url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5750,Beyer Statement On Trump Tax Returns,2022-12-30,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), a Member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, issued the following statement today after the publication of six years of former President Donald Trump’s tax returns:

“The materials released today were lawfully obtained by the Ways and Means Committee using its clear legal authority. Chairman Neal requested this tax information to inform our committee’s work on IRS tax enforcement, including the presidential audit program. The findings, already detailed in the committee’s report, show that this program was broken – justifying our legislative purpose, and leading to House passage of legislation to fix the problem on December 22nd.

“Despite promising to release his tax returns, Donald Trump refused to do so, and abused the power of his office to block basic transparency on his finances and conflicts of interest which no president since Nixon has foregone. Trump acted as though he had something to hide, a pattern consistent with the recent conviction of his family business for criminal tax fraud. As the public will now be able to see, Trump used questionable or poorly substantiated deductions and a number of other tax avoidance schemes as justification to pay little or no federal income tax in several of the years examined.

“These findings underscore the fact that our tax laws are often inequitable, and that enforcement of them is often unjust. Trump was able to bypass even the mandatory IRS presidential audit program for years, but many other wealthy and powerful people evade billions in tax dues every year through more quotidian tax avoidance. Congress has so much work to do to make tax enforcement in this country fairer, and that will continue to be a major priority for me as a member of the Ways and Means Committee going forward.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=F7EB5A8F-9743-4975-90E2-29EE3DE505CE,Warner & Kaine Applaud Signing of Government Funding Bill,2022-12-29,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded President Joe Biden’s signing of legislation to avert a government shutdown and fund the government through Fiscal Year 2023. Among other major priorities, this legislation includes nearly $200 million in federal funding for Virginia-specific projects secured by Sens. Warner and Kaine.

“The 117th Congress has been the most productive Congress in modern history and it’s only fitting that we wrap up it up by enacting a consequential government funding package that will continue to strengthen and build on this progress,” said Sen. Warner. “This bill funds essential community projects in Virginia to the tune of $200 million dollars, and it supports hardworking families by increasing access to affordable child care, housing, high-speed internet, and start-up capital in underserved communities. This law will provide needed protections to pregnant workers, lower drug costs, and improve access to mental health care. Importantly, I’m proud that this bill will ensure a more resilient military right here at home, while reaffirming our commitment to the Ukrainian fight for democracy and against authoritarianism.”

“Virginia will benefit greatly from the budget President Biden just signed, and I’m grateful to every Virginian whose insights and advice helped me shape this legislation to best meet the Commonwealth’s needs. Not only will this budget execute the pay raise Congress just authorized for our servicemembers, expand internet access, address mental and physical health needs, and expand access to affordable housing—it will bring over $200 million in funding back to Virginia to support urgent local community projects. This budget is a big win and I look forward to seeing all of its positive impacts in the new year,” said Sen. Kaine.

As part of last year’s budget process, the Senate restarted a process that allows members of Congress to work with the communities they represent to request funding for local community projects, otherwise known as earmarks, in a manner that promotes transparency and accountability. This process allows Congress to dedicate federal funding for specific projects.?

Through strong advocacy, the senators secured funding in the budget bills for the following projects in Virginia:

For projects in Northern Virginia, click here.

For projects in Central Virginia, click here.

For projects in Southwest Virginia and Southside,click here.

For projects in the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

For projects in Hampton Roads, click here.

For projects that impact communities in multiple regions across the Commonwealth, click here.

In addition, the budget bills include funding for the following Warner and Kaine priorities:

Investing in Kids: Provides $8 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), which provides financial assistance to help low-income families access child care. This is $1.85 billion more than Fiscal Year 2022, representing a 30 percent increase in funding for the program. The bill also includes $11.996 billion, $960 million more than Fiscal Year 2022, for Head Start, the national school readiness program. Last year, Virginia received more than $120 million through the CCDBG program, and Virginia’s Head Start programs served 15,000 vulnerable children and their families. Increasing funding for the CCDBG program is a core tenant of Kaine’s child care and early childhood education proposal to expand the supply of quality child care facilities, increase child care and Head Start teacher wages, and lower child care costs for families across the country.

Addressing Americans’ Mental Health Needs: Expands the number of mental health care options available for seniors by ensuring seniors can access marriage and family therapists and licensed professional counselors under Medicare for the first time. This expansion is based on a bill Kaine cosponsored, theMental Health Access Improvement Act. The budget also includes Kaine’s bipartisan Investing in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Act, legislation to support children’s access to mental health care by providing grants to human service agencies or non-profits to develop, maintain, or enhance early intervention mental health programs for children from 0 to 12 years of age.

Increasing Access to Affordable Housing: Includes $1.5 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which will lead to the construction of 10,000 housing units nationally; $3.3 billion for the Community Development Block Grant program, which cities and counties can use to build affordable housing or for economic and community development projects that benefit low- and moderate-income housing; funding for 11,700 new housing choice vouchers; and dedicated funding to address homelessness, housing for the disabled, and housing for older Americans, among other investments. The budget also establishes a new $85 million competitive grant fund for localities looking to increase housing construction, similar to legislation proposed by Kaine.

Increasing Military Pay and Compensation:?Includes $1.5 billion to fully fund a 4.6 percent pay raise for servicemembers that Kaine helped authorize as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which writes the annual National Defense Authorization Act. Also includes $515 million towards military family support programs. Warner, who pushed for this funding, has long stressed the need for increased support for servicemembers through legislation such as the?Military Hunger Prevention Act?that helps low-income military families put food on the table and through a number of provisions in this year’s defense bill.

Making Our Communities Safer:?Provides $50 million for Community Violence Prevention grants to support communities in developing comprehensive, evidence-based violence intervention and prevention programs, including efforts to address gang and gun violence through partnerships between community residents, law enforcement, local government agencies, and other community stakeholders. The bill also includes $45 million in funding to a Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to train police officers in de-escalation, implicit bias, and preventing unlawful force. This funding will also go towards strengthening crisis intervention teams by embedding mental and behavioral health professionals alongside law enforcement officers. Finally, the bill includes $125 million for anti-recidivism programs, helping formally incarcerated individuals re-integrate peacefully into society.

Supporting America’s Veterans: Provides $5 billion to implement theHonoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which Warner and Kaine successfully pushed to pass earlier this year. This legislation expanded health care services and benefits to veterans with conditions related to toxic exposure during their service. The budget also includes $118.7 billion for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical care and $2.7 billion to support critical services and housing assistance for veterans and their families experiencing housing insecurity.

Expanding High-Speed Internet Access: Includes $364 million for the USDA’s ReConnect Program to expand access to high-speed broadband to remote underserved areas. As governors and senators, Warner and Kaine have long supported expanding broadband access in Virginia. During the pandemic, they secured significant funding for broadband through the?Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Warner and Kaine also joined a bipartisan letter to Senate leadership requesting this funding earlier this year. Warner also personally secured billions of dollars for broadband expansion in both the?American Rescue Plan?and the?Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Strengthening the Prescription Drug Pipeline: Includes bipartisan provisions championed by Kaine to strengthen the pipeline and increase transparency for critical medicines, which would lower costs and make it easier for physicians and patients to plan for the future. Kaine first outlined these steps in two bipartisan bills, the Interchangeable Biologics Clarity Act and the Biologics Market Transparency Act.

Boosting Local Economies:?Includes $200 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission and $20 million—an increase of $15 million compared to last year’s budget—for the Southwest Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) to support their work to build economic partnerships, create opportunity, and foster economic development. Kaine and Warner, along with the late Representative A. Donald McEachin, led the push to increase SCRC funding.

Improving NASA Infrastructure: Provides an estimated $103 million to fully construct and replace the Wallops Causeway Bridge at the Wallops Flight Facility. The Wallops Island bridge replacement project will address structural deficiencies, improve safety, and help ensure mission readiness for future NASA launches. Warner and Kaine have consistently advocated for increased funding to address the deterioration of the bridge by hurricanes and severe weather and most recently sent a letter to Congressional leadership requesting this funding.

Restoring the Chesapeake Bay: Includes $92 million for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Program, which is the leading federal program that coordinates restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Expanding Defense Workforce Training: Includes $830.2 million for the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) Program Office, which funds a range of efforts at the Department of Defense to support the defense industrial base, including a pilot program in Danville which is currently training students in machining, welding, metrology and manufacturing for jobs in shipbuilding.

Boosting Scientific Research and Innovation: Includes $1.8 billion in funding to help implement the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Warner and Kaine led efforts in the Senate to secure funding from the legislation for Virginia, noting in a letter to the Department of Commerce that Virginia has a leading technology workforce and semiconductor manufacturing presence, making the Commonwealth an ideal location for future federal investments in semiconductor research and manufacturing.

Making Higher Education More Affordable: Provides a $500 boost or 7.2 percent increase to the maximum Pell Grant in the 2023-2024 school year, raising the maximum award to $7,395. This is the largest increase in the maximum Pell grant award since the 2009-10 school year and further builds off the $400 increase provided last year. The omnibus also includes $1 billion, an increase of $137 million or 15 percent, for programs to strengthen Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions.

Addressing the Opioid Epidemic: Includes the Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NOPAIN) Act, legislation Warner and Kaine cosponsored to reduce barriers to non-opioid pain management for those enrolled in Medicare. The budget also includes theMainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act, legislation Kaine cosponsored to reduce barriers to accessing medication-assisted treatment for individuals living with substance use disorders.

Fighting Eating Disorders: The bill includes the Anna Westin Legacy Act, legislation cosponsored by Warner to help those affected by eating disorders through improved health care professional training and clarity of mental health parity.

Supporting the Direct Care and Family Caregiver Workforce: Includes $2 million for a project to identify new strategies to attract and retain a qualified direct care workforce. A similar provision was included in Kaine’s Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act, legislation designed to address direct care and family caregiver workforce shortages.

Addressing Americans’ Long COVID Needs:?Includes $10 million for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to provide the research needed to ensure those experiencing Long COVID have access to the patient-centered, coordinated care they need. This effort was first outlined in Kaine’s?CARE for Long COVID Act.

Extending Telehealth Access: Extends COVID-19-related telehealth flexibilities for two full years, through 2024, drawing on legislation introduced by Warner and cosponsored by Kaine to allow more Americans to utilize telehealth services and expand the types of health care providers eligible to offer telemedicine.

Protecting Pregnant Workers: The bill includes the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, legislation cosponsored by Kaine to require employers to make reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers and prevent them from forcing a woman to take leave when other reasonable accommodations would allow her to continue working.

Keeping Kids Healthy: Extends the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides low- and no-cost health coverage for thousands of low-income children in Virginia, for an additional two years.

Improving Cybersecurity in Health Care: Includes several provisions addressing cybersecurity vulnerabilities across the health care sector. Last month, Warner released a policy options paper outlining current cybersecurity threats facing health care providers and systems and offering a series of policy solutions to improve cybersecurity across the industry, several of which were included in the bill.

Supporting Miners Suffering from Black Lung Disease: Includes $12.19 million for Black Lung Clinics. Warner and Kaine have actively worked to secure benefits for miners and their families suffering from black lung disease. In August, the?Inflation Reduction Act,?supported by both Warner and Kaine, permanently extended the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund excise tax at a higher rate, providing more certainty for miners, miner retirees, and their families who rely on the fund to access benefits.

Improving Access to Lifesaving Drugs: Includes significant improvements to the Food and Drug Administration’s Accelerated Approval Pathway, an important regulatory mechanism that provides early access to treatments and cures for patients with serious and life-threatening conditions. Kaine has long advocated for these improvements, which he outlined in his bipartisan Modernizing Accelerated Approvals Act.

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

Supporting Hospital-Based Nurse Training Programs: Includes a technical correction to protect funding for programs that train nurses and other allied health professionals at hospital-based nursing programs across the country. This provision is based on the Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act, legislation Kaine cosponsored.

Addressing Physician Shortages: Provides for the distribution of 200 additional Medicare-funded graduate medical education (GME) residency positions, with 100 slots specifically dedicated to increasing the number of mental health residencies. Kaine has long-supported expansion of GME residency positions and is a cosponsor of the Physician Shortage Reduction Act to do so.

Supporting Rural Hospitals: Includes a two-year extension for Medicare payment programs that are vital to rural hospitals: the Medicare Dependent Hospital program and the Low Volume Adjustment Hospital program. Kaine cosponsored legislation in support of this action, the Rural Hospital Support Act. The budget also includes $5 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to establish an Office of Rural Health, a step first outlined in the Rural Health Equity Act, which was led by the late Congressman A. Donald McEachin in the U.S. House of Representatives and cosponsored by Kaine in the Senate.

Fighting Global Hunger:? Includes over $2 billion in international food aid and to promote U.S. agricultural exports overseas. This funding is critical to combatting global hunger and malnutrition. This funding follows?Kaine’s work to highlight and address the threat Russia’s invasion of Ukraine poses to food security around the world, and?Warner’s support for non-governmental organizations responding to the food crisis. It also includes $154 billion—an increase of $13.4 billion compared to last year’s budget—for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps. Last year, 756,600 Virginians, or 9 percent of Virginia’s population, relied on food stamps.

Fighting Pandemics and Promoting Access to Medical Countermeasures: Includes provisions from Kaine’s bipartisan bill, the Promoting Access to Critical Countermeasures by Ensuring Specimen Samples (ACCESS) to Diagnostics Act, to support quicker research and development of medical countermeasures to disease outbreaks and pandemics, including diagnostic tests, vaccines, and therapeutics, in response to emerging infectious diseases. The budget also includes $10.56 billion—a $731 million increase compared to last year’s budget—to support global health and vaccination efforts worldwide. This funding is critical to protecting Virginians from the impacts of disease outbreaks around the world.

Modernizing America’s Health Data Infrastructure:?Includes $175 million—an increase of $75 million compared to last year’s budget—to modernize the public health data systems that help support healthy communities throughout America and Virginia. Also included are provisions from Kaine’s?Improving Data Accessibility Through Advancements (DATA) in Public Health Act to increase timely and accurate information sharing between local, state, and federal public health departments to improve preparedness for emerging public health threats and create a grant program to strengthen the quality and completeness of demographic data collection used by public health entities.

Strengthening Transportation and Recreation Infrastructure:?Provides $150 million for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, in addition to $45 million for the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program, which will support multi-purpose trails across Virginia.

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

Supporting Economic Growth for Underserved Communities:?Provides $324 million for the U.S. Department of the Treasury Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund, which supports businesses’ economic growth in underserved communities. The successful push by Warner and Kaine follows Warner’s efforts to support CDFIs through legislation including the?Jobs and Neighborhood Investment Act?and the creation of the bipartisan?Senate Community Development Finance Caucus.

Protecting Democracy: Includes provisions to ensure that electoral votes tallied by Congress accurately reflect each state’s vote for president and provides specific guidelines for the point at which candidates elected president and vice president can receive the resources provided for their transition into office. Warner and Kaine have long called for legislation to safeguard future elections, and Warner was among the bipartisan group of senators who negotiated these proposals.

Assisting Ukraine in the Fight Against Russia’s Illegal Invasion: Provides $44.9 billion in emergency assistance to support the Ukrainian people, to strengthen our NATO allies, and to defend global democracy in response to Russian aggression.

Supporting Our Afghan Allies: Provides funding to help eliminate processing backlogs and expedite adjudications of Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) cases. Virginia is home to one of the largest Afghan diaspora populations in the United States and led the U.S. in resettling Afghan allies following the U.S. withdrawal.

Supporting Order and Safety at Our Border: Includes funding to support 19,855 Border Patrol agents, 300 more agents compared to last year’s budget, in addition to $800 million to support Customs and Border Patrol’s management of migrant processing facilities. The budget also provides resources for various programs to help improve the conditions that drive migration from Central America, including programs focused on counter-narcotics efforts and economic development. As Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Kaine has long advocated for efforts to address the root causes of migration.

Fairness for Victims of Terrorism: Transfers $6 billion to the U.S. Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Fund, to help ensure all victims of state-sponsored terrorism have access to appropriate compensation. The additional Funds would expand the Fund’s coverage and provide justice to victims and families of those killed or injured during the 9/11 terrorist attacks (including at the Pentagon), the 1983 Beirut Marine barracks bombing, and the Iran hostage crisis, among others.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5749,"House Passes Omnibus Bill With Key Democratic Priorities, Local Wins For Northern Virginia",2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today hailed passage of the omnibus funding bill in the House. The bill was negotiated on a bipartisan basis between Senate Democrats and Republicans and House Democrats, passed the Senate yesterday, and now heads to President Biden for signature.

The bill contained Beyer-authored and co-authored legislation as well as community project funding and other Northern Virginia wins secured by Beyer. Among Beyer’s legislation in the bill: the Legacy IRA Act, legislation to promote charitable giving, and legislation to support the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.

Beyer said:

“The bill we passed today funds robust military and economic assistance to Ukraine and our NATO allies, keeping our promise to stand with our friends in defense of democracy. And we take care of our own too, with major funding boosts that will support health care, education, child care, clean energy, scientific research and development, and much more.

“The bill contains significant funding to implement the authorized but previously-unfunded science titles of the CHIPS and Science Act, much of which we drafted in the House Science Committee. And it contains bipartisan legislation, SECURE 2.0, written by the Ways and Means Committee to strengthen retirement savings.

“There are major policy wins, most importantly in the Electoral Count Reform Act, Congress’ best bipartisan effort to prevent anyone from trying to follow in Donald Trump’s footsteps in an attempt to overturn a presidential election. And it contains the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, to prevent workplace discrimination during pregnancy.

“I am also thrilled by the inclusion of legislation I led to support charitable giving, suicide prevention, and the honoring of a beloved Northern Virginia letter carrier who we lost to Covid. And I delivered millions in funding to local community projects in Northern Virginia that will have a positive impact on our region.

“This bill did not contain everything I wanted, and I am particularly disappointed at the lack of action on the federal debt limit, the absence of an extension of the enhanced Child Tax Credit, and missing protections for wildlife and endangered species. But this bill provides robust funding for domestic and foreign policy priorities and will fund the government and prevent a shutdown all the more important with an incoming Republican House majority.”

Beyer serves on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the House Committee on Ways and Means. He is the outgoing Chairman of Congress’ Joint Economic Committee.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-votes-appropriations-funding-package,Scott Votes for Appropriations Funding Package,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Robert C. ""Bobby"" Scott",S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,bobbyscott,https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), the Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, voted to pass the government funding appropriations package for FY 2023. This legislation includes funds to invest in jobs, education, the environment, shipbuilding, national security, as well as a number of important community projects in Hampton Roads.

“This appropriations package makes critical investments in our communities and will be a big boost for Hampton Roads,”said Congressman Scott. “This bill will make important increased investments in theJustice and Mental Health Collaboration Program, which I just helped lead the re-authorization of with bipartisan legislation. The funding package also includes investments in our national defense and shipbuilding and will provide necessary aid to Ukraine, as well as providing critical funds to cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay. Additionally, I was proud to have secured over $35.6 million in funding for community projects across Virginia’s third congressional district that will improve the quality of life for many residents in Hampton Roads.”

The legislation includes funding for the following community projects secured by Congressman Scott that will directly benefit Virginia’s Third Congressional District:

$1,594,355 for An Achievable Dream, Newport News, supplemental recovery supports

$11,250,000 for the removal of toxic sediments at Money Point, Chesapeake

$1,000,000 for mental health programming at the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters,

$3,000,000 for the City of Norfolk LED Streetlight Upgrades

$3,000,000 for the Dr. Clarence V. Cuffee Community Center Aquatic Facility, Chesapeake

$2,500,000 for the City of Franklin to reconstruct the Armory to serve as a community center

$760,000 for the Gun Violence and Violent Crime Reduction Initiative in Newport News

$4,600,000 for the Hampton Gun Violence Intervention Program

$850,000 for the Hampton Roads Workforce Council Training System

$2,200,000 for Hampton University’s Workforce Development and Allied Health Services Program

$807,137 for the Portsmouth Community Health Center for a Traveling Vehicle for Good Dental Health

$677,000 for the Soundscapes to expand access to arts education to more students

$687,680 for the STEMConnect: NASA STEM Literacy & Community Enrichment at the Virginia Air and Space Center

$750,000 for the Tyler's Beach Harbor/Marina Facility Improvements in Isle of Wight

$2,000,000 for infrastructure improvements for the YMCA of the Virginia Peninsulas

For full descriptions and amounts requested from these projects, please clickHERE.

As Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, Congressman Scott celebrated provisions of the omnibus that will improve the lives of students, workers, and families.

“I am particularly pleased the package makes sizable investments in early childhood through post-secondary education,”noted Congressman Scott.“The bill seeks to improve access to early learning and child care programs by increasing funding for Head Start programs and the Child Care and Development Block Grant. Additionally, the package includes an $850 million increase in funding for Title I schools to help address long-standing inequities in education, and permanently repeals a law that restricts the use of federal funds to promote school integration. And finally, by raising the maximum Pell Grant award by $500 and increasing investments in Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and Minority Serving Institutions, more students will be able to reap the benefits of a college degree.”

“We were also able to take steps to address child hunger,”continued Congressman Scott. “Importantly, the bill includes a provision from theHealthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act, that permanently authorizes the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) program, which will help 29 million children access healthy meals throughout the summer. Although this proposal falls far short of the comprehensive reauthorization that America’s children and families deserve, I am grateful we will be able to make some progress toward our ultimate goal of eliminating child hunger. Also, of note, for the first time in more than a decade, we were able to secure an increase in funding for the National Labor Relations Board, which helps defend workers’ rights to organize and bargain for higher pay, better benefits, and safer working conditions. Although this increase is not nearly enough to fully recover and scale back from the previous decade of flat funding, it staves off layoffs and permits the NLRB to continue its important work. Moreover, the omnibus includes a notable increase in funding for our nation’s workforce development programs, such as Registered Apprenticeships. These types of investments are not only good for workers, but also employers and our economy.”

“Furthermore, the omnibus includes proposals to protect the health and well-being of pregnant workers and working mothers,”concluded Congressman Scott. “The first is the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act, which ensures mothers have the privacy and time to pump at work. And the second is the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which will ensure pregnant workers have a clear pathway to receiving reasonable accommodations in the workplace. Unfortunately, the Senate incorporated a religious entity exemption from Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to PWFA that I strongly oppose. My concern is this language may be interpreted as allowing religious employers to justify other discriminatory actions against pregnant workers beyond denying them accommodations. And, finally, this package includes the SECURE 2.0 Act, which incorporatesprovisions that the House passed and our Committee approved. These provisions make several sensible improvements to our nation’s retirement system and will help more Americans prepare for and achieve the secure retirement they deserve.”

Further information on the FY23 Omnibus Appropriations Act can be foundHERE.

# # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=F5757F09-BDCF-4E24-BD30-8DE17B729ADD,Sens. Warner & Kaine Applaud Senate Passage of Their Legislation to Designate Blue Ridge Music Center’s Amphitheater After Former Rep. Rick Boucher,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement in celebration of the Senate passage of their legislation to formally designate the Blue Ridge Music Center’s outdoor amphitheater the ‘Rick Boucher Amphitheater’ after former Congressman Rick Boucher. Now the legislation heads to the House of Representatives for passage before going to the President for signature.

“We are deeply appreciative of Congressman Boucher’s many years of public service for the people of Southwest Virginia,” the Senators said. “One of his many contributions to his community was supporting the creation of this treasured music center, and the passage of this legislation helps ensure his legacy is recognized for generations to come.”

Former Congressman Boucher, an Abingdon native, represented Southwest Virginia’s ninth congressional district in the House of Representatives from 1983 to 2011. Rep. Boucher was an early supporter of the development of the Blue Ridge Music Center and continued to advocate for the project throughout his tenure. He also served as the Chairman of the U.S. House Energy Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet as well as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality while in Congress.

Located in Galax, VA, the Blue Ridge Music Center is home to a visitor center, outdoor amphitheater, indoor interpretive center, and museum that highlights the historical significance of the region’s musical culture.

On the National Park Service’s Founders Day in August, Kaine toured the center, visited the amphitheater, and performed at Midday Mountain Music.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5744,"Booker, Beyer Lead Colleagues in Urging CPSC to Address Dangerous Indoor Air Pollutions Emitted by Gas Stoves",2022-12-22,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) urged Alexander Hoehn-Saric, Chair of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), to address the high level of dangerous indoor air pollutants emitted by gas stoves.

Reports have found that gas stoves, which are used by more than 40 million homes across the country, emit dangerous air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Without adequate ventilation, this can cause serious health risks and raise indoor air pollutants to levels that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers to be unsafe even for the outdoors.

“In addition to the climate impacts, these emissions represent real health risks to millions of Americans. Both NO2 and PM2.5 are known to exacerbate respiratory conditions,” wrote the members of Congress to Alexander Hoehn-Saric, Chair of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. “Short-term exposure to NO2 is linked to worsening asthma in children, and long-term exposure has been determined to likely cause the development of asthma. Both pollutants have also been linked to cardiovascular impacts and a range of other adverse health issues. Even low-level CO exposure can exacerbate cardiovascular illness among people with coronary heart disease and other vulnerable populations.”

The members of Congress continued, “These emissions can create a cumulative burden to households that are already more likely to face higher exposure to both indoor and outdoor air pollution. Statistics show that Black, Latino, and low-income households are more likely to experience disproportionate air pollution, either from being more likely to be located near a waste incinerator or coal ash site, or living in smaller homes with poor ventilation, malfunctioning appliances, mold, dust mites, secondhand smoke, lead dust, pests, and other maintenance deficiencies.”

Additionally, the members of Congress urged that the CPSC consider taking the following actions to help protect Americans from the hazards of gas stove emissions:

● Require gas stoves to be sold with range hoods that meet mandatory performance standards, assessing their efficiency of removing the pollutants,

● Where feasible, issue mandatory performance standards for gas stoves that address steady-state-off leakage, including requiring automatic shut-off valves,

● Where feasible, issue mandatory performance standards for gas stoves that address the health impacts of hazardous emissions,

● Require labels on gas stoves that educate consumers about their exposure risks,

● Launch a public education campaign on the health risks of cooking with a gas stove, and steps that consumers can take to minimize their risk.

The letter is cosigned by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Bernard Sanders (I-VT).

The letter is cosigned by Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA), Shontel M. Brown (D-OH), Mark Takano (D-CA), Alan S. Lowenthal (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), André Carson (D-IN), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Gwen S. Moore (D-WI), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), and Katie Porter (D-CA).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5745,Beyer Introduces National All-Payer Claims Database Act to Decrease Healthcare Costs,2022-12-22,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer yesterday reintroduced the National All-Payer Claims Database Act to lower healthcare costs and improve healthcare delivery by supporting state all-payer claims databases (APCDs) to establish an easily accessible national database of all-payer claims. APCDs collect healthcare claims and related data from entities that pay for health care services, and have been used to help lower healthcare costs, promote claims transparency and improve our healthcare system.

“Increasing claims transparency has the potential to increase the quality and delivery of health care in addition to making it more affordable,” said Rep. Beyer. “States already led the way in implementing this well-conceived innovation with positive results, but there is significantly more that we could accomplish by accessing data only available to the federal government. My legislation would help all Americans reap the benefits.”

Some states have already begun to reap the benefits of APCDs, but a portion of the commercial market is not included in APCDs due to the US Supreme Court’s decision in Gobeille v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, in which the justices ruled that self-insured plans cannot be mandated to submit their claims to a central state database. This bill would create a national database to ensure full access to claims information, while also supporting the creation of new or maintenance of existing state APCDs.

Beyer serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, which has partial jurisdiction over health care. He previously led successful efforts to reauthorize and fund the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), make COVID vaccines available without cost, improve information provided on insurance cards, and spearheads the House push to fund the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5746,House Passes Legislation To Increase Government Transparency By Codifying Presidential Audit Program,2022-12-22,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, today welcomed House passage of the Presidential Tax Filings and Audit Transparency Act.

Beyer said:

“The House Ways and Means Committee investigation of the Internal Revenue Service’s presidential audit program reveals that this critical oversight tool was broken during the Trump presidency and was disregarded by the prior administration up until the moment the Committee requested Trump’s tax information to verify the efficacy of the program. This bill is the end result of the Committee’s investigation, which was explicit in its purpose to identify and solve issues with the IRS’s presidential audit program.

“The Presidential Tax Filings and Audit Transparency Act would codify IRS audits of presidential tax returns with clear, reasonable timetables and public transparency. The bill’s requirement for publication of presidential audits including reports on presidential tax information would subject the current president and future presidents, regardless of party, to the scrutiny to which the previous president has been subjected by this inquiry.

“The transcript will show that when we were in closed session my Republican colleagues voiced support for what this bill does, yet all of them who were present in the meeting voted “No” today. It is unfortunate and deeply cynical that they are completely unwilling to apply transparency and accountability to Republican officials. In this case they have also, perhaps unwittingly, voted against requiring audits and additional public disclosure for President Biden.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5748,Beyer Secures Over $17 Million In Funding And Northern Virginia Wins In Omnibus Funding Bill,2022-12-22,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), who represents Northern Virginia in the U.S. House, today announced that he had secured funding and legislative wins in the bipartisan funding bill for FY23. The omnibus government funding bill was the product of bipartisan negotiations; it passed the Senate this afternoon and expected to be passed by the House later today.

Beyer said:

“I am proud to announce that bipartisan legislation which will soon pass into law includes funding I secured for worthy projects in Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax County.

“This project funding will make our community healthier, support clean energy, boost our transportation infrastructure, support affordable housing, feed the hungry, and help improve law enforcement transparency. I am thankful to my colleagues who enacted the legislation to fund these initiatives, and to the local leaders who worked with me to identify and develop the initial requests, which will make a real, positive difference in our region.

“Finally, the bill honors the late Jesus Collazos, a beloved letter carrier who immigrated to Northern Virginia from Colombia and worked Arlington postal routes for 25 years. I celebrate this proud day with his family and the Arlington community.”

The omnibus appropriations bill includes language which will officially rename Arlington Post Office after letter carrier Jesus Collazos, and funds each of Beyer’s fifteen community project funding requests at the following levels:

Alexandria:

$1,500,000 for the Alexandria City AHDC Arlandria Housing+ Project, a multi-phase, mixed-use project that will combine 475 units of affordable housing with commercial, retail, and community space

$1,000,000 for Full Deployment of Body-Worn Cameras in Alexandria Police Department

$1,500,000 on behalf of ALIVE!, Inc. for the Alexandria Community Food Resource Center

$750,000 for the Notabene Drive, Four Mile Rd., and Old Dominion Blvd. Flood Mitigation Project, Arlandria

Arlington:

$750,000 for the Arlington County Integrated Gray/Green Infrastructure projects to be installed in the Gulf Branch watershed downstream of Military Road, and in the Lower Long Branch Watershed on S. Walter Reed Drive Corridor

$750,000 on behalf of the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) for the Oakwood Senior Residences

$750,000 for the Sanitary Sewer Interceptor Pipe Rehabilitation – Columbia Pike/ Sparrow Pond section of the Four Mile Run Interceptor

$750,000 for the Sanitary Sewer Interceptor Pipe Rehabilitation - Rosslyn Area of Potomac Interceptor

Fairfax:

$1,930,000 for Lee District Community Center Facility Renovations

$1,700,000 for Fairfax County’s Behavioral Health Care Provider Incentive Program

$1,000,000 for Fairfax County to Bridge the Digital Divide for Older Adults and People with Disabilities

Falls Church

$600,000 for Green Vehicle Fleet Upgrade and Replacement

$1,500,000 for Multimodal Transportation Infrastructure Improvements

Region

$2,000,000 on behalf of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) for the Envision Route 7 Bus Rapid Transit project

$1,225,439 on behalf of the Tahirih Justice Center for the Northern Virginia Afghan Asylee Support Center",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-after-elected-colleagues-serve-ranking-member-education,Scott Statement After Elected by Colleagues to Serve as Ranking Member of Education and Labor Committee in the 118th Congress,2022-12-22,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Robert C. ""Bobby"" Scott",S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,bobbyscott,https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after he was elected by the House Democratic Caucus to serve as the next Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and Labor.

“Governing should be guided by the values and aspirations we share – improving the lives of people from all walks of life. Regardless of the political challenges that lay ahead in the 118th Congress, the American people are still counting on us to find common ground, when possible; and to protect workplace rights, ensure all students have access to a quality education, expand access to affordable health care, and prepare workers for success in the modern economy.

“As Ranking Member, I will continue working with the Democratic Caucus to fight for policy solutions that put people over politics and contrast House Republicans’ extreme agenda.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=323E853F-D185-480F-94AB-A87BACB356F3,"Warner, Kaine, Wittman Applaud Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Protect the Northern Neck, Generate Economic Activity",2022-12-22,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) applauded passage of their legislation to preserve invaluable local resources and help generate economic activity in the Northern Neck. By officially designating the region as a National Heritage Area (NHA), the Northern Neck National Heritage Area Act will deliver critical federal dollars, encourage public-private partnerships, and assign a specific entity – the Northern Neck Tourism Commission – to help protect the Northern Neck’s natural, cultural, scenic, and recreational resources. After unanimously passing the Senate, the House voted today to approve the bill, which now heads to President Biden for his signature.

NPS defines National Heritage Areas as congressionally designated places where “natural, cultural, and historic resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally important landscape.” Through their resources, NHAs communicate “nationally important stories” that celebrate the nation’s diverse heritage. Under this legislation, the NHA designation would apply to the land between the Potomac River and Rappahannock River, spanning King George, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland counties.

“The Northern Neck is a national treasure, and a source of immense pride, history and economic development for the Commonwealth,” said Sens. Warner and Kaine and Rep. Wittman. “We’re proud to have worked together on this successful bipartisan effort to highlight the natural beauty of the Northern Neck and leverage federal dollars to spur long-lasting economic opportunity in the region.”

The legislation follows the completion of the Northern Neck National Heritage Area Feasibility Study, which concluded that the Northern Neck’s themes, local traditions, and natural and historic resources retain “sufficient integrity and opportunities for public engagement” to be eligible for an NHA designation.

This legislation would also make federal funding available to the region and empower the Northern Neck Tourism Commission to carry out an area management plan by:

Protecting and restoring relevant historic sites and buildings;

Carrying out programs and projects that recognize, protect, and enhance important resources;

Developing recreational and educational opportunities in the area;

Establishing and maintaining interpretive exhibits and programs;

Promoting a wide range of partnerships among the federal government, state, tribal and local governments, organizations, and individuals;

Increasing public awareness and appreciation for natural, historical, scenic, and cultural resources in the area; and

Ensuring that clear, consistent, and appropriate signs identifying points of public access and sires of interest are posted throughout the area.

“The Northern Neck has been working together for over 20 years in pursuit of the National Heritage Area Designation. With designation, the Northern Neck Region will have a greater voice in sharing its stories which contribute to understanding the early origins of our nation. The National Heritage Area Designation recognizes the region for the special place it is, historically, culturally, and for its natural resources. It aligns with the region's tourism strategy as an important economic development driver in this rural area,” said Jerry W. Davis, AICP, Executive Director of the Northern Neck Planning District Commission.

Sen. Warner, Sen. Kaine, and Rep. Wittman have long advocated for the designation of the Northern Neck as a National Heritage Area. The lawmakers previously penned a letter pressing for an update from the National Park Service on the area’s feasibility study following apparent delays in its release.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=50A5CFF3-D666-42CB-8289-069850F1AD8C,ICYMI: Key Inflation Reduction Act Provisions Will Be Implemented on January 1 to Help Virginians Cut Health and Energy Costs,2022-12-22,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement regarding key health and climate provisions from the Inflation Reduction Act —legislation the senators helped pass in August to help Virginia lower drug and energy costs, imrove access to health care, and tackle cllimate change—that will go into effect on January 1, 2023:

“This year, we were proud to have helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, historic legislation that will lower costs for Virginians while also tackling climate change, which is wreaking havoc on Virginia communities. We are thrilled that essential pieces of this law will go into effect on January 1 to help bring down health and long-term energy bills for families across the Commonwealth, by increasing access to affordable health care and helping Virginians diversify their energy sources.”

Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act to lower prescription drug costs, help more seniors and low-income Virginians get access to the vaccines they need to stay healthy, and help more Virginians get health care coverage:

On January 1, 2023:

Penalties on drug manufacturers that increase prices: Starting in 2023, manufacturers will be required to keep the increase in the cost of their drugs at or below inflation.

Free vaccines for Medicare recipients: Starting in 2023, people with Medicare will not have to pay to receive vaccines under Medicare Part D, which includes vaccines for shingles, HPV, MMR, diphtheria, and pertussis. 4.1 million people with Medicare received a vaccine under Medicare Part D in 2020, including 85,000 Virginians.

A $35 cap on the cost of insulin: Starting in 2023, out-of-pocket costs for insulin—regardless of how much a patient needs—will be capped at $35 per month under Medicare. As of 2020, over 74,000 Virginians with Medicare Part D used insulin and paid, on average, approximately $51 per month out-of-pocket to purchase the drug. Some people are currently paying up to $900 a month for the insulin they need to stay alive.

Extension of ACA subsidies: During the pandemic, Congress enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to help lower health care premiums for millions of Americans. Beginning on January 1, the Inflation Reduction Act will extend these enhanced subsidies through 2025 to help make Virginians’ health insurance more affordable. Over 300,000 Virginians were covered by the ACA in 2022.

On April 1, 2023:

Limits to inflation effects on certain drugs: Starting April 1, 2023, people with Medicare may pay a lower coinsurance for some Part B drugs if the drug’s price increased faster than the rate of inflation.

On October 1, 2023:

Free vaccines for Medicaid recipients: Medicaid and CHIP will cover vaccines for all Medicaid-covered adults. Currently, vaccine coverage is optional for states.

Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act that kick in on January 1, 2023 to address climate change by helping cut dangerous pollution across Virginia:

Boosts to clean energy investments: An expanded tax credit for clean energy manufacturers will incentivize investment in and production of renewable energy technologies like solar power and offshore wind. $4 billion of these investments have been reserved exclusively for use in coal communities. All clean energy tax credits include a bonus for meeting domestic manufacturing requirements related to steel, iron, or other manufactured components.

Improvements to Home Energy Efficiency: Homeowners will be able to receive up to 30 percent back through tax credits for making energy efficiency improvements to their home—generally up to a maximum of $1,200 per year but potentially up to $3,200 if improvements include heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, or biomass stoves.

Increased Access to Electric Vehicles: Qualified individuals will get up to a $7,500 consumer credit for the purchase of new electric vehicles. Incentives will also go into place to help ensure those vehicles are produced in North America. Qualified individuals will also be able to receive a tax credit of up to $4,000 for certain used electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids purchased through a dealership. In order to qualify for the full value of the credit, the vehicle must: have a battery capacity of at least 7kW hours; generally be a model at least two years old; and be sold by a participating dealer that is licensed in the jurisdiction. For new vehicles, eligible taxpayers include single filers with incomes under $150,000 annually and households with joint incomes under $300,000 annually if the head of household earns under $225,000 annually. The vehicle’s price is limited to $55,000 for compact vehicles and $80,000 for SUVs, vans, and pick-ups. For used EVs, single filers must have an income under $75,000 annually or $150,000 as a household, as long as the head of household makes under $112,500 annually. The used vehicle’s price is limited to $25,000.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5747,Beyer Statement On Next Steps After Ways And Means Report On Presidential Tax Information,2022-12-21,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, today called for Congress to respond forcefully to the revelations made public by the Committee yesterday. Beyer voted to release the Ways and Means Committee’s “Report on the Internal Revenue Service’s Mandatory Audit Program,” which showed that former president Donald Trump was not subject to IRS’ mandatory audit of presidential tax returns for his first two years in office. Underlying tax information for Trump summarized in the report and in the accompanying Joint Committee on Taxation analysis is expected to be published in the coming days.

Beyer said:

“For nearly four years Chairman Neal and our Committee sought Donald Trump’s tax returns to inform our work on tax enforcement, including our understanding of the IRS’ enforcement of tax laws on presidents and vice presidents. The findings detailed in our report completely vindicated that legislative purpose and proved that this inquiry was desperately needed.

“For more than half of Donald Trump’s time in office his tax returns were not audited despite decades-old IRS rules mandating audits of presidential tax returns. The first audit of Trump’s tax returns was initiated the day Chairman Neal sent his first request for those returns, an extraordinarily suspicious coincidence that merits further investigation by Congress.

“I have long thought House Republicans’ scary rhetoric about the IRS, like the years of budget cuts they inflicted on the agency, is intended to shield wealthy tax cheats and large corporations from tax enforcement – but they can prove me wrong. If they genuinely want to make the IRS a better and more transparent agency, and if they want to make tax enforcement more fair, they can use their majority to find out why the mandatory audit of Trump’s tax returns didn’t happen for over two years. Since this seems highly unlikely, I would also welcome further action by the Senate Finance Committee and Chairman Wyden to determine how this happened and whether political pressure was a factor.

“Additionally, I am proud to support the Presidential Tax Filings and Audit Transparency Act, which would codify IRS audits of presidential tax returns with clear, reasonable timetables and public transparency. The bill’s requirement for publication of presidential audits including reports on presidential tax information would subject the current president and future presidents, regardless of party, to the scrutiny to which the previous president has been subjected by this inquiry. This was not and is not a partisan exercise, it is a pursuit of transparency, public accountability, and good governance.

“As the transcript will show, when we were in closed session my Republican colleagues repeatedly voiced support for what this bill does. I hope they will join us in voting for it on the House Floor tomorrow.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=1450BBF7-3387-4DBB-A69F-A2D92D0FE38D,Warner & Kaine Successfully Secure Over $200 Million for Virginia in Newly Released FY 2023 Budget Bills,2022-12-21,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced that they successfully secured over $200 million in federal funding for Virginia in the newly released text of the government funding bills for Fiscal Year 2023. The bills are expected to be passed by the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives and then signed by President Joe Biden.

“This bill funds critical national priorities, including health care, education, scientific research and veterans services. It builds on the important progress Congress has made this year to lower costs, fight gun violence, and create good-paying jobs here in the U.S.,” said Sen. Warner. “I’m especially proud that we secured $200 million in funding for key projects all over Virginia.”

“Our annual budget has always been an opportunity to secure resources for Virginia priorities, and the budget text released yesterday shows that we are on track to do the same again this year,” said Sen. Kaine. “This budget will raise pay for servicemembers, support pediatric disease research, expand internet access, and help our communities stay healthier and safer from gun violence. It will also bring over $200 million back home to Virginia to support essential local projects for everything from improving our water treatment facilities and roads to putting public transportation and substance abuse treatment within reach for more Virginians. The time is now to get this bill across the finish line and signed into law.”

As part of last year’s budget process, the Senate restarted a process that allows members of Congress to work with the communities they represent to request funding for local community projects, otherwise known as earmarks, in a manner that promotes transparency and accountability. This process allows Congress to dedicate federal funding for specific projects.

Through strong advocacy, the senators secured funding in the budget bills for the following projects in Virginia:

For projects in Northern Virginia, click here.

For projects in Central Virginia, click here.

For projects in Southwest Virginia and Southside, click here.

For projects in the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

For projects in Hampton Roads, here.

For projects that impact communities in multiple regions across the Commonwealth,? here.

In addition, the budget bills include funding for the following Warner and Kaine priorities:

Investing in Kids: Provides $8 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), which provides financial assistance to help low-income families access child care. This is $1.85 billion more than Fiscal Year 2022, representing a 30 percent increase in funding for the program. The bill also includes $11.996 billion, $960 million more than Fiscal Year 2022, for Head Start, the national school readiness program. Last year, Virginia received more than $120 million through the CCDBG program, and Virginia’s Head Start programs served 15,000 vulnerable children and their families. Increasing funding for the CCDBG program is a core tenant of Sen. Kaine’s child care and early childhood education proposal to expand the supply of quality child care facilities, increase child care and Head Start teacher wages, and lower child care costs for families across the country.

Addressing Americans’ Mental Health Needs: Expands the number of mental health care options available for seniors by ensuring seniors can access marriage and family therapists and licensed professional counselors under Medicare for the first time. This expansion is based on a bill Sen. Kaine cosponsored, theMental Health Access Improvement Act. The budget also includes Sen. Kaine’s bipartisan Investing in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Act, legislation to support children’s access to mental health care by providing grants to human service agencies or non-profits to develop, maintain, or enhance early intervention mental health programs for children from 0 to 12 years of age.

Increasing Access to Affordable Housing: Includes $1.5 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which will lead to the construction of 10,000 housing units nationally; $3.3 billion for the Community Development Block Grant program, which cities and counties can use to build affordable housing or for economic and community development projects that benefit low- and moderate-income housing; funding for 11,700 new housing choice vouchers; and dedicated funding to address homelessness, housing for the disabled, and housing for older Americans, among other investments. The budget also establishes a new $85 million competitive grant fund for localities looking to increase housing construction.

Increasing Military Pay and Compensation:?Includes $1.5 billion to fully fund a 4.6 percent pay raise for servicemembers that Sen. Kaine helped authorize as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which writes the annual National Defense Authorization Act. Also includes $515 million towards military family support programs. Sen. Warner, who pushed for this funding, has long stressed the need for increased support for servicemembers through legislation such as the?Military Hunger Prevention Act?that helps low-income military families put food on the table and through a number of provisions in this year’s defense bill.

Making Our Communities Safer:?Provides $50 million for Community Violence Prevention grants to support communities in developing comprehensive, evidence-based violence intervention and prevention programs, including efforts to address gang and gun violence through partnerships between community residents, law enforcement, local government agencies, and other community stakeholders. The bill also includes $45 million in funding to a Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to train police officers in de-escalation, implicit bias, and preventing unlawful force. This funding will also go towards strengthening crisis intervention teams by embedding mental and behavioral health professionals alongside law enforcement officers. Finally, the bill includes $125 million for anti-recidivism programs, helping formally incarcerated individuals re-integrate peacefully into society.

Supporting America’s Veterans: Provides $5 billion to implement theHonoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which Sens. Warner and Kaine successfully pushed to pass earlier this year. This legislation expanded health care services and benefits to veterans with conditions related to toxic exposure during their service. The budget also includes $118.7 billion for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical care and $2.7 billion to support critical services and housing assistance for veterans and their families experiencing housing insecurity.

Expanding High-Speed Internet Access: Includes $364 million for the USDA’s ReConnect Program to expand access to high-speed broadband to remote underserved areas. As governors and senators, Warner and Kaine have long supported expanding broadband access in Virginia. During the pandemic, they secured significant funding for broadband through the?Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Sens. Warner and Kaine also joined a bipartisan letter to Senate leadership requesting this funding earlier this year. Sen. Warner also personally secured billions of dollars for broadband expansion in both the?American Rescue Plan?and the?Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Strengthening the Prescription Drug Pipeline: Includes bipartisan provisions championed by Kaine to strengthen the pipeline and increase transparency for critical medicines, which would lower costs and make it easier for physicians and patients to plan for the future. Sen. Kaine first outlined these steps in two bipartisan bills, the Interchangeable Biologics Clarity Act and the Biologics Market Transparency Act.

Boosting Local Economies:?Includes $200 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission and $20 million—an increase of $15 million compared to last year’s budget—for the Southwest Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) to support their work to build economic partnerships, create opportunity, and foster economic development. Sens. Kaine and Warner, along with the late Representative A. Donald McEachin, led the push to increase SCRC funding.

Restoring the Chesapeake Bay: Includes $92 million for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Program, which is the leading federal program that coordinates restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Expanding Defense Workforce Training: Includes $830.2 million for the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) Program Office, which funds a range of efforts at the Department of Defense to support the defense industrial base, including a pilot program in Danville which is currently training students in machining, welding, metrology and manufacturing for jobs in shipbuilding.

Boosting Scientific Research and Innovation: Includes $1.8 billion in funding to help implement the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Sens. Warner and Kaine led efforts in the Senate to secure funding from the legislation for Virginia, noting in a letter to the Department of Commerce that Virginia has a leading technology workforce and semiconductor manufacturing presence, making the Commonwealth an ideal location for future federal investments in semiconductor research and manufacturing.

Making Higher Education More Affordable: Provides a $500 boost or 7.2 percent increase to the maximum Pell Grant in the 2023-2024 school year, raising the maximum award to $7,395. This is the largest increase in the maximum Pell grant award since the 2009-10 school year and further builds off the $400 increase provided last year. The omnibus also includes $1 billion, an increase of $137 million or 15 percent, for programs to strengthen Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions.

Addressing the Opioid Epidemic: Includes the Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NOPAIN) Act, legislation Warner and Kaine cosponsored to reduce barriers to non-opioid pain management for those enrolled in Medicare. The budget also includes theMainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act, legislation Sen. Kaine cosponsored to reduce barriers to accessing medication-assisted treatment for individuals living with substance use disorders.

Fighting Eating Disorders: The bill includes the Anna Westin Legacy Act, legislation cosponsored by Warner to help those affected by eating disorders through improved health care professional training and clarity of mental health parity.

Supporting the Direct Care and Family Caregiver Workforce: Includes $2 million for a project to identify new strategies to attract and retain a qualified direct care workforce. A similar provision was included in Sen. Kaine’s Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act, legislation designed to address direct care and family caregiver workforce shortages.

Addressing Americans’ Long COVID Needs:?Includes $10 million for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to provide the research needed to ensure those experiencing Long COVID have access to the patient-centered, coordinated care they need. This effort was first outlined in Sen. Kaine’s?CARE for Long COVID Act.

Extending Telehealth Access: Extends COVID-19-related telehealth flexibilities for two full years, through 2024, drawing on legislation introduced by Warner and cosponsored by Kaine to allow more Americans to utilize telehealth services and expand the types of health care providers eligible to offer telemedicine.

Keeping Kids Healthy: Extends the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides low- and no-cost health coverage for thousands of low-income children in Virginia, for an additional two years.

Improving Cybersecurity in Health Care: Includes several provisions addressing cybersecurity vulnerabilities across the health care sector. Last month, Sen. Warner released a policy options paper outlining current cybersecurity threats facing health care providers and systems and offering a series of policy solutions to improve cybersecurity across the industry, several of which were included in the bill.

Supporting Miners Suffering from Black Lung Disease: Includes $12.19 million for Black Lung Clinics. Warner and Kaine have actively worked to secure benefits for miners and their families suffering from black lung disease. In August, the?Inflation Reduction Act,?supported by both Sens. Warner and Kaine, permanently extended the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund excise tax at a higher rate, providing more certainty for miners, miner retirees, and their families who rely on the fund to access benefits.

Improving Access to Lifesaving Drugs: Includes significant improvements to the Food and Drug Administration’s Accelerated Approval Pathway, an important regulatory mechanism that provides early access to treatments and cures for patients with serious and life-threatening conditions. Sen. Kaine has long advocated for these improvements, which he outlined in his bipartisan Modernizing Accelerated Approvals Act.

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

Supporting Hospital-Based Nurse Training Programs: Includes a technical correction to protect funding for programs that train nurses and other allied health professionals at hospital-based nursing programs across the country. This provision is based on the Technical Reset to Advance the Instruction of Nurses (TRAIN) Act, legislation Sen. Kaine cosponsored.

Addressing Physician Shortages: Provides for the distribution of 200 additional Medicare-funded graduate medical education (GME) residency positions, with 100 slots specifically dedicated to increasing the number of mental health residencies. Sen. Kaine has long-supported expansion of GME residency positions and is a cosponsor of the Physician Shortage Reduction Act to do so.

Supporting Rural Hospitals: Includes a two-year extension for Medicare payment programs that are vital to rural hospitals: the Medicare Dependent Hospital program and the Low Volume Adjustment Hospital program. Sen. Kaine cosponsored legislation in support of this action, the Rural Hospital Support Act. The budget also includes $5 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to establish an Office of Rural Health, a step first outlined in the Rural Health Equity Act, which was led by the late Congressman A. Donald McEachin in the U.S. House of Representatives and cosponsored by Sen. Kaine in the Senate.

Fighting Global Hunger:? Includes over $2 billion in international food aid and to promote U.S. agricultural exports overseas. This funding is critical to combatting global hunger and malnutrition. This funding follows?Sen. Kaine’s work to highlight and address the threat Russia’s invasion of Ukraine poses to food security around the world, and?Warner’s support for non-governmental organizations responding to the food crisis. It also includes $154 billion—an increase of $13.4 billion compared to last year’s budget—for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps. Last year, 756,600 Virginians, or 9 percent of Virginia’s population, relied on food stamps.

Fighting Pandemics and Promoting Access to Medical Countermeasures: Includes provisions from Sen. Kaine’s bipartisan bill, the Promoting Access to Critical Countermeasures by Ensuring Specimen Samples (ACCESS) to Diagnostics Act, to support quicker research and development of medical countermeasures to disease outbreaks and pandemics, including diagnostic tests, vaccines, and therapeutics, in response to emerging infectious diseases. The budget also includes $10.56 billion—a $731 million increase compared to last year’s budget—to support global health and vaccination efforts worldwide. This funding is critical to protecting Virginians from the impacts of disease outbreaks around the world.

Modernizing America’s Health Data Infrastructure:?Includes $175 million—an increase of $75 million compared to last year’s budget—to modernize the public health data systems that help support healthy communities throughout America and Virginia. Also included are provisions from Sen. Kaine’s?Improving Data Accessibility Through Advancements (DATA) in Public Health Act to increase timely and accurate information sharing between local, state, and federal public health departments to improve preparedness for emerging public health threats and create a grant program to strengthen the quality and completeness of demographic data collection used by public health entities.

Strengthening Transportation and Recreation Infrastructure:?Provides $150 million for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, in addition to $45 million for the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program, which will support multi-purpose trails across Virginia.

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

Supporting Economic Growth for Underserved Communities:?Provides $324 million for the U.S. Department of the Treasury Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund, which supports businesses’ economic growth in underserved communities. The successful push by Sens. Warner and Kaine follows Sen. Warner’s efforts to support CDFIs through legislation including the?Jobs and Neighborhood Investment Act?and the creation of the bipartisan?Senate Community Development Finance Caucus.

Protecting Democracy: Includes provisions to ensure that electoral votes tallied by Congress accurately reflect each state’s vote for president and provides specific guidelines for the point at which candidates elected president and vice president can receive the resources provided for their transition into office. Sens. Warner and Kaine have long called for legislation to safeguard future elections, and Sen. Warner was among the bipartisan group of senators who negotiated these proposals.

Assisting Ukraine in the Fight Against Russia’s Illegal Invasion: Provides $44.9 billion in emergency assistance to support the Ukrainian people, to strengthen our NATO allies, and to defend global democracy in response to Russian aggression.

Supporting Our Afghan Allies: Provides funding to help eliminate processing backlogs and expedite adjudications of Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) cases. Virginia is home to one of the largest Afghan diaspora populations in the United States and led the U.S. in resettling Afghan allies following the U.S. withdrawal.

Supporting Order and Safety at Our Border: Includes funding to support 19,855 Border Patrol agents, 300 more agents compared to last year’s budget, in addition to $800 million to support Customs and Border Patrol’s management of migrant processing facilities. The budget also provides resources for various programs to help improve the conditions that drive migration from Central America, including programs focused on counter-narcotics efforts and economic development. As Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Kaine has long advocated for efforts to address the root causes of migration.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=17C6CCAA-1C81-4C90-9062-78D549726E3E,Senate Intel Chairman Mark R. Warner on President Zelenskyy's Address to Congress,2022-12-21,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON –U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, released a statement following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s address to Congress:

“President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people have displayed tremendous determination and resolve over the last 10 months as they have defended their country against Russia’s unprovoked and brutal invasion. I am proud that the United States has led the world in support of Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself, and tonight’s address underscored the importance of continuing this work. We will continue to stand with the Ukrainian people, and our NATO allies, to back Ukraine - including roughly $45 billion in additional military and economic assistance to Ukraine that will be approved by Congress this week.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=4ED9D362-7EA7-455D-B9EA-6ADB60C996CA,Warner Requests Answers on Use and Deployment of Ashanti Alert for Missing Adults,2022-12-21,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today wrote the Youngkin administration expressing concerns with the deployment of the Ashanti Alert, which provides rapid dissemination of information to law enforcement agencies, media, and the public about adults who have been reported missing, along with suspect information in cases of suspected abduction.

“Since the enactment of the state law in 2018, there have been eight Ashanti Alerts issued in Virginia. Data provided by the Virginia State Police (VSP) indicates that, of the eight alerts, three victims were safely located, three victims were found murdered, and two victims are currently unaccounted for. Based on these results, I am deeply concerned that the Ashanti Alert, as currently implemented, is not living up to its full potential,” Sen. Warner wrote.

“The story of Marie Covington underscores this concern. Ms. Covington was last seen on August 17, 2022 at 9:57pm and was reported missing to Virginia Beach Police (VBP) by her family on August 18, 2022 at 10:25pm. Despite Covington’s disappearance meeting the activation criteria, VSP did not issue an Ashanti Alert until August 20, 2022 at 9:50pm – two days after she was reported missing. In that time period, police had already located her car, which was driven by the individual who was later arrested for her murder. The Ashanti Alert was issued only two hours before she was found deceased,” he continued. “The Ashanti Alert program was created to facilitate cooperation and improve communication between public safety entities, with the ultimate goal of saving the lives of endangered individuals. To that end, it is imperative that Ashanti Alerts in Virginia be issued promptly to maximize their effectiveness and serve their purpose.”

In order to ensure proper use of the alert, Sen. Warner requested answers to the following questions:

What proportion of missing persons cases result in the issuance of an Ashanti Alert?

In a specific case, who is responsible for making the determination that “abduction poses a credible threat,” as required by the Ashanti Alert program?

What policies govern the substance of this determination?

What policies govern the timing of this determination?

Were these policies revised as a result of the delay in the Covington case?

Why was an Ashanti Alert not issued in the Covington case until two days after Marie Covington was reported missing?

In the seven cases for which we do not have data, how much time elapsed between the missing person report and the issuance of an Ashanti Alert?

Who has general oversight authority over the implementation of the Ashanti Alert law?

If there is no state official with this authority, why not?

Sen. Warner secured unanimous passage of the Ashanti Alert Act through the Senate on December 6, 2018 and the bill was signed into law on December 31, 2018. Since its implementation, Sen. Warner has consistently secured $1 million annually in government spending to support states who chose to implement an Ashanti Alert system. This funding is included in the Fiscal Year 2023 government spending bill that is being considered in the Senate.

A copy of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Governor Youngkin,

I write to you today regarding the execution of the Ashanti Alert program in the Commonwealth.

As you may be aware, in 2018, Virginia enacted the Critically Missing Adult Alert Plan, also known as the Ashanti Alert, following the tragic death of Ashanti Billie, a 19-year-old who was abducted in Norfolk, Virginia and whose body was discovered 11 days after she was first reported missing. Because Ashanti was too old for an Amber Alert to be issued and no similar network for adults existed at the time, her parents, family, and friends struggled to get word out of her disappearance in a timely fashion.

In the Senate, I was proud to champion the bipartisan passage of the federal Ashanti Alert Act and have subsequently secured federal funding for its implementation every year since its enactment. Today, almost half of all states have a similar alert system that meets the requirements of the federal Ashanti Alert program.

Since the enactment of the state law in 2018, there have been eight Ashanti Alerts issued in Virginia. Data provided by the Virginia State Police (VSP) indicates that, of the eight alerts, three victims were safely located, three victims were found murdered, and two victims are currently unaccounted for. Based on these results, I am deeply concerned that the Ashanti Alert, as currently implemented, is not living up to its full potential.

The story of Marie Covington underscores this concern. Ms. Covington was last seen on August 17, 2022 at 9:57pm and was reported missing to Virginia Beach Police (VBP) by her family on August 18, 2022 at 10:25pm. Despite Covington’s disappearance meeting the activation criteria, VSP did not issue an Ashanti Alert until August 20, 2022 at 9:50pm – two days after she was reported missing. In that time period, police had already located her car, which was driven by the individual who was later arrested for her murder. The Ashanti Alert was issued only two hours before she was found deceased.

I know you share my goal of ensuring that we do everything in our power to make sure missing persons in Virginia are returned home safely. To that end, I am seeking the following information from your office:

What proportion of missing persons cases result in the issuance of an Ashanti Alert?

In a specific case, who is responsible for making the determination that “abduction poses a credible threat,” as required by the Ashanti Alert program?

What policies govern the substance of this determination?

What policies govern the timing of this determination?

Were these policies revised as a result of the delay in the Covington case?

Why was an Ashanti Alert not issued in the Covington case until two days after Marie Covington was reported missing?

In the seven cases for which we do not have data, how much time elapsed between the missing person report and the issuance of an Ashanti Alert?

Who has general oversight authority over the implementation of the Ashanti Alert law?

If there is no state official with this authority, why not?

The Ashanti Alert program was created to facilitate cooperation and improve communication between public safety entities, with the ultimate goal of saving the lives of endangered individuals. To that end, it is imperative that Ashanti Alerts in Virginia be issued promptly to maximize their effectiveness and serve their purpose. Thus, I seek your cooperation and that of relevant state agencies and stakeholders in ensuring that the Ashanti Alert program succeeds in preventing future tragedies and protecting the safety of Americans.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-child-nutrition-provisions-omnibus-government-funding,Scott Statement on Child Nutrition Provisions in the Omnibus Government Funding Legislation,2022-12-20,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Robert C. ""Bobby"" Scott",S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,bobbyscott,https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"As originally released by the Committee on Education & Labor

WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the release of omnibus government funding legislation for Fiscal Year 2023.

“Over the last two years, we had a real opportunity to help improve the lives of children and families by passing a comprehensive child nutrition reauthorization. My committee took this opportunity seriously, and advanced the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act, a comprehensive, science-driven reauthorization of federal child nutrition programs that would meet the needs of children and families.

“The child nutrition language included in the end-of-year funding bill incorporates parts of the House’s reauthorization, Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act. For example, it includes a provision to permanently authorize the Summer EBT program. This proposal falls far short of a comprehensive reauthorization that America’s children and families deserve, although I am grateful we will be able to make some progress toward our ultimate goal of eliminating child hunger.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5742,"JEC Releases Report on Economic Risks, Need for Further Regulation of Digital Assets",2022-12-19,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee—led by Chairman Don Beyer (D-VA)—released a new report detailing the rise and fall of the digital asset market in 2021 and 2022 and the need for further protections to mitigate risks to everyday consumers and the U.S. financial system.

In the fall of 2021, the digital asset market reached a record-high $3 trillion market capitalization. Since then, it has lost over $2 trillion in total value as a combination of rising interest rates and high-profile cryptocurrency scandals have made digital assets less appealing to investors. The most notable of these scandals was the collapse of the third-largest cryptocurrency exchange, FTX, after it was revealed to have fraudulently engaged in risky financial bets with its customers’ deposits; its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, was also indicted on charges related to defrauding investors.

Existing regulatory guardrails between the digital asset landscape and traditional banks prevented the recent collapse of the digital asset market from causing economy-wide instability. But the draw of building financial wealth outside the banking system highlights the need for further federal action to protect the U.S. economy and everyday investors. Particularly given how discriminatory practices in traditional banking and finance have helped worsen levels of wealth inequality across race and class, people who are otherwise excluded from more regulated pathways to wealth-building may be drawn to digital assets as a way to achieve financial security.

Among the new report’s key findings:

2022 set records for the scale of digital asset fraud, hacks, scams and abuse, highlighting the pervasive risks to consumers in the cryptocurrency market. More than $3 billion was lost in hacks of digital asset platforms in 2022, and October was the worst-ever month for crypto-related crimes: over $700 million in losses was reported.

Newer investors with less financial cushion were hit the hardest by the drop in digital asset prices, and many everyday investors lost their savings. As digital assets have become more mainstream, smaller retail investors have increasingly entered the crypto market: Recent survey data indicate that most traders do not have a college degree, and over one-third had annual household incomes of less than $60,000.

As the digital asset market has both grown and become more interconnected, recent activity has revealed significant risks to broader financial stability. Just as the 2008 financial crisis exposed how interconnected firms making risky financial bets with borrowed funds in the absence of sufficient regulation can eventually cripple the banking system, fraud, hacks and collapses in the digital asset landscape raise similar red flags about the overall health of the crypto system.

With the release of the report, JEC Chairman Beyer released the following statement:

“The last two years have seen wild swings in digital asset values that have left too many everyday investors high and dry. Regular people who were trying to save for retirement, buy a house or pay for their child’s education have had the rug pulled out from under them. Decades of savings were erased virtually overnight.

“Commonsense regulatory actions to establish consumer protections and market transparency—what we expect from financial assets—are necessary to protect investors and prevent widespread destabilization. I am thankful that our financial regulations worked to ensure the recent collapse in the digital asset market did not also cause economy-wide pain and instability. While federal investigations into criminal activity are ongoing, I hope to continue the work that is necessary to protect consumers and our broader financial system.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=4F249F57-010E-48EF-B92B-122EADAEA9AB,Statement of U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner on FTC Settlement with Fortnite Creator over Use of Dark Patterns,2022-12-19,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that Epic Games, Inc. – the creator of the popular video game Fortnite – would pay $520 million over allegations the company violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and deployed design tricks, known as dark patterns, to dupe millions of players into making unintentional purchases:

“I’m glad to see the FTC cracking down on the use of manipulative dark patterns against children. Companies and platforms that cater to young people have a responsibility to protect their users — not to target them with deceptive interfaces that manipulate them into ceding their personal information or making unwanted purchases. I will continue working to pass my DETOUR Act in order to establish greater safeguards for users of all ages.”

Sen. Warner has been a leader in Congress pushing for increased transparency and protections surrounding user data and privacy. His legislation, the DETOUR Act, would prohibit companies from using deceptive dark patterns to manipulate users into handing over their data.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=6E325D14-2870-4105-B480-5C063573A948,Sen. Warner Urges Virginians to Provide Feedback on Internet Coverage Ahead of January 13th Deadline,2022-12-19,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) is calling on Virginians to provide feedback on internet coverage in their communities. Last month, after a sustained push from Sen. Warner, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a new map with their best estimates of broadband coverage across the country. Now, Sen. Warner is asking Virginians to review the FCC map to ensure it accurately reflects the current broadband options available at their address. Funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) – the bipartisan infrastructure law negotiated and written by Sen. Warner – will be allocated to states proportionally based on the number of individuals living in each state who do not have access to high-speed internet. If Virginians disagree with the information in the map, they should challenge the map through the FCC website. While challenges will be accepted on a rolling basis, Virginians must submit their challenges by January 13, 2023 to ensure that it is adjudicated prior to the allocation of IIJA funding.

“There are folks all over rural Virginia who know that the FCC broadband map isn’t always accurate,” said Sen. Warner. “Now is the time to make sure that it are using the best data available, so Virginia can get the investments to which it is entitled and achieve the goal of universal broadband access.”

In an email sent to constituents, Sen. Warner asked households to look up their address on the FCC Broadband Map website and make sure that the information available matches their broadband experience. If the FCC has incorrect information about either the address or coverage options, individuals can submit a “Location Challenge” or “Availability Challenge” directly through the website in order to accurately reflect current accessibility.

In addition to challenges submitted by individuals, The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development's (DHCD) Office of Broadband is currently analyzing the data and is in the process of formulating a statewide challenge to the new FCC map. That challenge will include thousands of locations that are unserved but currently noted as served.

Ensuring this map is accurate is a crucial step to making sure that Virginia receives the investments needed to deploy universal broadband. Last month, Virginia received $5 million to help make a strategic plan to deploy coverage, courtesy of the bipartisan infrastructure law, and will be eligible for more once the initial plan is completed.

Sen. Warner has long fought to expand access to broadband in Virginia. During negotiations for the bipartisan infrastructure law, Sen. Warner secured $65 billion in funding to help deploy broadband, increase access, and decrease costs associated with connecting to the internet. The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, created and funded through this landmark legislation, provides $42.45 billion to expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment and adoption programs in all states and territories. An accurate map will play a critical role in ensuring that this funding is used efficiently.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5741,Beyer Introduces JARED Act To Tighten Ethics Standards For Presidential Appointees,2022-12-16,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) yesterday introduced the Jumpstarting Accountability Relating to Ethical Disclosures (JARED) Act to tighten ethical standards for presidential appointees. The bill would prohibit former “political appointees from investing in or serving in a managerial role in an investment fund in which a foreign principal owns shares” within four years of their departure from federal government service, under certain conditions.

Jared Kushner, former President Trump’s son-in-law and White House senior adviser, reportedly secured a $2 billion investment from a fund led by the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This investment went to Mr. Kushner’s newly formed private equity firm, Affinity Partners, just six months after his departure from the White House. Kushner reportedly enjoyed a close relationship with bin Salman while he was a senior adviser to former President Trump, defending him from accountability for the brutal 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and advocating for increased arms deals with Saudi Arabia.

“The exchange of policy concessions and large sums of money between Mohammed bin Salman and Jared Kushner appears extremely corrupt on its face and cries out for ethics reform. The reported Saudi investment of billions in a Kushner-led investment fund so soon after Kushner advised the President to take heavily pro-Saudi stances looks awfully like a kickback. My bill would prevent this from happening again and help ensure that presidential appointees are held to a higher ethical standard,” said Rep. Beyer.

Currently, there are no laws or rules that constrain investment activities, including by foreign governments, of former administration officials after leaving the White House. The Jumpstarting Accountability Relating to Ethical Disclosures (JARED) Act would ban a former presidential political appointee from having any investment or management role with an investment fund in which a foreign government is invested for four years after any conversation between the former appointee and an official of that foreign government. The conversation would have to involve prospective business dealings or investments involving the former appointee while they were a government appointee.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=61CF607F-1975-4E75-A7BB-65AD38AA946F,Warner & Rubio Praise Passage of FY23 Intelligence Authorization Act,2022-12-16,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) and Vice Chairman Marco Rubio (R-FL) applauded the final passage of the Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Year 2023 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation passed through the Senate yesterday by a vote of 83-11, after being approved by the House of Representatives last week. The IAA authorizes funding, provides legal authorities, and enhances congressional oversight for the U.S. Intelligence Community.

“I am pleased the House and Senate have passed the Committee’s bipartisan Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 as part of our nation’s defense authorization bill,” said Committee Chairman Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA). “This year’s bill will enhance the country’s ability to confront our adversaries, including the growing threats to our national security posed by China and Russia. It also takes significant steps to promote U.S. technology leadership, including by accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies and increasing our ability to compete with China. Finally, I am pleased that this year’s bill drives serious improvement to the IC’s hiring and security clearance processes, so that the IC can attract and expeditiously on-board a talented, diverse, and trusted workforce.”

“This year’s Intelligence Authorization Act ensures that the Intelligence Community (IC) has the resources, authorities, and personnel to protect America’s national security and counter the growing threats from autocracies like China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, and Cuba,” said Committee Vice Chairman Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL). “This bill further enhances U.S. counterintelligence screening, foreign intelligence collection and analysis, and emerging technology capabilities to focus the IC on addressing our primary national security threat in the 21st century – countering Communist China.”

Background:

The IAA for Fiscal Year 2023 authorizes funding and ensures that the Intelligence Community (IC) has the resources, personnel, and authorities it needs to protect our country and inform decision makers, while under robust Congressional oversight, including in the following key areas:

Confronting the growing national security threat posed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) by increasing hard target intelligence collection and analysis, as well as by identifying and exposing corruption, forced labor camps, global infrastructure financing, and malign economic investments in telecommunications and semiconductors;

Bolstering intelligence support for Ukraine as it fights to defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty against Russia’s unprovoked aggression, including by increasing oversight of China’s support to Ukraine, assessing the effects of sanctions on Russia and its allies, and evaluating opportunities to mitigate threats to food security due to the conflict;

Establishing IC Coordinators to account for Russian atrocities and for countering proliferation of Iran-origin unmanned aircraft systems;

Driving improvements to the IC’s hiring and security clearance processes by keeping the IC accountable for progress, including timeliness in bringing cleared personnel onboard, ensuring that key management and contract oversight personnel in industry can obtain clearances, and establishing personnel vetting performance measures;

Accelerating and improving procurement, adoption, and integration of emerging technologies across the IC;

Establishing counterintelligence protections for IC grant funding against foreign-based risks of misappropriation, theft, and other threats to U.S. innovation;

Establishing measures to mitigate counterintelligence threats from foreign commercial spyware;

Strengthening oversight of national security threats associated with the regimes in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela;

Ensuring continued support to the victims of anomalous health incidents (“Havana Syndrome”) and maintaining continued oversight over the IC’s investigations into the causes of anomalous health incidents;

Enforcing cybersecurity enhancements and cybersecurity minimum standards across the IC, including for classified systems; and

Enhancing oversight of IC and Department of Defense collection and reporting on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=68358167-04B2-454E-9330-9FDE0EA5E54C,Statement of Senate Intel Chair Mar R. Warner on Virginia's TikTok Ban on Government Devices,2022-12-16,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON –U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement applauding Virginia’s ban on TikTok:

“As a former governor and Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I’m glad to see that Virginia has banned TikTok on government devices. TikTok has the stamp of approval of the Chinese Communist Party and it poses a serious national security threat due to its data collection practices and its ability to reach and manipulate Americans. I hope to see more states take action to keep our government technology out of the CCP’s reach.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=E862770A-A1E2-4852-9579-81AD60709BEE,Sens. Warner and Kaine Announce $25 Million in Federal Funding for I-64 Improvements,2022-12-16,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $25,000,000 in federal funding for the expansion of I-64 in New Kent County. Awarded through the Department of Rural Surface Transportation Grant program (RURAL), this funding will add a third lane to I-64 in each direction, widen shoulders, add rumble strips and wider and flatter clear zones for an approximately 10-mile segment in New Kent County.

“This substantial investment for improvements to I-64 will make the highway safer, easier to travel, and help connect our rural communities,” the Senators said. “We see this grant as a sign of progress toward fulfilling the administration’s commitment to closing the I-64 gap by adding a third lane all the way from Hampton Roads to Richmond, but more work remains. We are glad to see the bipartisan infrastructure law continue to deliver funding that will help improve and ease the stress on Virginia’s highway system.”

Sens. Warner and Kaine have consistently pushed for infrastructure funding for Virginia to help fund much-needed improvement projects across the Commonwealth. As part of thebipartisan infrastructure law Sen. Warner helped negotiate and Sen. Kaine supported, the Department of Transportation’s RURAL grant program was created to provide funds that paved the way for investments in highway infrastructure throughout Virginia and the country. In May, Sen. Kaine led a push that Sen. Warner joined to urge the U.S. Department of Transportation to make investments to reduce congestion in the I-64 corridor between Richmond and Hampton Roads.

###

* High-quality photographs of Sen. Mark R. Warner are available for downloadhere*",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5739,New JEC Report Shows Immigration is Essential to U.S. Economic Strength,2022-12-15,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"The U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee—led by Chairman Don Beyer (D-VA)—released a new report highlighting the significant contributions immigrants make to the U.S. economy and its recovery from the pandemic.

Among the report’s key findings:

Immigrants helped power the economic recovery. Foreign-born workers were hit disproportionately hard by the pandemic but returned to work quicker than their native-born peers. Today, 64% of foreign-born workers are employed, compared to 59% of native-born workers.

Immigrants have been consistently more likely than native-born workers to be actively engaged in the labor force and help counteract the slowing growth rate of the U.S. population. For decades, the labor force participation rate of foreign-born workers has remained higher than that of native-born workers. And as U.S. population growth has slowed, falling to a record low in 2021, immigrant workers are key to meeting both existing hiring needs and to advance future economic growth.

Immigrant workers make the economy more resilient and innovative, but the U.S. is facing an immigration shortfall. Overall, about 3 in 20 American workers are foreign-born, but immigrants are overrepresented in some of the fastest growing industries and among essential workers. For example, immigrants make up about 1 in 5 workers in education and health services, and in 2021, more than 40% of Fortune 500 companies were founded by an immigrant or the child of an immigrant.

With the release of the report, Chairman Beyer released the following statement:

“As this report makes clear, immigrants have been essential to our economic recovery, and immigration is vital to building a dynamic and resilient economy going forward. Although the pandemic interrupted our ability to attract immigrant workers, strengthening our immigration system will help to bolster the sectors that have proven so crucial over the last few years and to develop the industries that will solve the challenges of the future. If the United States is to compete on the global stage, we, as a nation, must work to create opportunities for all workers and families.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=2CCFF9C0-58DB-4A0C-9ABE-077B28387C42,"Warner & Kaine Announce Over $940,000 in Federal Funding to Help Virginians with Disabilities Access Housing Across the Commonwealth",2022-12-15,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $940,732 in federal funding to help Virginians with disabilities access affordable housing. The funding is awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Mainstream Vouchers program, which is similar to other Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) but specifically helps people with disabilities between ages 18-62 access housing.

“Every Virginian, including those living with a disability, deserves a decent place to live,” said the Senators. “We’re glad this funding will help more Virginians find a safe place to call home.”

The funding is distributed as follows:

$502,140 for the Virginia Housing Development Authority, which will be distributed across Virginia

$228,485 for the Lynchburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$174,521 for the Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority

$35,586 for the People Inc. of Southwest Virginia in Abingdon

Sens. Warner and Kaine, a former fair housing attorney, have long worked to increase affordable housing in Virginia. In September, the senators announced over $4.2 million for affordable housing in the Commonwealth. In July, the Senators announced nearly $800,000 to help Virginians with disabilities access affordable housing. They’ve introduced legislation that would address rising home prices, assist first-generation homebuyers, and close widening wealth and homeownership gaps.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=4BABF6BF-A3BA-4B45-87A0-687C69BB7BF2,Statement of U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner on Senate vote to add Permitting Reform to NDAA,2022-12-15,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement after voting in favor of an amendment introduced by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) that would have added bipartisan, comprehensive permitting reform to the broader National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The amendment failed this evening by a vote of 47-47.

“Tonight, I voted in favor of legislationto address our nation’s permitting process, support U.S. energy security, and hasten the transition to a clean energy economy. The Inflation Reduction Act and bipartisan infrastructure law provided unprecedented investments in clean energy technologies like solar, onshore and offshore wind, advanced nuclear, and energy storage. In order to maximize these investments and hit our climate goals, we must ensure states, localities, businesses, and other stakeholders have the ability build these energy projects and connect them to the grid. While I have strong concerns about the process through which this bill was drafted, and oppose the inclusion of language pertaining to the Mountain Valley Pipeline, I voted in favor of this amendment because we desperately need to revamp our nation’s permitting process to pave the way for the future of clean energy. I will continue working with my colleagues to enact sensible reforms that will protect our energy and economic security while respecting the concerns raised by communities impacted by infrastructure projects.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=83EFE201-C08A-4721-B26D-E13B9E6E31BF,Statement of U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner on Passage of Annual Defense Bill,2022-12-15,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today applauded Senate passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the country’s annual defense bill.

“As the Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I am keenly aware of the importance of the National Defense Authorization Act. I’m proud to have voted to pass legislation that will boost our national security by providing support for our servicemembers and their families, investing in projects that increase military readiness, and supporting critical jobs in Virginia while reinforcing our commitment to Ukraine’s fight against authoritarian brutality. I look forward to President Biden signing this legislation quickly,” said Sen. Warner.

The package provides $857.9 billion in funding for our nation’s defense, and includes a number of Warner-championed provisions that would:

Help provide better housing support for servicemembers and their families. These provisions direct DoD to reevaluate methodologies for calculating the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) to better reflect servicemembers’ housing needs, and look at barriers to home ownership that are unique to members of the military. These provisions are based on two Warner-sponsored bills, the BAH Calculation Improvement Act and the Increasing Home Ownership for Servicemembers Act.

Authorize more than $285 million in funding for 14 military construction projects in Virginia, including in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Dahlgren, Newport News, Ft. Belvoir, Langley, and at the Pentagon:

$125 million for Submarine Pier 3 at Naval Station Norfolk.

$47.72 million for a Dry Dock Saltwater System for CVN-78 at Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

$26.6 million for a SOF (Special Forces) operations building addition at Dam Neck.

$19 million for a primary distribution substation at Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads.

$18 million for a commercial vehicle inspection facility at the Pentagon.

$16.86 million for submarine logistics support facilities at Naval Station Norfolk.

$10.5 million for Langley AFB for Air Force Reserve construction and land acquisition projects.

$10.4 million for G/ATOR (Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar) support facilities at Dam Neck.

$10 million to support research and development of advanced fuels to support future DOD energy requirements. This development would happen at BWXT in Lynchburg, cementing Lynchburg’s leadership as a center for innovation.

$3.4 million for backup power generation at Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads.

$2.5 million for electrical substation upgrades at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division.

$2.3 million for Child Development Center planning and development at Naval Station Norfolk.

$1.23 million for Weapons Integration and Test Campus planning and development at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division.

$1.1 million for a secondary cooling system at NCE Springfield at Fort Belvoir.

Accelerate the construction of two new Child Development Centers in Hampton Roads to help provide critical child care for infants and children on installations. This provision mirrors a Congressionally Directed Spending request made by Sen. Warner to help address the larger challenges military families face with the supply of available child care.

Accelerate the construction of two new Child Development Centers in Hampton Roads to help provide critical child care for infants and children on installations. This provision mirrors a Congressionally Directed Spending request made by Sen. Warner to help address the larger challenges military families face with the supply of available child care.

Overhaul how the military understands and studies food insecurity among members of in the military. The provision – based on an amendment led in the Senate by Sen. Warner – will improve how the military collects data and analyzes rates of food insecurity among servicemembers and their families, to better measure and more effectively address the concerning issue of food insecurity in the military.

Support the critical work of the U.S. Intelligence Community by including the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (IAA). The IAA allocates funding, provides legal authorities, and enhances congressional oversight of the Intelligence Community.

Bring federal data collection into the 21st century and boost financial transparency by modernizing data collection by the federal financial regulators. This provision is based on Sen. Warner’s Financial Data Transparency Act, which requires these regulators to develop common data formatting standards that promote the usability and organization of financial data they already collect from regulated institutions – rules that will make data easier for the public to use and for agencies to process.

The bill also includes a number of other crucial measures supported by Sen. Warner.

To support investments in our nation’s defense and diplomatic capabilities, this bill would:

Support Navy shipbuilding with $32.6 billion in funding for the procurement of 11 battle force ships, including full funding for the Columbia-class submarine program and for the procurement of two Virginia-class submarines. The bill also would reverse plans for the early retirement of 12 vessels in the coming year. The legislation also guarantees a minimum of 31 operational amphibious warfare ships for the Navy and Marine Corps.

Support the critical work of the U.S. State Department by advancing funding and a range of provisions vital to supporting our nation’s diplomatic efforts the men and women who work tirelessly to advance those around the world.

Support the work of the U.S. Coast Guard with more than $28 billion in funding.

Authorize nearly $132 million for defense research activities at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions. Last year, Sen. Warner successfully led an effort in the NDAA to better position HBCUs and MSIs to compete for federal research dollars.

For members of the military and their families, this bill would:

Authorize a 4.6 percent pay raise to servicemembers and Department of Defense (DoD) civilians.

Take steps to address the suicide and mental health crisis in the military by directing DoD to undertake more detailed research into mental health and rates of suicide. This provision seeks to provide a better understanding of the different ramifications across military career fields. It also directs an Inspector General review of efforts by the Navy to prevent and respond to suicides in light of deaths in the Hampton Roads region and elsewhere.

Make historic reforms to the military justice system’s handling of certain offenses, including sexual assaults. Following years of tireless effort by advocates, this bill would remove commanders from all prosecutorial and judicial functions for a range of covered offenses. Sen. Warner is a proud sponsor of Sen. Gillibrand’s Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act of 2021, which, combined with bipartisan efforts across both Chambers this year, formed the foundation for these reforms.

Tackle issues with military housing by:

Extending DoD’s authority to raise the Basic Allowance for Housing for military families living in higher-cost areas of the country.

Improving oversight over military housing issues and codifying the position of Chief Housing Officer. Sen. Warner has pushed to have a single, designated lead for housing at DoD to improve accountability to residents as well as Congress, and to promote and increase coordination.

Requiring the Secretary of Defense to implement health-related recommendations made by the Department’s Inspector General related to privatized military housing.

Tackle food insecurity by:

Expanding eligibility for the Basic Needs Allowance to help ensure that all men and women in uniform and their families have the basic necessities they need. The Basic Needs Allowance was created through the Warner-sponsored Military Hunger Prevention Act, and is aimed at combating disturbing rates of food insecurity in the military.

Creating a pilot program to better address rates of food insecurity among veterans. This provision would offer grant funding to organizations that are actively working to address this challenge.

Adding $210 million in authorized funding for the military’s commissary system to help support food access for servicemembers and their families.

Increase access to timely child care for military families who undergo a permanent change of station by creating a pilot program to provide child care-related reimbursement to these families.

For the ongoing effort to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s authoritarianism, this bill would:

Extend the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) – one of the main tools used by the U.S. in support of Ukraine’s defensive needs – and authorize $800 million for this program in the coming fiscal year.

Authorize more than $6 billion to fully fund the European Deterrence Initiative.

Hold Russia accountable for its atrocities by stating that the United States will collect, analyze, and preserve evidence related to Russian war crimes, and will assist in pursuing appropriate accountability for those responsible.

Increase transparency and accountability by taking steps to ensure that Inspectors General are able to adequately conduct oversight of U.S. funding to ensure it is most effectively being applied in support of Ukraine’s efforts.

Express the full commitment of the United States to NATO and to continuing Ukrainian assistance during Russia’s violent and illegal invasion.

Authorize more than $2.7 billion for munitions production capacity, and direct an assessment of our defense industrial base’s capacity long-term.

To bolster our ability to compete in the 21st century, this bill would:

Continue to strengthen U.S.-India relations by directing the Departments of Defense and State to pursue greater engagement and expanded cooperation with India related to emerging technology, joint R&D, defense and cyber capabilities, and other opportunities for collaboration – including for reducing India’s reliance on Russian-built defense equipment. These provisions support an effort by Sen. Warner, co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, to highlight the importance of our defense partnership with India, and to support accelerated efforts by India to diversify defense systems.

Better invest in emerging technologies by boosting funding for basic and applied research and development of advanced tech by $2.85 billion including the allocation of funding for research at Virginia-based institutions Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth University.

Support the commercialization of critical capabilities by authorizing $300 million in funding for new bio-manufacturing facilities.

Authorize an increase of $120 million for 5G technology R&D and transition support.

Authorize an increase of $75 million for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as it looks to implement recommendations put forward by the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (AI). It would also authorize an increase of $50 million for AI at U.S. Cyber Command, and require more strategic, longer-term planning related to DoD’s efforts to rapidly adopt AI to relevant cyber missions.

Support DARPA’s quantum computing activities with an increase of $20 million.

Increase productivity and cooperation in microelectronics by establishing a working group of government, private sector, and academia experts to better enable coordination and consultation related to R&D and manufacturing.

Support technology improvements and advancements in our military by requiring the DoD to report transition plans for 5-G communications infrastructure at all military installations as well as establish a consortium specifically for the purpose of studying cybersecurity problems within the DoD.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=CDBE0B33-D57A-4E2D-8030-26F4F1D2685E,U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine on Congressional Approval of a Continuing Resolution to Keep the Government Funded,2022-12-15,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the statement below after the Senate approved a stopgap funding bill to keep the government running through December 23, giving lawmakers additional time to negotiate and pass a full government spending bill. The resolution, passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday, now heads to the President’s desk for signature.

“We’re glad to have voted for today’s continuing resolution, which will keep the government open and allow Congress additional time to come to an agreement on critical government funding legislation. Government shutdowns are pointless and painful for the Americans who are forced to work without pay or forced to forgo essential government services. We will continue pushing to pass a full government funding bill ahead of the new December 23rd deadline. Failing to do so could stall progress and undercut many of the key investments made through the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan infrastructure law.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5736,Committee Members Beyer and Norcross Introduce Legislation To Establish And Clarify Space Situational Awareness Roles For Civilian Agencies,2022-12-14,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Chairman Don Beyer (D-VA) of the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, along with Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ), introduced the Space Safety and Situational Awareness Transition Act of 2022. Space situational awareness (SSA) provides a foundation for understanding where space objects are now, predicting their future trajectories, and evaluating the risk of potential collisions to operating satellites and human spaceflight safety. SSA is increasingly important to supporting the safety of orbital operations. The Space Situational Awareness Transition Act of 2022 establishes a civil SSA capability under the Department of Commerce to support spaceflight safety and space sustainability. The bill also supports National Aeronautics and Space Administration research and development activities that will help inform and improve space situational awareness.

“Space-based operations are now essential to systems our society and national security both rely on, and the number of satellites providing those systems is growing at a geometric rate. Our federal leadership on space situational awareness has not kept up with this growing footprint in space or the challenges it raises. When I became Chair of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, I said that addressing this problem was one of my top goals, and today we are introducing the product of many months of work consulting government agencies, stakeholders, and experts on the best way forward. The bill we introduced today is our best attempt to direct inter-agency traffic and establish clearly defined roles for key players on space situational awareness, including the Department of Commerce and NASA. I hope that this legislation will serve as a strong starting place for future discussions about the way forward on space situational awareness,” said Rep. Beyer (D-VA), Chair of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5737,Beyer Statement On Tenth Anniversary Of Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting,2022-12-14,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) issued the following statement ten years after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut:

“Ten years ago today we lost 20 children and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School. I’ll never forget how awful and shocking that day felt and still feels a decade later.

“The unthinkable horror of that mass shooting changed minds and caused people to say ‘enough.’ In the years that followed, a new political movement to prevent gun violence took hold, which today commands more popular support and influence than the gun lobby. That helped accomplish passage of the most important gun safety reforms enacted in nearly thirty years – including legislative provisions designed to prevent school shootings like the one in Newtown.

“But the things we have not been able to do are still deeply frustrating. We are still bitterly divided on the question of the place guns occupy in our society. We haven’t been able to pass background checks and the assault weapons ban in the Senate. And we cannot restore the futures taken from 20 students and six educators in Newtown, Connecticut, or assuage the pain of their families and the families of the hundreds of thousands of Americans lost to gun violence in the ten years since our country got such a brutal wakeup call.

“My heart goes out to Newtown today, and especially to the families of those we lost on December 14, 2012.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5738,Beyer Statement On FBI Hate Crimes Data And Briefing,2022-12-14,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), author of the bipartisan Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act, which was signed into law in 2021, today issued the following statement after receiving an FBI briefing in the Capitol yesterday on the FBI’s annual release of hate crime statistics compiled through the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS):

“The FBI hate crimes data and the briefing which presented them to Members of Congress were extremely disappointing – not just in the level of bias crimes they reported, but in the large number of departments that failed to report any data at all.

“I wrote the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act to help improve coordination between federal, state, and local agencies on the reporting of hate crimes. Congress passed it into law in hopes that this would strengthen America’s response to the growing scourge of anti-AAPI hate, anti-Semitism, and white supremacist violence.

“We still are not seeing the progress we want on the law’s larger goals of coordinating a better, data-driven response to prevent hate crimes. The 2021 data are disappointingly incomplete, and the Justice Department must be transparent about the shortcomings of the picture these statistics provide, and step up outreach to local jurisdictions to encourage the standardization of NIBRS reporting.

“Every law enforcement division at the local, state, and federal level should be reporting hate crimes through NIBRS. Congress clearly spelled this out in a bipartisan law, and provided money to help departments transition to using the system. If Congress continues to see woefully insufficient reporting of hate crimes data, we should revisit the issue with additional legislation to again strengthen the national response to crimes of bias.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=FEB9372F-CA26-4A01-922B-6CDDF0E0E40D,Statement of U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner & Tim Kaine on Passage of Bill Designating September as African Diaspora Heritage Month,2022-12-14,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, issued the following statement applauding last night’s unanimous Senate passage of legislation Sen. Kaine led to recognize and reaffirm the significant contributions of the African diaspora to the growth and prosperity of the U.S. The passage of the bill—which was cosponsored by Sen. Warner and U.S. Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Chris Coons (D-DE)—came on the first day of the Biden-Harris Administration’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, which is being attended by African leaders from across the continent.

“Our Commonwealth and our country wouldn’t be what they are today without the African diaspora, which has made countless contributions to our communities despite extraordinary adversity,” said the Senators. “We are gratified by the passage of this legislation to acknowledge, appreciate, and celebrate this fast-growing and dynamic community, and will continue working to ensure that its members have a seat at the table to share their essential perspectives.”

Virginia is home to more than 115,000 African immigrants, thousands of whom are small- and medium-sized business owners who have helped bring more than $200 million in international trade to the state. The Virginia General Assembly passed a resolution to designate September as Virginia African Diaspora Heritage Month in March 2022.

Full text of the bill is available here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5734,Beyer Hails Historic Fusion Announcement,2022-12-13,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), founder and chair of the bipartisan Fusion Energy Caucus in the U.S. House today celebrated the announcement by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) of the first ever net energy gain and first ever fusion ignition from a human-controlled fusion energy reaction in history. The long-sought breakthrough came in a December 5 experiment at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL) National Ignition Facility.

Beyer said:

“The breakthrough achievement in fusion energy research is a watershed moment in human history. I send my profound congratulations and thanks to all of the scientists and technicians at LLNL and elsewhere, those who supported their work at DOE, and all who contributed to this remarkable moment.

“This experiment marks a huge step forward in humanity’s quest to harness the energy source that powers the stars. Once fully developed, this transformative technology will be regarded as one of the most important scientific advances of the age, comparable to splitting the atom, the invention of the steam engine, and the discovery of fire.

“Fusion is rightly regarded as the holy grail of clean energy. When we learn to develop and deploy it effectively, it can provide virtually unlimited, clean, inexpensive power without the environmental risk of existing nuclear fission plants. The long-term impact on the fight against climate change, the incredible economic potential, and the possibilities for reducing global poverty are hard to overstate.

“After decades of hearing that ‘fusion is always ten years away,’ one of the biggest milestones on the path to fusion has been achieved in 2022. Those of us making the case that the federal government should go all-in on fusion now have a much more powerful argument for ramping up investment to boost scientific research, development, and engineering to realize the promise of fusion and translate the incredible benefits it offers to our civilization.

“This milestone does not immediately end the climate crisis, and we cannot lessen our efforts to fight climate change with policy and conventional technology. Making fusion energy a cornerstone of our electrical grid will require solving major scientific, energy, and infrastructure challenges – a process of many years. But we now have our foot in the door. The Manhattan Project and the development of Covid vaccines showed that remarkable technological advances are possible with vision, focus, and a sense of urgency.

“I am tremendously proud that this advance was achieved in the United States, and will work with my colleagues in the bipartisan Fusion Energy Caucus to redouble Congress’ efforts in support of U.S. leadership on fusion. Congress already authorized – on a bipartisan basis – a major expansion of that work in the CHIPS and Science Act, which so far has not been fully funded. There are many more scientific and engineering challenges ahead, and Congress and the U.S. government must do all we can to build on the progress announced today, and work to deliver on the promise of fusion.”

Beyer is the founder and chair of the bipartisan Fusion Energy Caucus. He has continuously advocated for fusion energy research on the House Science Committee, with his colleagues in Congress, at the White House, in the pages of Scientific American, and elsewhere.

The bipartisan Fusion Energy Caucus and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, on which Beyer serves, helped secure a record $713 million in investments in the Department of Energy’s Office of Fusion Energy Sciences for FY22 and $45 million for a new milestone-based public private partnership. They also helped secure fusion funds in the Inflation Reduction Act, and authorized major expansions of the U.S. funding for fusion research in the CHIPS and Science Act.

Beyer founded the bipartisan Fusion Energy Caucus in 2021. The Caucus, which has over 50 members in the House, has a mission to educate Congress about the research and increasing potential of fusion energy, and to build support for research and development.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5735,JEC Chairman on November CPI Release,2022-12-13,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation slowed to 0.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis in November and annual inflation slowed to 7.1%, down from 7.7% in October. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, slowed to 0.2%, down slightly from 0.3% in October.

“After slowing in October, inflation cooled again in November—another welcome sign for workers and families across the country. And although it remains too high, annual inflation fell to 7.1% and reflects the smallest 12-month increase since December 2021.

“This deceleration exceeded expectations and is creating even more breathing room as we head into the holiday season. Some of the largest declines have been on household essentials like gas and medical care, and with airfare and hotels down, more people will be able to celebrate with their loved ones. Used car prices, which were consistently high earlier in the pandemic, have fallen for five consecutive months and were down 2.9% in November.

“A range of indicators underscore our overall economic strength. Since President Biden came into office, the U.S. has created more than 10.5 million jobs, recovering more than all that were lost during the pandemic recession. The unemployment rate has fallen to nearly the lowest in 50 years, and third quarter GDP was up 2.9%—above expectations.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=915FBE30-F86F-4784-91B5-4E027EDD11CC,Statement of U.S. Sens. Warner and Kaine on Signing of Respect for Marriage Act,2022-12-13,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement on President Biden’s signing of the Respect for Marriage Act, legislation which will ensure that same-sex and interracial marriages are recognized by every state:

“We’re proud that Congress has passed and the President has signed the Respect for Marriage Act to ensure all Americans have their marriages recognized across the country. We saw this summer in the Dobbs decision that the Supreme Court is willing to throw out decades of precedent on equal protection and threaten important decisions like Obergefell. We’re glad that we could pass this bill to give same-sex and interracial couples the certainty they deserve that their marriages will be respected no matter what the Court does in the future. Now, it’s time to repeal the shameful ban on same-sex marriages that is still in Virginia’s constitution.”

Virginia passed a ban on same-sex marriage in 2006, which remains in the Virginia Constitution today. The Obergefell decision, which is currently the law of the land, overrides Virginia’s ban. However, if the Supreme Court overturns Obergefell, the right of LGBTQ Virginians to marry in the Commonwealth would be jeopardized unless that ban is repealed.

In the U.S. Senate, Warner and Kaine were among the 212 members of Congress who signed an amicus brief arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court that same-sex married couples should have the same legal security, rights, and responsibilities that federal law provides all other married couples. Warner and Kaine are also cosponsors of the Equality Act, which would amend federal civil rights laws to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in education, employment, housing, credit, and federal jury service.

See the full text of the Respect for Marriage Act here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5733,House Passes Beyer Legislation To Rename Arlington Post Office After Letter Carrier Jesus Collazos,2022-12-12,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"The U.S. House today passed legislation introduced by Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) to rename the post office in Arlington on George Mason Drive (currently designated “Arlington Post Office”) after local letter carrier Jesus Collazos. The bill passed without objection on a voice vote. Collazos immigrated to Northern Virginia from Colombia in 1978 and worked for 25 years as a USPS postal carrier in Arlington. He died of COVID-19 early in the pandemic.

Beyer delivered remarks from the House Floor as Collazos’ family looked on from the House Gallery.

Beyer said:

Madame Speaker, I rise today to speak in support my bill, H.R. 7082, which would designate the post office on 2200 North George Mason Drive in Arlington as the Jesus Antonio Collazos Post Office Building

Jesus was the epitome of the American Dream.

He was born in 1953 in Colombia and grew up in a modest, hard-working family.

Even at a young age, he was passionate about education and wanted to help his community and did so by helping teach literacy while still a high school student.

After graduating high school, Jesus attended the Universidad de San Buenaventura Cali to pursue a degree in accounting.

In 1978, Jesus immigrated to Washington, D.C. to reunite with his mother and sisters in hopes of seeking a better future.

In 1980, Jesus married the love of his life, Luz Miriam, who is here today with their children, Vanessa and Michael.

After working in accounting positions at various hotels, he applied to the United States Postal Service as a letter carrier, where he would embark on a 25-year career.

He made an impression early on and was given a temporary assignment in leadership which turned into a permanent offer.

He ultimately turned it down to remain a mail carrier.

This turned out to be the right decision as Jesus preferred to spend his days outdoors, building relationships on his route, and connecting with the neighborhood.

He fell in love with that neighborhood so much that he waited patiently for the right opportunity to buy his own family home there.

When the day came, his affable personality gave him an advantage over other buyers. So much so, that the seller accepted his offer despite it being the lowest of all the bids.

In 1999, Jesus and Luz moved their family from an apartment into a new single-family home on his mail route, becoming his own mailman.

Motivated by a desire to spend more time with his family and in particular his grandchildren, Jesus retired in February 2019.

At the start of the pandemic, Jesus discovered a lump on the side of his neck that turned out to be an aggressive cancer.

In Monday May of 2020, during his first oncology appointment, he was sent to the emergency room for COVID.

He spent the next two weeks in the ICU, suffered a stroke, and on June 6th at 3:45pm, took his last breath.

Jesus was one of millions of Americans taken from us by COVID-19, but he was also a treasure to our local community.

He will be remembered by his infectious personality, outstanding work ethic and loyalty to his loved ones.

After his death, the Collazos family immediately began to receive an outpouring of love via messages, calls, cards, and meals from countless family members and friends.

An outdoor memorial service for Jesus was held June 26, 2020 where many came together to honor his memory.

His U.S. Postal Service coworkers opened his outdoor memorial service with a mail truck parade.

We were lucky to have Jesus Collazos in our community.

May his life be a reminder of the positive impact immigrants and new Americans have on this country.

Please join me, the Collazos family, and the Arlington community in honoring Jesus’ memory by voting yes.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5732,Chairs Johnson and Beyer Congratulate NASA and Partners after Orion’s Successful Return,2022-12-11,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, NASA’s Orion spacecraft successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near Guadalupe Island, off the coast of Mexico. This marks the culmination of the Artemis I mission. After Orion is recovered, NASA will continue to evaluate and inspect the spacecraft as they prepare for future missions.

“Congratulations to NASA and its partners on this magnificent feat,” said Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX). “From launch to splashdown and its ongoing recovery, the successful Artemis I mission marks a new era in space exploration. We are now one step closer to returning American astronauts to the Moon. This mission and the ones that will follow will continue to inspire, just as Apollo did over half a century ago. I would like to thank the thousands of people who made this mission possible for their many hours of hard work and dedication to the mission and its success. This was an important achievement in human space exploration, and I am confident there will be many more to follow.”

“Today’s successful completion of the Artemis I mission and return of the Orion capsule from its journey to the Moon is a thrilling culmination of years of effort by NASA, its contractors, and international partners over multiple Administrations and Congresses,” said Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Chairman Don Beyer (D-VA).“I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to NASA and the Nation on achieving this historic milestone. Since its launch from Cape Canaveral last month, the world has watched in awe as the Orion capsule traveled around the far side of the moon, sending back stunning photos of the Moon and our entire Earth. Artemis I reignited our passion to explore. It also demonstrated the capability of the systems needed to do so--the Space Launch System and Orion capsule and heatshield--and collected essential data to ensure their readiness to safely carry crew, starting with Artemis II.I want to thank and celebrate the tens of thousands of employees at NASA, its industry contractors and suppliers, and the European Space Agency who helped make this mission possible.Their invaluable contributions move us a major step forward toward returning our astronauts to the Moon and on to Mars.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5730,House Passes Historic Marriage Equality Protection,2022-12-08,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today celebrated House passage of the Respect For Marriage Act, sponsored by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY). The bill repeals the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act, protects same-sex and interracial marriage for federal purposes, and provides additional protections at the state level. With House passage, this historic bill heads to President Biden for signature.

Beyer said:

“Passage of the Respect For Marriage Act is a victory for freedom, civil rights, and love. I look forward to seeing President Biden sign this historic bill into law very soon.

“Many of us hoped that the issue of marriage equality had been permanently settled, but the reactionary Dobbs ruling from the Supreme Court’s right wing made it clear that the rights protected by this bill were under threat. The General Assembly and Governor Youngkin must protect marriage equality in the Commonwealth by repealing Virginia’s same-sex marriage ban. Virginians overwhelmingly value equality and freedom, and they deserve this basic measure of respect from their leaders.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5731,JEC Report Shows Economic Security Program Expansion Drove Record-Breaking Decline in Poverty,2022-12-08,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee—led by Chairman Don Beyer (D-VA)—released a new report highlighting the record-breaking decline in the poverty rate in 2021. Data show the American Rescue Plan and Biden administration actions helped lift 4.5 million Americans across races and ethnicities out of poverty from 2020 to 2021, including more than 3 million children.

As a result of new federal investments in existing economic security programs—like the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and housing subsidies—poverty in the United States fell to a record low of 7.8% in 2021. Child poverty fell to 5.2%, also the lowest rate on record, and a previous JEC report highlighted how expansion of the Child Tax Credit was the single-largest contributor to this reduction. Public investments were also effective in reducing racial and ethnic disparities in poverty, although gaps remain.

Among the new report’s key takeaways:

Federal income support programs and tax credits lifted nearly 53 million people above the poverty line. Absent federal assistance and tax credits, 78 million Americans had incomes below the poverty line in 2021.

The number of children living in poverty fell to a historic low in 2021. This was driven by a policy known as full refundability, which ensured that 19 million more low-income children were made eligible for the full Child Tax Credit.

Racial disparities in poverty reached an all-time low in 2021, but persistent inequality makes clear there is more to do. Before the pandemic, Black and Hispanic Americans were more than 130% more likely to live in poverty than white Americans; today, Black and Latino Americans are nearly twice as likely to live in poverty.

These historic reductions in poverty provide a roadmap for future public investments. In 2018, more than 43 million Americans lived in poverty, including over 10 million children. In 2021, effective government investments brought this down to 25 million people living in poverty, including just under 4 million children.

With the release of the report, Chairman Beyer released the following statement:

“During an economic crisis, when we would otherwise expect poverty to increase, both overall poverty and child poverty fell to record lows. Democrats in Congress and in the White House passed policies that lifted 4.5 million people—including 3 million children—out of poverty. These public investments ensured workers and families could keep food on their tables and rooves over their heads

“We know what works. Never have there been more powerful poverty-reducing policies, which offer a clear path forward for fighting poverty permanently. We must build on this success and extend these proven investments to promote prosperity for all.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-celebrates-passage-key-priorities-defense-bill,Scott Celebrates Passage of Key Priorities in Defense Bill,2022-12-08,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Robert C. ""Bobby"" Scott",S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,bobbyscott,https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) celebrated the U.S. House of Representatives passing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023, which included key initiatives spearheaded by Congressman Scott.

“As the representative from Virginia’s Third Congressional District, I was pleased to support this year’s NDAA which will protect our national security and include a well-earned pay raise for servicemembers and civilians serving our military,” said Congressman Scott. “This NDAA also includes funding for the Ford-class nuclear aircraft carrier program as well as the Columbia-class and Virginia-class submarine program, all of which we proudly build in Hampton Roads.”

The NDAA also included key priorities from Congressman Scott including:

Combatting the epidemic of servicemember suicides. The Inspector General of the Department of Defense shall compile a report regarding instances of suicide, suicide attempts, and suicidal ideation among Navy servicemembers. Requires an assessment of Navy mental health teams, commander responses, and challenges that stand in the way of sailors receiving the care and treatment they deserve. Congressman Scott and Congresswoman Elaine Luria (VA-02) have pushed for action on this troubling issue.

Enhancing the resilience of Hampton Roads and other defense communities – Creates a new Interagency Regional Coordinator for Resilience pilot program to increase federal support for collaboration between federal, state, and local entities to enhance climate resilience in defense communities, such as Hampton Roads. Last July, Congressman Scott introduced a similar amendment that was also agreed to with the original House version of the NDAA. The following month, Congressman Scott led a letter requesting that President Biden establish such a coordinator role in Hampton Roads.

Enhancing the success of the Coastal Storm Risk Management project in the City of Norfolk with the future transfer of at-risk federal waterfront property.

As the Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, Congressman Scott also applauded inclusion of H.R. 9028, the 21st Century Assistive Technology Act, and H.R. 9028, the Federal Firefighters Fairness Act:

“I am pleased the NDAA also includes language from both the 21st Century Assistive Technology Act and the Federal Firefighters Fairness Act. Whether it’s a high-tech device or something as simple as a magnifying glass, assistive technology is critical to helping people with disabilities live, work, and participate in their communities independently. As more Americans look to exercise their right to live at home, instead of institutions, this investment will take a key step to increase the quality of life, and expand work and educational opportunities, for people across the country. The legislation would also help firefighters get the support they need if they become sick or injured on the job due to heat, stress, and exposure to toxic substances. Nearly every state helps firefighters access workers’ compensation by providing a presumption that certain diseases are work-related. Yet, no such protection exists for federal firefighters, forcing them to prove—often in the absence of documentation—that their illnesses are work-related. This legislation would provide federal firefighters with a presumption that certain illnesses are work-related. Although it is unfortunate these presumptions will expire arbitrarily within ten years of a firefighter’s retirement, this provision marks a critical step to provide federal firefighters and their families with the support they have always deserved.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-leads-members-support-proposed-rule-protect-workers-rights,Scott Leads Members in Support of Proposed Rule to Protect Workers’ Rights,2022-12-08,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Robert C. ""Bobby"" Scott",S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,bobbyscott,https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"As originally released by the Committee on Education & Labor

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) led a letter with 52 House Democrats to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in support of its proposed joint employer rule. The proposed rule would help ensure that workers—who are hired through subcontractors, temporary staffing agencies, and other intermediaries—can hold all the entities that control their working conditions accountable for their right to bargain collectively for higher pay, better benefits, and safer workplaces.

Specifically, the proposed rule would rescind the Trump Administration’s 2020 joint employer rule that weakened workers’ ability to hold their employers accountable by narrowing the joint employer standard to only cover entities that directly exercise control over workers’ terms of employment.

“We applaud the proposed rule for advancing the purposes of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) by preventing employers from contracting out work to evade their bargaining obligations,” the Members wrote.

“When workers organize unions, the NLRA guarantees them the right to collectively bargain for better wages and working conditions without fear of retaliation. Where multiple entities control workers’ terms and conditions of employment, this right is rendered futile whenever workers are unable to bargain with all entities that control those wages and working conditions. The proposed rule is therefore necessary for holding entities accountable even if they reserve control, or exercise control indirectly, over employees’ working conditions.”

Under its traditional joint employer standard, the NLRB held that an entity could be considered an employer even if it indirectly controlled the terms of a worker’s employment. Unfortunately, the NLRB’s departure from this tradition has allowed corporations to use intermediaries—such as subcontractors and temporary staffing agencies—to evade their obligations to workers.

The letter was signed by Chairman Scott (VA-03) and Representatives Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At-Large), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), André Carson (IN-07), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), Andy Levin (MI-09), Susan Wild (PA-07), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03), Frank J. Mrvan (IN-01), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Linda T. Sánchez (CA-38), Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), Dina Titus (NV-01), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Judy Chu (CA-27), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Adam Smith (WA-09), Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Alma S. Adams (NC-12), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Paul D. Tonko (NY-20), Katie Porter (CA-45), Mondaire Jones (NY-17), Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Gwen Moore (WI-04), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Mark Takano (CA-41), Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Jesus G. “Chuy” Garcia (IL-04), Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (NMI-At-Large), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Grace Meng (NY-06), Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-09), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), and Susie Lee (NV-03).

To read the full letter, click here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-votes-protect-marriage-equality-0,Scott Votes to Protect Marriage Equality,2022-12-08,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Robert C. ""Bobby"" Scott",S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,bobbyscott,https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), a member of the LGBTQ Equality Caucus, issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives agreed to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 8404 – Respect for Marriage Act. This vote represents final congressional passage of the bill, which now heads to President Biden’s desk.

“The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization upended fifty years of legal precedent and rolled back the rights of women all over the country.Justice Clarence Thomas released a disturbing concurring opinion where he made it clear that the right to marriage equality should also be reversed by the Court. The Respect for Marriage Act guards against such a possible radical future decision. It also repeals the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that prohibited federal recognition of same-sex marriage; I was proud to have voted against that bill in 1996.

“While DOMA was overturned in part in the 2013 United States v. Windsor decisionand fully invalidated in the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, the action taken by Congress todayensures that marriage equality will be protected moving forward. I look forward to seeing President Biden sign this legislation into law to further guarantee that all Americans, regardless of who they love, have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=BAF5A089-9DA0-48E0-B1D1-68E399CE3FC9,U.S. Sens. Warner and Kaine on Committee Passage of Judge Robert Ballou to the Western District of Virginia,2022-12-08,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement applauding the Senate Judiciary Committee’s approval of Judge Robert Ballou – President Biden’s nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia:

“We are pleased to see our recommended candidate for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, Judge Robert Ballou, advance through the Senate Judiciary committee. We proudly support Judge Ballou and are confident that he will continue to serve Virginia and our country well. We are looking forward to a full Senate confirmation as soon as possible.”

In August 2021, Sens. Warner and Kaine sent a letter to President Biden recommending Judge Ballou for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia following Judge James P. Jones’ decision to take senior status. President Biden announced Judge Ballou’s nomination in July 2022.

Judge Ballou’s nomination is now subject to confirmation by the full Senate.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=E70C97F2-EE98-4CCD-969C-4A9A911CEB7F,U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine on House Passage of Respect for Marriage Act,2022-12-08,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives voted to pass the Respect for Marriage Act, legislation that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and extend federal protections for gay and interracial marriages:

“We are glad to see the House of Representatives take the important step of passing the Respect for Marriage Act to guarantee that same-sex and interracial marriages are recognized across the country. Following decisions by the Supreme Court to overturn established precedent in rulings such as Dobbs, it is crucial that we sign this bill into law to ensure that the right of marriage is recognized across the nation for all Americans.

“This legislation is a first step. We must also act to ensure that same-sex and interracial couples are protected in the Commonwealth by repealing Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriages. As long as this ban is in place, too many Virginians stand to see one of their most fundamental rights dismantled should the Obergefell ruling be overturned.”

In 2006, Virginia passed a ban on same-sex marriage which remains in the Virginia Constitution today. The Obergefell Supreme Court decision, which is currently the law of the land, overrides Virginia’s ban. However, if the Supreme Court overturns Obergefell, the right of LGBTQ Virginians to marry in the Commonwealth would be jeopardized unless that ban is repealed.

Sens. Warner and Kaine were among the 212 members of Congress who signed an amicus brief arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court that same-sex married couples should have the same legal security, rights, and responsibilities that federal law provides all other married couples. Sens. Warner and Kaine are also cosponsors of the Equality Act, which would amend federal civil rights laws to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in education, employment, housing, credit, and federal jury service.

The Respect for Marriage Act passed through the Senate last month by a vote of 61-36, with both Sens. Warner and Kaine supporting the legislation. It now heads to President Biden’s desk for signature.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=8785D1C0-6254-47B8-BAAC-A40B821A14F3,U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner Applauds House Introduction of Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act,2022-12-07,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) applauded introduction of the Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act in the House of Representatives by U.S. Reps. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-20), Mike Kelly (R-PA-16), Terri Sewell (D-AL-7), and Drew Ferguson (R-GA-3), all members of the House Ways & Means Committee. Sen. Warner introduced the Senate version of the legislation in September.

“Ensuring that the investments that Congress has made to ensure Americans have access to high-speed internet have the maximum possible impact is a bipartisan – and now bicameral – goal,” said Sen. Warner, a member of the Finance Committee that oversees the nation’s tax code and a primary author of the broadband provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and American Rescue Plan (ARP). “I appreciate Representatives Panetta and Kelly introducing this legislation in the House of Representatives, and I look forward to working with them to get it over the finish line before the end of the year.”

Since introduction on September 29, 2022, six additional senators – Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Deb Fischer (R-NE) – have signed on to the legislation which would prevent critical broadband investments from counting as taxable income for grant recipients. They join original co-sponsors Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV),

Already supported by NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association and WTA - Advocates for Rural Broadband, the legislation has also received several additional endorsements since introduction.

""We appreciate the leadership of Senators Warner and Moran for their efforts to eliminate the tax on broadband grants,"" said Brandon Heiner, USTelecom Senior Vice President of Government Affairs. ""With an eye toward 100 percent connectivity, Congress made a historic investment in the broadband grant program in 2021. However, requiring grant recipients to return as much as 20 percent of those grants in the form of taxes jeopardizes our shared goal of universal connectivity. It is vital that Congress move to eliminate this tax, as America’s broadband providers carefully plan and prepare to allocate resources to connect as many Americans as possible.""

“CTIA applauds Senators Warner and Moran for their work to protect investments that strengthen and expand broadband infrastructure,"" said CTIA Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Kelly Cole. ""Ensuring grants can be used for their fullest purpose to deploy broadband to unserved and underserved communities is critical to bringing the benefits of connectivity to all Americans.”

“I appreciate Senators Warner and Kaine introducing legislation to prevent the taxation of broadband grants,"" said Bill Franklin, CEO, Scott County Telephone Cooperative. ""One of the requirements for these grants is financial sustainability. This tax burden would make many rural unserved and underserved areas ineligible due to their inability to meet the financial sustainability requirement. I appreciate Senator Warner’s business knowledge and experience to recognize that fact. This legislation will ensure many rural Virginians and rural households across the US get access to reliable and robust broadband!”

Full text of the bill is available here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=B786A51E-CE5E-4FF5-A3C4-591B0B255291,Warner Applauds Inclusion of Key Priorities in Draft of Annual Defense Bill,2022-12-07,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), today applauded the inclusion of a number of Virginia priorities in the draft of the nation’s annual defense bill that was announced late last night after weeks of talks between House and Senate negotiators. A full summary of the draft FY23 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is available here.

“As the Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I’m glad to see an agreement on draft legislation that will help bolster our military readiness, support critical Virginia jobs, tackle the needs of military families, and reinforce our commitment to Ukraine in its fight against authoritarianism. I look forward to considering this legislation in the Senate,” said Sen. Warner.

The proposal supports $857.9 billion in funding for our nation’s defense, and includes a number of Warner-championed provisions that would:

Help provide better housing support for servicemembers and their families. These provisions direct DoD to reevaluate methodologies for calculating the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) to better reflect servicemembers’ housing needs, and look at barriers to home ownership that are unique to members of the military. These provisions are based on two Warner-sponsored bills, the BAH Calculation Improvement Act and the Increasing Home Ownership for Servicemembers Act.

Authorize more than $285 million in funding for 14 military construction projects in Virginia, including in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Dahlgren, Newport News, Ft. Belvoir, Langley, and at the Pentagon.

Accelerate the construction of two new Child Development Centers in Hampton Roads to help provide critical child care for infants and children on installations. This provision mirrors a Congressionally Directed Spending request made by Sen. Warner to help address the larger challenges military families face with the supply of available child care.

Overhaul how the military understands and studies food insecurity among members of in the military. The provision – based on an amendment led in the Senate by Sen. Warner – will improve how the military collects data and analyzes rates of food insecurity among servicemembers and their families, to better measure and more effectively address the concerning issue of food insecurity in the military.

Support the critical work of the U.S. Intelligence Community by including the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (IAA). The IAA allocates funding, provides legal authorities, and enhances congressional oversight of the Intelligence Community.

Bring federal data collection into the 21st century and boost financial transparency by modernizing data collection by the federal financial regulators. This provision is based on Sen. Warner’s Financial Data Transparency Act, which requires these regulators to develop common data formatting standards that promote the usability and organization of financial data they already collect from regulated institutions – rules that will make data easier for the public to use and for agencies to process.

The bill also includes a number of other crucial measures supported by Sen. Warner.

To support investments in our nation’s defense and diplomatic capabilities, this bill would:

Support Navy shipbuilding with $32.6 billion in funding for the procurement of 11 battle force ships, including full funding for the Columbia-class submarine program and for the procurement of two Virginia-class submarines. The bill also would reverse plans for the early retirement of 12 vessels in the coming year.

Support the critical work of the U.S. State Department by advancing funding and a range of provisions vital to supporting our nation’s diplomatic efforts the men and women who work tirelessly to advance those around the world.

Support the work of the U.S. Coast Guard with more than $28 billion in funding.

Authorize nearly $132 million for defense research activities at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions. Last year, Sen. Warner successfully led an effort in the NDAA to better position HBCUs and MSIs to compete for federal research dollars.

For members of the military and their families, this bill would:

Authorize a 4.6 percent pay raise to servicemembers and Department of Defense (DoD) civilians.

Take steps to address the suicide and mental health crisis in the military by directing DoD to undertake more detailed research into mental health and rates of suicide. This provision seeks to provide a better understanding of the different ramifications across military career fields. It also directs an Inspector General review of efforts by the Navy to prevent and respond to suicides in light of deaths in the Hampton Roads region and elsewhere.

Make historic reforms to the military justice system’s handling of certain offenses, including sexual assaults. Following years of tireless effort by advocates, this bill would remove commanders from all prosecutorial and judicial functions for a range of covered offenses. Sen. Warner is a proud sponsor of Sen. Gillibrand’s Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act of 2021, which, combined with bipartisan efforts across both Chambers this year, formed the foundation for these reforms.

Tackle issues with military housing by:

Extending DoD’s authority to raise the Basic Allowance for Housing for military families living in higher-cost areas of the country.

Improving oversight over military housing issues and codifying the position of Chief Housing Officer. Sen. Warner has pushed to have a single, designated lead for housing at DoD to improve accountability to residents as well as Congress, and to promote and increase coordination.

Requiring the Secretary of Defense to implement health-related recommendations made by the Department’s Inspector General related to privatized military housing.

Tackle food insecurity by:

Expanding eligibility for the Basic Needs Allowance to help ensure that all men and women in uniform and their families have the basic necessities they need. The Basic Needs Allowance was created through the Warner-sponsored Military Hunger Prevention Act, and is aimed at combating disturbing rates of food insecurity in the military.

Creating a pilot program to better address rates of food insecurity among veterans. This provision would offer grant funding to organizations that are actively working to address this challenge.

Adding $210 million in authorized funding for the military’s commissary system to help support food access for servicemembers and their families.

Increase access to timely child care for military families who undergo a permanent change of station by creating a pilot program to provide child care-related reimbursement to these families.

For the ongoing effort to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s authoritarianism, this bill would:

Extend the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) – one of the main tools used by the U.S. in support of Ukraine’s defensive needs – and authorize $800 million for this program in the coming fiscal year.

Authorize more than $6 billion to fully fund the European Deterrence Initiative.

Hold Russia accountable for its atrocities by stating that the United States will collect, analyze, and preserve evidence related to Russian war crimes, and will assist in pursuing appropriate accountability for those responsible.

Increase transparency and accountability by taking steps to ensure that Inspectors General are able to adequately conduct oversight of U.S. funding to ensure it is most effectively being applied in support of Ukraine’s efforts.

Express the full commitment of the United States to NATO and to continuing Ukrainian assistance during Russia’s violent and illegal invasion.

Authorize more than $2.7 billion for munitions production capacity, and direct an assessment of our defense industrial base’s capacity long-term.

To bolster our ability to compete in the 21st century, this bill would:

Continue to strengthen U.S.-India relations by directing the Departments of Defense and State to pursue greater engagement and expanded cooperation with India related to emerging technology, joint R&D, defense and cyber capabilities, and other opportunities for collaboration – including for reducing India’s reliance on Russian-built defense equipment. These provisions support an effort by Sen. Warner, co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, to highlight the importance of our defense partnership with India, and to support accelerated efforts by India to diversify defense systems.

Better invest in emerging technologies by boosting funding for basic and applied research and development of advanced tech by $2.85 billion.

Support the commercialization of critical capabilities by authorizing $300 million in funding for new bio-manufacturing facilities.

Authorize an increase of $120 million for 5G technology R&D and transition support.

Authorize an increase of $75 million for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as it looks to implement recommendations put forward by the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (AI). It would also authorize an increase of $50 million for AI at U.S. Cyber Command, and require more strategic, longer-term planning related to DoD’s efforts to rapidly adopt AI to relevant cyber missions.

Support DARPA’s quantum computing activities with an increase of $20 million.

Increase productivity and cooperation in microelectronics by establishing a working group of government, private sector, and academia experts to better enable coordination and consultation related to R&D and manufacturing.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5728,Joint Economic Committee Releases New Report on Economic Benefits of Baby Bonds,2022-12-06,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"The U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC)—led by Chairman Don Beyer (D-VA)—released a new report detailing how automatic child trust accounts, known as “Baby Bonds,” would improve economic opportunity and social mobility for children and families and strengthen the U.S. economy.

Baby Bonds would provide children at birth their own bank account with a specified amount of money. Each year, eligible children would also receive additional funding to help augment their savings. When a child reaches adulthood, these funds could be used to pay for further education, purchasing a home or starting a business—all of which facilitate greater access to wealth building.

More than 7 million families in the U.S. do not have access to a bank account, which leaves households vulnerable to predatory lenders and financial instability. Baby Bonds would also help children and families increase lifetime savings by facilitating connections to banks. This connection is particularly important as research has found that even seemingly small amounts of money in accounts dedicated for children can have an outsized impact on future outcomes. For example, one study found that having a school savings account containing less than $500 tripled the likelihood of attending college and increased the likelihood of graduating by 4.5 times over those that did not have a college savings account.

With the release of the report, Chairman Beyer, released the following statement:

“The transition to adulthood is a challenging time for everyone. Ensuring that children can enter this defining stage of life with a nest egg would open up a world of possibilities and provide new pathways to building wealth,” said JEC Chairman Beyer. “And the positive effects of Baby Bonds are not limited to only the children and families who directly benefit from these accounts: When young adults can pursue education, start businesses and buy homes, it creates economy-wide benefits.”

“Baby Bonds are also powerful tools for reducing economic inequities by providing disadvantaged children with seed money to build a more promising future for themselves and future generations. These kinds of investments would be an important step toward promoting an economy that works for all—not just the wealthiest few.”

Dr. Darrick Hamilton, University Professor and Founding Director of the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at The New School, released the following statement:

“We often think of wealth as an outcome, but it’s true essence is functional. What it can do for you…wealth is as much the beginning as it is the end of an economically secure life. Baby Bonds guarantees a birthright to capital, a nest egg so to speak, for every child, to have a pathway to the prosperity that wealth provides. With Baby Bonds the privilege of wealth would no longer be an exclusive domain of the wealthy.

“We applaud Chair Beyer and JEC’s leadership on building momentum to bring this to the American people.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5729,Virginia Delegation Urges Senate Vote to Remove Time Limit for Ratification of Equal Rights Amendment,2022-12-06,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine led Senator Mark R. Warner and Representatives Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Don Beyer (VA-08), Elaine Luria (VA-02), Abigail Spanberger (VA-07), and Jennifer Wexton (VA-10) in calling for a vote by the full Senate before the end of the 117th Congress to remove the arbitrary time limit for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) after Virginia became the 38th and final state needed to ratify the ERA in 2020. The ERA would finally guarantee full and equal protections to women in the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. House of Representatives has successfully voted multiple times—most recently in 2021—to remove the ratification time limit, but the Senate still needs to act.

“For over 250 years, American women have been denied the same legal rights and protections as men under the law,” wrote the lawmakers in their letter to Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. “This is unacceptable. Women have waited too long for our nation to fulfill its promise of equality.”

The lawmakers continued, “We believe that there should be no time limit on equality… The required 38 states have now ratified the ERA. The House has passed legislation eliminating the time limit for ratification. Now it is up to the Senate to remove any obstacles to certifying the ERA as the 28th amendment. More than a century after women fought for and earned the right to vote, our progress as a nation is incomplete unless all women are able to achieve freedom and equality.”

Warner and Kaine are cosponsors of a joint resolution and bipartisan legislation to remove the ERA ratification time limit.

When Congress first passed the ERA in 1972, it required three-fourths of the states to ratify the amendment within seven years. By 1977, 35 states had ratified the ERA and in 1978, falling short of the rquired 38 states for adoption, Congress extended the time limit an additional three years. Now that Virginia has become the 38th and final state needed to ratify the ERA, the Virginia lawmakers are pushing to extend the ratification time limit to ensure the Virginia General Assembly’s vote to ratify the ERA counts.

Full text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Majority Leader Schumer and Minority Leader McConnell:

We write to you today regarding the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which would expressly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in the United States Constitution. For over 250 years, American women have been denied the same legal rights and protections as men under the law. This is unacceptable. Women have waited too long for our nation to fulfill its promise of equality. We urge you to bring H.J.Res.17, a resolution that would facilitate the ratification of the ERA, to the floor for consideration before the end of the 117th Congress.

When Congress first passed the ERA in 1972, it required three-fourths of the states to ratify the amendment within seven years. By 1977, 35 states had ratified the ERA and in 1978, falling short of the required 38 states for adoption, Congress extended the time limit an additional three years. We are proud that in January 2020 Virginia became the 38th and final state needed to ratify the ERA.

We believe that there should be no time limit on equality. The ERA time limit was contained in a joint resolution’s proposing clause, not in the actual text of the amendment, and Congress has previously voted to extend the time for ERA ratification. H.J.Res.17 would remove this arbitrary time limit entirely and ensure that the final ratifying states are counted.

The required 38 states have now ratified the ERA. The House has passed legislation eliminating the time limit for ratification. Now it is up to the Senate to remove any obstacles to certifying the ERA as the 28th amendment. More than a century after women fought for and earned the right to vote, our progress as a nation is incomplete unless all women are able to achieve freedom and equality. We urge you to immediately move to consider H.J.Res.17 and bring the resolution to a final vote on the Senate floor.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5727,Beyer Statement On Donald Trump’s Demand For “Termination” Of The Constitution,2022-12-03,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) issued the following statement today after former president Donald Trump called for “termination” of the Constitution (archived here) so that he could be reinstated as president:

“Days after he hosted men who praise Hitler and the Nazis for dinner, Donald Trump is calling for ‘termination’ of the United States Constitution’s electoral process so that he can be illegally reinstated to power. Trump’s words and actions are well beyond the bounds of acceptable political discourse, they stoke hatred and political violence, and they are dangerous.

“Every Member of Congress swore an oath to ‘defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.’ Donald Trump has openly declared himself an enemy of the Constitution, and Republicans must repudiate him. You cannot remain loyal to the United States and the ideals on which this country was founded while supporting open subversion of the Constitution. This is a basic test of patriotism.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-november-jobs-report-4,Scott Statement on November Jobs Report,2022-12-02,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Robert C. ""Bobby"" Scott",S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,bobbyscott,https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"As originally released by the Committee on Education & Labor

WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 263,000 jobs in November and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent. Under the previous administration, the pre-pandemic average (seasonally adjusted) number of jobs added was 186,000. Under President Biden, the average (seasonally adjusted) number of jobs added is 479,000 – over 2.5 times the previous Administration’s pre-pandemic average.

“Today’s jobs report is just another example of how the Biden-Harris Administration and Congressional Democrats delivered for the American people over the last two years.

“In December of 2020, our nation’s unemployment rate was almost seven percent and our economy was reeling from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, Congressional Democrats and the Biden-Harris Administration passed key, evidence-based legislation to provide critical relief and support for workers and their families. These legislative victories helped add more than 10.5 million jobs to the economy; recover all of the jobs lost during the Trump Administration; save the pensions of over one million workers; deliver the largest, one-time federal investment in K-12 education in U.S. history; reduce health care premiums under the Affordable Care Act and drug costs for seniors; achieve the largest reduction in childhood poverty ever recorded in a single year; and reduce food shortages among households with children by more than 40 percent in less than 6 months. In short, we helped workers, families, and our economy not only recover from the pandemic, but build back even stronger.

“In the 118th Congress, we must continue to put people over politics and advance meaningful policies that put the needs of workers and families first. Workers across the country are counting on us to secure their right to join a union, ensure equal pay for equal work, improve workplace health and safety, expand high-quality workforce development opportunities, and ensure they can provide for themselves and their families. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the new Congress to help all Americans, not just the wealthy few.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=3433FF86-21BB-42E4-A06F-A5D0AF87D7B7,Sen. Warner Kicks Off the Holiday Season with Tree Trimming Party,2022-12-02,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD BROADCAST-QUALITY PHOTOGRAPHY, AUDIO, AND VIDEO FROM SEN. WARNER'S TREE DECORATION

SANTA’S WORKSHOP (WASHINGTON) – Christmas cheer has spread to the Senate! Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) welcomed students from Dumfries Elementary School to his Capitol Hill office to kick off the holiday season with carols, milk and cookies, and decoration of the office Christmas tree. This year’s tree, a 12-foot Fraser fir, is from Mt. Rogers Tree Farm in Grayson County, Va.

The fifth-graders helped Sen. Warner decorate his tree with homemade ornaments before serenading members of his staff with classic carols such as “Jingle Bells” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

This holiday tradition has been held annually, and Sen. Warner was thrilled to once again host students following a two-year pandemic pause.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5726,Joint Economic Committee Report: Expanded Child Tax Credit Drove Largest-Ever Drop in Child Poverty,2022-12-01,2022,2022-12,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC)—led by Chairman Don Beyer (D-VA)—released a new report that highlights how the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) drove the largest-ever decline in child poverty in a single year in 2021. Child poverty fell to 5.2%, the lowest rate on record according to Census Bureau measures, and data show the CTC expansion was the single-largest contributor to the reduction.

As part of the American Rescue Plan, the value of the CTC was dramatically increased from $2,000 per child to up to $3,600 per child under age 6 and to $3,000 per child between age 6 and 17 in 2021, and it was made fully refundable to ensure the lowest-income families could receive the full value of the credit. To help families meet their needs in real time, half of the credit was distributed via monthly payments, and the remainder of the credit was distributed via families’ annual tax returns. Over 36 million families with more than 61 million children received monthly payments in 2021, and data showed that families spent the monthly CTC payments primarily on food, internet and other utilities, mortgage and rent payments, clothing and education costs, among other household needs. Almost immediately, the expanded CTC reduced financial hardship and food insufficiency.

Among the report’s key findings:

The CTC lifted 5.3 million people—including 2.9 million children—out of poverty in 2021, and just the expansion of the CTC alone lifted 2.1 million children out of poverty. The CTC also helped reduce the percentage of children living in near-poverty by one-third.

Making the credit fully refundable was the main driver of the expanded CTC’s child poverty reduction and helped 19 million more children—including 45% of Black children and 39% of Hispanic children—become eligible for the full credit.

The expanded CTC drove significant declines in child poverty across racial and ethnic groups, particularly among Black and Hispanic households. Child poverty rates fell by more than half among Black children and more than 40% among Hispanic children from 2020 to 2021.

The tax credit also created significant benefits for local economies: According to a previous JEC analysis, every $1 in CTC payments generated $1.25 in local economic activity. Other analysis found that the CTC expansion would boost consumer spending by $27 billion, generating $1.9 billion in revenues from state and local sales taxes and supporting over 500,000 full-time jobs.

With the release of the report, JEC Chairman Beyer released the following statement:

“The expansion of the Child Tax Credit, included in the American Rescue Plan, remains one of the largest-ever single-year tax cuts for families with children and drove the largest-ever decline in child poverty. These were investments in the health and well-being of our nation’s children—who represent our collective future—and promoted financial security in households across the country.

“The historic expansion of the CTC wasn’t just good for families—it was good for our entire economy. Paving the way for economic growth and shared prosperity is at the heart of our duties as Members of Congress, and these kinds of investments in children are essential. They have been proven time again to more than pay for themselves through improved educational attainment, better health outcomes and higher future earnings, and they are the kinds of smart investments that will pay dividends for decades to come.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=54FFCE3C-2732-44A9-865C-53F51397F772,Statement of U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine on Vote to Avert Rail Shutdown,2022-12-01,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement after the Senate voted to avert a rail shutdown:

“We’re relieved that we averted a rail shutdown, which would have had disastrous consequences on our economy right before the holidays. But we’re disappointed that our colleagues rejected a separate bill we supported to provide sick days for our rail workers. The workers who keep our trains and economy running are invaluable. They need and deserve paid sick leave. Especially after COVID, the notion of seven days of paid sick leave for full-time workers is basic common sense. It keeps coworkers and customers healthier when sick employees are able to take time off to attend to their health needs. And this adds to the productivity of workplaces. We will continue to look for ways to protect workers.”

Sens. Warner and Kaine voted for both the bill to avert a rail shutdown and the bill to provide paid sick leave for rail workers.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=89266FCA-D772-40E9-BF52-4C4618ED525C,Sens. Warner & Kaine Applaud Committee Passage of Nomination of Jamar Walker for the Eastern District of Virginia,2022-12-01,2022,2022-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee approved President Biden’s nomination of Mr. Jamar Walker to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia:

“After proudly recommending Mr. Jamar Walker to the Biden Administration for the vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, we’re pleased the Senate Judiciary Committee voted today to advance his nomination. We remain confident he will serve Virginia and our country with great distinction and urge the full Senate to confirm him as soon as possible.”

In March 2022, Sens. Warner and Kaine sent a letter to President Biden recommending candidates, including Mr. Jamar Walker, for the vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia following Judge Raymond A. Jackson’s decision to take senior status in November 2021. Warner and Kaine recommend these individuals based on their distinguished records and the advice of an independent panel of attorneys from across the Commonwealth. The President announced his nomination of Mr. Walker in July 2022.

Mr. Walker’s nomination is now subject to confirmation by the full Senate.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-leads-house-passage-bipartisan-justice-and-mental-health,Scott Leads House Passage of Bipartisan Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act,2022-11-30,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Robert C. ""Bobby"" Scott",S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,bobbyscott,https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last night, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) led House passage of the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act. Congressman Scott introduced this bipartisan legislation in the House with Representatives Steve Chabot (OH-01), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX- 18), and Tom Emmer (MN-06). Congressman Scott’s floor remarks, as delivered, can be found below.

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act. The Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) is authorized through the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act, or MIOTCRA, legislation that I was proud to work on nearly 20 years ago as then-Ranking Member of the Crime Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee. This legislation has been proven to successfully connect state and local governments with necessary resources to plan and implement initiatives designed to increase public safety, save tax dollars on ineffective or even counterproductive incarceration, and improve the lives of people with mental illness and their families.

“These grants for states and localities allow for the development of programming that connects those with mental illness and substance use issues with evidence-based and comprehensive treatment within the criminal justice system. Each year there are about two million people with serious mental illnesses admitted to jails across the nation. In fact, according to the National Alliance on Mental Alliance, 44 percent of those in jails and 37 percent of those in prisons, have a history of mental illness. Furthermore, once incarcerated, individuals with mental illness tend to stay in jail longer, and upon release are at a higher risk of returning to incarceration than those without mental illnesses.

“These grants encourage collaboration between law enforcement and health care providers. The reforms to this program included in this reauthorization are centered on reducing suicide, increasing access to case management services, bolstering the roles of co-responder and crisis intervention teams, and continuing strong support of mental health courts. This bill recognizes that prevention is the best investment in the criminal justice system for long-term success and cost savings.

“This legislation is a result of the hard work of many including state government organizations, mental health organizations, and law enforcement organizations. I would like to thank them all and my colleagues that have led this effort with me – Representatives Chabot, Jackson Lee, and Emmer, of course the chairman of the committee Mr. Nadler, as well as Senators Cornyn, Klobuchar, Moran, Durbin, Grassley, Whitehouse, Tillis, and Cortez Masto.

“Mr. Speaker, I hope that my colleagues will join me in supporting the reauthorization of the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program so we can get this to President Biden’s desk before the end of the year.”

Click HERE to view Congressman Scott’s remarks.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5725,Beyer Statement On The Passing Of Congressman A. Donald McEachin,2022-11-29,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today issued the following statement:

“The loss of Donald McEachin is heartbreaking.

“We have been friends for many years, and in all the time I’ve known him he has been a fighter. He fought for families, for children, and for the needy. As a public servant he fought for his community and his constituents. Even as he became one of the leading champions for environmental justice in Congress, he was fighting a quiet, difficult battle with cancer.

“Donald McEachin was a great son of Virginia, and his absence will leave a hole that cannot be repaired. I send my condolences to all who loved him, especially his wife Colette and their children.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=77796F5B-0136-4E26-9F83-B48396054232,Statement of U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner on Senate Passage of the Respect for Marriage Act,2022-11-29,2022,2022-11,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement after the Senate voted to pass the Respect for Marriage Act, legislation that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and extend federal protections for gay and interracial marriages:

“Marriage is not only a spiritual bond between two individuals, it’s also a binding contract that cements essential benefits, rights, and privileges. This bill will ensure that gay marriages are recognized across the country, thereby protecting same-sex couples from discrimination that would otherwise block their access to health care, paid family medical leave, hospital visitation, and parental rights — among many others. I was proud to vote for this piece of legislation and urge my colleagues in the House of Representatives to pass it and send it to the President’s desk soon.

“This is a meaningful step to protect rights already established by the Obergefell ruling, but Virginia still has a ban on same-sex marriages at the state level, and it’s time to repeal it.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:38:01Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=91E15B27-F08F-4C9B-981A-D1D8D3D2DEA3,"Warner, Kaine Urge USDA to Update Standards for Commercial Dog Breeding Facilities",2022-11-29,2022,2022-11,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and 21 Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack urging him to update standards for commercial breeding facilities regulated under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). In the letter, the Senators call on Secretary Vilsack to implement the strong standards for veterinary care, housing, and breeding of dogs suggested in the Puppy Protection Act, legislation that Sens. Warner and Kaine have consistently cosponsored.

“We write to request that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) consider updating its standards of care for dogs living in commercial breeding facilities regulated under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA),” wrote the Senators. “This Congress, we introduced the Puppy Protection Act (S. 1385), which would amend the AWA and provide several critical updates for the humane treatment of dogs by licensed breeders operating in the United States. The legislation would ensure dogs receive adequate housing, caging, feeding and watering, human and other animal socialization, and veterinary care.”

They continued, “American consumers assume that ‘USDA-licensed’ dog dealers meet high standards for raising dogs. However, too many American consumers have been disappointed to find out their dog lived in substandard conditions before purchase, and often deal with the repercussions of a sick puppy once they’ve purchased the dog. We are hopeful that USDA will take the long-overdue step of ensuring its regulatory standards of care for dogs meet the expectations and demands of the American public.”

Sen. Warner, a dog owner, has been an advocate for dogs in Virginia and throughout the country, earning a 100% on the Humane Society of the United States’ Humane Scorecard for 2021. In March, Sen. Warner secured the passage of new language requiring the Department of State to report on the status of dogs in the Explosive Detection Canine Program (EDCP). This program came under scrutiny in 2019 after an Inspector General (IG) report found that the Department failed to conduct proper follow-up after sending highly-trained dogs to foreign partner nations, resulting in the death of at least ten dogs from largely preventable illnesses. As Governor of Virginia, Kaine signed a law that imposed stricter legal penalties for dogfighting offenses.

A copy of the letter is available here and full text is below:

Dear Secretary Vilsack,

We write to request that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) consider updating its standards of care for dogs living in commercial breeding facilities regulated under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). These updates are necessary to ensure breeding facilities provide dogs with proper care.

This Congress, we introduced the Puppy Protection Act (S. 1385), which would amend the AWA and provide several critical updates for the humane treatment of dogs by licensed breeders operating in the United States. The legislation would ensure dogs receive adequate housing, caging, feeding and watering, human and other animal socialization, and veterinary care.

USDA has the authority to update these standards, and most responsible breeders are already meeting them. More than half of the dog breeders regulated by USDA already reside in states with laws that prescribe higher standards of care, including Ohio, Missouri, and Pennsylvania.

American consumers assume that “USDA-licensed” dog dealers meet high standards for raising dogs. However, too many American consumers have been disappointed to find out their dog lived in substandard conditions before purchase, and often deal with the repercussions of a sick puppy once they’ve purchased the dog. We are hopeful that USDA will take the long-overdue step of ensuring its regulatory standards of care for dogs meet the expectations and demands of the American public.

The need for increased standards of care for dogs in USDA-licensed facilities is evident through strong congressional support for the Puppy Protection Act. We encourage USDA to update its regulatory standards of care to embrace the requirements embedded within this bill.

While we commend USDA for its efforts to ensure that dogs and puppies are better protected under the AWA, we urge the agency to ensure the way dogs are cared for in USDA regulated facilities meets the expectations of the American public. Thank you again for your consideration of this important issue.

Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:38:01Z
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-passing-congressman-donald-mceachin,Scott Statement on the Passing of Congressman Donald McEachin,2022-11-28,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Robert C. ""Bobby"" Scott",S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,bobbyscott,https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the passing of Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04):

“It was with the deepest sadness that I learned of the passing of my colleague and friend Donald McEachin. Throughout his career of public service in the Virginia House of Delegates, the Senate of Virginia and the U.S. House of Representatives, Donald was a relentless champion for all Virginians and our Commonwealth. He was the son of an Army veteran and a public-school teacher and grew up in the area that he would go on to represent in the Virginia General Assembly and the United States Congress.

“Donald was a thoughtful and principled legislator and respected by people on both sides of the aisle. He was also a trail blazing figure in Virginia politics – being the first African-American nominee of a major party for Virginia Attorney General and only the third African-American elected to Congress from Virginia. Donald was resolute in pushing Virginia to lead the way in climate policy. He was also one of Congress’s strongest champions for environmental justice, fighting to ensure that our most vulnerable communities have access to clean air and water. The Commonwealth and our nation have lost one of its most dedicated public servants and fiercest advocates for justice and equality.

“I want to offer my deepest condolences to his wife Colette, their three children, his friends, staff and the countless individuals positively impacted by his life.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=450CCAD6-1D89-4FF3-8301-5217E347667E,Statement of U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner on the Passing of U.S. Rep. A. Donald McEachin,2022-11-28,2022,2022-11,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement:

“Donald and Colette McEachin have been wonderful friends to me and Lisa for more than thirty years. We often bonded over stories and laughs about our mutual challenges raising families with three strong-willed daughters.

“Up until the very end, Don was a fighter. Even though he battled cancer and faced other trials in recent years, he never lost his focus on social and environmental justice. Tonight, Virginia has lost a great leader and I have lost a great friend.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:38:01Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5721,Beyer Statement on COP27 Agreement,2022-11-23,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), co-chair of the Safe Climate Caucus, today issued the following statement on the COP27 United Nations Climate Change Conference:

“I’m glad to see progress on fighting climate change at COP27. The creation of a climate fund to help developing nations bear the costs caused by the climate crisis is long-sought progress,” said Rep. Beyer. “At the same time, we hoped for more concrete commitments on fighting emissions, and those hopes unfortunately were frustrated in Egypt. The lack of advancement on this front following the success at Glasgow remains a major challenge for the world community in years to come. I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration and Climate Envoy John Kerry for their leadership on climate, and will continue to press with my colleagues for sustained action to fight climate change.”

Beyer attended the COP26 Conference in Glasgow as part of a Congressional Delegation led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi in November, 2021.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5723,Beyer Statement On Ways And Means Victory In Trump v. Committee on Ways and Means,2022-11-23,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), who serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, issued the following statement today after the U.S. Supreme Court denied Donald Trump’s request to block the release of his tax returns to the Committee:

“The courts have again affirmed the principle that Donald Trump is not above the law. Trump fought with every tool at his disposal to prevent the lawful disclosure to Congress of information he once promised to make public, but the law was clearly against him.

“For over three years the Ways and Means Committee has pursued this avenue of legitimate oversight to inform important legislative action. That work remains before us. Given the long delays and the necessity those delays have created for congressional action on a short time timetable, the Treasury Department and the IRS must comply with court rulings and with the law and furnish the tax information requested by Chairman Neal with all possible haste.”

“I commend Chairman Neal, Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Pascrell, and our other colleagues and staff for their dogged persistence in this important matter. Our legal and constitutional authorities were always clear, and though this moment was long delayed, I did not doubt we would win this case – but I am still very happy with the victory.”

The Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means is empowered to request and receive individual tax information from the IRS by section 6103 of the U.S. tax code (subsection f, p. 3163). The law states [(f)(1)] that “the Secretary shall furnish such committee with any return or return information specified in such request,” and further specifies [(f)(4)] that the Ways and Means Chair “acting directly, or by or through such examiners or agents as the chairman of such committee… may designate or appoint, to inspect returns and return information at such time and in such manner as may be determined by such chairman.”

Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal initially requested the individual tax returns of Donald Trump for the years 2013-2018, along with tax returns filed by other Trump LLC’s, trusts, and corporate entities for the same years, on April 3, 2019.

Congress created the section 6103 authority a century ago in response to the Teapot Dome bribery scandal, which led to the investigation and ultimate imprisonment of a member of the presidential cabinet. The authority was used during Watergate as the basis for “various requests to the IRS for confidential taxpayer information of President Nixon and others” in 1973 and 1974.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-mass-shooting-chesapeake,Scott Statement on Mass Shooting in Chesapeake,2022-11-23,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Robert C. ""Bobby"" Scott",S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,bobbyscott,https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement:

""The news of last night’s shooting in Chesapeake is a tragic shock for the Hampton Roads community. While I am thankful for the swift response of local law enforcement and the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, nothing will bring back those who have had their lives needlessly cut short. It is imperative that we ensure our communities and nation are better safeguarded against this sort of violence, as any life lost to gun violence is one too many. I have been in touch with the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice to ensure that the City of Chesapeake has all the federal support and resources it needs, especially victims counseling services. My sincere condolences go to those affected and their families as we attempt to grapple with this senseless act of violence, particularly so close to the holidays.""

For those who were affected by the shooting in Chesapeake, resources are available from the DOJ and can be found here: https://ovc.ojp.gov/resources-and-support-victims-chesapeake-virginia#r4dere

# # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-extension-student-loan-pause-0,Scott Statement on Extension of Student Loan Pause,2022-11-22,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Robert C. ""Bobby"" Scott",S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,bobbyscott,https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"As originally released by the Committee on Education & Labor

WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Biden-Harris administration announced that it will extend the pause on student loan repayment, collections, and interest accrual.

“Extending the pause on student loan repayments will give borrowers some stability while President Biden’s student loan relief program remains blocked due to lawsuits from Republican Attorneys General. This extension will prevent borrowers from making payments on a loan that could potentially be forgiven, depending on the Supreme Court's decision. With today’s announcement, the Biden-Harris Administration is continuing its track record of providing student loan borrowers with the support they need.""

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=15CDA587-973E-4833-B417-5A29F035174F,"Following New Investigation, Warner & Slotkin Press Google on Misrepresentation in Ads Targeted to Users Searching for Abortion Services",2022-11-22,2022,2022-11,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) wrote to Sundar Pichai – the CEO of Alphabet Inc. and its subsidiary Google – urging him to curb deceptive advertisements and ensure that users receive accurate information when searching for abortion services on the platform. This letter comes on the heels of an investigation that reveals how Google regularly fails to apply disclaimer labels to misleading ads by anti-abortion clinics. It also follows a successful effort by Sen. Warner and Rep. Slotkin who previously urged Google to take action to prevent misleading search results for anti-abortion clinics. This push ultimately led Google to clearly label facilities that provide abortions and prevent users from being misled by fake clinics or crisis pregnancy centers.

“We are encouraged by and appreciative of the recent steps Google has taken to protect those searching for abortion services from being mistakenly directed to clinics that do not offer comprehensive reproductive health services. However, we ask you to address issues with misrepresentation in advertising on Google’s site and take a more expansive, proactive approach to addressing violations of Google’s stated policy,” wrote the lawmakers.

“According to an investigation by Bloomberg News and the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), depending on the search term used, Google does not consistently apply disclaimer labels to ads by anti-abortion clinics. CCDH recently conducted searches that returned 132 misleading ads for such clinics that lacked disclaimers. Specifically, researchers found that queries for terms such as ‘Plan C pills,’ ‘pregnancy help,’ and ‘Planned Parenthood’ often returned results with ads that are not labeled accurately,” they continued. “Furthermore, the Tech Transparency Project found that some ads from ‘crisis pregnancy centers,’ even when they were properly labeled, the ads themselves included deliberately deceptive verbiage aimed at tricking users into believing that they offer abortion services. For example, ads for ‘crisis pregnancy centers’ were found to contain language such as ‘Free Abortion Pill’ and ‘First Trimester Abortion.’ Such deceptive advertising likely reduces the effectiveness of labels and may lead to detrimental health outcomes for users who receive delayed treatment.”

In addition to urging Google to rectify these issues, the lawmakers also requested answers to the following questions:

What specific search terms does Google consider related to “getting an abortion”?

What criteria does Google use to determine whether specific queries are related to “getting an abortion”?

What additional steps will Google take to identify and remove ads with misleading verbiage that violates Google’s policies against misrepresentation?

A copy of the letter is available here and full text of the letter can be found below:

Dear Mr. Pichai,

We write today regarding the responsibility that Google has to ensure users receive accurate information when searching for abortion services on your platform. We are encouraged by and appreciative of the recent steps Google has taken to protect those searching for abortion services from being mistakenly directed to clinics that do not offer comprehensive reproductive health services. However, we ask you to address issues with misrepresentation in advertising on Google’s site and take a more expansive, proactive approach to addressing violations of Google’s stated policy.

On June 17, 2022, we wrote to you, along with 19 other senators and representatives, regarding research that showed Google results for searches such as “abortion services near me” often included links to clinics that are anti-abortion, sometimes called “crisis pregnancy centers.” We were extremely concerned with this practice of directing users toward “crisis pregnancy centers” without any disclaimer indicating those businesses do not provide abortions.

We were pleased to see the changes you have made in response to our letter, such as the new refinement tool that allows users to only see facilities verified to offer abortion services, while still preserving the option to see a broader range of search results. The steps you have taken will help prevent users from mistakenly being sent to organizations that attempt to deceive individuals into thinking they provide comprehensive health services and instead, regularly provide users with disinformation regarding the risks of abortion. As many states are increasingly narrowing the window between getting a positive pregnancy test and when you can terminate a pregnancy, every day counts.

But we find ourselves again asking that Google live up to its promises with regards to preventing misleading ads on its platform. According to an investigation by Bloomberg News and the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), depending on the search term used, Google does not consistently apply disclaimer labels to ads by anti-abortion clinics. CCDH recently conducted searches that returned 132 misleading ads for such clinics that lacked disclaimers. Specifically, researchers found that queries for terms such as “Plan C pills,” “pregnancy help,” and “Planned Parenthood” often returned results with ads that are not labeled accurately. We believe Google’s failure to apply disclaimer labels to these common searches appears to be a violation of your June 2019 policy that requires “advertisers who want to run ads using keywords related to getting an abortion” to go through a verification process and be labeled as a provider that “Provides abortions” or “Does not provide abortions.”

Furthermore, the Tech Transparency Project found that some ads from “crisis pregnancy centers,” even when they were properly labeled, the ads themselves included deliberately deceptive verbiage aimed at tricking users into believing that they offer abortion services. For example, ads for “crisis pregnancy centers” were found to contain language such as “Free Abortion Pill” and “First Trimester Abortion.” Such deceptive advertising likely reduces the effectiveness of labels and may lead to detrimental health outcomes for users who receive delayed treatment. These ads appear to violate Google’s policy on misrepresentation, which prohibits ads that “deceive users.” Your responsiveness to our first letter gives us hope that you are willing to see this issue through. We, therefore, would appreciate answers to the following questions:

What specific search terms does Google consider related to “getting an abortion”?

What criteria does Google use to determine whether specific queries are related to “getting an abortion”?

What additional steps will Google take to identify and remove ads with misleading verbiage that violates Google’s policies against misrepresentation?

We urge you to take proactive action to rectify these and any additional issues surrounding misleading ads, and help ensure users receive search results that accurately address their queries and are relevant to their intentions.

Thanks for your consideration, and we look forward to your timely response.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:38:01Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5720,Virginia Democratic Delegation Urges General Assembly to Enshrine Right to an Abortion in Virginia Constitution,2022-11-21,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, U.S. Rep. A. Donald McEachin (VA-04), along with U.S. Reps. Jennifer Wexton (VA-10), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Abigail Spanberger (VA-07), Elaine Luria (VA-02), Don Beyer (VA-08), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) sent a letter to the Virginia General Assembly, urging for prompt action to be taken to protect abortion access for all Virginians.

This letter comes after the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which undermined reproductive health care and stripped away the constitutional right to choose. Since that ruling, several states have moved to further restrict or ban abortion access.

“We are also concerned that Governor Youngkin has indicated that he plans to take Virginia in a similar direction. Shortly after Dobbs was decided, he directed Republican members of the General Assembly to craft legislation to significantly limit abortion access in Virginia,” wrote the lawmakers. “Attacks on reproductive freedom disproportionately impact vulnerable populations, including low-income women, women of color, young Americans, and individuals living in rural communities.”

During the midterm elections, voters in states across the nation rejected extreme abortion bans. Furthermore, Virginians largely support the right to choose with sixty-seven percent saying that abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

“Given the unprecedented assault on reproductive rights, it is imperative that the right to abortion be enshrined in the Virginia Constitution and codified in Congress,” continued the lawmakers. “We urge you to advance legislation that would allow these rights to be codified into the Virginia Constitution, and we will continue to work to codify reproductive freedom at the federal level.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5718,"Beyer, Newman Introduce Legislation To Establish Older Workers’ Bureau",2022-11-18,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA) and Marie Newman (D-IL), today introduced the Older Workers Bureau Act, which would establish an Older Workers’ Bureau under the Department of Labor. The bureau would be tasked with identifying challenges facing workers aged 55 and up, and guiding future policy to support the welfare of older workers.

“As more Americans work into their later years and workplace conditions evolve, older workers face unique challenges such as age discrimination, work-limiting health conditions, and financially preparing for retirement,” said Rep. Beyer. “These workers need and deserve a unified source of information and support, which at present does not exist. The establishment of an Older Workers’ Bureau would provide a new, central office dedicated to supporting our older workers and ensuring they have the resources they need to be successful.”

“Every American deserves to live with the dignity that comes with an honest day’s work. Yet, older Americans face enormous barriers and outright discrimination as they seek employment in an ever-changing economy,” said Congresswoman Marie Newman. “Now more than ever, as older Americans contemplate returning to a post-Covid workplace, we must equip them with the tools and resources to be successful. Their rich experiences, knowledge, and skillsets are an asset to any company or industry. An Older Workers’ Bureau will help us get these job seekers back to work.”

Specifically, the Older Workers’ Bureau Act would authorize $7M per year for the new Bureau to support older workers by promoting their welfare, improving working conditions, increasing efficiency, and advancing the employment opportunities. Specifically, the bill would:

Provide research and coordination relating to issues facing older workers;

Develop potential policy solutions;

Provide outreach and education to institutions; and

Administer grant programs to expand research into older workers and to combat structural ageism in the workplace.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that between 1995 and 2020, the share of older workers more than doubled to nearly 25% from 12%. It also found that of the 9 million jobs expected to be added to the economy by 2030, more than half, 4.7 million, will be filled by workers over the age of 55.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5715,Statement of U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner & Tim Kaine & U.S. Reps. Don Beyer & Jennifer Wexton,2022-11-17,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine along with U.S. Reps. Don Beyer and Jennifer Wexton (all D-VA) released the following statement today, five years after the shooting death of Bijan Ghaisar:

“Today marks five years since Bijan was shot and killed by U.S. Park Police. While we appreciate that the current leadership of the Department of the Interior has taken several positive steps to ensure that the failures that led to the tragic death of this young man don’t happen again, we remain deeply disappointed that the Ghaisar family’s pleas for justice and closure have not yet been answered. Bijan’s friends and family deserve closure for the killing of Bijan, which includes making sure that the individuals responsible for his death are finally held accountable.

“Investigations involving use of force should be handled in a timely manner and include constant information sharing with the families involved and the public. Failure to do so undermines public trust in law enforcement and our institutions. It is our sincere hope that through increased transparency and communication, the Ghaisar family will finally receive the closure they need.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5716,Beyer Statement On Speaker Nancy Pelosi,2022-11-17,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today issued the following statement:

“Nancy Pelosi is one of the greatest and most consequential leaders in American history.

“It is hard to overstate her legacy as a warrior for the downtrodden and the needy, a fighter for American families, and a committed public servant who helped make this country better. Her accomplishments in two decades as Democratic leader, including historic legislation on health care, on climate, on building a fairer economy, and in so many other areas, have materially improved the lives of people in this country and around the world, and will continue to do so for decades to come.

“The name ‘Nancy Pelosi’ is an indelible part of the House of Representatives as an institution, and will remain so long after her eventual departure. As a barrier-breaking party leader she has endured misogyny and threats of violence few others in her position ever faced, and through it all remained one of the strongest Speakers the Congress has ever known. She has been a guide, mentor, and teacher for generations of lawmakers, and it is hard to imagine the House without her.

""I look forward to continuing to work with Nancy Pelosi for as long as she remains a member of this body, and I thank her for her service to the United States of America.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-proposed-improvements-wic-food-packages,Scott Statement on Proposed Improvements to WIC Food Packages,2022-11-17,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Robert C. ""Bobby"" Scott",S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,bobbyscott,https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"As originally released by the Committee on Education & Labor

WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service announced proposed updates to strengthen food assistance for participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.

“The Food and Nutrition Service’s (FNS) proposed rule makes critical improvements to the Special Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). By advancing a science-based review of the foods available and expanding options that align with dietary guidelines, more families will be able to access the food they need to live healthier lives. These steps are particularly important considering the continued inequities in access to nutritious food and disproportionate impact of diet-related conditions in low-income areas.

“Today’s announcement is further evidence that the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to helping every family put nutritious food on the table.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=30D82216-CF6E-408D-B31E-D3482FD159E4,Statement On the 5-Year Anniversary of the Death of Bijan Ghaisar,2022-11-17,2022,2022-11,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine along with U.S. Reps. Don Beyer and Jennifer Wexton (all D-VA) released the following statement today, five years after the shooting death of Bijan Ghaisar:

“Today marks five years since Bijan was shot and killed by U.S. Park Police. While we appreciate that the current leadership of the Department of the Interior has taken several positive steps to ensure that the failures that led to the tragic death of this young man don’t happen again, we remain deeply disappointed that the Ghaisar family’s pleas for justice and closure have not yet been answered. Bijan’s friends and family deserve closure for the killing of Bijan, which includes making sure that the individuals responsible for his death are finally held accountable.

“Investigations involving use of force should be handled in a timely manner and include constant information sharing with the families involved and the public. Failure to do so undermines public trust in law enforcement and our institutions. It is our sincere hope that through increased transparency and communication, the Ghaisar family will finally receive the closure they need.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:38:01Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5713,Science Committee Members Celebrate Successful Launch of Artemis I,2022-11-16,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Artemis I, the first integrated Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion crew vehicle, successfully launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, beginning its four to six-week mission. The Artemis I mission is an uncrewed flight test that will demonstrate the performance of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft that will eventually carry astronauts to and from deep space destinations. The mission will test our capabilities to orbit the Moon and return to Earth and will build a foundation for future human exploration of deep space.

“Today’s Artemis I launch success is a big step forward for human space exploration,” said Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX). “Thanks to the hard work of everyone at NASA and their partners, we are one step closer to achieving our goal of returning American astronauts to the Moon. As Chairwoman of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I have been a steadfast supporter of our human space exploration program, and I look forward to our nation’s return to the Moon in preparation for future human missions to Mars. Artemis I is an extraordinary product of American ingenuity and collaboration. Every state in the U.S. has had a part in helping to build Artemis, and their efforts will help to ensure we remain leaders in space exploration. Congratulations to NASA, its employees, and its international and contractor partners on this launch success. I wish you all the best of luck and look forward to watching this mission unfold.”

“Today is a historic occasion,” said Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK). “For the first time in more than a generation, we launched an American ship to the Moon. It’s the first step towards returning Americans to the Moon and eventually beginning our crewed journey to Mars. The Artemis program has been a high priority for the Science Committee, and I’m so proud to see it come to fruition. American leadership in space is so much bigger than just hitting milestones. It enables scientific research, drives technological innovation, and provides inspiration for our next generation of scientists and engineers. And American space leadership ensures exploration is conducted openly and in collaboration with our allies, and it allows scientific discoveries to be shared globally. Artemis I is the start of the next era of human space exploration, and I’m incredibly proud of NASA and the many talented people who made this launch possible.”

“The successful launch of Artemis I is an incredible, historic moment for NASA and for the United States,” said Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Chairman Don Beyer (D-VA). “I still remember the sense of wonder and awe we felt as a nation watching the exploits of the Mercury Seven, the progress of Project Gemini, and the incredible achievements of the Apollo program. NASA and our space program are providing that sense of wonder all over again with Artemis, the Perseverance and Ingenuity missions on Mars, the launch and deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope, and so much more. With today’s launch, Artemis I is on course to complete successful tests of the integrated Space Launch System and the Orion crew module, which will take us back to the Moon and lay the groundwork for the human exploration of Mars. I send my profound thanks and congratulations to all at NASA and their partners whose tireless efforts over more than a decade made this possible, and look forward to continued work in Congress to support their work.”

“Over 60 years ago, America launched the most daring exploration program mankind had ever seen, cementing our leadership in space,” said Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Ranking Member Brian Babin (R-TX). “Today, we once again capture the world’s attention by venturing back to the Moon with the pursuit of going even further, where no one has gone before. Our successful launch of Artemis I is a remarkable feat made possible by so many brilliant minds across the country, including hard-working men and women at Johnson Space Center. As a longtime supporter of the Artemis program, I want to congratulate everyone involved in this launch and wish you a successful mission. Today, we go to the Moon. Tomorrow, to Mars and beyond.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=2A625877-7E38-4D84-A3D3-E812BF173908,Warner & Kaine Announce $5 Million in Federal Funding to Expand High-Speed Internet Access in Virginia,2022-11-16,2022,2022-11,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $4,999,975.50 in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program funding for planning broadband expansion projects in the Commonwealth. Awarded to Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, this first phase of funding will allow Virginia to develop their plans for deploying funding made available under the bipartisan infrastructure law to expand access to high-speed internet.

“Last year, we passed once-in-a-generation funding for infrastructure projects across the country, and we’ve heard from communities across the Commonwealth about the difference these resources will make, from fixing unsafe bridges to modernizing our local airports,” the Senators said. “But in the twenty-first century, infrastructure doesn’t stop at roads and bridges—it must include access to broadband. That’s why we fought to make sure the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would also help close the digital divide in Virginia and provide access to affordable, reliable broadband to every corner of the Commonwealth.”

The BEAD program, created and funded by thebipartisan infrastructure law which Sen. Warner negotiated and Sen. Kaine supported, will support Virginia’s development of a Five-Year Action Plan to deploy universal broadband. Specifically, the grant will support planning and pre-deployment activities in the Commonwealth including providing technical assistance to sub grantees and further developing plans to build broadband capacity In rural and underserved areas.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long fought to expand access to broadband in Virginia. During negotiations for thebipartisan infrastructure law, Sen. Warner secured $65 billion in funding to help deploy broadband, increase access, and decrease costs associated with connecting to the internet. The BEAD Program was created and funded through this landmark legislation and provides $42.45 billion to expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment and adoption programs in all states and territories.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:38:01Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=0C0044EF-FC37-4256-B4D8-BE1557B73D7A,Senate Intel Chairman Mark R. Warner on Reported Russian Missile Strikes,2022-11-15,2022,2022-11,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement:

“Since Russia launched its brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine nine months ago, there has been fear that this conflict could spill over into neighboring NATO countries and result in a dangerous escalation that would lead to devastation and destruction across Europe. As U.S. national security officials engage directly with Polish allies to confirm details about today’s events, the deaths of civilians following a reported Russian strike inside Poland underscore the disastrous and destabilizing effects of Putin’s unjust war. The United States has been clear in our continued support for Ukraine, as well as in our commitments to our NATO allies.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:38:01Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=4E81B545-EB91-4F39-9D45-C75557A05486,Statement of U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner on Vote Terminating COVID-19 National Emergency,2022-11-15,2022,2022-11,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement after voting in favor of a resolution terminating the COVID-19 national emergency under the National Emergencies Act originally declared by President Trump in March of 2020:

“When COVID-19 hit, Congress acted with urgency under a number of emergency declarations to provide the flexibilities and funding needed to save lives, roll out a vaccine, and keep our economy afloat. We’ve come a long way since then, and while it might be easier to kick the can down the road, I think it’s time to have a bipartisan conversation about how we unwind from these emergency actions and move forward with the valuable lessons we’ve learned. Today’s resolution won’t affect critical flexibilities, such as the ones facilitating access to telehealth. Rather, this vote should serve as the beginning of a productive and bipartisan effort to examine which mitigation efforts and flexibilities are worth embedding permanently into our lives, and which are no longer relevant or necessary.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:38:01Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=73A70D31-1CE6-4A3E-A4EE-625AE01E2BE1,Statement of U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner & Tim Kaine on November 13 Shooting at the University of Virginia,2022-11-14,2022,2022-11,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement regarding the shooting at the University of Virginia, which took three lives and injured two others on November 13, 2022:

“We are heartbroken to hear about the tragic shooting at UVA and are praying for those who were injured, the families who lost loved ones, and the entire UVA community. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and urge everyone to follow the directions of local law enforcement as they continue searching for the suspect.""

UVA has an Emergency Hotline (877-685-4836) for family and friends with questions.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:38:01Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=E2D32322-AE9C-44FE-9E40-757ED351F11F,"Warner & Kaine Announce Over $700,000 in Federal Funding for Economic Development in Southwest Virginia",2022-11-12,2022,2022-11,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $703,900 in federal funding for communities throughout Southwest Virginia in order to boost economic development and upgrade old and out-of-date equipment used for critical public services. The funding is awarded through two programs within the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development division, which aims to support economic development and essential services that improve quality of life in rural communities.

“We are glad to support investments that will spur economic development and fund much needed equipment for public works,” the Senators said. “These grants will help to ensure that Virginia’s rural communities have equipment they need to safely and effectively serve residents, from trash collection and construction to providing community safety services and well-maintained gathering spaces.”

Awarded through the USDA Rural Business Development Grants:

$250,000 to the Town of Hillsville, VA to assist with the completion of the fifth phase of the Southwest Virginia Farmers Market, including pavement, curb, and gutter.

$105,000 to the Town of Richlands, VA to create a revolving loan fund that will serve as a recruitment and retention tool for micro- and small businesses.

Awarded through the USDA Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program:

$200,000 to Grayson County for the purchase of two sanitation vehicles to replace older vehicles that are unreliable and in need of costly repairs.

$93,700 to the Town of Coeburn for the purchase of a backhoe to be used by the public works department.

$50,000 to Alleghany Highlands Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in Covington, VA for the purchase of two fourteen-passenger vehicles, which will help replace older, unsafe vehicles.

$5,200 to the Town of Boones Mill for the purchase of a law enforcement vehicle to replace an older, unsafe vehicle in need of costly repairs.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:38:01Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5712,JEC Chairman on October CPI Release,2022-11-10,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation held steady at 0.4% on a seasonally adjusted basis and annual inflation slowed to 7.7% in October, down from 8.2% in September. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, decelerated to 0.3%, down from 0.6% in September.

“Cooling price pressures over the last month are a welcome sign for workers and families around the country. Although it remains far too high, annual inflation fell to 7.7% and reflects the smallest 12-month increase since January 2022. The larger-than-expected slowdown is putting more money back in peoples’ pockets and bolstering our economic resilience.

“Inflated prices are stretching household budgets, but there are signs of progress. Housing affordability remains a challenge, but real-time cost measures of new rental listings and new home prices have fallen continuously in recent months, another signal that price pressures are starting to ease. Growth in food prices was the slowest since December and used car prices are down 5% from their peak in January.

“With nearly 10.3 million jobs added since President Biden came into office, unemployment hovering near 50-year lows and inflation slowing, our recovery is on the right track. Democrats have been laser-focused on creating better-paying jobs, lowering costs and growing the middle class—now and for the long term—and the Inflation Reduction Act was a first step.

“Republicans have promised to do everything they can to derail these gains. They’ve vowed to repeal prescription cost-cutting provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act and have threatened debt default to gut Social Security and Medicare. They’re siding with Big Oil and Big Pharma to increase household energy and healthcare costs, and they’ve made clear their intentions to slow down the investments in clean energy jobs included in the Inflation Reduction Act.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=9CDB430D-15D2-484D-A549-FCFBDA34E0D9,"Warner & Kaine Announce Nearly $700,000 in Federal Funding for Flood Recovery & Broadband in Southwest Virginia",2022-11-10,2022,2022-11,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $682,479 in federal funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for projects in Carroll County and the towns of Hurley and Whitewood. The funding will go toward expanding access to broadband and supporting recovery efforts following devastating flooding in Buchanan County.

“We are proud to announce these investments in Southwest Virginia,” said the Senators. “This funding will help rebuild homes that were devastated by flooding and bring critical infrastructure to rural communities by expanding access to high-speed internet.”

The funding is distributed as follows:

$582,479 to Carroll County for the Pipers Gap Fiber Project to install 8.2 miles of fiber to expand wireless broadband and fiber in the area. The Pipers Gap Fiber Project is expected to expand access to 402 households that currently do not have high-speed internet.

$100,000 to United Way of Southwest Virginia, Inc. for the Hurley-Whitewood Disaster Recovery Project to help the towns of Hurley and Whitewood recover from multiple devastating flooding events. The Hurley-Whitewood Disaster Recovery Project will assist 129 households with disaster relief and constructing or rehabilitating 50 homes.

ARC is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments, including Virginia, with a mission to build community capacity, strengthen economic growth, and bring the Appalachian region into socioeconomic parity with the nation. Sens. Warner and Kaine have been strong advocates for a fully funded ARC that can increase employment and economic opportunities for those living in Appalachia.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have pushed for federal assistance following the August 2021 flooding in Hurley and July 2022 flooding in Whitewood. In October 2021, they successfully pushed the President to issue a Major Disaster Declaration for the Commonwealth of Virginia and Buchanan County. In September 2022, Sens. Warner and Kaine successfully urged President Biden to issue a Major Disaster Declaration for Buchanan and Tazewell Counties following the July 2022 flooding.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:38:01Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5711,Beyer Highlights Northern Virginia Results From Landmark Legislation,2022-11-07,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today highlighted a series of economic analyses that show how historic legislation enacted in the past year will help constituents in Virginia’s 8th District, the region, and the Commonwealth of Virginia. These laws enacted under the current Congress and signed by President Biden, including the American Rescue Plan Act, Inflation Reduction Act, CHIPS and Science Act, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will bring sweeping benefits to Northern Virginians.

Beyer said:

“I worked hard with my colleagues in Congress to help deliver progress and change for the better for my constituents. Today I am highlighting some of the many benefits to my constituents of the historic legislation we enacted.

“This has been an extraordinary time for the country, and the work we have done has helped fuel one of the strongest economic recoveries in American history. We passed the most meaningful legislation in decades on gun violence, infrastructure, scientific research, and manufacturing. We enacted the biggest climate bill ever passed, and legislation to bring down the cost of Americans’ prescription drugs.

“But we know that American families are grappling with high costs today, and that means we still have so much more to do. Amid great change and uncertainty, I will remain focused on those challenges and on helping my constituents in the time ahead.”

Beyer highlighted analyses which demonstrate benefits to Northern Virginians and people across the Commonwealth and the country from major bills enacted by the 117th Congress:

Making Health Care More Affordable

By extending critical tax credits, the Inflation Reduction Act will help an estimated 27,000 people in VA-8 currently enrolled in subsidized marketplace health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act save an average of $1,110 in premiums starting next year.

According to analysis by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, a VA-8 family with two adults, two children, and a household income of $75,000 could save $2,832 on their premiums next year thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. A single-parent household with one adult, one child, and a household income of $30,000 could save $1,260 on their premiums next year under the law, and a household of two adults over the age of 60 with a joint income of $70,000 could save $16,176 on their premiums next year.

The law will lower health insurance premiums for hundreds of thousands of Virginians by an average of about $850 per year, and expand coverage to about 63,000 Virginians, according to White House analysis.

Lowering Prescription Drug Costs

The Inflation Reduction Act will also achieve major health care savings for Virginians by reducing the cost of prescription drugs.

The law caps Medicare beneficiaries’ annual out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs covered by Medicare Part D at $2,000 starting in 2025. Per analysis by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, an estimated 2,000 Medicare Part D beneficiaries in VA-8 had out-of-pocket costs above $2,000 in 2020. For the estimated 3,300 Medicare beneficiaries receiving insulin in VA-8, the new law will cap monthly copayments for insulin products at $35 per month. VA-8 has an estimated 50,000 Medicare beneficiaries who could see savings under the Inflation Reduction Act, according to Joint Economic Committee analysis.

White House analysis finds the Inflation Reduction Act will lower prescription costs for hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries in Virginia, and cap insulin co-pays for tens of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries across the Commonwealth.

Strengthening The Economy

The Inflation Reduction Act is paid for by closing tax loopholes and increasing enforcement, to ensure that big corporations and the wealthy pay what they owe. At the same time, it will deliver tax breaks to lower- and middle-income households to reduce household energy and health care costs for millions of Americans. On the whole, these tax provisions will make the tax system fairer and strengthen the economy.

The Joint Economic Committee finds that the law will fight inflation long-term by lowering costs and reducing inflationary pressure. The law’s contributions to addressing climate change will also benefit the economy for years to come. These reports are part of a series on the economic impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Investing In The Future

Congress enacted the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act one year ago, the biggest infrastructure legislation in decades and the largest investment in public transit in history.

Virginia will receive over $1.5 billion in funding from the historic law to strengthen roads, bridges and tunnels across the state, according to Federal Highway Administration data.

The law is already supporting mass transit in the National Capital Region, and will continue to fund transportation improvements, build electric vehicle infrastructure, and increase rural broadband access in Northern Virginia and across the Commonwealth for years to come.

The bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, enacted earlier this year, is a transformational science bill that will create jobs, boost our economy, and put America on a stronger, more competitive path for years to come. The bill includes wins for Virginia and major provisions written or coauthored by Beyer.

A Strong Record Of Economic Growth

These benefits will build on historic growth experienced in Northern Virginia and across the country during the past two years.

As of August 2022, 19,500 jobs have been created in VA-8 since President Biden came into office and 185,600 jobs have been created statewide. The United States has regained more than all the jobs that were lost during the pandemic recession thanks to policies like the American Rescue Plan, which jumpstarted the economic recovery and fueled this expansion.

Investments from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS and Science Act will support continued job growth in clean and secure energy, construction and manufacturing, among other sectors. In 2021, 68,000 workers in VA-8 were employed in clean energy and emerging sectors of the economy, and an additional 29,000 worked in occupations that will be increasingly in demand as the United States transitions to cleaner, more secure energy. The Inflation Reduction Act will support more clean energy jobs and expand workforce training for these industries in VA-8 and around the country.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5708,JEC Chairman Beyer on October Jobs Report,2022-11-04,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that nonfarm payroll employment increased by 261,000 in October and the unemployment rate increased to 3.7%. The unemployment rate was 5.9% for Black workers, 4.2% for Hispanic workers, 2.9% for Asian workers and 5.6% (not seasonally adjusted) for American Indian and Alaska Native workers.

“Today’s jobs report, which showed 261,00 jobs added in October, makes clear that Democrats’ economic agenda is promoting healthy and sustainable growth. By passing the American Rescue Plan, Democrats have helped create nearly 10.3 million jobs nationwide since President Biden came into office. The national unemployment rate is hovering near a 50-year low, and according to the latest state data, every congressional district in every state has seen job growth surge and unemployment plummet. The United States has recovered more jobs than were lost during the pandemic recession, and today’s data indicate the pace of job growth continues to normalize—which is essential to our fight against inflation. Workers are securing better jobs with higher pay, and Democrats passing the Inflation Reduction Act will further cut costs for workers and families and reduce inflationary pressure long term.

“After a decades-long decline in manufacturing, investments in American-made industry are driving a manufacturing boom. Already, more than 700,000 manufacturing jobs have been created under this Congress, and investments like the CHIPS and Science Act and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will do more to support U.S. industry, improve our supply chains and promote economic growth for years to come. As a result, firms are expanding their operations in communities around the country and ushering in a future that is Made in America.

“We’re seeing strength and resilience across our economy, which is a testament to Democrats’ investments in workers, families, and small businesses—the foundation of our economy. Stronger-than-expected GDP growth in the third quarter, which made up for all the losses incurred by the declines in the first and second quarters, reflect confidence in the resilience of the U.S. economy. Service jobs, which were hardest hit by the pandemic, are growing, and supply chain bottlenecks are easing.

“Republicans want to choke it all off.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-october-jobs-report-3,Scott Statement on October Jobs Report,2022-11-04,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Robert C. ""Bobby"" Scott",S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,bobbyscott,https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"As originally released by the Committee on Education & Labor

WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statisticsannounced that the economy added 261,000 jobs in October and the unemployment rate rose to 3.7 percent.

“Today’s jobs report demonstrates that the Biden-Harris Administration’s economic agenda is producing a record number of jobs. President Biden has added more jobs in his first 22 months in office than any previous Administration in the same amount of time and, importantly, recovered 100 percent of the jobs lost during the pandemic. By consistently prioritizing people over politics and focusing on the needs of students, workers, and families, Congressional Democrats and the Biden-Harris Administration have rebuilt a stronger economy from the bottom up and the middle out.

“To build on this progress, Congress should invest in workforce development initiatives, such as Registered Apprenticeships (RAs), that have a proven record of success not only for employees, but employers as well. In fact, new reporting from the Department of Labor (DOL) shows the median estimate of an employer’s return on investment in RAs is roughly 44 percent.

“The new reporting from DOL underscores the best way to continue to grow an economy that works for both workers and businesses is to reinvest in RAs. Last year, the House passed the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021, which would create 1 million new apprenticeship opportunities over the next five years. It would also streamline the process to make it easier for apprentices and employers to participate in RA programs. And it expands apprentices career opportunities into nontraditional fields, such as health care and finance. I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues and the Biden-Harris Administration to continue moving this legislation forward and ultimately to the President’s desk.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=BD46887C-0AEC-420E-960E-C38B1DCEB08C,Sens. Warner & Kaine Announce Over $76 Million in Federal Funding For Jefferson Lab in Newport News,2022-11-04,2022,2022-11,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $76,530,000 in federal funding for the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, also known as Jefferson Lab, in Newport News to support multiple projects that are critical to ensuring the U.S. remains a leader in science and technology. The funding was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, legislation Sens. Warner and Kaine helped pass in August to lower costs for Virginians and build a strong foundation for future national security and economic growth, in part by accelerating scientific programs and national laboratory infrastructure projects.

“This funding is a powerful example of how the Inflation Reduction Act, which we proudly helped pass earlier this year, will accelerate the development of key technologies,” said the Senators. “We’re glad Jefferson Lab’s research programs and infrastructure projects are receiving this support and look forward to seeing Virginians at the lab continue to lead the way in technological innovation.”

This funding will help make critical laboratory upgrades and support Jefferson Lab’s cutting-edge work in various fields, including projects that will help increase our understanding of the fundamental building blocks and forces at work in our universe—information that can play a key role in the development of an array of technologies, including those with clean energy and medical implications. It is part of $1.5 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act for national laboratories to research and develop new technologies to help the U.S. meet its energy, climate, and security needs.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have consistently advocated for funding for Jefferson Lab and its programs.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:38:01Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5704,Egypt Human Rights Caucus Co-Chairs’ Statement On U.N. COP27 Climate Change Conference,2022-11-03,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA) and Tom Malinowski (D-NJ), co-Chairs of Congress’ Egypt Human Rights Caucus, issued the following statement today:

“We are deeply committed to the fight against climate change, and believe international cooperation is central to that effort, but Egypt was the wrong choice for COP27. Its government jails environmental and political activists and treats NGOs as a threat. We encourage President Biden and Special Envoy Kerry to use this opportunity to raise the issue of human rights and the imprisonment of environmental, political, and other activists directly with President Sisi.

“Even though Egypt is likely to be one of the countries most affected by climate change, President Sisi has chosen to persecute instead of partner with the activists working to solve Egypt’s climate and social challenges. Environmental activist Ahmed Abdelsattar Amasha and writer Alaa Abd el-Fattah, currently on a full hunger strike and at imminent risk of death, are languishing in Egyptian jails. The U.S. must use its voice at COP27 to ensure that they, and others like them, are released without delay.

“Egypt suffers from water scarcity, rising sea levels, air pollution, and record high temperatures. Corrupt military-owned companies are linked to the overuse of the Nile River and to destructive mining practices, accelerating Egypt’s environmental degradation. A better use of the $1.3 billion the U.S. government gives Egypt to purchase weapons that Egypt has never used to promote regional security would be to fund Egypt’s civil society, sustainability programs, and clean energy initiatives.

""Activists and civil society have played a very important role in seeking action to address the climate crisis in the United States and other countries. We urge President Biden to use this opportunity at COP27 to push President Sisi to release activists and to stop suppressing Egypt’s civil society. Instead of treating activists as the enemy, limiting their funding, and throwing them in jail, President Sisi should see them as an asset and work with them to solve Egypt’s climate challenges.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=9B3E2DF8-9F52-49A5-A7DE-D19EEBF7596D,Warner & Kaine Announce Federal Loan for I-81 Improvements,2022-11-03,2022,2022-11,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced two direct loans for Virginia from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program: a loan of up to $82.6 million to help finance the I-81 Regular Project—which is focused on various improvements in Roanoke County, including the construction of additional lanes and bridge replacements—and $15 million for the I-81 Rural Project to extend highway on and off ramps in Frederick, Pulaski, Rockbridge, Shenandoah, Smyth, Washington, and Wythe Counties, as well as in Abingdon and Wytheville.

“Anyone who has traveled on I-81 knows that it’s in desperate need of repair. That’s why we’ve fought for upgrades that will make it easier and safer for Virginians to travel I-81 for work or for fun, and for Virginia businesses to ship their products to customers near and far,” said the Senators. “We’re pleased these loans are headed to Virginia to help make I-81 improvements possible, and will keep working to build on the progress we made with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to ensure that Virginia communities can build and maintain their roads and bridges.”

More than one-third of all trucks that drive through Virginia and approximately half of the Commonwealth’s value of goods are transported along I-81. In the last decade, I-81 has experienced significant traffic growth, with travel expected to continue increasing along the interstate.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have consistently championed infrastructure funding for Virginia. In 2019, Warner and Kaine wrote to DOT and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), requesting funding for vital improvements to I-81 that would enhance safety and reduce traffic congestion. Warner and Kaine have long supported transportation projects to address traffic congestion and expand transportation options in the Commonwealth, including by passing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The BIL reauthorized and expanded the TIFIA program to help fund future infrastructure projects like this. Kaine successfully included his bipartisan legislation in the BIL to streamline the application process for TIFIA loans, helping more Virginia communities access TIFIA financing.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:38:01Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=A1F05C73-FA5C-4C7F-AFB0-93A08C8AAD29,Warner Releases Policy Options Paper Addressing Cybersecurity in the Health Care Sector,2022-11-03,2022,2022-11,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) published “Cybersecurity is Patient Safety,” a policy options paper, outlining current cybersecurity threats facing health care providers and systems and offering for discussion a series of policy solutions to improve cybersecurity across the industry.

Over the last decade cyberattacks in the health care sector have risen exponentially, with attacks on providers reaching an all-time high in 2021. The white paper, assembled by Sen. Warner’s staff, drawing on input from health care and cybersecurity experts, argues that improving cybersecurity in the health care sector will require collaboration from both the public and private sectors, and calls for improving federal leadership, strengthening health care providers’ cybersecurity capabilities, and building a robust response system in order to efficiently recover from attacks.

“Unfortunately, the health care sector is uniquely vulnerable to cyberattacks and the transition to better cybersecurity has been painfully slow and inadequate. The federal government and the health sector must find a balanced approach to meet the dire threats, as partners with shared responsibilities,” wrote Sen. Warner.

Divided in three parts, the white paper is organized as follows:

Chapter one covers areas that the federal government needs to address to improve our national risk posture when it comes to cybersecurity in the health care sector. Specifically, it notes seven key challenges facing federal government agencies with jurisdiction over health care providers and cybersecurity, details the current state of play regarding cybersecurity threats, and outlines policy options for shoring up existing vulnerabilities.

Chapter two covers ways that the federal government can help the private sector meet this threat through a combination of potential mandates and voluntary incentives to adopt best practices.

Chapter three covers policies that could help health care providers respond to attacks in the event of a cybersecurity failure. Specifically, it notes ways institutions can recover following successful cyberattacks, and how to limit the resulting impact on patients and systems.

Sen. Warner has been a leader in the cybersecurity realm throughout his time in the Senate, crafting numerous pieces of legislation aimed at addressing these threats facing our nation. Recognizing that cybersecurity is an increasingly complex issue that affects the health, economic prosperity, national security, and democratic institutions of the United States, Sen. Warner cofounded the bipartisan Senate Cybersecurity Caucus with former Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) in 2016. A year later, in 2017, he authored the Internet of Things (IoT) Cybersecurity Improvement Act with Sen. Gardner. This legislation, signed into law by President Donald Trump in December 2020, requires that any IoT device purchased with federal funds meet minimum security standards. As Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Sen. Warner co-authored legislation that requires companies responsible for U.S. critical infrastructure report cybersecurity incidents to the government. This legislation was signed into law by President Joe Biden as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act in March 2022.

Sen. Warner has also examined cybersecurity in the health care sector specifically. In 2019, Sen. Warner sent a letter to several health care providers and industry trade associations – from large hospital networks to trade associations representing rural providers and medical technology vendors – asking a series of questions related to the steps their organizations and/or members had taken to improve their cybersecurity posture. Sen. Warner received a number of thoughtful responses to those questions that revealed a wide-range of cybersecurity capabilities and depth of understanding of the problems health care providers are facing.

Sen. Warner is releasing this policy options document with the intent of soliciting feedback from stake-holders on the potential options described within. Any individuals, researchers, businesses, organizations, or advocacy groups that are interested in submitting comments – specific to the content and questions outlined in this document or additional ideas or language for inclusion in eventual legislation – should send a letter or an email to cyber@warner.senate.gov.

A copy of full policy options paper can be found here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:38:01Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5703,Beyer Hails Ethiopian Diplomatic Breakthrough,2022-11-02,2022,2022-11,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today gladly welcomed the announcement of a diplomatic breakthrough at African Union peace talks in South Africa between warring sides in Ethiopia, which included an agreement to “a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Beyer, who represents one of the largest Ethiopian diaspora communities in the United States, has long urged a peaceful resolution to the conflict through engagement with the Administration, colleagues in Congress, and Ethiopian diplomats.

“The announcement of a truce in Ethiopia is a great moment of hope for the Ethiopian people and a victory for peace and diplomacy,” said Rep. Beyer. “The war in Ethiopia, which began two years ago this week, has claimed many thousands of lives, displaced millions, caused widespread hunger and sickness, and seen numerous atrocities and human rights violations. The devastation of this awful conflict and its impacts in the region and around the world cannot be fully undone, but the way of peace is the way forward. I urge all parties to fully commit to a successful peace process, and to permanently forego violence. Ending this war, abiding by the forthcoming agreement, and committing to a lasting peace is the surest way to foster security for all Ethiopians.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:24:37Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=4AEBCA58-057D-4392-944E-F2363B9F4B54,Warner & Kaine Announce Over $115 Million in Federal Funding to Lower Virginians' Home Heating Costs this Winter,2022-11-02,2022,2022-11,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $115,675,266 in federal funding to help low-income individuals and families in Virginia pay for home heating costs, cover unpaid utility bills, and make cost-effective home energy repairs that will lower their heating and cooling bills ahead of the winter season. The funds are being awarded through the Administration for Children and Families’ Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and they were made possible by the Fiscal Year 2022 government funding bill, the stopgap government funding bill passed in September, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which the senators voted to pass last year.

“Especially with cold winter months approaching, it’s critical that every Virginian has access to the heat they need to stay safe,” said the Senators. “We’re glad this funding will help people pay their energy bills and make home energy improvements that will lower their energy costs. We will continue to look for additional ways to lower costs for families.”

The funding will be allocated to the Commonwealth and distributed based on need.

Warner and Kaine have been strong advocates for lowering energy costs and have consistently advocated for robust funding for LIHEAP, which provides federally funded assistance to reduce the costs associated with home energy bills, energy crises, weatherization, and minor energy-related home repairs. In April, the senators announced over $65.5 million in federal funding to make homes more energy efficient and lower utility costs. In August, the senators voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which will help lower energy costs by making energy efficient appliances more affordable, investing in home energy repairs, and supporting the costs of solar projects.

Qualified Virginians should apply through the Virginia Department of Social Services by going to commonhelp.virginia.gov or calling 1-855-635-4370 (Monday-Friday, 7 AM-6 PM).

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:38:01Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=45FD494A-6259-488A-BC22-5965C1B3CBAA,Statement of U.S. Sens. Warner and Kaine on Silver Line Expansion Opening Date,2022-10-31,2022,2022-10,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement after the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) announced that the Silver Line expansion to Washington Dulles International Airport will open on Tuesday, November 15, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday:

“We are pleased to see WMATA move forward on its promise to safely open the Silver Line’s service to Dulles—just in time to provide Virginians with a more convenient and sustainable way to get to the airport to visit loved ones this holiday season. We will continue to work with WMATA and the Metro Safety Commission to ensure Metro riders can safely and easily access the economic, entertainment, and travel opportunities the region has to offer.”

Sens. Warner and Kaine have consistently urged WMATA and the Metro Safety Commission to safely and quickly open the Silver Line extension. While Sen. Kaine was Governor, he helped broker the deal between Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), WMATA, the Commonwealth, and local governments to construct the Silver Line. He also led efforts to secure $900 million in federal funds for Phase I of the project.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:28Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5700,JEC Chairman Beyer on Third Quarter GDP Growth,2022-10-27,2022,2022-10,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), released the following statement after the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported its initial estimate of third quarter gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 2.6% on an annualized basis.

Visit the JEC’s Macroeconomic Dashboard to view the latest economic data.

“An even better-than-expected GDP report is a result of an economic agenda that is focused on workers, families, and small businesses. Real GDP has now recovered all the losses incurred by the declines in the first and second quarters, and the pandemic imbalance between goods and services that so snarled our supply chains is normalizing.

“Driven by continued growth in consumer spending and business investment that exceeded expectations, GDP data reflect confidence in the resilience of the U.S. economy. We are seeing firms expanding their operations despite economic headwinds, as investments from the CHIPS and Science Act further support domestic production in key industries and boost manufacturing jobs around the country.

“Even as global inflation deprives workers and families of the full benefits of this recovery, today’s data show our economy is powering ahead.

“And while Republicans are threatening debt default and economic catastrophe to gut Social Security and Medicare, Democrats are passing legislation to help create better-paying jobs, lower out-of-pocket costs and take on corporate interests. The American Rescue Plan paved the way for our historically fast recovery, and the Inflation Reduction Act is helping everyday workers and families keep more of their incomes while making sure the wealthy and corporations can’t evade or avoid paying what they owe.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:20:33Z
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-passing-former-newport-news-mayor-joe-frank,Scott Statement on the Passing of former Newport News Mayor Joe Frank,2022-10-27,2022,2022-10,Democrat,House,VA,"Robert C. ""Bobby"" Scott",S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,bobbyscott,https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the passing of former Newport News Mayor Joe Frank:

“I am very saddened to learn of the passing former Newport News Mayor Joe Frank. Joe was a pillar of our community and devoted his life and career to serving the citizens of Newport News. During his 14-year tenure as mayor, Joe helped transform our city through the development of City Center. He was instrumental in encouraging major businesses to expand in the city, and was a leading advocate in protecting key government and military assets, including Fort Eustis and Jefferson Lab. Joe’s positive influence and impact on Newport News can still be felt in every corner of the city. I will greatly miss his friendship and counsel. I send my condolences to Joe’s family, his many friends and supporters, and everyone positively impacted by his life.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:28Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=620C39DB-E2E0-425B-AE7B-55648700B061,"Warner & Kaine Announce Over $30 Million for Clean School Buses Across Virginia, Thanks to Bipartisan Infrastructure Law",2022-10-26,2022,2022-10,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $30,810,000 in federal funding to help Virginia schools purchase 81 clean and zero-emission school buses that will accelerate the transition to zero-emissions vehicles and produce cleaner air in communities across the Commonwealth. The funding, awarded through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Warner and Kaine helped pass last year.

“Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, school districts in Virginia are set to receive millions in funding for zero-emission and low-emission school buses that will help provide students with safe and reliable transportation to and from school,” said Senator Warner. “As we continue to look for ways to reduce pollution and combat climate change, I am glad to see this federal funding directed towards replacing old school buses with 21st century, eco-friendly equipment.”

“Virginia students deserve buses that won’t accelerate climate change and pollute the air in their communities. This is one of many examples of how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which I helped pass last year, is going to make a real difference for Virginians across the Commonwealth and help us reduce our greenhouse gas emissions,” said Senator Kaine. “I’m glad to see Virginia is receiving federal funding so that school districts can purchase more energy efficient school buses.”

A breakdown of the funding is as follows:

$7,900,000 for Carroll County Public Schools for the purchase of 20 buses.

$1,185,000 for Charlotte County Public Schools for the purchase of three buses.

$790,000 for Floyd County Public Schools for the purchase of two buses.

$1,185,000 for Franklin City Public Schools for the purchase of three buses.

$790,000 for Galax City Public Schools for the purchase of two buses.

$1,185,000 for Goochland County Public Schools for the purchase of three buses.

$1,580,000 for Grayson County Public Schools for the purchase of four buses.

$790,000 for Lee County Public Schools for the purchase of two buses.

$9,875,000 for Lynchburg City Public Schools for the purchase of 25 buses.

$790,000 for Nelson County Public Schools for the purchase of two buses.

$3,950,000 for Powhatan County Public Schools for the purchase of 10 buses.

$1,975,000 for Wise County Public Schools for the purchase of five buses

The Clean School Bus Program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts, and produce cleaner air. Diesel air pollution is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and Tribal communities. Phasing out these diesel engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, as well as the communities through which the buses drive each day.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:28Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=C9068565-3297-49F6-AA31-EE3A677A3F9A,Warner & Kaine on Path Forward for Silver Line Opening,2022-10-25,2022,2022-10,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced an agreement with the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WMSC) that will allow for the opening of the Silver Line ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday:

“After brokering productive discussions with WMATA and Metro Safety Commission last week and over the weekend, we are pleased to see a plan that will allow more 7000 series cars back on the tracks ahead of the busy holiday season. This plan, if carefully followed, will allow the safe and timely opening of the Silver Line to Dulles by Thanksgiving, assuming the remaining routine matters are handled diligently. Once open, the Silver Line will alleviate road congestion and enhance access to economic, entertainment, and travel opportunities in the region—all without compromising rider safety. We look forward to continuing to work with WMATA and the Metro Safety Commission to provide oversight over the careful execution of this plan.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:28Z
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-reacts-2022-national-report-card,Scott Reacts to 2022 National “Report Card”,2022-10-24,2022,2022-10,Democrat,House,VA,"Robert C. ""Bobby"" Scott",S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,bobbyscott,https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – House Education and Labor Committee Chair Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) issued the following statement after the National Center for Education Statistics released the results of the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Mathematics and Reading Assessments. The 2022 NAEP found significant declines in math and reading scores for grades 4 and 8 compared to 2019. In math, average score declines were historic, and achievement gaps widened for our most vulnerable students, including students of color, students from families with low incomes, and students with disabilities.

“When schools were forced to quickly transition to remote learning at the beginning of the pandemic to protect the health and safety of students and staff, we knew our children’s education could be disrupted. The results released today from the Nation’s Report Card confirm that the pandemic significantly impacted student learning, causing many of them to fall behind. These results help us better understand the scope of problem, and therefore where resources need to be targeted.

“Thankfully, through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Democrats provided states and school districts with the resources they needed to reopen schools safely, keep them open safely, and make up for lost learning. Moreover, requirements under the Every Student Succeeds Act ensure that states and school districts measure and address academic achievement gaps.

“Unfortunately, instead of working with Democrats to address students’ needs, Republican politicians are politicizing classrooms, banning books, and attacking teachers.

“Moving forward, states and school districts must continue to use ARPA funds to meet students’ needs and close widening achievement gaps, and the Department of Education must continue working to ensure that states follow through on their plans to get our students back on track.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:28Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=F9D2B15E-EC7D-49F1-9AFC-01AABD3E07D2,Senate Intel Chairman Warner on Complaint Against Chinese Intelligence Officers and Officials Acting in Support of Huawei,2022-10-24,2022,2022-10,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON –U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement after the Department of Justice unsealed charges against Chinese Communist Party (CCP) intelligence officers who attempted to sabotage Huawei investigation:

“The charges announced today by the Department of Justice further illustrate Huawei’s inextricable ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its brazen but unsurprising disregard for the rule of law. The Intelligence Community has repeatedly warned about the economic and national security threats posed by Chinese telecommunications companies like Huawei, which are backed by the CCP and exploited in the interest of authoritarian goals and ambitions. I applaud the dedicated work of the Department of Justice and law enforcement officials, and I look forward to seeing any investigations against Huawei proceed unimpeded.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:28Z
https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-wittman-sarbanes-celebrate-rollout-first-chesapeake-wild-grants,"Scott, Wittman, Sarbanes Celebrate Rollout of First Chesapeake WILD Grants",2022-10-20,2022,2022-10,Democrat,House,VA,"Robert C. ""Bobby"" Scott",S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,bobbyscott,https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC –Representatives Bobby Scott (VA-03), Rob Wittman (VA-01), and John Sarbanes (MD-03), all co-chairs of the bipartisan Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force, issued the following statement after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced the inaugural slate of awards for the Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) program issuing 12 grants totaling $3.5 million.

“The Chesapeake Bay is one of America's greatest treasures and restoring the watershed is vitally important. The announcement of the first Chesapeake WILD grant awardees is great news for the Chesapeake Bay and all those who call the 64,000 square mile watershed home. These projects leverage the on-the-ground expertise of regional, state, and local partners to conserve land; enhance resilience; restore critical habitat, including wetlands; and make recreational experiences more accessible to the public. The projects funded by these grants will also reduce nutrient and sediment pollution, improve water quality and help boost the long-term health of the Chesapeake Bay.”

This funding was made possible by the Chesapeake WILD Act, which was introduced by Reps. Scott, Wittman and Sarbanes in the 116th Congress. Ultimately, that legislation was included in the America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act (Pub. L. No. 116-118), which President Trump signed into law at the end of 2020.

# # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:28Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=03CEBFC8-5E76-45A6-A8A1-1899690412B6,Warner Expresses Concern Over Meta's Collection of Sensitive Health Information,2022-10-20,2022,2022-10,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) wrote to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressing concern and requesting more information regarding Meta’s practice of collecting user’s health information through tracking applications.

In the letter, Sen. Warner highlighted the need for user privacy and increased transparency around how user data is collected online, which has become increasingly important as the use of telehealth appointments, online appointment booking, and electronic record keeping have risen exponentially over the course of the pandemic.

“As we increasingly move health care online, we must ensure there are strong safeguards in place surrounding the use of these technologies to protect sensitive health information,” wrote Sen. Warner.

Specifically, Sen. Warner called attention to Meta Pixel, a tracking tool that sends Meta a packet of data whenever a user clicks a button to schedule a doctor’s appointment – without the knowledge of the individual making the appointment.

He continued, “I am troubled by the recent revelation that the Meta Pixel was installed on a number of hospital websites – including password-protected patient portals – and sending sensitive health information to Meta when a patient scheduled an appointment online. This data included highly personal health data, including patients’ medical conditions, appointment topics, physician names, email addresses, phone numbers, IP addresses, and other details about patients’ medical appointments.”

Sen. Warner also noted allegations that this practice of data harvesting and collection has been used by Meta to target advertisements across their platforms. In August of this year, two lawsuits were filed against the company over the alleged unlawful collection and sharing of health data without consent.

To address these concerns, Sen. Warner requested Meta respond to the following questions:

What information does Meta have access to or receive directly from the Meta Pixel, either currently or previously?

How does Meta store information received through the Meta Pixel?

Has information Meta received from the Meta Pixel ever been used to inform targeted advertisements on Meta’s platforms?

How does Meta handle sensitive information that it receives from third parties that violate its business guidelines?

What steps is Meta taking to safeguard sensitive health information, particularly with third-party vendors? Since the release of The Markup’s report in June, what additional steps have been taken?

According to the report released by the New York State Department of Financial Services last year, Meta stated that the filtering system was “not yet operating with complete accuracy.” What improvements have been made to make the filtering system more effective? How is Meta testing and evaluating the filtering system’s ability to identify sensitive health information?

Where required by law, does Meta always comply with any and all notification requirements when the Meta Pixel handles or transmits protected information, in the manner and time required by such laws?

Sen. Warner has been a leader in Congress pushing for increased transparency and protections surrounding user data and privacy. He introduced the DASHBOARD Act, which works to increase transparency around data collection; the DETOUR Act, which would prohibit companies like Meta from using deceptive dark patterns to manipulate users into handing over their data; and the Public Health Emergency Privacy Act, which would set strong and enforceable privacy and data security rights for health information.

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

October 20, 2022

Dear Mr. Zuckerberg:

I write to you today to express my concern regarding Meta’s collection of sensitive health information through the Meta Pixel tracking tool without user consent.

As you know, I have long worked to protect user privacy and increase transparency around how user data is collected and shared. This mission is more urgent than ever as the last two years have shown us the importance of health care technology, with many relying on electronic health records, online appointment booking, and virtual patient portals to receive care during the pandemic. As we increasingly move health care online, we must ensure there are strong safeguards in place surrounding the use of these technologies to protect sensitive health information.

I am troubled by the recent revelation that the Meta Pixel was installed on a number of hospital websites – including password-protected patient portals – and sending sensitive health information to Meta when a patient scheduled an appointment online. This data included highly personal health data, including patients’ medical conditions, appointment topics, physician names, email addresses, phone numbers, IP addresses, and other details about patients’ medical appointments. Additionally, of particular concern are the recent allegations that Meta has used Meta Pixel data to inform targeted advertisements on Meta’s platforms. The use of the Meta Pixel is widespread, as the tool was installed in the systems of 33 of the top 100 hospitals in the country and inside the patient portals of seven health systems at the time of the investigation.

Unfortunately, privacy issues involving the Meta Pixel are not new, as there has been previous scrutiny of the Meta Pixel outside of the health care context. Reports published earlier this year found that the Pixel sent personal information to Meta that was collected from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on the website of the Federal Student Aid (FSA) office within the U.S. Department of Education. Data sent to Meta includes applicant first and last name, email addresses, and zip codes. Additionally, this is not the first time that your company has been involved in the wrongful collection of sensitive health information. In 2021, an investigation by the New York State Department of Financial Services found that Meta (then Facebook) collected user data from several health and wellness apps, including results from blood pressure and heart rate readings, menstruation and fertility tracking, pregnancy status, and other deeply personal information.

Meta’s own business guidelines state that the company “[doesn’t] want websites or apps sending [Meta] sensitive information about people,” including sensitive health information, which Meta identifies as medical conditions, sexual and reproductive health, mental health, details regarding medical devices and trackers, treatments, test results, body specifications or cycles, locations of treatment, and other health-related data. Yet, in this most recent case and as we have seen previously, Meta is continuing to access this highly sensitive information.

It is critical that technology companies like Meta take seriously their role in protecting user health data. Without meaningful action, I fear that these continuing privacy violations and harmful uses of health data could become the new status quo in health care and public health.

To address the concerns raised in this letter, I request that you provide responses to the following questions by November 3, 2022:

What information does Meta have access to or receive directly from the Meta Pixel, either currently or previously?

How does Meta store information received through the Meta Pixel?

Has information Meta received from the Meta Pixel ever been used to inform targeted advertisements on Meta’s platforms?

How does Meta handle sensitive information that it receives from third parties that violate its business guidelines?

What steps is Meta taking to safeguard sensitive health information, particularly with third-party vendors? Since the release of The Markup’s report in June, what additional steps have been taken?

According to the report released by the New York State Department of Financial Services last year, Meta stated that the filtering system was “not yet operating with complete accuracy.” What improvements have been made to make the filtering system more effective? How is Meta testing and evaluating the filtering system’s ability to identify sensitive health information?

Where required by law, does Meta always comply with any and all notification requirements when the Meta Pixel handles or transmits protected information, in the manner and time required by such laws?

I look forward to your prompt responses.

Sincerely,

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:28Z
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=68883546-FE34-4342-B807-06BB2E6ECE37,Statement of U.S. Sens. Warner & Kaine on the Silver Line Extension,2022-10-19,2022,2022-10,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark R. Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,warner,https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement regarding the status of the Silver Line extension:

“The United States government, the Commonwealth of Virginia, local governments, taxpayers and commuters have spent billions to construct a state-of-the-art Silver Line. It’s taken decades to realize the dream of Metro service to Dulles and now travelers along the corridor can see tracks, gleaming new stations, and test trains moving along the route. All that remains is for WMATA and the Safety Commission to get their acts together and remember that they are not in existence to wage turf battles but to serve the transportation needs of area residents. We are making it clear to both agencies: it’s time to get this done.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:28Z
https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5697,Republican Leaders Plot Forcing Choice Between Economic Ruin Or Social Security And Medicare Cuts,2022-10-18,2022,2022-10,Democrat,House,VA,"Donald S. Beyer, Jr.",B001292,beyer.house.gov,beyer,https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"New reporting and interviews with Republican leaders have clarified House Republicans’ intent to use threats to block an increase to the debt limit – which could lead to a default and a major economic crisis – subject to demands for policy concessions.

The Bipartisan Policy Center projects that the debt limit will need to be raised in the third quarter of 2023. Congress’ Joint Economic Committee, chaired by Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) published a report last year titled: “Breaching the Debt Ceiling Could Harm Millions of Americans and Produce Economic Devastation.”

Debt limit fights were a hallmark of Republican congressional majorities during the Obama presidency, at the time Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell likened the tactic to hostage-taking. House Republicans now say one of their “top priorities” for a ransom in any future debt limit standoff would be demands for cuts to Social Security and Medicare:

Punchbowl: McCarthy On Debt Limit, Immigration And Ukraine

McCarthy signaled that Republicans would again hold the debt limit up for policy changes.

As we all remember, the debt limit was one of the bruising battles of the Obama presidency under then Speaker John Boehner. The U.S. government’s credit rating was downgraded for the first time ever following that 2011 debacle, but GOP lawmakers apparently are ready to try again in order to force “structural changes” to popular entitlement programs including Social Security and Medicare.

Here’s McCarthy on the debt limit:

“You can’t just continue down the path to keep spending and adding to the debt. And if people want to make a debt ceiling [for a longer period of time], just like anything else, there comes a point in time where, okay, we’ll provide you more money, but you got to change your current behavior. We’re not just going to keep lifting your credit card limit, right? And we should seriously sit together and [figure out] where can we eliminate some waste? Where can we make the economy grow stronger?”

We reminded McCarthy that he didn’t pitch these debt limit battles during the Trump era, during which the GOP ran up $7 trillion in new debt in only four years, including pandemic relief funding. Congress raised the debt ceiling three times during Trump’s presidency. Republicans only hold the borrowing cap hostage when Democrats are in the White House. McCarthy countered that President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats have spent too much money, in his view.

We asked McCarthy if he intended to try to reform entitlements as part of the debt ceiling debate. McCarthy said he wouldn’t “predetermine” anything.

Bloomberg Government: Entitlement, Spending Cap Plans Linked by GOP to Debt-Limit Deal

“Social Security and Medicare eligibility changes, spending caps, and safety-net work requirements are among the top priorities for key House Republicans who want to use next year’s debt-limit deadline to extract concessions from Democrats.

The four Republicans interested in serving as House Budget Committee chairman in the next Congress said in interviews that next year’s deadline to raise or suspend the debt ceiling is a point of leverage if their party can win control of the House in the November midterm elections.

The Republican position — which members are still formulating — could set the stage for an explosive standoff next year, reminiscent of the 2011 negotiations when the Tea Party wave of Republicans took on the Obama administration over spending.”

It’s also possible Republicans will demand process-focused legislation — such as requiring a reduction in the debt-to-GDP ratio — that could subsequently put major entitlement programs in play.

If Congress doesn’t raise or suspend the debt limit by the deadline, the federal government would default on payments officials had already agreed to make. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned during 2021 negotiations that a default would be “a catastrophe” and could cause a financial crisis.

“The debt limit is clearly one of those tools that Republicans — that a Republican-controlled Congress — will use to make sure that we do everything we can to make this economy strong,” said Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) , the ranking member of the House Budget Committee. He’s seeking the top GOP spot on the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee but said if he doesn’t get it, he’ll remain in his Budget Committee position.

Reps. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), and Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.) are seeking the top spot on the Budget Committee if Smith gets the Ways and Means role. Those three agreed Republicans must use the debt-limit deadline to enact fiscally conservative legislation. Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), head of the Republican Study Committee’s Budget and Spending Task Force, also said the upcoming debt-limit deadline is “obviously a leverage point.”

Washington Post: GOP To Use Debt Limit To Force Spending Cuts, With Medicare, Social Security In Mix, McCarthy Says

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said that if Republicans win control of the House the GOP will use raising the debt limit as leverage to force spending cuts — which could include cuts to Medicare and Social Security — and limit additional funding to Ukraine.

“You can’t just continue down the path to keep spending and adding to the debt,” the California Republican told Punchbowl News in a recent interview. “And if people want to make a debt ceiling [for a longer period of time], just like anything else, there comes a point in time where, okay, we’ll provide you more money, but you got to change your current behavior.”

“We’re not just going to keep lifting your credit card limit, right,” he added. “And we should seriously sit together and [figure out] where can we eliminate some waste? Where can we make the economy grow stronger?”

Pressed on whether changes to the entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security were part of the debt ceiling discussions, McCarthy said he would not “predetermine” anything.

The debt limit — the country’s borrowing cap — will need to be lifted next year to protect the country’s credit score and to prevent the United States from defaulting on its debt. But McCarthy suggested that his party would be willing to hold the debt limit up for policy changes.

Axios: GOP Leaders Prepare For 2023 Debt Limit ""Nightmare""

GOP leaders, congressional aides and business groups are preparing for a potential ""nightmare scenario"" next year if House Republicans take back the majority: a debt limit showdown reminiscent of the near-crisis in 2011.

Why it matters: There are serious question marks — and underlying anxiety — surrounding what type of leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) will be if elected as House speaker. How he handles a debt limit showdown will be a crucial test of his leadership abilities for which key stakeholders are already privately planning.

The Hill: McConnell, McCarthy Public Splits Raise Questions About Ability To Govern

McConnell helped fashion a compromise in December that allowed Democrats to raise the debt limit through the Senate with a simple majority vote.

McCarthy and other House GOP leaders, by comparison, made raising the limit harder by saying they would not vote for such a measure even if it were attached to popular defense legislation.

This is already fueling anxiety that Congress is heading for another debt-limit standoff next year, with Republicans potentially in control of the House this time.

In 2011, the nation came perilously close to defaulting on its obligations with a Democrat in the White House and a GOP House. It prompted Standard and Poor’s to downgrade the nation’s credit rating.

Newsweek: Fox News Host Confronts GOP's Scalise on Proposed Medicare Cuts: 'Betrayal'",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:20:33Z