Senator Warner warns House Republican tax bill will harm Virginia families, hospitals | ALXnow

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) issued a stark warning about the impacts of the recently passed House Republican tax bill, saying it will devastate Virginia families and healthcare systems while primarily benefiting the ultra-wealthy.

During a media availability from the Capitol, Warner criticized the legislation that passed “in the dead of night,” saying it will cause approximately 248,000 Virginians to lose healthcare coverage.

“This bill is just devastating to Virginia,” Warner said. “About 248,000 Virginians will lose health care, whether they are on Medicaid… or if they buy their health insurance through the marketplace.”

Warner warned of dramatic premium increases for those purchasing insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchanges.

“This is going to drive up those of you who buy on the exchange your rates 200, 300%,” he said. “If we don’t get some of this fixed in the Senate and those rates go up fivefold or tenfold, remember where that came from… It came from this big awful bill that Donald Trump has put forward.”

The senator expressed particular concern about the impact on rural healthcare facilities, suggesting many could be forced to close.

“Rural hospitals will shut down. And even if your hospital doesn’t shut down, already in wide swaths of Virginia, it’s hard to find a hospital that will provide OBGYN delivery services,” Warner said. “Do we really want it in Virginia, where you’ve got to drive a couple hundred miles to deliver a baby?”

Warner characterized the tax changes as fundamentally unfair, citing estimates that minimum wage workers would see tax increases while the wealthy receive substantial breaks.

“If you’re on minimum wage anywhere in America, and if you’re on minimum wage, chances are you may have to even be working two jobs to make ends meet. You’re going to see your taxes go up estimated 53%,” he said. “If you’re at the high end of earners that top tenth of 1%, you’re going to get a tax break about a minimum of $188,000.”

The senator also addressed his concerns about the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative led by Elon Musk, warning about potential misuse of Americans’ personal data.

“I’ve been hugely concerned since the whole Elon Musk Doge Bros effort to come into our federal agencies,” Warner said. “I’ve been concerned about their ability to kind of punch a thumb drive into our massive databases and suck that information out, whether it’s your Social Security information, your tax information, your personal information.”

In response, Warner discussed his proposed DOGE BROS Act, which would increase penalties for unauthorized access to government information.

“Our Doge Bros Bill dramatically increases the fines if this private information is somehow taken from the federal government and misused,” he explained. “That may not affect Mr. Musk. He’s the wealthiest man in the world. But I hope for some of these 22-year-old doge Bros, they will think twice before stealing that information.”

Warner also addressed the freezing of rural broadband funding, expressing concern that the Commerce Department may try to reclaim allocated funds against congressional wishes.

“We had $42 billion that were put in for rural deployment,” Warner said. “Virginia had actually gotten an award about a billion and a half dollars. We were sitting pretty. But the fact that it didn’t get out, and now this new administration, which tries to erase everything that the previous administration did that was good, has put a freeze on this funding.”

The senator speculated this could benefit Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service.

“I worry that this may be one other example where government policy is being bent to provide benefit to an Elon Musk company,” Warner said. “I’ve got nothing against satellite-based or wireless-based deployment, but even as a wireless guy, I know fibre is a better long-term solution.”

When asked about a potential merger affecting the Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) in Hampton Roads, Warner expressed concern but noted he hasn’t been fully briefed.

“There are extraordinary values of having TRADOC operation in Hampton Roads because it works closely with the other commands that are there,” he says. “If this is simply a political move to try to move a military command away from the kind of synergy they have with other commands that are in Hampton Roads, I’ll fight it tooth and nail.”

Warner also criticized new FBI Director Kash Patel’s decision to disband a group monitoring potential abuses of Section 702 surveillance authorities, calling it “outrageous” and hypocritical given Patel’s previous concerns about government overreach.

The senator also addressed the recent killings of two young Israeli delegates in Washington, D.C. He condemned the “politically motivated” attack and called for unity against antisemitism and Islamophobia.

Warner paid tribute to the late Rep. Gerry Connolly, describing him as a staunch advocate for federal workers. “If you wanted to be in a political battle, Gerry Connolly was the guy you wanted next to you in that foxhole,” he said.

The senator concluded by expressing frustration at the current administration’s inefficient and “mean-spirited” actions.