Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In remarks on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine called on his colleagues to get serious about finding relief from across-the-board sequestration cuts as they begin consideration of the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Kaine announced his support for an amendment to NDAA introduced by U.S. Senator Jack Reed that would grant relief from sequestration cuts to both defense and non-defense accounts. The current legislation provides $38 ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today after final Senate passage of the USA Freedom Act, bipartisan legislation that would ban the bulk collection of telephone records and make other important reforms to current government surveillance programs: “In seeking reforms to our current government surveillance programs, my highest priority has been finding the right balance between civil liberties and national security. The USA Freedom Act achieves...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined U.S. Congressman Don Beyer, U.S. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, and National Park Service (NPS) Director Jonathan Jarvis today at a press conference near Memorial Bridge to urge Congress to pass a bipartisan, long-term federal transportation bill that makes critical investments in America’s aging infrastructur...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, along with U.S. Representatives Randy Forbes and Robert Hurt announced that land has been purchased and construction will begin on a Foreign Affairs Security Training Center (FASTC) at Fort Pickett in Nottoway County, Virginia.  Last week, the Director of the U.S. General Services Administration signed a Record of Decision (ROD), which identified Fort Pickett as the site to construct and operate the FASTC.  This d...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Don Beyer, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton will join National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, and U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell at a press conference Monday, June 1st, at noon on Arlington Memorial Bridge to highlight the neglected condition of the bridge and the critical need for Congress to act on infrastructure improvements.  Who:    Rep...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Continuing his four-day swing through Virginia today in Hampton Roads, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine hosted a Citizen Day service project focused on oyster reef restoration with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Citizen Days are an opportunity for Kaine to share his passion for public service by bringing Virginians together to participate in service projects.  "I'm a big supporter of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the work it does to keep the Bay clean. As governor, we did...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today after the Senate considered a series of measures related to government surveillance programs.  Kaine voted in support of ‎beginning debate on the USA Freedom Act, bipartisan legislation that would ban the bulk collection of telephone records and make other important reforms to current programs.  The Senate, however, failed by three votes to agree to begin debate on the measure. The Senate also re...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement after the Senate passed a short term extension of the Highway Trust Fund last night: “While I reluctantly supported a two-month extension of federal transportation funding, Congress should not consider it a victory to kick this can two more months down the road.  The American Society of Civil Engineers’ annual infrastructure report card gives Virginia a C- grade, citing the 4,800 structurally defici...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today after final passage of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) and Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) legislation, 62-37: “I am pleased that the Senate today completed the passage of four related trade bills. We have given the President the same power to negotiate trade deals that has been provided to every President since 1974. We have guaranteed funding for workers whose jobs are negatively affected by global t...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. —Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, joined 13 of his Senate colleagues in sending a letter urging President Obama to significantly increase the number of Syrian refugees allowed to resettle in the United States. The Syrian conflict has led to the world’s worst ongoing humanitarian crisis and the worst refugee crisis since World War II.  “Our nation’s founders came to our shores to es...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine joined 21 of their Senate colleagues in urging Congress to increase funding for Positive Train Control (PTC). According to the National Safety Transportation Board, PTC technology could have prevented the derailment of Amtrak 188 in Philadelphia last week.  Currently the nation’s rails need approximately $2 billion to fully implement positive train control but Congress has only allocated $50 million to date. In a letter to the...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the U.S. strategy against ISIL, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, pushed back against Congressional criticism of the Obama administration’s strategy in Iraq & Syria, along with calls for additional ground troops, while Congress remains unwilling to be held accountable for asking U.S. servicemembers to risk their lives. By avoiding a debate and vote on a new Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against ISIL, Kaine a...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine introduced the Strong Start for America’s Children Act, legislation that would expand quality preschool programs. The Strong Start for America's Children Act is a 10-year innovative federal-state partnership to expand and improve early learning opportunities for children from birth to age five. “Quality preschool programs benefit students and the nation as a whole,” said Kaine. “By expanding access to early childh...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement after a resolution recognizing May as Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month was passed by the Senate. Kaine is a co-sponsor of this resolution: “For more than one hundred years, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have had an immeasurable impact on our country. The influence of the AAPI community is present in the arts, sciences, Armed Forces, business community and so many other f...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, released the following statement today after Speaker Boehner called on President Obama to “start over” and send a new Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against ISIL to Congress: “After ten months of the House avoiding the responsibility to even have any meaningful debate on the current war on ISIL, the Speaker's plea for the President to submit a...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Tim Kaine , a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined a bipartisan letter expressing support for the people and government of Tunisia as they transition to democracy and representative government. The letter was co-signed by nine other senators that sit on the committee, including Senators Ben Cardin, Jim Risch, Robert Menendez, Marco Rubio, Chris Coons, Jeff Flake, David Perdue, Chris Murphy, and Johnny Isakson.  “In the dark ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today praised the committee’s Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes amendments introduced by Kaine condemning sequestration cuts and strengthening credentialing programs, as well as a number of other provisions supported by Kaine that benefit Virginia’s shipbuilding industry and defense community. The bill was reported out of committee today and will ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today after the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to pass the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, of which Kaine is a lead cosponsor: “I’m thrilled that overwhelming bipartisan majorities in both houses of Congress have now committed to a constructive process for review of a final nuclear agreement  with Iran.  It was an honor to work with Senators Corker, Cardin, Graham, Menendez an...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the Senate’s votes to pass key customs enforcement legislation and trade preferences for developing economies today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released a statement on his vote to advance the bipartisan fast-track Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) and Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) legislation: “We all agree that trade, under the right conditions and with strong enforcement measures in place, benefits our economy. I refused to allow consideration of tr...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on last night’s fatal Amtrak crash in Philadelphia: “My heart goes out to the loved ones of those killed or seriously injured in last night's tragic Amtrak derailment. Investigations are underway, and we should reserve judgment until we understand exactly how this happened.  But one thing is clear – the state of repair of the nation’s transit infrastructure is not where it should be.&nbs...Continue Reading