Press Releases

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, today arrived in Israel as a part of a bipartisan congressional delegation to meet with senior Israeli and Palestinian government leaders to discuss a broad range of bilateral and regional issues and reaffirm their support for the U.S.-Israel strategic partnership.  Prior to Israel, the delegation also visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Delegation members include Senators Jo...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on the decision by Marilyn Tavenner, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to step down: “From serving as my Secretary of Health and Human Resources in Virginia during a recession, to overseeing health care services for millions of Americans following the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, Marilyn has been an exceptional leader whose experience as a nurse and hospital administrator ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) today led a bipartisan group of six Senate colleagues in introducing The Startup Act to jumpstart investment and job creation by new businesses. The bipartisan legislation makes a series of targeted proposals in tax, regulatory and immigration policy. It would create both Entrepreneur and STEM visas for highly-educated and entrepreneurial immigrants educated in the U.S., allowing them to stay here and create jobs. The l...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on State Senator Linda “Toddy” Puller’s announcement that she will retire after 23 years in public office: “For more than 23 years, Toddy Puller has passionately served the people of Northern Virginia. Toddy’s public service career has been dedicated to uplifting all Virginians, but her primary legacy will be the incredible work she has done to support...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on the visit by Vice President Biden and U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz to Norfolk State University (NSU) to announce $25 million in grants for historically black colleges and universities to invest in cybersecurity training: “Improving our nation’s cybersecurity will require collaboration among all stakeholders, and I’m pleased Norfolk State w...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine have introduced the bipartisan Biennial Budgeting and Appropriations Act of 2015 in an effort to reform Congress’ budgeting process. The legislation would convert Congress’ annual budget and appropriations process to a two-year budget cycle, with one year for budgeting and appropriating federal dollars and the other year devoted to oversight of federal programs. The bill requires the president to submit a two-year...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate Armed Services Committee announced that U.S. Senator Tim Kaine will serve on the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities and will continue serving on the Seapower Subcommittee for the 114th Congress. The Subcommittee on Seapower has jurisdiction over Navy and Marine Corps programs as well as strategic lift programs and other maritime issues. During his first two years on the Committee, Kaine helped lead efforts to maintain the 11 aircraft carr...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON –U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) applauded U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s announcement today that Virginia projects will receive over $18 million in federal funding for Chesapeake Bay restoration through the USDA Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).  USDA announced today that the RCPP will allocate more than $370 million in competitive grants for conservation projects across the country for the next two years. As part of th...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine announced that his guest at Tuesday’s Presidential State of the Union Address will be Lisa Barnett, Coordinator for Career and Technical Education for Botetourt County Public Schools. Kaine, co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, has made improving CTE one of his top priorities in the Senate. Kaine grew up working in his father’s ironworking shop and spent a year as a missionary in Honduras...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on the passing of Cabell Brand: “Cabell Brand was a champion of the poor and the underserved. His vision was for every child to have an education, enough food to eat, and the opportunity to contribute to society. He worked to make this vision a reality by founding Total Action for Progress, which has helped lift families in Virginia out of poverty for nearly 50 years. Mr. Brand’s humanity will lea...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, DC – This week, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, along with seven other senators, sent a letter to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi regarding humanitarian aid for the nearly two million Iraqis displaced by the violent campaign of ISIL. “We have heard firsthand about the suffering and harsh conditions facing these men, women, and children—many of whom have taken refuge in Iraq’s Kurdistan region,” wrote the Senators. “These civilians are in dire need of ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Armed Services and Budget Committees, released the following statement after meeting with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald to discuss challenges facing Virginia veterans, including issues with disability benefits and health care wait times: “I had a very positive meeting with Secretary McDonald this morning to talk about a number of concerns I’ve heard from veterans across Virginia and ask how I can ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, co-chair of the Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, released the following statement today on the new cybersecurity initiatives announced by President Obama in Arlington today:   “I applaud the President for his enduring commitment to improving our nation’s cybersecurity. Cyber threats pose a significant risk to every part of our increasingly connected society and addressing the problem will require a unique, sustain...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In remarks on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine reiterated his opposition to legislation that would mandate approval of the Keystone XL pipeline. In advance of a procedural vote on the bill this evening, Kaine praised the United States for its recent global energy leadership and warned that approval of Keystone XL would accelerate the development of dirty tar sands oil and move U.S. energy policy in the wrong direction. “Why embrace dirty energy when A...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced the two Virginia students selected to represent Virginia in the 53rd Annual United States Senate Youth Program. David Patterson Cohn of Charlottesville High School in Charlottesville and Caleb Alexander Visser of Jamestown High School in Williamsburg will each receive a $5,000 scholarship, as well as spend a week in March participating in many enriching activities in Washington. These activities will include major ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, released the following statement on the America’s College Promise proposal President Obama will announce today: “I applaud the President for his bold proposals to make two years of community college free to responsible students and to fund technical training programs that focus on work-based learning opportunities. In Virginia alone, community and technical ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was named Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Readiness for the 114th Congress. The subcommittee, which Kaine has been a member of for the past two years, has jurisdiction over training, logistics and maintenance issues for our Armed Forces, as well as military construction projects, contracting and acquisition issues, base realignment consideration, resourcing of shipyards and arsenals, su...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, released the following statement today, five months after the start of U.S.-led airstrikes against ISIL on August 8, 2014:   “Today we enter the sixth month of war against ISIL without Congressional authorization. Until December, when the Senate Foreign Relations Committee took the important first step of debating and approving a specific Authorization For Use of Mi...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, along with U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and 40 of their Senate colleagues, have introduced the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in the new 114th Congress and provide equal treatment for all married couples. Kaine had co-sponsored the original version of the Respect for Marriage Act when it was introduced in the 113th Congress following the Supreme Court’s ruling in United States v. Windsor, whi...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Budget and Aging Committees, joined U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and four other colleagues to introduce the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act, legislation that would empower Medicare to negotiate for the best possible price of prescription medication for America’s seniors who are enrolled in Medicare Part D. Current law bans Medicare from bargaining with pharmaceutical companies for lower prices. Th...Continue Reading