Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after the Navy signed a contract to block buy nine Virginia-class submarines: “We’re glad the Navy reached this deal to save taxpayer dollars and help protect our nation. We’ve long supported Virginia-class submarines, and we’re excited that this move will strengthen our shipbuilding community in Hampton Roads,&nb...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper today, requesting a briefing to explain the expanded presence of U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia. Last week, the Trump Administration sent a formal war powers notification to Congress stating that additional U.S. forces are being deployed to Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number of servicemembe...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on the resignation of Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer:  “Throughout my work with Secretary Spencer, I’ve known him to be a good man, a patriotic American, and an effective leader. He joins Generals Mattis and McMaster as national security leaders who served our country well despite having to work under an unethical Commander in C...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 on the Administration’s latest troop deployments to Saudi Arabia: “President Trump told the American public that he’s bringing our troops home, and then he turned around and sent them to guard oil in Syria and protect Saudi Arabia. This week, the President sent us a war powers notification stating that he’s expanding our...Continue Reading

Introduce Bill To Continue March Of Dimes’ Lifesaving Work WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators David Perdue (R-GA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced bipartisan legislation to allow March of Dimes to continue its lifesaving work on behalf of all moms and babies. The Protecting Critical Services for Mothers and Babies Act allows March of Dimes to qualify for the same pension funding rules as many other charities and non-profit organizations. Specifically, the bill would designate March of D...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today applauded $1,197,247 in rural development funding to further telemedicine at the University of Virginia, George Mason University, VCU Health’s Community Memorial Hospital in Mecklenburg County, Va. and the Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens in Tazewell County, Va. This funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant program. “Tel...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded $299,456 in federal funding from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) for Virginia Tech to conduct research on community-based ways to combat the opioid epidemic and facilitate cooperation between law enforcement and public health agencies. The grant was awarded through the ONDCP’s Combating Opioid Overdose through Community-Level Intervention (COOCLI) grant program. “Communities throug...Continue Reading

Washington, DC -- Today, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) sent a letter along with Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Mark Warner (D-VA) requesting that the National Park Service (NPS) conduct a reconnaissance survey to evaluate the suitability of designating the George C. Marshall House, known as Dodona Manor, in Leesburg as an “affiliated area” under NPS. “Designating the George C. Marshall House as an affiliated area under NPS would bring increased public interest and awarene...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 protests in Iran: “Authorities in Iran have shut down the nation’s internet in an attempt to silence protesters and have callously referred to demonstrators as ‘thugs.’ Reports indicate at least a dozen people have been killed, more injured, and over 1000 have been arrested. I stand with those who are protesting p...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in sponsoring a bipartisan Senate resolution (S.J. Res. 6) that would immediately remove the ratification deadline for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Following this month’s elections in Virginia, the Commonwealth is poised to be the 38th and final state needed to ratify the ERA. If ratified, the ERA would finally g...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mike Lee (R-UT) in introducing the Smarter Sentencing Act, legislation to modernize federal drug sentencing policies by lowering certain mandatory drug sentences. “Our nation is facing a serious over-incarceration problem,” said Kaine. “One way we can tackle this challenge is by reducing mandatory minimums that unfairly punish non-violent drug offenders. ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released a statement following multiple reports that President Trump has reversed course after promising to issue a ban on non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettes:   “It’s unacceptable that President Trump is putting politics over public health by breaking his promise to ban flavored e-cigarettes. As the epidemic of youth e...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) introduced legislation to help more unemployed Americans reenter the workforce. The Building on Reemployment Improvements to Deliver Good Employment (BRIDGE) for Workers Act would give states more flexibility in administering existing unemployment benefits to help more Americans find good-paying jobs.  These reemployment benefits—which ...Continue Reading

~ Senators have been pushing to lift the Chinese ban on U.S. turkey and chicken products for years ~  WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today applauded the news that the Chinese government will lift the import ban on U.S. poultry products that has been in place since 2015, effective immediately. “For years, we have raised concerns about China’s unfair ban on U.S. poultry products and today’s announcement that the ban will be lifted...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine joined Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein and all of their Democratic colleagues in introducing the Senate companion to the House-passed Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act. The bill, which would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) through 2024, provides essential protections and resources to survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse. The legislation preserves adv...Continue Reading

Video: https://timkaine.box.com/s/9npzu74utsz562pe6n81wyyzky8qelni WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, amid the Trump Administration’s delay in issuing a final policy to address the growing epidemic of youth e-cigarette use, Kaine pressed the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products Director Mitch Zeller on whether the Trump Administration will honor their pledge to ban all non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettes. In response, Zeller said, “there is no final answer.” Kaine as...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – With three senior State Department officials scheduled to testify during the first week of public hearings on the Trump-Ukraine scandal, Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today called on two top ranking officials in the Department to step up during the current leadership crisis at the agency, make statements of support for the personnel, and commit to no retaliation against the career public servants risking their careers and reputations due to the T...Continue Reading

Bipartisan legislation will award Congressional Gold Medals to Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Dr. Christine Darden for their groundbreaking contributions WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, bipartisan legislation cosponsored by U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine to award four African-American women scientists the Congressional Gold Medal for their work at NASA Langley was signed into law by President Trump. The award distinguishes Katherine Johnson, Dr. Christine Darde...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $391,400 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for rural business development and public safety. “We’re pleased to announce these grants to strengthen local businesses and public safety in the Commonwealth,” the Senators said. “This federal assistance will go directly towards supporting local entrepreneurs and law enforcement in Virginia.” $277,20...Continue Reading

Legislation arrives as Trump Administration reportedly considers ending deportation protections for military families  WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced legislation today to strengthen military readiness by safeguarding the Parole in Place (PIP) program, which allows undocumented family members—parents, children, spouses or widowers—of members of the U.S. Armed Forces and Veterans to lawfully remain in the United States in one-year increment...Continue Reading