Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Five years after the Supreme Court issued its Citizens United decision, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine, Sheldon Whitehouse, and more than 30 of their colleagues reintroduced the DISCLOSE Act, legislation that would crack down on secret money by requiring organizations that spend money to influence elections to disclose their spending as well as their major sources of funding in a timely manner. “The DISCLOSE Act would make long-overdue changes to our nation’s campai...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement surrounding oral arguments in Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. Inclusive Communities Project before the Supreme Court.   “As a fair housing attorney for nearly two decades, I specialized in representing people who had been denied housing due to their race or disability.  I know that discrimination in housing does not have to be intentional to result in unfair and damaging e...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner and U.S. Representatives Bob Goodlatte, Bobby Scott, Randy Forbes, Rob Wittman, Gerry Connolly, Morgan Griffith, Robert Hurt, Scott Rigell, Dave Brat, Don Beyer, and Barbara Comstock wrote a letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel expressing their continued support for the 11 aircraft carrier fleet in advance of the release of the President’s Fiscal Year 2016 budget proposal. In 2014, the House and Senate Armed Serv...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on President Obama’s State of the Union Address tonight: “In reflecting on the significant economic progress we’ve made over the past six years, President Obama made a strong case for why America is well-positioned for success, as well as what it will take to ensure all Americans see it – and feel it - in their daily lives and communities.  By announcing key workforce, education and trai...Continue Reading

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rob Portman (R-OH), co-chairs of the Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, announced that they will renew their push for CTE by sitting together during the State of the Union and introducing bipartisan legislation to better prepare students for 21st-century jobs. The Educating Tomorrow’s Workforce Act, sponsored by Portman, Kaine, and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI),  would raise the quality of Car...Continue Reading

JERUSALEM – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, released the following statement today at the conclusion of a bipartisan congressional delegation to Israel, Saudi Arabia and Qatar: “Four days of intense dialogue with Saudi Arabian, Qatari, Israeli and Palestinian officials, as well as representatives of moderate Syrian opponents of the brutal Assad regime, offered significant insight into a range of tough challenge...Continue Reading

JERUSALEM – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement in commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day:  “Today we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and honor his legacy of non-violent social change and justice. Dr. King’s tireless work for the rights of his fellow citizens still inspires Americans to strive to better themselves, as well as their communities. Dr. King spent his life reaching across the old lines of division to find common ground ...Continue Reading

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, today arrived in Israel as a part of a bipartisan congressional delegation to meet with senior Israeli and Palestinian government leaders to discuss a broad range of bilateral and regional issues and reaffirm their support for the U.S.-Israel strategic partnership.  Prior to Israel, the delegation also visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Delegation members include Senators Jo...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on the decision by Marilyn Tavenner, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to step down: “From serving as my Secretary of Health and Human Resources in Virginia during a recession, to overseeing health care services for millions of Americans following the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, Marilyn has been an exceptional leader whose experience as a nurse and hospital administrator ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) today led a bipartisan group of six Senate colleagues in introducing The Startup Act to jumpstart investment and job creation by new businesses. The bipartisan legislation makes a series of targeted proposals in tax, regulatory and immigration policy. It would create both Entrepreneur and STEM visas for highly-educated and entrepreneurial immigrants educated in the U.S., allowing them to stay here and create jobs. The l...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on State Senator Linda “Toddy” Puller’s announcement that she will retire after 23 years in public office: “For more than 23 years, Toddy Puller has passionately served the people of Northern Virginia. Toddy’s public service career has been dedicated to uplifting all Virginians, but her primary legacy will be the incredible work she has done to support...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on the visit by Vice President Biden and U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz to Norfolk State University (NSU) to announce $25 million in grants for historically black colleges and universities to invest in cybersecurity training: “Improving our nation’s cybersecurity will require collaboration among all stakeholders, and I’m pleased Norfolk State w...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine have introduced the bipartisan Biennial Budgeting and Appropriations Act of 2015 in an effort to reform Congress’ budgeting process. The legislation would convert Congress’ annual budget and appropriations process to a two-year budget cycle, with one year for budgeting and appropriating federal dollars and the other year devoted to oversight of federal programs. The bill requires the president to submit a two-year...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate Armed Services Committee announced that U.S. Senator Tim Kaine will serve on the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities and will continue serving on the Seapower Subcommittee for the 114th Congress. The Subcommittee on Seapower has jurisdiction over Navy and Marine Corps programs as well as strategic lift programs and other maritime issues. During his first two years on the Committee, Kaine helped lead efforts to maintain the 11 aircraft carr...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON –U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) applauded U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s announcement today that Virginia projects will receive over $18 million in federal funding for Chesapeake Bay restoration through the USDA Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).  USDA announced today that the RCPP will allocate more than $370 million in competitive grants for conservation projects across the country for the next two years. As part of th...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine announced that his guest at Tuesday’s Presidential State of the Union Address will be Lisa Barnett, Coordinator for Career and Technical Education for Botetourt County Public Schools. Kaine, co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, has made improving CTE one of his top priorities in the Senate. Kaine grew up working in his father’s ironworking shop and spent a year as a missionary in Honduras...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on the passing of Cabell Brand: “Cabell Brand was a champion of the poor and the underserved. His vision was for every child to have an education, enough food to eat, and the opportunity to contribute to society. He worked to make this vision a reality by founding Total Action for Progress, which has helped lift families in Virginia out of poverty for nearly 50 years. Mr. Brand’s humanity will lea...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, DC – This week, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, along with seven other senators, sent a letter to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi regarding humanitarian aid for the nearly two million Iraqis displaced by the violent campaign of ISIL. “We have heard firsthand about the suffering and harsh conditions facing these men, women, and children—many of whom have taken refuge in Iraq’s Kurdistan region,” wrote the Senators. “These civilians are in dire need of ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Armed Services and Budget Committees, released the following statement after meeting with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald to discuss challenges facing Virginia veterans, including issues with disability benefits and health care wait times: “I had a very positive meeting with Secretary McDonald this morning to talk about a number of concerns I’ve heard from veterans across Virginia and ask how I can ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, co-chair of the Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, released the following statement today on the new cybersecurity initiatives announced by President Obama in Arlington today:   “I applaud the President for his enduring commitment to improving our nation’s cybersecurity. Cyber threats pose a significant risk to every part of our increasingly connected society and addressing the problem will require a unique, sustained collaboration betwee...Continue Reading