Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Speaking together on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and John McCain introduced the War Powers Consultation Act of 2014 - bipartisan legislation that would reform the 1973 War Powers Resolution by strengthening the consultative process between Congress and the President on whether and when to engage in military action. Senators Kaine and McCain initially announced their intention to review the War Powers Resolution in July 2013, describing ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine joined a bipartisan group of nine senators to write a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the United States Trade Representative urging them to provide for open markets and fair trade of U.S. chicken products, which would benefit poultry growers in Virginia and nationwide. The letter, which was sent to Secretary Tom Vilsack and Ambassador Michael Froman, states that lifting trade restrictions by seve...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on Congressman Jim Moran’s announcement that he will retire after 23 years in Congress: "For nearly four decades, Jim Moran has devoted his career to serving the people of Northern Virginia. From his early days on Alexandria City Council to his leadership on the House Appropriations Committee, Jim has never stopped fighting for Virginia's 8th District and I will greatly miss his upbeat presence on Capitol Hill...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine released the following joint statement following the Navy’s announcement this evening regarding carrier homeport changes: “Navy leadership has briefed us that today’s announcement is a routine shift to balance operational demands with shipyard capabilities.  This planned reshuffling of the carriers aligns the fleet with the Navy’s maintenance schedule.  Norfolk remains the premier East Coast hub fo...Continue Reading

Regional representatives for U.S. Senator Tim Kaine hold “Kaine Connects” office hours to meet with constituents and answer questions and concerns. Kaine Connects sessions are hosted regularly and throughout the Commonwealth to lessen the burden of constituent travel and increase opportunities for Virginians to receive assistance with federal services. Appointments are encouraged but walk-ins are welcome. Please see below for list of “Kaine Connects” dates and locations: ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement after a minority of Senators blocked a vote on passage of emergency unemployment insurance legislation today: “I’m very disappointed that today a minority of Senators blocked a vote on the extension of emergency unemployment benefits for more than one million Americans, including 10,000 Virginians. While our nation’s economic recovery is headed in the right direction, unemployment insurance pr...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON  -- U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) today applauded the release of the Fiscal Year 2014 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which provides discretionary funding for the entire federal government for the fiscal year, including $486.9 billion in defense spending to advance our nation’s security and military readiness, and to provide support for our troops and their families. “We have come a long way in one year since we faced down the challenges that sequ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs, released the following statement on the proposal to impose additional sanctions against Iran: “We should not impose additional sanctions against Iran in the midst of this diplomatic negotiation.  I support the current crippling sanctions regime and I will gladly vote for additional sanctions should these negotiations falter.  But now...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on the passing of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon: “I send my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The people of Israel lost someone today who dedicated his life to the state of Israel and the Israeli people. I stand with them in remembering a great Israeli leader. “  ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs, released the following statement on Iraq after speaking with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari by phone yesterday: "The Iraqis are engaged in a violent struggle against extremists in Anbar province where many courageous American servicemembers, and their international partners, fought and lost their lives almost a decade ago.  Spillover fro...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine today introduced an amendment to emergency unemployment legislation that would repeal and replace the $6 billion cut to military pensions included in the Bipartisan Budget Act. The amendment mirrors the Military Retirement Restoration Act introduced by the Senators in December that would replace the reductions in cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for military retirees with new legislation that could raise as much as $6.6 bi...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement after the Senate voted to confirm the nomination of Janet Yellen as chair of the Federal Reserve: "Dr. Janet Yellen is the right choice for Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and I'm pleased the Senate voted to confirm her today. "Her long and distinguished career in monetary policy while Vice Chair at the Federal Reserve Board and in academia as a professor at the University of California...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released this statement today following the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) selection of Virginia Tech’s proposal to spearhead a regional research effort on  the safest and most effective ways to incorporate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the existing airspace.  Virginia Tech’s proposal, one of six from across the country selected by the FAA today,  includes a cooperative agreement to ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last night, the U.S. Senate passed key provisions of U.S. Senator Tim Kaine’s first bill, the Troop Talent Act of 2013, as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2014. Kaine secured inclusion of the provisions during committee markup of the legislation in June 2013. “I’m proud that key provisions of the first piece of legislation I introduced, the Troop Talent Act, were included in the 2014 defense bill that was passed with b...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON - Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA)  to strengthen military whistleblower protection laws to ensure those who report sexual assault and other misconduct are not further victimized by retaliation passed the Senate and will become law. The Military Whistleblower Protection Act was passed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on a bipartisan 85-14 vote and will now...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today hailed final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2014 – the annual defense bill that includes important provisions Kaine advocated for Virginia during committee markup of the legislation in June 2013. The measure was passed, 84-15. “With passage of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014, I’m pleased we will be able to provide our nati...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following joint statement after Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that some individuals who had their health plans cancelled will be automatically eligible for a hardship exemption that allows them to purchase a catastrophic plan on the health insurance marketplace. The Senators raised the issue...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, joined by their Senate colleagues Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), led an effort in the Senate urging Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Kathleen Archuleta to allow federal workers the opportunity to take advantage of the new Treasury/IRS rule allowing a $500 rollover of unused health Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA) funds towards out-of-pocket health care costs and help keep families an...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern, Southern and Central Asian Affairs, today applauded committee action on the Near East and South Central Asia Religious Freedom Act of 2013, of which he is a co-sponsor. The bill, introduced by Senators Roy Blunt, Carl Levin and Bob Casey cites growing instances of religious persecution in the Middle East and calls for the creation of a special envoy within the State Department to brin...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the bipartisan Budget Conference Committee, released the following statement after the Senate voted to pass the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, 64-36. “With Senate passage of a two-year budget agreement tonight, I’m proud to say that we’ve achieved two of my highest priorities for my first year in office – getting a budget agreement through the House and Senate and offsetting the worst effects of sequestration that hav...Continue Reading