url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402403,Congressman Griffiths Weekly E-Newsletter 12.31.20,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,VA,Morgan Griffith,G000568,morgangriffith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The year 2020 was a difficult one, but as the year draws to a close, I want to highlight something about the year that went right. Operation Warp Speed accomplished what had been considered nearly impossible: the development, manufacture, and distribution of a safe and effective vaccine to combat COVID-19. President Trump announced Operation Warp Speed in May. His Administration recognized that meeting the challenge posed by the coronavirus pandemic would require the investment of Federal Government resources, partnership between the public, private, and scientific sectors, and cutting red tape that would impede delivery of a safe and effective vaccine. This effort was supported by almost $10 billion in funding included in the CARES Act passed by Congress with my support. The project focused on six vaccine candidates. Seven months after Operation Warp Speed was launched and less than one year after COVID-19 began spreading widely around the globe, two vaccine candidates were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use. On December 11, the FDA approved for emergency use the first vaccine created by Pfizer. After clinical trials including over 43,000 participants, the vaccine was found to be 95 percent effective. A vaccine developed by Moderna was subsequently approved for emergency use on December 18. Thirty thousand people participated in its clinical trials, and its efficacy rate is 94.5 percent. These vaccines are the fastest ever produced for a novel pathogen. In fact, the average development timeline for a vaccine is eight to twelve years. Operation Warp Speed reduced the time needed by maximizing the number of participants in Phase 3 trials and manufacturing vaccine doses while waiting for the FDA's emergency use authorization order. While bureaucratic hurdles were lowered, the vaccine development process did not skimp on safety. As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over health matters, I was briefed repeatedly throughout the process or involved in hearings featuring public health officials at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health, and the FDA, as well as the vaccine manufacturers. I am confident that they maintained high safety standards as they pursued a vaccine. While the vaccines were under development, the Trump Administration planned ahead for their delivery and administration to Americans. It purchased millions of doses of the prospective vaccines and made agreements with pharmacies that would be able to vaccinate people. While enough vaccine doses will be manufactured to cover most of the population, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended the priorities for vaccination while supplies remain limited. It suggested health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities be first in line, followed by older adults and frontline essential workers, all groups with a higher susceptibility to the coronavirus than other parts of the population. The vaccines are broadly safe, but caution is appropriate for people with allergic reactions and certain other conditions. The CDC recommends that you talk to your doctor if you have had a severe allergic reaction to other vaccines or injectable therapies to determine if a COVID vaccine is a safe decision for you. Further, if you have had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in a COVID vaccine, the CDC recommends not getting that vaccine. I also believe that vaccinations should not be mandatory. This would be true particularly for people who object to taking it due to their religious principles or as a matter of conscience. I also reject the idea of individuals being required to carry around a vaccination certificate, which is too close to the identification papers of highly restricted societies for my comfort. Operation Warp Speed is just one component of the Federal Government's efforts to combat the coronavirus. Other therapeutics and treatments have also been developed at a rapid pace and are also being deployed as the pandemic still inflicts widespread sickness. The United States has long excelled at scientific innovation, but even among our country's long list of achievements, from the light bulb to the first manned landing on the Moon, Operation Warp Speed stands out for its scale, speed, safety, and ultimately lives saved. Amid all the bad news of 2020, this accomplishment is one worth praising. If you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to contact my office. You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671. To reach my office via email, please visit my website atwww.morgangriffith.house.gov. Also on my website is the latest material from my office, including information on votes recently taken on the floor of the House of Representatives. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://luria.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-elaine-luria-announces-passage-critical-health-care-priorities,Congresswoman Elaine Luria Announces Passage of Critical Health Care Priorities in COVID-19 Relief Package,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Elaine Luria,L000591,luria.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DCToday, Congresswoman Elaine Luria announced the inclusion of several vital health care provisions in theConsolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 and Emergency Coronavirus Relief package, which the President recently signed into law. These provisions would bolster COVID-19 vaccine and testing deployment, reverse planned budget cuts to Medicare, and provide additional funding for personal protective equipment (PPE).As our nation faces record-breaking numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, we must continue providing robust funding for critical health care imperatives,said Congresswoman Elaine Luria.While neither perfect nor all-inclusive, this much-overdue COVID-19 relief package allocates resources needed to improve our nation's response to this pandemic. I am pleased the President signed this package into law, and I urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to continue finding common ground as we continue addressing this public health emergency.Included in the COVID-19 relief package are: $69 billion for COVID-19 testing, vaccine deployment, contact tracing, and other critical health care needs; $3.25 billion for a national stockpile of PPE; A reversal of the 2021 Medicare Sequester; and, An end to surprise medical bills by ensuring patients are only responsible for in-network cost-sharing amounts in emergency and non-emergency situations, in which they cannot choose an in-network provider. As a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, Congresswoman Luria helped develop aframework for a COVID-19 relief package, whichthe Caucus introduced with a bipartisan group of Senators earlier this month. The relief package that just became law shares striking similarities with this framework, which prioritizes support for families, students, small businesses, and health care providers.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wexton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=441,Rep. Wexton’s EFFORT Act to Expand Opioid Addiction Research Headed to President’s Desk,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Jennifer Wexton,W000825,wexton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC --Today, the Expanding Findings for Federal Opioid Research and Treatment (EFFORT) Act was passed by the House of Representatives, after being amended and passed by the Senate last week. The EFFORT Act is bipartisan legislation authored by Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) and co-sponsored by Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN). The Senate companion bill was carried by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Cory Gardner (R-CO), and now goes to the President for his signature. While much of our attention is focused on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the opioid addiction crisis continues to ravage our communities,said Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton.In fact, the crisis has gotten worse. Virginia is seeing a record number of fatal overdoses this year as isolation and anxiety brought on by COVID add new challenges for those who are in recovery. We need to vigorously study and treat addiction like the disease that it is. Once this bill is signed into law, scientists and researchers can provide us with greater resources to end this crisis. As our nation confronts the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we also continue to grapple with an opioid epidemic that is increasingly devastating families in Delaware and across the country,said Senator Chris Coons. The recent record-breaking success with a vaccine for COVID-19 shows that when the federal government invests in research and partners with leading minds in all sectors we can do amazing things. This bill would put our collective resources and know-how to work deepening our understanding of opioid addiction and finding tools and treatments to end this crisis. I'm proud that it will be signed into law. We have lost hundreds of lives here in the Northern Shenandoah Valley to the opioid epidemic. The effects of this public health crisis have been seen in the number of children in foster care, babies born substance exposed, and grandparents now raising their grandchildren. The Northern Shenandoah Valley Substance Abuse Coalition supports the EFFORT Act and is proud to see it pass through the House and Senate because research will help to decrease preventable deaths caused by opioid overdoses and will drive better treatment approaches,said Lauren Cummings, executive director of the Northern Shenandoah Valley Substance Abuse Coalition. The EFFORT Act expands research into the prevention and treatment of opioid addiction, seeking to promote collaboration and interdisciplinary efforts and close existing gaps in research. The bill directs the National Science Foundation (NSF), in consultation with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to support research that will allow for further understanding of the science of opioid addiction. 2020 is on track to be theworst year by farfor fatal drug overdose deaths in Virginia. Overdoses have spiked during the pandemic, and the Commonwealth is on track to surpass 2,000 overdose deaths this year after setting a record last year with 1,626 lives lost. Congresswoman Wexton is a founding member of the bipartisanFreshmen Working Group on Addictionwith Representative David Trone (D-MD) and has been a strong advocate for addiction prevention and recovery efforts since her time in the Virginia state Senate where she served on the Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee. The full text of the EFFORT Act can be foundhere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://luria.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-luria-votes-support-small-businesses-covid-19-relief-package,Congresswoman Luria Votes to Support Small Businesses in COVID-19 Relief Package,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Elaine Luria,L000591,luria.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congresswoman Elaine Luria highlighted several small business wins within the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 and Emergency Coronavirus Relief package, which the President recently signed into law. I am glad the COVID relief package included significant aid for small businesses and our workforce during this challenging time,said Congresswoman Luria.Small businesses are the engines of our local economy, and they continue to experience catastrophic losses.This package will provide a lifeline to small business owners and help workers stay employed across Coastal Virginia and our nation. This bipartisan, bicameral deal provides important funding and provisions for small businesses, including: $284 billion for a second round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) through March 31, 2021; $20 billion for emergency Economic Injury Disaster Loan grants and extension of the covered period for emergency EIDL grants to December 31, 2021; $15 billion in grants for eligible live event venue operators, an industry that has lost nearly 90% of their revenue; Expansion of expense eligibility under the PPP to include personal protective equipment and supplier costs; Clarification that forgiven PPP expenses like rent and payroll are tax-deductible; and, Modifications to the Employee Retention Tax Credit by increasing the credit rate from 50%-70%. As a former small business owner, Congresswoman Elaine Luria has been a staunch advocate for locally owned small businesses during this economic crisis. Previously, shevoted for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which established the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Although the PPP was a necessary step to assist small business owners, it was not perfect, which is why the Congresswomanadvocated for bipartisan initiativesto allow business owners to use PPP loans over longer time periods, to provide flexibility for businesses struggling to meet the SBA's requirement that 75% of loan proceeds go toward payroll costs, and to increase the SBA's transparency. Congresswoman Elaine Luria represents Virginia's 2nd Congressional District. She serves on theHouse Armed Services Committee, where she is theVice Chair of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, and theHouse Committee on Veterans' Affairs, where she serves asChair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/mceachin-blasts-gop-lawmakers-pledge-challenge-biden-victory-during-congress,McEachin Blasts GOP Lawmakers for Pledge to Challenge Biden Victory During Congress Certification,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,A. McEachin,M001200,mceachin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04)today released the following statement afterPolitico reportedthat Sen. Josh Hawley (MI-R) pledged to challenge President-elect Joe Biden's victory in Pennsylvania and possibly other states on Jan. 6, when Congress is set to certify the results of the 2020 election: ""After multiple recounts, state certifications and the Electoral College vote, it is reckless and disrespectful to American voters that a U.S. Senator is entertaining challenging the results of a free and fair election,""said Congressman McEachin.""Even Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has congratulated President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris on their victory in November. The American people have spoken It is time for Senator Hawley and his Republican colleagues to put what's best for our country ahead of their personal politics and end this wanton obstruction of a peaceful transfer of power to the duly-elected Biden-Harris administration.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://luria.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-luria-votes-secure-vital-energy-and-infrastructure-priorities,Congresswoman Luria Votes to Secure Vital Energy and Infrastructure Priorities in Government Spending Bill,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Elaine Luria,L000591,luria.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congresswoman Luria highlighted several critical energy and water wins for Coastal Virginia that were included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 and Emergency Coronavirus Relief package, which the President recently signed into law. I am pleased that the Fiscal Year 2021 government funding bill included significant funding to support clean energy, improve our waterways, and invest in environmental cleanup efforts,said Congresswoman Luria.This package will create jobs, improve Coastal Virginia's infrastructure, and allow our economy and environment to thrive for future generations. This bipartisan, bicameral deal providesrobust funding for critical energy and water development priorities advocated for by Congresswoman Luria, including: Provisions from the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act, which authorizes an advanced reactor technology program and establishes a nuclear energy university program; $1.5 billionto improve our nuclear reactor fleet, including $250 million for an advanced nuclear reactor program; $156 million to support efforts to secure our nation's energy infrastructure through investments in cybersecurity protections and energy resiliency; $7.8 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers construction projects and navigation maintenance; and, $113 million for the Inland Waterways Trust Fund, which funds construction and maintenance expenses for navigable waterways. The legislation also directs the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct ecosystem restoration projects and flood and storm damage reduction projects. Additionally, it directs the Department of Energy to optimize Nuclear Physics user facilities, which includes the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab) in Newport News, Virginia. Directing the Department of Energy to optimize user facilities will ensure investment in JLab's research and scientific discoveries. Congresswoman Elaine Luria represents Virginia's 2nd Congressional District. She serves on theHouse Armed Services Committee, where she is theVice Chair of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, and theHouse Committee on Veterans' Affairs, where she serves asChair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/mceachin-urges-additional-covid-19-relief-votes-increase-direct-payments-assist,"McEachin Urges Additional COVID-19 Relief, Votes to Increase Direct Payments to Assist Struggling Virginia Families",2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,A. McEachin,M001200,mceachin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04)released the following statement after voting for House passage of H.R. 9051, the Caring for Americans with Supplemental Help (CASH) Act, legislation which would raise recently enacted economic impact statements from $600 to $2,000: While it is good news that help is finally on its way to the Commonwealth of Virginia, the stopgap package signed into law on Sunday cannot mark the end of our efforts to provide relief for all of the struggling families, workers, and small businesses that have had to wait months for federal support,said Congressman McEachin.Even President Trump recognizes we can and must do more to help Virginians and Americans across the country stay afloat during this crisis. I urge the Senate to join my House colleagues and I in voting quickly to increase direct relief payments to $2,000 and put more money in the pockets of Virginians impacted by this pandemic. BACKGROUND The CASH Act builds on the direct relief payments provided for Americans in H.R. 133, the Omnibus Appropriations and Emergency Coronavirus Relief package, which was signed into law on Sunday. A product of bipartisan, bicameral negotiations, the government funding bill consisted of all 12 Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations bills, as well as coronavirus relief and authorizations. As part of the emergency relief and omnibus package, Congressman McEachin secured provisions consistent with his legislative priorities, including: Infrastructure Investments Grants a cost adjustment to allow work to continue on the Deep Creek Bridge in Chesapeake to address traffic concerns; Authorizes over $102 million in federal funds for construction of the North Landing Bridge Replacement; and Includes a provision for the construction of a new Long Bridge on the Potomac River, which will double the capacity of rail crossing between Virginia and D.C. Appropriations and Other Funding Funding for an additional Virginia-class submarine; Over $87 million for the Chesapeake Bay Program; $65 million to the Federal Communications Commission to create broadband data maps required under the Broadband DATA Act, which included Congressman McEachin'sMAPS Act; Funding for several programs advocated by Congressman McEachin in hislettersto House and Senate leadership, including: $3.75 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP); $90 million for Diesel Emissions Reductions grants; $125 million for Low or No Emissions program; and $1.21 billion for Superfund; and $638 million to Health and Human Services to create a new low-income water assistance program to help households with water utility bills, which follows Congressman McEachin's push for a national water shutoff moratorium during the pandemic. Legislation Championed by Congressman McEachin Inclusion of H.R. 5534, the Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act. Overall, the spending package contains $900 billion in emergency coronavirus relief to protect the lives and livelihoods of the American people. Among its provisions, the bill provides: Billions in urgently need funds to accelerate the free and equitable distribution of safe vaccines to crush the virus; $13 billion in increased SNAP and child nutrition benefits to help relieve the COVID hunger crisis; A new round of direct payments worth up to $600 per adult and child up to $2,400 for a family of four, depending on income; A $300 per week UI enhancement for Americans out of work; $25 billion in critically-needed rental assistance for families struggling to stay in their homes and an extension of the eviction moratorium; $284 billion for first and second forgivable PPP loans and $20 billion for targeted EIDL Grants which are critical to many smaller businesses on Main Street; $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools and $10 billion for childcare assistance to help get parents back to work and keep childcare providers open; and An additional $3.36 billion for a total of $4 billion for GAVI, the international vaccine alliance, recognizing that we are not truly safe until the whole world is safe from the coronavirus",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://spanberger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3434,President Signs into Law Spanberger’s Legislation to Name a Midlothian Post Office After World War II Code Breaker Dorothy Bruce,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Abigail Spanberger,S001209,spanberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. President Donald Trump has signed into law U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger's legislation to name a Chesterfield County post office after World War II code breaker and former Midlothian resident Dorothy Braden Bruce. Dorothy Bruce was recruited by the U.S. military during World War II to serve in a top-secret group of code-breaking women. Sworn to secrecy, Dorothy's unit worked to disclose the locations of Japanese ships in the Pacific, identify and intercept enemy supply movements, and protect the lives of American servicemembers. Bruce passed away at the age of 99 last year. With Spanberger's legislation now law, the U.S. Post Office facility located at 1201 Sycamore Square Drive in Midlothian will be renamed the Dorothy Braden Bruce Post Office Building. Spanberger's bipartisan bill was cosponsored by Virginia's entire U.S. House delegation. We thank Congresswoman Spanberger for her skill in achieving enactment of a public law dedicating the Sycamore Square Post Office to our mother, Dorothy Braden Bruce, said Nancy Robertson, Jim Bruce, and Virginia Evans Children of Dorothy Braden Bruce. We also thank author Liza Mundy for revealing the secret story of women code breakers in WWII, a story almost lost to history. Even at age 97, our mother's remarkable memory helped Liza interpret and validate declassified archive records and bring to life the challenges and successes of these 10,000 women code breakers who kept their secret for nearly 70 years. There is no monument to these young women, handpicked and secretly summoned to hasten the end of WWII, saving the lives of thousands of Americans. We are grateful that this public building is a part of that remembrance. For decades, the pioneering and lifesaving efforts of women codebreakers were kept a secret, and American heroes like Dorothy never knew if their efforts would be recognized in history books or even remembered by future generations. With the Dorothy Braden Bruce Post Office Building' now a reality, Virginians who look to live a life in service to their country, particularly young women and girls, will have the opportunity to gain inspiration from a remarkable life of service, honor, and determination, said Spanberger. I look forward to visiting this facility and celebrating this historic moment in the near future, and it is my true honor to help preserve the legacy of Dorothy Bruce and her contributions to our Commonwealth and our country. Ahead of the bill's passage in the U.S. House in September 2020, Spanberger spoke on the House floor to honor Dorothy's life. Click here to watch her full remarks. BACKGROUND As a cryptanalyst with the U.S. Army Signal Corps' Signal Intelligence Service, Dorothy Bruce was one of thousands of American women serving as codebreakers throughout World War II. Dorothy's story is featured in the bestselling book Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy. According to Mundy in a 2017 interview with the Chesterfield Observer, the contributions of women like Bruce were key factors in delivering an Allied victory in the Pacific: While it might not sound as significant as cracking the Enigma machine, Mundy says it's one of the three most important Allied codebreaking efforts of the conflict, up there with the sinking of Nazi U-boats or intelligence gained ahead of the crucial Battle of Midway. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402402,Griffith Statement on CASH Act,2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,VA,Morgan Griffith,G000568,morgangriffith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement regarding the CASH Act of 2020: Yesterday, the President signed the more than $2.3 trillion Omnibus, which includedCOVID relief. After signing it, the President issued a statement calling on Congress to increase the amount of money going to individuals AND to cut bloated government spending. Today, the Democrats in the House put forward a bill to increase the size of the individual checks, BUT did not put forward any of the President's cut suggestions OR cuts to spending that they preferred. This is a typical Democrat compromise. We will give you increased spending, but we will not give you the cuts requested. Accordingly, I could not support this increased spending, at this time, without legitimate cuts as requested by the President. Hopefully with vaccines being distributed, our businesses and our economy will be back in operation soon. If not, we will have to examine additional relief in the new year. Background Congressman Griffith supported the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations (HR 6074), the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (HR 6201), the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (HR 748), and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (HR 266). Click here for his statement on the Omnibus spending bill for Fiscal Year 2021. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-votes-to-override-trump-veto-of-defense-bill-raise-amount-of,"Scott Votes to Override Trump Veto of Defense Bill, Raise Amount of Stimulus Checks",2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, the House of Representatives voted to override President Trump's veto of H.R. 6395, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021. Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) voted to override President Trump's veto. For 60 years, the NDAA has been passed with bipartisan and bicameral support. President Trump's veto of this legislation was harmful to our national security and showed a disregard for our military personnel and their families, said Congressman Scott. The FY 21 NDAA provides a well-deserved three percent pay increase for our servicemembers. It also includes several important provisions that will directly support shipbuilding and ship maintenance in Hampton Roads. The President was willing to throw away all that good work in the name of preserving names, symbols, displays, monuments, and other paraphernalia that commemorate the Confederate States of America or anyone that voluntarily served in rebellion against the United States.It is a deeply disappointing but fitting chapter at the end of Donald Trump's presidency. I was proud to see a bipartisan coalition of Members of Congress vote to override President Trump's veto. On December 8, the House passed the conference report to the NDAA bill by an overwhelming, bipartisan vote of335 to 78 a vote greater than the two-thirds vote required for a veto override. Similarly, on December 11, the Senate passed the NDAA conference report by a bipartisan vote of84 to 13 another vote greater than the two-thirds vote required to override a president's veto. The House of Representatives also voted to pass H.R. 9051, the Caring for Americans with Supplemental Help (CASH) Act of 2020, which would raise recently enacted economic impact payments from $600 to $2,000 and fix the gap for adult dependents retroactively, allowing for an additional $2,000 for each dependent. Passage of the CASH Act is vital for working families across the country struggling due to this pandemic, stated Congressman Scott. The COVID relief bill recently passed by Congress and signed by the President was a down payment on what will be necessary to crush the virus and push our economy into recovery. I am pleased to see that President Trump is supportive of larger cash payments as Congressional Democrats have been advocating for many months. It is disappointing to see so many of our Republican colleagues vote against providing much-needed relief to workers and families during such a difficult time. I hope the President will urge the Republican Senate to follow the House's lead and pass this bill to increase relief for the American people. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cline.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-cline-statement-vote-increase-emergency-relief-checks-without-offsetting,Rep. Cline Statement on Vote to Increase Emergency Relief Checks Without Offsetting Cuts to Wasteful Spending,2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,VA,Ben Cline,C001118,cline.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06) released the below statement following House passage of H.R. 9051 the Caring for Americans with Supplemental Help Act. Virginians across the Commonwealth are hurting, and that is why I fully supported President Trump's call to raise the dollar amount of Emergency Relief Checks from $600 to $2000 by offsetting it with cuts to wasteful spending included in the bill. Sadly, Democrats voted down our attempt to make these changes last week. Therefore, because the bill only included half of President Trump's proposal, I could not support the bill as written, Cline said. Congressman Ben Cline represents the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia. He previously was an attorney in private practice and served both as an assistant prosecutor and Member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Cline and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Botetourt County with their two children. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cline.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1063,Rep. Cline Statement on Vote to Increase Emergency Relief Checks Without Offsetting Cuts to Wasteful Spending,2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,VA,Ben Cline,C001118,cline.house.gov,cline,https://cline.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06) released the below statement following House passage of H.R. 9051 – the Caring for Americans with Supplemental Help Act. ""Virginians across the Commonwealth are hurting, and that is why I fully supported President Trump's call to raise the dollar amount of Emergency Relief Checks from $600 to $2000 by offsetting it with cuts to wasteful spending included in the bill. Sadly, Democrats voted down our attempt to make these changes last week. Therefore, because the bill only included half of President Trump's proposal, I could not support the bill as written,"" Cline said. Congressman Ben Cline represents the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia. He previously was an attorney in private practice and served both as an assistant prosecutor and Member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Cline and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Botetourt County with their two children.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://luria.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-luria-votes-enhanced-covid-19-relief,Congresswoman Luria Votes for Enhanced COVID-19 Relief,2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Elaine Luria,L000591,luria.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congresswoman Luria voted in favor of the Caring for Americans with Supplemental Help (CASH) Act to increase the amount of direct payment support for Coastal Virginians. Under this standalone legislation, eligible Coastal Virginians would receive a second economic impact payment (EIP) of $2,000, up from $600. This legislation also retroactively fixes a flaw in the first round of economic impact payments, which excluded non-child dependents from receiving economic relief. Throughout this public health emergency, I have heard from families throughout Coastal Virginia that they are struggling and need additional economic relief, said Congresswoman Luria. Tonight, I voted to increase direct economic impact payments to families throughout Virginia because Congressional support must match constituents' needs in order to quickly recover from this economic crisis. Congresswoman Elaine Luria represents Virginia's 2nd Congressional District. She serves on theHouse Armed Services Committee, where she is theVice Chair of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, and theHouse Committee on Veterans' Affairs, where she serves asChair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://spanberger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3432,"President Trump Signs into Law Spanberger’s Legislation to Expand Broadband Internet Access, Lower Prescription Drug Prices, Support Veterans, & Prevent Tax Hikes on Local Breweries & Distilleries",2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Abigail Spanberger,S001209,spanberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. President Trump last night signed into law a bipartisan fiscal year (FY) 2021 funding deal as well as an emergency COVID-19 relief package that contains several wins for Central Virginia small businesses, working families, and veterans that U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger fought to include. In addition to the COVID-19 relief provisions she pushed to include in the overall legislation, the year-end funding package incorporates many of Spanberger's key priorities and pieces of legislation including increased funding for broadband internet projects through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) ReConnect Program, her legislation to lower drug prices and increase access to generic drugs, and her bipartisan bill to fix the federal financial aid process for veterans and their families. Additionally, the government funding deal includes permanent tax relief for Central Virginia craft breweries and distilleries something Spanberger pushed to include in the FY 2021 funding bill and heard about directly from Central Virginia distillers earlier this year. Without congressional passage of this legislation, craft distillers in Virginia would have faced a potential 400 percent tax increase in 2021, which would hinder the local industry's recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. As our communities look to rebuild and recover from ongoing crisis, the federal government must make smart investments and reforms that allow families and businesses to succeed long into the future. While I fundamentally disagree with the procrastination and repeated shutdown threats that characterized this recent funding process, I am relieved to see an agreement cross the finish line as we prepare for a new Congress and a new administration, said Spanberger. This package includes several priorities I pushed to include such as continued, increased funding for high-speed internet infrastructure and a commonsense fix to help the families of veterans afford a high-quality higher education. Additionally, I'm glad to see our local breweries, distilleries, and vineyards will receive some much-needed tax relief in this uncertain economic time. And as we look forward to our priorities in the next Congress, my legislation to knock down barriers for biosimilar drugs makes me hopeful that we can achieve additional progress in lowering prescription drug costs over the next few years. I was proud to support this agreement combined with COVID-19 relief, as it is a necessary component of maintaining government operations, funding critical services, and keeping millions of Americans employed. Nothing could be more critical in a moment of nationwide crisis. The impending FET Relief expiration on Dec. 31, 2020 was the single greatest threat to our industry, and we thank Representative Spanberger and other Members of Congress for stepping up with support, said Gareth Moore, President, Virginia Distillers Association. We were looking at a 400 percent federal tax hike, which would have been catastrophic to our industry even without the setbacks of the pandemic this year. We've been making trips to Washington for several years now, to not only plea for Congress to support distilled spirits FET relief, but to make it permanent. Imposing the same federal tax load on small businesses as multinational corporations was counterintuitive to growing our industry here in Virginia, which is predominantly craft in scale. Now that relief has passed, we expect our industry will be able to focus on growth opportunities. In the past, with FET up for renewal each year, it set a tone of not being able to plan for the future. How could any business plan with the uncertainty of a looming 400 percent federal tax increase potentially going into effect each year? Now that relief is permanent, we can focus on investing capital in our businesses, our employees, the Commonwealth and growing the spirits industry as a signature industry for Virginia. After my husband, Matthew Ruzicka, retired from the United States Army and began to collect Disability Payments for his service-connected injuries, the amount of financial aid our children received for college was reduced dramatically. To our surprise, the reason for this drop in aid was because my husband's disability benefits were considered income in calculations for financial aid, said Annette Ruzicka, Midlothian. I am grateful to Representative Spanberger for her tireless work on rectifying this injustice and making sure that these earned benefits don't end up actively hurting student veterans and veteran families like my own. Electric cooperatives are deeply invested in the health of America's rural economies and elevating underserved people around the globe who lack access to electricity. As a member of the Agriculture and Foreign Affairs Committees, Representative Spanberger has a unique perspective on both those essential challenges, said Jim Matheson, CEO, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. The USDA ReConnect program and other new broadband programs included in year-end legislation will work to connect rural Americans who lack access to high-speed internet. And the USAID Cooperative Development Program is critical to connecting people around the world to affordable, reliable electricity. We are grateful for Representative Spanberger's commitment to the health of rural communities, domestically and abroad. There is a tremendous need for policies to help biosimilars developers navigate through the significant patent estates constructed by brand name drug companies, said Christine Simmon, Executive Director, Biosimilars Council, a Division of the Association for Accessible Medicines. Section 325 is a step in the right direction, and we look forward to working with Rep. Spanberger on further initiatives to enhance patient access to more-affordable biosimilars. Spanberger successfully fought to include many provisions in the FY 2021 funding deal in addition to her COVID-19 relief priorities passed as part of the package, including: Strengthened funding for broadband internet projects. The bipartisan funding deal includes $635 million for USDA ReConnect Program, which partners with businesses and local officials to expand high-speed internet infrastructure and increase e-Connectivity in rural and underserved communities across the country. Earlier this month, Spanberger led a bipartisan effort calling on appropriators to prioritize funding for high-speed broadband internet infrastructure projects and reject proposed cuts to the ReConnect Program included in the Senate version of the FY 2021 funding bill. In February 2020, Spanbergerannounced $28 millionin ReConnect funding for broadband internet infrastructure in Central Virginia including in Louisa, Orange, Goochland, and Powhatan Counties. Last year, Spanbergersuccessfully led the fightto protect ReConnect Program funding fromelimination in the FY 2020 funding deal. Spanberger's bipartisan legislation to fix a flaw in the federal financial aid system for veterans and their families. The bipartisan package includes legislation Spanberger introduced on Veterans Day 2020 to fix an issue in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that has unfairly penalized disabled veterans and their families. Currently, Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, including VA Disability Compensation, must be reported in the FAFSA and is taken into consideration when calculating an applicant's Estimated Family Contribution. Because these tax-free payments remains a factor in the FAFSA process, this requirement has caused many veterans and their families to take on an additional financial burden when sending their children to college. Spanberger's Honor Our Nation's Oath to Remember (HONOR) Our Veterans' Sacrifice Act would fix this issue by excluding veteran benefits, including VA Disability Compensation, from the list of benefits required to be reported in the FAFSA. Spanberger's bipartisan legislation to lower prescription drug costs and allow cheaper, generic alternatives to enter the consumer market. The funding package includes major provisions from Spanberger's Biologic Patent Transparency Act, which will take a first step in stopping this practice of patent gaming and seek to level the playing field for biosimilar drugs. By increasing patent transparency in the prescription drug market, this law will help stimulate competition between biosimilars and established biologic medicines and these provisions will likely deliver biosimilar treatments to patients faster and help lower drug prices for Central Virginia consumers. Spanberger introduced the bipartisan legislation in October 2019. A permanent extension of the craft beverage tax credit. Spanberger is a cosponsor of the bipartisanCraft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act, which is included in this funding deal and makes permanent the federal excise tax cut on distilled spirts that was enacted in 2017. Earlier this month, Spanberger joined a bipartisan group of her colleagues in urging Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy to pass this legislation in the FY 2021 funding agreement particularly as brewers and distillers would've faced a significant increase in their federal excise taxes at a time when so many are struggling to stay open and keep employees on the payroll. In August 2020, Spanberger hosted a discussion in Powhatan with Central Virginia distillers to learn more about how they are innovating in response to the COVID-19 crisis as well as to hear about the need for the extension of this crucial tax credit. In addition to Spanberger's funding deal wins for Central Virginia, the legislation includes many critical COVID-19 relief priorities such as extended unemployment benefits, strong funding for COVID-19 vaccine distribution, additional loans for small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), direct payments to individuals, telehealth investments, and assistance to independent entertainment venues. Additionally, the legislation extends the deadline for state and local governments to use Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) awards beyond the end-of-year deadline, allowing Central Virginia communities to continue ongoing COVID-19-related projects. Click here to read more about Spanberger's COVID-19 relief priorities included in the overall emergency and omnibus package. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://spanberger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3433,Spanberger Statement on Vote to Override President Trump’s Veto of the National Defense Authorization Act,2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Abigail Spanberger,S001209,spanberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger tonight released the following statement after voting with an overwhelmingly bipartisan majority of the U.S. House of Representatives to override President Trump's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes U.S. Department of Defense funding and sets the country's national security priorities for the upcoming year. The United States and its allies face a growing range of threats around the world as we've witnessed with the latest cyberattack from Russia and this year's NDAA is a critical step in protecting the dedicated men and women who work tirelessly to keep Central Virginia's families safe. This vote is not a difficult decision whatsoever, because our servicemembers and their families deserve the strongest support possible, said Spanberger. The President's veto of the NDAA was not only misguided, but it sent a poor message to our allies as well as our adversaries around the world. As Commander in Chief, the President has a unique responsibility to protect our servicemen and women, and it is beyond embarrassing and a show of weakness that the President chose to veto this legislation. I look forward to welcoming a new President into office who demonstrates the commitment necessary to maintain our military advantage, confront the dangers on the horizon, and honor the selfless service of those who put on the uniform in defense of their country. The fiscal year 2021 NDAA focuses on maintaining the strength of the U.S. military, protecting servicemembers, and building resilience against future threats. Among its provisions, the bill includes a measure to provide U.S. servicemembers with a three-percent pay raise. The defense authorization bill also includes provisions Spanberger co-led to hold the Turkish government accountable for purchasing Russian defense systems, increase transparency in federal spending, and address rising rates of suicide across rural America. Click here to learn more. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wexton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=439,Wexton Applauds Passage of CASH Act,2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Jennifer Wexton,W000825,wexton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Wexton Applauds Passage of CASH Act Washington, DC -- Today, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) voted to pass the CASH Act, to ensure Americans receive $2,000 in the next round of stimulus payments in the wake of the impact of COVID-19. The House took an important first step to help Americans get some of the desperately needed support they deserve,said Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton. I've been advocating for greater direct relief payments for families in need for months, and I'm hopeful that the momentum behind this bipartisan effort between House Democrats and President Trump gets it through the Senate. It's been 8 months since Americans last received a stimulus check and $600 is embarrassingly low for this next round. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wexton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=440,"Wexton, Beyer, Perlmutter Urge OCC to Delay Rushed Fair Access to Financial Services Rulemaking",2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Jennifer Wexton,W000825,wexton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC --Today, Representatives Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), Don Beyer (D-VA) and Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) urged the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to delay its misguided Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Fair Access to Financial Services. In a letter the Members urged acting Comptroller Brian Brooks to extend the deadline for public comment by at least 30 days to allow the incoming Administration enough time to evaluate it. This midnight rulemaking is purely political and would have far-reaching consequences,said Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton.It's clear the motivation behind this policy is not safety nor soundness, but rather an effort to punish financial institutions for adopting policies that recognize the financial and reputational risks from financing high-risk industries. Banks should not have an obligation to finance irresponsible gun manufacturers and dealers, especially when those activities present risks to the communities they serve. Financial institutions doing their part to prevent gun violence should be applauded, not cut off at the knees by a gun lobby-backed rule. This rulemaking is a last-ditch effort by the waning Trump administration to quickly and quietly bolster the gun industry at the expense of the American people. We stand with Rep. Wexton, Beyer and Perlmutter as they demand that the incoming administration be given the time necessary to consider this incredibly consequential rule,said Nick Suplina, managing director of law and policy at Everytown for Gun Safety. The proposed rule would force financial institutions to lend to every industry, regardless of qualitative factors the lender may want to take into account such as financial and reputational risks, as well as undermine corporate responsibility efforts to protect the communities they serve. The proposed regulation can be foundhere. The full text of the letter can be foundhereand below. December 28, 2020 The Honorable Brian Brooks Acting Comptroller of the Currency 400 7th Street SW Washington, DC 20219 Dear Acting-Comptroller Brooks: We are writing to request that you delay the proposed rule by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to restrict responsible lending practices from large financial institutions. Given the recent change in Administration, your midnight rulemaking proposal should be delayed until a new Administration can evaluate it. At a minimum, given the considerable controversy over the proposed rule and its far-reaching implications, the comment period before finalizing the rule should be extended beyond the closing date of January 4, 2020, by a minimum of 30 days. The OCC plays an important role in ensuring that our nation's largest financial institutions are operating in a safe, sound and fair manner, but your current rulemaking appears to threaten the fairness your agency is purported to enforce. On November 20, 2020, the OCC announced a proposed rule (Federal Register Docket ID OCC-2020-0042a) that would prohibit large financial institutions from adopting risk-based policies that ensure responsible lending practices. Indeed, many of the nation's largest financial institutions have developed corporate social responsibility programs that recognize the threats to their reputations and the communities they serve from banking clients in high-risk industries, including firearms. We are particularly concerned that this rulemaking appears like it was designed to chill commonsense policies that some financial institutions have adopted in an effort to reduce gun violence. After the tragic school shooting in Parkland, Florida, many large institutions and corporations strengthened their existing corporate social responsibility programs related to firearms sales. Citibank announced a new US Commercial Firearms Policy that required retail clients to abide by best practices for reducing gun violence including requiring all of their partners to require a background check before selling a firearm and prohibiting the sale of dangerous devices that can simulate automatic gunfire like bump stocks. Bank of America announced similar steps including prohibiting lending to the makers of military style assault rifles. These steps are not out of the mainstream of corporate America. Wal-Mart, our nation's largest retailer, already refuses to sell a gun without the completion of a background check and Dick's Sporting Goods removed assault weapons from their stores. Many of America's leading companies have taken a public stand against gun violence because they recognize the risks to their communities and their business reputation. Our financial institutions should be allowed to make the same risk-based determinations. As you are well aware, Congress has a strong interest in ensuring that the public is able to adequately evaluate the merits of the proposed rulemaking. Regrettably, your rushed rulemaking process requests all public comments by January 4 which leaves little time for the agency to consider the merits of the proposal prior to the next Administration. The deadline for comments should be extended. Given the potential impact of the proposed rule and the controversy surrounding this important issue, we urge you to delay finalizing this rule so that it can be appropriately considered by Congress and the general public. Prohibiting the ability of corporations to make decisions in the best interest of their customers, stakeholders and shareholders is too important to be rushed in a midnight regulation. Sincerely, ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3450,Wittman statement on voting to override FY21NDAA veto,2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,VA,Robert Wittman,W000804,wittman.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) issued the following statement after voting to override the presidential veto of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (FY21 NDAA), the legislation to fundourUnitedStates military and vital defense-related programs into the next year: Let me be very clear:the FY21 NDAA does right by our men and women in uniform and provides sound, strong defense policy for the coming year and the coming challenges. It will give our armed forces the tools and resources they need to deter our adversaries, support our allies, and project power around the globe. The Commonwealth of Virginiais home to one of the largest populationsof military members and their families in the country and many more hardworking Americanswho develop and support the platforms, systems, and programs that our warfighters use to execute their critical missions around the globe.FY21 NDAAgoes a long way to support our region's path to economic recovery. While I understand the concerns of President Trump, simply put,this is a defense bill and thePresident's concerns are notdefense-related.Lawmakers have been ableto pass this bill for 59 years on a bipartisan and bicameral basis by taking painstaking measures to keepthe NDAA focused on our national security and setting aside non-related policyitems.There are better ways to address the issues brought up by the President that do not jeopardize our nation's security interests or punish our military members. I agree that we must address President Trump's concerns regarding Section 230.That is why I support Rep. Paul Gosar's(AZ-04)Stop the Censorship Act. Section 230 currently provides online platforms with immunity for the removal of anything they perceive to be otherwise objectionable.' This legislation revokes immunity for the removal of competition and lawful political speech, extends free speech online, empowers users to protect themselves from objectionable material. This provision also incentivizes platforms to be more transparent and abide by their own terms of service.Most importantly, separating this bill from FY21 NDAA gives us the opportunity to pass the requisitedefense legislation to ensure our men and women in uniform are given the resources they need to keep our Country safe. Our servicemembers andour national security professionals need this legislation and the authorizations and policies it provides. I refuse to put them at riskthis legislation is too important not to pass. Through his work as the Ranking Member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee and as a core conferee in the Conference Committee process for the FY21 NDAA, Congressman Wittman was able to work with his colleagues to secure the restoration of a second Virginia-class submarine and the required advanced procurement to maintain the necessary two-per-year build rate to keep pace with shipbuilding goals. These submarines are critical to both national defense strategy and the Commonwealth's economy. Additionally, the FY21 NDAA saw the inclusion of Congressman Wittman's bill, H.R. 7195, which will allow for the multi-year procurement of three smaller amphibious ships and one large deck amphibious ship that will save the taxpayers roughly a billion dollars. Ultimately, the shipbuilding account procures nine battle force ships including one Columbia-class fleet ballistic missile submarine; two Virginia-class submarines; two DDG 51 Arleigh Burke destroyers; one guided missile Frigate (FFG); two T-ATS towing, salvage, and rescue ships; and one expeditionary fast transport ship (EPF). Outside the Seapower portfolio, the FY21 NDAA included another bill written by Congressman Wittman, H.R.8263, which ensures opportunities for Department of Defense participation in wildlife conservation banking programs. This measure will establish accountable objective, measurable criteria for conservation results, giving the Department of Defense additional tools to advance military readiness. This is a win for the Department of Defense, our environment, and our wildlife. The FY21 NDAA also fully funds the critical B-21 Raider bomber program, as well as the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program and provides additional P-8 aircraft to combat the undersea threat. Finally, it includes the creation and authorization of the Tanker Fleet Security Program, a program that will continue to address our inability to appropriately transport fuel by creating a stipend for ten U.S.-flagged fuel transport ships to be chartered for this purpose. The FY21 NDAA includes several other provisions Congressman Wittman is proud to support such as a 3.0% pay raise for servicemembers, funding for future warfare projects done in Virginia's First District (such as the railgun and directed energy projects), and making sure the Armed Forces have the diagnostic equipment, testing capabilities, and the personal protective equipment necessary to protect servicemembers from the threat of infectious diseases. Congressman Rob Wittman represents the 1st District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he serves as the ranking member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-on-the-passing-of-george-banks,Scott Statement on the Passing of George Banks,2020-12-27,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"NEWPORT NEWS, VA Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the passing of former Norfolk NAACP branch president and community activist George Banks: George Banks was affectionately and rightly known as the Mayor of Berkley' a part of Norfolk that he helped transform for the better of the city and its citizens who reside there. George devoted his life to service to his community and successfully fought to eliminate the inequity and inequality of our nation's housing policies. His passing is a tremendous loss for Norfolk and the greater Hampton Roads community. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, many friends, and all those that live in a safer and better community thanks to George's decades of advocacy. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4995,Trump Will Cost Millions Of Americans One Week Of Permanently-Lost Unemployment Benefits If He Fails To Act By The End Of The Day,2020-12-26,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Donald Beyer,B001292,beyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Unemployment benefits are set to expire for an estimated twelve million Americans tomorrow unless recently-passed appropriations and relief legislation is signed into law. A substantial amount of those benefits, totaling billions of dollars, will be irretrievably lost for those dependent on them unless President Trump signs that bill today. Unlike the larger expiration of unemployment benefits which will go into effect tomorrow, this consequence of the President withholding his signature would not be reversed if he changes his mind and subsequently signs the bill. If Donald Trump does not sign the relief bill by the end of the day he will deny billions of dollars in support to some of the neediest people in this country during the holidays season, said Beyer. If he really wants to help people who are struggling amid the pandemic and economic crisis, he will sign this bill and then press his Republican allies in Congress to expand direct payments. The House will send legislation to the Senate within days to increase $600 direct payments to $2000, but Trump must sign this bill into law for it to take effect. Trump's refusal to sign this relief legislation immediately would result in devastating and unnecessary hardship for millions, and soon a government shutdown. These consequences are unacceptable, and he must act now. The unemployment titles of the appropriations and relief legislation (beginning on page 1927) extend authorization and funding for federally-supported unemployment programs including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) into mid-March [An explainer for these programs is available here with a flowchart here]. However, new $300 payments of enhanced benefits (FPUC) cannot begin until the President's signature gives the bill force of law, and states are barred from processing payments for weeks ending before the bill is signed. Once signed, the bill will still cut off funding and authorization at the mid-March date demanded by Senate Republicans, and there is no provision to restore the first of the 11 weeks of enhanced benefits, which will be denied to unemployment insurance recipients. The impact could be significantly worse depending on agency guidance that will determine the impacts of a delayed signature on the other programs. Outdated state unemployment systems have been put under tremendous strain by the massive numbers of applicants for assistance and the sudden transformation of unemployment programs, which will mean weeks or months of delays to process extensions to benefit payments that will ultimately be made retroactively. Senate Republicans balked at the cost of making federal support for and authorization of enhanced benefit payments retroactive before the bill's date of enactment, and because the White House pressed lawmakers to approve the bill and gave every assurance to Congress that the President would sign it, the bill was drafted to provide an eleven-week extension of benefits beginning at the end of December. Delayed enactment of the bill will effectively cut the overall number of benefit weeks to ten, at a cost of at least $300 per recipient depending on the state and recipient's circumstances, and on federal guidance about how such a delay would impact some of the programs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-on-the-passing-of-hampton-sheriff-bj-roberts,Scott Statement on the Passing of Hampton Sheriff B.J. Roberts,2020-12-26,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"NEWPORT NEWS, VA Congressman Bobby Scott issued the following statement on the passing of Hampton, Virginia Sheriff B.J. Roberts: I was saddened to learn of the passing of Hampton Sheriff B.J. Roberts. Sheriff Roberts served our community for decades in law enforcement, first as a patrolman with the Newport News Police Department, then rising through the ranks of the Hampton University Campus Police to become the University's Director of Police and Public Safety, and for the last 28 years as Hampton's sheriff. His 1992 election as sheriff was trailblazing as he became the first African American constitutional officer elected in Hampton's history. He continued to break barriers when he was elected in 2010 to serve as the first African American president of the National Sheriff's Association. Sheriff Roberts was committed to making our criminal justice system fairer and improving police-community relations. His passing is a tremendous loss for Hampton and the entire Commonwealth. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, the deputies and staff of the Hampton Sheriff's Office, and all those positively impacted by his remarkable life. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/sen-warner-on-the-passing-of-hampton-sheriff-b-j-roberts,Sen. Warner on the Passing of Hampton Sheriff B.J. Roberts,2020-12-26,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement on the passing of Hampton Sheriff B.J. Roberts: B.J. Roberts served the people of Hampton faithfully for many decades. He was a trailblazer who was deeply committed to improving relations between law enforcement and the communities they serve. He was also my friend for close to 30 years, and even nominated me when I first ran for Senate in 1996. My thoughts are with the Roberts family and the deputies and staff of the Hampton Sheriff's Office during this time. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3449,Wittman combats controversial spending on House Floor,2020-12-24,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,VA,Robert Wittman,W000804,wittman.house.gov,,,legacy,"Wittman combats controversial spending on House Floor f t # e Washington, December 24, 2020 Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) issued the following statement after offering a unanimous consent (UC) request to remove controversial foreign aid spending from the recently passed Consolidated Appropriations Act, which fully funds the government through September 30th, 2021, and provides additional COVID-19 pandemic relief to small businesses, American workers, and more. The UC request I put forward today to revisit the State and Foreign Operations title of the Consolidated Appropriations Act was offered in an effort to reexamine spending and address concerns of President Trump at a time when many believe that taxpayer dollars should go towards helping Americans most affected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our government's top priority must be our families, communities, and small businesses as we get through this pandemic and restore our country. Unfortunately, my UC request failed to be agreed to without support from Democratic House Leadership. The House does much of its noncontroversial work by ""unanimous consent"" (i.e., when one Member stands up and asks that something be done or permitted by unanimous consent and no other Member objects to the request). Congressman Rob Wittman represents the 1st District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he serves as the ranking member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee. f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-trump-veto-of-national-defense-bill,Kaine Statement On Trump Veto Of National Defense Bill,2020-12-23,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Tim Kaine,K000384,www.kaine.senate.gov,,,legacy,"December 23, 2020 Kaine Statement On Trump Veto Of National Defense Bill WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after President Trump vetoed the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed both the House and the Senate with strong bipartisan support: By vetoing this bipartisan legislation, President Trump ekes out one final betrayal of our nation's military. The President's veto stands in the way of a pay raise for troops, veteran suicide prevention, and necessary investments in our national security. The NDAA has passed Congress 60 years in a row because we understand its dire importance to servicemembers, military families, and the nation. Congress will not allow the President's action to undo this critical bipartisan work. ### Print Email Tweet",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4994,Beyer Seeks Federal Agency Guidance On Coronavirus Vaccinations,2020-12-23,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Donald Beyer,B001292,beyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) wrote National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, and U.S. Office of Personnel Management Acting Director Michael Rigas, urging them to release plans and guidance regarding COVID-19 vaccine distribution for federal employees. Beyer serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, which has partial jurisdiction over health care. Beyer wrote: After weeks of no substantive response to my staff's inquiry, I write to request any and all COVID-19 vaccine distribution plans or guidance for federal employees. In the interim, we have learned through reporting that some agencies have begun vaccinating their employees and have developed their own plans or guidance on vaccine distribution. ... Without this notification, States and localities will not know which federal employees need to be covered under their distribution plans rather than under the federal distribution plan. It is imperative that States and localities be able to properly identify the members in their community to whom they will be responsible for administering vaccines. The letter specifically requested that vaccine guidelines be shared for each agency outlining whether federal employees can expect their employing agency to administer their vaccine, what will be required to access it, and the process for communication with state and local public health departments for vaccine qualification. Beyer yesterday urged CDC Director Robert Redfield to improve transparency and data sharing amid the national effort to distribute and administer coronavirus vaccines. Beyer's letters were sent in response to ongoing confusion over reduced and delayed vaccine shipments to states, and amid a troubling absence of communication to Congress and federal employees regarding vaccine distribution. A signed copy of Beyer's letter is available here, and text follows below. *** Dear National Security Advisor O'Brien, Secretary Azar, and Acting Director Rigas: After weeks of no substantive response to my staff's inquiry, I write to request any and all COVID-19 vaccine distribution plans or guidance for federal employees. In the interim, we have learned through reporting that some agencies have begun vaccinating their employees and have developed their own plans or guidance on vaccine distribution.[1] Federal employees need to know the vaccine guidelines for their agency, if they can expect their employing agency to administer their vaccine and what is expected to access it. If not, it needs to be communicated to their corresponding State and local public health department if they qualify as frontline, as an essential worker, and that they make plans to get vaccinated through their healthcare provider. Without this notification, States and localities will not know which federal employees need to be covered under their distribution plans rather than under the federal distribution plan. It is imperative that States and localities be able to properly identify the members in their community to whom they will be responsible for administering vaccines. I request your expediency on this issue given the urgency of vaccine distribution around the country. Please respond with the Agencies expecting to administer their own vaccines, the status of the guidelines of those agencies, the expectations of agencies not administering their own vaccines, and please indicate what is being done to notify States and local public health departments for employees not eligible for an agency administered vaccine, and the number of employees expected to covered through their employer no later than Wednesday, December 30th, 2020. Sincerely, [1] Ogrysko, Nicole. State Department, VA Detail Initial COVID-19 Vaccination Plans for Employees. Federal News Network, 16 Dec. 2020, federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2020/12/state-department-va-detail-initial-covid-19-vaccination-plans-for-employees/.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-on-the-nomination-of-dr-miguel-cardona-for-secretary-of,Scott Statement on the Nomination of Dr. Miguel Cardona for Secretary of Education,2020-12-23,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"As originally released by the Committee on Education & Labor WASHINGTON, DCCommittee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. Bobby Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after President-elect Biden nominated Dr. Miguel Cardona to lead the Department of Education. I congratulate Dr. Miguel Cardona on his nomination to be the next Secretary of Education. Dr. Cardona has over two decades of experience serving in America's public schools first as an elementary school teacher and then as a school principal, assistant superintendent, and most recently as Connecticut's Commissioner of Education. The pandemic has exacerbated the effects of chronic underinvestment in our public schools, and as COVID-19 cases surge across the country, students and educators continue to face unprecedented challenges. Existing achievement gaps are widening, crumbling school infrastructure threatens the safety of our nation's children, and a mass transition to remote learning is causing tremendous learning loss. What's more, budget cuts, along with revenue and job losses, mean severe reductions in services and programs that many vulnerable students need to complete their degrees and find fulfilling careers. I look forward to working with Dr. Cardona in our shared belief that high-quality, public education is invaluable to the success of individuals and our nation. I am fully confident in his ability to lead the Department in its mission of educational equity for all. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/sen-warner-on-president-trump-s-veto-of-the-national-defense-authorization-act,Sen. Warner on President Trump's Veto of the National Defense Authorization Act,2020-12-23,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement after President Trump vetoed the FY21 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)overa provision requiring the military to rename bases named for Confederate militaryleadersand over the lack of language repealing Section 230. It's unconscionable that the President would choose to throw a wrench into the passage of a bill as critical as our nation's annual defense bill. The President's decision to veto this bipartisan legislation on his way out the door poses a serious threat to U.S. national security. It jeopardizes mission readinessand the well-being of our U.S. servicemembers and their families, aswell as military construction projects, investments in innovation and technology, and other critical defense priorities. It also threatens the economy in Virginia, which houses the Pentagon, major headquarters for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard, as well as Naval Station Norfolk the largest naval base in the world. I look forward to overriding the President's fruitless and ridiculous attempt to undermine our national security over his shifting rationale for his decision to veto, including a provision to rename bases honoring Confederate military leaders a provision that many in the President's own party have supported. The FY21 NDAA, whichpassedthrough the Senate earlier this month, contains a number of Warner-led provisions, including ones tocombatillicit finance,prioritizeU.S. innovation and technology development in 5G and semiconductors,protectmilitary families,createa more diverse pentagon workforce,enablegreater SCIF flexibility, fund theprocurementof a second Virginia-class submarine, andexpandthe list of service-connected presumptive conditions related to Agent Orange exposure. Sen. Warner is a cosponsor of theConfederate Monument Removal Act,which would remove statues of individuals who voluntarily served the Confederate States of America from display in National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol. He has alsospoken publiclyabout the need to remove publicsymbolsincluding military post nameshonoring theConfederacy as part of broader efforts to advance racial justice.He hasspoken outabout the need to have a thoughtful conversation about Section 230 and the ways in which it has enabled platforms to turn a blind eye to misuse. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/warner-on-president-trump-s-veto-of-the-national-defense-authorization-act,Warner on President Trump's Veto of the National Defense Authorization Act,2020-12-23,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement after President Trump vetoed the FY21 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) over a provision requiring the military to rename bases named for Confederate military leadersand over the lack of language repealing Section 230. It's unconscionable that the President would choose to throw a wrench into the passage of a bill as critical as our nation's annual defense bill. The President's decision to veto this bipartisan legislation on his way out the door poses a serious threat to U.S. national security. It jeopardizes mission readiness and the well-being of our U.S. servicemembers and their families, as well as military construction projects, investments in innovation and technology, and other critical defense priorities. It also threatens the economy in Virginia, which houses the Pentagon, major headquarters for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard, as well as Naval Station Norfolk the largest naval base in the world. I look forward to overriding the President's fruitless and ridiculous attempt to undermine our national security over his shifting rationale for his decision to veto, including a provision to rename bases honoring Confederate military leaders a provision that many in the President's own party have supported. The FY21 NDAA, whichpassedthrough the Senate earlier this month, contains a number of Warner-led provisions, including ones tocombatillicit finance,prioritizeU.S. innovation and technology development in 5G and semiconductors,protectmilitary families,createa more diverse pentagon workforce,enablegreater SCIF flexibility, fund theprocurementof a second Virginia-class submarine, and expand the list of service-connected presumptive conditions related to Agent Orange exposure. Sen. Warner is a cosponsor of theConfederate Monument Removal Act,which would remove statues of individuals who voluntarily served the Confederate States of America from display in National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol. He has alsospoken publiclyabout the need to remove public symbolsincluding military post nameshonoring the Confederacy as part of broader efforts to advance racial justice.He hasspoken outabout the need to have a thoughtful conversation about Section 230 and the ways in which it has enabled platforms to turn a blind eye to misuse. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4992,Beyer Presses CDC For Data Transparency On Coronavirus Vaccinations,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Donald Beyer,B001292,beyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today wrote to the Robert Redfield, Director of the Centers For Disease Control (CDC), urging increased transparency and data sharing amid the national effort to distribute and administer coronavirus vaccines. His letter came amid ongoing confusion over reduced and delayed vaccine shipments to states. Beyer serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, which has partial jurisdiction over health care. Beyer wrote: Every phase of the U.S. response to the COVID-19 epidemic has reinforced the importance of publicly available data. Now that the U.S. is offering vaccines to the American public, transparency on real-time vaccine uptake is crucial. The CDC's COVID-19 Data Tracker has been the landing spot for federal data about testing and case numbers, it should do the same in providing robust information regarding vaccine distribution and administration. There are already concerns about incorrect shipment information, or at the very least problematic communication about vaccine allocation numbers, and unexpected delays to long-term care facilities. Transparent, up-to-date information shared with the public is necessary. The letter specifically requested that CDC provide daily, public information totaling doses distributed to and administered in each states, individuals with completed series, data disaggregated by vaccine maker as well as by gender, age, race, and ethnicity, and other key data points. Beyer is the sponsor of legislation to ensure data transparency at the CDC during the COVID-19 pandemic. A signed copy of Beyer's letter is available here, and text follows below. *** Dear Director Redfield: Every phase of the U.S. response to the COVID-19 epidemic has reinforced the importance of publicly available data. Now that the U.S. is offering vaccines to the American public, transparency on real-time vaccine uptake is crucial. The CDC's COVID-19 Data Tracker has been the landing spot for federal data about testing and case numbers, it should do the same in providing robust information regarding vaccine distribution and administration. I ask that you provide daily information on the: Doses distributed to each state Doses administered in each state Individuals with a completed series by state Data disaggregated by vaccine manufacturer, gender, age, race and ethnicity Data disaggregated by Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices tier and qualifying category Percent of America vaccinated, and percent needed for successful vaccine campaign There are already concerns about incorrect shipment information, or at the very least problematic communication about vaccine allocation numbers, and unexpected delays to long-term care facilities.[i] Transparent, up-to-date information shared with the public is necessary. In addition, Congress must have primary source information about vaccine allocations, including access to Tiberius or comparable platforms. Because the federal government controls the amount of vaccines allocated to states, to pharmacies, as well as to the Indian Health Service, certain federal employees and other federal entities, we cannot understand the full picture of uptake of vaccinations in our congressional districts without full access to this information. I respectfully request that you ensure congressional access to Tiberius or similar vaccine allocation tracking platforms and provide daily updates to congressional staff on vaccine allocations to our respective states. Sincerely, [i] Chappell, Bill. (2020, December 18). Pfizer Says Millions Of Vaccine Doses Are Ready, But States Say Shipments Were Cut. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2020/12/18/948030235/pfizer-says-millions-of-vaccine-doses-are-ready-but-states-say-shipments-were-cu; Knutson, Jacob. (2020, December 19). General apologizes for miscommunication' over vaccine shipments. Axios. https://www.axios.com/army-general-apology-states-vaccine-doses-86a0ef99-f9c1-4a33-b7bf-8b052dc8bcf6.html; Ellis, Ralph. (2020, December 14). Reports: Nursing Home Vaccinations May Be Delayed. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/covid-19-vaccine/news/20201214/reports-nursing-home-vaccinations-may-be-delayed; Weise, Elizabeth and Tom Mooney. (2020, December 15). US nursing homes, confused by initial COVID-19 vaccine rollout, will begin immunizations next week, CDC says. USA TODAY. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/12/14/covid-19-nursing-homes-vaccine-dec-21-28-cdc/6547781002/; Newberg, Emma. (2020, December 20). U.S. slashed vaccine numbers for several states due to confusion over FDA requirement. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/20/covid-19-vaccine-shortfalls-due-to-confusion-over-fda-requirements.html",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/committee-democrats-to-usda-the-pandemic-is-not-an-excuse-to-provide,Committee Democrats to USDA: The Pandemic is Not an Excuse to Provide Children Unhealthy Food,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"As originally released by the Committee on Education & Labor WASHINGTON, DC Today, led by Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. Bobby Scott (VA-03), Committee Democratswrotein opposition to a Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposal to roll back nutrition standards that have significantly improved the nutritional quality of school meals. The proposal resurrects and expands a 2018 rule that was ultimately vacated by a district court. The Members note that under theHealthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act,it is the responsibility of the Department to ensure that the food children are served in school is nutritious and in close alignment with the evidence-based Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs). However, the proposed rule fails to align with the DGAs by drastically altering nutrition standards. Research has shown that approximately half of children's daily dietary intake comes from school breakfast and lunch and that nutrition plays a key role in the health and academic outcomes of children,the Members wrote.We must ensure that school meals remain nutritious, particularly through the pandemic and economic downturn, as they may be the only healthy meals children receive each day. To read the full letter, clickhere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/education-leaders-celebrate-repeal-of-last-provision-in-federal-law,Education Leaders Celebrate Repeal of Last Provision in Federal Law Banning Use of Federal Funds for Desegregation,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"As originally released by the Committee on Education & Labor WASHINGTON, DCChairman Robert C. Bobby Scott (VA-03), Committee on Education and Labor, and Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Subcommittee on Appropriations, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) released the following statement after the House voted to repeal Section 426 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA). The provision was first included in the Fiscal Year 2021 House Labor-HHS Bill and maintained in the final Omnibus Package. This action follows the elimination of two harmful and similar legacy riders in the Fiscal Year 2019 Labor-HHS Bill. Segregated schools mean segregated opportunities. More than 66 years after the Supreme Court's landmark decision inBrown v. Board of Education, we have yet to fulfill the promise of equity in education. According to a2016 GAO study, America's public schools aremore segregated todaythan at any time since the 1960s. School desegregation is proven to close achievement gaps and produce lifelong benefits by providing students of color access to the same resources as their white counterparts. Communities across the country are coming up with innovative strategies to desegregate schools and promote diversity. However, many districts lack the resources necessary to meaningfully address school segregation in their communities. By removing the last remaining provision in federal law that bans the use of federal funds for transportation to promote school integration, Congress is sending a clear message to school districts: The important work of school desegregation brings us closer to finally fulfilling the promise ofBrownand the federal government should support these efforts. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://luria.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-luria-statement-bipartisan-covid-19-relief-and-government-funding,Congresswoman Luria Statement on Bipartisan COVID-19 Relief and Government Funding Deal,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Elaine Luria,L000591,luria.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congresswoman Luria issued the following statement on House passage ofabipartisan, bicameral deal tokeep the government openandprovide critical COVID-19 relief to families, students, small businesses, and health care providers. While not perfect, thisdealrepresents a bipartisan agreementbetween both the House and the Senatethat will keep the federal government operating through the end of the fiscal yearas well as provide relief to the families and small businesses suffering from the impacts of this public health emergency and economic crisis,said Congresswoman Elaine Luria.While this is far from the ideal way to govern, I am pleased this bill willprotect our national security andcontinue programs that assist my constituents in Coastal Virginia. This bipartisan, bicameral deal providesfunding for: Supporting militaryservicemembers, families, and communities: A 3% pay raise for our troops; $23.3 billion to procure 10 Navy shipsincludingtwo DDG-51 guided missile destroyers,two Virginia-class submarines, twoColumbia-class submarines, and one frigate; $60 millionfor the Defense Community Infrastructure Program to support projects supporting military bases; $70 millionfor Impact Aid to assist school districts with high concentrations of families living in military housing, including $20 million for children with special needs; $1.3billionfor Family Housing, including$60million to address issues such as mold, vermin, and lead in military family housing; $90 billion for VA Medical Care; $2.6 billion tocontinuethe implementation of the VA electronichealthrecord to mirrortheDoDrecords program $3.18 billion for disability claims processing backlog $316 million for Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) to include $31 million for TAP $1.205 billionfor the Hazardous Substance Superfund, which supports cleaning contamination at Langley Air Force Base, Fort Eustis, and other sites in Coastal Virginia; $30millionforHUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH)to combat homelessness among veterans; Protecting our environment and improving coastal resiliency: $87.5 millionfor the EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program to support conservation projects in Coastal Virginia and other states within the Chesapeake Bay's watershed; $31.8 millionfor National Estuary Program, which restores estuaries of national significance; $23.27 billionfortheNational Aeronautics and Space Administrationto support NASA Langleyand NASA Wallops-led missions; $182millionforNOAA Climate Researchto help us prepare for and address environmental hazards; $3.12billion for the National Park Service to preserve public lands, such as Fort Monroe and Yorktown Battlefield. Bolstering COVID-19public healthinitiatives: $73 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services to support research, development,procurement, and distribution of vaccines and therapeutics; diagnostic testing and contact tracing; mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment services; child care support; and other activities related to coronavirus; $55 million for the Food and Drug Administration tofacilitate the development of medical countermeasures, devices, therapies, and vaccines to combat the coronavirus. Stimulatingour local economy: $1.68billion for the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, which is particularly important for the Port of Virginia. The appropriations packageincludes specific language regardingpost-Panamax vessels, a benefit tothe Port of Virginia's terminal, whichis equipped with a fleet of 12 super post-Panamax cranes capable of handling the largest container vessels.A recent study found that397,000jobsnearly 10% of Virginia's workforcehave ties to the Port of Virginia; $3.85 billionin U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Operation and Maintenance Funding for Norfolk Harbor; $346million for the Economic Development Administration, which provides grants and assistance to communities to create and keep jobs; $778.9 million for the Small Business Administration, including $142.9 million in disaster cap adjustment funds for SBA disaster loans; Expanding educational and workforce development opportunities: $16.5 billion forEducation for the Disadvantaged Grants to Local Educational Agencies; $185 million for apprenticeship programs; $45 million for community college grants; $67 million for the Education Innovation and Research program that includes grants opportunities for STEMto include computer science; $144 millionfortheHistoric PreservationFund, which providesgrantsfor Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including Hampton University and Norfolk State University; $1.3 billionfor career and technical education initiatives; $250 millionfor the Head Start program, which provides a comprehensive childhood education; Investing in economic development: $730 millionfor rural broadband investmentand expansion; $3.9 billion for rural developmentto improverural water and wastewaterinfrastructure; $3.5 billionfor Community Development Block Grants, which support low-and moderate-income families with economic opportunities, such as employment and affordable housing. Congresswoman Elaine Luria represents Virginia's 2nd Congressional District. She serves on theHouse Armed Services Committee, where she is theVice Chair of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, and theHouse Committee on Veterans' Affairs, where she serves asChair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3454,Wittman delivers wins in funding package to close the digital divide in Virginia,2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,VA,Robert Wittman,W000804,wittman.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) issued the following statement after voting in favor of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which fully funds the government through September 30th, 2021, and provides additional COVID-19 pandemic relief, relief to small businesses and American workers, and measures to close the digital divide across in Virginia and the nation. As our nation deals with the continued effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans are doing their utmost to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus by utilizing telework, distance learning, and telehealth capabilities, Congressman Wittman said. The new realities and the certain upcoming new normal have left millions of rural Americans, who have inadequate or no connectivity to high-speed broadband, feeling abandoned and in need of relief to compete in the 21st Century economy. The government funding and COVID-19 relief package Congress passed this week funds many of the critical broadband priorities of the First Congressional District. From additional monies for broadband grants, to funding for the vital ReConnect program, to the inclusion of a temporary FCC telehealth pilot program, this package goes a long way to closing the digital divide in our nation. I will continue advocating for the people of Virginia's First Congressional District in Washington and will do my utmost to ensure Congress remains accountable to the people we serve. Americans need high speed internet technologies more than ever before during COVID-19 to work, learn, and receive health care from home, said Congressman Greg Walden (R, OR-02). Rep. Rob Wittman has championed efforts to close the digital divide. While we wish Democrats would have come to the table sooner, we are proud to have several bipartisan wins today on smart policies to connect more Americans across communities in all zip codes, and Rep. Wittman's efforts to expand broadband services in rural and underserved areas played a vital role in these successes. The Consolidated Appropriations Act includes key broadband funding directly advanced by Congressman Wittman: Creates a new $300 Million Broadband Grant Program, as envisioned in Congressman Wittman's Serving Rural America Act Provides $732 million for rural broadband, the highest level in history, including $635 million for the ReConnect broadband pilot for unserved and underserved areas as well as $60 million for Distance Learning and Telemedicine grants Fully funds the Broadband DATA Act by appropriating $65 million dollars to carry out Title VIII of the Communications Act of 1934 so federal funds can be more efficiently targeted to close the digital divide Appropriates an additional $250 million to the FCC to carry out the temporary telehealth pilot program authorized under the CARES Act and requires that the Commission equitably distributes the funding to the extent feasible As co-chair of the bipartisan House Rural Broadband Caucus, Congressman Wittman has worked tirelessly to close the digital divide for the people of our region, the Commonwealth, and the nation. This year alone, Congressman Wittman hosted two virtual Fireside Chats with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr alongside local government leaders, tribal leaders, and key Virginia broadband stakeholders to discuss the FCC's work on rural broadband buildout, the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), telehealth, and what the FCC is doing to help communities during the Coronavirus pandemic. At the end of September,Congressman Wittman hosted a public Telephone Town Hall onBroadbandwith Governor Northam's ChiefBroadbandAdvisor Evan Feinmanand constituents of the First District to answer questions related tobroadbandand connectivity, services, and programs to help close the digital divide for rural Americans. Earlier this year, Congressman Wittman authored letters of support to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development's Office of Broadband advocating for VA-01 counties' FY 2021 Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) grant applications to expand reliable high-speed broadband service to rural Virginia. The Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) extends broadband service to currently unserved areas. VATI prepares communities to build, utilize, and capitalize on telecommunications infrastructure with the goal of creating strong, competitive communities. Congressman Rob Wittman represents the 1st District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he serves as the ranking member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3455,"Wittman delivers wins in funding package for defense community, military members in Virginia",2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,VA,Robert Wittman,W000804,wittman.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) issued the following statement after voting in favor of theConsolidated Appropriations Act,which fully funds the government through September 30th, 2021, and provides additional COVID-19 pandemic relief, relief to small businesses and American workers, and measures to support the defense community and military members in Virginia and across the nation. The government funding and COVID-19 relief package Congress passed is a critical funding bill that funds many of the priorities of the First Congressional District,Congressman Wittman said.This is a piece of legislation that I believe does right by our men and women in uniform and provides funding for sound, strong defense priorities for the coming year and the coming challenges. Our area is home to one of the largest populations of military members, their families, and the hardworking Americans who develop and support the platforms, systems, and programs that our warfighters use to execute their critical missions around the globe. Advocating for these individuals is one of my top priorities, and I am proud of the provisions in this funding package that put our military community first. I will continue advocating for the people of Virginia's First Congressional District in Washington and will do my utmost to ensure Congress remains accountable to the people we serve. TheConsolidated Appropriations Actincludeskey military funding advanced and supported by Congressman Wittman: National Defense Provides our military with the resources to defend our nation and advance U.S. national security Includes a 3% pay raise for the troops and provides the resources to continue rebuild our military, deter adversaries, and defend our national security interests Allocates funding for two Virginia-Class submarines, one above the budget request, both of which are built in Virginia. Provides $2.87 billion for the overall Columbia-Class submarine program, providing a great boost to the economy in the Commonwealth Allocates $10 million for the Cable Ship Security Program, which Congressman Wittman had authorized in the FY20 NDAA to shore up a critical strategic infrastructure gap Supports Congressman Wittman's legislation that was included in the FY21 NDAA to bundle the acquisition of amphibious ships which will save the taxpayers roughly $1 billion Extends Sec. 3610 of the Cares Act which allows for reimbursement to federal contractors for the cost of providing COVID-19 related leave Funds two Virginia-class submarines, one above the budget request and $2.87 billion for Columbia-class submarine program; both of which are built in Virginia Includes $10 million for the Cable Ship Security Program, which Congressman Wittman had authorized in the FY20 NDAA to shore up a critical strategic infrastructure gap Supports Congressman Wittman's legislation that was included in the FY21 NDAA to bundle the acquisition of our amphibious ships which will save the taxpayers roughly $1 billion Increases the Navy's shipbuilding budget by $3.4 billion to support the National Defense Strategy and allow us to compete on the global stage Veterans Fully funds veterans' healthcare, including the MISSION Act's community care program, as well as other critical programs Provides a total of $2.63 billion to continue VA's transition to a new electronic health records system and increases congressional oversight of the program Provides a total of $10.3 billion for VA mental health programs, including $313 million for suicide prevention outreach Provides a total of $1.9 billion to prevent veteran homelessness, including $420 million for Supportive Services for Veterans Families and $270 million for the Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program Provides $661 million for gender-specific care to ensure VA meets the needs of women veterans, including $1 million for peer support programs Virginia's First Congressional District is home to one of the largest populations of military members, their families, and the hardworking Americans who develop and support the platforms, systems, and programs that our warfighters use to execute their critical missions around the globe. Advocating for these individuals is one of Congressman Wittman's top priorities in Washington, and several measures in this funding package put our military community first.Congressman Rob Wittman represents the 1st District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he serves as the ranking member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/warner-booker-harris-applaud-passage-of-bill-to-make-a-record-investment-in-low-income-and-minority-communities,"Warner, Booker, Harris Applaud Passage of Bill to Make a Record Investment in Low-Income and Minority Communities",2020-12-22,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), andKamala Harris (D-CA) applauded Congressional passage oflegislationthey authored to make the largest single investment into minority-owned and community-based lending institutions in the nation's history. Provisions of theJobs and Neighborhood Investment Actpassed as part of yesterday'sCOVID-19 relief billafter Sen. Warner fought to include them in thelegislative blueprintthat served as the foundation for the final relief deal. With Black and Brown unemployment rates more than twice as high as they were at this time last year, we need to be doing everything we can to invest in our most vulnerable communities,said Sen. Warner.I'm proud to have fought for these provisions during bipartisan relief negotiations and I trust that they will help put the brakes on the hemorrhaging of jobs and shuttering of minority-owned businesses caused by this crisis. I urge the President to promptly sign this historic legislation into law so that that minority communities start seeing the relief they desperately need. As we work to confront and recover from this public health and economic crisis, we need to be doing everything we can to invest in the communities that have been hardest hit by this pandemic and continue to bear the burden of longstanding structural inequities and systemic racism. The Jobs and Neighborhood Investment Act will expand critically needed access to capital for communities of color and will help to empower minority owned businesses to play an important role in our long-term economic recovery,said Sen. Booker. To help every American get through this crisis, we need to start by helping those who need it mostwhether in distributing the vaccine or investing in communities. Our bill will do just that, by providing much-needed capital to communities of color and low-income communities across the country. I'm proud that it will soon become law. Moving forward, we must always remember that relief isn't relief unless it reaches those who've been hardest hit,said Sen. Harris. Once signed into law, this legislation will provide $12 billion to community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and minority depository institutions (MDIs) to open the flow of emergency capital to countless small businesses located in minority and low- and moderate-income communities, which have been particularly hard-hit by COVID-19. Joining Sens. Warner, Booker and Harris in introducing this legislation were Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Doug Jones (D-AL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Crapo (R-ID), John Boozman (R-AR), John Kennedy (R-LA), Tim Scott (R-SC), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Tina Smith (D-MN), Steve Daines (R-MT) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS). A summary of the originalJobs and Neighborhood Investment Actis availablehere. Text of the bill is availablehere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402399,Congressman Griffiths Weekly E-Newsletter 12.21.20,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,VA,Morgan Griffith,G000568,morgangriffith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Christmas is a time of tradition, for families, communities, and throughout our society. For those of us who celebrate, like me, we each have our favorite customs about this season, whether attending a family gathering or town parade or just hearing a favorite Christmas carol. How those traditions become things we return to year after year make for interesting stories on their own. One story caught my eye recently on the Merriam-Webster dictionary website about the phrase tis the season, a phrase often said around this time of year originating in the Christmas carol Deck the Halls.* As someone with Welsh ancestry, and as chairman of the Congressional Friends of Wales Caucus, I was glad to learn that this beloved carol had notable Welsh roots. According to Merriam-Webster, the carol's tune was apparently first recorded in a 1784 book entitled Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards. The book was written by Edward Jones, a harpist for the then-Prince of Wales, the future King George IV, and Jones dedicated his work to the Prince. A century later, the Welsh tune became linked to a Welsh lyricist. In 1884, a book called The Song Book: Words and Tunes from the Best Poets and Musicians reported that the lyrics to Deck the Halls were a translation by Thomas Oliphant of lyrics written by John Jones, a poet who also went by the Welsh name Talhaiarn. Those lyrics included tis the season, but they also include the syllables fa la la la la, and the carol's Welsh origins are important in understanding their inclusion. Merriam-Webster quotes composer John Rutter as saying the song was originally intended for performance by a group of singers and a harpist, the harp being Wales' national instrument. The singers would sing a verse, the harpist would improvise, the singers would move to the next verse, and so on. But harpists are not always available, nor do harps occupy such a prominent place in our culture as they do in that of Wales. As Rutter said, That only worked in Wales where they had harpists on every street corner. So fa la la la la would be sung to take the harp's place. Before reading this article, I had not been aware of the link between Wales and this Christmas carol so widely known and sung in our culture. One of the remarkable aspects of the Christmas season is how traditions from so many parts of the world have been blended into the celebrations in our country. You may participate in several without thinking much about it for example, if you put up a Christmas tree in your house, a custom brought to our country by settlers from Germany. The variety of these traditions for one holiday speaks to the universal message of the Christmas season and also to the melting pot of American culture. We should be thankful that we live in a country where we can celebrate, or not celebrate, according to our beliefs. This year, the coronavirus pandemic impedes our enjoyment of some of these customs. Community celebrations have been curtailed or cancelled, families are reconsidering whether to have as big a gathering as they might normally have, and the festivities that do take place have as a backdrop the pandemic that has inflicted so much suffering. Most of us have some aspect of the season we treasure that will not take place as usual this year. I enjoy participating in Christmas parades in the different towns of the Ninth District. After riding through a town saying Merry Christmas and seeing the bright eyes of children and hearing the warm wishes of the adults, I find it impossible to finish a parade without simply feeling good about the world. Christmas remains a time of hope, and the traditions we come back to each year are also the traditions we can look forward to. I invite you to share some of your own on my official Facebook page where this column is posted. If you celebrate Christmas, however you do so this year, I hope that it will bring you comfort and joy, and I wish you a happy and healthy New Year. If you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to contact my office. You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671. To reach my office via email, please visit my website atwww.morgangriffith.house.gov. Also on my website is the latest material from my office, including information on votes recently taken on the floor of the House of Representatives. * https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/why-we-say-tis-the-season ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402401,Griffith Statement on Omnibus Appropriations Legislation,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,VA,Morgan Griffith,G000568,morgangriffith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement on the omnibus appropriations legislation funding the Federal Government for the rest of fiscal year 2021: As a supporter of more relief in response to the coronavirus pandemic, I consistently urged congressional leadership to keep any relief package separate from any omnibus appropriations bill to fund the Federal Government. Omnibuses tend to be bloated, filled with unrelated provisions, and cobbled together in backrooms with little time for Members of Congress to read them, much less understand their provisions. They are a terrible way to exercise Congress' power of the purse. The omnibus spending bill for fiscal year 2021 is the longest bill I've been asked to vote on in Congress. It was split into two parts running nearly 5,600 pages. The first totaled roughly 500 pages and included funding for the military and border security, including the border wall. I read this part and found its spending to be largely reasonable, so I voted for it. The second part containing the remaining 5,000 pages, while reportedly including some provisions I support, also reportedly featured far too many items that have no place in a spending bill. Members of Congress had only a few hours to read and analyze this overstuffed monstrosity. As I have pledged to the constituents of the Ninth District, I will not vote for a bill I have not read in its entirety. I voted no. I continue to believe Americans need help in the face of the pandemic, and I know most of my colleagues agree. Legislation that would provide help would likely pass Congress easily, and there is no good reason to tie it to the overall omnibus bill. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-and-kaine-applaud-passage-of-government-funding-bill-that-includes-covid-relief,Warner & Kaine Applaud Passage Of Government Funding Bill That Includes COVID Relief,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Tim Kaine,K000384,www.kaine.senate.gov,,,legacy,"December 21, 2020 Warner & Kaine Applaud Passage Of Government Funding Bill That Includes COVID Relief Bill to offer millions of Americans COVID relief and avert a government shutdown heads to the President's desk WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine applauded Senate passage of the bipartisan, bicameral spending bill to fund federal programs crucial to Virginia and keep the federal government open through 2021. The legislation also includes comprehensive measures to help Americans amid the ongoing economic and public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Following today's Senate passage, the bill now heads to the President's desk for signature. For nine long months, folks waited for Congress to deliver critical relief as they watched COVID-19 further devastate their communities. Today, despite that unacceptable delay, relief is officially on its way, said Warner. I'm proud to have worked with a bipartisan group of colleagues to help get this legislation into shape and in the hands of House and Senate leaders. And while I know that this bill is not perfect, I'm glad to know that it will help American families weather this winter and get through the holidays. While this relief should have been passed much earlier, I'm pleased to see families, small businesses, hospitals, schools, and more get the assistance they need, Kaine said. This legislation makes critical investments in unemployment assistance, food aid, housing assistance, and other areas to directly help those struggling amid the pandemic. Though we still have more work to do to help Americans get back on their feet, I'm relieved Congress was able to come to this bipartisan compromise and fund these priorities before the holidays. The following list includes some of the priorities Warner and Kaine advocated: Assistance for out of work Virginians: Extends federal unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, preventing hundreds of thousands of out-of-work Virginians from losing benefits over the holidays. The senators were cosponsors of the legislation that provided the model for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), through which more than 9 million Americans are currently receiving benefits. More recently, the Senators called on leadership to extend and add additional weeks of federal employment benefits to both PUA and the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation programs. Additionally, it gives states the option to offer additional weekly financial relief for Americans with a mix of traditional (W-2) and independent employment income who are not able to claim their full benefit, modeled after Senator Warner's legislation. Stimulus checks: Includes a stimulus payment for low- and middle-income Americans; with $600 for individual filers and $1,200 for joint filers, with an additional $600 for each qualifying child in the household. Early in the crisis, Senator Kaine called for stimulus efforts to include direct payments to households. Vaccines: Includes over $19 billion for vaccines and therapeutics and an additional $8.75 billion to support vaccine distribution, particularly for states and localities, to slow the spread of the pandemic and take a step towards a future where COVID-19 is managed. Emergency housing aid and protections: Creates a new $25 billion emergency rental assistance fund to prevent evictions during the pandemic, which will be delivered through state and local governments. Earlier this year, the Senators joined their colleagues in introducing legislation to provide emergency housing assistance for those facing potential evictions. The bill will also extend the CDC eviction moratorium to allow time for implementing the emergency housing aid. Relief for hard-hit small businesses and nonprofits: Provides targeted relief for small businesses struggling with the effects of the pandemic. This includes a second round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgivable loans for small businesses and nonprofits that experienced a substantial revenue decline in 2020, as well as other funds for small business relief. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is directed to provide guidance to ensure priority access for underserved communities, such as minority-owned businesses. The bill also includes grants for small businesses and nonprofits in sectors likely to continue to see substantial drops in revenue in 2021, particularly in the live entertainment sector. This aid will ensure that Virginia's small businesses are able to stay afloat during the pandemic, keep workers on payroll, and return to job creation as COVID-19 is controlled. The Senators have been strong supporters of providing relief to small businesses, cosponsoring the Heroes Small Business Lifeline Act, which included many of the provisions in the final bill, and the Save our Stages Act, on which the live entertainment grants are modeled. Targeted relief for underserved communities:Provides the largest single investment in our country's history forminority-owned and community-based lending institutions.Largely drawn from Senator Warner'sJobs and Neighborhood Investment Act, the provision provides $12 billion to community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and minority depository institutions (MDIs) to buildcapital and unlock affordable access to credit for underserved and minority neighborhoods, which have been particularly hard-hit by COVID-19. Education Stabilization Fund: Provides $82 billion to provide emergency support to K-12 schools and higher education institutions. The legislation includes provisions of Kaine's Coronavirus Relief Flexibility for Students and Institutions Act that allow colleges to use emergency stabilization funds to cover lost revenue and better target funds designated for colleges hardest hit by COVID-19 by requiring an application to demonstrate need. Broadband: Includes $7 billion towards broadband, including $3.2 billion for an Emergency Broadband Benefit to help low-income families maintain their internet connections, $285 million to support broadband access in minority communities, and $300 million in broadband grants modeled on provisions Senator Warner drafted with bipartisan Senators. Additionally, the bill includes an extension of the deadline to use Coronavirus Relief Funds so that state and localities interested in using the money for broadband expansion have more time, as Senator Warner called for. Support for child care providers and families: Includes $10 billion in flexible funding for the Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) to help support child care providers and ensure that working parents have access to child care during the pandemic. The bill also includes $250 million for Head Start programs. Public health data modernization: Includes Senator Kaine's Saving Lives Through Better Data Act, which will improve the nation's public health data systems at CDC and through grants to state and local health departments to expand and modernize their systems, promoting more seamless communication, which can save lives when we're faced with public health threats such as COVID-19. The omnibus authorizes $100 million for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. Telehealth: Includes Senator Kaine and Senator Schatz's Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes (ECHO) Act of 2019, which creates a grant program to evaluate, develop, and expand the use of distance health education models such as ECHO to increase access to specialty care in rural and medically underserved populations. The omnibus authorizes $10 million for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. The funding bill also permanently expands coverage of and payment for telehealth to treat mental health care, which is in line with Senator Warner's CONNECT for Health Act, which Senator Kaine is a cosponsor. Ends surprise billing: Includes a provision to end surprise billing, something Senators Warner and Kaine have long advocated for. U.S. Postal Service: Converts the CARES Act $10 billion loan into direct funding for USPS without requiring repayment. These funds will be used for operational costs and other expenses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Warner is a cosponsor of the Postal Service Emergency Assistance Act, which would provide USPS with significant direct funding. Veterans:Provides $104.4 billion infundingfor the VA, anincrease of $12.5 billion over FY20 levels. This funding increase provides $2.7 billion more than the previous fiscal year for health care delivered at VA facilities nationwide. The bill provides robust funding in several areas important for Virginia veterans, including $815 million for critical VA Medical and Prosthetic research, an increase of $1.18 billion over FY20 levels for electronic health record modernization, nearly $2 billon in support of programs to prevent veteran homelessness and $312.6 million for suicide prevention. Infrastructure: Includes funding for key projects that were championed by Warner and Kaine to benefit Virginia's infrastructure: Includes a provision pushed for by Senators Warner and Kaine to allow for the construction of a new Long Bridge on the Potomac River, which will double the capacity of the rail crossing between Virginia and D.C. The current two-track Long Bridge is the only rail bridge connecting Virginia to Washington, D.C., and it is at 98 percent capacity during peak hours, which means it is one of the most significant rail chokepoints along the East Coast. The new Long Bridge program will double the capacity of the Potomac River rail crossing by adding a second two-track bridge adjacent to the existing bridge and including a new bike-pedestrian shared use path spanning the George Washington Memorial Parkway and the Potomac River. Senators Warner and Kaine introduced the Long Bridge Act of 2020 in August to allow for this construction. Includes the full federal funding of $150 million for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to fund critical capital investment and safety projects. In addition, the bill provides $14 billion in emergency relief for public transit agencies to continue operations during the pandemic, ensuring access to transportation for frontline workers and civil servants. Includes a one year extension of Community Development Block Grant funds to the City of Norfolk and other localities to build climate resilient infrastructure projects. Senators Kaine and Warner joined Senator John Hoeven in introducing S.4017 in June, which would also have provided an extension for the NDRC program. Includes $87.5 million for the Chesapeake Bay Programan increase of $2.5 million from FY 2020. The Chesapeake Bay Program coordinates Chesapeake Bay watershed restoration and protection efforts, and the majority of its funds are passed through to the states and local communities for on-the-ground restoration. Authorizes federal funds to cover 65% of the costs associated with construction projects to address close to $1.5 billion of flood control needs in the City of Norfolk. Grants a critical cost adjustment to allow work to continue on the Deep Creek Bridge in Chesapeake to address traffic concerns. Authorizes over $102.7 million in federal funds for construction of the North Landing Bridge Replacement project. Provides up to $9million for the Federal Aviation Administration to continue its remote tower system pilot program at smaller airports, including the Remote Air Traffic Control Tower at Leesburg Executive Airport. Great American Outdoors Act: With Senator Warner's Great American Outdoors Act now law, the FY21 omnibus affirms funding for several deferred maintenance projects in Virginia: George Washington Memorial Parkway A $207 million project to restore 7.6 miles of northern section of the GW Parkway and implement critical safety measures. The Senators have long advocated for federal funding for this project for several years as seen here and here. Shenandoah National Park A $27 million project to pave and restore nearly 50 miles of Skyline Drive and various overlooks. Shenandoah will also receive nearly $3.5 million to remove unnecessary buildings and restore greenspace within the park. Colonial National Historical Park A $16.5 million project to restore nearly 5 miles of shoreline along the York River. FBI Headquarters: Provides no funding for a new FBI headquarters and includes language that encourages General Services Administration (GSA) to provide a new prospectus, particularly after the Trump Administration abruptly abandoned plans to develop a new campus headquarters for theFBI. Earlier this year, Senators Warner and Kaine opposed an attempt in an earlier Republican COVID-19 relief package that would have provided $1.75 billion for construction of a new FBI HQ in its current downtown D.C. location. Miners' Benefits: Extends the funding for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund until the end of 2021 by extending the tax on mining companies that helps fund the program. Both Kaine and Warner introduced the Black Lung Benefits Disability Trust Fund Solvency Act calling on Congress to extend the excise tax through the end of 2030. Shipbuilding & MILCON funding: Provides $23.27 billion for shipbuilding for 10 battle force ships including full funding for asecond Virginia-classsubmarine, which Senators Warner and Kaine personally advocated for. The bill also appropriates $237 million for 6 MILCON projects in Virginia, including: Humphreys Engineer Center, Training Support Facility (Army) - $51m Norfolk, E-2D Training Facility (Navy) - $30.4m Norfolk, Corrosion Control and Paint Facility (Navy) - $17.671m Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Access Control Point Main Gate with Land Acquisition (Air Force) - $19.5m Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Story, Operations Facility and Command Center (Def-Wide) - $54.5m JEB Little Creek-Story, NSWG Facilities (Def-Wide) - $58m Federal contractors: Senators Warner and Kaine also pushed to extend a provision from CARES (3610), which allows contractual adjustments for a paid leave program, allowing contractors to keep employees on the payroll if federal facilities close due to the pandemic an important provision for our defense industrial base and cleared national security workforce. Foster care and homeless youth: Includes key provisions of Senator Kaine's bill with Senator Murray and Senator Portman, the Higher Education Access and Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act, to remove barriers to financial aid for students experiencing homelessness or students formerly in foster care by easing the application and determination for becoming eligible for aid. The bill also includes language allowing foster youth to remain in the system until October 1, 2021, regardless of their agea move that Senators Warner and Kaine called for in a recent letter to the administration. FundsChildhoodDiseaseResearch:Provides $12.6 million for theGabriellaMillerKids First Pediatric Research Program to conduct pediatric cancer and disease research. The Senators worked toenact the legislationauthorizing this program, named for 10-year-oldGabriellaMillerof Loudoun County, who passed away from cancer in October of 2013. Supporting working students and families: Includes key provisions of Senator Kaine's bill with Senator Baldwin, the Working Students Act, to reduce the work penalty that many students who work while attending school face. Currently, students who work while attending school often are eligible for less financial aid due to their work income.The appropriations bill enacts a 35% increase for working students and 20% increase for families to the income protection allowance (IPA), shielding more of their income from reducing their financial aid. Student Loan Repayment: Extends an important change to existing tax policy allowingemployers to use pre-tax dollars to help pay down employees' student debt until 2025 a provision modeled after Senator Warner's bipartisanEmployerParticipation inRepaymentAct to help more than 44 million Americans with student loan debt. Ashanti Alert: Includes $1 million in federal funding to help with the nationwide implementation of the AshantiAlert system. Following the abduction of 19-year old Ashanti Billie, who did not meet the criteria for an Amber or Silver Alert, Senator Warner secured unanimous passageof this national alert system through the Senate on December 6, 2018, and has been a leader in the fight to implement theAshantiAlert nationwide ever since. Nutrition: Provides $13 billion in nutrition assistance, including a 15 percent increase in SNAP benefits through June 30, 2021 for all SNAP participants. Excludes unemployment compensation from being counted as income for the purposes of calculating SNAP benefits and eligibility. Provides $400 million for food banks through The Emergency Food Assistance Program. Farmers: Provides $13 billion for direct payments, purchases, and loans to producers who have suffered losses due to the pandemic, including funds to support the food supply chain through food purchases, donations to food banks, and support for local food systems. Additionally, it includes $5 billion for supplemental payments to row crop producers; $3 billion for supplemental payments to cattle producers and contract growers of livestock and poultry, dairy farmers, and producers who were forced to euthanize livestock or poultry; $225 million for producers of specialty crops; and $1.5 billion to purchase food for distribution to those in need. Timber Harvesting/Hauling: Provides up to $200 million to support timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses impacted by COVID-19. Dairy: Provides up to $400 million for a Dairy Product Donation Program, modeled after the 2018 Farm Bill pilot program to facilitate the donation of dairy products and minimize food waste. Textiles: Allows USDA to make payments to users of upland cotton and extra-long staple cotton. Fisheries: Provides $300 million in assistance to help fisheries mitigate COVID-19 related impacts. Water Utility Bill Assistance: Provides $638 million for a new program to help low-income families cover the costs of drinking water and wastewater utility bills by making funds available to states and Tribes. These localities will provide dollars to owners or operators of public water systems or treatment works to reduce arrearages and rates for low-income households. Appalachian Regional Commission: Includes a record $180 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission, an increase of $5 million from FY20. ### Print Email Tweet",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4989,Beyer Hails Payroll Tax Win To Help Federal Workers And Military Families,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Donald Beyer,B001292,beyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today welcomed a legislative provision he helped secure in the upcoming omnibus spending bill to alleviate the burden on federal workers and military families of repaying payroll taxes previously withheld under President Trump's executive order. The provision would extend the time period for repayment of payroll taxes to the end of 2021, thereby significantly reducing the impact on paychecks for those who had such taxes withheld. Beyer represents the largest number of federal employees of any U.S. Representative and serves on the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, which has jurisdiction over tax policy. Our payroll tax fix will help lessen the damage of Donald Trump's payroll tax scam for military families and civil servants by minimizing the drop they see in individual paychecks. I thank the Ways and Means Committee staff for their work on this provision and for making it a priority in negotiations, said Beyer. Trump's promises of enhanced government paychecks were a lie, just as we warned, ultimately to be paid back after the election. Of course, Trump immediately dropped any pretense of using this policy to help people after Election Day. Now military families and federal workers will see that repayment spread across a much larger number of pay periods, minimizing their short-term decrease in income. In passing this payroll tax fix Congress is beginning the great task of cleaning up Donald Trump's mess, and we have so much more of that work to do. Beyer was an outspoken critic of the Administration's mandatory payroll tax deferrals for the military and civil service, and an earlier supporter of legislation to block the policy. Text of the provision extending the repayment period for deferred payroll taxes is contained in Section 274 (page 2003) of the Rules Committee print of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4990,Beyer Statement On Relief Legislation,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Donald Beyer,B001292,beyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), who is expected to chair Congress' Joint Economic Committee in the coming session of Congress, issued the following statement today on the funding and relief legislative package expected to pass the House this evening: The legislation we pass today is a down payment on what Congress owes the American people. It is absolutely not mission accomplished.' This bill should be much bigger, it should put more money in people's pockets, it should provide more help and more certainty to the unemployed, and it should do more to boost the economy. It is better than nothing, but it is not nearly enough. The country needed this relief and this support for a more robust pandemic response long ago. Once again, as I said in March, the shortcomings in size, scope, and duration, and in the failure to help struggling state and local governments, make it clear even as we pass this legislation that Congress will have to pass another aid package next year. I hope Senate Republicans do not waste seven months denying the American people the assistance they need again in 2021. Beyer voted in favor of final passage for the full legislation.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-on-passage-of-fiscal-year-2021-omnibus-package-and-covid,Scott Statement on Passage of Fiscal Year 2021 Omnibus Package and COVID-19 Relief,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"As originally released by the Committee on Education & Labor WASHINGTON, DCToday, Congressman Robert C. Bobby Scott (VA-03), the Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor,released the following statement in response to the House passage of the Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) Omnibus spending package and coronavirus relief proposal. Today, the House passed a bold spending package and coronavirus relief bill that reflects the priorities of House Democrats: Advancing equity in education, supporting America's workers, and expanding access to affordable health care. I am particularly pleased with the inclusion of provisions to drastically expand the Pell Grant program, repeal the ban on Pell eligibility among incarcerated students, and restore Pell Grant eligibility for students defrauded by their institutions. The package also streamlines theFree Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA) and discharges loans made to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) under the HBCU Capital Financing Loan program, providing $1.34 billion in relief to these institutions. Additionally, the package permanently strikes the prohibition on the use of federal funds for transportation to promote school integrationa huge step toward fulfilling the promise ofBrown v. Board of Educationand desegregating America's public schools. The package also takes long overdue action to protect patients from surprise medical bills providing workers and families vital protections from unforeseen and exorbitant out of pocket costs. Finally, as the country continues to fight the spread of the coronavirus, Congress was able to secure much needed relief. To support students, educators, and parents, we secured $82 billion for schools and colleges and $10 billion for childcare assistance. To support workers, the bill provides a tax credit to employers who offer paid sick leave, increased flexibility for workforce development programs, and an extension of critical assistance for 14 million jobless workers. The bill also ensures millions of Americans can access nutrition benefits by bolstering nutrition assistance for seniors and expanding assistance for nutrition benefits for children through the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer program. As a representative of the Hampton Roads community, I was pleased this package provides over $23 billion for shipbuilding to procure 10 Navy ships, including two Virginia Class Submarines. Also included is a necessary one-year extension of the deadline for the National Disaster Resiliency Competition (NDRC) funds which will allow the City of Norfolk to utilize $112 million to assist with making the city more resilient to frequent flooding. I am also happy to see robust funding to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay included, as well as a one-year extension and $3.3 million for the 400 Years of African American History Commission which will allow them to continue their important work. While there is still much work to be done to crush this virus and push our economy into recovery, this bill is a positive step forward in supporting students, workers, and families across the country. To read a fact sheet on the significant provision the Committee secured in the end-of year spending package and COVID-19 relief proposal, clickhere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://spanberger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3430,"Spanberger Votes to Pass COVID-19 Emergency Relief Package & Government Funding Deal, Includes Spanberger’s Priorities to Support Central Virginia Families, Healthcare Providers, & Small Businesses",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Abigail Spanberger,S001209,spanberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today voted to pass a bipartisan, bicameral emergency relief package in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this month, Spanberger helped kickstart relief negotiations and craft the bipartisan proposal that led to this legislation. The bipartisan relief package includes many Central Virginia priorities that Spanberger pushed to incorporate into the bill such as extended unemployment benefits, strong funding for COVID-19 vaccine distribution, additional loans for small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), direct payments to individuals, telehealth investments, and assistance to independent entertainment venues. Additionally, the legislation extends the deadline for state and local governments to use Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) awards beyond the end-of-year deadline, allowing Central Virginia communities to continue ongoing COVID-19-related projects. This emergency relief legislation has the opportunity to provide Central Virginia families, businesses, healthcare workers, and schools with some degree of peace of mind as we approach the holidays. While additional relief is long overdue, today's progress should be a sign of hope that Congress can move forward including under the next administration in rebuilding our economy, ensuring the swift distribution of vaccines, and safely reopening schools and businesses, said Spanberger. I'd like to thank my fellow Members of the Problem Solvers Caucus as well as our colleagues in the U.S. Senate for coming together as leaders, hammering out our differences, and refusing to accept complacency in the face of a once-in-a-generation pandemic. This package is just a first step in putting our nation back on a pathway toward recovery, and I'll be pushing in the coming weeks and months for additional measures that will strengthen our economy, stamp out hunger, protect our most vulnerable neighbors, and combat the continued spread of this deadly virus. ChamberRVA, Greater Richmond's Regional Chamber of Commerce, enthusiastically endorses additional federal support for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Brian Anderson, President & CEO, ChamberRVA. Small businesses across our Nation and specifically in the Richmond region have borne the brunt of the economic distress created by the pandemic. Our small businesses want to be open, and they want to safely and responsibly protect their employees and their customers. To do that, they need continued federal support until our economy is back on its feet and we thank Rep. Spanberger and her colleagues for their efforts. We are excited to have additional funding opportunity in the Chesterfield region, as we still have businesses that are hanging on by a thread throughout the Commonwealth, said Danielle MW Fitz-Hugh, President & CEO, Chesterfield County Chamber of Commerce. The first round of PPP funding allowed businesses to open back up after initial shutdowns, and the second round of PPP funding will help keep them open. The pandemic has created incredible challenges for business but this stimulus package will help us step up to the challenge and be resilient. As a small business owner, I saw firsthand that the PPP loan program served its purpose in helping us stay in business and keep our workers employed, said David Ogburn, President, Ogburn Construction, Henrico County. A second round of PPP loans provides us a clear path forward for continued recovery and puts our businesses into a position to once again contribute to our economy. I am grateful to Representative Spanberger for her work in pushing this issue forward. We appreciate the work done by Rep. Spanberger and Congress to recognize the critical shortcomings of broadband access in rural areas that has been even more emphasized during the pandemic, said Gary Wood, President & CEO, Central Virginia Electric Cooperative & Firefly Fiber Broadband. With the funding provided in this stimulus package, many more families will have access much sooner to virtual classrooms, remote work, and telemedicine. Broadband access is being recognized as the necessity it has become for all Americans. The CARES Act funding and additional resources sent to localities during the COVID-19 pandemic has been critical to the work we do. We would not be able to work to contain transmission and outbreaks, build relationships with the communities we serve, and provide accurate information to empower our communities, said Dr. Melissa Viray, Deputy Director, Richmond City & Henrico County Health Departments. The COVID-19 vaccine brings so much hope to our communities and we are grateful for the additional resources to make them accessible to our communities with the haste the situation deserves. ""Virginia Loggers Association is grateful to Representative Spanberger and other lawmakers in the House and Senate who supported the relief provision for timber harvesters and timber haulers, said Ron Jenkins, Executive Director, Virginia Loggers Association. Our nation's loggers provide the essential products, made from natural, renewable, trees - truly our best and cleanest green energy material. Our loggers in Virginia and across our nation have received a great Christmas gift."" COVID has demonstrated that broadband is absolutely essential for healthcare, education, and economic development, said Beth O'Connor, Executive Director, Virginia Rural Health Association. While telehealth may not be the cure-all for rural healthcare access issues, it can help lower the barriers of transportation and lack of providers in a cost-effective manner. Richmond International Airport (RIC) is thankful for the support of our Congressional delegation in ensuring that the current COVID-19 relief package includes funding to assist airports in dealing with our Nation's public health emergency, said Perry J. Miller, A.A.E., I.A.P., President & CEO, Capital Region Airport Commission. This funding is greatly appreciated and is essential in enabling airports to continue their critical role in the movement of people and cargo during the pandemic. The emergency COVID-19 relief package passed today in the U.S. House contains several provisions Spanberger pushed to include, such as: Strengthening funding for COVID-19 vaccine purchase and distribution. The bipartisan package includes nearly $9 billion in urgently needed funds to accelerate the free and equitable distribution of vaccines to Americans as soon as possible. Additionally, the package provides more than $22 billion for states' efforts to respond to COVID-19 through the purchase of testing supplies, improved public health infrastructure, and investments in other COVID mitigation programs as well as combatting the disparities facing communities of color in accessing the vaccine. The package also provides $9 billion in support for healthcare providers on the front lines of the pandemic. Extending unemployment insurance (UI). Spanberger has long advocated for Virginians experiencing unemployment to receive additional federal support during this economic crisis, and this package includes a $300 per week UI enhancement for unemployed Americans. Specifically, the bill extends Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) to March 14, 2021 and allows individuals receiving benefits as of March 14, 2021 to continue through April 5, 2021 so long as the individual has not reached the maximum number of weeks. This provision prevents unemployment benefits from expiring on December 26, 2020. Spanberger pushed for additional UI in the package she helped craft and introduce earlier this month. Supporting Central Virginia small businesses and restaurants through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. The bipartisan package includes more than $284 billion in forgivable first and second round loans through the PPP program as well as expanded PPP eligibility for nonprofits, local newspapers, and local TV and radio broadcasters. Earlier this year, Spanberger cosponsored legislation to create a second round of funding for small businesses and the bipartisan framework Spanberger helped craft in September 2020 with the Problem Solvers Caucus laid the groundwork for additional PPP funding. For smaller businesses, the legislation includes $20 billion for targeted EIDL grants. Making commonsense reforms to the PPP program. Spanberger has long pushed for changes to the PPP program that better reflect the financial challenges facing restaurants, and this legislation includes critical modifications to support restaurants as they look to apply for and receive PPP loans, including a change in the award formula to recognize the unique payroll restrictions of independent restaurants. Additionally, the package reverses rulings from the U.S. Treasury Department and allows PPP forgivable loans to still count towards tax deductions. Spanberger advocated for this change earlier this month. Increasing support for food and hunger initiatives. The Spanberger-supported legislation includes $13 billion a 15 percent increase in funding for increased SNAP and child nutrition benefits. Earlier this year, Spanberger sent a letter to U.S. House and U.S. Senate leadership calling for a 15 percent expansion of SNAP benefits in any year end package. Providing direct payments to Central Virginia families. The package passed in the U.S. House today includes a new round of direct payments worth up to $600 per adult and child. Extending the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) deadline. Following Spanberger's push for this fix earlier this month, the legislation extends the deadline for Virginia to use awards from the CRF to December 31, 2021. In Virginia, communities have used CRF dollars to invest in wide-ranging COVID-19-related projects including boosting testing and contact tracing efforts, strengthening high-speed internet connectivity, and improving ventilation in public schools. Increasing assistance for schools and daycares. The bipartisan package includes $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools, as well as $10 billion for childcare assistance to help get Central Virginia parents back to work and keep childcare providers open. Providing relief to Central Virginia's forestry industry. The legislation includes up to $200 million in funding to support timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses impacted by COVID-19. Spanberger is a cosponsor of the Logger Relief Act, which directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make payments to a timber harvesting business or timber hauling business that, as a result of COVID-19, has experienced significant revenue losses. Protecting live entertainment venues. Earlier this month, Spanberger fought to include the Save Our Stages Act in this bicameral relief package. The legislation passed today in the U.S. House includes $15 billion in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions. Strengthening funding for rural broadband infrastructure investments and telehealth. Spanberger has long called for increased federal investment in rural broadband internet projects amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and this bipartisan bill invests $7 billion to increase access to high-speed internet including a new Emergency Broadband Benefit to help millions of students, families, and unemployed workers better access reliable internet during and beyond the pandemic. Additionally, the package includes nearly $250 million in additional federal funding to expand telehealth services in the face of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Earlier this year, Spanberger led a bipartisan effort calling on Congress to include critical funding for telehealth expansion in the upcoming COVID-19 relief package. Protecting the homes and livelihoods of Central Virginia families. The bipartisan package strengthens the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) to help increase affordable housing construction and provide greater certainty to new and ongoing affordable housing projects. Additionally, the agreement makes sure families who faced unemployment or reduced wages during the pandemic are able to receive a strong tax credit based on their 2019 income and it provides necessary emergency rental assistance funding and prevents eviction moratorium provisions from expiring at the end of this year Securing funding for mental health services. 2020 marked the worst year on record for overdoses in Virginia. The bipartisan package provides $4.5 billion in mental health funding, including $1.6 billion for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Program and $50 million for suicide prevention programs. Spanberger a Member of the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction joined a bipartisan group of members in urging leadership to include the highest possible amount of funding for these lifesaving services in the relief package. BACKGROUND Spanberger has consistently pushed for a negotiated COVID-19 relief package that can make it to the President's desk and be signed into law. Earlier this month, shecalledon the Trump Administration and congressional leadership in both parties to recommit to the passage of a negotiated COVID-19 relief package before the end of the year. In October 2020, Spanbergervoted againstthe partisanHeroes Act 2.0and called for leadership in both parties to come to an agreement on COVID-19 relief that could be approved by the U.S. Senate and be signed into law by President Trump. Additionally, shepushedHouse Democratic leadership to accept a relief offer from U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin that would provide much-needed assistance to working families, coordinated testing efforts, state and local governments, and small businesses. And in September 2020, Spanbergerjoinedher fellow Members of the Problem Solvers Caucus to unveil the caucus' bipartisan March to Common Ground framework to help break the gridlock on the latest COVID-19 relief package. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wexton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=436,McEachin-Wexton Joint Statement on the Removal of Robert E. Lee Statue from U.S. Capitol,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Jennifer Wexton,W000825,wexton.house.gov,,,legacy,"In response to the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue from the U.S. Capitol crypt earlier this morning, U.S. Representatives Donald McEachin and Jennifer Wexton released the following statement: This is a historic and long-overdue moment for our Commonwealth. The Robert E. Lee statue honors a legacy of division, oppression, and racism -- a dark period in the history of our Commonwealth and our country. There is no reason his statue should be one of the two representing Virginia in the U.S. Capitol. We are proud to have led the effort in the House of Representatives to replace Lee's statue. It is thanks to Virginians across the Commonwealth who have stood up to demand a change that we will now have a figure who truly represents Virginia's values in the U.S. Capitol. Rep. Wexton, Senator Tim Kaine, and a representative from Rep. McEachin's office attended the removal of the statue, which was conducted in the crypt of the Capitol by staff from the Architect of the Capitol. The statue will be placed in the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. In December 2019, McEachin and Wextoncalled onGovernor Northam and Virginia General Assembly leaders to replace the statue, asking them to consider what monuments we can add to acknowledge the horrors of slavery, expose the injustices of institutional racism, and honor those who dedicated their lives to fighting for equality. Legislation passed the General Assembly this year to establish the Commission for Historical Statues in the U.S. Capitol. The Commission wastasked with studying the removal and replacement of the Robert E. Lee statue.The Commissionrecently selected Barbara Johnsas a replacement. That recommendation must be approved by the General Assembly during the upcoming 2021 Legislative Session. Images of the statue removal can be foundhereand should be accompanied by the attribution to Jack Mayer, Office of Governor Northam. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wexton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=437,Wexton Votes to Provide Urgent COVID Relief,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Jennifer Wexton,W000825,wexton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC --Today Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) voted to pass a bipartisan compromise package that delivers emergency relief to Virginia families and small businesses during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Included in the package is also a $1.4 trillion deal to fund the government through September. ""The American people have been waiting months for relief, and today Congress did our job to help Virginia families and small businesses who are hurting,""said Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton. ""This deal is far from enough, but it is the product of bipartisan compromise and includes many of the priorities I've been fighting for since the spring -- including enhanced unemployment benefits, aid for the hardest-hit small businesses, and a federal rental assistance program. There is light at the end of the tunnel with vaccines on the way, but this pandemic is not behind us yet and more work will need to be done to see our community through to the other side of this crisis. I will continue working across the aisle to support those who are struggling and ensure a full and strong recovery."" The bipartisan compromise relief deal includes many provisions that Congresswoman Wexton has fought months to pass. The legislation includes: $325 billion in aid for the hardest-hit small businesses including $284 billion for another round of forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans and other dedicated set-asides for small community-based lenders; Additional $300 weekly federal enhanced unemployment benefits through March 14, 2021 and an extension of eligibility for the self-employed, independent contractors, and gig workers; $25 billion in the first-ever emergency federal rent assistance program and a continuation of the federal eviction moratorium; $69 billion for the public health response, including $29 billion for vaccine procurement and distribution; $13 billion for a 15% increase in SNAP and child nutrition benefits; $600 direct payments for adults and children; $82 billion for schools and colleges and an additional $10 billion for child care assistance; $45 billion for transportation including a continuation of the Payroll Support Program for airline workers, $14 billion for transit including Metro, and support for airports; $7 billion to increase access to broadband including $3.2 billion in emergency funds to help low-income families access broadband; Providing federal agencies with the authority to keep contractors on payroll during the pandemic for those who are temporarily unable to work due to facility closures or other restrictions; and Extension of the availability of federal relief funds provided to states and localities until December 31, 2021. The package also includes an omnibus deal to fund the government through September 2021 which will make strong investments in our schools, expand access to housing through new targeted vouchers to reduce homelessness, tackle food insecurity by fully funding SNAP, child nutrition programs, and WIC, and more. It includes a landmark bipartisan deal to end surprise medical billing. That provision establishes a fair process for health care providers and health plans to sort out out-of-network costs, protecting patients from surprise expenses. A section-by-section summary of the COVID relief deal can be foundhere. A section-by-section summary of the omnibus funding bill can be foundhere. A section-by-section summary of other authorizations included in the package can be foundhere. The full text of the package can be foundhere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3443,"Wittman statement on voting YES to support First District Priorities, families, small businesses, and provide greater pandemic relief",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,VA,Robert Wittman,W000804,wittman.house.gov,,,legacy,"Wittman statement on voting YES to support First District Priorities, families, small businesses, and provide greater pandemic relief f t # e Washington, December 21, 2020 Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) issued the following statement after voting in favor of theConsolidated Appropriations Act,which fully funds the government through September 30th, 2021, and provides additional COVID-19 pandemic relief, relief to small businesses, American workers, and more. The government funding and COVID-19 relief package Congress passed today is a critical funding bill that funds many of the priorities of the First Congressional District including increased and stable funding for our military, support for our Veterans, investments in broadband and our rural communities, assistance to our Law Enforcement Officers, andmuch-needed relief to millions of Americans. Despite months of delays, unnecessary posturing, and piles of ignored legislation by Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats, the package passed today reflects key bipartisan priorities. It includes vital provisions supporting our response to the pandemic, including targeted relief to small businesses, additional funding to speed vaccine production and distribution, and also provides assistance to reopening schools and rebuilding our economy. TheConsolidated Appropriations Actincludeskey government fundingdirectly advancedby Congressman Wittman: Creates a new $300 Million Broadband Grant Program, as advocated for in Congressman Wittman'sServing Rural America Act. Fully funds the Broadband DATA Act so federal funds can be more efficiently targeted to close the digital divide. Expands telehealth grants by funding the FCC to carry out the temporary telehealth pilot program authorized under the CARES Act. Allocates funding for two Virginia-Class submarines, one above the budget request, both of which are built in Virginia. Provides $2.87 billion for the overall Columbia-Class submarine program, providing a great boost to the economy in the Commonwealth. Allocates $10 million for the Cable Ship Security Program, which Congressman Wittman had authorized in the FY20 NDAA to shore up a critical strategic infrastructure gap. Supports Congressman Wittman's legislation that was included in the FY21 NDAA to bundle the acquisition of amphibious ships which will save the taxpayers roughly $1 billion. Extends Section 3610 of the CARES Act to reimburse federal contractors, a large section of the workforce in VA-01, for the cost of providing pandemic-related leave. Allows the transfer of National Park Service lands for the Long Bridge Project under Congressman Wittman'sLong Bridge Act. Provides $25 million for theVeterans Treatment CourtGrant Program, a program advocated for by Congressman Wittman. Provides additional extensions and funding to vital Chesapeake Bay clean-up programs,advocated for by Congressman Wittman, which have wide-reaching impacts in coastal Virginia. For months, Speaker Pelosi refusedto bring serious legislation to the floor to address the COVID-19 pandemic and provide relief for millions of Americans. Instead of working together to pass what we could agree on, the Speaker forced the House to vote on massive partisan bills earlier this year, one that cost over $3 trillion dollars and was filled with Democratic policy riders that had no chance of becoming law. However, today's bill includes a $900 billion coronavirus pandemic relief package specifically designed to help Americans who have suffered as a result of this pandemic. This bill extends the Paycheck Protection Program and provides additional relief to small businesses. It includes an extension of pandemic unemployment insurance, providing relief to the millions of Americans whose businesses have closed or who have been out of work due to the pandemic. And it includes direct payments that will go to most Americans. Once again, this bill represents a bipartisan compromise and one that frankly should have been done months ago with bipartisan approval had it not been for Speaker Pelosi's insistence on playing political games. COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Highlights: Small Business Tax Relief Extends an additional lifeline to small businesses by ensuring additional relief to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program, emergency EIDL grants program, and certain loan repayment assistance programs in the CARES Act by providing further guidance that the forgiven loan or grant amount shall not be included as gross income to the businesses and that businesses can still deduct the expenses paid with the proceeds of the forgiven loans or grants. Provides over $280 billion to reopen and strengthen the PPP program. Businesses under 300 employees and have had a 25% reduction in revenue are eligible for a second round. Increases the PPP loan amount for Restaurants and Hotels from 2.5x payroll to 3.5x, providing an extra month's worth of payroll support Codifies rules for faith-based organizations and churches to ensure eligibility remains intact. Makes eligible 501c6s, destination marketing organizations (DMOs). Creates a simplified PPP loan forgiveness application for loans under $150,000 dollars Allows employers to deduct PPP related businesses expenses. Reopening America $20 billion for the purchase of vaccines that will make the vaccine available at no charge for anyone who needs it $8 billion for vaccine distribution $20 billion to assist states with testing $20 billion distribution from existing provider relief fund Stimulus checks -- $600 for both adults and dependents with safeguards to prohibit illegal aliens from receiving payment Temporarily extends a number of unemployment programs created by CARES Act that expire Dec. 31, 2020 Provide unemployed individuals an additional $300 per week for 10 weeks from December 26, 2020-March 14, 2021 Extends and phases-out PUA, which is a temporary federal program covering self-employed and gig workers, to March 14 (after which no new applicants) through April 5, 2021 $10 billion for grants to childcare centers to help providers safely reopen $4 billion for substance abuse significant progress made over past several years on opioid addiction has been reversed because of impact of COVID lockdowns $82 billion in funding for schools and universities to assist with reopening for in-person learning that also includes $2.75 billion in designated funds for private K through 12 education $25 billion in temporary and targeted rental assistance for individuals who lost their source of income during the pandemic; extends the eviction moratorium until January 31, 2021 For months, I hadcalled on my colleaguesin Washington to come to a workable deal for the American people providing targeted relief, an extension of the job-saving Paycheck Protection Program, and other vital services and programs for individuals, families, and businesses necessary for our economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. This relief bill is great news but comes too late for the millions of Americans and thousands of small businesses that suffered for months as Speaker Pelosi refused to pass targeted relief. I will continue advocating for the people of Virginia's First Congressional District in Washington and will do my utmost to hold Members of Congress accountable to the people we serve. TheConsolidated Appropriations Actincludes key priorities of Congressman Wittman andthe First Congressional District of Virginia: National Security Wins Provides our military with the resources to defend our nation and advance U.S. national security Includes a 3% pay raise for the troops and provides the resources to continue rebuild our military, deter adversaries, and defend our national security interests Extends Sec. 3610 of the Cares Act which allows for reimbursement to federal contractors for the cost of providing COVID-19 related leave Funds two Virginia-class submarines, one above the budget request and $2.87 billion for Columbia-class submarine program; both of which are built in Virginia Includes $10 million for the Cable Ship Security Program, which Congressman Wittman had authorized in the FY20 NDAA to shore up a critical strategic infrastructure gap Supports Congressman Wittman's legislation that was included in the FY21 NDAA to bundle the acquisition of our amphibious ships which will save the taxpayers roughly $1 billion Increases the Navy's shipbuilding budget by $3.4 billion to support the National Defense Strategy and allow us to compete on the global stage Veterans Wins Fully funds veterans' healthcare, including the MISSION Act's community care program, as well as other critical programs Provides a total of $2.63 billion to continue VA's transition to a new electronic health records system and increases congressional oversight of the program Provides a total of $10.3 billion for VA mental health programs, including $313 million for suicide prevention outreach Provides a total of $1.9 billion to prevent veteran homelessness, including $420 million for Supportive Services for Veterans Families and $270 million for the Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program Provides $661 million for gender-specific care to ensure VA meets the needs of women veterans, including $1 million for peer support programsds Broadband Wins Creates a new $300 Million Broadband Grant Program, as envisioned in Congressman Wittman'sServing Rural America Act Provides $732 million for rural broadband, the highest level in history, including $635 million for the ReConnect broadband pilot for unserved and underserved areas as well as $60 million for Distance Learning and Telemedicine grants Fully funds the Broadband DATA Act by appropriating $65 million dollars to carry out Title VIII of the Communications Act of 1934 so federal funds can be more efficiently targeted to close the digital divide Appropriates an additional $250 million to the FCC to carry out the temporary telehealth pilot program authorized under the CARES Act and requires that the Commission equitably distributes the funding to the extent feasible Rural Infrastructure Wins Provides $3.9 billion for rural development programs, as well as more than $38.1 billion in loans for rural housing, rural utilities, and rural businesses, which assists in building sustainable rural infrastructure for the modern economy and helps create an environment for economic growth and opportunity Includes $2 billion for highway infrastructure grants Provides $1 billion for Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grants, including a requirement that half of the grants go to rural communities; $400 million for discretionary airport grants; and $3.5 billion for Community Development Block Grants, $50 million above FY20 Healthcare Wins Extends important public health programs for three years, including community health centers - eliminating several funding cliffs over next several years Ends surprise medical billing True and honest cost estimate for patients three days prior to scheduled procedure Arbitration independent dispute resolution process with no benchmark rate and multiple factors (but not government program reimbursement rates) which can be considered in arbitration process Supports Front Line Health Care Providers by injecting billions of dollars into Medicare physician pay in 2021 and heading off payment cuts due to be enacted next year Improves support for Rural and Underserved Health Care Environment Wins Allows the transfer of National Park Service lands for the Long Bridge Project under Congressman Wittman's Long Bridge Act Funds the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Consolidated Tribal Government Program above the enacted level, to the benefit of Virginia's federally recognized tribes, which Congressman Wittman helped receive recognition in 2018 Funds the vital North American Wetlands Conservation Fund Law Enforcement Wins Rejects efforts to defund the police and provides strong support for our nation's federal, state, and local law enforcement Strongly supports our nation's federal, state, and local law enforcement officers by increasing funding for the Department of Justice and preserving federal grant programs that bolster state and local efforts to keep our communities safe Expands law enforcement resources in support of mental and behavioral health intervention teams, de-escalation training, agencies gaining accreditation, and small and rural law enforcement agencies Provides increased funding for Department of Justice initiatives, such as the STOP School Violence and the COPS Hiring programs, which expand threat assessment, violence prevention, school hardening, and resource officer support Combats the drug epidemic by increasing funds for Office of National Drug Control Policy programs such as High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas and Drug Free Communities Reduces violent and gun crimes by: Fully funding the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS); Increasing funding for U.S. Attorneys; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and U.S. Marshals Service to address violent crime; and Providing $85 million in grants to states to improve records used in background checks, and $24 million for police active shooter and survivability training Energy Wins Continues to advance the nation's all-of-the-above solution to energy independence through targeted investments in research and development in all energy sources, including nuclear, fossil, geothermal, and hydropower, as well as solar and wind Provides $368 million to protect our nation's energy infrastructure against cyber and other attacks and to increase the efficiency and technological advancement of the nation's electricity delivery system Pro-Life Wins Prohibits federal funds from being used to pay for abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment of the mother Prohibits the creation or destruction of embryos for research purposes Protects the Trump Administration's Title X Family Planning regulations Maintains the Hyde Amendment, Tiahrt Amendment, Helms Amendment, Dickey Amendment, and Kemp-Kasten Amendment, maintaining critical pro-life funding restrictions Border Security Wins Rejects poison pill riders that would have limited the ability of Border Protral to detain illegal migrants in the U.S., and would have allowed taxpayer dollars for legal assistance to illegal immigrants Assists Border Patrol Agents by providing $20 million for new border processing coordinators and $103 million for improvements to border patrol facilities Funds the border wall, providing $1.375 billion in new funding Provides funding for investments in border security technology, including at ports of entry, and $80 million over the request for additional enforcement aircraft and helicopters Congressman Rob Wittman represents the 1st District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he serves as the ranking member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee. f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/rubio-warner-applaud-passage-of-intelligence-authorization-act-in-covid-19-package,"Rubio, Warner Applaud Passage of Intelligence Authorization Act in COVID-19 Package",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Acting Chairman Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) applauded the upcoming passage of theIntelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (IAA)as part of the bipartisan, targeted COVID-19 relief package. The bill, which wasapprovedby the Committee on a bipartisan 14 - 1 vote on June 8, 2020 andpassedthe Senate on July 23, 2020 as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, authorizes funding, provides legal authorities, and enhances Congressional oversight for the U.S. Intelligence Community. Recent events make it all too clear that our nation continues to face ever-expanding threats from hostile foreign actors, including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea,Rubio said.It is vital that our Intelligence Community has the necessary resources, authorities, and personnel to protect America's national security, and the Senate Intelligence Committee's strong, bipartisan legislation does just that. Our bill also increases government efficiency and represents comprehensive Congressional oversight to ensure that these tools are executed responsibly and cost-effectively. I am happy to say that the Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Year 2021 was included in the compromise legislation. The IAA ensures that the women and men of America's Intelligence Community have the tools and resources they need to keep our country safe, and to ensure that decision makers are presented with the best intelligence, regardless of fear or favor. Passage of the IAA also ensures that Congress fulfills its mission of providing robust oversight of the nation's intelligence agencies. This bipartisan bill includes key measures to improve our national security and America's technological edge,Warner said. Background: The IAA for Fiscal Year 2021 ensures that the Intelligence Community can continue its critical work for our country while Congress continues its oversight, including in the following key areas: Deterring and uncovering core threats from China and Russia, by identifying their corruption, influence operations, and information suppression; Countering our adversaries' attempts to compromise telecommunications and cybersecurity technology, and requiring complex, extensive assessments of our current critical technologies and their supply chains; Strengthening open source intelligence capabilities for improved collection and analysis across the entire Intelligence Community; Enhancing recruitment and hiring for our Intelligence Community, by giving the agencies the resources and tools they need to advance their talented workforce that protects our nation day in and day out; and Ensuring accountability and integrity from our Intelligence Community agencies, which undertake our most sensitive intelligence programs and activities. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/warner-kaine-celebrate-senate-passage-of-bills-renaming-hopewell-leesburg-midlothian-post-offices-after-virginiansa,Warner & Kaine Applaud Passage of Government Funding Bill that Includes COVID-19 Relief,2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine applauded Senate passage of the bipartisan, bicameral spending bill to fund federal programs crucial to Virginia and keep the federal government open through 2021. The legislation also includes comprehensive measures to help Americans amid the ongoing economic and public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Following today's Senate passage, the bill now heads to the President's desk for signature. For nine long months, folks waited for Congress to deliver critical relief as they watched COVID-19 further devastate their communities. Today, despite that unacceptable delay, relief is officially on its way,said Warner.I'm proud to have worked with a bipartisan group of colleagues to help get this legislation into shape and in the hands of House and Senate leaders. And while I know that this bill is not perfect, I'm glad to know that it will help American families weather this winter and get through the holidays. While this relief should have been passed much earlier, I'm pleased to see families, small businesses, hospitals, schools, and more get the assistance they need,Kaine said.This legislation makes critical investments in unemployment assistance, food aid, housing assistance, and other areas to directly help those struggling amid the pandemic. Though we still have more work to do to help Americans get back on their feet, I'm relieved Congress was able to come to this bipartisan compromise and fund these priorities before the holidays. The following list includes some of the priorities Warner and Kaine advocated: Assistance for out of work Virginians:Extends federal unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, preventing hundreds of thousands of out-of-work Virginians from losing benefits over the holidays. The senators were cosponsors of thelegislationthat provided the model for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), through which more than 9 million Americans are currently receiving benefits. More recently, the Senators called onleadershipto extend and add additional weeks of federal employment benefits to both PUA and the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation programs. Additionally, it gives states the option to offer additional weekly financial relief for Americans with a mix of traditional (W-2) and independent employment income who are not able to claim their full benefit, modeledafter Senator Warner'slegislation. Stimulus checks:Includes a stimulus payment for low- and middle-income Americans; with $600 for individual filers and $1,200 for joint filers, with an additional $600 for each qualifying child in the household. Early in the crisis, Senator Kainecalledfor stimulus efforts to include direct payments to households. Vaccines:Includes over $19 billion for vaccines and therapeutics and an additional $8.75 billion to support vaccine distribution, particularly for states and localities, to slow the spread of the pandemic and take a step towards a future where COVID-19 is managed. Emergency housing aid and protections:Creates a new $25 billion emergency rental assistance fund to prevent evictions during the pandemic, which will be delivered through state and local governments. Earlier this year, the Senators joined their colleagues in introducing legislation to provide emergencyhousing assistancefor those facing potential evictions. The bill will also extend the CDC eviction moratorium to allow time for implementing the emergency housing aid. Relief for hard-hit small businesses and nonprofits:Provides targeted relief for small businesses struggling with the effects of the pandemic. This includes a second round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgivable loans for small businesses and nonprofits that experienced a substantial revenue decline in 2020, as well as other funds for small business relief. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is directed to provide guidance to ensure priority access for underserved communities, such as minority-owned businesses. The bill also includes grants for small businesses and nonprofits in sectors likely to continue to see substantial drops in revenue in 2021, particularly in the live entertainment sector. This aid will ensure that Virginia's small businesses are able to stay afloat during the pandemic, keep workers on payroll, and return to job creation as COVID-19 is controlled. The Senators have been strong supporters of providing relief to small businesses, cosponsoring theHeroes Small Business Lifeline Act, which included many of the provisions in the final bill, and theSave our Stages Act, on which the live entertainment grants are modeled. Targeted relief for underserved communities:Provides the largest single investment in our country's history forminority-owned and community-based lending institutions.Largely drawn from Senator Warner'sJobs and Neighborhood Investment Act, the provision provides $12 billion to community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and minority depository institutions (MDIs) to buildcapital and unlockaffordable access to credit for underserved and minority neighborhoods, which have been particularly hard-hit by COVID-19. Education Stabilization Fund:Provides $82 billion to provide emergency support to K-12 schools and higher education institutions. The legislation includes provisions of Kaine'sCoronavirus Relief Flexibility for Students and Institutions Actthat allow colleges to use emergency stabilization funds to cover lost revenue and better target funds designated for colleges hardest hit by COVID-19 by requiring an application to demonstrate need. Broadband: Includes $7 billion towards broadband, including $3.2 billion for an Emergency Broadband Benefit to help low-income families maintain their internet connections, $285 million to support broadband access in minority communities, and $300 million in broadband grants modeled on provisions Senator Warnerdraftedwith bipartisan Senators. Additionally, the bill includes anextension of the deadlineto use Coronavirus Relief Funds so that state and localities interested in using the money for broadband expansion have more time, as Senator Warner called for. Support for child care providers and families:Includes $10 billion in flexible funding for the Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) to help support child care providers and ensure that working parents have access to child care during the pandemic. The bill also includes $250 million for Head Start programs. Public health data modernization:Includes Senator Kaine'sSaving Lives Through Better Data Act, which will improve the nation's public health data systems at CDC and through grants to state and local health departments to expand and modernize their systems, promoting more seamless communication, which can save lives when we're faced with public health threats such as COVID-19. The omnibus authorizes $100 million for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. Telehealth:Includes Senator Kaine and Senator Schatz'sExpanding Capacity for Health Outcomes (ECHO) Act of2019, which creates a grant program to evaluate, develop, and expand the use of distance health education models such as ECHO to increase access to specialty care in rural and medically underserved populations. The omnibus authorizes $10 million for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. The funding bill also permanently expands coverage of and payment for telehealth to treat mental health care, which is in line with Senator Warner'sCONNECT for Health Act, which Senator Kaine is a cosponsor. Ends surprise billing:Includes a provision to end surprise billing, something SenatorsWarnerand Kaine have long advocated for. U.S. Postal Service:Converts the CARES Act $10 billion loan into direct funding for USPS without requiring repayment. These funds will be used for operational costs and other expenses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Warner is a cosponsor of thePostal Service Emergency Assistance Act,which would provide USPS with significant direct funding. Veterans:Provides $104.4 billion infundingfor the VA, anincrease of $12.5 billion over FY20 levels. This funding increaseprovides $2.7 billion more than the previous fiscal year for health care delivered at VA facilities nationwide. The bill provides robust funding in several areas important for Virginia veterans, including $815 million for critical VA Medical and Prosthetic research, an increase of $1.18 billion over FY20 levels for electronic health record modernization, nearly $2 billon in support of programs to prevent veteran homelessnessand $312.6 million for suicide prevention. Infrastructure:Includes funding for key projects that were championed by Warner and Kaine to benefit Virginia's infrastructure: Includes a provision pushed for by Senators Warner and Kaine to allow for the construction of a newLong Bridgeon the Potomac River, which will double the capacity of the rail crossing between Virginia and D.C. The current two-track Long Bridge is the only rail bridge connecting Virginia to Washington, D.C., and it is at 98 percent capacity during peak hours, which means it is one of the most significant rail chokepoints along the East Coast. The new Long Bridge program will double the capacity of the Potomac River rail crossing by adding a second two-track bridge adjacent to the existing bridge and including a new bike-pedestrian shared use path spanning the George Washington Memorial Parkway and the Potomac River. Senators Warner and Kaine introduced theLong Bridge Act of 2020in August to allow for this construction. Includes the full federal funding of $150 million for theWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)to fund critical capital investment and safety projects. In addition, the bill provides $14 billion in emergency relief for public transit agencies to continue operations during the pandemic, ensuring access to transportation for frontline workers and civil servants. Includes a one year extension of Community Development Block Grant fundsto the City of Norfolkand other localities to build climate resilient infrastructure projects. Senators Kaine and Warner joined Senator John Hoeven in introducingS.4017in June, which would also have provided an extension for the NDRC program. Includes $87.5 million for theChesapeake Bay Programan increase of $2.5 million from FY 2020. The Chesapeake Bay Program coordinates Chesapeake Bay watershed restoration and protection efforts, and the majority of its funds are passed through to the states and local communities for on-the-ground restoration. Authorizes federal funds to cover 65% of the costs associated with construction projects to address close to $1.5 billion of flood control needs in theCity of Norfolk. Grants a critical cost adjustment to allow work to continue on the Deep Creek Bridge inChesapeaketo address traffic concerns. Authorizes over $102.7 million in federal funds for construction of theNorth Landing BridgeReplacement project. Provides up to $9million for the Federal Aviation Administration to continue its remote tower system pilot program at smaller airports, including the Remote Air Traffic Control Tower atLeesburg Executive Airport. Great American Outdoors Act:With Senator Warner'sGreat American Outdoors Actnow law, the FY21 omnibus affirms funding for several deferred maintenance projects in Virginia: George Washington Memorial Parkway A $207 million project to restore 7.6 miles of northern section of the GW Parkway and implement critical safety measures. The Senators have long advocated for federal funding for this project for several years as seenhereandhere. Shenandoah National Park A $27 million project to pave and restore nearly 50 miles of Skyline Drive and various overlooks. Shenandoah will also receive nearly $3.5 million to remove unnecessary buildings and restore greenspace within the park. Colonial National Historical Park A $16.5 million project to restore nearly 5 miles of shoreline along the York River. FBI Headquarters:Provides no funding for a new FBI headquarters and includes language that encourages General Services Administration (GSA) to provide a new prospectus, particularly after the Trump Administration abruptly abandoned plans to develop a new campus headquarters for theFBI. Earlier this year, Senators Warner and Kaineopposedan attempt in an earlier Republican COVID-19 relief package that would have provided $1.75 billion for construction of a new FBI HQ in its current downtown D.C. location. Miners' Benefits:Extends the funding for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund until the end of 2021 by extending the tax on mining companies that helps fund the program. Both Kaine and Warner introduced theBlack Lung Benefits Disability Trust Fund Solvency Actcalling on Congress to extend the excise tax through the end of 2030. Shipbuilding & MILCON funding:Provides $23.27 billion for shipbuilding for 10 battle force ships includingfull funding for asecond Virginia-classsubmarine, which SenatorsWarnerand Kaine personally advocatedfor. The bill also appropriates $237 million for 6 MILCON projects in Virginia, including: Humphreys Engineer Center, Training Support Facility (Army) - $51m Norfolk, E-2D Training Facility (Navy) - $30.4m Norfolk, Corrosion Control and Paint Facility (Navy) - $17.671m Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Access Control Point Main Gate with Land Acquisition (Air Force) - $19.5m Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Story, Operations Facility and Command Center (Def-Wide) - $54.5m JEB Little Creek-Story, NSWG Facilities (Def-Wide) - $58m Federal contractors:Senators Warner and Kaine also pushed to extend a provision fromCARES (3610),which allows contractual adjustments for a paid leave program, allowing contractors to keep employees on the payroll if federal facilities close due to the pandemic an important provision for our defense industrial base and cleared national security workforce. Foster care and homeless youth:Includes key provisions of Senator Kaine's bill with Senator Murray and Senator Portman, theHigher Education Access and Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act, to remove barriers to financial aid for students experiencing homelessness or students formerly in foster care by easing the application and determination for becoming eligible for aid. The bill also includes language allowing foster youth to remain in the system until October 1, 2021, regardless of their agea move that Senators Warner and Kaine called for in a recentletterto the administration. FundsChildhoodDiseaseResearch:Provides $12.6 million for theGabriellaMillerKids First Pediatric Research Program to conduct pediatric cancer and disease research. The Senators worked toenact the legislationauthorizing this program, named for 10-year-oldGabriellaMillerof Loudoun County, who passed away from cancer in October of 2013. Supporting working students and families:Includes key provisions of Senator Kaine's bill with Senator Baldwin, theWorking Students Act,to reduce the work penalty that many students who work while attending school face. Currently, students who work while attending school often are eligible for less financial aid due to their work income.The appropriations bill enacts a 35% increase for working students and 20% increase for families to the income protection allowance (IPA), shielding more of their income from reducing their financial aid. Student Loan Repayment:Extends an important change to existing tax policy allowingemployers to use pre-tax dollars to help pay down employees' student debt until 2025 a provision modeled after Senator Warner's bipartisanEmployerParticipation inRepaymentActto help more than 44 million Americans with student loan debt. Ashanti Alert: Includes $1 million in federalfunding to help with the nationwide implementation of theAshantiAlert system. Following the abduction of 19-year old Ashanti Billie, who did not meet the criteria for an Amber or Silver Alert,Senator Warnersecured unanimous passageof this national alert system through the Senate on December 6, 2018, and has been a leader in the fight to implement theAshantiAlert nationwide ever since. Nutrition:Provides $13 billion in nutrition assistance, including a 15 percent increase in SNAP benefits through June 30, 2021 for all SNAP participants. Excludes unemployment compensation from being counted as income for the purposes of calculating SNAP benefits and eligibility. Provides $400 million for food banks through The Emergency Food Assistance Program. Farmers: Provides $13 billion for direct payments, purchases, and loans to producers who have suffered losses due to the pandemic, including funds to support the food supply chain through food purchases, donations to food banks, and support for local food systems. Additionally, it includes $5 billion for supplemental payments to row crop producers; $3 billion for supplemental payments to cattle producers and contract growers of livestock and poultry, dairy farmers, and producers who were forced to euthanize livestock or poultry; $225 million for producers of specialty crops; and $1.5 billion to purchase food for distribution to those in need. Timber Harvesting/Hauling:Provides up to $200 million to support timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses impacted by COVID-19. Dairy:Provides up to $400 million for a Dairy Product Donation Program, modeled after the 2018 Farm Bill pilot program to facilitate the donation of dairy products and minimize food waste. Textiles:Allows USDA to make payments to users of upland cotton and extra-long staple cotton. Fisheries: Provides $300 million in assistance to help fisheries mitigate COVID-19 related impacts. Water Utility Bill Assistance:Provides $638 million for a new program to help low-income families cover the costs of drinking water and wastewater utility bills by making funds available to states and Tribes. These localities will provide dollars to owners or operators of public water systems or treatment works to reduce arrearages and rates for low-income households. Appalachian Regional Commission:Includes a record $180 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission, an increase of $5 million from FY20. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4988,Beyer Statement Marking Three Years Since Passage Of Republican Tax Bill,2020-12-20,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Donald Beyer,B001292,beyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), who is expected to chair Congress' Joint Economic Committee in the next session of Congress, issued the following statement today on the three-year anniversary of the passage of the 2017 Republican tax bill: In negotiating pandemic relief legislation, Senate Republicans argued it would be too expensive to send Americans even one more round of $1,200 checks. Three years ago today they passed tax cuts for large corporations they claimed would pay for themselves,' a claim they knew to be false. Senate Republicans have reportedly cut the enhanced federal benefits in half from CARES Act levels, and halved the duration of federal unemployment benefits compared to House-passed legislation. Three years ago they passed an extraordinarily regressive tax bill that gave most benefits to the very wealthy. Today Senate Republicans are fighting to limit or reduce food and rental assistance to needy families on the edge of disaster. Three years ago these same Senate Republicans passed legislation with a provision that exclusively benefitted households worth over $22 million. Three years ago the economy was still riding the wave of the Obama recovery, and Senate Republicans shrugged off long term fiscal concerns as they cut taxes for millionaires. Today, as Senate Republicans penny-pinch working people, American families are racked with fear and uncertainty, many are suffering some of the worst economic misery they have ever seen. The contrast is utterly appalling.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/education-leaders-celebrate-higher-education-agreement-in-fy21-omnibus,Education Leaders Celebrate Higher Education Agreement in FY21 Omnibus,2020-12-20,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"As originally released by the Committee on Education & Labor WASHINGTON, DCToday, following the release of the Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) Omnibus bill text, Chairman Robert C. Bobby Scott (VA-03), Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment Chair Susan Davis (CA-53), and Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Chair Alma Adams (NC-12) celebrated the major Democratic priorities for higher education included in the spending bill. The bill expands the Pell Grant program, which will result in hundreds of thousands of students becoming newly eligible for Pell and millions of current recipients receiving larger awards. The bill also repeals the ban on Pell eligibility among incarcerated students and restores Pell Grant eligibility for students defrauded by their institutions. To ensure students get the financial support they need, the bill streamlines theFree Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA) and eliminates a confusing and punitive restriction that limits eligibility for subsidized federal loans among low-income students. Finally, the legislation discharges loans made to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) under the HBCU Capital Financing Loan program, providing $1.34 billion in relief to these institutions. This bipartisan agreement is a significant step toward making higher education more affordable for millions of Americans. The package released today includesawide range of provisions secured by House Democrats that will make federal grants and loans more accessible and more generous, particularly for our most vulnerable students,said Chairman Robert C. Bobby Scott.Congress has a responsibility to expand access to quality higher education, which remains the surest path to the middle class. While this is not the comprehensive overhaul of theHigher Education Actand there is still work to be done, this proposal will help millions of students. I'm pleased House Democrats secured these sweeping reforms on behalf of students across the country. ""The omnibus agreement provides increased opportunities in higher education and a path to the middle class,""said Rep. Davis, Chairwoman of the Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee.""This will mean a brighter future for millions of young people as our communities will also benefit from their knowledge, skills, and expertise for years to come. This year's omnibus empowers students by expanding and simplifying the federal student aid programs, and by removing barriers for low-income and justice-involved individuals,said Rep. Adams, Chairwoman of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee.Additionally, I'm proud to announce the inclusion of my legislation, H.R. 7380, the HBCU Capital Finance Debt Relief Act, which relieves over $1.3 billion in debt for our HBCUs, allowing these institutions to continue their mission of empowering communities of color. Combined, these measures will help ensure that higher education continues to be an accessible bridge to the middle class. The bill achieves longstanding Democratic priorities, including: Expanding the Pell Grant programand making it easier for students to predict their eligibility, which will make hundreds of thousands of students newly eligible for Pell and increase award amounts for millions of current Pell recipients. Making it easier for students to apply and qualify for federal student aidby streamlining the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and expanding outreach and awareness activities to encourage FAFSA completion, with a focus on low-income students and families. Expanding opportunities for justice-involved individualsto get an education and successfully reenter their communities by providing incarcerated students access to Pell Grants. Discharging loans made to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)under the HBCU Capital Financing Loan program, providing $1.34 billion in relief. Eliminating a confusing and punitive restrictionthat limits eligibility for subsidized federal loans among low-income students. Restoring Pell Grant eligibility for defrauded students, including those who attended shuttered for-profit colleges like ITT Technical Institutes and Corinthian Colleges. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/mceachin-statement-coronavirus-relief-and-omnibus-agreement,McEachin Statement on Coronavirus Relief and Omnibus Agreement,2020-12-20,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,A. McEachin,M001200,mceachin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04)today released the following statement regarding the announced agreement on a new COVID-19 relief package: ""More federal support can't come quickly enough for struggling Virginia families, workers and small businesses. ""While this package cannot mark the end of our efforts to provide COVID-19 relief and Congress has more work to do to provide support for state and local government, I am pleased that today's agreement includes nearly $1 trillion in critical funding for unemployment insurance, rental assistance, small businesses, and other essential support Virginians need to stay afloat during this crisis. ""I look forward to quickly passing this relief measure and delivering these funds including direct relief payments for Virginia families to the people of the Commonwealth as soon as possible.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/statement-of-sen-warner-on-bipartisan-covid-19-relief,Statement of Sen. Warner on Bipartisan COVID-19 Relief,2020-12-20,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released a statement today after congressional leaders announced a bipartisan, bicameral deal to provide emergency COVID-19 relief: Ten months into the pandemic, millions of American families, workers, and small businesses are still struggling. With unemployment benefits set to run out the day after Christmas and families facing eviction in the New Year, Congress cannot afford to delay help any longer. That's why I worked with a group of my colleagues to put together a relief deal that could get bipartisan support in Congress. I'm pleased that congressional leaders took up our proposal and have finally announced long-awaited help for families, students, small businesses, health care providers, and schools to get through at least the next few months of this crisis. Today's announcement was made possible in large part by the work of Sen. Warner and a group of colleagues, who broke an 8-month-long partisan logjam over relief negotiations by putting forwarda bipartisan, bicameral compromise frameworkafter Thanksgiving to provide much-needed relief to American students, families, businesses, workers, and health care providers during this crisis. The legislation announced today by congressional leaders draws heavily on thebill drafted by Sen. Warner and his colleagues. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/statement-of-u-s-sen-mark-r-warner-on-section-230-hearing,Statement of U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner on COVID-19 Relief Deal,2020-12-20,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released a statement today after congressional leaders announced a bipartisan, bicameral deal to provide emergency COVID-19 relief: Ten months into the pandemic, millions of American families, workers, and small businesses are still struggling. With unemployment benefits set to run out the day after Christmas and families facing eviction in the New Year, Congress cannot afford to delay help any longer. That's why I worked with a group of my colleagues to put together a relief deal that could get bipartisan support in Congress. I'm pleased that congressional leaders took up our proposal and have finally announced long-awaited help for families, students, small businesses, health care providers, and schools to get through at least the next few months of this crisis. Today's announcement was made possible in large part by the work of Sen. Warner and a group of colleagues, who broke an 8-month-long partisan logjam over relief negotiations by putting forwarda bipartisan, bicameral compromise frameworkafter Thanksgiving to provide much-needed relief to American students, families, businesses, workers, and health care providers during this crisis. The legislation announced today by congressional leaders draws heavily on thebill drafted by Sen. Warner and his colleagues. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4987,Beyer Introduces Legislation To Support Research Into Long Term Effects Of Coronavirus Infection,2020-12-19,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Donald Beyer,B001292,beyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Don Beyer this week introduced the COVID-19 Long Haulers Act, which would authorize and fund research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PICORI) to benefit so-called long haulers, people who experience long term effects of COVID-19 infections. From the beginning of the pandemic medical researchers have documented a wide array of lingering conditions affecting patients long after they recover from initial infection, but leading public health officials say more research is needed to fully understand and respond to the phenomenon. Over ten months after coronavirus was first documented in the United States, some of the worst suffering is still being borne by people who got sick and recovered from their initial infections early in the year, said Beyer. Given the alarming pace of the virus' spread right now, we may see significant proliferation of individuals suffering long term effects of coronavirus infections. We need to do everything we can as soon as we can to help those people, and to get a handle on this problem. My bill would make major investments in research funding at leading institutions, and make this a major priority for American medical research. 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), spearheaded a House push to fund the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and is the sponsor of legislation to ensure data transparency at the CDC during the COVID-19 pandemic. Text of the COVID-19 Long Haulers Act is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-receives-covid-19-vaccine,Scott Receives COVID-19 Vaccine,2020-12-19,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine: In order to ensure the continuity of government, the Attending Physician of the United States Congress has recommended that Members of Congress begin receiving the FDA-approved Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. I am no more important than any of the people I was elected by and have the privilege to serve in Congress. However, recognizing the importance in boosting the public's confidence in the safety and efficacy of this vaccine and ensuring that Congress is able to continue to fully function in light of this surging pandemic, I decided to follow the Attending Physician's recommendation and was vaccinated earlier today. The approval of multiple effective vaccines to combat the coronavirus has been a moment of great hope for many across the nation. Too many lives and livelihoods have been lost to this pandemic, and the distribution of vaccines marks the beginning of the end of this terrible time in our history. As we wait for the vaccine to be widely distributed across the country, we must all continue to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance by wearing masks in public and observing social distancing. By following those guidelines and having faith in science and the vaccine, we will all finally end this pandemic together. The letter from the Attending Physician of the United States Congress to Members of Congress can be accessed here. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://spanberger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3428,"ICYMI: Spanberger Hosts Telephone Town Hall with Virginia Secretary of Health & Human Resources Dr. Daniel Carey, Answers Questions Focused on Healthcare, Economic Issues Facing Central Virginians Amid Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic",2020-12-19,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Abigail Spanberger,S001209,spanberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger this week hosted an open, public telephone town hall focused on issues facing Central Virginia families, businesses, healthcare providers, schools, and more. During the town hall, Spanberger was joined by Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources Dr. Daniel Carey to answer questions directly from Central Virginians about the range of healthcare and economic issues facing the Seventh District. Spanberger and Carey discussed constituent concerns related to COVID-19 vaccines, ongoing COVID-19 relief discussions in Congress, unemployment assistance, broadband internet access, and several additional topics. Click here to watch the full event. As we head toward the holidays, my office continues to receive hundreds of requests for assistance related to healthcare, hunger, housing, and unemployment concerns. This pandemic has brought hardships and uncertainty to every community here in Virginia and there remains a dire need for Congress to deliver immediate, much-needed relief to the American people, said Spanberger. This week's town hall was an important opportunity to hear directly from Central Virginians about their current concerns related to the wellbeing of their families, their businesses, and our Commonwealth. I'd like to thank Secretary Carey for bringing his expertise and his insight to this event, and I'll keep fighting to protect our most vulnerable neighbors, keep our healthcare workers safe, and provide some degree of peace of mind to our small businesses in the face of this ongoing crisis. Wednesday's telephone town hall was Spanberger's 10th free, public telephone town hall since the COVID-19 pandemic began. These events have focused on the impacts of the virus on Central Virginia families, small businesses, students, and seniors. Click here to access additional town hall recordings. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402400,"Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems to Receive $2,087,196",2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,VA,Morgan Griffith,G000568,morgangriffith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems to Receive $2,087,196 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $2,087,196 to Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems headquartered in Saltville. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement: Community health centers provide care to many in Southwest Virginia, and during the coronavirus outbreak they have a critical role to play. The distribution of $2,087,196 in funds to Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems will help promote accessible and quality health care for those who rely upon them. This will support the hard work and expert care provided by the professionals at our community health centers. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/va-and-md-senators-urge-incoming-biden-administration-to-protect-tps-holders-,Va. & Md. Senators Urge Incoming Biden Administration to Protect TPS Holders,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Tim Kaine,K000384,www.kaine.senate.gov,,,legacy,"December 18, 2020 Va. & Md. Senators Urge Incoming Biden Administration to Protect TPS Holders ~ Senators Also Urge Immediate Protection for Nationals of Central American Countries Devastated by Hurricanes Eta and Iota ~ WASHINGTON U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-MD)today sent a letter to Alejandro Mayorkas, President-elect Biden's nominee for Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), urging him to take swift action once confirmed to protect 58,000 Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients living in Virginia and Maryland alone. Currently, TPS status for thousands of beneficiaries continues to be in jeopardy due to ongoing legal efforts by the Trump Administration to terminate the program. In a letter to DHS Secretary-Designate Mayorkas, the Senators applaud the Biden Administration's commitment to protect current TPS holders and its pledge to grant TPS to Venezuelans already in the United States. The Senators also ask the incoming administration to take immediate executive actions to provide stability for TPS recipients and their families from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, and Sudan. We write today to reiterate our support for immediate action to protect the hundreds of thousands of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients whose continued lawful status in the country remains in jeopardy as a result of the Trump Administration's efforts to terminate their protections and to urge you to promptly issue additional TPS designations and redesignations based upon a sober assessment of country conditions and an exercise of your clear statutory authority. We are pleased that President-elect Biden has pledged to grant TPS to Venezuelans already in the United States, something for which we have advocated. It is critical, especially during the ongoing public health and economic crises brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, for the Biden-Harris Administration to act quickly to provide clarity and long-term stability to TPS recipients in our communities, wrote the Senators to DHS Secretary-Desginate Alejandro Mayorkas. In their letter, the Senators highlight that over the past four years, the Trump Administration has taken action to terminate TPS protections for recipients from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, and Sudan, a move that President-elect Biden has described as politically motivated. While the Trump Administration recently extended TPS and associated work authorization documents for these individuals until October 4, 2021, TPS protections could still be removed without swift action by the incoming Biden Administration. TPS recipients from these six countries represent approximately 400,000 residents and over 97 percent of all TPS recipients nationwide. We are proud to represent over 58,000 TPS recipients in the National Capitol region alone. Additionally, approximately 63,100 U.S. citizen children of TPS recipients, many of whom are school-aged, live in our region. We cannot overstate the importance of our desire to protect those American children from the brutal choice they and their families will face if the Trump Administration's terminations are permitted to go into effect. Their parents will immediately lose their permission to work. And each child will be forced to either separate from their parents or be uprooted from the lives they have built in thistheir owncountry. In Virginia and Maryland alone, an estimated 13,300 TPS holders work in industries that DHS deems essential critical infrastructure' including health care, agriculture, and manufacturing. These individuals have worked alongside other Americans at great risk to themselves and their family members to help keep the country running, and they will continue to play an important role in the recovery and rebuilding ahead, continued the Senators. In addition to calling for a swift reversal of the Trump Administration's TPS policies and urging the incoming Biden Administration to explore executive actions to provide stability for TPS recipients, the Senators ask the incoming Biden Administration to send an immigration bill to Congress that includes pathways towards lawful permanent residency for TPS recipients. The Senators also urge the Administration to redesignate El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua for TPS and issue a new TPS designation for Guatemala due to the devastation from Hurricanes Eta and Iota. A copy of the letter is found here and below. Dear Secretary-Designate Mayorkas: We would like to congratulate you on President-elect Joe Biden's announcement that he intends to nominate you for the position of Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). We trust that your experience as Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and as Deputy Secretary of DHS, along with your personal experience as a son of refugees, will leave you well-positioned to address the pressing issues facing our nation's immigration system, many of which have been significantly worsened by the Trump Administration's harmful policies. The task of the incoming Biden-Harris Administration will be, as the President-elect often states, to restore the soul of the nation, which is urgently needed in the sphere of immigration policy. We write today to reiterate our support for immediate action to protect the hundreds of thousands of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients whose continued lawful status in the country remains in jeopardy as a result of the Trump Administration's efforts to terminate their protections and to urge you to promptly issue additional TPS designations and redesignations based upon a sober assessment of country conditions and an exercise of your clear statutory authority. We are pleased that President-elect Biden has pledged to grant TPS to Venezuelans already in the United States, something for which we have advocated. It is critical, especially during the ongoing public health and economic crises brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, for the Biden-Harris Administration to act quickly to provide clarity and long-term stability to TPS recipients in our communities. Over the past four years, the Trump Administration moved to terminate TPS for recipients from six nations: El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, and Sudan. President-elect Biden decried these decisions as having been politically-motivateda finding supported by a report prepared by the minority staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and by the federal district court in Ramos v. Nielsen that initially blocked several terminations from taking effect. Only by virtue of litigation that remains pending have these designations remained in place, but the success of that litigation is now in doubt, and the continued fear and uncertainty experienced by TPS recipients are very real. While the Trump Administration, as a result of the outstanding court cases, recently extended TPS and associated work authorization documents for these individuals until October 4, 2021, even that brief reprieve could be taken away from many of these individuals if a court ruling comes soon. TPS recipients from these six countries represent approximately 400,000 residents and over 97 percent of all TPS recipients nationwide. We are proud to represent over 58,000 TPS recipients in the National Capitol region alone. Additionally, approximately 63,100 U.S. citizen children of TPS recipients, many of whom are school-aged, live in our region. We cannot overstate the importance of our desire to protect those American children from the brutal choice they and their families will face if the Trump Administration's terminations are permitted to go into effect. Their parents will immediately lose their permission to work. And each child will be forced to either separate from their parents or be uprooted from the lives they have built in thistheir owncountry. In Virginia and Maryland alone, an estimated 13,300 TPS holders work in industries that DHS deems essential critical infrastructure including health care, agriculture, and manufacturing. These individuals have worked alongside other Americans at great risk to themselves and their family members to help keep the country running, and they will continue to play an important role in the recovery and rebuilding ahead. The incoming Biden-Harris Administration has promised to immediately review Temporary Protected Status for vulnerable populations who cannot find safety in their countries due to violence or disaster. Additionally, the new administration has promoted a pathway to citizenship through legislative immigration reform for TPS and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients. While we share the Biden-Harris Administration's desire for a comprehensive review of TPS policy and pathways to citizenship, we also urge you to take immediate executive actions to provide stability for TPS recipients and their families in the U.S. weathering the public health and economic crises brought on by COVID-19. First, we respectfully request that the Biden-Harris Administration issue a notice in the Federal Register on January 20, 2021, vacating the Trump Administration's termination decisions for all six nations and automatically extending current protections, including Employment Authorization Documents, while committing to conduct new fact-based assessments of country conditions required by law. Decisions regarding whether to extend, redesignate, or terminate protections for each of these countries must be made based upon the facts and the law. We also encourage you to consider granting DED to nationals of these countries, if necessary, as a way to ensure continuity of protections in the interim. Second, in connection with the decision to review country conditions anew, we respectfully request that the Biden-Harris Administration promptly redesignate El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, for TPSand issue a new TPS designation for Guatemalaas a result of the devastation left behind by Hurricanes Eta and Iota. The economic damage to these countries from these two unprecedented hurricanes is projected to far surpass the damage caused by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 on which the current designations for Honduras and Nicaragua are based. Widespread flooding and landslides caused substantial damage to critical infrastructure, housing, livelihoods, and food security, and weakened each country's public health infrastructure at a time when they were already struggling to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. The governments of Honduras and Guatemala already have made formal requests for TPSa pre-condition for designations under Section 244(b)(1)(B)but the extraordinary and temporary conditions that make it impossible for these four countries to safely accept the return of their nationals more than justifies designations under Section 244(b)(1)(C), which does not require a request from a foreign government. As the new administration works to fulfill its promise of sending an immigration reform bill to Congress within its first 100 days, we urge you to consult the models of the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act, as well as the Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and in Emergency (SECURE) Act. Both bills include pathways towards lawful permanent residency for TPS recipients. The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the reality that millions of immigrants, both documented and undocumented, work alongside other Americans every day to keep the country going, and their work and contributions will be no less important as we begin to turn the corner and work toward a national recovery that is strong, resilient, and equitable. This is true of more than 131,000 TPS holders who are serving in jobs essential to the nation's critical infrastructure. As we overcome this crisis, we owe a debt of gratitude to these communities that we can begin to pay by extending citizenship to those who have dutifully served their neighbors in a time of crisis. We commit to working with you to achieve that goal. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4983,New Beyer Legislation Would Require Publication Of Schedules For Heads Of Executive Agencies,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Donald Beyer,B001292,beyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"New Beyer Legislation Would Require Publication Of Schedules For Heads Of Executive Agencies Rep. Don Beyer today introduced the Transparent Leadership Act, which would require the publication of schedules and speeches for the heads of Executive Branch agencies. Beyer began working on the legislation in response to calendar scandals for disgraced ex-EPA Administrator Scott Pruit and disgraced ex-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, and introduced it as a similar scandal embroiled disgraced Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. The American people deserve to know what the public officials who lead their government are saying and doing while drawing taxpayer-funded salaries, said Beyer. The Trump era has been a time of incredible and unacceptable opacity from the heads of U.S. government agencies, who clearly had a great deal to hide from the public. My legislation would put an end to the era of secret schedules. Beyer was a vociferous critic of both Pruitt and Zinke prior to their dismissals, and has previously called for the resignation of Postmaster General DeJoy. Text of the Transparent Leadership Act is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4984,Beyer Receives Coronavirus Vaccine,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Donald Beyer,B001292,beyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Don Beyer, who represents the Northern Virginia suburbs of the nation's capital, today received a vaccination for coronavirus [pictures below]. Beyer said: Upon medical advice and the recommendation of the Attending Physician, I received a coronavirus vaccine this afternoon. I am mindful that millions of Americans are still waiting for shots they will get after me, many of whom are workers on the front lines of this pandemic. I do not believe that I am more important than they are, but as national leaders it is important to lead by example. The message from scientists and doctors is clear: the vaccines which have been approved are safe, and they will save lives. A vaccine has been made available to Congress because of the need for continuity of government operations. Anyone who is given the opportunity to receive this vaccine is given an opportunity to protect people around them, and to fight the spread of this awful virus. Everyone should take this opportunity as soon as they can. I will continue working in Congress to help ensure that everyone can get a vaccination as soon as possible. Beyer helped author a provision with Rep. Joe Courtney earlier this year to make coronavirus vaccinations free for the American people, a version of which was subsequently enacted as part of the CARES Act. He is also the author of legislation to address health care disparities in coronavirus treatment. Beyer was previously one of the first Members of Congress to self-quarantine after a coronavirus exposure, one of the first Members of Congress to wear a mask on the House Floor, and was the first U.S. Representative to cast a proxy vote on behalf of a member of the opposing party. Beyer has been a forceful advocate for following listening to scientists and following public health measures, including vocal criticism of colleagues and national leaders who endangered lives by ignoring masking and distancing directives.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://spanberger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3427,"Spanberger Statement on Stopgap Government Funding Bill, Status of COVID-19 Negotiations",2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Abigail Spanberger,S001209,spanberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today released the following statement after supporting a short-term funding agreement in the U.S. House to prevent the federal government from shutting down this evening. Tonight's vote is just one more example of a broken pattern of moving from one impending budgetary disaster to another. Congress repeatedly refuses to respond to fast-approaching funding deadlines, even though it has months to prepare and plan for these moments. In just a few days, Congress will once again need to vote to maintain the very functioning of our government. The American people deserve better than watching their elected officials use federal employees, government operations, and the security of our borders, airways, and country as bargaining tools particularly when both parties should be in agreement on the obvious and long-overdue need for emergency COVID-19 relief. Early in this pandemic, Congress responded to the COVID-19 crisis as a united, bipartisan front but as a dire, painful need for aid persisted throughout the country, lawmakers in both parties abandoned that spirit. They refused to hammer out their differences and recognize the severity of the crisis at hand. In this current moment when millions of Americans are facing hunger, eviction, or the effects of a job loss, Congress cannot delay in passing a relief package. As we rapidly approach the holidays, I will keep fighting to make sure that neither the House nor the Senate head home until a bipartisan, bicameral bill is sent to the President's desk and signed into law. Central Virginians have waited far too long for progress. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/bipartisan-bicameral-group-finish-what-we-started,"Bipartisan, Bicameral Group: Finish What We Started",2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Today, U.S. Sen.s Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Angus King (I-ME), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Rob Portman (R-OH), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chairs Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5) and Tom Reed (R-NY-23) called on Congress to deliver immediate COVID-19 relief to the American people. Earlier this week, the Senators and the Problem Solvers Caucusshared two bills, one of which, thebipartisanCOVID-19 Emergency Relief Act of 2020, is serving as the framework for the final COVID-19 relief package. Today we find ourselves in the middle of a global pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 310,000 Americans, and hours away from a government shutdown that threatens to delay urgent aid to people in need throughout the nation. We must set our differences aside. The American people elected us to govern on their behalf, and at a time when they need us more than ever we must end the partisan games and meet this moment together for the good of the country. On Monday, our bipartisan, bicameral group presented a bill that helps provide for the emergency needs of the millions of families struggling to make ends meet. Once again, we encourage the leaders to finish what we started and deliver immediate assistance to the workers, families and businesses that need it most. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/statement-of-sen-mark-r-warner-on-facebook-s-decision-to-finally-ban-qanon-from-its-platforms,Statement of Sen. Warner on Proposal to Hamstring 13(3) Authority,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, released a statement today: Legal experts, senior banking officials, and former Republican and Democratic regulatory officials all agree: the proposal to pull back on the Fed's 13(3) authority would set a terrible precedent, hurt the Fed's independence, and weaken its ability to respond quickly to future crises. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/va-md-senators-urge-incoming-biden-administration-to-protect-tps-holders,Va. & Md. Senators Urge Incoming Biden Administration to Protect TPS Holders,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-MD)today sent a letter to Alejandro Mayorkas, President-elect Biden's nominee for Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), urging him to take swift action once confirmed to protect 58,000 Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients living in Virginia and Maryland alone. Currently, TPS status for thousands of beneficiaries continues to be in jeopardy due to ongoing legal efforts by the Trump Administration to terminate the program. In a letter to DHS Secretary-Designate Mayorkas, the Senators applaud the Biden Administration's commitment to protect current TPS holders and its pledge to grant TPS to Venezuelans already in the United States. The Senators also ask the incoming administration to take immediate executive actions to provide stability for TPS recipients and their families from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, and Sudan. We write today to reiterate our support for immediate action to protect the hundreds of thousands of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients whose continued lawful status in the country remains in jeopardy as a result of the Trump Administration'sefforts to terminate their protections and to urge you to promptly issue additional TPS designations and redesignations based upon a sober assessment of country conditions and an exercise of your clear statutory authority. We are pleased that President-elect Biden has pledged to grant TPS to Venezuelans already in the United States, something for which we have advocated. It is critical, especially during the ongoing public health and economic crises brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, for the Biden-Harris Administration to act quickly to provide clarity and long-term stability to TPS recipients in our communities,wrote the Senators to DHS Secretary-Desginate Alejandro Mayorkas. In their letter, the Senators highlight that over the past four years, the Trump Administration has taken action to terminate TPS protections for recipients from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, and Sudan, a move that President-elect Biden has described as politically motivated.While the Trump Administration recently extended TPS and associated work authorization documents for these individuals until October 4, 2021, TPS protections could still be removed without swift action by the incoming Biden Administration. TPS recipients from these six countries represent approximately 400,000 residents and over 97 percent of all TPS recipients nationwide. We are proud to represent over 58,000 TPS recipients in the National Capitol region alone. Additionally, approximately 63,100 U.S. citizen children of TPS recipients, many of whom are school-aged, live in our region.We cannot overstate the importance of our desire to protect those American children from the brutal choice they and their families will face if the Trump Administration's terminations are permitted to go into effect. Their parents will immediately lose their permission to work. And each child will be forced to either separate from their parents or be uprooted from the lives they have built in thistheir owncountry. In Virginia and Maryland alone, an estimated 13,300 TPS holders work in industries that DHS deems essential critical infrastructure' including health care, agriculture, and manufacturing.These individuals have worked alongside other Americans at great risk to themselves and their family members to help keep the country running, and they will continue to play an important role in the recovery and rebuilding ahead,continued the Senators. In addition to calling for a swift reversal of the Trump Administration's TPS policies and urging the incoming Biden Administration to explore executive actions to provide stability for TPS recipients, the Senators ask the incoming Biden Administration to send an immigration bill to Congress that includes pathways towards lawful permanent residency for TPS recipients. The Senators also urge the Administration to redesignate El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua for TPS and issue a new TPS designation for Guatemala due to the devastation from Hurricanes Eta and Iota. A copy of the letter is foundhereand below. Dear Secretary-Designate Mayorkas: We would like to congratulate you on President-elect Joe Biden's announcement that he intends to nominate you for the position of Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). We trust that your experience as Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and as Deputy Secretary of DHS, along with your personal experience as a son of refugees, will leave you well-positioned to address the pressing issues facing our nation's immigration system, many of which have been significantly worsened by the Trump Administration's harmful policies. The task of the incoming Biden-Harris Administration will be, as the President-elect often states, to restore the soul of the nation, which is urgently needed in the sphere of immigration policy. We write today to reiterate our support for immediate action to protect the hundreds of thousands of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients whose continued lawful status in the country remains in jeopardy as a result of the Trump Administration'sefforts to terminate their protections and to urge you to promptly issue additional TPS designations and redesignations based upon a sober assessment of country conditions and an exercise of your clear statutory authority. We are pleased that President-elect Biden has pledged to grant TPS to Venezuelans already in the United States, something for which we have advocated. It is critical, especially during the ongoing public health and economic crises brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, for the Biden-Harris Administration to act quickly to provide clarity and long-term stability to TPS recipients in our communities. Over the past four years, the Trump Administration moved to terminate TPS for recipients from six nations: El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, and Sudan.President-elect Biden decried these decisions as having been politically-motivateda finding supported by a report prepared by the minority staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and by the federal district court in Ramos v. Nielsen that initially blocked several terminations from taking effect. Only by virtue of litigation that remains pending have these designations remained in place, but the success of that litigation is now in doubt, and the continued fear and uncertainty experienced by TPS recipients are very real. While the Trump Administration, as a result of the outstanding court cases, recently extended TPS and associated work authorization documents for these individuals until October 4, 2021, even that brief reprieve could be taken away from many of these individuals if a court ruling comes soon. TPS recipients from these six countries represent approximately 400,000 residents and over 97 percent of all TPS recipients nationwide. We are proud to represent over 58,000 TPS recipients in the National Capitol region alone. Additionally, approximately 63,100 U.S. citizen children of TPS recipients, many of whom are school-aged, live in our region.We cannot overstate the importance of our desire to protect those American children from the brutal choice they and their families will face if the Trump Administration's terminations are permitted to go into effect. Their parents will immediately lose their permission to work. And each child will be forced to either separate from their parents or be uprooted from the lives they have built in thistheir owncountry.In Virginia and Maryland alone, an estimated 13,300 TPS holders work in industries that DHS deems essential critical infrastructure including health care, agriculture, and manufacturing.These individuals have worked alongside other Americans at great risk to themselves and their family members to help keep the country running, and they will continue to play an important role in the recovery and rebuilding ahead. The incoming Biden-Harris Administration has promised to immediately review Temporary Protected Status for vulnerable populations who cannot find safety in their countries due to violence or disaster. Additionally, the new administration has promoted a pathway to citizenship through legislative immigration reform for TPS and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients. While we share the Biden-Harris Administration's desire for a comprehensive review of TPS policy and pathways to citizenship, we also urge you to take immediate executive actions to provide stability for TPS recipients and their families in the U.S. weathering the public health and economic crises brought on by COVID-19. First, we respectfully request that the Biden-Harris Administrationissue a notice in the Federal Register on January 20, 2021, vacating the Trump Administration's termination decisions for all six nations and automatically extending current protections, including Employment Authorization Documents, while committing to conduct new fact-based assessments of country conditions required by law. Decisions regarding whether to extend, redesignate, or terminate protections for each of these countries must be made based upon the facts and the law. We also encourage you to consider granting DED to nationals of these countries, if necessary, as a way to ensure continuity of protections in the interim. Second, in connection with the decision to review country conditions anew, we respectfully request that the Biden-Harris Administration promptly redesignate El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, for TPSand issue a new TPS designation for Guatemalaas a result of the devastation left behind by Hurricanes Eta and Iota. The economic damage to these countries from these two unprecedented hurricanes is projected to far surpass the damage caused by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 on which the current designations for Honduras and Nicaragua are based. Widespread flooding and landslides caused substantial damage to critical infrastructure, housing, livelihoods, and food security, and weakened each country's public health infrastructure at a time when they were already struggling to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. The governments of Honduras and Guatemala already have made formal requests for TPSa pre-condition for designations under Section 244(b)(1)(B)but the extraordinary and temporary conditions that make it impossible for these four countries to safely accept the return of their nationals more than justifies designations under Section 244(b)(1)(C), which does not require a request from a foreign government. As the new administration works to fulfill its promise of sending an immigration reform bill to Congress within its first 100 days, we urge you to consult the models of the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act, as well as the Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and in Emergency (SECURE) Act. Both bills include pathways towards lawful permanent residency for TPS recipients. The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the reality that millions of immigrants, both documented and undocumented, work alongside other Americans every day to keep the country going, and their work and contributions will be no less important as we begin to turn the corner and work toward a national recovery that is strong, resilient, and equitable. This is true of more than 131,000 TPS holders who are serving in jobs essential to the nation's critical infrastructure. As we overcome this crisis, we owe a debt of gratitude to these communities that we can begin to pay by extending citizenship to those who have dutifully served their neighbors in a time of crisis. We commit to working with you to achieve that goal. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/warner-on-the-solarwinds-hack-that-has-compromised-u-s-federal-agencies,Warner on the SolarWinds Hack that has Compromised U.S. Federal Agencies,2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and Co-Chair of the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, released the following statement: The SolarWinds hack is a devastating breach of U.S. networks and once again shows that the President and the White House are not taking this issue seriously enough. An incident of this magnitude and lasting impact requires an engaged and public response by the U.S. government, led by a President who understands the significance of this intrusion and who is actively marshaling a domestic remediation strategy and an international response. As we learn about the wider impact of this malign effort with the potential for wider compromise of critical global technology vendors and their products it is essential that we see an organized and concerted federal response. It is extremely troubling that the President does not appear to be acknowledging, much less acting upon, the gravity of this situation. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/warner-portman-blumenthal-grassley-urge-lighthizer-to-not-include-tech-liability-shield-in-us-uk-trade-agreement,"Warner, Portman, Blumenthal, Grassley Urge Lighthizer to Not Include Tech Liability Shield in US-UK Trade Agreement",2020-12-18,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Rob Portman (R-OH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Charles E. Grassley (R-IA) sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, urging the Trump Administration to refrain from including sweeping liability protection language modeled on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 in a trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom. We are optimistic that a new trade agreement with the United Kingdom will ensure fair, balanced, and reciprocal trade. But we want to note that we have concerns with the inclusion of safe harbor language modeled on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Actof 1996,wrote the Senators. Including a safe harbor clause in any future trade agreements will further allocate more power to companies at the expense of individuals. They continued,Congress can and should debate about Section 230 and how it has enabled platforms to turn a blind eye as their platforms are used to facilitate discrimination, cyber-stalking, terrorism, online frauds, and more. We urge USTR to refrain from including this provision in this and future free trade agreements until that debate has concluded. A copy of the letter isavailablehereand text can be foundbelow. Dear Ambassador Lighthizer: We support strengthening trade relations between the United States and the United Kingdom through a potential free trade agreement. That relationship would not be improved, however, by a trade agreement that includes safe harbor language similar to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. As an initial matter, Congress is not requesting, let alone requiring, the Administration to include this type of liability protection in our trade agreements. Trade promotion authority, which establishes the United States' negotiating objectives for trade agreements, calls for recogniz[ing] the significance of the internet as a trading platform in international commerce not for providing blanket immunity to bad actors because the wrongful conduct took place on the internet. Moreover, there is no reason to believe that such safe harbor language actually facilitates U.S. trade policy interests, particularly with respect to a country like the United Kingdom that has a strong rule of law tradition. Instead, the blanket immunity provided by measures like Section 230 allows platforms to escape liability for directly enabling heinous conduct such as online frauds, cyber-stalking, terrorism, and child abuse.Not surprisingly, neither the U.S. Congress nor the UK Parliament are seeking to export this type of immunity. Instead, they are undertaking vigorous debates regarding the proper oversight, transparency, and effective management of digital communications technologies. Domestically, there is bipartisan consensus around the need to address illegal behavior online. Many Members of Congress, as well as the Department of Justice,have offered bills to reform Section 230.The United Kingdom unveiled its long-awaited Online Harms regulation, which would create a new regulatory framework to address unlawful and harmful online content. In parallel, the United Kingdom also passed a law last year that, once fully implemented, will establish a code of practice to protect children from exposure to harmful online content. Congress passed Section 230 as part of wider legislation in 1996. The internet has changed dramatically since then and, accordingly, Section 230 has not aged well. As legislators proceed to review and examine the issues surrounding internet platform liability, it is unnecessaryand inappropriateto tie their hands by making Section 230-style immunity an international obligation of our respective countries. We remain excited by the opportunities presented by a new trade agreement with the United Kingdom. We want our Special Relationship to be as strong economically as it is politically. But inclusion of a safe harbor clause in either negotiations or a final agreement is frankly unhelpful to achieving that goal. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-and-kaine-announce-more-than-18-million-in-federal-funds-to-boost-economic-independence-in-virginia-,Warner & Kaine Announce More Than $1.8 Million in Federal Funds to Boost Economic Independence in Virginia,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Tim Kaine,K000384,www.kaine.senate.gov,,,legacy,"December 17, 2020 Warner & Kaine Announce More Than $1.8 Million in Federal Funds to Boost Economic Independence in Virginia WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $1,879,967 in federal funding to help Virginians in 19 localities reduce their dependency on federal assistance and rental subsidies. The funding, awarded throughthe Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program atthe U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will help connect Virginia families to public and private resources that help them increase their earned income and transition to more stable housing. These funds will empower Virginia families by providing educational opportunities, job training, and counseling to help them make lasting progress towards economic independence, said the Senators. We applaud the Department of Housing and Urban Development for taking this approach to give Virginians the tools they need to increase their income and move up the economic ladder. The funding will be distributed as follows: Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $78,659; Bristol Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $49,627; Chesapeake Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $167,400; City of Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $151,470; City of Virginia Beach Department ofHousing: $56,347; Loudoun County: $74,080; Danville Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $24,818; Fairfax County Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $152,078; Franklin Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $60,000; Hampton Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $60,152; Harrisonburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $35,103; Hopewell Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $72,000; James City County Office of Housing & Community Development: $28,500; Newport News Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $112,031; Norfolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $360,000; Portsmouth Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $226,656; Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $72,000; Suffolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $52,368; Waynesboro Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $48,638. The FSS program helps HUD-assisted families increase their earned income and reduce their dependency on federal assistance and rental subsidies.Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) work in collaboration with a Program Coordinating Committee (PCC) to secure commitments of public and private resources for the operation of the FSS program, to develop the PHA's FSS Action Plan (the FSS policy framework), and to implement the program. ### Print Email Tweet",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://beyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4979,Beyer Statement On Selection Of Barbara Johns For Virginia Statue To Replace Robert E. Lee In U.S. Capitol,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Donald Beyer,B001292,beyer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) issued the following statement today on the announcement that a Virginia commission had selected Barbara Johns as the subject of a statue to replace Confederate General Robert E. Lee in the National Statuary Hall Collection of the U.S. Capitol: Barbara Johns was a pioneer in the Civil Rights movement who helped desegregate schools in Virginia and across the country. Her courage and bravery still are not sufficiently appreciated by the country she helped make more just, and it is my hope that this new statue will help make more people aware of her contributions. As we continue to reckon with the history of racism and slavery in Virginia and the United States, it is fitting that we replace symbols of those wrongs with imagery of heroes who helped right them. This is a model that other states should follow, and a step forward for our Commonwealth that makes me proud. I look forward to seeing Barbara Johns' statue in the U.S. Capitol. Beyer introduced legislation earlier this week to remove the designation of Arlington House as a memorial to Robert E. Lee, and voted last week for legislation that included a measure to rename military bases currently named after Confederate generals.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cline.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-cline-accompanied-medical-professionals-host-telephone-town-hall-focused,"Rep. Cline, Accompanied by Medical Professionals, to Host Telephone Town Hall Focused on COVID-19",2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,VA,Ben Cline,C001118,cline.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06) announced that he will host a District-wide Telephone Town Hall. Cline will be joined on this call by the Chairman of the Congressional Doctors Caucus, Representative Phil Roe, M.D. (TN-01), and Dr. Laura Kornegay, Health Director for the Central Shenandoah Health District. The telephone town hall will take place Monday, December 21, 2020, from 6:30p.m. 7:30p.m. Constituents planning to participate should register atcline.house.gov/live or dial (855) 933-0825 during the time of the call. I look forward to hearing from constituents and providing them with the latest information regarding the recently approved COVID-19 vaccine, Cline said. This telephone town hall will allow me the opportunity to engage directly with those I represent and answer any questions related to the coronavirus pandemic. This event will mark the seventh telephone town hall held by Congressman Cline since March and the thirty-second overall since taking office. Congressman Ben Cline represents the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia. He previously was an attorney in private practice and served both as an assistant prosecutor and Member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Cline and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Botetourt County with their two children. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cline.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1062,"Rep. Cline, Accompanied by Medical Professionals, to Host Telephone Town Hall Focused on COVID-19",2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Republican,House,VA,Ben Cline,C001118,cline.house.gov,cline,https://cline.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06) announced that he will host a District-wide Telephone Town Hall. Cline will be joined on this call by the Chairman of the Congressional Doctors Caucus, Representative Phil Roe, M.D. (TN-01), and Dr. Laura Kornegay, Health Director for the Central Shenandoah Health District. The telephone town hall will take place Monday, December 21, 2020, from 6:30p.m. – 7:30p.m. Constituents planning to participate should register at cline.house.gov/live or dial (855) 933-0825 during the time of the call. ""I look forward to hearing from constituents and providing them with the latest information regarding the recently approved COVID-19 vaccine,"" Cline said. ""This telephone town hall will allow me the opportunity to engage directly with those I represent and answer any questions related to the coronavirus pandemic."" This event will mark the seventh telephone town hall held by Congressman Cline since March and the thirty-second overall since taking office. Congressman Ben Cline represents the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia. He previously was an attorney in private practice and served both as an assistant prosecutor and Member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Cline and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Botetourt County with their two children.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/mceachin-applauds-president-elect-bidens-climate-nominations,McEachin Applauds President-Elect Biden's Climate Nominations,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,A. McEachin,M001200,mceachin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04)today released the following statement after President-elect Biden nominated Gina McCarthy and Michael Regan to serve as White House Climate Coordinator and EPA Administrator: ""Addressing the devastating impacts of our climate crisis must be one of the incoming Biden administration's top priorities, and the President-elect is sending an important message by nominating Gina McCarthy and Michael Regan to serve as White House Climate Coordinator and EPA Administrator. ""President-elect Biden has been clear that climate change is the challenge that will define our future. Both of his nominees are ready on day-one to meet this moment and get to work on the greatest challenge facing our country and our world. ""I look forward to working alongside the Biden administration from Congress to prioritize both an inclusive, clean energy future and federal investment in transitional communities, creating millions of good-paying jobs and protecting our planet for generations to come.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wexton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=435,Wexton Appointed to Serve on House Appropriations Committee,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Jennifer Wexton,W000825,wexton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC --Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee for the 117thCongress by the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. I am honored to receive an appointment to the House Appropriations Committee, and thrilled that Virginia and the 10th Congressional District will once again be represented on this important committee,said Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton.We have a lot of work to do to provide robust support for a strong recovery, invest in chronically underfunded agencies and programs, and fix our country's broken infrastructure. I will work tirelessly on behalf of my constituents, including tens of thousands of federal workers and contractors, and be a strong voice for the priorities of the Commonwealth. The House Appropriations Committee is one of the most powerful committees in Congress. The Committee oversees 12 spending bills that fund most of the functions of the federal government. Congresswoman Wexton will be the only Virginian on the Committee, restoring a long history of the Commonwealth having a voice in the appropriations process. The 116th Congress saw no Virginia representative on the Committee for the first time in over a century. Former Representatives Frank Wolf, who previously held Wexton's seat, and Jim Moran were both long serving committee members who successfully advocated for many of Virginia's priorities such as Metro funding, support for road and other infrastructure improvements, and defense and national security projects. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/senate-approves-bipartisan-bill-to-strengthen-federal-financial-management,Senate Approves Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Federal Financial Management,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. The United States Senate this week approved the CFO Vision Act of 2020, S. 3287, legislationby Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-WY) to strengthen federal financial management. The bipartisan bill would update the Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Act of 1990. That law established a financial management leadership structure, provided for long-range planning, and required audited financial statements. Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-MI), as well as Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), David Perdue (R-GA), Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) and Mike Braun (R-IN) also cosponsored the CFO Vision Act. The Data Coalition, Citizens Against Government Waste, the Project on Government Oversight, National Taxpayers Union, Truth in Accounting, R Street Institute, Taxpayers for Common Sense, Americans for Prosperity, Government Accountability Project and Grant Thornton, among others, have endorsed the legislation. It's been 30 years since theChief Financial Officers (CFO) Actwas signed into law, equipping our federal agencies with critical financial management tools. However, since its enactment three decades ago, there has been a growing need to modernize these processes to meet the challenges of today and improve government-wide financial management,said Sen. Warner.I'm pleased the Senate passed our bipartisanCFO Vision Actto help federal agencies improve their financial management, and ultimately boost performance through more informed strategic policy decision making. Most importantly, it will help renew Americans' trust that their government is making smart, informed decisions about how we use taxpayer dollars. This important legislation, which modernizes federal financial management, will help ensure the federal government's financial information is complete, reliable, timely and consistent,said Chairman Enzi. Most importantly, the bill will allow Congress to make informed decisions about the financing, management, and evaluation of federal agencies and programs to see what is working and what is not. This will ultimately lead to better budgeting now and in the future. The goal is to ensure hardworking Americans that lawmakers are making critical and informed decisions about the best use of taxpayer funds. I hope the House will quicklytake up and pass this legislation, which represents good-government policy to update our existing fiscal controls. The bill would: Standardize CFO responsibilitiesacross government by helping to enhance strategic decision-making, and correct inconsistencies; Provide deputy CFOs with sufficient authorityto ensure continuity in agency financial management operations when CFO vacancies occur; Revise government-wide and agency-level financial management planning requirementsby requiring the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to update the government's financial plan every four years and provide annual status updates. Additionally, the bill would require the government-wide plan to include actions for improving financial management systems, strengthening the federal financial management workforce, and better linking performance and cost information for decision-making; Develop a broader set of key selected financial management performance-based metricsby requiring OMB to develop a plan to determine the status and progress agencies are making towards achieving cost-effective and efficient government operations. The bill would also require that information be included in the government-wide and agency-level financial management plans and status reports; and Strengthen internal controls by requiring agency management to identify key financial management informationneeded for effective financial management and decision making. The bill would also require agencies to annually assess and report on the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting and other key financial management information. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/warner-joins-menendez-brown-warren-in-slamming-implementation-of-trump-s-executive-order-prohibiting-diversity-and-inclusion-trainings,"Warner Joins Menendez, Brown, Warren in Slamming Implementation of Trumps Executive Order Prohibiting Diversity and Inclusion Trainings",2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) joined Sens. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) opposing the implementation of President Trump's recent Executive Order prohibiting federal agencies, contractors and grant recipients from using workplace diversity and inclusion trainings that promote divisive concepts. In an OMB memo, Director Russell Vought said trainings that include terms such as systemic racism, white privilege and unconscious bias are likely included in that prohibition. As a result, many entities, including hospitals, community health centers, colleges and universities, and non-profit organizations that hold contracts with the federal government have cancelled or delayed their trainings. The Executive Order and the Administration's implementation actions to date are already stifling much-needed efforts in our states to reduce racial and sex-based discrimination. There is widespread uncertainty regarding the scope of the Executive Order, and some entities have cancelled their diversity and inclusion trainings altogether out of fear of losing federal funding,the Senators wrote in a letter to OMB Director Vought.Given that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has exposed our nation's stark racial inequities and other health disparities, the Administration should focus on reducing racial and sex-based discrimination rather than engaging in ill-informed political stunts. We urge you to immediately halt your efforts to implement this propagandist and deeply harmful Executive Order. The lawmakers pointed out that legitimate diversity and inclusion training would not promote repugnant ideas such as the inherent superiority' of a particular race and that a training that promoted those ideas are already illegal under longstanding anti-discrimination laws. The Senators then slammed the Administration for showing a complete disregard and misunderstanding of the racial equity movements in the country. However, by equating the acknowledgement of unconscious bias or systemic racism with claims of racial superiority, the Administration is purposefully sowing confusion and fear about our country's growing diversity and recent political movements in support of racial equity,the lawmakers wrote.By creating vague and illogical requirements, the Administration is effectively discouraging entities from offering diversity and inclusion trainings altogether, which we fear is the underlying goal of this misguided effort. The letter was also signed by Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.). A copy of the letter can be foundhereand below. Dear Mr. Vought, We write today to express our profound opposition to President Trump's recent Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping. The Executive Order and the Administration's implementation actions to date are already stifling much-needed efforts in our states to reduce racial and sex-based discrimination. There is widespread uncertainty regarding the scope of the Executive Order, and some entities have cancelled their diversity and inclusion trainings altogether out of fear of losing federal funding. Given that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has exposed our nation's stark racial inequities and other health disparities, the Administration should focus on reducing racial and sex-based discrimination rather than engaging in ill-informed political stunts. We urge you to immediately halt your efforts to implement this propagandist and deeply harmful Executive Order. On September 22, 2020, President Trump issued Executive Order 13950, which claims to combat offensive and anti-American race and sex stereotyping and scapegoating by prohibiting federal agencies, contractors, and grant recipients from using workplace training programs that promote divisive concepts. According to the Executive Order, such concepts include that one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex and that an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or sex. In your September 28, 2020 memorandum instructing the heads of executive departments and agencies on implementation, you stated that the Executive Order likely prohibits trainings that use terms such as systemic racism, white privilege, and unconscious bias. Legitimate diversity and inclusion training for federal employees, contractors, or federally supported entities would not promote repugnant ideas such as the inherent superiority of a particular race and in fact such a training would already be illegal under longstanding anti-discrimination laws. However, by equating the acknowledgement of unconscious bias or systemic racism with claims of racial superiority, the Administration is purposefully sowing confusion and fear about our country's growing diversity and recent political movements in support of racial equity. By creating vague and illogical requirements, the Administration is effectively discouraging entities from offering diversity and inclusion trainings altogether, which we fear is the underlying goal of this misguided effort. Additionally, the Executive Order is unclear about its applicability to federal grantees, creating widespread uncertainty among state governments and other federal grant recipients. Indeed, the Executive Order and your subsequent memorandum have exerted a chilling effect on both federal agencies and the many entities in our states that receive federal funding. The Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services halted all diversity and inclusion trainings for managers and employees. The Health Resources and Services Administration has reportedly frozen funding for some state-run implicit bias trainings for hospitals and community health centers. Some colleges and universities paused or cancelled their diversity and inclusion trainings and other diversity-focused events out of fear of jeopardizing their federal funding. Companies and non-profit organizations that hold contracts with the federal government cancelled or delayed their trainings. By continuing to implement this misguided policy during the final days of President Trump's Administration, your agency is discouraging and needlessly politicizing critical efforts to end racial and sex-based discrimination. Once again, we urge you to immediately cease implementing this illogical and harmful Executive Order. Thank you for your prompt consideration of this urgent matter no later than December 23, 2020. Sincerely, ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/warner-kaine-announce-more-than-1-8-million-in-federal-funds-to-boost-economic-independence-in-va,Warner & Kaine Announce More Than $1.8 Million in Federal Funds to Boost Economic Independence in VA,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $1,879,967 in federal funding to help Virginians in 19 localities reduce their dependency on federal assistance and rental subsidies. The funding, awarded throughthe Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program atthe U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will help connect Virginia families to public and private resources that help them increase their earned income and transition to more stable housing. These funds will empower Virginia families by providing educational opportunities, job training, and counseling to help them make lasting progress towards economic independence, said the Senators. We applaud the Department of Housing and Urban Development for taking this approach to give Virginians the tools they need to increase their income and move up the economic ladder. The funding will be distributed as follows: Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $78,659; Bristol Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $49,627; Chesapeake Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $167,400; City of Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $151,470; City of Virginia Beach Department ofHousing: $56,347; Loudoun County: $74,080; Danville Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $24,818; Fairfax County Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $152,078; Franklin Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $60,000; Hampton Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $60,152; Harrisonburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $35,103; Hopewell Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $72,000; James City County Office of Housing & Community Development: $28,500; Newport News Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $112,031; Norfolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $360,000; Portsmouth Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $226,656; Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $72,000; Suffolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $52,368; Waynesboro Redevelopment & Housing Authority: $48,638. The FSS program helps HUD-assisted families increase their earned income and reduce their dependency on federal assistance and rental subsidies.Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) work in collaboration with a Program Coordinating Committee (PCC) to secure commitments of public and private resources for the operation of the FSS program, to develop the PHA's FSS Action Plan (the FSS policy framework), and to implement the program. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/warner-leads-colleagues-in-urging-relief-for-foster-youth-facing-unique-covid-19-challenges,Warner Leads Colleagues in Urging Relief for Foster Youth Facing Unique COVID-19 Challenges,2020-12-17,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) led Sens.Ron Wyden (D-OR), Angus King (I-ME), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), andCory Booker (D-NJ) in urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide relief for young people in the foster care system as they continue to face a number of unique challenges as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.In a letter to Assistant Secretary Lynn Johnson, the Senators asked that HHS work with states to extend relief to foster families and implement temporary and long-term changes to help foster youth weather this crisis and secure a better future. Almost all families in the United States have had to make significant adjustments in their daily lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, for the children and young adults in our nation's foster care system, periods of change and adjustment are not new,wrote the Senators.Foster youth have survived a lifetime of uncertainty before and after entering foster care. The serious health challenges and economic downturn brought by the COVID-19 pandemic have merely exacerbated existing challenges faced by the approximately 424,000 children in the foster care system and the more than 20,400 young adults whoage out'of foster care each year. As of December10, 2020,over 70million applications for unemployment benefits had been filed since March 21, 2020. Given this high unemployment ratethe highest we have seen in the U.S. in recent memorywe are increasingly concerned about the potentially dire consequences foster youth may face during the economic recession brought on by the pandemic,they continued.Even before the public health emergency, only about half of youth aging out of the foster care system each year were anticipated to have some form of gainful employment by the age of 24. We believe that if temporary changes are made to strengthen support and resources for foster youth, they will be better equipped to pursue their goals and become active members of our nation's workforce. In their letter, the Senators expressed particular concern about the impact of the digital divide on foster youth, who often lack the proper equipment and internet services needed to participate in virtual learning. Specifically, the Senators noted findings from a report indicating that only 21 percent of foster youth have regular access to a computer, with that number dipping as low as five percent for foster youth in rural settings. Specifically, the Senators asked HHS to: Continue to encourage states that have not previously exercised the title IV-E program option to extend foster care programs and extend Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood Program (Chafee Program) services until age 23 Direct guidance to states regarding additional payments to foster care families and providers as part of states' response to COVID-19 Provide a temporary moratorium on work and study requirements for foster youth during the pandemic Allow title IV-B funds to be used to provide internet and other technology to vulnerable foster youth and families Work with states to address the impact of the digital divide on foster youth As Governor and during his time in the Senate, Sen. Warner has been a longtime champion for increased access to broadband and measures to help address the digital divide. In March,he led 17 of his colleagues inurgingmajor internet service providers to take steps to accommodate the incoming unprecedented reliance on telepresenceservices. After this effort, a number of majorinternetserviceprovidersannouncedthe adoption of practices to better accommodate the use of remote technologies.Earlier this year, Sen. Warner alsointroduced legislationto help ensure adequate homeinternetconnectivity for K-12 students during COVID-19. He has alsopushed the FCCto ensure that millions of Americans are made aware of their eligibility for the FCC's Lifeline program the primary federal program charged with helping low-income families obtain broadband and telephoneservices. Most recently, hecalled onthesevenlargestinternetserviceproviders(ISPs) to do their part to limit the economic and social disruption caused by COVID-19 and help ensure that children are able to meaningfully participate in their education. A copy of the letter is availablehere and text can be foundbelow. Dear Assistant Secretary Johnson: We write today in support of children and youth in the foster care system across the country as they face additional challenges due to the economic and health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the unprecedented and long-term economic and public health consequences of the pandemic, we ask that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provide relief for those currently in the foster care system and those transitioning out of foster care to maximize future opportunities for these young people. Almost all families in the United States have had to make significant adjustments in their daily lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, for the children and young adults in our nation's foster care system, periods of change and adjustment are not new. Foster youth have survived a lifetime of uncertainty before and after entering foster care. The serious health challenges and economic downturn brought by the COVID-19 pandemic have merely exacerbated existing challenges faced by the approximately 424,000 children in the foster care system and the more than 20,400 young adults who age out of foster care each year.[1] For this reason, we ask that you make both temporary and long-term changes to act in the best interest of the future of our nation's foster youth. As of December 10, 2020, over 70 million applications for unemployment benefits had been filed since March 21, 2020.[2] Given this high unemployment ratethe highest we have seen in the U.S. in recent memorywe are increasingly concerned about the potentially dire consequences foster youth may face during the economic recession brought on by the pandemic. Even before the public health emergency, only about half of youth aging out of the foster care system each year were anticipated to have some form of gainful employment by the age of 24.[3] We believe that if temporary changes are made to strengthen support and resources for foster youth, they will be better equipped to pursue their goals and become active members of our nation's workforce. We are also concerned that foster youth are especially harmed by the growing digital divide caused by the pandemic. According to a report conducted by iFoster, only about 5% of youth in foster care in rural settings and 21% of youth in foster care in urban settings have regular access to a computer.[4] For many young people in the foster care system, working and learning virtually is near impossible without access to the proper equipment and internet services. We respectfully ask that you continue to encourage states to take full advantage of existing flexibilities and make additional changes to best support foster youth: Continue to encourage states that have not previously exercised the title IV-E program option to extend foster care programs and extend Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood Program (Chafee Program) services until age 23. We appreciate that you have encouraged Child Welfare Directors in states that have not exercised the title IV-E program option to serve youth up to age 21 to do so during the pandemic. Extended foster care payments are essential for ensuring the financial stability of our nation's foster youth as they transition out of the system. During these unprecedented times, we also encourage the Administration to continue to encourage states to extend Chafee Program assistance until age 23 to achieve consistency of support after the public health declaration. Direct guidance to states regarding additional payments to foster care families and providers as part of states' response to COVID-19. In order to ensure stability for foster youth, we need to ensure that foster parents have the resources to weather the economic effects of the crisis and confront the day-to-day challenges of caring for children during the pandemic. In this effort, certain states have already provided one-time payments to foster care families. We ask that the Administration direct guidance to states on their existing authority to issue relief payments to foster families and providers to ease the burden of the pandemic. Provide a temporary moratorium on work and study requirements for foster youth during the pandemic. Public health guidelines during the pandemic have made physically going to work or school impossible for many.[5] COVID-19 has highlighted the inequities of access to reliable high-speed internet and devices. In fact, foster youth face multiple barriers trying to work or study remotely. They may lack a laptop or desktop computer, have slow speeds, or no internet altogether. We encourage the Administration to lift work and study requirements now until at least 180 days after the public health crisis ends, so foster youth are not punished for circumstances outside their control. Additionally, if you determine you do not have the authority to make this change, we ask you to promptly inform the Committees of jurisdiction in Congress, the Committee on Finance in the Senate and the Committee on Ways and Means in the House. Allow title IV-B funds to be used to provide internet and other technology to vulnerable foster youth and families. We appreciate the Children's Bureau letter permitting the purchase of cell phones as an allowable expense under title IV-B and/or the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood.[6] To ensure that foster youth do not continue to fall behind in meeting their work and education obligations, we ask that allowable expenses be expanded to include laptop computers, tablets, and internet access for children and families in the child welfare system. Work with states to address the impact of the digital divide on foster youth. Beyond waiving work and study requirements for foster youth during the pandemic, we ask that you consider long-term solutions to help foster youth facing significant technology-access challengesthe consequences of which have been intensified by the pandemic. We ask that you work with states on state-specific plans to ensure foster youth have the resources necessary to participate in online instruction or work virtually. We appreciate your attention to this critical matter. We look forward to working together on behalf of our nation's foster youth moving forward. Sincerely, ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-commission-selection-of-barbara-johns-to-represent-virginia-in-us-capitol,Kaine Statement on Commission Selection of Barbara Johns to Represent Virginia in U.S. Capitol,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Tim Kaine,K000384,www.kaine.senate.gov,,,legacy,"December 16, 2020 Kaine Statement on Commission Selection of Barbara Johns to Represent Virginia in U.S. Capitol WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today upon the Commission on Historical Statues' selection of Barbara Johns to represent Virginia in the U.S. Capitol Building: Brave, patriotic, and pioneering, Barbara Johns represents the best of Virginia. Her statue will serve as a testament to the power of young people who stand up for themselves, their peers, and their rights under the Constitution. And a little child shall lead them.' When Kaine was Governor, he unveiled the Civil Rights Memorial featuring Barbara Johns and others on Virginia Capitol Square. ### Print Email Tweet",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/us-lawmakers-press-prison-authorities-on-inmate-covid-19-vaccination-plans,U.S. lawmakers press prison authorities on inmate COVID-19 vaccination plans,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than two dozen members of the U.S. Congress on Wednesday called on federal prison and health officials for details about how inmates will be vaccinated for COVID-19, questioning whether the most vulnerable prisoners will have priority access. In a letter to Federal Bureau of Prisons director Michael Carvajal and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief Dr. Robert Redfield, 26 lawmakers, led by Democratic Representative Bobby Scott, expressed concerns about the prison system's existing plan for vaccine distribution. We are deeply concerned that the current plan places the most vulnerable incarcerated individuals ... behind incarcerated individuals in minimum security facilities the Congress members' letter said. It said that under present plans, prisoners who are in open bay housing would get the virus before prisoners under tighter incarceration. The Bureau of Prisons did not immediately respond to a request for comment. COVID-19 is spreading four times faster in prisons than the general public, the letter said, adding that the virus is moving through the prison population three times faster than it did on commercial cruise ships at the start of the pandemic. The pandemic has already killed more than 300,000 people across the United States and infection rates have hit record highs with the return of cold weather, even as the first, limited round here of vaccinations began this week. Prisoners and prison employees are at high risk of transmitting the virus due to close conditions. The letter asks for details on how prison authorities and public health officials are collaborating to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are expeditiously administered to prisoners and requests details for when prison staff, prisoners in high-risk infection categories and then all individuals now held in federal prisons will get vaccinations.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-announces-winner-of-congressional-app-challenge,Scott Announces Winner of Congressional App Challenge,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"NEWPORT NEWS, VA Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) announced the winners of the annual Congressional App Challenge in Virginia's Third Congressional District. AbdallaElrahhal, a junior atDenbigh High School andNew Horizons Regional Education Center,was selected as the winner. Elrahhal submittedSpeedyCPR,an app designed to call 911whiledisplayingvideo instructionsand demonstrationsforperforming cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). I participated in the Congressional App Challenge so I could challenge myself and see if I could accomplish the goal, Elrahhal stated. This year over 6,000 students across the United States participated in the2020challenge.These students created and submitted 1,851 apps. In all,308 Members of Congress hosted Congressional App Challenges. We should constantly be investing in the next generation of leaders and innovators said Congressman Scott. As the Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, I understand that it is essential for our students to develop the necessary skills and interest in STEM fields. The Congressional App Challenge is a great opportunity for students interested in these fields to showcase their talents by competing in this national event. The second place winner wasZianZhou, ajunior at New Horizon's Governor's School for Science and Technology. His app,foCusis abrowser extension which blocksselected apps to limit distractions andincrease productivity.The third place winners were freshmanDavidGoodwinand sophomores John Pegram and Michael CheeverofBethel High School. Their app, PathwayFinder, helpsincoming and freshmenstudents learn about theschool's academic programs by matching their interests to related programs. All participants in the district were recognized during a virtual awards ceremony attended by Hampton and Newport News elected and schoolofficials. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-leads-25-members-urging-trump-administration-to-prioritize,Scott Leads 25 Members Urging Trump Administration to Prioritize Vulnerable Individuals in Federal Prisons for Vaccine Distribution,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) led 25 Members of Congress in sending a letter to Robert Redfield, the Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Michael Carvajal, the Director for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, urging them to include incarcerated individuals as a priority population in the COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan. The national vaccine distribution strategy will place competing priorities on our collective resources and public health system, the Members wrote. However, ignoring the growing COVID-19 infection crisis in American jails and prisons would be a dire mistake and undermine any national effort to contain the virus. COVID-19 is spreading four times faster in prisons than the general public. The challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic tests the foundational principles of our justice and carceral system, the Members continued. The legal authority the government claims when it deprives an individual of liberty is rooted in the Constitution and must conform to the requirements of due process. Individuals serving a sentence or awaiting trial should not be left to the arbitrary and capricious punishment of a virus or suffer a death sentence. The current plan allows for vaccination of prison staff before the vaccination of prisoners with pre-existing conditions that place them at higher risk of dying from COVID-19. A difficult path lies ahead, but the most effective and humane method to deal with this crisis is to vaccinate every incarcerated individual and staff member within a prison or jail facility and expand the use of compassionate release to those individuals who present a low risk to public safety and are vulnerable to infection, the Members stated. Many incarcerated individuals in the federal system are in a high-risk category for infection due to chronic medical conditions and many of these same individuals could be safely released, so that only those in close confinement would receive a priority vaccination.= Full text of the letter can be found HERE and below. Dear Director Redfield and Director Carvajal, As you consider guidelines for the allocation of theinitial doses ofCOVID19 vaccine,we urge you to include incarcerated individuals as a priority population.The national vaccine distribution strategy will place competing prioritiesonour collective resourcesand public health system. However, ignoring the growing COVID-19 infection crisis inAmerican jails and prisonswould be a dire mistake and undermine any national effort tocontain the virus. COVID-19 is spreadingfourtimes faster in prisonsthan the general public. To put the matter in perspective, the virus is moving through the prison population three times fasterthan itdidon commercial cruise shipsat the start of the pandemic. The Bureau of Prisonshasprovidedinformalinformationregarding thevaccine distribution plan.We aredeeply concerned that the current plan placesthe most vulnerableincarcerated individuals who have a cancer diagnosis, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart conditions, compromised immune systems, sickle cell, diabetes, and individuals 65 years or older in priority level 3behind incarcerated individuals in minimum security facilities who are in open bay housing and are currently listed in priority group 2. Incarcerated individuals with these types ofmedicalconditions are at a high risk ofcomplications if theycontract COVID-19 as it spreads through federal prisonsyet are slated to receive the vaccine after prison staffers in phase 1 and other incarcerated individuals listed in phase2. Outbreaks in prisons are difficult to control due to the conditions of confinement.Incarcerated individualshave been unable to protect themselves from infectionthrough social distancingandtheyoftenlack adequate access to handwashing and sanitizing facilities. Without a national testing strategy,local sheriffs and prison officials have been unable totest andquarantinenewlyarrestedindividualsand intra-prison transfers are stilloccurring. The result has been soaring infection rates withinprisonfacilitiesand virus hotspots in surrounding communities.Over 250,000ofthe more thanonemillion people in prison havefallen ill or been killed by thisvirus. The current vaccine distribution plan prioritizes staff members who enter and exit prison facilities daily but fails to recognize that a newly sentenced individual orintra prison transfereecan also introduce the virus into a prison facilitybecause current screening methods have proven inadequateforasymptomatic carriersof COVID-19. The challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic tests the foundational principles of our justice and carceral system. The legal authoritythe government claims when itdeprives an individual of libertyisrooted in the Constitution andmustconform to the requirements ofdueprocess.Individuals serving a sentence or awaiting trial should not be left to the arbitrary and capricious punishment of a virus or suffer a death sentence. To deny priority vaccination to individuals in forced confinement is to abdicate our responsibility at a time when the publichas called for a reckoning of the criminal justice system and racial injustice. A difficult path lies ahead, but the most effective and humane methodto dealwith this crisis is to vaccinate every incarcerated individual and staff member within a prison or jail facilityandexpand the use of compassionate releaseto thoseindividuals whopresent alow risk to public safety andarevulnerable to infection. Many incarcerated individuals in the federal system are in a high-risk category for infection due tochronic medical conditions and many of these same individuals could be safely released,so that only those in close confinement would receive a priority vaccination. However, efforts to release low-risk individualsduring the pandemichavefalteredand resulted in an increase in compassionate release petitions in federal courts. In light ofthis extraordinary crisis,weurge you to use the considerable power and tools at your disposal to curb the extrajudicial death and suffering of those entrusted to your custody. Your departments cannot abdicate your duty to these individuals, their families, and the communities they will return to any longer.Please answer the following questions: How is the BOP working with the CDC to create and implement a plan to ensure that the vaccine will reach incarcerated persons expeditiously? How are CDC and BOP working together to stop outbreaks among prison populations? When and in what phase of thegeneralvaccine distribution plan will BOP vaccinate the following individuals within its facilities: prison staff (including guards)? incarcerated individualsin high-risk infection categories according to CDC guidance and criteria? all incarcerated individuals currently in BOP facilities? We look forward to your prompt response. Sincerely, # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://luria.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-congresswoman-luria-s-bipartisan-initiative-bring-transparency,House Passes Congresswoman Lurias Bipartisan Initiative to Bring Transparency to Veteran Benefits Process,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Elaine Luria,L000591,luria.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the House of Representatives passed Representatives Elaine Luria (VA-02) and Andy Barr's (KY-06) bipartisan initiative to bring transparency and fairness to the disability benefits process within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Their bill, H.R. 7795, was incorporated into the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act as part of a larger reform package and passed the House unanimously/with broad bipartisan support. As a veteran myself and Chair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, I was proud to partner with Congressman Barr to ensure our veterans have access to the resources they need to receive the benefits they've earned, said Congresswoman Luria. This legislation is a positive step toward taking the burden off the veteran when it comes to the disability benefits process. No veteran should have their benefits delayed due to a lack of access to an administrative form or because they were not adequately notified of a bureaucratic change. The Veterans Benefits Fairness and Transparency Act (H.R. 7795) was incorporated as Section 2006 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act (H.R. 7105), which Congresswoman Luria also cosponsored. This section would protect veterans applying for VA disability benefits by requiring the VA to maintain availability of disability benefits questionnaires (DBQs) on the VA website. DBQs are the forms medical providers and others assisting veterans use to submit evidence supporting disability claims. This is an important fix because the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) removed the DBQ forms from their website and closed its offices to in-person meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislative package containing this fix passed the House today and includes pandemic assistance, additional benefits reform, and housing assistance for veterans. Congresswoman Elaine Luria represents Virginia's 2nd Congressional District. She serves on theHouse Armed Services Committee, where she is theVice Chair of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, and theHouse Committee on Veterans' Affairs, where she serves asChair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mceachin-launches-fourth-districts-first-digital-year-review,Rep. McEachin Launches Fourth District's First Digital Year in Review,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,A. McEachin,M001200,mceachin.house.gov,,,legacy,"RICHMOND, VA Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) today announced the release of the Fourth Congressional District's first digital Year in Review. The 2020 Year in Review highlights key priorities, programs and initiatives of the McEachin Congressional office on behalf of Virginians this year. The unrelenting challenges of this year have been felt by people across our nation. I am proud of the work my team has accomplished to improve the lives of folks in Virginia's Fourth Congressional District, said Congressman McEachin. Throughout the year I have worked with my colleagues to bring COVID-19 relief to the American people, to address police brutality, to protect our healthcare system from partisan attacks, to improve our education system and to protect our environment for generations to come. The digital report recaps the office's efforts in an interactive webpage to provide constituents with an overview of casework and legislative accomplishments alongside stories from constituents reflecting the impact of the office's work for Virginians. Key accomplishments as highlighted in the Fourth District Year in Review include: $2 million in earned benefits recovered for Fourth District constituents, including funds recovered from missing Social Security benefits, delayed tax refunds, and incorrect Veterans benefits; More than 1,000 resolved constituent issues with federal agencies, such as scheduling appointments for disability payment application reviews or helping folks get their Medicare benefits; More than 150,000constituents reached by Congressman McEachin's telephone town halls and direct mail programs; House and Senate passage of H.R. 3847, legislation to rename a post office in Hopewell after Civil Rights leader Reverend Curtis West Harris; Introduction of numerous pieces of legislation to support, uplift, and improve the lives of people of the Fourth District, including the Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area Act, the Protecting our Students in Schools Act of 2020, the Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act of 2020, the Environmental Justice for All Act; and Nearly 3.31 billion in COVID-19 relief delivered to the Commonwealth of Virginia I am proud of the work we have accomplished and committed to doing the work that still stands before us, Congressman McEachin continued. Virginians need additional COVID-19 relief - including direct relief payments. We must vote to fund the government and prepare to keep fighting for constituents in the 117th Congress. I am hopeful that this Year in Review webpage will inform constituents of the ways in which my team and I have been fighting for them this year and demonstrate our dedication to continuing to serve the people of Virginia. It is an honor to serve as your representative in Congress, and I thank my constituents for the everyday opportunities to help make their lives a little easier. Congressman McEachin's 2020 Year in Review is available to view on desktop or mobile at: https://mceachin.house.gov/2020-year-review. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wexton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=433,Wexton’s Bipartisan Yellow Ribbon for Overseas Education Act Passes House and Heads to President’s Desk for Signature,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Jennifer Wexton,W000825,wexton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC --Today, the House passed the bipartisan Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, which includes the Yellow Ribbon for Overseas Education Act introduced by Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA). The legislation removes barriers that prohibit student veterans from using the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Yellow Ribbon Program to attend overseas universities. Congressman Jim Banks (R-IN) joined Congresswoman Wexton in introducing this legislation in May 2020. Wexton's legislation is expected to be signed into law by the President, after passing the Senate last week. I'm proud that my bipartisan legislation to help those who have served our country more easily access higher education has passed the House and is on its way to being signed into law,said Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton.The Yellow Ribbon Program offers student veterans an affordable pathway to a degree after they have served our country, and those whose academic careers take them overseas should not be left out. With my bipartisan legislation, student veterans will be able to go to the school of their choice without sacrificing the benefits to which they are entitled. The Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act will go a long way in improving the lives and livelihoods of Virginia's veterans, and I'm pleased that there was broad support on both sides of the aisle to include my bill as part of its passage today. This bill fixes a long-standing problem that prohibited schools with overseas locations from offering the Yellow Ribbon program to student veterans studying at those campuses. With this bill in place, our nation's veterans will be able to take advantage of the Yellow Ribbon Program to its full extent, no matter where they attend school. SVA supports this common-sense solution and hopes to see it signed into law soon so the Department of Veterans Affairs can quickly implement these changes,said Justin Monk, Policy Associate for Student Veterans of America. The Yellow Ribbon Program helps pay higher education costs for student veterans that exceed the amount covered by the Post-9/11 Veterans' Education Assistance Act, known as the Post-9/11 GI Bill. That maximum amount covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill for the 2020-2021 school year is $25,162.14. Through the Yellow Ribbon Program, the VA and participating institutions of higher learning agree to match a certain amount of the additional costs not covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill. This helps further reduce the financial burden for veterans pursuing undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral degrees, especially those who are attending private or out-of-state schools where costs tend to be higher. The program is available to all veterans who are at the 100% Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit level, including Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship recipients and Purple Heart recipients. However, current law only allows the Program to apply to U.S. institutions. Student veterans have raised this issue after being blocked from using the Program benefits at schools overseas, and their concerns were brought to the attention of Congresswoman Wexton's office. The Yellow Ribbon for Overseas Education Act would clarify the existing VA code to extend Yellow Ribbon Program eligibility to overseas schools, removing the barriers currently in place that are holding back some veterans from pursuing the higher education opportunities of their choice. Wexton's legislation is endorsed by the Student Veterans of America. The full text of the Yellow Ribbon for Overseas Education Act can be foundhere. An overview of other key provisions included in the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 can be foundhere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wexton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=434,McEachin and Wexton Statement on Commission’s Recommendation of Barbara Johns to Replace Robert E. Lee Statue in U.S. Capitol,2020-12-16,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Jennifer Wexton,W000825,wexton.house.gov,,,legacy,"McEachin and Wexton Statement on Commission's Recommendation of Barbara Johns to Replace Robert E. Lee Statue in U.S. Capitol In response to today's announcement from the Virginia Commission For Historical Statues In The United States Capitol recommending Barbara Johns to replace Robert E. Lee as one of Virginia's two statues in the U.S. Capitol, Representatives Donald McEachin (D-VA) and Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) released the following statement: ""Virginia deserves to be represented in the U.S. Capitol by a figure who embodies the values of our Commonwealth, and we believe there is no better choice than Barbara Johns. As the leaders of the effort in the House of Representatives to replace Virginia's Robert E. Lee statue, we applaud the Committee for their hard work and deliberation. We wholeheartedly support their recommendation of Barbara Johns. ""Barbara Johns changed the hearts and minds of people across the country when she stood up against segregation in Virginia's schools. The bravery she displayed at a young age will continue to serve as an inspiration to all those who visit the Capitol."" ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-and-murray-trump-administration-s-weak-fiduciary-rule-will-hurt,"Scott and Murray: Trump Administrations Weak Fiduciary Rule Will Hurt Families, Benefit Unscrupulous Financial Advisors",2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"As originally released by the Committee on Education & Labor WASHINGTON, DCToday, Congressman Robert C. Bobby"" Scott (VA-03), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee released the following statement in response to the Department of Labor announcing its final fiduciary rule. This weak rule will hurt workers, retirees, and families across the country by letting unscrupulous financial advisors put their own interests ahead of their clients. People are looking for reliable help as they try to navigate the painful economic fallout of this pandemicbut this rule will make that unbiased help even harder to find. We are going to do everything we can to work with the incoming Biden administration to reverse the damage of President Trump's backwards policies and to strengthen the retirement security of people across the country as they work to weather this crisis. Scott and Murray have been leading voices against the Trump administration's efforts to weaken the conflict of interest rules protecting families' savings and investments. Theycalled outthe Trump administration for refusing to defend the stronger Obama-era fiduciary standard in court, pressed it to slow down its attempt torushthrough its own weaker rule before stakeholders had the opportunity to weigh in, and led acomment lettercriticizing the Department's rule for reinstating a broken status quo that allows financial advisors to evade their fiduciary duties and denying retirement savers meaningful remedies when they have been harmed. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-government-watchdog-confirms-dol-broke-the-law,Scott: Government Watchdog Confirms DOL Broke the Law,2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"As originally released by the Committee on Education & Labor WASHINGTON, DCChairman Robert C. Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (OIG) released the findings of itsinvestigationinto the Department's rulemaking process for its 2017 proposed tip rule. The report found that, among other errors, the Department improperly withheld information regarding the expected impact of the rule on tipped workers. The 2019 proposed tip rule places no limitation on the amount of time a tipped employee can perform related, non-tipped activities and still be paid the subminimum wage. The Department of Labor (DOL) Inspector General confirmed what we have known for years: DOL purposefully withheld data that showed that the 2017 tip rule would have let employers pocket billions in workers' tips. Now, the Department is on the verge of finalizing another rule that would cost tipped workers. The Department's 2019 proposal to codify the repeal of the 80/20 rule would allow employers to pay workers a subminimum wage while assigning them work that does not provide them with ample opportunity to earn tips. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that, if finalized, this rule would cost workers more than$700 million each year. The Department is also relying on the same excuses it used in the 2017 rule to withhold the potential economic impacts of the 2019 rule for workers, even while conceding that the rule could reduce the employment of workers, such as dishwashers or busboys, who currently perform non-tipped duties. Well before the COVID-19 pandemic, America's tipped workers earned lower wages and experienced poverty at higher rates than non-tipped workers. Now, tipped workers need protections against wage theft more than ever. The Department must uphold its mission to serve our nation's workers by rescinding the Department's 2019 proposed tip rule and supporting legislation to phase out the subminimum wage for tipped workers. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-to-eeoc-chair-dhillon-removing-litigation-authority-from-agency,Scott to EEOC Chair Dhillon: Removing Litigation Authority from Agency Attorneys Will Delay the Administration of Justice,2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"As originally released by the Committee on Education & Labor WASHINGTON, DCToday,Chairman Robert C. Bobby Scott (VA-03)expresseddeep concern to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Chair Janet Dhillonregarding the plan tolimit the EEOC attorneys' authority. Under this proposal, all lawsuits must first be subject to a Commission vote before they can be filed, which could significantly delay and hinder the enforcement of civil rights laws.The Commission attempted the vote in July 2019, but it was ultimately withdrawn. This change will significantly delay the administration of justice. Additionally, taking litigation filing authority away from attorneys familiar with the cases is likely to lead to decisions being made based more on a political agenda rather than the merits of any case,wrote Chairman Scott. In theletter, Chairman Scott requests data and analysisthe Commission used when drafting this proposal;a list of stakeholders consulted; an outline of the process for referring cases under this proposal; and any additional actions the Commission plans to take between now and the end of the year. To read the full letter, clickhere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://spanberger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3421,"Spanberger Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Critical Federal Assistance for Pregnant Mothers, Reauthorize Pregnancy Assistance Fund",2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Abigail Spanberger,S001209,spanberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger introduced bipartisan legislation to provide essential services for pregnant mothers and reauthorize funding for the Pregnancy Assistance Fund (PAF). The PAF program helps states and tribal governments provide critical services to pregnant and parenting youth, pregnant women who have experienced sexual violence, and other vulnerable individuals who are expectant or new parents. However, the PAF the only federal program targeting these populations saw its funding lapse on September 30, 2019. Spanberger's Pregnancy Assistance Act would extend PAF's funding for five years by providing a clean extension of the program from fiscal year (FY)2021 to FY2025. The legislation is co-led by U.S. Representative Tom Cole (R-OK-03). The PAF program has a proven record of providing vital assistance to at-risk, low-income, and underserved parents in Virginia and across the country. During this pandemic and even beyond, we can't turn our backs on successful initiatives that help our most vulnerable families, said Spanberger. Our Pregnancy Assistance Act takes the commonsense step of reauthorizing PAF and makes clear that an investment in our nation's families is an investment in our long-term future and I'd like to thank Congressman Cole for his partnership in introducing this much-needed bill. By improving access to education, parenting, and employment support services, we are putting pregnant and parenting youth on a level playing field and we are building a pathway toward stronger and healthier communities. This pandemic has put a significant strain on parents and families, particularly in low income communities of Color, said Dr. Danny Avula, Director, Richmond City and Henrico County Health Districts. We need funding streams like PAF more than ever to develop new approaches to support effective parenting. The PAF has a demonstrated record of helping thousands of Virginia families. Fundamentally, it has assisted these young parents in becoming successful and effective role models for their children, said Dr. Owen C. Cardwell, Jr, Co-Director, Rosel Schewel Distinguished Professor for Leadership Studies, Center for Education and Leadership, University of Lynchburg. Over the years, studies have shown that for every dollar spent helping a young person be a good parent while trying to succeed in finishing high school, attending college, or completing trade school, Virginia saves twice as much in criminal justice, law enforcement, health and social services, and other state programs. The Center for Education and Leadership strongly supports Congresswoman Spanberger's legislation and its goal of reauthorizing the PAF. I'm proud to lend my support to Congresswoman Spanberger's Pregnancy Assistance Act. Her legislation addresses an obvious, pressing issue: it reauthorizes the Pregnancy Assistance Fund, which supports the Stronger Parents Brighter Futures (SPBF) initiative here in Virginia, said Barry L. Winston, Pastor, St. Mark Church of God in Christ, Richmond. The incredible assistance provided through the SPBF program to parenting teens, mothers, and fathers in our community is insurmountable and not possible without PAF. My congregation urges Congresswoman Spanberger's colleagues in Congress to support her legislation and give young families in Virginia and across the country the opportunity to thrive. The Virginia Department of Health's SPBF program, which exists thanks to funding from the Pregnancy Assistance Fund (PAF), has significantly improved the health outcomes of pregnant and parenting teens and young adults throughout Virginia, said The Rev. Gary D. Jones, Rector, Ste. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Richmond. Even more importantly, the SPBF program has implemented a multifaceted peer group education model along with whole-family case management support. This initiative brings a much-needed helping hand to struggling families here in the Commonwealth and I'd like to thank Congresswoman Spanberger for recognizing the importance of the PAF for both the current health of our community and our community's future. PAF reauthorization is supported by numerous state and national healthcare, faith, and equal justice advocacy organizations, including the African American Juvenile Justice Project, American Academy of Pediatrics, Power to Decide, Healthy Teen Network, March of Dimes, National Organization for Women, Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, National LGBTQ Task Force, Rights4Girls, and many others. PAF grantees may use funds for any of the following purposes: Providing subgrants to institutions of higher education, high schools, or community service providers to enable these subgrantees to establish, operate, or maintain pregnancy or parenting services for the expectant and parenting population, Partnering with the state attorney general's office to provide legal support, hotline, and other supportive services for women who experience domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking while they are pregnant or parenting an infant, and Supporting public awareness about PAF services for the expectant and parenting population, including individuals who are victims of domestic violence and sexual violence. Click here to read the full bill text. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402398,Congressman Griffiths Weekly E-Newsletter 12.14.20,2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,VA,Morgan Griffith,G000568,morgangriffith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Candy Apples and Toads An analogy I like to use for the legislative process invokes candy apples and toads. Legislation rarely includes only things I like the candy apples or omits the things I really dislike the toads. Considering whether to support a bill usually means weighing whether there are enough candy apples to cover up the bad taste of a few toads. End-of-year legislating usually provides plenty of opportunities to apply this test. As the year draws to a close, Congress once again finds itself closing in on a deadline to fund the Federal Government for the fiscal year that began on October 1. As in previous years, we did not need to be in this situation. Federal law prescribes a budget process of individual appropriations bills that should go through regular order at the committee and floor level. Just following the rules could help us avoid the scramble to resolve everything with one bill that, even if read, Members of Congress rarely get to fully scrutinize before having to give it an up or down vote. Because the omnibus bill funding the government for the rest of the fiscal year ending September 30 has not yet been agreed to by negotiators, Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) continuing current funding for just one week. Like omnibuses, I generally do not find CRs to be a proper way to fund the government. But as with any other bill I vote on, I read this CR. It included an extension for the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher program for two years. This program encourages the development of new drugs to treat rare pediatric diseases. The innovation promoted by this program can lead to new treatments that help improve and save the lives of children suffering from rare diseases. While skeptical of CRs, I support the extension of the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Vouchers, so I voted for this CR. In the best instances, legislation rarely includes everything I want to see or leaves out anything I do not support. In this case, extending the program for two years was a candy apple that made voting for the one-week toad of a CR acceptable. The Right Way to Legislate on Marijuana In my last column, I discussed my opposition to H.R. 3884, a broad bill to legalize marijuana, expunge marijuana convictions, and provide taxpayer support for businesses and individuals associated with the marijuana industry. It was a sweeping, partisan effort that made major changes at a time when the Congress should have other priorities. Despite my support for changes to marijuana law, it was the wrong bill at the wrong time. The week afterward, the House voted on another bill related to marijuana, my Medical Marijuana Research Act. I believe this was the right approach to marijuana legislation. The Medical Marijuana Research Act would ensure a sufficient supply of research-quality marijuana through the National Institute on Drug Abuse Drug Supply Program. It also authorizes more research so that we understand more specifically the medical benefits and side effects of marijuana on the human body. It would also direct the Food and Drug Administration to issue guidelines on the production of marijuana and encourage authorized manufacturers to produce marijuana for the researchers under the law. I was an original cosponsor of the bill in this Congress, and along with a bipartisan team had introduced it in previous years. Unlike H.R. 3884, it had support that spanned parties and also different views about marijuana legislation. Whether you want marijuana broadly prohibited, broadly legalized, or fall somewhere in between, you should want to see more data about its effects. Because of its widespread support, the bill this year had moved through the House Energy and Commerce Committee without opposition and passed on the House floor in the same manner. Its consideration did not take up valuable legislative time in the same way as H.R. 3884. I was pleased to see the Medical Marijuana Research Act pass the House and hope it will advance into law. It represents the right way to legislate on marijuana with prudence and based on data. If you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to contact my office. You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671. To reach my office via email, please visit my website atwww.morgangriffith.house.gov. Also on my website is the latest material from my office, including information on votes recently taken on the floor of the House of Representatives. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-bipartisan-covid-relief-bill-inclusion-of-his-job-training-provisions,"Kaine Statement on Bipartisan COVID Relief Bill, Inclusion of His Job Training Provisions",2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Tim Kaine,K000384,www.kaine.senate.gov,,,legacy,"December 14, 2020 Kaine Statement on Bipartisan COVID Relief Bill, Inclusion of His Job Training Provisions WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Tim Kainea member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and co-chair of the Senate Career and Technical Education Caucusreleased the following statement today upon the announcement of a deal on a $748 billion bipartisan coronavirus relief bill: While not perfect, the compromise delivers relief that's far overdue: jobless benefits, small business loans, funds for vaccine distribution and health care providers, housing assistance, food assistance. I applaud Mark Warner and my other friends in the bipartisan Gang of 8 for their diligence in reaching agreement on these items. I'm particularly pleased the package includes provisions of mine to expand assistance to education institutions and students affected by the pandemic and allow states to use relief funds for job training. Americans have already waited too long for this,and we should continue pushing for a compromise on how to spend an additional $160 billion to help people and their communities.If there's any move toward a recess before we pass a COVID package, I will object. We must stay in session until we deliver much needed relief. Modeled after Kaine's Assisting Community Colleges in Educating Skilled Students (ACCESS) to Careers Act, the career training provision of this bill would allow states to use money from their Governor's Emergency Education Relief Funds (created under the CARES Act in March) to support career training programs at community and technical colleges and other institutions of higher education. Funds could also be used to support industry partnerships to inform such programs and to provide support for students who have been affected by the pandemic. Another provisionmodeled after the Coronavirus Relief Flexibility for Students and Institutions Actwould allow colleges to use emergency stabilization funds to cover lost revenue and would make emergency financial aid grants available to a broad group of students with financial need, not just those who have filled out a FAFSA application. ### Print Email Tweet",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-passing-of-bob-bloxom,Kaine Statement on Passing of Bob Bloxom,2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Tim Kaine,K000384,www.kaine.senate.gov,,,legacy,"December 14, 2020 Kaine Statement on Passing of Bob Bloxom WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on the passing of Robert Bob Bloxom Sr., who served as Virginia's Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry during Kaine's term as Governor: Bob Bloxom was the epitome of public servantdedicated, kind, devoted to the beautiful Eastern Shore. ### Print Email Tweet",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-and-kaine-announce-more-than-7-million-to-mitigate-flooding-in-portsmouth,Warner & Kaine Announce More Than $7 Million to Mitigate Flooding in Portsmouth,2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Tim Kaine,K000384,www.kaine.senate.gov,,,legacy,"December 14, 2020 Warner & Kaine Announce More Than $7 Million to Mitigate Flooding in Portsmouth WASHINGTON, D.C Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $7,485,000 in federal fundingfromtheU.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)'s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)to construct a new stormwater pump station in the Olde Towne Historic District of Portsmouth. It's estimated that this project will reduce the flooding risk for the entire Olde Towne Historic District, including 210 buildings, and protect an area of approximately 23 acres. We're pleased to announce this federal funding to support the construction of a critical flood mitigation project in Portsmouth,said the Senators.Recurrent flooding can have detrimental effects on a region. This project will better protect the treasured Olde Towne Historic District from future flood damage. ### Print Email Tweet",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-on-the-passing-of-former-delegate-mamye-e-bacote,Scott Statement on the Passing of Former Delegate Mamye E. BaCote,2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"NEWPORT NEWS, VA Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the passing of former Delegate Mamye E. BaCote: I was saddened to learn of the passing of my friend, former Delegate Mamye E. BaCote. She devoted her life to service to our community and the betterment of our society. As a student at Virginia Union University, she helped stage a sit in at an all-white lunchroom to bring attention to the injustices and inequity of segregation. After college, she helped shape young minds as a teacher with Newport News Public Schools and later as an adjunct professor at Hampton University. Outside of the classroom, she ran for elected office and served seven years on the Newport News City Council, and then 12 years representing the 95th district in the Virginia House of Delegates, where she was able to bring about real change for Newport News and Hampton as an active member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. This is a sad day for Newport News and the entire Hampton Roads community. I send my condolences to her family, friends, loved ones, and all of those positively impacted by her life. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bobbyscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-statement-on-trump-administration-s-final-rules-supporting,Scott Statement on Trump Administrations Final Rules Supporting Taxpayer-Funded Religious Discrimination,2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Robert Scott,S000185,bobbyscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"As originally released by the Committee on Education & Labor WASHINGTON, DC Today, Chairman Robert C. Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Departments of Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services along with several other agencies finalized a sweeping set of rules that would allow broad religious discrimination against employees, beneficiaries, and students in federally funded programs. The finalization of eight department rules to undermine the rights of employees and beneficiaries of federally funded programs underscores this administration's fundamental misunderstanding of religious liberty.' These final rules are harmful because they could potentially coerce individuals to participate in religious activities in order to receive benefits in some federally funded programs; remove key protections for beneficiaries in every program; and open the door to expansive employment discrimination by religious entities. Civil rights laws should protect those who are discriminated againstnot those who are engaged in invidious discrimination. It is shameful that during its final weeks in office, the Trump administration prioritized finalizing policies that will negatively impact programs meant to support underserved Americans, such as seniors, victims of human trafficking, and displaced workers instead of helping them survive this ever-worsening pandemic. Today's announcement is a reflection of this administration's misplaced priorities and distorted view of religious liberty. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://luria.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-elaine-luria-announces-bill-help-schools-military-communities,Congresswoman Elaine Luria Announces Bill to Help Schools in Military Communities Becomes Law,2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Elaine Luria,L000591,luria.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congresswoman Elaine Luria announced the President signed the Impact Aid Coronavirus Relief Act (H.R. 8472) into law. This new law will eliminate barriers that could prevent school districts in communities with military bases, including Hampton Roads, from receiving appropriate Impact Aid funding during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a 20-year Navy veteran and a mother, I understand how important Impact Aid is to give servicemembers' children the public education they deserve, said Congresswoman Luria. The Impact Aid Coronavirus Relief Act provided commonsense solutions to prevent school districts that depend on Impact Aid from experiencing a drop in funding due to the difficulty in receiving a headcount during the pandemic. I am pleased the President signed this bipartisan bill into law, which will protect these school districts during these unprecedented times. The Department of Defense's Impact Aid for Military Connected School Districts Program compensates school districts that collect less in local property taxes due to high proportions of their student bodies living on military bases and students whose parents are employed by the military. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many school districts could lose funding because of the complexity of receiving an accurate student headcount. The Impact Aid Coronavirus Relief Act will remedy this problem by allowing school districts to use their headcount from the 2020-2021 school year for their 2021-2022 Impact Aid application. This simple solution ensures that an undercount of students will not cause school districts to see a decrease in Impact Aid. Last September, Congresswoman Elaine Luria cosponsored the original House version of the Impact Aid Coronavirus Relief Act (H.R. 8075). After receiving technical updates, the bill was reintroduced as H.R. 8472, which passed the House and Senate and recently became law. Throughout her time in office, Congresswoman Elaine Luria has consistently advocated for more Impact Aid funding. In the National Defense Authorization Act's final conference report, she successfully advocated for the inclusion of $10 million in Impact Aid funds for children with severe disabilities. Last year, Congresswoman Luria played a significant role in securing $70 million for Impact Aid in an appropriations package. Congresswoman Elaine Luria represents Virginia's 2nd Congressional District. She serves on theHouse Armed Services Committee, where she is theVice Chair of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, and theHouse Committee on Veterans' Affairs, where she serves asChair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://luria.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-luria-recaps-victories-national-defense-authorization-act,Congresswoman Luria Recaps Victories in National Defense Authorization Act Conference Report,2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Elaine Luria,L000591,luria.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Elaine Luria today praised House passage of the conference report for the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021, which includes key provisions she championed on behalf of servicemembers and military families in Hampton Roads and beyond. I was proud to support the National Defense Authorization Act conference report because it will position Coastal Virginia to continue our critical role in securing America, Congresswoman Luria said. This NDAA will ensure the safety of all Americans, give our troops the pay raise they have earned, and help military servicemembers and their families receive the benefits and support they deserve. Prior to the House's vote on the NDAA, Congresswoman Luria spoke in support of the bill. Click here to watch footage of her remarks. The final conference report included many of Congresswoman Luria's priorities. These include: Funding for military construction projects in Hampton Roads: $30.4 million for E-2D Training Facility at Naval Station Norfolk $17.671 million for MH0 & CMV-22B Corrosion Control and Paint Fac at Naval Station Norfolk $9.4 million for Sub Logistics Support at Naval Station Norfolk $19.5 million for Access Control Point Main Gate with Land Acquisition at Joint Base Langley-Eustis $54.5 million for SOF Des Operations Fac and Command Center at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Story $58 million for SOF NSWG-2 NSWTGCssFacilities at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Story $9.1 million for Generation and Distribution Resiliency Improvements at Wallops Island Rep. Luria's Military Pilots Cancer Incidence Study Act, a proposal to study the incidence of cancer diagnosis and mortality among military aviators and aviation support personnel; The TRICARE ECHO Act, a bill Rep. Luria co-led with Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK-04); Rep. Luria's amendment requiring DOD to establish a policy related to small-payload space launches, which will directly benefit the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA Wallops Island in her district; Rep. Luria's fix to the Seaman to Admiral Program to ensure that the Navy adequately credits a servicemember's time in service and calculates accurately their retirement eligibility; $1.4 billion to take steps to protect military communities from PFAS. Rep. Luria advocated to conferees to include PFAS provisions from the House version to protect military communities, like Hampton Roads; $494 million for the Maritime Security Program, which Rep. Luria advocated for given that Hampton Roads is home to one of the most robust maritime communities and many of the ships are home ported in Hampton Roads; Adding Parkinsonism, bladder cancer, and hypothyroidism to the list of diseases sociated with exposure to Agent Orange so Vietnam-Era veterans exposed to Agent Orange receive the benefits they've earned; A 3% pay raise to troops to account for a cost of living adjustment and to reward hard work; Improvements to sexual assault and domestic violence prevention and response programs by creating a task force to study and make recommendations on domestic violence within the military services and empowers victims of sexual harassment to make confidential reports of sexual harassment outside of the chain of command; and, Two-ship buy for Columbia-class and Virginia-class submarines, which are partially made in Hampton Roads. The FY2021 NDAA passed the House in July and contained several of Congresswoman Luria's amendments advancing Hampton Roads priorities.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://wexton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=432,Rep. Wexton Statement on New Report Showing Extent of Forced Labor in Xinjiang Cotton Production,2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Democrat,House,VA,Jennifer Wexton,W000825,wexton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Wexton Statement on New Report Showing Extent of Forced Labor in Xinjiang Cotton Production In response to a new report from the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation providing new evidence of systemic forced labor in Xinjiang cotton production, implicating all global supply chains that involve Xinjiang cotton, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) released the following statement: Cotton supply chains in Xinjiang are corrupt down to the root, and all cotton coming out of the region must be considered tainted by forced labor. This report underscores the need for greater scrutiny of the goods and materials that are sourced from Xinjiang. We need serious, sweeping policies to ensure that products made or originated by forced labor are not allowed to make their way to U.S. markets. The Senate Majority Leader is blocking two House-passed bills that would immediately address this problem. Senator McConnell must bring these bills to the floor immediately and stop blocking bipartisan efforts to bring accountability. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/statement-of-sen-mark-r-warner-on-the-passing-of-mamye-bacote,Statement of Sen. Mark R. Warner on the Passing of Mamye BaCote,2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement on the passing of former Virginia Delegate Mamye BaCote: Mamye was a dear friend and trusted ally when I was Governor. She cared deeply about making sure every Virginian got a fair shot. Mamye was a champion for Virginians and I join her friends, family, and everyone in Newport News and across the Commonwealth in mourning her loss. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/statement-of-u-s-sen-mark-r-warner-on-emergency-lending-under-the-cares-act,Statement of U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner on the passing of Bob Bloxom,2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement on the passing of Robert Bob Bloxom Sr., who served as Virginia's first Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry: Bob Bloxom was a true Virginian who always put the Commonwealth first. For years as Governor and afterwards, whenever I was in the Eastern Shore and looking for an applause line, I would always remind folks that I appointed Bob Bloxom as the first Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry. That was always greeted with a round of thundering applause, because he was that well-respected. I want to offer my sincerest condolences to his wife Pat, his children Lee and Robert Jr. and his four grandchildren. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/warner-colleagues-unveil-details-of-bipartisan-bicameral-covid-19-relief,"Warner, Colleagues Unveil Details of Bipartisan, Bicameral COVID-19 Relief",2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, after almost two weeks ofbipartisan frameworknegotiations, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and a group of Democratic and Republican colleagues unveiled bipartisan and bicameral emergency COVID-19 relief legislation to provide urgent relief to struggling American students, families, businesses, workers and health care providers. The release of bipartisan legislative text offers a path forward for congressional action on bipartisan COVID-19 relief after nine months of stalled negotiations between Democrats in the House and Republicans in the Senate and White House. TheBipartisan COVID-19 Emergency Relief Act of 2020released today is the result of weeks of negotiations spearheaded by Sen. Warner along with Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Angus King (I-ME), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Rob Portman (R-OH) and Dick Durbin (D-IL). A dozen Senators usually can't agree on a lunch order, let alone almost a trillion dollars in federal spending so the fact that we're standing here today with a bipartisan bill is evidence of the urgency,said U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA).I will be the first to admit that this deal is imperfect. But these challenges are simply too urgent to allow politics to interfere. With unemployment and other benefits scheduled to run out just before Christmas, the American people cannot afford for us to wait. After several weeks of work, I hope that this bipartisan bill moves us closer to providing real relief to the American people without further delay. TheBipartisan COVID-19 Emergency Relief Act of 2020would provide $748 billion in emergency assistance for the next four months, including: Extension of all unemployment assistance for 16 weeks, with supplemental $300per week $300B for another round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgivable loans and other small business assistance $13B for emergency food assistance, including SNAP benefits and funding for food banks $13B to provide funding to address COVID-related impacts on farmers,ranchers, growers, and fisheries $25B for emergency rental assistance and extension of nationwide eviction moratoriumthrough January31, 2021 Extension of student loan forbearance through April 1,2021 $35B for healthcare providers $16B for testing, tracing and vaccine development and distribution $12B in support for community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and minority depository institutions (MDIs) to help low-income and minority communities withstand the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and respondto this unprecedented economicdownturn $5B in emergency funding for substance abuse prevention and treatment andmental health $82B in education funding, including $54 billion for K-12 schools, $20 billion for higher education, and $7.5 billion for the Governor'sFund $10B to support child care providers struggling due to the COVID-19pandemic $10B forbroadband, including $6B for state broadband connectivity anddeployment and $3B for educational connectivity and distancelearning $45B in emergency funding for airlines, airports, buses, Amtrak, and publictransit In addition to the $748 billion contained in theBipartisan COVID-19 Emergency Relief Act, lawmakers today unveiled a discussion draft of separate legislation providing $160 billion to help states and localities facing record revenue shortfalls due to the pandemic. In order to allow that legislation to reach the floor, Republicans have demanded that any state and local funding be paired with some sort of liability shield to protect businesses from lawsuits related to COVID-19 protections. In today's press conference, Sen. Warner encouraged his colleagues to continue working on a compromise that would provide funding to state and local governments to prevent mass layoffs of teachers, first responders and sanitation workers during a pandemic. It will be up to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who controls the Senate floor schedule, to determine if and when the bipartisan relief package might see a vote in the Senate. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/warner-kaine-announce-more-than-7-million-to-mitigate-flooding-in-portsmouth,Warner & Kaine Announce more than $7 Million to Mitigate Flooding in Portsmouth,2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,VA,Mark Warner,W000805,www.warner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $7,485,000 in federal fundingfromtheU.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)'s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)to construct a new stormwater pump station in the Olde Towne Historic District of Portsmouth. It's estimated that this project will reduce the flooding risk for the entire Olde Towne Historic District, including 210 buildings, and protect an area of approximately 23 acres. We're pleased to announce this federal funding to support the construction of a critical flood mitigation project in Portsmouth,said the Senators.Recurrent flooding can have detrimental effects on a region. This project will better protect the treasured Olde Towne Historic District from future flood damage. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z