Sen. Mark Warner warned Thursday that between 500,000 and 600,000 Virginians will lose healthcare coverage due to Medicaid cuts and the expiration of Affordable Care Act tax credits, while also calling for national unity on the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The Virginia Democrat highlighted the closure of three rural health centers in Augusta County as evidence of mounting healthcare system strain during a media availability on Thursday. The facilities in Buena Vista, Weir’s Cave, and Churchville have shut down due to cuts from recent legislation.
“If we need any further proof that those cuts and devastation is coming, look simply at what happened in Augusta County,” Warner said.
Warner projected that Virginians will see healthcare rate increases ranging from 20% to 40% starting at the end of September and into early October. An average 60-year-old couple in the Roanoke Valley making about $80,000 will see their prices increase by $800 to $900 per month.
“This is not necessary,” Warner said. “We don’t need this attack on healthcare, particularly since all of these cuts are due to provide a tax cut for the very wealthiest in America.”
The senator warned that the coverage losses will overwhelm emergency rooms and drive up healthcare costs for everyone.
Economic concerns mount
Warner expressed concern about rising inflation numbers, which reached 2.9%, the highest rate in some time. He also pointed to job market revisions showing the economy lost jobs during the summer.
“Young people coming out of college, they’ve never had a tougher job market,” Warner said. “Even in manufacturing, we’re literally 80,000 jobs down from where we started.”
Warner criticized what he called President Trump’s “chaotic approach to tariffs” and said while the stock market may be high, “the real economy is hurting and Americans are hurting.”
Criticism of the health secretary
Warner renewed his criticism of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., following last week’s hearing, where the secretary couldn’t answer how many Americans died from COVID.
“It is abysmal that the Secretary of Health, eight months into his job, didn’t know how many Americans died from COVID,” Warner said.
The senator also criticized Kennedy for being unaware of the crisis in rural America, where OBGYN services have been cut dramatically, particularly in Southside Virginia.
“You have to drive literally hours and hours if you were having a baby or trying to go to the hospital for OBGYN services,” Warner said. “How can you be Secretary of Health and Human Services if you don’t understand what’s going on?”
Warner said Kennedy should resign or that President Trump should fire him.
Political violence condemnation
Warner also addressed the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, emphasizing that all public officials must speak out against political violence regardless of their position on the political spectrum.
“All of us in public life, in the media, in any kind of community leadership has to speak out against political violence,” Warner said. “There is no place for that in our system.”
Warner referenced multiple incidents of political violence, including two assassination attempts on President Trump, the firebombing of the governor’s mansion in Pennsylvania and the shooting of Minnesota legislators.
“All of us, no matter where we fall on the political spectrum, have to speak up and stand up against this kind of violence,” he said.
Call for unity
The senator reflected on the unity Americans demonstrated after 9/11, saying the nation came together after that tragic event and needs to reclaim that spirit.
“Our country did come together in the aftermath of that tragedy,” Warner said. “We’ve got to see if we can rekindle that spirit.”
When asked about reducing political tensions, Warner emphasized the importance of building personal relationships across party lines. He noted that he has been involved in every meaningful bipartisan piece of legislation this year, including the only bipartisan bill passed — the stablecoin bill.
“When you get to know someone, it’s a lot harder when you know them and their family to get on the floor of the Senate and the floor of the House and vilify them as somehow evil or out of the mainstream,” Warner said.
International security concerns
On national security matters, Warner expressed concern about Russian drones violating Polish airspace, calling the incidents “clearly planned, clearly premeditated.”
He warned that Vladimir Putin will not be satisfied with just winning in Ukraine and will push toward the Baltics or Poland.
“We’re now closer to have Russia directly coming conflict with NATO, which would put American troops in harm’s way,” Warner said.
Housing and childcare initiatives
Warner also discussed his recent visit to Danville to examine childcare needs, identifying affordable childcare and affordable housing as the two issues he hears about most on the road.
He highlighted creative solutions in Henrico County, where tax revenue from data centers funds land purchases and waives permitting fees for affordable housing, resulting in a cost reduction of approximately $40,000 per unit.
Warner has proposed legislation that provides tax breaks for employers who increase the salaries of childcare workers, addressing the industry’s 50% annual turnover rate due to low wages.
The senator concluded by urging Americans to remember the unity displayed after 9/11 and work toward recapturing that spirit during these challenging times.
