Press Releases

Senators Write to Vice President Pence: ‘Guidance needs to be based on science and evidence -- not politics or ideology’ WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) – both members of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee – are calling on the White House Coronavirus Task Force to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to release full reopening guidelines. The Senators’ letter to Vice Preside...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today applauded $5,445,336 in federal funding for public transportation in Harrisonburg. The funding was authorized by the Federal Transit Authority (FTA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act supported by Sens. Warner and Kaine. “As we continue charting a way out of this crisis, cities and localities will need to work to make sure that our...Continue Reading

Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Mark Warner (D-VA) introduced the COVID-19 Mine Worker Protection Act which would require the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) within 7 days of enactment to protect our miners from COVID-19 exposure at the mines. Additionally, the bill would forbid mine operators from re...Continue Reading

Video: https://timkaine.box.com/s/tlbg2eb2kp4kvc24xf08w38r831xesfu WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, in a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine questioned Dr. Anthony Fauci and CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield about the Trump Administration’s failure to mitigate the COVID-19 death toll in the United States. Kaine highlighted the stark differences in the death rate in the U.S. compared to South Korea. The two nations confirmed their firs...Continue Reading

The current public health emergency is exacerbating a longstanding “homework gap” that requires immediate action by Congress WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine joined more than 40 of their colleagues to introduce the Emergency Educational Connections Act, legislation aimed at ensuring K-12 students have adequate home internet connectivity and devices during the coronavirus pandemic. The bill is the Senate companion to legislation recently intro...Continue Reading

Bill makes state and local governments eligible for Emergency Paid Leave Payroll Tax Credits WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined Senators Dick Durbin and Tina Smith to introduce a legislative fix that would help state and local governments provide public employees with paid leave when they need it most. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, signed into law in March, requires many public and private...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today,  U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee joined Ranking Member Patty Murray and House Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott in introducing legislation to invest $15 billion in America’s workforce training infrastructure as well as career and technical education. The Relaunching America’s Workforce Act authorizes funding to help workers sharpen their skills and quickly re-enter the...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $7,961,099 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to expand COVID-19 testing capacity at 26 health centers across Virginia. These grants were awarded as part of the Expanding Capacity for Coronavirus Testing (ECT) program. “We must expand testing capacity for COVID-19 in Virginia and across the country,” the Senators said. “This federal fundin...Continue Reading

Video: https://timkaine.box.com/s/cbfsu3mzz8d8mj1cezbkyhg3ie4z5i5r WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today in a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine pressed Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), on the Trump Administration’s response to the coronavirus and the stark differences in the death toll in the United States vs. South Korea. He asked Dr. Collins why South Korea’s death toll increased from 28 ...Continue Reading

Watch video of Kaine's floor speech calling for a veto override here. WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, released the following statement after the Senate voted on whether to override Trump’s veto of his bipartisan war powers resolution. The vote was 49-44, but did not reach the two-thirds threshold required to override a presidential veto. The resolution would prevent further e...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, released the following statement after President Trump vetoed his bipartisan war powers resolution that passed both the Senate and House. The resolution would prevent further escalation of hostilities with Iran without congressional authorization. “Last year, in President Trump’s State of the Union remarks, he said: ‘Great nations do not figh...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined Senators Bob Casey, Doug Jones, Ron Wyden, Kamala Harris, and Sherrod Brown to release a draft of the Emergency Funding for Child Protection Act, legislation that would provide $500 million in emergency funds for local child protective services and $1 million for community-based child abuse prevention programs. As children and families are staying at home to limit the spread of COVID-19, children who are vulnerable to abuse are at par...Continue Reading

Highlights coronavirus’ impacts on local governments in Abingdon, Fredericksburg, Blacksburg, Staunton, Prince William County Video: https://timkaine.box.com/s/dhr9o6dvcucmo28jx9373bugj0ldulnd WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine gave a floor speech pushing his colleagues to swiftly pass more relief funding for individual Americans and state and local governments to combat the hard-hitting effects of the coronavirus in Virginia and across the country. In the speech, ...Continue Reading

~ CARES Act allocated funding to the Greater Lynchburg Transit Company ~  WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today announced $7,630,020 in federal funding for the Greater Lynchburg Transit Company (GLTC). The funding was authorized by the Federal Transit Authority (FTA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act supported by Sens. Warner and Kaine. “During this health crisis, our public transit has adapt...Continue Reading

Senators warn evictions & foreclosures could have a ripple effect on the economy & could exacerbate public health crisis WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine joined Senator Reed to introduce legislation to create a $75 billion Housing Assistance Fund to help protect renters, homeowners, and communities by preventing avoidable foreclosures, evictions, and utility shut offs. With the potential for a massive wave of evictions and foreclosures due to COVID...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today applauded $7,387,190 in federal funding to help promote access to housing in the Commonwealth. The funding was awarded through the CARES Act Admin Fee Regular and Mainstream Voucher Program, which was authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act supported by Sens. Warner and Kaine. “In this time of deep uncertainty, the last thing fa...Continue Reading

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine joined Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and 39 of their Senate colleagues today to send a letter to President Trump, calling on his administration to develop a comprehensive national strategic plan of action by May 24th to ensure states have sufficient tests to begin safely re-opening. The first case of COVID-19 in the United States was diagnosed in Washington state on January 20, 2020. After 12 weeks, and the appearance o...Continue Reading

~ Virginia’s five HBCUs will be eligible to receive federal funding under the CARES Act ~ WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), members of the Congressional Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) Caucus, applauded $36,475,848 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education to support Virginia’s five HBCUs. The federal funding was made possible through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund es...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced that Lee and Wise Counties will receive $259,000 and $22,500 in federal funds, respectively, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for water improvement projects. “We are pleased to announce these federal dollars to improve water infrastructure in these communities,” said the Senators. “These projects aim to improve water quality for Virginia families.” The Wise County Public ...Continue Reading

Watch here: https://timkaine.box.com/s/xa5ad4i4xey3zzb9auc6bmv3hbiz8ll9 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine called for Congress to pass more COVID-19 relief funding for state and local governments to prevent layoffs of critical personnel, including firefighters, police officers, and other first responders. “Most states are doing their budgets right now. Most localities are doing their budgets right now. And get this – they are having th...Continue Reading