Press Releases
Senators Press Administration On Efforts To Lower Prescription Drug Costs
WASHINGTON - Today U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) wrote to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Acting Administrator Andrew Slavitt, seeking more information on the agency's efforts to inform consumers and health care providers about prescription drug costs and maximize CMS' existing authorities to contain cost. "In 2014 alone, spending on prescription drugs rose by 12.2%. Inevitably, these … Continue Reading
December 17, 2015
Warner, Kaine Announce $2.7 Million In Housing & Job Training Funding For Norfolk
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine today announced that the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority will receive a $2.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funding - made available by HUD's Jobs Plus Program - will help Norfolk public housing residents find employment by providing tools and resources that will assist them in gaining job skills and increasing their earned income. "These funds will allow the housing … Continue Reading
December 16, 2015
Warner, Kaine Hail Breakthrough On Perkins Student Loan Program
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) welcomed legislation that passed the Senate this afternoon to renew the Federal Perkins Loan Program, a critical lifeline for 7,800 low-income college students in Virginia. Though the program had the support of a bipartisan majority of Senators, including Sens. Warner and Kaine, the Federal Perkins Loan Program lapsed on September 30, 2015, cutting off the ability for approximately 1,500 colleges and universities across the … Continue Reading
December 15, 2015
Warner & Kaine Applaud Senate Confirmation of Boente & Fishwick as U.S. Attorneys for Virginia
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine today applauded the Senate's confirmations of Dana J. Boente to serve as a United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and John P. Fishwick, Jr. to serve as a United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia. Mr. Boente - a 37-year veteran of the Justice Department and experienced trial lawyer -is the current interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Mr. Fishwick - currently a partner at … Continue Reading
December 10, 2015
Warner & Kaine Praise Unanimous Committee Approval of Nominations for Two U.S. Attorneys for Virginia
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement on today's Senate Judiciary Committee unanimous passage of the nominations of Dana J. Boente to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and John P. Fishwick, Jr., to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia: "Mr. Boente's long career as a prosecutor and current position as Acting U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District makes him exceptionally well-qualified … Continue Reading
December 09, 2015
Kaine Urges DOD To Rescind Policy Preventing Sikhs From Serving In The Military
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, calling on the Department of Defense (DoD) to repeal a dress and appearance policy that prevents practicing Sikhs from serving in the military. "Under current DoD policy, implemented in 1988, members of the Sikh faith are unable to serve in the military unless they abandon their articles of faith-namely maintaining unshorn hair, beards, and wearing a turban," Kaine wrote. "While I appreciate the … Continue Reading
December 09, 2015
Kaine Applauds Final Passage Of Every Student Succeeds Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine praised passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which passed the Senate 85-12 today following House passage of the legislation last week. In a speech on the Senate floor yesterday, Kaine applauded the inclusion of key provisions he authored to help prevent sexual assault and strengthen career and technical education (CTE) in schools across the country. The ESSA, which will replace No Child Left Behind, now heads to the President's desk … Continue Reading
December 09, 2015
Air Force Selects Langley For New Cyber Squadron
WASHINGTON - Today the Air National Guard chose Joint Base Langley-Eustis (JBLE) for an Air Force Cyber Operations Squadron. Virginia's bipartisan delegation, including Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and U.S Reps. Scott Rigell (R-VA-2), Bobby Scott (D-VA-3), Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11), Rob Wittman (R-VA-1), and Randy Forbes (R-VA-4), has advocated to locate the cyber facility at JBLE since December 2014. "We were very pleased to hear that the Air National Guard chose Joint Base … Continue Reading
December 08, 2015
Kaine, Durbin And Leahy Join National Faith Leaders To Call For Courage Over Cowardice In The Face Of Global Refugee Crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine, Dick Durbin and Patrick Leahy joined national faith leaders to respond to the latest attempts to vilify refugees in the United States and call on lawmakers to engage in smart, moral policymaking over reactionary fear-mongering. "As the Book of Job tells us, challenges in life are a test of whether we will be true to our principles, or whether we'll abandon them in the face of adversity," Kaine said. "In the debate over refugees, we cannot … Continue Reading
December 07, 2015
Reid, Hirono, Kaine Urge President To Expedite Program To Reunite Families Of Filipino WWII Veterans
Washington, D.C. - Senators Harry Reid, Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) urged President Obama to quickly implement the Administration's newly proposed parole program to reunite Filipino World War II veterans with their family members. In July, after years of advocacy from Senator Hirono and others, the Obama Administration recommended that the Department of Homeland Security create a parole program to allow certain family members of Filipino World War II veterans to come to the … Continue Reading
December 07, 2015
Warner, Kaine Announce $1.5 Million in Federal Funding to Help Virginians on Public Assistance Become Self-Sufficient
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today announced that 18 Virginia localities will receive more than $1.5 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funding will help Virginia families who receive federal housing vouchers and public housing residents reduce their dependency on welfare assistance and rental subsidies, by providing tools and resources that will assist them in gaining job skills and increasing their earned … Continue Reading
December 06, 2015
Kaine Statement On President Obama's Address To The Nation
HARRISONBURG, VA - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, released the following statement on the President's address to the nation this evening: "Tonight President Obama laid out a comprehensive strategy for defeating ISIL and unequivocally called on Congress to finally vote to authorize the use of military force against the terrorist group. The President stated that such a measure would demonstrate that the American people are united … Continue Reading
December 04, 2015
Sens. Warner & Kaine Sign Amicus Brief Filed with U.S. Supreme Court Supporting Immigration Executive Actions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined 216 members of Congress in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the President's November 2014 executive actions on immigration. The amicus brief encourages the Court to review the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in United States v. Texas, et al., which blocked the Secretary of Homeland Security from implementing the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents … Continue Reading
December 03, 2015
Sens. Warner & Kaine: Compromise Highway Bill Returns $6.2 Billion to Virginia
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine voted for the FAST Act, a bipartisan House-Senate agreement on highway and transit funding which returns $6.2 billion in federal transportation funding to Virginia over the next five years. Congress has not passed a transportation funding bill lasting longer than two years since 2005, and the five-year FAST Act will give states, transportation planners and contractors the time and certainty needed to make desperately-needed … Continue Reading
December 03, 2015
Kaine Statement On British Parliament Vote To Authorize Airstrikes Against ISIL In Syria
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, released the following statement today: "Yesterday, after many hours of public debate, the British Parliament voted to authorize airstrikes against ISIL in Syria. And in the coming weeks, the German Parliament is expected to debate this important issue as well. We welcome the increased support of some of our strongest European allies in this fight, particularly as a show of unity … Continue Reading
December 01, 2015
Senate Passes Bipartisan Bill to Assist Eugenics Victims with State Compensation Payments
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today announced that the Senate unanimously passed the bipartisan Treatment of Certain Payments in Eugenics Compensation Act, excluding payments from state eugenics compensation programs from consideration in determining federal benefits. Without this legislation, many eugenics victims who receive compensation payments from states, including Virginia and North Carolina, could see their federal benefits reduced or even have … Continue Reading
November 30, 2015
Key Provisions Of Kaine’s Teach Safe Relationships Act & Cte Bills Included In Final Education Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following today's announcement of the final conference report on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to replace No Child Left Behind, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine welcomed the bill's inclusion of key provisions he authored to help prevent sexual assault and strengthen career and technical education (CTE) in schools across the country. A key provision of the Teach Safe Relationships Act, legislation Kaine introduced with U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill last February, was included … Continue Reading
November 20, 2015
Warner, Kaine Announce Nearly $1.2 Million In USDA Funding For Community Buildings & First Responders In Virginia
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded $1,191,500 in funding throughout Virginia to improve community facilities and support first-responders. Today's funding was made available through USDA's Community Facilities Loans and Grants Program. "This federal funding will help improve essential community facilities and will ensure that Virginia's first responders have the tools they need to keep our … Continue Reading
November 18, 2015
Warner, Kaine Announce More Than $144,000 In USDA Funding To Bring Locally-Grown Food To Virginia Schools
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded $144,581 in grant funding to communities in Virginia to improve and expand access to locally-grown foods. Today's funding - made available through the USDA's Farm to School Grant Program - will connect child nutrition programs with local farmers and ranchers in Virginia, increasing access to fresh and healthy foods. "These grants will strengthen local … Continue Reading
November 18, 2015
Kaine Statement on Syrian Refugee Resettlement Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement today: "The horrific attacks in Paris and Beirut last week - and a direct threat to Washington soon after - are a grim reminder that ISIL is not going away. Our national security and the safety of the American people will always be my top priority, and I continue to believe a Congressional vote to authorize the U.S. mission against ISIL would … Continue Reading
