Press Releases
Warner & Kaine Urge VA To Reconsider Unnecessary Burdens On Blue Water Navy Veterans Seeking Care For Agent Orange-Related Conditions
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine joined a bipartisan group of 12 Senators in urging the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to change inconsistent and burdensome regulations placed on "Blue Water Navy" veterans seeking health care and benefits for conditions resulting from exposure to toxic chemicals during their service aboard Navy ships in Vietnam. Prior to 2002, veterans serving in Vietnam as well as within the territorial waters had presumptive … Continue Reading
January 12, 2016
Kaine Statement On The President's State Of The Union Address
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement after President Obama delivered his final State of the Union Address: "Tonight, President Obama reflected on the significant progress our country has made over the past seven years and challenged us to reach higher. After assuming office in the midst of a global fiscal collapse and two open-ended wars, President Obama has patiently worked to rebuild a more sustainable economy, inspire an innovative and cleaner energy … Continue Reading
January 12, 2016
Returning From The Middle East, Kaine Condemns Attacks In Turkey, Iraq
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, condemned the attacks in Turkey and Iraq over the past two days. "I'm saddened by yet another wave of suicide attacks in the Middle East, including today in Istanbul and yesterday in Iraq," said Kaine, who was just in Istanbul's Sultanahmet Square on Saturday. "The continued slaughter of innocent civilians is savage and unjustified, and the United States stands firmly with … Continue Reading
January 12, 2016
Kaine Statement On Anniversary Of Metro's Deadly Yellow Line Incident
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today: "The deadly incident on the Yellow Line on this day last year was the low point of a bad year for WMATA. There's been some progress in the past year - a new chief executive in place, new accountability for the WMATA Board, full funding of federal infrastructure grants - but trust in Metro's safety and reliability won't be restored overnight. It will take the hard work of following through on each and every item … Continue Reading
January 08, 2016
Kaine Invites Drug Addiction Prevention Advocate & Alexandria Resident Don Flattery To State Of The Union
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine announced that his guest to President Obama's final State of the Union address on Tuesday will be Don Flattery, a resident of Alexandria who lost his son Kevin - a 26-year-old graduate of UVA and Gonzaga College High School - to an opioid overdose in 2014. Kaine has spoken with families, law enforcement and businesses across Virginia about the devastating impact that drug abuse has had on their communities and has worked across the aisle on … Continue Reading
January 05, 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: "Virginia knows all too well the tragedy and pain of gun violence. When I was Governor, Virginia suffered the deadliest mass shooting to date on the campus of Virginia Tech. More recently, the nation witnessed the terrifying shooting of two young journalists from our Commonwealth on live television. And there are too many incidents of … Continue Reading
January 05, 2016
Kaine Joins Democrats In Filing Bicameral Amicus Brief Standing Up For Women's Access To Constitutionally Protected Health Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) joined Senate and House colleagues in filing an amicus brief in the case of Whole Woman's Health v. Cole, which is currently pending before the Supreme Court of the United States and represents the most comprehensive challenge to the Supreme Court's historic ruling in Roe v. Wade in nearly a decade. In the brief, Democrats call on the justices to uphold Roe v. Wade and reject efforts to undermine a woman's constitutionally protected right … Continue Reading
December 23, 2015
Kaine Statement On Retirement Of Congressman Robert Hurt
RICHMOND, VA - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today on Congressman Robert Hurt's retirement: "From his start in local politics on the Chatham Town Council to his tenure in the General Assembly and three terms in Congress, Robert Hurt has made a strong mark on his community. I'm proud of our work across the aisle to help move projects like Commonwealth Crossing Business Center and Berry Hill Mega Park forward, and I'm grateful for his partnership as we continue to … Continue Reading
December 18, 2015
Kaine Joins 20 Democratic Senators To Express Profound Concern Over Second Iranian Ballistic Missile Test In Letter To President Obama
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, along with U.S. Senators Ben Cardin, Chuck Schumer, Richard Blumenthal, Chris Coons, Gary Peters, Michael Bennet, Ron Wyden, Jeanne Shaheen, Debbie Stabenow, Heidi Heitkamp, Bill Nelson, Ed Markey, Kirsten Gillibrand, Bob Casey, Mark Warner, Cory Booker, Maria Cantwell, Martin Heinrich, Barbara Mikulski, and Jeff Merkley expressed profound concern in a letter to President Obama … Continue Reading
December 18, 2015
Following Senate Passage Of Final Omnibus Appropriations Bill, Warner & Kaine Applaud Virginia Provisions
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine applauded Senate passage of the Fiscal Year 2016 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which provides discretionary funding for the entire federal government for the next fiscal year. "The bipartisan budget deal helped pave the way for this legislation, which restores some of the most harmful sequester cuts and provides certainty to our military and to Virginia shipyards. It provides much-needed additional resources to improve cybersecurity … Continue Reading
December 17, 2015
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
