U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) will join Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) as Co-Chair of the Senate Aerospace Caucus. Senator Warner is taking over for Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) who stepped down at the beginning of the 115th Congress.
 
Aerospace and defense has a huge impact on Virginia, from the space launch facilities at Wallops Island and the Huntington Ingalls shipyard at Newport News to the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems test site program hosted by Virginia Tech. Companies like Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics have located their corporate headquarters in Virginia, demonstrating the state’s attractiveness to an industry boasting 1.7 million employees nationwide, a long history of innovation, great potential to create new jobs and the largest positive trade balance of any manufacturing sector at $90 billion in 2016.
 
“I am very pleased to be succeeding my esteemed Washington colleague Sen. Patty Murray in co-chairing this caucus, which is driving important discussions around aerospace. This is an exciting time for the industry, from our work building the next generation of military and civilian aircraft to the explosion of an unmanned systems industry that has the potential to transform our daily lives,” said Sen. Warner. “As the Senator representing the Commonwealth of Virginia, I am proud that so many aerospace companies call us home. I look forward to working closely with Sen. Jerry Moran to advocate for this important industry.”
 
“The bipartisan Senate Aerospace Caucus plays a useful role in helping raise awareness of the impact of aerospace industry jobs and provides a forum for discussion about the issues faced by the industry,” said Sen. Moran. “I’m thankful for the efforts of Sen. Murray as my co-chair in years past, and I am pleased to welcome Sen. Warner as our new co-chair and look forward to working with him. In both Kansas and Virginia, the aerospace industry is where the priorities of a strong national defense and strong economy converge, and it is important that Congress works to make certain the jobs, economic prosperity, and exciting new technology this industry provides succeeds for years to come.”
 
“As a voice for the many thousands of hardworking men and women in the aerospace industry in my home state of Washington, it has been an honor to chair the bipartisan United States Senate Aerospace Caucus and to promote American innovation around the world,” Senator Murray said. “From securing educational opportunities and aerospace job training programs, to investing in research and development, I am proud of what this Caucus has accomplished thus far and how we have prepared for the future. I want to thank my long-time co-chair Senator Jerry Moran for his partnership and vision, and I welcome Senator Mark Warner on board. I am certain the Caucus will be stronger than ever under this able leadership.”
 
“As the voice of American aerospace and defense, AIA welcomes Senator Warner’s selection to co-chair the Senate Aerospace Caucus,” said AIA President and CEO David F. Melcher. “He has been a strong advocate for aerospace and defense and understands the need for robust investment in American leadership in this area. Our industry looks forward to working with him to boost economic growth, ensure our national security and fulfill our industry’s great potential to create new high-wage, high-skill jobs. We’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Senator Murray for her years of service as co-chair of the Senate Aerospace Caucus since its founding. Her steadfast leadership and support has had an enormous positive impact on our industry.”
 
Founded in 2010, the Senate Aerospace Caucus provides a forum for Senators and aerospace industry representatives to discuss issues of importance to the nation’s defense, civil aviation and space sectors. The aerospace caucus:
 
·         Provides critical oversight of the U.S. government’s aerospace defense industry program;
·         Promotes increased government investment in U.S. aviation infrastructure and development;
·         Ensures a competitive industrial base; and
·         Promotes education and workforce development programs that prepare Americans for careers in the aerospace industry.