Press Releases
Kaine Urges Budget Conference Committee To "Surprise The Cynics"
WASHINGTON, D.C. - During the first full meeting of the bipartisan Budget Conference Committee today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, one of 29 conferees, called on his colleagues to "surprise the cynics" and accomplish what bicameral legislatures all over the United States do each year, compromise and agree on a budget. Since passage of the Senate budget in March 2013, Kaine has consistently called for a budget conference between the House and Senate in hopes of returning to normal budgetary order … Continue Reading
October 28, 2013
Kaine Joins 38 Senate Colleagues To Oppose Cuts To Food Stamps For Millions Of Children, Seniors, Food Insecure Families
Washington, D.C. - Ahead of the first public meeting of the Senate and House 2013 farm bill conference committee members on Wednesday, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined 38 Senate colleagues to urge the conferees to fight against harmful cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Senators also urged the negotiators to reject eligibility changes along the lines of the House bill's $40 billion in SNAP cuts that would prevent millions of children, seniors, and families facing a … Continue Reading
October 25, 2013
Kaine Statement On Grants To Restore Dyke Marsh, Chincoteague And Great Dismal Swamp
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine announced that the Department of the Interior will fund projects from the Sandy supplemental relief bill to protect marshes, wetlands, and coastal communities in Virginia. These projects include $24.9 million toward the restoration of Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve in Alexandria, $553,425 toward oyster reef restoration in Chincoteague, and $3,130,000 to enhance the resiliency of Great Dismal Swamp. "Chincoteague, Dyke Marsh, and the Great Dismal … Continue Reading
October 16, 2013
Kaine Statement on Passage of Bipartisan Agreement to Re-open Government and Prevent Default
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement tonight after voting in support of a bipartisan agreement to end the government shutdown and prevent default. The measure, which included a provision introduced by Senators Kaine and Warner to guarantee back pay for federal workers who were furloughed for the past 16 days through no fault of their own, was passed 81-18. "Thanks to the bipartisan efforts of my Senate colleagues, tens of thousands of furloughed … Continue Reading
October 16, 2013
Kaine Applauds Bipartisan Agreement to Re-Open Government, Avert Default
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Speaking on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine applauded leaders in the Senate for reaching a bipartisan agreement to re-open government, pay our nation's bills and avert default, and begin long-term budget talks between the House and Senate. The Senate is expected to vote on this proposal later today. "This is what America wants us to do," Kaine said. "They want us to work together in the Senate - Democrat and Republican. They want us to work together - Senate … Continue Reading
October 15, 2013
Kaine Statement on Status of Senate Bipartisan Proposal
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement tonight on the status of a bipartisan proposal in the Senate to re-open government and pay the nation's bills: "Yesterday the Democratic and Republican Senate leadership announced progress on a bipartisan deal to re-open government, ensure that America honors its fiscal obligations, and, at long last, begin a two month budget conference between House and Senate negotiators to find a long-term fiscal compromise to … Continue Reading
October 11, 2013
Kaine Statement on House Republicans' Continued Insistence to Keep Government Shut
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on the proposal announced by House Republicans yesterday: "I am happy to see Republicans in the House of Representatives move away from jeopardizing America's full faith and credit by repudiating default as a negotiating strategy. But, their continued insistence that government remain shut is wrong. By refusing to negotiate on a budget compromise since March, the House guaranteed that shutdown would occur. This … Continue Reading
October 10, 2013
Kaine Submits Comments On Medicaid Expansion In Virginia
U.S. Senator Tim Kaine submitted the following comments to Virginia's Medicaid Innovation and Reform Commission in response to its request for public input on the decision of whether or not to expand Medicaid in Virginia. Full text of Kaine's comments is below: I write to commend the Medicaid Innovation and Reform Commission for soliciting public input on the issue of Medicaid expansion in Virginia. I appreciate the opportunity to comment and strongly support expansion. The Patient … Continue Reading
October 09, 2013
Kaine Statement on U.S. Assistance to Egypt
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs, released the following statement on the State Department's announcement regarding U.S. assistance to Egypt today. "The U.S.-Egypt strategic relationship is important for regional security and stability. I support our partnership with the Egyptian military and the people of Egypt and want to see a stronger Egypt emerge through a democratic political … Continue Reading
October 09, 2013
Kaine Statement on Death Gratuities for Families of Fallen Servicemembers
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released a statement today following Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel's announcement on death gratuities for family members of fallen servicemembers. "I applaud Secretary Hagel and the Department of Defense for finding a solution to restore benefit payments to families of fallen soldiers. This is the least we can do for our nation's military families who sacrifice so … Continue Reading
October 09, 2013
Warner, Kaine Highlight Shutdown Impact in Virginia, Urge House Leaders to Re-open Government, Pay Our Bills and Negotiate
Full video of Senator Kaine and Senator Warner's remarks available for download: HD Version - https://s3.amazonaws.com/sdmc-media.senate.gov/Kaine/100913_KAINE_1_WEB_HD.mp4 SD Version - https://s3.amazonaws.com/sdmc-media.senate.gov/Kaine/100913_KAINE_1_WEB_SD.mp4 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Speaking on the steps of the U.S. Capitol today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine highlighted the ongoing negative impact of the government shutdown in Virginia, and again urged House Republican leaders … Continue Reading
October 04, 2013
Kaine Statement On Ending Tea Party Shutdown With Clean Bill, Not Piecemeal Approach
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today: "The compromise spending bill passed by the Senate a week ago would fund all government agencies, including important ones to Virginia like Veterans' Affairs, National Parks and the military. "Speaker Boehner can and should re-open the entire government by letting the House pass the Senate's compromise - which has the precise spending level proposed by the House and was previously supported by the Speaker. … Continue Reading
October 03, 2013
On Senate Floor, Kaine Calls for House Vote to Reopen Government
WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Thursday, October 3, Senator Kaine spoke on the Senate floor on the need to reopen government. A full transcript of his remarks is below: "Madam President, I rise to talk about the need to reopen government, and not to reopen government in a piecemeal way, one bit this week and then another bit next week, which seems to be the newest gambit on the table, but to reopen government because government of this country should never have shut down in the first place. Few states … Continue Reading
October 01, 2013
Warner, Kaine Introduce Measure to Restore Federal Workers' Pay at the End of the Government Shutdown
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine joined Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski of Maryland to introduce a bill, the "Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act," that would guarantee that federal workers who were furloughed because of the lapse in federal funding or government shutdown would receive their full pay. "This irresponsible shutdown adds insult to injury for many of our federal workers, many of whom have already had to endure furloughs from the … Continue Reading
October 01, 2013
Kaine Statement On Continued House Obstruction To Funding Government
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on his vote earlier today to reject the latest attempt by House Republicans to use the threat of keeping the government closed to delay a key part of the Affordable Care Act. A motion to table a request to go to conference on an interim spending measure to fund the government was agreed to by the Senate, 54-46. "House Republicans let the United States government shut down at midnight because they would not accept a … Continue Reading
October 01, 2013
Kaine Statement on Republican Government Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement tonight on the shutdown of the federal government: "The House of Representatives has shut down the government of the United States by rejecting an interim spending measure passed by the Senate, even though that bill accepted the House's own spending target through November 15. This action hurts the American economy and millions of Americans. The House should reconsider its action and re-open government … Continue Reading
September 30, 2013
Kaine Statement On Latest Vote To Avert Republican Government Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on his vote to reject continued attempts by House Republicans to use the threat of government shutdown to delay or defund the Affordable Care Act. A motion to table House amendments to an interim spending measure to fund the government was agreed to by the Senate, 54-46. "I have now twice voted for a clean spending bill that would keep the government funded through November 15. The spending bill is a compromise - … Continue Reading
September 27, 2013
Kaine Statement on Passage of U.N. Security Council Resolution on Syria's Chemical Weapons
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs, released the following statement tonight after the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution to secure and destroy Syria's chemical weapons. "The United Nations Security Council resolution passed tonight that legally binds Syria to eliminate its chemical weapons stockpile is a tremendous step forward. I'm proud that … Continue Reading
September 27, 2013
Kaine Statement On Vote To Avert A Government Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on his vote for a clean spending bill to fund the government through November 15 and avert a government shutdown. The continuing resolution passed the Senate 54-44. "Today I voted in support of a spending bill to continue funding the government and prevent an unnecessary shutdown of operations that would have serious economic consequences in Virginia and across the country. The interim spending measure accepts the … Continue Reading
September 27, 2013
Sens. Kaine and Warner Announce $3.3 Million In Law Enforcement Grants
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Mark R. Warner (D-VA) announced that Virginia has received $3,271,000 in U.S. Department of Justice grants today to fund law enforcement jobs and expand community policing initiatives with a focus on programs designed to promote school safety. Virginia will receive $1.9 million through the COPS Hiring Program to support five officers in Arlington County and 10 officers in the City of Newport News. These grants go directly to law enforcement … Continue Reading
