Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, participated in a ceremony honoring Mildred Pretzer, a World War II veteran who served as part of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC). Kaine presented Mrs. Pretzer with the Army Good Conduct Medal, the WAC Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the Honorable Service Lapel Pin. Earlier this year, Mrs. Pretzer contacted Kaine’s office for assist...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner announced that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will be awarding $11,312,352 in grants to help fight veterans’ homelessness in Virginia. The VA is distributing the awards under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program to non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives that provide services to very low-income veteran families living in or transitioning to permanent housing. These servic...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern, South and Central Asian Affairs, released the following statement today on political developments in Iraq and U.S. military action: “Iraq is at a crucial juncture that requires all Iraqis to put aside past grievances and unite as a country.  I am encouraged by the steps that have been taken in recent days to build political consensus and welcome the nomination of Dr....Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine wrote letters to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray, and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Edith Ramirez calling their attention to recent reports published in ProPublica and the Washington Post that detail abusive debt collection practices against servicemembers undertaken by a Virginia-based retailer. In a joint letter with U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Richard ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today on Senate passage of the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014: “While I’m disappointed the House did not accept our improvements to the bill, I’m pleased we voted to keep the Highway Trust Fund solvent through May 2015 and allow critical transportation infrastructure projects in the Commonwealth to continue - but we should not confuse this necessary short-term fix with the lon...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on final passage of The Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 to improve veterans’ access to health care and address serious problems facing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): “Today we took a major step toward restoring the trust of our veterans and fixing the systemic issues that have plagued the VA,” said Kaine, who was an original co-sponsor of the Senate version of the b...Continue Reading

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern, South and Central Asian Affairs, joined 34 of his Senate colleagues in condemning the decision by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to launch a one-sided investigation into Israel’s actions during the current conflict while ignoring actions by Hamas that threaten the lives of both Israeli and Palestinian civilians, including indiscriminate rocket attacks and...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine applauded the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for awarding more than $1.7 million in grants to support behavioral and mental health services at seven locations across Virginia. The grants, which will go to existing health centers in Alexandria, Danville, Laurel Fork, Portsmouth, Richmond, Roanoke and Saltville, will be used to expand mental health services, as well increase the coordination, collaboration, and integration...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank, which is set to expire on September 30, 2014. The five-year reauthorization package would incrementally increase the Bank’s spending authority to $160 billion from $140 billion over a four-year period, require the Bank to submit reports to Congress detailing its business plan and risk exposure, and ensure the Bank’s loan loss ratio is less than two...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Jim Risch (R-ID) introduced a Senate Resolution to express the importance of strengthening the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership to promote stability, democracy, and economic prosperity in the 21st century. The Senators call for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be invited to address the United States Congress at the earliest opportunity, and for the U.S. to develop a clear strategic plan for its r...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine met with White House Drug Policy Acting Director Michael Botticelli to discuss the opioid crisis in Virginia and next steps to combat the epidemic. Last month, Kaine praised Botticelli’s announcement in Roanoke that the Administration plans to direct $25.5 billion toward public health and criminal justice initiatives that will help tackle rapidly growing rates of prescription painkiller and heroin abuse across the country. “Drug abuse knows no tra...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, on the 49th anniversary of the signing of Medicare, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine delivered remarks on the Senate floor to highlight the positive findings of the 2014 Medicare Trustees Report released earlier this week. According to the report, the life of the Trust Fund has been extended to 2030, up from its projection of 2017 in 2009, and Part B premiums are expected to stay the same rather than increase for the second year in a row. The report also indicates that refo...Continue Reading

(WASHINGTON) – U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), and U.S. Reps. Rob Wittman (R-1st), Scott Rigell (R-2nd) and Bobby Scott (D-3rd) today met with U.S. Air Force Assistant Secretary Kathleen Ferguson, Deputy Chief Management Officer Mr. Bill Booth and Major General Theresa Carter for a briefing on proposed personnel reductions at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, Virginia.  Today’s meeting followed a July 15th letter sent to by the Virginia delegation to the ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) joined Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) to introduce the Domestic Violence Gun Homicide Prevention Act of 2014, legislation that would encourage states to remove firearms from domestic abusers. The senators presented their bill at a press conference where they were joined by Merry Jackson, whose daughter Lori Jackson was shot and killed this year by her estranged husband, who was under a temporary restraining...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) joined U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet and a Maryland business owner Tuesday in calling for the reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank – a key tool to helping small businesses sell their goods overseas and create jobs back home. Without Congressional action, the Bank’s charter will expire in 64 days. The Senators called for a long-term extensi...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today after the Senate voted to confirm Robert McDonald as Secretary of Veterans Affairs: “I’m proud to join my Senate colleagues in confirming Robert McDonald to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs. I believe Mr. McDonald - a decorated U.S. Army veteran with years of management experience in the private sector -  is the right kind of leader to implement the systemic changes we need at the VA...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement in response to today’s Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling to strike down Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriage in Bostic v. Rainey: “Today's decision is a victory for the Virginia value of equality. I campaigned against the ballot initiative banning same-sex marriage in 2006 and was very disappointed when it passed. I am gratified that the 4th Circuit Court has recognized that ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today on the passing of former Congressman Caldwell Butler of Roanoke: “I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our close family friend, former Congressman Caldwell Butler. Anne and I send our deepest sympathies to his loved ones and the entire Roanoke community. I will always admire Congressman Butler’s courageous decision to do what he believed was right, regardless of politics. He will be remem...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on the deal announced by House and Senate negotiators today to improve veterans’ access to health care and address serious problems facing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): “I’m heartened that bipartisan negotiators were able to reach a deal that will help ensure veterans receive the timely, high-quality care they deserve from the VA,” said Kaine, who was an original co-sponsor of the ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on the opening of the Silver Line: “Today is an exciting day. Working on Phase 1 of the Silver Line remains one of the most challenging projects I’ve worked on in my 20 years of public service. In Northern Virginia, it has been a long-held dream to extend the Metro to this corridor. The Silver Line will boost the regional economy, improve daily life for thousands of commuters, and ultimately enabl...Continue Reading