Mark R. Warner

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate’s Select Committee on Intelligence, today honored two Central Intelligence Agency veterans who played key roles in the 1994 arrest and espionage conviction of CIA spy Aldrich Ames on charges of spying for the Russians. Jeanne Vertefeuille of McLean, VA served at the CIA for more than 40 years and died on Dec. 29, 2012. CIA colleague and friend Sandy Grimes of Great Falls, VA, who also worked on the Ames task force, served as a caregiver during the final months of her life. 

Sen. Warner highlighted the service of Vertefeuille and Grimes as part of his regular series of  “Great Federal Employees” floor speeches this afternoon. Virginia has a high concentration of federal employees and is home to many of the nation’s intelligence agencies.

“Jeanne Vertefeuille and Sandy Grimes blazed a trail for women in the national clandestine service,” Sen. Warner said. “It was through their efforts, and the good work of many others, that we ultimately unmasked the notorious traitor Aldrich Ames in 1994. One cannot help but be inspired by the true-life story of service, patriotism, and friendship demonstrated by these two great federal employees.”

Sen. Warner also announced today that he will re-introduce bipartisan legislation to designate July 26th as United States Intelligence Professionals Day to honor intelligence officers, past and present, for their service and professionalism. Legislation to establish Intelligence Professionals Day was co-sponsored in the last Congress by Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and 13 others. 

“I look forward to working with my colleagues to reintroduce a resolution establishing Intelligence Professionals Day in the new Congress,” Sen. Warner said. “We should bring respectful attention to quiet professionals like Jeanne Vertefeuille and Sandy Grimes who keep our nation safe every day, without any thought of recognition.”

Sen. Warner delivered the speech as part of his Great Federal Employees initiative to honor the work of extraordinary federal workers. Former Delaware Sen. Ted Kaufman started the practice in 2009 and highlighted 100 employees during his time in the Senate. Sen. Warner serves on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. 

WASHINGTON – Today, Virginia Representatives Jim Moran (VA-08), Frank Wolf (VA-10), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), and Rob Wittman (VA-01) and Senators Jim Webb and Mark R. Warner sent a letter to the administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) urging consideration of Northern Virginia for the new FBI Headquarters location. Their letter follows GSA’s Request for Information seeking input on a location for a consolidated FBI Headquarters in the National Capital Region.

In their letter, the lawmakers requested that GSA undertake a qualitative “source selection” procurement, rather than cost-only process, noting that Northern Virginia is already home to a majority of FBI employees as well as the FBI’s major training academy at Quantico.

Excerpts from the letter:

“We…strongly support providing the FBI with a secure headquarters location that meets the needs of its workforce, allowing them to more effectively carry out their vital law enforcement responsibilities.”

“As you begin this process, we encourage GSA to keep in mind factors that we believe make a location in Northern Virginia a logical and appropriate choice. Northern Virginia is home to a significant majority of the FBI workforce that will be directly impacted by this decision. Clearly, a location in Northern Virginia would minimize adverse effects on these employees.”

“We trust that GSA will conduct this highly anticipated and scrutinized procurement in a fair and open process, and we stand ready to assist with any additional information in support of the selection of a site in Northern Virginia.”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) praised today’s Senate passage of a bipartisan, four-year reauthorization for the Federal Aviation Administration that will improve airline service and safety for travelers. The compromise legislation, H.R. 658, allows airports to move forward on critical improvement projects, gives FAA tools to modernize the nation’s outdated, radar-based air traffic control system, and authorizes eight additional daily round trip flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to the West Coast. The overwhelmingly bipartisan vote in the Senate this afternoon was 75-20.

Since the last long-term FAA authorization bill expired in 2007, the FAA has run under 23 short-term authorizations, the latest of which is set to expire on Feb. 17^th. This compromise legislation includes the following:

• Long-Term FAA Bill Makes Investments That Will Create or Protect More Than 300,000 Jobs. The final FAA bill includes $3.35 billion annually through Fiscal Year 2015 for airport infrastructure grants, which is projected to create or protect as many as 300,000 jobs. 

• Long-Term FAA Bill Will Provide Stability And Give FAA The Tools to Modernize. The final compromise  gives the FAA the long-term stability and resources it needs to accelerate the implementation of the GPS-based navigation technology known as NextGen. It sets performance standards and deadlines, requiring NextGen implementation at the nation’s largest airports by 2015.

• The long-term FAA Bill also includes compromise language that authorizes eight additional round-trip flights from the West Coast to Washington D.C. beyond the 1,250 mile perimeter limit at Reagan Washington National Airport. Originally, there were proposals to add as many as 75 additional flights each day – a proposal which could have overwhelmed Reagan National’s parking, baggage and TSA capacity, and would have negatively impacted the region’s two other public airports, Dulles International and Thurgood Marshall Baltimore/Washington International. Sen. Warner successfully worked with the Commerce Committee and other interested Senate colleagues to authorize a modest increase in flights to West Coast destinations while also maintaining the overall balance among the region’s airports. With this compromise, airlines will be required to discontinue four existing short-haul flights, resulting in a net increase of only four additional flights out of Reagan National.  

“The FAA bill we passed today provides money for airport construction and expansion and the resources needed for upgrading air traffic control systems to use GPS technology,” Senator Warner said. “The bill also puts in place a rational compromise on flights out of Reagan National that supports the National Capital Region’s business model for Reagan National, Dulles and BWI, and acknowledges the investments we are making at these airports.”

“We are very grateful for the extensive effort put forth by Senator Warner and the entire Congressional delegation to advance this important aviation legislation and to advocate for Reagan National and Dulles International as well as the entire Metropolitan Region,“ said Jack Potter, President and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

Washington, D.C.- Senators Jim Webb and Mark R. Warner today announced $20 million for Northern Virginia’s Interstate 95 High Occupancy-Toll (HOT) lanes project from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) competitive Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program.

“Since joining the Senate, I have consistently called for investment in infrastructure to ease gridlock and traffic congestion in Northern Virginia,” said Senator Webb. “The HOT lanes project will benefit commuters, enhance commerce, and demonstrate how the government can partner with the private-sector to address issues critical to our Commonwealth.”

“I am proud to announce that U.S. DOT came through with this federal assistance, which will help leverage significant private sector investment,” said Senator Warner. “The I-95 HOT lanes project will better connect Virginians to growing employment sites, including major military installations, while also creating much needed jobs. With the DC area ranked as the most congested in the country, this project is an important part of providing some relief and growing our economy.”

The $20 million TIGER award will aid a loan that will help finance construction of the HOT lanes project. Earlier this month, the Commonwealth of Virginia reached a tentative agreement with construction company Fluor-Transurban, which is expected to contribute $843 million of private funding to the venture.

The HOT lanes project will provide significant improvements to a 29 mile stretch of Interstate 95 from Edsall Road in Fairfax County to Garrisonville Road in Stafford County. Vehicles carrying three or more people will be allowed to use the HOT lanes without charge and other vehicles can access the lanes by paying tolls based on varying traffic levels. According to Virginia officials, construction could begin as early as next spring.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Jim Webb (D-VA) and Mark R. Warner (D-VA) are urging Majority Leader Harry Reid to ”reject any proposals that call for pay freezes or other forms of compensation reduction for federal workers, or significant reductions in the federal workforce” to offset the tax extenders that need to be passed by the end of this year.  Along with Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Tom Harkin (D-IA), and Carl Levin (D-MI), the Senators wrote to the Majority Leader on behalf of federal workers in Virginia who are currently in the middle of a two-year pay freeze.  

“To ask these hard-working individuals – the very people who keep our food supply safe, our borders secure and develop life-saving technologies – to make further sacrifices is simply unfair,” the Senators wrote. “Federal employees are facing the same challenges as other middle-class families during this difficult economic time. …  While we can all agree on the importance of job growth and deficit reduction, we cannot balance the budget on the backs of federal employees who carry out the business of the American people every day.”  

The full text of the letter follows and can be accessed here:

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Washington, D.C. – Following today’s release of a Department of Defense Inspector General (DOD IG) report revealing serious flaws in the Army’s Transportation Management Plan (TMP), Representative Jim Moran, Senator Mark R. Warner, and Representative Gerry Connolly renewed their call to limit the number of parking spaces used at the building until sufficient transportation infrastructure is put in place and pressed for enactment of the IG’s recommendations -- including requiring the Army to redo their TMP.

The DOD IG found the Army used incorrect information, rendering the plan’s conclusions unreliable, and failed to properly study the impact of increased traffic on the roadway network surrounding the Mark Center. In the report, the DOD IG called on the Army to start again and complete another, more accurate, transportation management plan.

“The IG’s report proves exactly why we opposed this relocation three years ago and have been highly critical of the planning process as it has proceeded. Full occupation of this building will result in serious gridlock for some 200,000 daily commuters who must travel past the Mark Center each day,” said Rep. Moran. “We are not just at the eleventh hour, it’s 11:59. The best remaining solution to prevent total gridlock is to put in place the House-approved parking cap to limit the number of new cars on the road until the transportation improvements can be completed. The IG’s report is the authoritative final word on the Army’s failure and their recommendations to try and salvage the situation should be adopted.”

“Anyone who has been in the area knows the terrible traffic we're already dealing with,” said Sen. Warner. “The Army needs to take a ‘time out’ on putting more people in the building until we have transportation improvements in place. I will be contacting Secretary Panetta directly, because enough is enough.”

“This report confirms what we in Northern Virginia have known from the start of this process: The Army’s traffic analysis was flawed, it failed to coordinate meaningfully with regional leaders and it did not bring sufficient dollars to the table to address the traffic nightmare it has now created at Mark Center,” said Rep. Connolly. “I was pleased to work with the region’s Congressional delegation on language in the next Defense Authorization Act that will address each of those shortcomings. The House already has signed off those improvements, and this report will strengthen our case to move it through the Senate.”

The DOD IG report issued today examined the Army’s Transportation Management Plan, which looked at the impact of moving 6,400 DoD employees to the Mark Center. Key findings from the report include:

• The Army's Transportation Management Plan (TMP) relied on flawed data. The deficiencies are so significant that the findings and conclusions of the TMP are unreliable. For instance, the traffic counts used by the Army to determine the level of background traffic were conducted around national holidays and when schools were not in session, which resulted in peak hour traffic volumes of up to 35% less than under normal conditions. Also, the traffic impact of planned road construction improvements to intersections near the site was not considered. Normally, mitigation measures would be in place BEFORE the building is occupied.
• The Army ignored national standards for analysis and failed to properly analyze the impact of increased traffic on the ingress/egress roadway network for the Mark Center. As a result, extreme traffic congestion with possible gridlock conditions are projected to occur. This additional traffic will have a disproportionate impact on I-395.
• The Army also failed to consult with local jurisdiction planning and transportation officials, including VDOT, Fairfax County and the City of Alexandria.

Selected in 2008, the Mark Center facility will accommodate the 2005 Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) recommendation #133 endorsed by then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. 2,300 Defense Department employees have already moved into the building with an additional 2,400 expected to be relocated by the end of the month. When fully occupied next year, the Mark Center will host 6,400 Defense Department employees.

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Senator Warner joined a bipartisan group of 11 senators today in a letter to new U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta calling for improvements to military base school facilities across the country. Many are old and in poor repair, and some have serious safety issues. 

The seriousness of this issue was recently highlighted in an investigation by the Center for Public Integrity published in Newsweek. The report describes failing infrastructure such as persistent leaks, corrosion, and mold, as well as overcrowding and a reliance on temporary facilities.

Virginia has five such schools: Ashurst Elementary and Burrows Elementary at Quantico Marine Base were rated "poor,” or “under-maintained.” Russell Elementary and Quantico Middle/High at Quantico and Dahlgren Elementary at the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Dahlgren were deemed "failing,” or “should be considered for replacement.”

Today, Representatives Jim Moran, Gerry Connolly, and Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner wrote Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta expressing their concern with the recently released occupancy plan for the implementation of BRAC Recommendation #133. The plan moves nearly 5,000 employees to the Mark Center facility by December 2011 – before vital transportation infrastructure improvements are put in place.

Department of Defense (DOD) officials have laid out the following plan:

• August 9th - Occupation of the Mark Center begins
• September 15th - 2,300 personnel will be housed in the building
• September 15th – December 31st - another 2,600 are scheduled to move in
• January 1, 2012 – Relocation of final 1,400 employees begins

“The plan…contravenes the department’s assurances to work with the Virginia delegation and local governments to ensure that the occupation of the Mark Center does not cause failing levels of service to surrounding roadways and intersections, including Interstate 395,” the lawmakers wrote.

“We are particularly distressed that the DOD intends to use up to 3,800 parking spaces at the Mark Center,” the lawmakers continued. “There is no rule, regulation or statute preventing the department from self-imposing a parking limitation to 1,000 until there is sufficient transportation infrastructure. This self-imposed parking limitation would incentivize DOD personnel to rely on the alternate modes of transportation described in the Army’s traffic management plan.”

“Legislation has passed the House of Representatives and is pending before the Senate that would impose a statutory restriction of 1,000 spaces if you fail to act. We therefore ask that you immediately reconsider and revise the recently released occupation schedule and transportation plan for the Mark Center complex by incorporating a self-imposed parking restriction in order to mitigate failing levels of service to any local roadway or intersection.”

The parking restriction legislation would limit to l,000 the number of parking spaces, and in turn new vehicles on the road, until short, mid, and long-term road fixes are complete. Funding from the Federal Government and the Commonwealth has been secured to carry out these projects. The DOD directed $20 million for these improvements, which will not be complete for 18-24 months. VDOT has also agreed to fund $80 million to build a ramp from the HOV lane to Seminary Road, projected to be completed by 2016.

BRAC #133 will relocate 6,400 DOD employees from Metro-accessible office space to the Mark Center facility off Seminary Road and I-395. With no direct access to a metro station, the occupancy plan calls for the DOD to fully utilize the 3,800 parking spaces available at the Mark Center complex, causing unacceptable traffic on local roadways, intersections and for the 200,000 commuters on I-395.

Photo Courtesy United States Navy

Today, the full Virginia delegation, including Senators Jim Webb, Mark R. Warner, and Representatives Frank Wolf, Jim Moran, Bobby Scott, Bob Goodlatte, Eric Cantor, Randy Forbes, Rob Wittman, Gerry Connolly, Scott Rigell, Robert Hurt, and Morgan Griffith in applauding the announcement by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus that the USS Arlington will be commissioned at the Norfolk Naval Base in Norfolk, Virginia. The announcement follows a letter sent by the delegation last week to Secretary Mabus over concerns the USS Arlington would be commissioned outside the Commonwealth.

“We applaud the Navy’s responsiveness and decision to commission the USS Arlington in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Commissioning the ship in Virginia is the appropriate way to honor the bravery and sacrifice of the thousands of local police officers, fire fighters, Pentagon employees, emergency first responders and all who lost their lives on September 11, 2001,” the delegation stated. “We look forward to the ceremony honoring the commissioning of this world-class vessel.”

The USS Arlington is the third in a series of San Antonio-class amphibious transport docks named in honor of the heroes and victims of 9/11. The Navy has set an anticipated date for the commissioning ceremony in early 2012.

Senator Warner is urging the Pentagon to delay the transfer of 6,400 defense workers to Alexandria’s Mark Center until traffic issues can be sorted-out. The DoD employees are being relocated from a region served by Metro to an already-congested area that has limited access to mass transit, and the additional traffic is likely to simply add to the frustrations of 200,000 daily commuters in the I395/Seminary Road area.

This week, Senators Warner and Jim Webb and Congressmen Jim Moran and Gerry Connolly sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates asking for at least a one-year delay in the planned opening of Mark Center.  Under BRAC, the Pentagon is scheduled to relocate the 6,400 workers in September without creating any additional transportation infrastructure to handle increased traffic.

FOX 5’s Tom Fitzgerald spoke with Senator Warner about his concerns yesterday:

Washington, DC – Today, Representatives Jim Moran, Gerry Connolly and Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner wrote Secretary of Defense Robert Gates expressing concern with the recently submitted Army Transportation Plan for the implementation of BRAC Recommendation #133 at Fort Belvoir-Mark Center, Virginia. Citing inaccuracies throughout the plan, the lawmakers call on Secretary Gates to delay the Mark Center move for one year.  

In their letter, the lawmakers highlight significant flaws in the Army’s Transportation Plan, required by the Fiscal Year 2011 National Defense Authorization Act, including: 

• The Army’s failure to take into account findings from studies completed by both the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Army’s Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC). The studies reported severe congestion on I-395, I-395 on- and off- ramps, and surrounding roadways when 6,400 defense employees are shifted to Mark Center.

• The Army’s refusal to examine the traffic effects of the relocation beyond .3 miles of the Mark Center. This small radius was a key reason the Department of Defense Inspector General (DOD IG) faulted the Army’s 2008 Finding of No Significant Impact (FNSI) in its recent report; and

• The plan does not satisfy the requirement of Section 2704 of the FY ’11 National Defense Authorization Act, which mandated a Transportation Plan that will preserve existing levels of service at six identified intersections. The Army’s report accepts the most recent VDOT analysis which shows that without the proposed short- and mid-term improvements, five of the six intersections evaluated will experience failing levels of service. 

“The Department [must] consider all options to avoid the severe disruptions to traffic that will affect the nearly 200,000 commuters including Army personnel who travel on I-395 daily,” the lawmakers wrote.  “In particular, we ask that the Department begin preparations to utilize the BRAC deadline extension as modified by H.R. 1540, the House-passed Fiscal Year 2012 National Defense Authorization Act.”

The DOD IG released an April report “Assessment of BRAC 133 Final Environmental Assessment of July 2008 and Transportation Management Plan (TMP) of July 2010, stating the Army mishandled the selection of the Mark Center and recommended the Army complete a new traffic impact analysis. In their letter, the lawmakers note that “the Army’s inability to produce a transportation plan that satisfies the law further highlights the need for the Department to accept the recommendations of the Inspector General and undertake its own comprehensive Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA)…To date, the Army has not accepted the IG’s recommendations.  This is unacceptable.”

Senator Warner today announced that the U.S. Department of Defense has approved $20 million for transportation improvements around Mark Center in Alexandria, which will see an influx of an additional 6,400 civilian and military personnel as a result of the 2005 BRAC round.

This additional funding will be used to improve Interstate 395 ramps at Seminary Road in Alexandria, and make improvements to key intersections around the Mark Center site.

“This is a good first step to begin addressing the added traffic congestion that will be created by the Mark Center project,” Senator Warner said. “These funds will allow for  improvements to the transportation system that should provide welcome relief to area residents, businesses, commuters, and the military and civilian workforce that is scheduled to relocate to Mark Center.”

In February, a study requested by Senator Warner and conducted by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) concluded that the Pentagon’s formula for funding BRAC-related transportation infrastructure was not sufficient, and in fact was unfair, to urban areas such as Northern Virginia.  The NAS considered the impact of projects such as Mark Center, as well as the Fort Belvoir expansion in Fairfax County, which will add an additional 11,000 military and civilian personnel to the sprawling military base along the Route 1/Interstate 395 corridor.  Senator Warner also successfully worked with members of the Virginia and Maryland congressional delegations to secure $150 million for traffic improvements along the Route 1/Interstate 395 corridor at Fort Belvoir.

Photo credit: Flickr User kalavinka

Senator Warner today filed legislation that would end the improper and unofficial system of "reserved" gravesites for VIPs at Arlington National Cemetery. In addition, Senator Warner's legislation directs the U.S. Army to fully investigate -- and report back to Congress within 180 days -- on the number of plots that may have been set aside in violation of a 1962 Army policy which clearly states that Arlington National Cemetery plots must be provided to any qualified military veteran, without regard to rank or status.

“It is a disgrace that back room deals apparently were being made that allowed high-ranking officers and other VIPs to pre-select the gravesites where they wished to be buried," Senator Warner said. "It is offensive that this improper reservation system could allow some general to trump the Arlington burial rights of a fallen soldier from Iraq or Afghanistan,” Senator Warner said.

Reserving plots at Arlington was allowed until 1962, when the cemetery began to fill up.  But although the Army officially changed the rules and regulations to end reservations in 1962, cemetery superintendents allowed selected "senior officials" to pick areas of the cemetery where they wished to be buried. The Army Inspector General identified this practice as a serious violation of Army policy in the early 1990’s, but nothing was done to stop the practice and the process continued.

Kathryn Condon, who was appointed executive director of the Army National Cemeteries Program last year in the aftermath of the scandal at Arlington, has said the cemetery will honor reservations properly made before 1962, as long as the deceased meets current eligibility requirements for burial at Arlington. Published reports indicate cemetery officials currently are sifting through thousands of official and unofficial reservations that remain on file, and Senator Warner's legislation will ensure that it gets done in a timely and transparent way.

"What we’re saying is, Arlington managers must follow the rules," Senator Warner said. "Some general should not be able to say, ‘See that plot under the tree with the view? That’s the one I want.’” 

The legislation filed today is the latest in Senator Warner's ongoing efforts to fix the mess at Arlington National Cemetery, which is the nation's most preeminent military burial ground. After published reports last year documented back-office processes which continued to rely on fragile paper records and hand-written maps, Senator Warner enlisted the help of the non-profit Northern Virginia Technology Council in reviewing and recommending ways to digitize Arlington's burial records. The NVTC's pro-bono report also recommended specific steps that could dramatically improve Arlington's customer services to grieving military families.

This inadequate system of record-keeping is at the center of many of the problems identified in a report last year by the Army's inspector general, which found numerous graves that were unmarked or misidentified, as well as misplaced headstones and unidentified burial urns.  The report also found that the cemetery relied on a single fax machine to handle the thousands of requests for burial the cemetery receives each year, often making it impossible for families to transmit a multitude of documents that Arlington officials required to document eligibility for burial.  Much of that information was available on existing Army and Department of Veterans Affairs computer systems, but Arlington employees had no way to access the information since the cemetery operated without modern technology.  

"Our legislation codifies Army regulations and provides accountability and transparency to the process, with a full audit and then a report back to Congress," Senator Warner said. "I want to lend my support to Army Secretary John McHugh and  Superintendent Condon, who are trying to clean up this mess after years of neglect."

"This is the right thing to do. We owe this to our military men and women, our veterans and their families," Senator Warner said.

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner today announced $148 million in federal grants to Virginia agencies, municipalities, and public safety organizations.  The 296 U.S. Department of Justice grants support public safety projects across the Commonwealth of Virginia.

“Given the difficult economic climate and the budget shortfalls facing local governments, this critical funding will provide uninterrupted law enforcement services and will spur innovation and efficiency in public safety,” said Senator Webb, author of the National Criminal Justice Act, which would create a bipartisan commission to review the criminal justice system and offer concrete recommendations for reform. 

“Especially in a time of tight budgets, these grants provide much-needed support for vital public safety programs across Virginia,” Senator Warner said. “These funds will help us better support victims of crime, equip our front-line law enforcement officers, and provide additional investment in the longer-term modernization of Virginia’s criminal justice system.”  

The Department of Justice has three grant making components: the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), and the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). 

• The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is the largest grant making arm of the Department of Justice. For Fiscal Year 2010, Virginia received 266 awards totaling $138.4 million in OJP grants to help Virginia prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims.  To view the entire list of OJP grant awards in Virginia, please click here. 
• The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies, and practices aimed at ending domestic violence. For Fiscal Year 2010, the Commonwealth of Virginia received 16 OVW grants totaling more than $7.4 million. To view the entire list of OVW grand awards in Virginia, please click here.
• Within the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, Virginia received eight awards totaling more than $500,000 from the Secure Our Schools (SOS) grant program, which focuses on improving safety by preventing school violence in and around schools. Six grants totaling more than $1.6 million were awarded to Virginia through the COPS Hiring Program, enabling local law enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth to hire and/or rehire full-time sworn officers to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. 

A breakdown of regional highlights is below:

NORTHERN VIRGINIA

• $800,000 to the County of Fairfax to establish the Fairfax County Domestic Violence Justice Center, which will provide survivor centered, coordinated services to victims of domestic violence and stalking. They money will also support four attorneys to prosecute domestic violence matters in the Fairfax County Circuit Court as well as other related personnel positions. 
• $749,898 to George Mason University to implement the “Skills for Offender Assessment and Responsivity in New Goals” project to create a suite of web-based tools to develop and sustain evidence-based practices. 
• $659,256 to Enough is Enough in Great Falls, Virginia, to implement the Virginia Internet Safety 101: Program to reduce Internet-initiated crime against youth 

HAMPTON ROADS

• $7.4 million in aggregated grants to the National Center for State Courts in Williamsburg, Virginia.  The money will go to a range of projects, including enhancement of the statistical database for state court systems nationwide, a survey of state court criminal appeals processing, and an assessment of current procedures for reporting dispositions and warrants. 
• $385,310 to the City of Franklin through the COPS Hiring Program.  This money will allow the Franklin policing services to hire and/or rehire two full-time sworn officers to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.
• $1.3 million in Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) to York County, James City County, Accomack County, Suffolk, Southampton, Hampton, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Newport News, and Norfolk. The JAG Program supports a variety of efforts such as hiring and support for law enforcement officers; multijurisdictional drug and gang task forces; crime prevention and domestic violence programs; and courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives.

RICHMOND

• $16.7 million to the National White Collar Crime Center in Glen Allen, Virginia. The NW3C will provide national training and support to improve the capacity of criminal justice systems to fight economic, financial, and electronic crime with an emphasis on intellectual property.
• $6 million in aggregated grants to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services  for projects including the STOP Violence Against Women Program, forensic science improvements, and substance abuse treatment for state prisoners. 
• $200,000 to the City of Richmond to launch a Violence-Free Zone (VFZ) initiative to prevent and reduce youth violence and to make George Wythe High School safe for learning. 

SHENANDOAH VALLEY

• $1 million to the Clarke County Sheriff’s Department to support the Northwest Virginia Regional Gang Task Force. The county will use the money to raise awareness about gangs and gang violence and to identify, apprehend, and prosecute gang offenders. 
• $350,000 to the City of Roanoke for the Safe Havens Program, a two year pilot program to increase supervised visitation and exchange options for families with a history of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, or stalking. Roanoke will use the funds to collaborate with its partners, Total Action Against Poverty and the 23^rd Judicial District Court to strengthen and enhance existing program services. 
• $135,398 to the City of Charlottesville through the Adult Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program. The money will be used to enhance the Charlottesville-Albemarle Adult Drug Treatment Court. 

SOUTHSIDE

• $422,919 to Henry County through the COPS Hiring Program. This money will allow the county policing services to hire and/or rehire 3 full-time sworn officers to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.
• $400,000 to the City of Lynchburg for the Community-Defined Solutions to Violence Against Women Program. Lynchburg will collaborate with its non-profit, non-governmental victim service partner, YWCA Crisis Service to enhance the protocols and staff of the Domestic Violence Prosecution Units 
• $185,000 in Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) to Lynchburg, Danville, Henry County, Campbell County, Pittsylvania County, Brunswith County, and the Town of South Hill. The JAG Program supports a variety of efforts such as hiring and support for law enforcement officers; multijurisdictional drug and gang task forces; crime prevention and domestic violence programs; and courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives. 

SOUTHWEST

• $349,989 to the City of Bristol to establish an adult drug court to assist non-violent offenders with successful rehabilitation from the use of drugs and/or alcohol. 
• $107,126 to the Town of Glade Spring through the COPS Hiring Program.  This money will allow Glade Spring policing services to hire and/or rehire a full-time sworn officer to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts
• 63,745 in Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) to Russell County, Washington County, Bristol, and Blacksburg. The JAG Program supports a variety of efforts such as hiring and support for law enforcement officers; multijurisdictional drug and gang task forces; crime prevention and domestic violence programs; and courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives
• $50,000 in Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program grants to make the police force more safe across the Commonwealth.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner announced today that the Army has accepted an offer from the Northern Virginia Technology Council to assess the information technology challenges at Arlington National Cemetery, where the continued use of paper records has been tied to the recent disclosure of misidentified and misplaced remains. In addition, NVTC members will immediately work to digitize the paper records and maps to protect these fragile records from damage or loss.

“All of us were frustrated and angered to learn that Arlington Cemetery officials continued to rely on paper records, which means we are one fire, rainstorm or coffee-spill away from damaging or even losing these truly irreplaceable records,” Senator Warner said. “I appreciate Army Secretary John McHugh’s willingness to partner with NVTC on this novel approach, and I especially appreciate the overwhelming response from Northern Virginias strong I-T community. This is corporate citizenship at its best.”

"NVTC is made up of the country's most well respected and innovative technology companies and this collaborative pro bono effort demonstrates their loyalty, compassion and admiration for those who served in the armed forces, many making the ultimate sacrifice," said Bobbie Kilberg, President and CEO, NVTC. "We applaud Senator Warner for his leadership in trying to resolve this important matter. NVTC looks forward to working under the direction of Army Secretary McHugh and his team to help assess Arlington Cemetery's technology requirements. It is an honor and privilege to be involved."

“The NVTC membership is eager and willing to support the U.S. Army as it responds to this difficult situation. We want to ensure that we honor the women and men who served their country and, in many cases, gave the ultimate sacrifice for this nation. We are united in our willingness to support Senator Warner in his efforts to remedy this crisis," said George C. Newstrom, President and COO of Lee Technologies.

The following 15 NVTC member companies have volunteered their assistance as part of the assessment group: ACS, a Xerox Company; Blue Canopy; Booz Allen Hamilton; CACI; CGI; Consumer Electronics Association (CEA); Corporation for National Research Initiatives; CSC; IBM; Lee Technologies; MAXIMUS; Microsoft; MITRE; SoltechOne; and Vistronix.

Arlington National Cemetery, which contains more than 330,000 graves on 200 acres in northern Virginia, has served as the nation's pre-eminent military cemetery for almost 150 years. More than 100 military burials are conducted at Arlington each week. Four million visitors pay their respects every year.

A June 10th report from the Army rendered 76 findings and more than 100 specific recommendations, and the Secretary of the Army announced a long-term plan to correct deficiencies at Arlington that same day.

The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) is the membership and trade association for the technology community in Northern Virginia. As the largest technology council in the nation, NVTC serves about 1,000 companies from all sectors of the technology industry, as well as service providers, universities, foreign embassies, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies. Through its member companies, NVTC represents about 200,000 employees in the region.