Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement regarding Pete Hegseth’s confirmation as Secretary of Defense: “I’m shocked but not surprised at the willingness of GOP members to confirm a nominee who has been called out by so many (including his own mother) for egregious and disqualifying misconduct. Trump wanted to see if any had a gag reflex. He has his answer.” ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and U.S. Representative Morgan Griffith (R-VA) announced $26,250,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Lee County Sewer Improvements Project. The funding was awarded courtesy of the disaster relief package that the lawmakers pushed for and passed in December 2024 as part of legislation to fund the government. “High-quality water infrastructure is crucial to the health and well-being of...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) announced his subcommittee assignments for the 119th Congress. He will serve as Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) Subcommittee on Seapower, which oversees Navy and Marine Corps planning, operations policy, and programs. He will also serve as Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations (SFRC) Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights and Global Women’s Issues. ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following statement regarding the passing of his friend and mentor Henry Marsh: “My heart is heavy with grief and full of gratitude that I had the chance to know Henry Marsh—a truly exceptional person. A born-and-raised Richmonder who become active in the civil rights movement before he even graduated from Maggie L. Walker High School, Henry never waited even for a moment to do all he could to serve and improve his community. A...Continue Reading

BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO IS AVAILABLE HERE. WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee since 2013 who has previously voted to confirm five Secretaries of Defense nominated by Democratic and Republican presidents, spoke on the Senate floor regarding his opposition to President Trump’s nominee for that position, Pete Hegseth. Kaine’s remarks followed the release of a new affidavit—or sworn statement—from Hegseth’s former sister-in-law, i...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following statement after voting to block the advancement of the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act: “The 119th Congress began weeks ago, and Republicans have not put up a single bill for a vote to lower costs, boost the economy, or strengthen public safety. Instead, they tried to advance today on an extreme bill in search of a problem. Infanticide is already prohibited by state and federal law, and I’ve previously su...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), all members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on the sworn affidavit containing abuse allegations against Pete Hegseth, nominee for U.S. Secretary of Defense:  “In a sworn statement under the penalty of perjury, a new report shows U.S. Defe...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), alongside Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), introduced the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes on Imported Goods Act to shield American families and businesses from soaring prices caused by broad-based tariffs on imported products. The legislation would keep costs down for imported goods by limiting the president’s authority to impose unlimited tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a law that wa...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement regarding new reporting by NBC about an affidavit—or sworn statement—from the former sister-in-law of Pete Hegseth in which she says his behavior caused his second wife to fear for her safety: “This reporting by NBC adds further to my understanding of Pete Hegseth’s consistently erratic and inappropriate behavior. I am concerned by Hegseth’s lack of transpare...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s executive order to attack the federal workforce, including by weakening protections for federal workers that will make it easier to carry out politically-motivated mass firings and imposing an across-the-board government hiring freeze: “It’s in the best interest of our national security and the quality of the services Americans rely on—including Soc...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following statement after President Donald Trump pardoned or commuted sentences for more than 1,500 insurrectionists involved in the deadly January 6 attack, including people convicted of assaulting police officers and seditious conspiracy: “Instead of focusing on steps to strengthen our economy, lower costs, or make communities safer, Donald Trump pardoned over 1,500 people who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021 in an atte...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s executive order to eliminate birthright citizenship: “The constitutional basis for birthright citizenship is crystal clear. Donald Trump has no legal basis for unilaterally rewriting our Constitution to revoke this right and deny Americans’ citizenship. He should expect swift legal challenges to this order.” Kaine—a vocal supporter of birthright citizenship—has given multip...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following statement ahead of the Senate’s vote on the Laken Riley Act: “The murder of Laken Riley is a tragedy. I voted yes to debate the Laken Riley Act because Americans deserve commonsense steps to prevent something like this from happening again. As it was originally written, the Laken Riley Act would burden law enforcement officers and make it more difficult for them to keep the individuals who pose the greatest threat to ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following statement after President Joe Biden pardoned Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Don Scott: “Don Scott is an inspiration and living example that redemption is possible. Following his release from prison, he rebuilt his life—passing the Virginia bar exam, developing a reputation as an effective civil and criminal litigator, serving in the General Assembly, and then being unanimously elected as the first African America...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and U.S. Representatives Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA-11), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), and Don Bacon (R-NE-02) reintroduced the Saving the Civil Service Act. The bipartisan legislation would protect the federal workforce from politicization and political manipulation. “Every day, our nation’s federal employees go to work for the American people to administer Social Security, Medicare, and veterans’ benefits, protect our...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement after a hostage return and ceasefire deal was reached to end the war between Israel and Hamas, pausing the conflict which started after Hamas’ horrific terrorist attack in Israel on October 7, 2023: “I’m grateful for the Biden Administration’s tireless efforts to negotiate a deal—which I have long called for—to reunite hostage families ...Continue Reading

BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO IS AVAILABLE HERE. WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) spoke on the Senate floor in opposition to President-elect Trump and Republicans’ proposals to cut taxes for billionaires and impose broad-based universal tariffs, which would raise costs for American families. Trump and Republicans in Congress are currently negotiating an extension to Trump’s 2017 tax law, which cut taxes for large corporations and the highest-income earners and substantially incr...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement on the nomination of Marco Rubio as Secretary of State: “Marco Rubio and I have served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee together since I came to the Senate in 2013. While we do not agree on everything, I’m proud to support his nomination, and I believe he will make an excellent Secretary of State. He is smart, has significant foreign policy experi...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $19,886,658 in federal funding for the University of Virginia’s College at Wise in conjunction with the University of Virginia and key partners in the region to enhance resilient infrastructure and help lower energy costs for communities in Southwest Virginia. This funding was awarded through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant Program, which was ...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angus I. King (I-ME), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Peter Welch (D-VT) unveiled an amendment to the Laken Riley Act to improve the ability of the legislation to protect our communities. This amendment would ensure that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers can use their limited time and d...Continue Reading