Press Releases

Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) alongside Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) wrote a letter to President Biden formally requesting the approval of Virginia’s request for an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in Southwest Virginia. If approved, this request would grant emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance under the Public Assistance and Individual Assistance programs for the impacted areas.

Specifically, Virginia requested Individual Assistance for the counties of Giles, Grayson, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wythe, and the City of Galax, and Public Assistance for all categories for the counties of Bedford, Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pittsylvania, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, Wythe, and the cities of Bristol, Covington, Danville, Galax, Norton, and Radford.

September 25, 2024 (Washington, D.C.) – Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), author of the Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act, today issued the following statement on the FBI’s release of 2023 hate crimes statistics:

“According to the FBI’s release of 2023 hate crimes statistics, only 16,009 agencies out of out of 18,800 agencies nationwide participated in hate crimes data collection. The 2023 hate crimes statistics illustrate the urgent need to improve hate crimes reporting across the country – in particular, improving accurate hate crimes reporting from law enforcement agencies representing cities with populations of 100,000 or more.

 U.S. Representatives Deborah Ross (NC-02) and Don Beyer (VA-08) introduced the bicameral Secure Artificial Intelligence Act, legislation to enhance the monitoring and management of security and safety incidents and risks related to artificial intelligence (AI). As AI continues to rapidly evolve, the potential for security and safety incidents that could impact organizations and the public also increases. By establishing an AI Security Center and updating cybersecurity reporting systems to include AI, the legislation would support AI research while mitigating threats posed by this emerging technology.

In May, Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced the Secure Artificial Intelligence Act in the Senate.

Today, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell announced that the members of the Senate Democratic Workgroup on School Mobile Phone Policy have introduced legislation to enhance distraction-free learning environments for Virginia students. Senate Democrats have a strong commitment to prioritizing student success in Virginia and share the Governor’s aspiration to limit distractions in the classroom. This is best and actually accomplished through bipartisan collaboration within the legislative process, through which Senate Democrats aim to give elected school boards the ability to craft the best cell phone policies for their districts consistent with state and federal law and existing educational governance process which is not governed by Executive Orders.

In contrast to the Governor’s policy, this legislation includes the following:

Washington DC area residents are showing their love for the planet and their neighbors today by pledging to go car-free or car-lite for Car Free Day 2024. Thousands of people across the region will telework or travel by carpooling, pedaling, walking, taking public transit. Local businesses are supporting the effort to decongest the streets by offering raffle prizes for a free drawing for those who participate.

“Car Free Day presents an exciting opportunity for the region to come together and travel more sustainably,” said Daniel Sheehan, Director of Commuter Connections. “Thousands of metropolitan Washington region residents, workers, and students have made the decision to benefit their health, the community and our environment today. Together we are moving towards a brighter future.”

The Virginia State Police Culpeper and Fairfax Divisions will be conducting Operation DISS-rupt on all 76 miles of Interstate 66 in Virginia on August 16-17, 2024.   The traffic enforcement and educational safety initiative focuses on Distracted driving, Impaired driving, Speed compliance and Seat belt safety.  Preliminary data from Jan. 1, 2024, to August 1, 2024, shows 477 persons have died in traffic crashes on Virginia roadways.  In 2023, 471 persons died during the same time period.

“The middle of August is a perfect time to focus on promoting highway safety with schools starting back up, and people getting in their last-minute vacations,” said Captain Donald W Jones, Jr., Commander of the Virginia State Police Culpeper Division. “Additional state troopers will be on patrol along the entire I-66 corridor to enhance highway safety for all motorists.  We ask Virginians to ‘DISS-rupt’ risky driving behaviors by focusing on the roads and by designating a sober driver if they have been drinking.”

Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) pressed Discord, an instant messaging social platform, about the company’s failure to safeguard minors and stop the proliferation of violent predatory groups who target children with the goal of forcing them to end their own lives and livestream the act online.

This letter follows a September warning from the FBI alerting Americans to the existence of these violent online groups, which exist on messaging platforms and deliberately extort children into producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or sharing acts of self-harm online. According to the warning, issued by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, these groups target minors between the ages of 8 and 17 years old and focus on racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ youth, and those who struggle with a variety of mental health issues.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is prepared to address the potential severe weather impacts of Tropical Storm Debby, expected to reach the Commonwealth this afternoon, Wednesday, Aug. 7.

Impacts from the storm are expected to be felt across the Commonwealth, including heavy rain and strong winds beginning this afternoon, with peak impacts to occur Thursday afternoon into Friday. Localized flooding is possible, and wind gusts may result in downed trees and powerlines, scattered power outages and temporary interruption of services at tunnels and ferries.

Today, Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency for the Commonwealth of Virginia based on National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center forecasts that indicate a tropical storm with significant rainfall and flooding across the entire Commonwealth could cause transportation difficulties and power outages.

“As we prepare for Tropical Storm Debby, I urge all Virginians and visitors to stay informed, follow local emergency guidelines, and take necessary precautions to ensure the safety of their families and communities. There is the potential for strong winds, heavy rains, and possible flooding across regions of the Commonwealth,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “It’s crucial that we work together and remain vigilant during these times to minimize the impact of the storm. The effects of Debby are far-reaching, and our neighboring states are facing significant challenges. Suzanne and I are praying for the residents of North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia as they endure the impacts of this tropical storm.”