Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 8h

It’s day seven of the government shutdown. For an entire week now, Republicans have refused to reach a bipartisan agreement to fund our government and protect health care for American citizens. They’re failing their own constituents.

14 37 160

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 9h

I started my morning with @markwarner.bsky.social and Virginians from across the Commonwealth in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Together, we recognized Virginia's incredible Latino communities and their significant contributions to our arts, economy, schools, government, and more.

Senators Warner and Kaine pose with an event attendee for a photo.

Senators Warner and Kaine pose with another event attendee for a photo.

1 7 67

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 11h

In 2019, I worked with Republicans to secure passage of legislation to guarantee all federal employees back pay during any shutdown. Trump signed it. Now, his bureaucrat, Russ Vought, is trying to go back on this promise.

Federal employees get back pay. That’s the law.

7 64 170

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 12h

Americans are united in wanting lower prices. We have an opportunity to help make that happen RIGHT NOW by passing a bill to reopen the government and prevent marketplace premiums from exploding.

thehill.com/business/553...

thehill.com

8 17 80

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 15h

I was proud to work across the aisle in 2019 to pass legislation that President Trump himself signed to guarantee backpay to federal workers in the event of a shutdown. If OMB chooses thuggish intimidation tactics over following the law, it better prepare to face the American people in court.

Axios @axios.com · 19h

SCOOP: Furloughed federal workers aren't guaranteed compensation for their forced time off during the government shutdown, according to a draft White House memo described to Axios by three sources.

Scoop: White House memo says furloughed federal workers aren't entitled to backpay

A move to deny backpay to up to 750,000 furloughed workers would dramatically escalate Trump's pressure on Democrats to end the shutdown.

www.axios.com

6 18 78

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 16h

A deal has got to be a deal. If Republicans want my vote to reopen the government, I need an assurance from the White House that they won't turn around and rip up a bipartisan spending agreement after it's signed into law.

40 18 130

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 17h

My statement on the two-year anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack:

"Two years ago, Hamas committed a horrific terrorist attack, murdering nearly 1,200 Israelis and taking 251 hostages. My thoughts are with the families who lost loved ones that day and the innocent Israeli and Palestinian civilians who have suffered enormously in the brutal conflict that followed. It’s long past time for this war to end. I hope the negotiations on the proposal that President Trump announced lead to an agreement between Israel and Hamas to release the remaining hostages and find a path forward to peace."

8 3 43

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 1d

Today, I spoke with dedicated former federal workers about how the Trump Administration's horrific workforce cuts cost them the jobs they loved, and how that's hurt their families. I’ll keep working to protect the federal workforce, fight illegal firings, and end the shutdown.

Senator Kaine sits at a table speaking with the former federal workers.

3 18 140

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 1d

Undocumented people are not eligible to enroll in Medicare and Medicaid. Republicans are pushing this lie to distract Americans from the fact that they refuse to vote to keep marketplace health care premiums from skyrocketing. Don't fall for it.

15 61 200

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 1d

If Congress does nothing, Virginians' marketplace premiums could go up by $1,000 or more per month next year. I'm ready to negotiate a path forward to prevent that and reopen the government.

11 26 150

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 1d

I hope this will be the week that Republicans come to the table and negotiate a deal to reopen the government and prevent Americans' health care premiums from more than doubling. Americans want lower costs, so let’s get it done.

17 16 120

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 1d

I was heartbroken to hear Candi Mundon King’s young daughter, Candis, tragically passed away last weekend following her battle with sickle cell disease. Candi, her family, and all who knew and loved Candis are in my prayers during this painful time.

1 6 71

Reposted by Senator Tim Kaine

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 3d

I spoke with Virginians about how the Republican plan to allow health insurance costs to skyrocket—which would force millions of Americans to lose insurance—would be devastating for families like theirs. I’ll keep fighting every day to find a solution.

youtube.com/shorts/PmZmb...

13 35 150

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 1d

Virginians want prices to come down, not go up. I'm going to keep fighting for a deal that prevents marketplace health care premiums from going up by more than double.

32 74 340

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 2d

Imagine you're a rural community working to attract investments and jobs from a company, when your health care clinic closes because of Republicans' 'Big, Ugly Bill.' Now, your neighbors need to travel many miles for care and your pitch to that company just got a lot harder.

13 22 160

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 2d

For months, Trump has been ripping up bipartisan spending agreements—halting critical economic development investments and threatening education funds in Virginia. All need to agree that a deal is a deal and all must honor it. No more mass federal worker firings or withheld funds.

12 24 130

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 3d

Democrats offered a plan to avoid this shutdown and keep millions of Americans’ health care premiums from more than doubling. Republicans blocked it.

14 51 220

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 3d

I spoke with Virginians about how the Republican plan to allow health insurance costs to skyrocket—which would force millions of Americans to lose insurance—would be devastating for families like theirs. I’ll keep fighting every day to find a solution.

youtube.com/shorts/PmZmb...

13 35 150

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 4d

Everywhere I go in Virginia, I hear from constituents who want prices to come down. Affordability is a bipartisan concern—so why can’t we all come to the table and hammer out a deal to prevent health care premiums from more than doubling? Let’s get it done.

61 63 340

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 4d

During the last Trump shutdown, I secured guaranteed back pay for federal employees during shutdowns. But paychecks can still be delayed, so I introduced a bill to not penalize workers who have to take loans or withdrawals from retirement accounts if the shutdown is prolonged.

5 21 150

Reposted by Senator Tim Kaine

Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock @warnock.senate.gov · 4d

These are the lowest cost insurance options for a 62 year old Georgian making $65k.

2025: $228
2026: $1142

She will lose $704/month in credits because of GOP cuts to health care.

This is a crisis. We cannot wait to fix this.

40 470 930

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 4d

My statement ahead of an expected Senate vote on a block of 107 nominees that includes Bill White, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be Ambassador to Belgium:

"Bill White is the perfect example of why it’s dangerous that Senate Republicans just changed the Senate’s rules to bury Donald Trump’s horrible nominees in long lists and rush them through without proper debate. Someone who fell for a baseless election conspiracy and then called my Republican colleague a ‘snake’ and Georgia’s Secretary of State a ‘MOTHER EFFER’ who should be ‘locked up’ clearly does not have the temperament of an effective diplomat. But even more egregious is White’s platforming of a person convicted of white nationalism and Holocaust denial in Belgium. In the Senate, we all talk about the need to stamp out antisemitism. Now is an opportunity to turn talk into action."

9 29 110

Senator Tim Kaine @kaine.senate.gov · 5d

Reality check: Under federal law, undocumented people are not eligible to enroll in Medicare and Medicaid. Let’s stay focused on the truth and work together on a deal to reopen the government and prevent Americans’ health care costs from skyrocketing.

46 320 1.1K

Reposted by Senator Tim Kaine

Senator Patty Murray @murray.senate.gov · 5d

Republicans will bend over backwards to pass tax breaks for billionaires. But stopping your premiums from doubling? They would rather shut down government than do that. And that's exactly what they are doing.

24 180 530

Reposted by Senator Tim Kaine

Senator Mark Warner @markwarner.bsky.social · 5d

Donald Trump has said it again and again and again. It’s the President’s job to avert a shutdown.

He needs to get us out of this preventable mess he created.

13 47 260