Access Pipeline | 2016-11-18 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | In a letter to President Obama, House SEEC members Representatives Huffman, Grijalva and Connolly urged the Administration to take concrete steps to reduce the tensions at the Dakota Access Pipeline, including denying the easement for the pipeline to cross Lake Oahe. The letter also calls for the President to send Department of Justice observers to protect the rights and civil liberties of the water protectors. The letter was signed by Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), John Conyers (D-MI), Sam Farr (D-CA), Mike Honda (D-CA), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), John Lewis (D-GA), Ted W. Lieu (D-CA), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), and Luis V. Gutiérrez (D-IL). The letter follows yesterday’s announcement by the Army Corps of Engineers that the agency will continue consultations with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe before making a final decision on the fate of the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline. The full letter follows and can be found here. Dear President Obama, We were encouraged by your recent comments regarding the Dakota Access Pipeline, and we thank you for recognizing the importance of preserving and protecting the sacred lands of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the importance of allowing for peaceful demonstrations. Watching the historic, peaceful gathering in and around the Standing Rock Sioux reservation of hundreds of Americans from all corners of the United States, we are shocked to see increasingly hostile tactics deployed by state and local law enforcement officials. We believe that the federal government can take one important step today to immediately de-escalate growing tensions, by denying the easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline to cross Lake Oahe. In addition, we urge you to take the necessary steps to protect the right… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-introduces-bipartisan-resolution-commemorating-national-apprenticeship-week-and-renewing-efforts-to-ensure-workforce-excellence-in-21st-century-economy- | Kaine Introduces Bipartisan Resolution Commemorating National Apprenticeship Week & Renewing Efforts To Ensure Workforce Excellence In 21st Century Economy | 2016-11-18 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Introduces Bipartisan Resolution Commemorating National Apprenticeship Week & Renewing Efforts To Ensure Workforce Excellence In 21st Century Economy Friday, November 18, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined 13 Senators to introduce a bipartisan resolution in the Senate designating the week of November 14, 2016, National Apprenticeship Week. Senators joining Kaine to introduce the resolution were U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Al Franken (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE) and Cory Booker (D-NJ). A 2012 evaluation of registered apprenticeship programs by Mathematica Policy Research found that the tax return on every public dollar invested in registered apprenticeship programs was $27. It further found that individuals who completed registered apprenticeship programs earned over $240,000 more throughout their careers than individuals not participating in such programs. Read the full resolution HERE. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-and-kaine-call-for-service-improvements-at-us-postal-service | Warner & kaine Call For Service Improvements At U.S. Postal Service | 2016-11-18 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Warner & kaine Call For Service Improvements At U.S. Postal Service Friday, November 18, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine sent a bipartisan letter to the leadership of the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee, which has jurisdiction over the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), calling for the improvement of mail delivery service to be a critical component of any comprehensive USPS reform bill. “While the importance of reliable mail delivery for customers, especially those living in rural areas, has not changed, the Postal Service’s ability to perform that service has substantially declined,” wrote the Senators. “For any comprehensive postal reform bill to have a chance of passing this Congress, it needs to truly address the key problem facing customers across the country, which is the need for better service performance.” Also co-signing the letter were U.S. Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Tammy Bladwin (D-WI), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Gary Peters (D-MI), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Angus King (I-ME), Al Franken (D-MN), Tom Udall (D-NM), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH). The full text of the letter can be found here. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=3BEAB97C-10F5-4EE8-A6CF-1459AC483C72 | Sen. Warner Statement on Nomination of Rep. Pompeo for CIA Director | 2016-11-18 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), incoming Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in the 115th Congress, released the following statement on President-Elect Donald J. Trump’s selection of Rep. Mike Pompeo to head the Central Intelligence Agency: “I congratulate Congressman Pompeo on his nomination. As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, Congressman Pompeo has a firsthand appreciation for Congress’ responsibility to provide vigilant oversight of our nation’s intelligence activities, and I look forward to learning more about his views on national security and intelligence policy and his vision for the CIA. “As incoming Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I will fulfill the Committee’s primary obligation: to conduct vigorous, and bipartisan, oversight of the nation’s intelligence agencies, and to ensure that their work is effective, efficient, and legal, and adheres to America’s principles and international obligations.” ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/floor-statements/midnight-rules-relief-act-of-2016 | MIDNIGHT RULES RELIEF ACT OF 2016 | 2016-11-17 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Robert Scott | S000185 | bobbyscott.house.gov | legacy | Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 5982, the so-called Midnight Rules Relief Act, which amends the Congressional Review Act. This bill would allow Congress to consider a joint resolution to simultaneously disapprove multiple regulations en bloc, all at once, when such rules are issued within the last 60 legislative days of a session of Congress in the final year of a President's term. Now, that is legislative days. In this case, 60 legislative days would reach back until May of this year, almost 8 months before the end of the President's term. To call the rules issued last spring a midnight rule is a curious use of the word. This bill puts in place an indiscriminate process to eliminate rules, many of which have been under consideration for years, even decades, to protect consumers, working people, and students. This bill denies Congress the opportunity for a careful case-by-case review that the congressional review process now provides, and that process would be appropriate for reasoned decisionmaking by a legislative body. This bill would jettison rules without even considering the costs and benefits of whether the rule followed the least burdensome approach to achieve a goal under the law. Once a rule is rejected, the rule can never be taken up again in substantially similar form. So after a thoughtful review, we might decide that the unpleasant regulation was actually the better way to address a problem than any alternative, but by then it is too late. Mr. Chairman, under the Congressional Review Act, the Senate could pass its en bloc resolution of disapproval without even holding a hearing, and send it to the House for a vote on the floor without any form of consideration by the committee of jurisdiction. So we would end up just voting on a slogan or a sound bite without any opportunity for deliberative consideration. That is not a responsible way to legislate. There has always been criticism of a tendency of a significant number of rules and regulations to be issue… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=781 | Connolly and House Foreign Affairs Democrats Request Urgent Hearing To Examine Potential Foreign Attempts to Influence U.S. Elections | 2016-11-17 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Gerald Connolly | C001078 | connolly.house.gov | legacy | “We cannot ignore these facts merely because Election Day has come and gone. The Committee must understand and be prepared to counter what constitutes a potentially unprecedented intervention by a foreign government into U.S. elections.” share: f t Today, Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and 15 members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee requested an urgent hearing to examine reportedly deliberate attempts by foreign governments to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. In a letter sent to Ranking Member Eliot Engel, the Members wrote, “We cannot ignore these facts merely because Election Day has come and gone. The Committee must understand and be prepared to counter what constitutes a potentially unprecedented intervention by a foreign government into U.S. elections.” The letter was signed by Representatives Gerald E. Connolly, Brad Sherman, Gregory Meeks, Albio Sires, Ted Deutch, Brian Higgins, William R. Keating, David Cicilline, Ami Bera, Alan Lowenthal, Grace Meng, Lois Frankel, Joaquin Castro, Brendan F. Boyle, Robin Kelly, and Karen Bass. The Members note that, “On October 7, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Election Security released a joint statement saying “The U.S. Intelligence Community (USIC) is confident that the Russian Government directed the recent compromises of emails from U.S. persons and institutions, including from U.S. political organizations.” The USIC went further to explicitly state that “these thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere with the U.S. election process,” and “only Russia’s senior-most officials could have authorized these activities.” We cannot ignore these facts merely because Election Day has come and gone.” The members added, “The Committee must understand and be prepared to counter what constitutes a potentially unprecedented intervention by a foreign government into U.S. elections.” Full letter follows and is av… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-rubio-introduce-legislation-to-combat-anti-semitism-in-europe | Kaine, Rubio Introduce Legislation To Combat Anti-Semitism In Europe | 2016-11-17 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine, Rubio Introduce Legislation To Combat Anti-Semitism In Europe Thursday, November 17, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the Combatting European Anti-Semitism Act, legislation to address the troubling trend of anti-Semitism across Europe. “I am alarmed by the steady increase in anti-Semitism we’re witnessing in America and Europe. We must be vigilant in reporting any incidents of anti-Semitism to ensure the safety, security and inalienable rights of Jewish communities,” said Kaine. “This legislation will help the State Department and Europeans work together to combat anti-Semitism and protect religious freedom for Jews and society at large.” “I am deeply concerned with the recent harassment and violence seen across Europe against Jews in schools and synagogues, as well as certain governments amplifying anti-Semitic messages,” said Rubio. “America must prioritize working with European governments to combat this insidious global phenomenon. This bipartisan legislation will ensure the State Department has the information it needs to assess and understand the challenges so that we might combat European anti-Semitism in all its forms." The bipartisan bill requires enhanced reporting to Congress in the State Department’s Annual Report on International Religious Freedom anti-Semitic incidents in Europe. It also directs the State Department to include information on the security challenges and needs of European Jewish communities, efforts by the U.S. government to partner with European governments, law enforcement and civil society to combat anti-Semitism, and efforts by European governments to adopt a working definition of anti-Semitism. This bill was introduced in the House (H.R. 6208) by the Bipartisan Taskforce for Combatting Anti-Semitism by U.S. Representatives Nita Lowey (D-NY), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Kay Grang… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-the-american-energy-and-conservation-act | Kaine Statement On The American Energy And Conservation Act | 2016-11-17 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Kaine Statement On The American Energy And Conservation Act Thursday, November 17, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement after voting against cloture on the motion to proceed to the American Energy and Conservation Act: “I voted no on this bill in large part because of findings from the Obama Administration earlier this year, as well as increasing opposition to speculative oil drilling off Virginia’s coast from constituents in Hampton Roads and on the Eastern Shore. Department of Defense concerns about the impact mid-Atlantic oil drilling would have on military operations in Hampton Roads and subsequent conversations with DOD officials as well as regional leaders led me to conclude that speculative drilling activities would pose a risk to the Hampton Roads economy and should not be undertaken.” ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-and-kaine-announce-6-million-investment-in-southwest-virginia-workforce-partnership | Warner & Kaine Announce $6 Million Investment In Southwest Virginia Workforce Partnership | 2016-11-17 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Tim Kaine | K000384 | www.kaine.senate.gov | legacy | Warner & Kaine Announce $6 Million Investment In Southwest Virginia Workforce Partnership Thursday, November 17, 2016 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced that the New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Investment Area Consortium in Radford, VA will receive a $6,000,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to strengthen and expand regional workforce partnerships in Southwest Virginia. The funds are available through DOL’s America’s Promise Job Driven Grant Program. “Today’s economy requires workers to have knowledge of new and emerging technologies in order to compete for high-skilled jobs,” said Warner. “This funding will be key in providing new training programs, increasing employment opportunities, and creating new partnerships between job creators in Southwest Virginia. I look forward to seeing how the New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Investment Area Consortium uses these funds to invest in the future of our local economy.” “This federal funding will help equip Virginians with important occupational skills that companies are looking for in today’s competitive economy,” said Kaine. “I supported this competitive grant for our Commonwealth and the Department of Labor agreed with its merits. I look forward to seeing these funds used by the New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Investment Area Consortium to create more opportunity in our economy and train workers who want to build a successful future for themselves.” The America’s Promise grants will help develop and grow regional partnerships between workforce agencies, education and training providers and employers in a variety of industries. The America’s Promise grant competition was designed to: Increase opportunities for all Americans through tuition-free training for middle-to high-skilled occupations and industries. Expand employer involvement in the design and delivery of training programs. Utilize evidence-based sector strategies to increase employability, employme… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=071108A9-E436-427D-9380-909C23BF36EA | Sen. Warner Statement on Today's Vote on Offshore Energy Revenue Sharing | 2016-11-17 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON – Today the Senate voted on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.3110, American Energy and Conservation Act. The legislation, which would provide for some revenue sharing for states as a result of onshore and offshore energy production, failed to garner the necessary votes to move forward. “A fair revenue sharing agreement has always been a must-have if Virginia’s coast is to be open to energy development – the key word being ‘fair.’ I voted against advancing this legislation because it would unfairly cap Virginia’s revenue share. “Additionally, I’ve always said that offshore exploration must be contingent on not interfering with the critical military and federal assets in the region, and the Navy continues to express serious reservations about allowing drilling off the Virginia coast.” ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=16E637AB-B67A-438F-82AD-EADEBA82E6EA | Sen. Warner Statement on the Retirement of DNI James Clapper | 2016-11-17 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | VA | Mark Warner | W000805 | www.warner.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), incoming Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in the 115th Congress, released the following statement on the retirement of James Clapper, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence: “Director Clapper has served his country with honor and distinction for more than 50 years, beginning as a young intelligence officer who rose to head our nation’s intelligence community. I extend him and Sue my best wishes for a long, happy and well-deserved retirement following his many decades of service. “Today’s public announcement by Director Clapper also underscores the need for the new Administration to move expeditiously in making key national security appointments. As that process continues, I hope President-Elect Trump will seek out personnel that embody the same experience, gravity of purpose, and service to country that have been a hallmark of James Clapper’s career.” ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |
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