Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, continuing his five-day swing through Virginia, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine traveled to Appomattox to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War.  Speaking at Appomattox Court House National Historic Park’s ceremony to recognize the anniversary, Kaine delivered a message of unity and the lessons our country can learn from the surrender. “Is there any doubt that American leadership will be just as important in the future as it has been in t...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined 17 of his Senate colleagues in a letter urging increased funding for critical prescription drug abuse prevention, treatment and research programs at the Department of Health and Human Services. In the letter to U.S. Senate appropriators, the senators request the nation’s response to the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic be strengthened through additional funding in fiscal year (FY) 2016. “Prescription and illicit drug abuse...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, co-chair of the Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, continued his five-day swing through the Commonwealth with a visit to Arlington’s La Cocina VA, an organization focused on bilingual workforce development through culinary job training that offers career certifications, lessons in workforce skills and vocational English instruction to Spanish-speaking students. “La Cocina VA is a great combination,&rdqu...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – A bipartisan group of Senators comprising the Southern Atlantic delegation – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Richard Burr (R-NC), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Tim Scott (R-SC), Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and David Perdue (R-GA) – is pushing for offshore energy legislation that allows Atlantic coastal states to share in the revenue from energy resources developed offshore. In January, the U.S. Department of the Interior proposed opening ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine kicked off a five-day swing through the Commonwealth by joining U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker to meet with local business owners in Richmond and discuss how increased trade opportunities for businesses, including trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, would – if agreed to – impact Virginia companies and the Commonwealth’s economy.  “We heard from a variety of businesses in the Richmond area, ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement today on the Iran nuclear negotiations: “The framework agreement reached today is a positive step for diplomacy and efforts to peacefully limit Iran’s nuclear program. Thanks to Secretary Kerry and the P5+1 negotiators, as well as the power of the U.S.-led sanctions regime, the plan announced today includes significant concessions from Iran that, if fu...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined a group of bipartisan Senate colleagues in expressing concern about the lack of progress being made in negotiations with South Africa over antidumping duties that have effectively blocked the import of American chicken for the last 15 years. The senators noted the importance of the nations’ respective trade groups reaching an agreement before the Senate considers reauthorization this spring of the African Growth ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement after voting against the Fiscal Year 2016 Senate Budget Resolution, which passed 52-46: “I am pleased the Senate – in a bipartisan vote – passed an amendment I introduced to pave the way to replace both defense and non-defense sequester cuts with a balanced package of cuts in spending and tax expenditures. However, I was not able to support a budget ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today on Minority Leader Harry Reid’s decision not to run for re-election: “Senator Reid is one of the toughest fighters and kindest souls I know, always putting the people of Nevada and the well-being of our nation first. His guidance and support since I took office in 2013 has been invaluable and I will always be grateful for his friendship.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement today on the situation in Yemen:  “I am deeply concerned by the deteriorating security situation in Yemen and the Houthi attacks on the democratically elected Government of Yemen. Allowing Yemen to spiral into civil or regional proxy war would not only provide an attractive opening for terrorist groups such as al Qaeda in the Ar...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement on the President’s announcement that he will slow the drawdown of U.S. troops in Afghanistan: “Over the past 14 years, the United States has made a significant investment in Afghanistan – including 2,215 American lives lost – that has helped achieve meaningful progress. I support President Obama’s effort to maintai...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after meeting yesterday with Admiral Michelle Howard, the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, to discuss the state of readiness in the U.S. Navy. They also spoke about the findings of a recently released report on the USS Mahan (DDG-72) shooting last year. “I had a very meaningful discussion with Admiral Howard to talk about a number of matters impacting readiness across ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement on the announcement by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that it will revise the 40-mile eligibility rule for the Veterans Choice program by measuring driving distance between a veteran’s home and the nearest VA medical center, instead of the current “as the crow flies” definition. Last month, Warner and Kaine joined 40 of their colleagues to urge Secretary of Veterans...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine along with 19 other Senators sent a letter calling on the Senate Appropriations Committee to support robust investment for a Safe Transportation of Energy Products program to address increasing safety concerns related to the transportation of Bakken crude and other energy products. One week after an April 30, 2014 oil train derailment in Lynchburg, Warner and Kaine urged USDOT to issue regulations requiring the str...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine announced today that his office successfully helped convince the city of Greensboro, N.C. to erect signs to Danville on Route 29 North. Following Kaine’s address to the Danville Economic Development Summit in January 2014, Karl Stauber of the Danville Regional Foundation voiced concern over the absence of signs to Danville on Route 29 in North Carolina, and suggested that displaying signs could help attract tourism and economic activity to th...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement after voting against the Fiscal Year 2016 Senate Budget Resolution in committee, which passed 12-10: “I applaud Chairman Enzi and Ranking Member Sanders for their commitment to doing this budget on time, as well as the inclusion of a number of amendments I introduced, cosponsored, and supported, but believe this budget would need a major overhaul in order to be ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2015, a bill reintroduced in February by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, cleared its first procedural hurdle with passage out of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.  The legislation would grant federal recognition of six Virginia tribes: the Chickahominy, the Eastern Chickahominy, the Upper Mattaponi, the Rappahannock, the Monacan and the Nansemond. These tribes have receiv...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine praised the Departments of Labor (DOL) and Homeland Security (DHS) for providing interim relief to Virginia businesses that rely on seasonal workers, including the seafood industry, but underscored that many details must still be worked out. Last night, DOL filed an uncontested motion to stay a March 4th U.S. District Court ruling that had caused the immediate suspension of application processing, allowing H-2B visa processing to ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD) and 11 bipartisan Senators in calling on Secretary of Labor Tom Perez and Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson to coordinate and immediately resume accepting and processing H-2B visa applications. Seasonal workers returning to the United States under H-2B visas are critical to ensuring Virginia’s seafood businesses have the labor force they need during peak harvest season....Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on the passing of former Virginia Beach Mayor Meyera Oberndorf: “I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Meyera Oberndorf. Meyera and I served as Virginia mayors at the same time, and she was exceptional in so many ways. In addition to being the longest-serving mayor of Virginia Beach, she was the first woman to hold that office and was beloved by the entire Virginia Beach community. Because of t...Continue Reading