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.

In a virtual press conference on Dec. 18, held several hours before the classified briefing, Warner said he was frustrated by the lack of information flow, stating “I would love to say ‘don’t worry’- but it’s all classified.”

Kaine said he expected clear answers from the briefing, or he would “hold people accountable.”

Virginia State Police (VSP) reported the Virginia Fusion Center (VFC) had received over 150 tips about drone activity in the month of December. 

“We encourage anyone that witnesses a drone flying over critical infrastructure, such as energy installations, or military sites, to contact the VFC,” said VSP Special Agent D. Robinson. “This will enable us to work with our partners to determine exactly what is occurring, and how to move forward.”

Citizens can report suspicious drone activity to VFC by email.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires drones are to remain in sight of either the operator or a visual observer with a maximum allowable altitude of 400 feet unless waived by federal regulators.  Shooting at a drone is illegal.

Virginia state law prohibits flying drones within 50 feet of a residence without federal authority. VFC’s Shield Program has released an All Sectors Bulletin – UAV Assessment with more information on drones.  

On December 11, 2024, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Department received reportings of drone activities and is working with federal authorities to investigate further. No neighboring counties reported sightings that day. 

From July to September 2024, the FAA reported 405 drone sightings, including nine in Virginia. In a telephone press conference, representatives from several government agencies said drone sightings in New Jersey on November 18 prompted a tip line that received over 5,000 reports of which the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said less than 100 were credible. Many of the reports overlapped with flight paths to major airports in New Jersey and New York and may have simply been manned aircraft. There are over 1 million unmanned aircraft devices in the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed drones have been sighted over bases for “quite some time now.” Officials said there was no evidence or indication of any foreign actors, but added “I just got to simply tell you I don’t know.” The operators and origins of these drones remain unsupervised and have generally not been able to identify the operators or origin of these unmanned drones.

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:

• Disaster Relief: Over $100 billion was designated for disaster recovery efforts to assist states and local communities affected by recent natural disasters.
• Farmers’ Economic Aid: $10 billion was allocated to support farmers facing low commodity prices and high input costs, ensuring continued access to credit and financial assistance.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): $29 billion was earmarked for FEMA’s disaster relief fund to enhance response capabilities for future emergencies.
• Agricultural Support: $21 billion was intended for farmers to bolster the agricultural sector amid economic challenges.
• Infrastructure Repairs: $8 billion was set aside for highway and bridge repairs to address critical infrastructure needs across the country.
• Community Development Block Grants: $12 billion was allocated for community recovery block grants to support local development projects in disaster-affected areas.
• Health Care Provisions: The bill included measures to extend funding for various health care programs, ensuring continued access to essential services.
• Technological Competition: Provisions were included to counter foreign technological advancements, particularly focusing on China’s growing influence in the tech sector.
• Sports Infrastructure: Plans were made to transfer land to facilitate the construction of a new stadium for the Washington Commanders, aiming to boost local economic development.
• Government Operations Funding: The bill sought to extend federal funding through March 14, 2025, to maintain government operations and avert a shutdown.

Warner said the effects of a government shutdown would be felt in Virginia on an unprecedented level. He described the possibility of a shutdown as a “cruel, heartless, stupid maneuver a few days before Christmas.” Warner said the impacts of a shutdown would be felt widely, from delays in package deliveries to long lines, delays and disruptions in air travel. He also noted the impacts on Virginia tourism, which brought in over $90 million per day in the state’s restaurants, shops, attractions, and hotels in 2023. Visitors spent over $33 billion in Virginia in 2023.

Unlike federal employees, Warner said that small business owners whose shops, attractions, and restaurants revolve around the area’s parks and travel destinations will feel the impact the most. They will not be refunded from losses that closed parks and tourist destinations sustained. Any time and earnings lost from a shutdown cannot be recouped when the government shutdown ends.

Warner said he was with many of his Republican colleagues when the scrapping of the deal was announced and said many of them were aghast. The deal wasn’t perfect, but the majority of senators were ready to compromise and pass it to move forward, he added. Warner attributed the joint statement from Trump and Vance and Elon Musk’s posts on the social media platform “X” to the fall of the bill.

“I had a career in business before I was in politics, and I’ve done a lot of deals. Trump says he’s a dealmaker – you don’t do a deal and renege, which happened at the 11th and ½ hour,” said Warner. He said the deal essentially started unraveling when “the richest man in the world started tweeting out just plain untruths about what’s in the deal. I should remind you, Elon Musk has more followers online than Donald Trump.”

Government shutdowns impact Virginia far more than any other state, Warner added. Virginia’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) noted in a November 2023 report that, according to the Virginia Employment Commission, over 14,000 federal workers in Virginia were directly affected by the 2018-2019 shutdown. The study also noted that in the 2013 shutdown, approximately 55,275 employees were affected since one-third of Federal Civilian employees in Virginia were considered non-exempt.

Small businesses and restaurants would be particularly vulnerable in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, where most of the state’s federal employees live. Some of these businesses may reduce hiring employees, cut the hours of existing employees, or close permanently.

These last-minute threats of government shut-downs with resolution at the last minute are not uncommon. In the last 15 years, the question of government shutdowns over funding has threatened shutdowns at least 8 times.

During Trump’s first term, a shutdown lasted 35 days between December 2018 and January 2019. In the last 50 years, there have been 21 federal shutdowns. Threats of a possible government shutdown have made the headlines of major newspapers every year for the previous 10 years.

“This is why Virginians and Americans lose faith in their governing institutions when people act so irresponsibly and have so little value that when you actually shake hands on a deal that you’re going to honor that” Warner said. “In this framework of our government, you can’t choose who you do business with.”

Warner has represented Virginia in the U.S. Senate since 2009. Before his Senate career, he served as the 69th Governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006, focusing on education reform. Warner is also an entrepreneur and former technology executive, co-founding the company that became Nextel Communications.

“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."

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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.”

This holiday tradition has been held annually, and Sen. Warner was thrilled to once again host students following a two-year pandemic pause.