Mark R. Warner
Senator for Virginia · Democratic · United States
“I am not raising anybody's taxes, but I am saying you shouldn't get all the benefits upfront if you don't provide to the community some guarantees about water, power, setbacks, community involvement.”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
“Literally, during that period, they communicated with each other, hid their intent from human beings, would sacrifice some of the bots for the greater cause, and we are doing nothing? That was July. In August, they had 10,000 bots collaborate.”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
“So the second half of my legislation would say: If you don't meet Gold LEED or Platinum LEED standards, which are already established--if you don't show how you are bringing your own clean power or power, if you don't have criteria on water usage--and that has gotten better because more of these data centers now have circulatory systems,…”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
“But we are at a moment in time, looking over the last few weeks, where I think the whole world has recognized that we have to do something. When AI companies, one after another, come out and say ``We have to elevate safety and put that first and foremost,'' when OpenAI just yesterday said they are slowing the model on Astra, when Anthropi…”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
“In many ways, the reason I chose to ask the people of Virginia to hire me one last time was because, having spent an enormous amount of time on this subject, I am enormously concerned that we get AI right, that it is safe and it is fair, that America leads in AI innovation.”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
“Madam President, I think most of us in this Chamber realize that we are literally living through one of the most consequential technology moments in our lifetime, and that is why I am here with several of my colleagues--Senator Schatz from Hawaii and Senator Kim from New Jersey--to say that we can't, frankly, have regular business at this…”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗
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“Workers whose skills are no longer in demand don't experience the benefits of productivity gains quickly; they experience uncertainty, they experience layoffs, and they experience the challenge of building a new career while supporting a family. Some of the workers most exposed to this disruption may actually not be the ones traditionally exposed, as we thought about the internet in terms of low-skill jobs in rural communities. Today, unemployment amongst recent college graduates has risen to levels that should concern us all. As a matter of fact, I will bet that we will hit 30 percent recent college graduate unemployment in the next 2 years. I hope I am wrong, but if I am not wrong, we are in a heap of trouble.”
Senate21 July 2026Source ↗
“Third, we need to prepare America's workforce for the economy AI will generate. This may ultimately become the defining economic challenge of our time. It is also why Senator Rounds and I introduced bipartisan legislation creating an Economy of the Future Commission to help our country develop a long-term strategy for artificial intelligence and other transformative technologies. These changes won't happen overnight, and they won't be confined to one industry. We need a national strategy equal to the scale of the challenge because while there is every reason to believe that artificial intelligence will actually create new industries and new jobs over the long run, history tells us that technological revolutions rarely unfold smoothly. This transition can be enormously disruptive.”
Senate21 July 2026Source ↗
“My legislation would establish a process to verify that AI models cannot generate child sexual abuse material or nonconsensual intimate images. And how to do that? By preventing the Federal Government from buying systems that fail those basic safeguards and giving survivors a meaningful path for justice when the protections fail. We have seen some of this already start to emerge in terms of chatbot. If you think social media wreaks havoc with your teenagers, think about a chatbot that might consciously or unconsciously encourage your child to do self-harm.”
Senate21 July 2026Source ↗
“I plan to introduce new legislation to establish clear rights and responsibilities for these emerging AI agents so they can compete fairly while meeting strong standards for privacy, cyber security, and security protection. Second, we need meaningful safeguards against abuse. AI has extraordinary power and potential to improve lives, but it also makes it a lot easier to generate convincing fraud, exploit children, violate people's privacy, and create harmful content at unprecedented scale. There is absolutely no legitimate use for an AI system capable of generating child sexual abuse material or nonconsensual intimate images--no use at all. Companies developing these systems have a responsibility to build effective safeguards into their products--not after the harm occurs but before these systems are released.”
Senate21 July 2026Source ↗
“If AI is going to become the interface through which Americans shop, bank, communicate, receive medical advice, and navigate the internet, then people need confidence that these systems are working for them and not exploiting them. That means a couple of things: First, we need to preserve competition, especially when it comes to AI agents. We have seen what happens when a handful of dominant technology companies are allowed to become gatekeepers. Markets become less competitive, consumers have fewer choices, and innovation suffers. As AI agents increasingly act on our behalf online, Americans, not big tech companies, should be able to decide which services they use and, candidly, where their data goes.”
Senate21 July 2026Source ↗
“And part of the way we will make this new standard be met, if Congress is going to provide special tax breaks that allow companies to write off the cost of building these facilities far faster than they otherwise could, these subsidies should come with conditions. Companies receiving that taxpayer support--whether we want to call it bonus depreciation or accelerated depreciation--should meet strong standards for efficiency, sustainability, and accountability because American leadership in AI cannot come at the expense of the communities that make that leadership possible. Second, we need to promote competition, safety, and consumer trust.”
Senate21 July 2026Source ↗
“They deserve to know exactly what is being built in their backyard and a full understanding of what these facilities will mean for their electric grid, their water supply, their air quality, and local infrastructure. My Data Center Tax Accountability and Disclosure Act fixes the problem. It gives people the facts before they need to make decisions about their communities. My bill will ensure transparency about data center electricity and water consumption, backup power generation, and setbacks in residential communities, so as these data centers get built, they are not built right on top of residential neighborhoods--candidly, all information communities should have when planning and building decisions are being made.”
Senate21 July 2026Source ↗
“We waited until the problems became so obvious before we began asking whether there should have been some rules of the road put in place first. We cannot afford to make that same mistake again. That is why today I am introducing a legislative agenda--a series of bills--built around four simple principles: First, we need to build the infrastructure for America's AI future responsibly. The AI revolution depends on enormous amounts of physical infrastructure--particularly massive data centers being built in the Presiding Officer's State, many being built already in Virginia. These facilities place extraordinary demands on electricity, water, and local communities. Communities should not be asked to shoulder the cost of the AI revolution without knowing what they are signing up for.”
Senate21 July 2026Source ↗
“Now, I have spent a lot of time on this issue over the last several years. Before entering public service, I spent my career in technology. I remain convinced that AI has enormous potential to improve lives, accelerate scientific discovery, strengthen our economy, and help America compete. And I share the concern of many Americans that the impacts of this technology on our country and on our culture could also, if we don't get it right, be catastrophic. Let's start with being honest with each other. We are not going to put this genie back in the bottle, and the amount of disruption this technology will bring over the next 5 years is beyond jaw-dropping. I believe Congress made a similar mistake once before. We largely stood on the sidelines as social media reshaped our politics, our economy, our kids.”
Senate21 July 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, moving off of this vigorous debate between my two friends on a topic that I think actually is of equal importance. For most of the last decade, conversations about artificial intelligence were largely conversations about the future, but today they are conversations about the present. AI is already changing how we work, how we learn, how we defend ourselves, how businesses compete, and, candidly, how Americans live their daily lives. AI is writing software, discovering drugs, managing supply chains, helping defend our networks. It is already reshaping the economy, the workplace, and our national security. The question is no longer whether artificial intelligence will transform our society. The question is whether Congress will help shape that transformation or spend the next decade scrambling to catch up after the fact.”
Senate21 July 2026Source ↗
“So I would hope that folks on both sides of the aisle will actually stand up to ``America First.'' Reject this misguided tariff strategy. Reject this demonization of Canada. Recognize that ``America First'' doesn't have to be ``America Alone.'' The only thing that could make my day actually better at this point, beyond that little dose of Kaine optimism, is if the Senate finally comes to its senses tonight and endorses Tim's resolution, and we put an end to this misguided economic policy. With that, I yield the floor.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“As a matter of fact, in Virginia, 280,000 jobs in Virginia depend on trade and investment with Canada. I know, as Governor, I went--and I know, Senator Kaine, as Governor, you went--because Canada is one of our best partners. What would the reception be tomorrow if we showed up in Ottawa? This is not going to be just another economic policy. This is at the lifeblood of the Canadian economy, and combined with the so-called reciprocal tariffs around the world, it is the lifeblood of the American economy. I know Senator Van Hollen is going to say a lot of the same things that I was going to say. I would just say to the Presiding Officer again: I know he sells great cars, but I am not sure if even folks in Ohio are going to be able to afford $2,000 or $5,000 more per car just because of ill-suited tariffs.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“This isn't partisan. This isn't Democrat-Republican. This is math. And no matter how much the President wants to strut on the South Lawn-- and I am glad to see at least the South Lawn was being used for an announcement today as opposed to another day of a Tesla show lot--who is going to bear the brunt of this? It is going to be Americans. It is going to be Canadians. It is going to be the people around the world. I am sure my friend has already mentioned this: Particularly from Virginia's standpoint, Canada is our second biggest trading partner. Virginia's businesses export approximately $3.3 billion worth of products to Canada. We import about $3.2 billion. Virginia's farmers sell about $430 million of goods to Canada. A lot of Virginia peanuts go to Canada. They are not going to be going. That is going to hurt our economy.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“Senator Shaheen just mentioned airplane flights are down 75 percent. America's national anthem is booed at hockey games. We had another person in who ships whiskey--Virginia bourbon--up to Canada. If all the tariffs are off tomorrow, which they will not be, it will be years, if ever, that Canadians will be buying American bourbon. So, in dreamland, $6 trillion of tariffs, you know, is the largest tax increase in American history. I believe it actually goes beyond World War I. Of the so-called ``Liberation Day,'' the only thing that is liberating is this administration liberating Americans from their savings because the market is down. They are liberating businesses from their supply chains because of so much disruption. They are liberating consumers from their hard-earned money because this is going to translate into increased costs.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“What we are seeing with Trump is not ``America First.'' What it is going to be is ``America Alone.'' I say to anybody--and I spend way too much time in a SCIF, I know--but ``America Alone'' is not an America that is safer. Then the notion or idea that we have picked on our longest best friend in many ways--I am a little biased; my mom's parents were from Canada. But the notion that this President is trying to turn Canada into an enemy is beyond belief. You know, I talked with the senior Canadian leader just the other day. He said: Mark, you know, even if, tomorrow, Trump says, ``Never mind,'' as he has gone back and forth a dozen times, or says, ``No harm, no foul,'' the damage we will have done to the relationship between America and Canada will take years to recover from.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“I need Tim Kaine optimism today because the long-awaited Republican budget resolution adds $6 trillion to the deficit--$4 trillion in funny math and about another $2 trillion for tax cuts. That then brings us to not my words but to Peter Navarro's words, whom I happened to meet with on a Sunday, who said that these groups of tariffs will add $6 trillion in revenues. Who do you think is going to pay for that? Candidly, it is going to be the people who buy the Presiding Officer's cars at those great dealerships in Ohio. It is going to be folks in Virginia. We had one of our brewers in yesterday who has already laid off 20 percent of his staff because he imports malted pilsner from Canada.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I rise to join my colleagues who are in support of Senator Kaine's, I think, thoughtful approach on how we can put an end to this tariff war with Canada. I have got to tell you that one of the things about working with Tim Kaine for 40 years is he always keeps a hugely optimistic view of things. Boy, do I need a dose of Tim Kaine optimism today because we have seen in our national security domain a reckless disregard for classified information and no one, so far, held accountable. What a message that sends to our allies and to the men and women who work in our military or in our intelligence. If they did the same behavior with the so-called Signalgate, they would be fired.”
Senate2 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I was absent on Monday, March 24, 2025, for rollcall vote No. 137. Had I been present, I would have voted yea on confirmation of Executive Calendar No. 41, Christopher Landau, of Maryland, to be Deputy Secretary of State. ____________________”
Senate27 March 2025Source ↗
“Madam President, I also want to thank my dear friend from Maine. She is moving back up much higher on all of our lists for being willing to step up and help correct this. You know, we all want what the President wants. The President wants our Nation's Capital to be the safest, cleanest, most welcoming city. DC gets 26 million tourists every year. In 2026, we are going to celebrate 250 years. We want to show off DC and the whole region. If we allow this mistake to take place, DC will lay off cops. It will close schools. It will shut down our trash removal. For those of us in the region who use the Metro, there will be dramatic cutbacks. Let's correct this mistake. Let's make sure that we show on our 250th anniversary the cleanest, safest city in America. This will be a giant step toward that.”
Senate14 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I was absent on Thursday, March 6, 2025, for rollcall vote No. 110. Had I been present, I would have voted Yea on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to Calendar No. 18, S. 331, the Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act, rollcall vote No. 110. ____________________”
Senate11 March 2025Source ↗
“I ask for the yeas and nays.”
Senate20 February 2025Source ↗
“One way we can do that is supporting my amendment.”
Senate20 February 2025Source ↗
“I thank the majority leader for having my amendment. I would like to call up my amendment No. 130 and ask that it be reported by number.”
Senate20 February 2025Source ↗
“This nominee does not have the right experience, credibility, or motivations to be running a government Agency of this size and importance. That is why I will be voting no on Mr. Kennedy's nomination to be Secretary and urge my colleagues to do the same. I yield the floor.”
Senate12 February 2025Source ↗
“Some of our own senior and experienced law enforcement and intelligence professionals are being asked to take political litmus tests, and those who are seen as insufficiently loyal are being fired or forced to resign. Whole Agencies are being eliminated and funding impounded, in flagrant defiance of the Constitution, which only gives the Congress-- us here in this body--the power of the purse. Unvetted, unqualified individuals illegally burrow into classified and sensitive information. This very action is jeopardizing our national security and violating Americans' privacy. These DOGE bros seem to have no restriction on them at all, and I have seen no evidence that Ms. Gabbard is prepared to deal with this onslaught. Therefore, I must oppose her nomination and urge my colleagues to do the same.”
Senate12 February 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to speak for 6 minutes, followed by Senator Wyden for 5 minutes, Senator Crapo for 5 minutes, and Senator Schumer for 2 minutes, prior to the scheduled vote.”
Senate12 February 2025Source ↗
“A vote in favor of her confirmation is an endorsement of President Trump's lawless efforts to hollow out our national security workforce, and her confirmation will further strain the alliances that have kept our country safe for decades; therefore, I urge my colleagues to oppose Ms. Gabbard's nomination. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. THE PRESIDING OFFICER.”
Senate10 February 2025Source ↗
“Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate10 February 2025Source ↗
“For due process for all our Federal workers, I vote no.”
Senate5 February 2025Source ↗
“I want to thank on a personal basis the fact that Senator Moran decided to put this resolution together, to bring us to the floor to kind of get that affirmation that here we are literally 8 days after this tragedy. Thank you, Jerry, for what you have done. I yield the floor.”
Senate5 February 2025Source ↗
“And if they suddenly shut down and we decide after 90 days, ``Oh, we want to start them again,'' the cost is going to be double or triple. There is a better way to do this. So I appeal to my Republican friends. Maybe we need a gang on this to try to think about this in a more bipartisan way. But in the meantime, I implore the administration: Get your act together. Don't put out two separate statements totally contradicting each other on the same day about your intentions--two totally opposite. It just makes chaos and the stress go up, and, ultimately, later in this week, the services disappear. With that, Mr. President, I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate29 January 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate29 January 2025Source ↗