Press Releases
Warner & Kaine Vote To Advance Emergency Zika Virus Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine voted to advance $1.1 billion of emergency supplemental funding for the prevention and treatment of the Zika virus outbreak. The provision is expected to be included in the Fiscal Year 2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Act, which is currently being considered by the full Senate. "There's still a lot we don't know about the Zika … Continue Reading
May 17, 2016
Kaine On Obstruction Of President Obama’s Supreme Court Nominee: We Cannot Blind Ourselves To How Our Actions Are Perceived
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In remarks on the Senate floor today, the 62nd anniversary of the historic Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine addressed the importance of having a fully functioning Supreme Court while sharing a sense of how the continued obstruction of President Obama's nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court has been perceived by many of his constituents across Virginia. "I cannot say why the Senate would be so willing to break … Continue Reading
May 16, 2016
In VMI Commencement Address, Kaine Urges Graduates To Uphold Constitution, Renews Calls For Authorization Against ISIL
LEXINGTON, VA - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, delivered the 2016 commencement address at Virginia Military Institute (VMI). In his remarks, Kaine urged the cadets to uphold their oaths to protect the Constitution of the United States by never compromising on the "strict moral compass and a passion for integrity" VMI ingrains in its graduates. Kaine cited Congressional members' unwillingness to take up an authorization of … Continue Reading
May 13, 2016
Kaine Joins Colleagues Calling For Change In Culture At Department Of Veterans Affairs
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joined Senate colleagues to introduce the bipartisan Veterans First Act, legislation that would strengthen services for veterans and help change the culture at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). "We owe every veteran - including nearly 800,000 veterans who call Virginia home - timely access to quality health care. That starts by addressing their medical needs and correcting VA inefficiencies," … Continue Reading
May 12, 2016
Kaine Applauds Virginia Wins in 2017 Defense Bill, Calls For Transparent Approach To DOD Reform
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on the Committee's Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes a number of provisions he advocated for to benefit Virginia's shipbuilding industry and defense community. The bill was reported out of committee today and will now advance to the full Senate for consideration. "I'm proud this bill includes many provisions that will benefit … Continue Reading
May 12, 2016
Sens. Warner, Kaine Applaud Senate Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Invest in Virginia Infrastructure and Research
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded Senate passage of the Fiscal Year 2017 Energy and Water Development funding legislation, by a bipartisan vote of 90-8. The first of 12 appropriations bills providing discretionary funding for the federal government, the bill provides funding for projects under the direction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation at the Department of the Interior, the Department of Energy, and the Nuclear … Continue Reading
May 06, 2016
Kaine Urges FDA To Approve Mandatory Prescriber Training On Opioids
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined six of his Senate colleagues in calling on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to swiftly implement an advisory committee's recommendations to approve mandatory education and training for prescribers of extended-release and long-acting (ER/LA) opioids, which were praised by the Washington Post's editorial board. The Senators also asked the FDA to broaden the scope of the agency's existing risk management strategy to include immediate-release … Continue Reading
May 06, 2016
Warner, Kaine Statement On Announcement By WMATA General Manager Paul Wiedefeld
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following joint statement today on Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld's announcement that Metrorail service will undergo a year-long overhaul to fix systemic safety problems. "For years, we have been waiting to see a take-charge management plan to deal with Metro's safety issues and we appreciate the General Manager's release of a proposed repair plan today that grasps the urgency of the situation. This plan may … Continue Reading
May 05, 2016
Following Call From Kaine To Expand Program, White House Announces First Class Of CTE Presidential Scholars
WASHINGTON, D.C. - This week, President Obama announced that the 52nd class of U.S. Presidential Scholars will include 20 recipients for outstanding scholarship and accomplishment in career and technical education (CTE) fields. Last year, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, co-chair of the Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus, led a successful, bipartisan effort to expand the Presidential Scholars program to include CTE. This year marks the first time the prestigious recognition will be awarded to … Continue Reading
May 04, 2016
Warner, Kaine Announce More Than $3.1 Million For Low-Income Housing In Virginia
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development will receive $3,140,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Housing Trust Fund (HTF). The funding is aimed at preserving the supply of low-income housing and increasing homeownership for low-income families across Virginia. "We're pleased that families across the Commonwealth will continue to have access to affordable housing. A … Continue Reading
May 03, 2016
Warner, Kaine Statement On NTSB Report On 2015 Metro Smoke Incident
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement today on the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) report on the deadly 2015 Metro smoke incident at L'Enfant Plaza: "More than fifteen months after the smoke incident at L'Enfant Plaza, we are extremely disturbed that many of the safety hazards that allowed that deadly accident to occur have not yet been addressed. As the report states, responsibility for this incident, which resulted in the … Continue Reading
May 03, 2016
Warner, Kaine Urge Dept. of Education to Clarify Legal Protections for LGBT Students Across the Country
WASHINGTON - In response to recent attempts of legislatures in states like North Carolina to limit the rights of LGBT people and transgender students, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), along with 38 Senate Democrats, urged the Department of Education to release comprehensive guidance on the full scope of protections afforded to transgender and gender non-conforming students in our middle schools, high schools, and colleges. In recent years, both the Department of … Continue Reading
May 02, 2016
Wittman, Kaine, Warner, And Forbes Encourage Administration To Reconsider Decision Not To Extend Support To Communities Impacted By February Tornadoes
WASHINGTON - Representative Rob Wittman, joined by Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner and Representative Randy Forbes, sent a letter to President Obama Friday supporting Governor Terry McAuliffe's appeal of the administration's decision not to issue a major disaster declaration after severe storms and tornadoes hit Virginia on February 24th. The deadly storms caused significant damage throughout the Commonwealth, especially in Sussex, Appomattox, and Essex Counties, stretching local and state … Continue Reading
April 29, 2016
Kaine Statement On Executive Actions To Reduce Gun Violence
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today on the executive actions President Obama announced to reduce gun violence: "We've seen tragedies in countless cities and towns including Charleston, Newtown and Blacksburg. In Roanoke last year, we saw a horrific shooting take the lives of two young journalists. It's also important to remember that countless instances of gun violence occur outside the purview of the mainstream media - domestic disputes in homes, … Continue Reading
April 28, 2016
Kaine Questions Pentagon Leaders On The Legal Basis For The Counter-ISIL Campaign, Urges Vote On War Authorization
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine attended a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on counter-ISIL operations and Middle East strategy with Defense Secretary Ashton Carton and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford. Senator Kaine raised objections to the continued reliance on the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) and the broad interpretation of international law to justify expanding U.S. military action. With news this week of an … Continue Reading
April 27, 2016
Kaine Introduces Williamsburg Resident Affected By Sudden Price Hikes In Rx Drug At Committee Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine attended a Senate Aging Committee hearing examining the harmful impacts that price hikes on decades-old prescription drugs have had on patients, hospitals and the health care system. During the hearing, Kaine introduced one of the witnesses, Berna Heyman, a resident of Williamsburg who was diagnosed with Wilson disease in 2005 at the age of 60. Heyman was able to manage her condition effectively with Syprine until 2014, when Valeant … Continue Reading
April 26, 2016
Kaine Calls For Testing Of Lead Levels In School Drinking Water
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined 24 of his Senate colleagues in calling for additional federal resources to test drinking water in schools for lead and other contaminants. The Senators voiced concerns that many schools do not have the resources to test whether drinking water is contaminated with lead or other toxins from service lines or plumbing systems. "Lead contamination in Flint, Michigan and communities across the country has highlighted the issue of lead and other … Continue Reading
April 22, 2016
Kaine Meets With Supreme Court Nominee Merrick Garland
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine met with Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, who currently serves as chief judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Kaine has urged the Senate's Republican leaders to abandon their pledge to deny Garland a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing or vote, despite his extensive judicial experience. … Continue Reading
April 20, 2016
Kaine Statement On Amendment To Cut Funding For The Appalachian Regional Commission
WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement: "Today I voted against an amendment to the Energy & Water appropriations bill to cut all funding for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). Over the past five years, ARC has used approximately $365 million to leverage nearly ten times as much in private investment in things like infrastructure, education incentives, and job-creating economic development in Appalachia. This has helped reduce the number of … Continue Reading
April 20, 2016
Kaine Applauds Senate Passage Of Bipartisan Energy Modernization Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine applauded Senate passage of the bipartisan Energy Policy Modernization Act (S. 2012), which will bolster energy efficiency, renewable energy and land conservation across the nation. It is the first comprehensive energy bill since 2007. "I was proud to support this bipartisan energy bill, both for its good substance and for the good-faith bipartisan process that led to its passage today," Kaine said. "I was pleased to have sponsored several provisions … Continue Reading
