Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $4,030,078 million in federal funding for three Virginia fire departments through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The funding, which will go to fire departments in Hanover, Warrenton, and Fairfax will be awarded through FEMA’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs. “We are pleased to announce this federal funding to help keep firefighters on the job,” t...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 after President Trump’s address to the nation on Afghanistan: “For months, my colleagues and I on the Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees have been calling for a strategy that defines our objectives in Afghanistan and the region.  The President broadly outlined a vision tonight, similar to past efforts, and we&...Continue Reading

RICHMOND, VA – Today on CBS’s Face the Nation, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine spoke about the violent white supremacist demonstrations in Charlottesville last weekend and President Trump’s lack of moral leadership as he failed to unequivocally condemn them this week. “We need to call out violence wherever it exists, but what the President did this week was suggesting there was some sort of moral equivalence in Charlottesville, and that is outrageous. The President didn’t ha...Continue Reading

In an op-ed in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine reflects on the violent white supremacist demonstrations in Charlottesville last weekend and calls for Virginians to respond to those displays of hatred by accelerating progress toward equality.  Virginians must respond to this pain by accelerating progress By Tim Kaine Last Saturday, America and the world were confronted with scenes of neo-Nazis, Klansmen, and other white supremacists terrorizing the citizens of Charlottesv...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today on the passing of the Most Reverend Francis DiLorenzo, Bishop of Richmond: “Anne and I are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Bishop DiLorenzo. The Richmond Diocese has been our family’s spiritual home for over three decades, and I remember vividly seeing the Bishop installed at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart 13 years ago. He pledged then to meet as many parishioners as he could, and he k...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA)  joined 10 of their colleagues in urging U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to establish an inter-agency task force to combat the tragic rise in hate crimes and groups across the United States.  The request follows violent white supremacist demonstrations in Charlottesville last weekend which resulted in the death of Virginian Heather Heyer and two members of the Virginia State Police who were killed in a he...Continue Reading

HD Video CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Following the memorial service for Heather Heyer, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine called for unity and peace in the wake of white supremacist demonstrations that took place last weekend. “There is a beautiful spiritual that says ‘I've come a long way, lord, a mighty long way, I've come a long way, Lord, a mighty long way. I've born my burdens in the heat of the day, but the lord has made a way.’ We know this ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement in response to the recent displays of violence and bigotry by white nationalists in Charlottesville: "Virginia has come so far in recent decades to put division behind us. Both Anne and I are so proud of this progress. It's sickening to see the displays of violence and bigotry that were brought to Charlottesville by white nationalists over the last 24 hours, which tragically led to injuries and at least one death t...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and  Tim Kaine released the following statement today on the uncertainty the Trump Administration has caused in the health insurance market, resulting in today’s announcement that Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield will leave the Virginia marketplace in 2018: “As a result of the uncertainty, mixed signals and deliberate sabotage from the Trump Administration, some insurers will raise premiums and scale back their health insurance...Continue Reading

Resolution now heads to President’s desk  WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) applauded the final passage of a joint resolution to establish the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission. The Commission will be empowered to adopt and enforce tough rules to improve Metro safety. The resolution, which passed the Senate unanimously, will head to the President to be signed into law. “Est...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) applauded the Senate Commerce Committee’s unanimous approval yesterday of his bill with Senator Roger Wicker, the Cyber Scholarship Opportunities Act, to help students access education programs that prepare them for careers in cybersecurity.  The legislation will enhance the cybersecurity workforce pipeline by improving and expanding the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) CyberCorps: Scholarship-for-Service Program, which a...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Tonight, the Senate unanimously passed an omnibus veterans package that included Senator Kaine’s bipartisan bill, the Veterans Education Experience Improvement Act of 2017, which will provide resources and training for the officials at educational institutions – including colleges across Virginia - who serve student veterans, helping them achieve positive education outcomes. After conversations with veterans and education officials, Kaine introduced the bill with ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. --Below is an excerpt of U.S. Senator Tim Kaine’s remarks following today’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee briefing from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense James Mattis on authorizations for the use of military force. Kaine’s remarks have been lightly edited for clarity. “The Administration believes, as did the previous Administration, that they have they have the legal authority to conduct the military operations they are condu...Continue Reading

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner, a member of the Senate Budget, Finance and Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs Committees, and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Budget and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committees, joined U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and 29 of their colleagues to introduce legislation to lower prescription drug costs. This bill would allow for Medicare to negotiate the best possible price of prescription drugs to cut costs for nearly...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and co-chair of the Senate Military Families Caucus, and the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (VDVS) announced an effort to reach out to transitioning servicemembers to thank them for their service and help inform them of the resources available to them as they leave military service and transition to civilian life. VDVS has sent over 1,000 letters and a Virginia Veterans Resource Guid...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $3,122,210 million in federal funding for five Virginia fire departments through Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The funding, which will go to fire departments in Roanoke, Roanoke County, Dungannon, Clinchco, and Prince George, will be awarded through FEMA’s Assistant to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs. “We are pleased to announ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, along with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, sent a bipartisan letter signed by 42 additional Senators to Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis urging him to advise the President against implementing the announcement he made via Twitter Wednesday that transgender Americans can no longer serve in the military. This announcement contradicts existing Defense Department policies, undermines our military ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) to introduce the Relief for Recovering Communities Act, a bill that protects funding for communities receiving federal transit funds if they face a temporary drop in population size due to a natural disaster. In Virginia, Blacksburg, Bristol, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Harrisonburg, Kingsport, Lynchburg, Staunton, Waynesboro, Williamsburg, and Winchester received this type of funding in fiscal year 2017. &ldqu...Continue Reading

~ Nearly one-third of permanent career federal employees will be eligible for retirement by 2019 ~  WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) led a group of Senators in calling on Senate leaders to protect federal employee retirement benefits from further cuts, as proposed by the Trump Administration’s FY 18 budget request. The President’s proposal calls for $149 billion in cuts from federal employees and retirees, including a raise in Federal Employ...Continue Reading

~ Congress has not authorized major medical facility leases since 2014, keeping millions of veterans from accessing the care they deserve ~ WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Rob Wittman (R-VA), A. Donald McEachin (D-VA) and Scott Taylor (R-VA) welcomed today’s announcement that Congress is making progress to finally move forward on 28 leases for Department of Veterans Affairs (V-A) major medical facilities, including much-need...Continue Reading