WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Virginia, issued the following statement on Sept. 21, 2021: * * * The United States Department of Education (DoEd) today announced three schools in the Ninth District as 2021 National Blue Ribbon Schools. Those recognized are Elydale Middle School, Greendale Elementary School, and Meadows Of Dan Elementary School. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement: "I am pleased to see Elydale Middle School, Greendale Elementary School, and Meadows Of Dan Elementary School recogn more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Rep. Don Beyer, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on Sept. 21, 2021: Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) voted for critical legislation that would keep the federal government open, secure emergency funding to help communities devastated by natural disasters and help resettle Afghan refugees fleeing persecution and prevent a devastating debt default. This bill is essential to ensuring that the government can continue to deliver essential services that families depend on, while also preventing a first-ever default on the fe more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on Sept. 21, 2021: Congresswoman Elaine Luria today led the passage of the Veteran's Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Act of 2021 on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. "The transition from active-duty life is not always easy and our veterans in Hampton Roads deserve a raise to meet the many challenges they face," Congresswoman Luria said. "I'm proud to lead the passage of the cost-of-living increase for the third year in a row. T more PR

RICHMOND, Virginia, Sept. 23 -- Rep. A. Donald McEachin, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on Sept. 22, 2021: Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) announced a competitive grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS) for $4,984,041. This grant will help fund the MARACOOS's programs to address coastal hazards, water quality, maritime safety and commerce, and fisheries. It will also support the rapidly growing offshore wind e more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, issued the following statement on Sept. 22, 2021: * * * U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today released the following statement after voting with a majority of the U.S. House to pass a short-term agreement that would keep the federal government open through December 3, 2021. "On the floor of the House tonight, I was glad to see strong support behind keeping the doors of our government open and protecting the paychecks of our federal employees, U.S. Customs and Border Protecti more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-Virginia, issued the following statement: * * * Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) released the following statement on the House passage of legislation to fund the government, suspend the federal debt ceiling, and provide emergency assistance for Afghan evacuees and natural disaster victims. "Preventing a default on our debt means protecting Virginia families and businesses from economic catastrophe. "We cannot allow the stability of our economy and the progress we've made to rebuild from CO more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- Rep. Robert J. Wittman, R-Virginia, issued the following statement: * * * Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) voted against raising the debt ceiling and the Democrats' proposed Continuing Resolution (CR). Our national debt is currently over $28 trillion- roughly 125% of our GDP. Last year, the United States paid $376 billion in interest on this debt. Despite having passed a minibus earlier in the year, the House has not appropriated funding for our military, the Department of Homeland Security, or grants for law enforcemen more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, issued the following opening statement on Sept. 22, 2021, at a hearing on recycling and the concept of a circular economy: * * * The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee held a hearing on recycling and the concept of a circular economy. Prior to the hearing, the committee held a business meeting to consider nominations, legislation to rename federal buildings, and several General Services Admi more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release on Sept. 22, 2021: U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and her colleagues reintroduced the Full Faith and Credit Act to ensure the federal government prioritizes funding for our military, veterans and seniors should the federal debt ceiling be reached with no action from Democrats to raise or suspend it. "Every West Virginia family and business has to live within its means and our federal government shouldn't be any different," Senato more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release on Sept. 22, 2021: U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) met with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson this morning alongside a bipartisan group of senators at the U.S. Capitol. During the meeting, they discussed a range of topics, including Afghanistan, international trade and climate agreements, coal and renewable energy, and easing COVID-19 travel restrictions between the two countries. "Discussing West Virginia's prio more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release on Sept. 21, 2021: U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today participated in a hearing on the importance of recycling for a more sustainable future. HIGHLIGHTS: CHINA'S IMPACT: "I mentioned in my opening statement that China changed its policy towards accepting materials from our country. I'm wondering, has the market already responded to this? What are you seeing i more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, issued the following news release on Sept. 22, 2021: U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today participated in a hearing on the importance of recycling for a more sustainable future. HIGHLIGHTS: CHINA'S IMPACT: "I mentioned in my opening statement that China changed its policy towards accepting materials from our country. I'm wonde more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was joined by Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Ranking Member and Chairman of the SFRC Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, and Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) in introducing a bipartisan Senate resolution expressing Congress's alarm over the growing humanitarian needs of women and children inside Venezuela more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined 47 Democrats in the Senate and 188 in the House in filing a bicameral amicus brief in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, urging the Supreme Court to uphold nearly 50 years of precedent in Roe v. Wade and protect the constitutional right to abortion care. The amicus brief was led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Assistant Democratic Leader Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate C more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: U.S. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) in introducing a bipartisan resolution to support the designation of September 19-25 as "Telehealth Awareness Week." The resolution recognizes that telehealth has helped millions of patients access quality health care during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that it will continue to be essential beyond the public health emergency. "Telehealth makes it possible for more  more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on Sept. 22, 2021: U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA), members of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, along with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) today introduced the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act to establish a new program to help first-time, first-generation homebuyers - predominately Americans of color - build wealth much more rapidly. By offering new hom more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- The Senate Foreign Relations Committee issued the following information for a nomination hearing at 2 p.m. on Sept. 29, 2021: Witnesses * Dr. Atul A. Gawande of Massachusetts, to be an Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development * The Honorable Claire D. Cronin of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Ireland * The Honorable Virginia E. Palmer of Virginia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minist more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 -- The Senate Judiciary Committee issued the following information for an executive business meeting at 9 a.m. on Sept. 23, 2021, at 216 Hart Senate Office Building: AGENDA I. Nominees * Toby J. Heytens, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit * Patricia Tolliver Giles, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia * Michael S. Nachmanoff, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia * Sarala Vidya Nagala, to be United States District Judge for the  more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release on Sept. 22, 2021: U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $5,889,379 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR). This funding is allocated through HRSA's Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program, which aims to support expecting mothers more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $5,889,379 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR). This funding is allocated through HRSA's Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program, which aims to support expecting mothers and families with young children more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on Sept. 22, 2021: U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today announced $9,595,563 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to help fund projects at two airports in the Commonwealth. The funding does not require the standard 10 percent local match, thanks to the American Rescue Plan supported by Sens. Warner and Kaine. "Investment in our Commonwealth's infrastructure makes life easier for every Virginian. We are ex more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on Sept. 22, 2021: U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Tim Scott (R-SC) today introduced the Teacher and School LEADERS Act, which would reform Teacher Quality Partnership Grants to better support school leaders and allow for greater innovation in educator preparation. "Investing in professional development supports and empowers educators and makes them better teachers. I am proud to reintroduce legislation that more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) and Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) introduced the Portable Retirement and Investment Account (PRIA) Act of 2021. The PRIA Act will create universal, portable retirement and investment accounts that will be accessible to all Americans throughout their lives and move our retirement system into the 21st century. "Americans are more likely to change jobs and be engaged in non-traditional forms of work than they were a generation ago, more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA), members of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, along with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) today introduced the Low-Income First Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act to establish a new program to help first-time, first-generation homebuyers - predominately Americans of color - build wealth much more rapidly. By offering new homeowners a 20-year mo more PR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on Sept. 21, 2021: U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger last night shared the personal story of a Central Virginia veteran to highlight the 10th anniversary of the repeal of the U.S. Department of Defense's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. On the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, Spanberger read the firsthand account of Stephanie Merlo, a U.S. Army veteran who faced tremendous challenges in the U.S. military because of her sexual orientat more PR