Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $3,122,210 million in federal funding for five Virginia fire departments through Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The funding, which will go to fire departments in Roanoke, Roanoke County, Dungannon, Clinchco, and Prince George, will be awarded through FEMA’s Assistant to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs. “We are pleased to announ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, along with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, sent a bipartisan letter signed by 42 additional Senators to Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis urging him to advise the President against implementing the announcement he made via Twitter Wednesday that transgender Americans can no longer serve in the military. This announcement contradicts existing Defense Department policies, undermines our military ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) to introduce the Relief for Recovering Communities Act, a bill that protects funding for communities receiving federal transit funds if they face a temporary drop in population size due to a natural disaster. In Virginia, Blacksburg, Bristol, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Harrisonburg, Kingsport, Lynchburg, Staunton, Waynesboro, Williamsburg, and Winchester received this type of funding in fiscal year 2017. &ldqu...Continue Reading

~ Nearly one-third of permanent career federal employees will be eligible for retirement by 2019 ~  WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) led a group of Senators in calling on Senate leaders to protect federal employee retirement benefits from further cuts, as proposed by the Trump Administration’s FY 18 budget request. The President’s proposal calls for $149 billion in cuts from federal employees and retirees, including a raise in Federal Employ...Continue Reading

~ Congress has not authorized major medical facility leases since 2014, keeping millions of veterans from accessing the care they deserve ~ WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Rob Wittman (R-VA), A. Donald McEachin (D-VA) and Scott Taylor (R-VA) welcomed today’s announcement that Congress is making progress to finally move forward on 28 leases for Department of Veterans Affairs (V-A) major medical facilities, including much-need...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement on tonight’s vote: “Thanks to the help of countless Americans who shared their stories and made their voices heard, we were able to stop a bill that would have taken health care away from millions of people. There is a better way. Let the public into the process. We shouldn’t be kicking millions off of their heal...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after the Senate voted overwhelming, 98-2, to pass Russia, Iran, and North Korea sanctions legislation: “I’m proud of the overwhelming bipartisan vote to sanction Russia, Iran, and North Korea.  This is a clear message of U.S. commitment to punish those that seek to undermine our interests, including through attacks on our democracy, destab...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined 42 other Senate Democrats in introducing the DISCLOSE Act of 2017, legislation to improve disclosure of political spending in federal elections.   Since the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision, outside spending in federal elections has skyrocketed – much of it by corporate and special interests and political groups that are not required under law to disclose their don...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee, released a statement on the vote to proceed to a bill that takes away health care from tens of millions of people:  “As one of my colleagues has said, not a single one of us came to the United States Senate to hurt people, but that is exactly what Republicans have set in motion with today’s forced vote on a secret bill. For many of my constitue...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Senate Health, Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Jon Tester (D-MT) to introduce bipartisan legislation that seeks to improve veterans’ education benefits and enhance the post-9/11 G.I. Bill. The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 will further invest in the proven educational success of our veterans and hel...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Rob Portman (R-OH), both co-chairs of the Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, introduced the Building U.S. Infrastructure by Leveraging Demands for Skills (BUILDS) Act to ensure that workers are prepared with the skills needed for jobs—in fields such as construction, transportation and energy—that would be created by a majo...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement on the Iran Nuclear Deal:  “Two years after the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the Iran nuclear accord is holding firm. I’m pleased with the Administration’s decision to recertify Iranian compliance with the deal consistent with assessments from the IAEA and our allies.  Ripping up the deal would only serve as...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced today that the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) will receive $835,000 for research into cost-effective nature-based infrastructure from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through the Coastal Resilience Grants Program. With a range from 1 ½ to 7 feet of sea level rise projected by the year 2100, the Hampton Roads region is the second largest population center at risk from sea le...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced bipartisan legislation that would improve veterans’ experience when using GI Bill education benefits.  The Veterans Education Experience Improvement Act of 2017 would provide resources and training for the officials at educational institutions who serve student veterans, helping them achieve positive education outcomes. “The GI Bill i...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement on the release of the latest version of the Senate Republican health care bill:  “I'm hearing from Virginians what other Senators are hearing from their constituents across the country: drop this horrible bill and instead work together on bipartisan fixes to the health care system. None of the versions of TrumpCare meet the President’s...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced more than $4.2 million to preserve nine historic battlefields in Virginia. These grants were awarded through the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program, funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). “Virginia is home to some of our nation’s most significant history, and this National Park Service program has been invaluable in partnering with the Civil War Trust and localities to...Continue Reading

Watch footage here WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, hosted a roundtable conversation in Springfield with concerned parents, children, and pediatricians, about what the Medicaid cuts in the Republican Senate Health Care bill – known as TrumpCare - could mean for medically complex children. Kaine heard directly from mothers and their children – who traveled from Richmond and throughout Northern Virgini...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement on the recent Iraqi victory against ISIS in Mosul, Iraq: “This is a significant victory for the Iraqi forces, with the support of our U.S. servicemembers. But the fight is far from over. As we consider next steps in the campaign against ISIS, including to prevent its resurgence in Mosul and other areas where we have had succes...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine joined 24 colleagues in demanding the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity rescind its request that state election officials provide sensitive voter roll data. Warner and Kaine oppose the unprecedented request that threatens the privacy of millions of Americans and risks improper removal of eligible voters from voter registration lists in violation of the National Voter Registration Act. In the letter, the Se...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced $1,050,440 in federal funding for Virginia fire departments through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistant to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. The Roanoke County Fire and Rescue Department will receive $860,455 and the Madison County Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. will receive $119,429 to purchase self-contained breathing apparatus equipment. The Burnt Chimney Volunteer Fire Department in W...Continue Reading