Senator Warner was elected to the U.S. Senate in November 2008 and reelected to a third term in November 2020. He serves on the Senate Finance, Banking, Budget, and Rules Committees as well as the Select Committee on Intelligence, where he is the Chairman. During his time in the Senate, Senator Warner has established himself as a bipartisan leader who works across the aisle to ensure that Virginians are able to count on their government when they need it the most.
Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Senator Warner effectively worked to grease the wheels of Congress, lending his strong support to numerous relief bills and leading negotiations between Democrats and Republicans that resulted in the passage of the December 2020 emergency relief legislation.
Ensuring that our veterans and their families receive the benefits they have earned and deserve remains one of Senator Warner’s top priorities. Virginia is home to nearly 800,000 veterans—one of the highest per-capita populations in the country—and that number is growing at four times the national average.
Senator Warner is committed to honoring their service and taking active steps to guarantee the federal government honors its promises to our nation’s veterans. He has fought to reduce the disability claim backlog at the Department of Veterans Affairs (V-A), improve access to care and reduce wait times at V-A medical centers, ensure resources for the V-A to provide healthcare for veterans, simplify the benefits and appeals processes, improve mental health services for soldiers returning home, and improve women veterans’ access to healthcare.
Senator Warner is also personally committed to supporting veterans. He prioritizes the employment of veterans, including in his own office in Washington, D.C., and in his Virginia offices.
As a key author of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Senator Warner has been a leader in the effort to hold the financial industry accountable and protect consumers from harmful financial practices. As a member of the Senate Banking Committee, he has fought to reform our broken housing finance system, so that taxpayers don’t end up on the hook for another bailout of the large Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, while preserving access to affordable housing. Senator Warner has also led efforts to protect consumers from cyber theft, data breaches, as well as unscrupulous business practices, which often target the most vulnerable populations, including student borrowers and military families.
As an early investor in the cellular telephone business, Senator Warner co-founded the company that became Nextel and invested in hundreds of start-up technology companies. Leaning on this background, Senator Warner has used his position in the Senate to promote policies that encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in the cyber domain. Recognizing that no individual body in the United States Senate was uniquely focused on addressing the growing cyber threats faced by consumers, government and private entities, Senator Warner co-founded the bipartisan Senate Cybersecurity Caucus in 2016.
With over 20 billion interconnected devices expected online by 2020, the challenge of securing our home and business networks will be made even more difficult in the years to come. Senator Warner understands that this explosion of devices with expanded capability and connectivity—known as the “Internet of Things”—makes us both more intertwined and more vulnerable. And in the wake of hacks affecting a broad range of private and public entities like the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Target, Anthem, and Yahoo, Senator Warner has been a leader in calling for the protection of consumers’ personal information and timely disclosure of data breaches. He has advocated for resources within the federal government that will put our federal and local governments on a more secure cyber footing. Virginia has the largest cybersecurity workforce in the country and is home to many of the most sophisticated cybersecurity missions in the federal government. Senator Warner has worked to implement policies that will help Virginia and the rest of the country meet the need for a well-trained cyber workforce.
Senator Warner remains committed to ensuring that every Virginian has access to the quality education and training needed to succeed in our global economy without the burden of crippling student debt. Having paid for his own undergraduate education with student loans, Senator Warner knows first-hand the financial challenges facing those who seek higher education. Senator Warner will continue to fight for commonsense solutions to make college more affordable and to hep those who are already struggling with student debt. Senator Warner believes that if left unaddressed, student debt will be the next financial crisis facing our country. Senator Warner also knows that college isn’t the only path to success. He believes that we must increase our focus on industry certifications and lifelong learning and retraining in order to create more opportunities for good paying jobs for Virginians.
Senator Warner firmly believes that we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil while investing in new technologies that reduce harmful emissions that contribute to climate change. He favors an "all of the above," portfolio approach that employs solar, wind, bio-fuels, nuclear energy, next generation battery technologies, and investment in research that focuses on using carbon capture technology so we can continue to use our domestic resources, such as coal, more responsibly. The science surrounding climate change unequivocally supports the need for dramatic changes in policy, and Senator Warner believes any comprehensive legislation to address this issue must be balanced with the need to keep all sectors of our economy viable.
Similarly, the Commonwealth’s 3,300 miles of coastal resources provide significant economic contributions to tourism, recreation, commercial and sport fisheries, and wildlife enjoyment within our state. However, pollution, habitat loss, and other factors have taken their toll. Senator Warner believes that our federal and Bay state partners need to continue to work together to seek appropriate resources to preserve the Bay and he opposes any reductions in funding that threaten to erase progress made to restore the Bay’s oyster population and support local commercial fisheries.
Senator Warner has been a leader in Congress in working for improved government efficiency and fiscal accountability. As a member of the Budget Committee, Senator Warner created and chaired the Government Performance Task Force. Senator Warner helped lead the Government Performance and Results Act Modernization in 2010, which among other things required OMB to identify outdated or duplicative reports wasting agency resources and ready for elimination. In his work to eliminate government waste, he also worked on legislation with Senator Paul to reward federal employees who identify and report wasteful end of year spending. He also was the lead Senate architect of the DATA Act, legislation enacted into law in 2014 which makes federal spending information more transparent and accessible. In 2011, Senator Warner co-founded the Senate’s bipartisan Gang of Six, which met for close to a year in an effort to begin solving the nation’s debt and deficit challenges. In Senator Warner’s view, government performance and fiscal responsibility are not Democratic or Republican issues: they represent opportunities to take a data-driven approach to best serve taxpayers.
Senator Warner has been a leader in Congress in working for improved government efficiency and fiscal accountability. As a member of the Budget Committee, Senator Warner created and chaired the Government Performance Task Force. Senator Warner helped lead the Government Performance and Results Act Modernization in 2010, which among other things required OMB to identify outdated or duplicative reports wasting agency resources and ready for elimination. In his work to eliminate government waste, he also worked on legislation with Senator Paul to reward federal employees who identify and report wasteful end of year spending. He also was the lead Senate architect of the DATA Act, legislation enacted into law in 2014 which makes federal spending information more transparent and accessible. In 2011, Senator Warner co-founded the Senate’s bipartisan Gang of Six, which met for close to a year in an effort to begin solving the nation’s debt and deficit challenges. In Senator Warner’s view, government performance and fiscal responsibility are not Democratic or Republican issues: they represent opportunities to take a data-driven approach to best serve taxpayers.
Senator Warner is committed to providing access to quality, affordable care for Virginians. Warner has consistently said that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is not perfect, but our previous system was unsustainable and would eventually bankrupt our economy. Senator Warner knows that we cannot go back to a time when insurers denied coverage because of pre-existing health conditions, charged women more than men, or dropped someone's coverage when they got sick. Instead of repealing the ACA, Democrats and Republicans should work together to improve the law, and he has been at the forefront of providing bipartisan, commonsense solutions to fix the ACA. He will continue to work with his colleagues on targeted improvements to help Virginians secure affordable health care coverage – and fight efforts to take us backwards.
Senator Warner supports a comprehensive approach to immigration reform. He voted in favor of bipartisan, commonsense immigration reform that would strengthen border security, and offer a tough but fair path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants who are already living, working and paying taxes in the United States. He has also introduced proposals that would reform our immigration system to meet the needs of an innovation-driven 21st century economy by making it easier for entrepreneurial and highly skilled immigrants educated at U.S. colleges and universities to stay here and create jobs after graduation.
Senator Warner believes that we must renew and revitalize our nation’s infrastructure if we want to compete globally in the 21st century. Investing in our outdated roads, bridges, ports, energy grid and broadband networks would create jobs, reduce traffic, and grow the economy.
Senator Warner has introduced bipartisan legislation to create an innovative Infrastructure Financing Authority, which would supplement federal transportation investment programs by assisting communities in leveraging private sector investments to fund worthwhile infrastructure projects. Senator Warner has also been a leader in encouraging innovation in the burgeoning unmanned systems industry, and pushing for collaborating and experimentation in order to safety integrate unmanned maritime, ground and aerial systems into existing infrastructure networks.
As a successful entrepreneur and former business leader, Senator Warner understands the challenges of launching and running a business and meeting a payroll. As Virginia’s governor and now as a senator, he has worked to expand access to start-up capital and credit for America’s new, existing and small businesses. He has focused on updating our country’s approach to workforce training and technology deployment to expand 21st Century economic opportunity in rural and suburban regions. Senator Warner is a leading voice in Washington for updating the social contract for contingent and freelance workers, many of whom lack insurance and other protections typically provided through full-time employment. He also has called on American business leaders to shift away from their recent preoccupation with short-term profits at the expense of longer-term investments in people and the communities where they operate.
Senator Warner is committed to strengthening our national security both at home and abroad, and he believes a strong and engaged United States is fundamental to securing our national interests around the world. As the Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator Warner is responsible for providing oversight of all U.S. intelligence agencies, and he deeply appreciates the work our intelligence professionals do quietly every day to keep our country safe.
Virginia is also synonymous with defense. It is home to the seat of defense leadership—the Pentagon—to the largest naval station in the world—Naval Station Norfolk—and to our nation’s only aircraft carrier builder. The Commonwealth also has military bases for every military service—Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps and has the largest concentration of active and reserve Coast Guard personnel and the largest defense civilian population in the country. The armed forces of the United States are the strongest and most capable in the history of the world, and Senator Warner represents a state unrivaled in its contribution to the military mission. He is committed to ensuring that our military has the tools and support it needs to defend our country against 21st century threats.
On January 6, 2017, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) issued a report by directors of America’s leading intelligence agencies examining Russian activities in the 2016 election. One of their key conclusions was that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign with the goals of undermining public faith in the U.S. democratic process, harming the candidacy and weakening the potential presidency of Hillary Clinton, and boosting the candidacy of his preferred candidate Donald Trump.
Interference in America’s democracy and our electoral process by any outside power is unacceptable. Following the election, many Americans still have questions about the extent of Russian interference, including whether any individuals connected with the Trump campaign may have been involved with Russian efforts to sway the election.
As Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on intelligence, Senator Warner is leading, along with Committee Chairman Richard Burr of North Carolina, the Senate’s bipartisan investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. He has said repeatedly that this is the most serious undertaking of his public life.
The dismissal of FBI Director Jim Comey, who was leading an active investigation into these matters, on May 9 makes it all the more imperative that Congress conduct an expeditious, thorough and bipartisan investigation into possible links between the Trump campaign and the Russians.
This isn’t about re-litigating the results of the 2016 election. It’s about defending the United States from a foreign threat, holding the perpetrators responsible, and fighting back so that something like this never happens again.
Senator Warner is committed to exploring the 21st century generational and technological changes and how they’ve led to perhaps the most dramatic transformation in the American economy in decades. Whether by economic necessity or by choice, as many as one-third of American workers now find themselves working in the “on-demand,” “sharing” or “gig” economy.
Today, online platforms such as Airbnb, Uber, TaskRabbit and Etsy can provide granularity in matching supply and demand for things many people may never have thought about monetizing before: A spare room. A ride in a family car. Free time.
The changing employee-employer dynamic of the “gig economy” poses both opportunities and challenges for the American worker, allowing freedom and flexibility of hours. But many of these on-demand jobs do not provide traditional safety net protections for workers: unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation for injuries, or pension and retirement planning.
Senator Warner is committed to putting forward practical solutions to keep up with this fundamental shift in the economy and to make the on-demand economy work better for more people.
To date, there are more than 18 million cases of COVID-19 nationwide, and more than 320,000 deaths. Since the outbreak began, my top priority has been to provide our nation and our Commonwealth with the tools we need to fight this pandemic and help workers and small businesses make it through these tough times. As of November, two pharmaceutical companies have come out with promising data on two potential COVID-19 vaccines. I’m proud to have worked with my colleagues in Congress to secure the additional funding that helped safely accelerate the development of these vaccines. Going forward, I will continue to do everything in my power to help get the vaccine officially approved as soon it is safe to do so. Once that happens, you can count on the fact that I’ll be working to ensure that its distribution is fair and timely.
Below you will find a complete list of my actions to date on the coronavirus, along with resources for Virginians, the latest statistics on COVID-19 cases in Virginia, and guidance from public health officials.
Together, we will get through this challenge, but it is important that we all work together to stop the spread of the virus and help our economy recover. That starts with the following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health officials on how to stay safe:
For more information and the latest guidance, please visit the CDC coronavirus website (embedded below).
My office continues to monitor the situation on the ground, including by maintaining regular contact with officials and health care providers in Virginia. My office also stands ready to assist with other coronavirus and non-COVID-19 federal issues. If you or a loved one is currently experiencing an issue with a federal agency, please click here to contact my office.