Warner Weekly Wrap-Up: Build bridges, not walls

Happy Friday from the Warner press office. Sen. Warner is traveling around the Commonwealth this weekend – this afternoon, he was briefed in Richmond about the December 2021 cyber-attack on the Virginia General Assembly and spoke with the press about his proposed policy solutions. Earlier in the week, the Senate voted on sanctions and continued to work on voting rights.

Sen. Warner also participated in nomination hearings for Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, Federal Reserve nominee Lael Brainard, and Sandra Thompson, President Biden’s nominee to be director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). In his capacity as the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sen. Warner also chaired the nomination hearing of Kenneth L. Wainstein, the nominee to be Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis at the Department of Homeland Security, and celebrated some exciting infrastructure funding announcements.

All of this (and more) in your Warner Weekly Wrap-Up:

BRIDGE OVER (WELL-FUNDED) WATERS

The bipartisan infrastructure law continues to make it rain for the Commonwealth of Virginia. This morning, the U.S. Department of Transportation launched its Bridge Replacement, Rehabilitation, Preservation, Protection, and Construction Program – an exciting initiative devoted to repairing bridges nationally. Virginia will receive $536.8 million from this program, making it the largest EVER investment in Virginia bridges.

The funding comes at a critical time – with 577 bridges across the Commonwealth deemed “in poor condition,” this is an important investment in making transportation safer and more reliable.

In July 2021, Sen. Warner visited the historic Mayo Bridge in Richmond, which could receive funds as part of the law. Images from that visit here.

Sen. Warner was a key author and negotiator of this law, and he welcomed this latest announcement as just one of the transformative investments coming to Virginia as a result of its passage. In a joint statement with Sen. Kaine, he wrote,

“We’re thrilled to announce this record amount of funding to fix aging bridges across Virginia. Modernizing bridges will improve safety and support economic growth in every corner of the Commonwealth. Today’s announcement is one more reason we were proud to support the once-in-a-generation infrastructure investment that is improving lives and livelihoods across the country.”

This follows announcements about funding for Virginia airports and transit, with more announcements about IIJA funding expected all throughout 2022.

Beyond bridges, Sen. Warner announced another win for VA infrastructure this week, with an additional $500,000 headed to the Town of Dungannon to replace 13,840 feet of waterline so individuals and businesses have better access to clean, reliable water.

RUSSIAN SANCTIONS DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE

Sen. Warner continues to be an outspoken advocate for engaging in strict diplomatic negotiations with Russia as they continue their armed buildup around Ukraine. While some of his Senate colleagues proposed a bill that would complicate the ongoing negotiations, Sen. Warner carefully considered and voted against this ultimately failed bill, writing,

“The bill that we’re considering today is neither well-targeted nor well-timed; in the midst of serious diplomatic conversations, it takes a shot at our European allies and risks undercutting negotiations. I look forward to working with my bipartisan colleagues to continue advancing the strong support that exists for Ukraine, and backing a clear and resolute stance in opposition to Russian aggression.”

Sen. Warner has instead signed on to a bill with 25 colleagues that would offer a more targeted approach to sanctioning Russia in the case of a renewed Kremlin invasion of Ukraine.

In a statement on this bill, he wrote,

“This bill reinforces the message that the Biden administration must be conveying to Russia in face-to-face meetings this week – that accelerated aggression towards Ukraine will only strengthen U.S. assistance for our Ukrainian partners, reinvigorate NATO’s collective defense posture, and bring about devastating consequences for the Russian economy.”

VOTING RIGHTS SOLDIERS ON

As Martin Luther King Jr. Day approaches, conversations about the legacy and future of voting rights are heating up. Sen. Warner continued to be outspoken in favor of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act this week, issuing a statement, graphics, and several tweets on the topic.

Sen. Warner has also continued to support the idea of a carve-out to the filibuster to get it done. Next week, he will vote in favor of this legislation as Sen. Schumer will likely bring it to the floor. In Sen. Warner’s words,

“As a member of the greatest deliberative body in the world, I continue to believe that we must preserve the Senate’s ability to debate contrasting viewpoints on matters of public policy. However, voting is the bedrock of our democracy and it is a right that should never be up for contention. As President Biden doubles down on his efforts to safeguard democracy from the barrage of attacks by state legislatures, Virginians can be sure that I’ll be working in the Senate to do whatever it takes to protect Americans’ access to the ballot.”

He continues to release graphics highlighting the benefits of these bills and voicing his strong support for their passage.

GRAB BAG

STRENGTHENING PROTECTIONS: Sen. Warner signed onto a letter with 31 colleagues calling on the administration to offer or extend Temporary Protected Status protections for El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua.

HEAR YE HEAR YE: Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Warner held a nomination hearing for Kenneth L. Wainstein, the nominee to be Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis at the Department of Homeland Security. As a member of the Senate Banking Committee, he also questioned Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, whom President Biden has nominated to serve another term atop the Central Bank, about the effects of inflation and child care on our economic growth.

FRIEND OF THE (BIG TECH) POD: Sen. Warner appeared on the Big Technology podcast to discuss why 2022 is the year Congress should finally take action and put guardrails around Big Tech.

ARP DELIVERS FOR RURAL VA: Another round of funding from the American Rescue Plan was announced Friday morning, delivering an additional $7.4 million for Virginia health providers and suppliers who serve rural Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicare beneficiaries. This brings the total to $130 million for 882 providers across the Commonwealth as a result of the ARP.

WEEK AHEAD

This weekend, Sen. Warner will continue his travel around Virginia and attend the inauguration of governor-elect Glenn Youngkin, and (weather permitting) will participate in events on Monday to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day. When the Senate readjourns on Tuesday, he expects to participate in debates on voting rights. He plans to hold a remote media availability for the press in Virginia, so stay tuned for an announcement on that.