Kaine Statement Ahead of President Biden’s State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement ahead of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address:

“When President Biden delivers his State of the Union address, I'd like to hear him discuss positive signs of a great American comeback, including strong wage, job, and GDP growth, after two difficult years of the COVID pandemic. While challenges remain at home and abroad, especially stemming from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I’m confident the President will lay out a practical agenda to defend democracy, lower costs for families across Virginia and our nation, and strengthen our country’s future.”

Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP) Committee, has been focused on increasing the availability of free at-home COVID tests, helping the growing number of people experiencing long COVID, supporting vaccination, and addressing the pandemic’s mental health impact on health care workers. After having passed the Senate and the House this month, his bipartisan bill to promote health care provider mental health is headed to President Biden’s desk for his signature.

As a member of the Senate HELP Committee, Kaine has also long advocated for job training programs to help workers prepare for the jobs of the future and boost our economy. His JOBS Act, which was included in the recently House-passed U.S. competitiveness bill, would help more Americans access Pell Grants for job training programs to get good-paying jobs, address challenges employers face finding skilled workers, and strengthen America’s global competiveness. Kaine is pushing to now pass the provision in the final competiveness package that will be conferenced by the House and Senate in the coming weeks.

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