Press Releases

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) will receive $6,505,200 in federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to deliver individuals that have transportation needs to state run Community Vaccination Centers. “We’re glad to see these federal dollars go towards helping Virginians who have transportation needs get vaccinate...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) along with Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-MD) today applauded an announcement by the Biden administration that it will release an additional 22,000 H-2B temporary non-agricultural worker visas, a move that will benefit the seafood processing industries in Virginia and Maryland. The senators had previously called on the administration to make available the maximum number of congressionally-authorized H-2B visas in or...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Service Committee, joined Senator Brian Schatz in reintroducing the Veterans Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Act to allow doctors at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to prescribe medical marijuana to veterans in states that have established medical marijuana programs. There are currently 36 states in the U.S., including the Commonwealth of Virginia, that have established medical marijuana programs. Under curr...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, reintroduced a bipartisan bill to explicitly prohibit any President of the United States from withdrawing from NATO without Senate approval. The bill requires the President to seek the advice and consent of the Senate before suspending, terminating, or withdrawing U.S. membership in NATO and formalizes the Senate’s opposition to doing so. If a Presi...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine reintroduced the Virginia Plan to Reduce Gun Violence Act, legislation to federally enact a series of commonsense gun violence prevention measures adopted by the Commonwealth of Virginia last year. The bill includes provisions to close current background check loopholes, mandate reporting of lost and stolen firearms, prevent children from accessing firearms, and implement a one-handgun-a-month policy.  “...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that Fairfax County will receive $3,309,299.18 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The federal funds will be used to purchase, preposition, and distribute Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as: coveralls, eye and face shields, gloves, gowns, masks, N95 masks, respirators, shoe covers, lab coats, ponchos, hair ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has approved $500,000 in grant funding for the Millwald Theatre Restoration and Economic Revitalization project. The funding will be used to renovate and reopen the 15,000-square-foot theatre, attract an estimated 47,000 visitors annually, and bolster 20 businesses in downtown Wytheville, Virginia. “We are pleased to announce that these federal dollars will...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, and Chris Murphy, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism, led their Senate colleagues in a letter to President Biden expressing the urgent need to rejoin the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to peacefully and effectively stem the threat of Iran’s nuclear program. I...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Rob Portman (R-OH), both co-chairs of the Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, and U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-1), Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA-15), and Jim Langevin (D-RI-2) reintroduced the Building U.S. Infrastructure by Leveraging Demands for Skills (BUILDS) Act. The legislation would ensure wor...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today on President Biden’s announcement that he will withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021: “The U.S. went into Afghanistan in 2001 to defeat those who attacked the U.S. on 9/11. It took us 10 years to find and kill Osama bin Laden. We stayed an additional 10 years to help train Afghan security forces and create conditions for a more stable future in that country. It is now tim...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $96,982,527 in federal funding to help Virginians who are homeless or at risk of homelessness access safe and affordable housing. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded the funding through the Homeless Assistance and Supportive Services program, which was included in the American Rescue Plan. The grants will be awarded to 21 recipients across Virginia. “We’re gla...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $19,155,185 in federal funding to provide economic relief to 11 airports across Virginia. The funding, awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), was authorized by the December 2020 emergency COVID-19 relief bill supported by Sens. Warner and Kaine.  “We are happy to announce that these funds will go towards supporting 11...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $1,169,961 in federal funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for three organizations across Southwest and Southside Virginia that are supporting individuals suffering from substance use disorder. “Over the course of the pandemic, we have seen an increased demand for substance abuse treatment,” said the Senators. “We are glad to announce that this funding will provide increase...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that two emergency projects across the Commonwealth will receive $2,624,138.82 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The federal funds will be used to communicate COVID-19 warnings and guidance to Virginians, and procure and utilize medical supplies and equipment to combat the virus.  “We’re glad to see th...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded the Biden administration for increasing the amount of federal dollars that Virginia will receive for five emergency projects across the Commonwealth. By adjusting the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s federal cost share from 75 percent to 100 percent, the Biden administration will help deliver an additional $22,915,050 in federal funding to cover the cost of communicating COVID-19 w...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that Virginia will receive $79,907,625 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support 26 community health centers across the Commonwealth. The funding – which was made possible through the American Rescue Plan – will be awarded beginning in April by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  “For the past year, our ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) today introduced the Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2021 to fix a flawed formula that results in disproportionately low Medicare payments for hospitals in rural and low-wage areas. The bill would provide additional financial support for rural hospitals that are already operating on very thin margins and shutting down at record rates durin...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark R. Warner reintroduced the Virginia Wilderness Additions Act, legislation that would add a total of 5,600 acres to two existing wilderness areas within the George Washington National Forest in Bath County, Virginia. A wilderness designation is the highest level of protection for public land under federal law. These additions were recommended by the U.S. Forest Service in 2014 and endorsed by members of the GW National Forest S...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today in commemoration of Belarus’s Freedom Day and in solidarity with Belarusian demonstrators: “103 years ago, the people of Belarus exercised their fundamental right to self-governance and declared the establishment of a free and independent Belarusian National Republic. Today, I join Belarusians all around the world in commemorating Freedom Day and express my support for their ongoing effort to ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement after Governor Northam signed legislation today ending the use of capital punishment in Virginia: “I’m proud to see Virginia abolish this brutal and racist institution,” Kaine said. “As the death penalty capital of the United States, Virginia gives hope that work done for justice is not in vain and that progress is possible for all. I will continue pushing legislation in the Senate to end the...Continue Reading