Press Releases

Washington, DC – In the wake of a critical National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report, the National Capital Region’s Congressional Delegation today called on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to take immediate action to fix a serious safety issue resulting from improperly installed power connector assemblies throughout the Metrorail system. Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), joined by Senators Barbara M...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators David Perdue (R-GA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on State Department and USAID Management, Internal Operations, and Bilateral International Development, today introduced the Improving Department of State Oversight Act, a bipartisan bill that will facilitate necessary changes to improve the State Department’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to conduct more secure and more effective oversi...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the 10-month anniversary of the U.S. launching military action against the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) introduced a bipartisan Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) as an amendment to the State Department reauthorization bill being considered in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week. By introducing this compromise language as a starting point for debate, Kaine and Flake hope that fellow me...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) along with U.S. Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA-3), Randy Forbes (R-VA-4), and Rob Wittman (R-VA-1) applauded the U.S. Navy for signing a more than $4 billion contract to award the construction of the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) to Newport News Shipbuilding. “Today’s announcement marks an important step forward in designing and building the second in this new Ford class of aircraft carriers,” said Sen. Warne...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on the data breach that may have exposed the personal information of approximately 4 million current and former federal employees: “I’m deeply concerned that yet another data breach has compromised the personal information of approximately four million of our nation’s public servants, including many Virginians. As cyber-attacks become increasingly common, the government must do more to prote...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) considers new rules to address predatory practices in payday and similar types of lending, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined a group of more than 30 Senators in expressing support for initial steps the agency has taken and urging the agency to issue strong rules to combat the “cascade of devastating financial consequences” that these high-priced loans often have on consumers. “We support the CFPB&rsq...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In remarks on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine called on his colleagues to get serious about finding relief from across-the-board sequestration cuts as they begin consideration of the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Kaine announced his support for an amendment to NDAA introduced by U.S. Senator Jack Reed that would grant relief from sequestration cuts to both defense and non-defense accounts. The current legislation provides $38 ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today after final Senate passage of the USA Freedom Act, bipartisan legislation that would ban the bulk collection of telephone records and make other important reforms to current government surveillance programs: “In seeking reforms to our current government surveillance programs, my highest priority has been finding the right balance between civil liberties and national security. The USA Freedom Act achieves...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined U.S. Congressman Don Beyer, U.S. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, and National Park Service (NPS) Director Jonathan Jarvis today at a press conference near Memorial Bridge to urge Congress to pass a bipartisan, long-term federal transportation bill that makes critical investments in America’s aging infrastructur...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, along with U.S. Representatives Randy Forbes and Robert Hurt announced that land has been purchased and construction will begin on a Foreign Affairs Security Training Center (FASTC) at Fort Pickett in Nottoway County, Virginia.  Last week, the Director of the U.S. General Services Administration signed a Record of Decision (ROD), which identified Fort Pickett as the site to construct and operate the FASTC.  This d...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Don Beyer, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton will join National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, and U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell at a press conference Monday, June 1st, at noon on Arlington Memorial Bridge to highlight the neglected condition of the bridge and the critical need for Congress to act on infrastructure improvements.  Who:    Rep...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Continuing his four-day swing through Virginia today in Hampton Roads, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine hosted a Citizen Day service project focused on oyster reef restoration with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Citizen Days are an opportunity for Kaine to share his passion for public service by bringing Virginians together to participate in service projects.  "I'm a big supporter of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the work it does to keep the Bay clean. As governor, we did...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today after the Senate considered a series of measures related to government surveillance programs.  Kaine voted in support of ‎beginning debate on the USA Freedom Act, bipartisan legislation that would ban the bulk collection of telephone records and make other important reforms to current programs.  The Senate, however, failed by three votes to agree to begin debate on the measure. The Senate also re...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement after the Senate passed a short term extension of the Highway Trust Fund last night: “While I reluctantly supported a two-month extension of federal transportation funding, Congress should not consider it a victory to kick this can two more months down the road.  The American Society of Civil Engineers’ annual infrastructure report card gives Virginia a C- grade, citing the 4,800 structurally defici...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today after final passage of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) and Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) legislation, 62-37: “I am pleased that the Senate today completed the passage of four related trade bills. We have given the President the same power to negotiate trade deals that has been provided to every President since 1974. We have guaranteed funding for workers whose jobs are negatively affected by global t...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. —Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, joined 13 of his Senate colleagues in sending a letter urging President Obama to significantly increase the number of Syrian refugees allowed to resettle in the United States. The Syrian conflict has led to the world’s worst ongoing humanitarian crisis and the worst refugee crisis since World War II.  “Our nation’s founders came to our shores to es...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine joined 21 of their Senate colleagues in urging Congress to increase funding for Positive Train Control (PTC). According to the National Safety Transportation Board, PTC technology could have prevented the derailment of Amtrak 188 in Philadelphia last week.  Currently the nation’s rails need approximately $2 billion to fully implement positive train control but Congress has only allocated $50 million to date. In a letter to the...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the U.S. strategy against ISIL, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, pushed back against Congressional criticism of the Obama administration’s strategy in Iraq & Syria, along with calls for additional ground troops, while Congress remains unwilling to be held accountable for asking U.S. servicemembers to risk their lives. By avoiding a debate and vote on a new Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against ISIL, Kaine a...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine introduced the Strong Start for America’s Children Act, legislation that would expand quality preschool programs. The Strong Start for America's Children Act is a 10-year innovative federal-state partnership to expand and improve early learning opportunities for children from birth to age five. “Quality preschool programs benefit students and the nation as a whole,” said Kaine. “By expanding access to early childh...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement after a resolution recognizing May as Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month was passed by the Senate. Kaine is a co-sponsor of this resolution: “For more than one hundred years, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have had an immeasurable impact on our country. The influence of the AAPI community is present in the arts, sciences, Armed Forces, business community and so many other f...Continue Reading