WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, (both D-VA) today joined U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and their Senate Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. expressing serious alarm over the Trump Administration’s decision to cut NIH funding – a move that threatens to undermine America’s biomedical research infrastructure and set us back generations. These illegal cuts would create a serious funding shortfall for research institutions nationwide, undermining progress on lifesaving scientific advancements, and potentially costing the U.S. economy billions of dollars and threaten the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of workers.  

 “As the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world, NIH plays a critical role in sustaining the research infrastructure necessary for scientific breakthroughs in cancer treatment, infectious disease prevention, and medical technology innovation, among many others. President Trump has wreaked havoc on the nation’s biomedical research system in recent weeks. In his first several days in office, President Trump imposed a hiring freeze, communications freeze, ban on travel, and cancellation of grant review and advisory panels that are necessary to advance research. While some of these efforts have been reversed, they continue to cause confusion and miscommunication among researchers and recipients of NIH funds,”wrote the senators.

Last week, the NIH announced it would set the maximum reimbursement rate for indirect costs to 15 percent – creating a serious funding shortfall for research institutions of all types across the country. This move would dismantle the biomedical research system and stifle the development of new cures for disease. It would also fail produce real cost savings and instead just shift costs to states who can’t afford to pay the difference.

“This change to NIH’s indirect cost rate represents an indiscriminate funding cut that will be nothing short of catastrophic for the lifesaving research that patients and families are counting on. The Administration’s new policy means that research will come to a halt, sick kids may not get the treatment they need, and clinical trials may shut down abruptly,” the senators continued.

The senators’ letter points out that, in addition to the stifling impact on discovering new cures and ripping away treatment from those who need it, changes to NIH policy and communications threaten jobs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. NIH research supported more than 412,000 jobs and fueled nearly $93 billion in new economic activity in Fiscal Year 2023 and every dollar the NIH invests in research generates almost $2.50 in economic activity. 

“The Trump Administration has left researchers, universities, and health systems with great uncertainty about whether they can continue to support entire research programs and patient clinical trials across the country. Institutions and grantees nationwide are dealing with an unprecedented external communications “pause” enacted by new leadership at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the lack of transparency regarding the Administration’s illegal funding freeze, and the uncertainty of how new Executive Orders would be applied to their critical work. These actions resulted in NIH freezing grant reviews and cancelling advisory meetings, delaying critical funding that scientists need to continue advancing new cures and treatments. These disruptions do not just slow research—they cost lives,”the senators stressed.

“Our standing as a world leader in funding and producing new medical and scientific innovations has been put at risk by these recent actions from the Trump Administration. We urge you to stop playing political games with the lifesaving work of the NIH and to allow NIH research to continue uninterrupted.”

This letter comes on the heels of a Monday ruling in which a federal judge temporarily blocked the NIH rate cut and set a hearing for February 21.

A copy of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Secretary Kennedy,

We write to express our serious concern with the Trump Administration’s recent decisions that threaten to undermine the nation’s biomedical research infrastructure and set us back generations. The steps the Trump Administration has taken will create a serious funding shortfall for research institutions nationwide, threaten to undermine progress on lifesaving scientific advancements, could cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars, and threaten the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of workers.  

As the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world, NIH plays a critical role in sustaining the research infrastructure necessary for scientific breakthroughs in cancer treatment, infectious disease prevention, and medical technology innovation, among many others. President Trump has wreaked havoc on the nation’s biomedical research system in recent weeks. In his first several days in office, President Trump imposed a hiring freeze, communications freeze, ban on travel, and cancellation of grant review and advisory panels that are necessary to advance research. While some of these efforts have been reversed, they continue to cause confusion and miscommunication among researchers and recipients of NIH funds.

Just last week, NIH announced an illegal plan to cap indirect cost rates that research institutions rely on. In capping indirect cost rates at 15 percent for NIH-funded grants, this policy would cut funding essential for conducting research, such as operating and maintaining laboratories, equipment, and research facilities. This change to NIH’s indirect cost rate represents an indiscriminate funding cut that will be nothing short of catastrophic for the lifesaving research that patients and families are counting on. The Administration’s new policy means that research will come to a halt, sick kids may not get the treatment they need, and clinical trials may shut down abruptly.

These confusing and harmful policy changes threaten patient safety. The strength of the American research enterprise – recognized as the best in the world – is built on Congress’ bipartisan commitment to supporting essential research infrastructure. This funding, which Congress has long appropriated on a bipartisan basis, fuels groundbreaking medical discoveries and cements the United States’ position as the global leader in biomedical research.

In addition to the stifling impact on discovering new cures and ripping away treatment from those who need it, changes to NIH policy and communications threaten jobs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with everyone from custodians, to research trainees, to scientists facing potential layoffs. NIH research supported more than 412,000 jobs and fueled nearly $93 billion in new economic activity in Fiscal Year 2023. Every dollar the NIH invests in research generates almost $2.50 in economic activity. These reckless policy changes not only threaten biomedical innovation and research, but also the livelihoods of thousands of workers in every state across the nation.

The Trump Administration has left researchers, universities, and health systems with great uncertainty about whether they can continue to support entire research programs and patient clinical trials across the country. Institutions and grantees nationwide are dealing with an unprecedented external communications “pause” enacted by new leadership at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the lack of transparency regarding the Administration’s illegal funding freeze, and the uncertainty of how new Executive Orders would be applied to their critical work. These actions resulted in NIH freezing grant reviews and cancelling advisory meetings, delaying critical funding that scientists need to continue advancing new cures and treatments. These disruptions do not just slow research – they cost lives. 

The NIH plays a critical role in our nation’s efforts to fund scientific advancements that improve health and save lives. Our standing as a world leader in funding and producing new medical and scientific innovations has been put at risk by these recent actions from the Trump Administration. We urge you to stop playing political games with the lifesaving work of the NIH and to allow NIH research to continue uninterrupted.

Sincerely,

### 

Warner, Reed, Colleagues Blast Trump Admin. Decision To Shutter The CFPB and Put Consumers & Military Families at Risk

Feb 11 2025

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) and a number of their Senate colleagues in a letter demanding that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) perform its essential work supervising and investigating violations of consumer financial protection laws and taking forceful enforcement actions against scammers and payday lenders. This letter comes on the heels of an ill-advised move by the Trump administration to shutter the CFPB, which collects, investigates, and monitors consumer complaints about financial products and services, and provides relief to consumers who have been wronged by unscrupulous financial providers. 

As a consumer watchdog, the CFPB looks out for Americans’ financial wellbeing, preventing scams and holding offenders accountable. This is especially true for servicemembers, veterans, and their families. Since the agency’s inception, the CFPB has returned over $21 billion back to consumers who have fallen victim to abusive and illegal activity.

“This morning, in your capacity as Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), you issued a directive to employees to cease all work without your express written approval.  This includes investigations, supervision, enforcement, and litigation activities, as well as all stakeholder engagement and public communications.  This decision leaves all Americans susceptible to predatory lending and other abusive practices, but in particular, it eliminates protections that prevent servicemembers from being exploited,” wrote the senators.

In this letter, the Senators also express The Trump Administration’s decision to stop supervision, enforcement, and litigation eliminates key protections enacted by Congress through the Military Lending Act (MLA) and Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) to protect servicemembers, who are disproportionally targeted by predatory lenders and schemes, and often face greater financial risks than civilian borrowers due to the nature of their military service.  The financial and legal protections in these bipartisan laws – most notably a temporary reduction in interest rates on mortgages, credit cards, and auto loans – are critical to national defense and military readiness. 

“Nullifying the MLA and imperiling servicemembers’ rights under the SCRA will degrade military readiness, cost taxpayers money, and tarnish servicemembers’ records.  The Department of Defense (DOD) has stated that ‘high-cost debt can detract from mission focus, reduce productivity, and require the attention of supervisors and commanders.’  Morale suffers when servicemembers and their families are trapped in cycles of debt. And taxpayers are on the hook when our servicemembers leave the military due to avoidable personal issues like financial insecurity.  According to DOD, each separated servicemember costs the Pentagon more than $58,000,” they continued.

“Accordingly, we request that the CFPB continue to supervise and investigate violations of the consumer financial protection laws and take forceful enforcement actions against lenders that violate the law, especially when it comes to predatory lending that harms our military readiness. We also request that the CFPB continue to make public communications to consumers, especially to servicemembers regarding the rights that they are owed under the SCRA,” the letter concluded.

In addition to Sens. Warner and Reed, the letter was signed by U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Edward Markey (D-MA).

A copy of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Director Vought:

This morning, in your capacity as Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), you issued a directive to employees to cease all work without your express written approval.  This includes investigations, supervision, enforcement, and litigation activities, as well as all stakeholder engagement and public communications.  This decision leaves all Americans susceptible to predatory lending and other abusive practices, but in particular, it eliminates protections that prevent servicemembers from being exploited. 

This funding, supervision, enforcement, and communications freeze will hit military families especially hard.  Without a functional CFPB, military families will be stripped of their financial protections under the bipartisan Military Lending Act (MLA) that they have earned and deserve by serving our Nation.  The CFPB is the primary agency responsible for supervising and enforcing the MLA against nonbank financial companies, including payday lenders, pawnshops, and debt collectors who have charged servicemembers interest rates as high as 600% and who have threatened to derail their careers if they do not pay up. 

The agency’s supervision and enforcement program has delivered concrete results for the military.  The CFPB has resolved 39 cases involving harm to servicemembers and veterans, returning $363 million to victims, including six enforcement actions for violations of the MLA.  Two additional MLA cases are currently pending in court, alleging that a pawn shop and an installment lender charged sky high interest rates to military families and engaged in deceptive practices to illegally harvest fees.  With these cases frozen, no supervision, staff locked out, and additional enforcement off the table, unscrupulous lenders will exploit these circumstances to engage in additional predatory lending.  The actions that you have taken since being installed as Acting Director betray our servicemembers and empower scammers who want to rip them off.

Further, recent CFPB research identified a long-running pattern of lenders failing to decrease servicemembers’ interest rates while on active duty as required by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).  These failures cost servicemembers thousands of dollars per year.  The CFPB’s public communications have held lenders accountable and helped servicemembers exercise their rights under Federal law.

Nullifying the MLA and imperiling servicemembers’ rights under the SCRA will degrade military readiness, cost taxpayers money, and tarnish servicemembers’ records.  The Department of Defense (DOD) has stated that “high-cost debt can detract from mission focus, reduce productivity, and require the attention of supervisors and commanders.”  Morale suffers when servicemembers and their families are trapped in cycles of debt.  And taxpayers are on the hook when our servicemembers leave the military due to avoidable personal issues like financial insecurity.  According to DOD, each separated servicemember costs the Pentagon more than $58,000.

Accordingly, we request that the CFPB continue to supervise and investigate violations of the consumer financial protection laws and take forceful enforcement actions against lenders that violate the law, especially when it comes to predatory lending that harms our military readiness.  We also request that the CFPB continue to make public communications to consumers, especially to servicemembers regarding the rights that they are owed under the SCRA. 

We request your commitment no later than February 12, 2025.  Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

###

Following Deadly DCA Collision, Virginia & Maryland Lawmakers Request Answers From FAA

Feb 11 2025

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD), along with U.S. Reps. Don Beyer, Gerald Connolly, Suhas Subramanyam (all D-VA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today requested answers and commitments from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on its plans to protect the flying public in the wake of the January 29 collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines airplane. In the letter, the lawmakers applauded the precautionary safety measures put in place by the FAA, as well as the agency’s collaboration with the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) investigation into the causes and factors behind the collision. They also stressed the need to carefully review existing protocols to ensure that flight operations do not simply return to business as usual.

The lawmakers also expressed serious concern with potential interference with the FAA by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has caused mayhem across the government, from attempting to push out nonpartisan civil servants, to reportedly accessing the U.S. Treasury’s payment system, as well as systems at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

“While we applaud FAA for early actions taken to bolster safety, recent actions indicate that your agency is inviting inexperienced individuals with intense partisan leanings into a process that should be objective and expert driven,” wrote the lawmakers, citing an Elon Musk tweet. “We are extremely concerned that an ad hoc team of individuals lacking any expertise, exposure, certifications, or knowledge of aviation operations being invited, or inserting themselves, to make ‘rapid’ changes to our nation’s air traffic systems. This the wrong course of action to take.”

They continued, “We want the safest skies in the world, and any efforts to weaken standards will not be tolerated. Aviation safety is not an area to “move fast and break things”. Proven, methodical, and deliberate action is what is called for when any changes are considered to safety. We express in the strongest possible terms our alarm at allowing Musk’s cadre of unvetted, untrained, and unaccountable individuals the ability to make changes to complicated and sensitive FAA policies at a time when serious and knowledgeable people should be in charge.”

Stressing the need to prioritize safety and to base any future measures on the knowledge of aviation experts, the lawmakers requested answers to the following questions:

1. The FAA’s current restrictions on helicopter flights at National Airport are tied to the release of NTSB’s preliminary report. What factors will FAA consider as it reassesses the need for extending or modifying the restrictions? Please provide details on, and documentation sufficient to substantiate, additional safety measures that are being contemplated and/or will be proposed to deconflict or otherwise improve safety in the air space over National Airport. 
2. As you assess the need for additional measures, will you commit to consulting recognized aviation experts – both in and out of the federal government – to identify requirements or operational changes for civil and military aviation in the National Capital Region?
3. On February 4, less than one week from the incident, reports emerged that FAA directed its personnel to cease participating in Federal advisory or aviation rulemaking committees. Were FAA personnel directed to cease participating in these committees?
   1. If true, please describe the rationale for such a decision and provide documentation sufficient to substantiate any directives received from other Federal government officials, other individuals acting under the direction of the President, or who are otherwise asserting a legal authority to direct or influence decision-making at the FAA.
4. On February 5, 2025, Elon Musk and Secretary Duffy each announced that DOGE would “upgrade our aviation system”.
   1. Were you informed of this decision in advance of either social media posting?
   2. What engagement have you had with DOGE at this time?
   3. What engagement has been discussed or is planned for the future?
   4. Do you have knowledge of what comprises the “rapid safety upgrades” Musk tweeted about?
   5. Do you commit to timely report to Congress any actions that the FAA is directed to undertake at the direction of the President, DOGE, or by the Office of the Secretary of Transportation regarding any aspect of aviation safety?
   6. Do you commit to providing the public with details about what recommendations DOGE staff and representatives provide to you in relation to aviation safety? Will you notify Congress if you elect to follow through on any recommendations provided to you by DOGE staff and representatives?
   7. In your prior experience at FAA, has any special government employee been directed or otherwise empowered to influence FAA officials on safety decisions?
5. Will you commit the full cooperation and support of the FAA to the NTSB investigation and to swiftly implement its recommendations?
6. Will you commit to examining the communication processes and protocols between FAA, the U.S. Department of Defense, and other stakeholders that are used during aviation operations in and around National Airport and the National Capital Region?
7. Will you commit to working with the U.S. Department of Defense to evaluate training protocols for required missions in the National Capital Region, particularly those around National Airport and during high-traffic periods, and enact any modifications needed to reduce risk?
8. Will you commit to briefing us on the implementation of changes to the slot (i.e., high density) rule included in the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, given that the first of the routes authorized under that legislation will become operational this week?

A copy of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Mr. Rocheleau: 

In the aftermath of the January 29, 2025 mid-air collision between a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) RJ Aviation (Bombardier) CRJ700 and a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (“National Airport”), we write to request information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on plans to protect the public during the investigations and once the investigations are complete. As the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into the causes and factors behind the collision is carried out, the FAA should identify and implement immediate steps to improve safety for aviation industry personnel, the flying public, and the communities that surround National Airport. 

As we mourn the victims of this tragedy, we must work together to ensure that collisions like this one do not happen again in honor of the memory of those lost. We applaud the FAA’s decision to restrict helicopter traffic near National Airport until the NTSB preliminary report is released and to pause of the use of two of the smaller runways at the airport. Your collaboration thus far with the NTSB as it carries out an independent, fact-based, and thorough investigation into this incident is appreciated. While the NTSB works to complete their investigation, it is crucial that we thoroughly review and scrutinize the protocols that govern flight operations near the airspace over National Airport, and ensure that we are not simply restarting “normal” operations. This is of further importance in light of the FAA’s steps to ensure airspace safety after Congress’s decision last year to add additional traffic to this airspace.

While we applaud FAA for early actions taken to bolster safety, recent actions indicate that your agency is inviting inexperienced individuals with intense partisan leanings into a process that should be objective and expert driven. On February 5, 2025, Elon Musk announced via X (formerly known as Twitter) that “With the support of President @realDonaldTrump, the @DOGE team will aim to make rapid safety upgrades to the air traffic control system. Just a few days ago, the FAA’s primary aircraft safety notification system failed for several hours!” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, also on X, stated “Big News – Talked to the DOGE team. They are going to plug in to help upgrade our aviation system.”

We are extremely concerned that an ad hoc team of individuals lacking any expertise, exposure, certifications, or knowledge of aviation operations being invited, or inserting themselves, to make “rapid” changes to our nation’s air traffic systems. This the wrong course of action to take. 

We want the safest skies in the world, and any efforts to weaken standards will not be tolerated. Aviation safety is not an area to “move fast and break things”. Proven, methodical, and deliberate action is what is called for when any changes are considered to safety. We express in the strongest possible terms our alarm at allowing Musk’s cadre of unvetted, untrained, and unaccountable individuals the ability to make changes to complicated and sensitive FAA policies at a time when serious and knowledgeable people should be in charge.

Safety must not be compromised, and FAA’s actions must be based on knowledgeable and accountable experts. Given our shared goal of promoting safety along with our expressed concerns about how DOGE’s involvement could jeopardize that safety, we request your attention and response to the following questions:

1. The FAA’s current restrictions on helicopter flights at National Airport are tied to the release of NTSB’s preliminary report. What factors will FAA consider as it reassesses the need for extending or modifying the restrictions? Please provide details on, and documentation sufficient to substantiate, additional safety measures that are being contemplated and/or will be proposed to deconflict or otherwise improve safety in the air space over National Airport.
2. As you assess the need for additional measures, will you commit to consulting recognized aviation experts – both in and out of the federal government – to identify requirements or operational changes for civil and military aviation in the National Capital Region?
3. On February 4, less than one week from the incident, reports emerged that FAA directed its personnel to cease participating in Federal advisory or aviation rulemaking committees. Were FAA personnel directed to cease participating in these committees?
   1. If true, please describe the rationale for such a decision and provide documentation sufficient to substantiate any directives received from other Federal government officials, other individuals acting under the direction of the President, or who are otherwise asserting a legal authority to direct or influence decision-making at the FAA.
4. On February 5, 2025, Elon Musk and Secretary Duffy each announced that DOGE would “upgrade our aviation system”
   1. Were you informed of this decision in advance of either social media posting?
   2. What engagement have you had with DOGE at this time?
   3. What engagement has been discussed or is planned for the future?
   4. Do you have knowledge of what comprises the “rapid safety upgrades” Musk tweeted about?
   5. Do you commit to timely report to Congress any actions that the FAA is directed to undertake at the direction of the President, DOGE, or by the Office of the Secretary of Transportation regarding any aspect of aviation safety?
   6. Do you commit to providing the public with details about what recommendations DOGE staff and representatives provide to you in relation to aviation safety? Will you notify Congress if you elect to follow through on any recommendations provided to you by DOGE staff and representatives?
   7. In your prior experience at FAA, has any special government employee been directed or otherwise empowered to influence FAA officials on safety decisions?
5. Will you commit the full cooperation and support of the FAA to the NTSB investigation and to swiftly implement its recommendations?
6. Will you commit to examining the communication processes and protocols between FAA, the U.S. Department of Defense, and other stakeholders that are used during aviation operations in and around National Airport and the National Capital Region?
7. Will you commit to working with the U.S. Department of Defense to evaluate training protocols for required missions in the National Capital Region, particularly those around National Airport and during high-traffic periods, and enact any modifications needed to reduce risk?
8. Will you commit to briefing us on the implementation of changes to the slot (i.e., high density) rule included in the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, given that the first of the routes authorized under that legislation will become operational this week?

In addition to the above questions, we request that you provide us with a briefing on FAA’s implementation of critical aviation safety and air traffic controller tower staffing provisions in the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act and on the implementation of Section of 502 of that Act.

We look forward to your swift response and to working together for the best interests of the public, the National Capital Region, and the United States of America.