Press Releases
Warner, Kaine Urge Consumer Agency To Protect Inmates From Predatory Practices With Prepaid Prison ‘Release’ Cards
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined a letter sent to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) urging the agency to strengthen financial protections for a particularly vulnerable population: men and women seeking to reenter society after leaving prison. Upon release, many prison banking services turn over any money saved while serving time in the form of a prepaid card, or "prison release card," which are largely unregulated and often carry exorbitant … Continue Reading
November 03, 2015
In Letter, Kaine Urges EPA To Clarify Key Measures Of The Clean Water Rule
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine signed a letter that calls on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to clarify the agricultural exemptions and provide more concise guidelines on compliance with EPA-issued water rules, instead of undermining protections for streams and wetlands. While the letter, co-signed by U.S. Senators Angus King, Bill Nelson, Mark Warner, Dianne Feinstein, Brian Schatz, Chris Coons, Tom Carper, Jon Tester, Michael … Continue Reading
November 02, 2015
Following Calls From Warner & Kaine, President Obama Bans The Box On Federal Job Applications
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine praised President Barack Obama's announcement that federal employers will be required to "ban the box" on job applications, removing a barrier for former offenders seeking employment after incarceration. In May, Warner and Kaine urged President Obama to ban the box on federal job applications to help expand job opportunities and reduce recidivism among ex-offenders. "I'm very pleased the President will implement fair hiring … Continue Reading
October 30, 2015
Kaine Statement on Announcement of U.S. Forces to Syria
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement today: "15 months ago, President Obama announced the authorization of two narrow operations in Iraq - targeted airstrikes to protect American personnel in Erbil and a humanitarian effort to save thousands of Iraqi civilians trapped by ISIL on Mount Sinjar. At that time, he stated that American combat troops would not be returning to fight in … Continue Reading
October 30, 2015
Kaine Statement On Passage Of Bipartisan Budget Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Armed Services and Budget Committees, released the following statement today on Senate passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 2015: "In my three years in the Senate, I've done everything I can to address the non-strategic sequester cuts that have been hurting our national security and economy. These across-the-board sequestration cuts, which have been in full effect for almost three years now, were set up to be so bad they … Continue Reading
October 29, 2015
Kaine Introduces Resolution To Commemorate Yitzhak Rabin
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine introduced a resolution honoring the life, legacy and example of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin on the 20th anniversary of his death. "The 20th anniversary of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination is a timely reminder of his pursuit of peace through dialogue," said Kaine. At this time of escalating violence between Israelis and Palestinians, we should remember his example and renew our efforts toward a peaceful, two-state … Continue Reading
October 29, 2015
Warner & Kaine Call On Labor Department To Speed Up H-2b Visa Process
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Tom Carper (D-DE) joined a bipartisan group of Senators calling on Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Tom Perez to speed up the certification process for industries that rely on seasonal workers here on H-2B visas. The 25 Senators have requested that DOL get to the bottom of the agency's lengthy delays in the processing of prevailing wage determinations (PWD) for … Continue Reading
October 29, 2015
Warner, Kaine Urge Senate Leadership To Save Student Loan Program
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today pressed Senate leaders to take up and pass legislation to reauthorize the Perkins Loan Program. This critical lifeline for many low-income students expired on September 30, despite receiving a unanimous one-year, no-cost extension from the House of Representatives on September 28. Since its expiration, a bipartisan coalition of Senators has twice attempted to reauthorize the program with a "unanimous consent" request, but … Continue Reading
October 29, 2015
Warner & Kaine to DOD: Servicemembers Deserve Financial Protection During Deployment
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine joined 17 of their Senate colleagues in writing a letter to Secretary of Defense Ash Carter outlining their concerns over reports of significant harm to the finances and credit of active servicemembers while deployed and requesting specific information and feedback to help ensure all servicemembers have the tools they need to safeguard their financial security. "Even small credit events, such as a single missed payment, have the … Continue Reading
October 28, 2015
Kaine: Expanding U.S. Role in Fight against ISIL Demands Congressional Debate and Vote on AUMF
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement after a series of hearings this week on the U.S. role in the Middle East with Secretary of State John Kerry, Defense Secretary Carter and other administration officials: "Every official I heard from this week agrees with the likelihood that, as the ISIL threat continues to grow across the region and expand into North Africa and South Asia, so will … Continue Reading
October 28, 2015
Kaine Joins Colleagues To Introduce “No Check, No Sale” Bill To Close Background Check Loophole
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal, Chris Murphy and Dianne Feinstein in introducing legislation to close a current loophole that allows gun sales to proceed if a background check is not completed after 72 hours, even if the gun buyer is not legally allowed to purchase a gun. When a criminal background check indicates that a firearm purchaser may have a criminal record, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) tries to determine whether … Continue Reading
October 27, 2015
Kaine Statement On Bipartisan Budget Deal
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today on the announcement of a bipartisan budget agreement: "I'm pleased congressional negotiators and the Administration have reached a bipartisan deal to avoid a debt crisis and provide two years of sequester relief. The deal provides more than $100 billion in sequester relief over two years for both defense and non-defense accounts, which will provide much-needed certainty to Virginia's families while helping … Continue Reading
October 26, 2015
Warner, Kaine Urge Social Security Administration To Implement Supreme Court Marriage Equality Decisions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined 119 of their congressional colleagues in a letter to Acting Commissioner of Social Security Carolyn W. Colvin and Attorney General Loretta Lynch to make sure that the Supreme Court's landmark marriage equality decisions are implemented and that the Social Security Administration (SSA) is treating all marriages equally. The letter urges SSA not to penalize married same-sex couples who received Supplemental Security Income … Continue Reading
October 21, 2015
Kaine Statement On Vice President Biden
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today: "Joe Biden is one of the finest and most passionate public servants America has ever known. We are stronger as a nation having had he and Dr. Biden as the President and First Lady's closest partners for the past seven years. The respect for Vice President Biden, both across the country and around the world, is simply unmatched. I applaud him for the goals he has set for the next 15 months and I know that he … Continue Reading
October 21, 2015
Warner, Kaine Announce Nearly $1 Million In Funding For Behavioral Health Clinics In Virginia
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that Virginia has been awarded nearly $1 million in federal planning grants to strengthen and improve community behavioral health clinics for mental and substance use disorder treatment. The grants, which are authorized under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, will improve the quality and access to behavioral care, strengthen payment options, and better utilize evidence-based practices on a more consistent … Continue Reading
October 16, 2015
During National School Lunch Week, Sens. Warner & Kaine Call for Improvements to Childhood Nutrition Programs
WASHINGTON - During National School Lunch Week, which is October 12-16, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) recommended ways Congress can streamline federal childhood nutrition programs to more efficiently feed hungry low-income children outside of school hours. The Senators' suggestions come as the Senate prepares a bill to reauthorize those programs, including the national school breakfast and lunch programs - which serve nearly 400,000 hungry kids in Virginia - as well as … Continue Reading
October 16, 2015
In Norfolk, Kaine Discusses Criminal Justice Reform With Law Enforcement & Reentry Program Directors
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine hosted a roundtable discussion at Up Center Books in Norfolk with local leaders and organizations focused on supporting ex-offenders as they return to their communities. Kaine is a supporter of legislation that provides communities with funding for reentry support - including substance abuse treatment and job training - to reduce recidivism. Up Center Books hosts two reentry programs for ex-offenders - the Responsible Fatherhood program and the … Continue Reading
October 15, 2015
Kaine Statement On Afghanistan
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement today: "Our support for the Afghan military should be based on conditions rather than an arbitrary date on the calendar. I support the President's announcement that the U.S. will continue to provide such transitional military support as Afghanistan battles the Taliban and a nascent emergence of ISIL in that country. "The President said that he … Continue Reading
October 15, 2015
Warner, Kaine Announce $275,000 In Funding For Economic Development In Southwest Virginia
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced that the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded $275,000 in grant funding to Friends of Southwest Virginia in Abingdon, Virginia to promote and support tourism, outdoor recreation and entrepreneurial activities in Southwest Virginia. Today's funding was competitively awarded through the EDA's Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative. "Tourism and … Continue Reading
October 15, 2015
Warner, Kaine Join Bipartisan Group Of Senators In Calling For Full Implementation Of Mental Health Parity Law
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine joined U.S. Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Chris Murphy (D-CT) and a bipartisan group of 20 other Senators in calling on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to take immediate, overdue action to fully implement and enforce the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). In a letter addressed to HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell and DOL Secretary Thomas E. Perez, … Continue Reading
