Press Releases
Kaine: Congress Needs To Pull Back From Brink Of Irresponsible And Partisan Action On National Security
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In remarks on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and co-sponsor of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, called for Congress to "pull back from the brink of irresponsible and partisan action" and seek a constructive path to engage on the Iran nuclear negotiations, criticizing a partisan letter sent to Iran's leaders yesterday that was signed by 47 Senate Republicans. "Yesterday," Kaine said, "we all awoke to … Continue Reading
March 05, 2015
Kaine, Heitkamp Re-Introduce Bill To Support Foster Children, Encourage More Families To Open Their Homes
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Heidi Heitkamp reintroduced legislation this week to support children in foster homes and the families that care for them by encouraging more Americans to offer safe loving homes for foster children. Longtime advocates for a better, brighter future for children facing undue hardship, Kaine and Heitkamp's Foster Care Tax Credit Act would seek to help the many families who care for children for six months or less, who unlike longer term foster … Continue Reading
March 04, 2015
In Letter To Majority Leader McConnell, Kaine Objects To Partisan Handling Of Iran Review Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and co-sponsor of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, joined nine of his Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to object to the bill's partisan handling, which defies regular order by bypassing the committee process and going directly to the Senate Floor for debate and vote. Joining Kaine in sending the letter were Senators Robert Menendez, Heidi Heitkamp, … Continue Reading
March 04, 2015
Kaine Statement On Affordable Care Act Subsidies Case Before Supreme Court
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement as oral arguments in King v. Burwell began at the Supreme Court: "The latest effort to attack the Affordable Care Act in court is particularly heartless. The case being heard today involves an effort to strip health care subsidies away from millions of Americans - including more than 300,000 eligible Virginians - that have enabled many people to have health insurance for the first time in their lives. I hope … Continue Reading
March 03, 2015
Kaine Denounces Move To Fast Track Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement today on a decision by Republican Senate leadership to begin a Rule 14 process on the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act: "As a co-sponsor of this important bipartisan bill, I believe the effort by the Republican leadership to force the bill to the floor prior to full committee consideration is contrary to the important interests at stake. Premature action also … Continue Reading
March 03, 2015
Kaine Applauds House Passage Of Bill To Fully Fund Department Of Homeland Security
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today on House passage of a clean bill to fully fund the Department Of Homeland Security (DHS) for the remainder of the fiscal year: "I applaud the House of Representatives for following the Senate's lead in passing a clean bill to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security and protect our national security. This is welcome news for DHS and Coast Guard employees around the country - including 17,000 in Virginia - … Continue Reading
March 03, 2015
Warner, Kaine Urge GAO to Investigate Safety of Highway Guardrails
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) in writing to the head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office to request a formal investigation into the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) process for evaluating the safety of roadside hardware, including guardrails that have been implicated in more than a dozen serious accidents - some fatal - … Continue Reading
March 03, 2015
Kaine Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine announced his co-sponsorship of the bipartisan Sportsmen's Act, which includes a broad array of bipartisan measures to enhance opportunities for hunters, anglers, and outdoor recreation enthusiasts, reauthorize key conservation programs, improve access to public lands, and help boost the outdoor recreation economy. Kaine co-sponsored an earlier version of the bill in the 113th Congress. A hearing on the provisions of the bipartisan Sportsmen's … Continue Reading
March 02, 2015
Kaine Introduces Resolution Honoring Nemtsov, Calling for Action
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine and a bipartisan group of 16 Senate cosponsors called for strong action after the murder of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov Friday in Moscow. Kaine and his cosponsors introduced a resolution laying out the known facts not only relating to Nemtsov's work on behalf of freedom and human rights but to the violent deaths suffered by other critics of the Putin regime. The resolution calls for a swift, transparent investigation of Nemtsov's murder, … Continue Reading
March 02, 2015
Kaine Cosponsors Bipartisan Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to introduce bipartisan legislation (S.615) requiring congressional review of any comprehensive nuclear agreement with Iran. The Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 would mandate the president submit the text of any agreement to Congress and prohibit the administration from suspending congressional sanctions for 60 days. During that period, Congress would have the … Continue Reading
February 27, 2015
Kaine Applauds Senate Action To Fully Fund Department Of Homeland Security
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today on Senate passage of a clean bill to fully fund the Department Of Homeland Security (DHS) for the remainder of the fiscal year: "I am pleased the Senate has acted responsibly to pass a clean bill that fully funds the Department of Homeland Security, no political strings attached. It's my hope that Republicans in the House of Representatives will act swiftly to approve this measure and avoid a needless shutdown of … Continue Reading
February 26, 2015
Kaine, Heitkamp Reintroduce Legislation To Support Clean Coal
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Heidi Heitkamp today reintroduced the Advanced Clean Coal Technology Investment in Our Nation (ACCTION) Act to help encourage coal plants to lower their carbon pollution through the use of advanced clean coal technologies. By making capital more accessible, this legislation would ultimately make the clean coal technology more affordable. The bill provides a path forward for clean coal energy production, so coal-fired power remains within our … Continue Reading
February 25, 2015
Warner, Kaine Urge VA To Improve Veterans Choice Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine joined 40 of their colleagues to write a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald raising serious concerns about the implementation of the Veterans Choice Card program, which was created as part of the Veterans Choice, Access, and Accountability Act of 2014, passed last year. The program was established in response to the nationwide crisis of veterans' access to care but has yet to be implemented as Congress … Continue Reading
February 24, 2015
Warner, Kaine, 12 Colleagues Introduce Legislation To Protect DHS Employees From A Targeted Republican Shutdown
WASHINGTON - Today U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined a dozen colleagues in introducing legislation, the Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act of 2015, that would guarantee full pay for federal workers at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), who could be furloughed because of a lapse in federal funding or agency shutdown. "Now, with terrorist threats around us, the most extreme voices are threatening to shut down a key part of our national government unless … Continue Reading
February 22, 2015
Kaine Concludes Two-Day Visit To Colombia
BOGOTA, COLOMBIA - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations & Armed Services Committees, concluded a two-day visit to Colombia focused on political, economic and security issues, including the Colombian government's ongoing negotiations with the FARC. In addition to meeting with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, Kaine met with Colombian senators, business leaders, members of civil society, and U.S. and Colombian military personnel. On Friday, Kaine met … Continue Reading
February 20, 2015
Sens. Warner And Kaine Urge Timely Release Of Long-Awaited Regulations For Trains Hauling Bakken Crude Oil
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine today urged federal regulators to move quickly to finalize and publish new safety regulations on oil trains. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is currently considering proposed new regulations from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), but final regulations are not expected to be released until this spring. In urging OMB to act sooner rather than later, Sens. Warner and Kaine pointed to last weekend's oil train derailment in … Continue Reading
February 20, 2015
Kaine Statement On Appointment Of U.S. Special Envoy To Colombia Peace Negotiations
BOGOTA, COLOMBIA - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committee who is currently in Colombia on a Congressional delegation, released the following statement on the appointment of Bernie Aronson as U.S. Special Envoy to the ongoing Colombia-FARC peace negotiations in Havana, Cuba: "Today I had the honor of meeting with President Santos as Secretary Kerry announced that the U.S. will appoint a Special Envoy to participate in the Colombia-FARC … Continue Reading
February 19, 2015
Kaine, Cornyn Conclude Three-Day Visit To Honduras
TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS - Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, and John Cornyn concluded a three-day visit to Honduras focused on economic and security challenges facing the country, as well as President Obama's proposed $1 billion aid package for Central America. In addition to meeting with Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, the Senators spoke with business leaders, members of Honduran civil society, and U.S. officials … Continue Reading
February 17, 2015
In Mexico, Kaine and Cornyn Discuss U.S.-Mexico Economic and Security Relationship
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, concluded a two-day visit to Mexico today that included meetings with Mexican government officials, counterparts in the Mexican Congress, business leaders and representatives from civil society and non-government organizations to discuss economic and security issues. Kaine is visiting Latin America with Senator John Cornyn of Texas this week. In a meeting with Foreign Minister … Continue Reading
February 12, 2015
Warner, Kaine Announce More Than $30 Million In HUD Capital Fund Program Grants To Improve Affordable Housing In Virginia
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) today announced that Virginia housing authorities have received more than $30.4 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Capital Fund Program. The funds will allow local public housing authorities to build, repair, renovate and/or modernize public housing in Virginia by making large-scale improvements, such as replacing roofs or making energy-efficient upgrades to replace old plumbing … Continue Reading
