Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a full meeting of the House and Senate’s bipartisan Budget Conference Committee today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, one of 30 conferees, discussed his concern with the current budget proposals being considered by congressional negotiators. Kaine pressed for additional relief from automatic, across-the-board spending cuts dictated by the sequester,  both in defense and non-defense programs. He also expressed concern about deep spending cuts included in b...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee passed key provisions of the Career Ready Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, co-chair of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, that would help ensure students are ready for postsecondary education and the workforce by encouraging career guidance programs in schools and requiring states to incorporate career readiness indicators into their state report cards. Provis...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine introduced the FDA Accountability for Public Safety Act, bipartisan legislation that would hold the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accountable for the approval of new opioid drugs, ensuring experts’ voices are heard as new and potentially dangerous opioid medications are considered for approval. “Prescription opioid abuse has become an epidemic in this country, and the dramatic growth in overdose deaths demonstrates ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In remarks on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine marked the eighth anniversary of the tragedy at Virginia Tech, highlighting the resilience of survivors and the entire Virginia Tech community, and challenging Congress to stand up against groups like the National Rifle Association (NRA) by taking action to reduce gun violence in America, including passage of comprehensive background check legislation. Kaine opened his remarks by reading the names of the 32 stu...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: “I was pleased to meet with Prime Minister Abadi today to discuss progress in the fight against ISIL as well as efforts to develop an inclusive government that protects the rights of all Iraqi people. “Yesterday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee reached bipartisan consensus on legislation that sets up a process fo...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on Senate passage of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, which fixes the Medicare payment formula by changing the Sustainable Growth Rate: “I’m pleased Congress passed legislation that will provide greater certainty for Medicare patients and providers by addressing long-term physician payment reform. In addition to fixing the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula, this bill in...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, including a number of provisions Kaine helped negotiate, was unanimously passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 19-0.  The bipartisan legislation would set up a constructive and deliberate process for Congressional review of a final nuclear agreement with Iran that touches upon statutory sanctions enacted by Congress. Under the compromise approved today, after a final deal is reached between Iran and P5+...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, continuing his five-day swing through Virginia, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine traveled to Appomattox to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War.  Speaking at Appomattox Court House National Historic Park’s ceremony to recognize the anniversary, Kaine delivered a message of unity and the lessons our country can learn from the surrender. “Is there any doubt that American leadership will be just as important in the future as it has been in t...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined 17 of his Senate colleagues in a letter urging increased funding for critical prescription drug abuse prevention, treatment and research programs at the Department of Health and Human Services. In the letter to U.S. Senate appropriators, the senators request the nation’s response to the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic be strengthened through additional funding in fiscal year (FY) 2016. “Prescription and illicit drug abuse...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, co-chair of the Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, continued his five-day swing through the Commonwealth with a visit to Arlington’s La Cocina VA, an organization focused on bilingual workforce development through culinary job training that offers career certifications, lessons in workforce skills and vocational English instruction to Spanish-speaking students. “La Cocina VA is a great combination,&rdqu...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – A bipartisan group of Senators comprising the Southern Atlantic delegation – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Richard Burr (R-NC), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Tim Scott (R-SC), Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and David Perdue (R-GA) – is pushing for offshore energy legislation that allows Atlantic coastal states to share in the revenue from energy resources developed offshore. In January, the U.S. Department of the Interior proposed opening ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine kicked off a five-day swing through the Commonwealth by joining U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker to meet with local business owners in Richmond and discuss how increased trade opportunities for businesses, including trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, would – if agreed to – impact Virginia companies and the Commonwealth’s economy.  “We heard from a variety of businesses in the Richmond area, ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement today on the Iran nuclear negotiations: “The framework agreement reached today is a positive step for diplomacy and efforts to peacefully limit Iran’s nuclear program. Thanks to Secretary Kerry and the P5+1 negotiators, as well as the power of the U.S.-led sanctions regime, the plan announced today includes significant concessions from Iran that, if fu...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined a group of bipartisan Senate colleagues in expressing concern about the lack of progress being made in negotiations with South Africa over antidumping duties that have effectively blocked the import of American chicken for the last 15 years. The senators noted the importance of the nations’ respective trade groups reaching an agreement before the Senate considers reauthorization this spring of the African Growth ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement after voting against the Fiscal Year 2016 Senate Budget Resolution, which passed 52-46: “I am pleased the Senate – in a bipartisan vote – passed an amendment I introduced to pave the way to replace both defense and non-defense sequester cuts with a balanced package of cuts in spending and tax expenditures. However, I was not able to support a budget ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today on Minority Leader Harry Reid’s decision not to run for re-election: “Senator Reid is one of the toughest fighters and kindest souls I know, always putting the people of Nevada and the well-being of our nation first. His guidance and support since I took office in 2013 has been invaluable and I will always be grateful for his friendship.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement today on the situation in Yemen:  “I am deeply concerned by the deteriorating security situation in Yemen and the Houthi attacks on the democratically elected Government of Yemen. Allowing Yemen to spiral into civil or regional proxy war would not only provide an attractive opening for terrorist groups such as al Qaeda in the Ar...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement on the President’s announcement that he will slow the drawdown of U.S. troops in Afghanistan: “Over the past 14 years, the United States has made a significant investment in Afghanistan – including 2,215 American lives lost – that has helped achieve meaningful progress. I support President Obama’s effort to maintai...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after meeting yesterday with Admiral Michelle Howard, the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, to discuss the state of readiness in the U.S. Navy. They also spoke about the findings of a recently released report on the USS Mahan (DDG-72) shooting last year. “I had a very meaningful discussion with Admiral Howard to talk about a number of matters impacting readiness across ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement on the announcement by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that it will revise the 40-mile eligibility rule for the Veterans Choice program by measuring driving distance between a veteran’s home and the nearest VA medical center, instead of the current “as the crow flies” definition. Last month, Warner and Kaine joined 40 of their colleagues to urge Secretary of Veterans...Continue Reading