Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine released a statement Dec.19 following a classified briefing at the Capitol from the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and the FBI regarding the ongoing investigation into the unexplained drone sightings in Virginia.
While we appreciate the agencies taking the time to update us on the situation, this briefing was insufficient and unsatisfactory. It has been more than a year since these sightings over key military facilities in Virginia and the lack of answers about the nature, intent, and origin of these incidents is completely unacceptable. The safety of Virginians remains our top priority, and we are determined to continue pressing for additional details as well as greater coordination with state and local officials. We will be staying in close contact with the relevant federal and state agencies to ensure that these concerns are pursued vigorously.
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Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) held a virtual press conference on Thursday, December 19, warning of a government shutdown's devastating impact on Virginia following the sudden scrapping of a funding deal that would have kept the government funded through Spring 2025.
President-Elect Donald Trump and Vice President-Elect JD Vance criticized the proposed plan in a statement released on Dec. 18 on X (formerly Twitter), where they said the deal had provisions that would hide records of the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, and that the bill would give Congress a pay increase while Americans are “struggling this Christmas.”
The 1,547-page continuing resolution was scrapped on December 18, hours before lawmakers approved the measure. The bill aimed to prevent a partial government shutdown and included a variety of allocations ranging from disaster relief to football stadium land:
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“The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is facing a looming budget shortfall, and Virginia Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner and Maryland Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen are hoping to ease operational costs related to national security and counterterrorism efforts, reports Sarah Roderick-Fitch at The Center Square. “The four congressmen penned a letter to President Joe Biden requesting his administration include at least $30 million in the FY25 budget to offset expenses stemming from supporting counterterrorism and national security concerns.”
Senator Mark Warner’s office: “Today, Sen. Warner welcomed kindergarteners from Bel Air Elementary School in [Dale City] to his Capitol Hill office to kick off the holiday season with carols, milk and cookies, and decoration of the office Christmas tree. This year’s tree, a 12-foot Fraser fir, is from Mt. Rogers Tree Farm in Grayson County, Va.”
“Students helped Sen. Warner decorate his tree with handmade ornaments while serenading members of his staff with classic carols such as “Jingle Bells” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
“Sen. Warner has hosted students from across the Commonwealth to help him get in the holiday spirit nearly every year since taking office in 2009.”
The Center Square: “The U.S. Senate voted 52-46 Thursday to overturn President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness executive order.”
Biden’s order would cancel up to $10,000 for qualifying borrowers and up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients. Biden ordered the debt cancellation via the Department of Education last year, but it is now under review by the U.S. Supreme Court after a legal challenge.
“The Congressional Joint Resolution of Disapproval passed Thursday and received Democratic support from Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana, as well as Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who now identifies as Independent. Two other Democrats, Sens. Mark Warner of Virginia and Michael Bennet of Colorado, did not vote.”
Christmas cheer has spread to the Senate.
Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) welcomed students from Dumfries Elementary School to his Capitol Hill office to kick off the holiday season with carols, milk and cookies, and decoration of the office Christmas tree. This year's tree, a 12-foot Fraser fir, is from Mt. Rogers Tree Farm in Grayson County, Va.
The fifth-graders helped Sen. Warner decorate his tree with homemade ornaments before serenading members of his staff with classic carols such as "Jingle Bells" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."