Career Timeline of Tim Kaine: Major Achievements and Milestones

1973: War Powers Act of 1973

In 2014, Tim Kaine and Senator John McCain introduced the War Powers Consultation Act of 2014, which would replace the War Powers Act of 1973, bringing Congress back into decisions on the deployment of U.S. military forces.

1974: 1974 Pension Plan

In January 2019, Tim Kaine was one of six Democratic senators to introduce the American Miners Act of 2019, a bill that would amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to swap funds in excess of the amounts needed to meet existing obligations under the Abandoned Mine Land fund to the 1974 Pension Plan as part of an effort to prevent its insolvency as a result of coal company bankruptcies and the 2008 financial crisis.

1977: Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977

In January 2019, Tim Kaine was one of six Democratic senators to introduce the American Miners Act of 2019, a bill that would amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.

1980: Interrupted Law Studies to Work in Honduras

From 1980 to 1981, Tim Kaine interrupted his law studies to work in Honduras for nine months, assisting Jesuit missionaries and helping to run a vocational center.

1984: Admitted to the Virginia Bar

In 1984, Tim Kaine was admitted to the Virginia bar, after moving to Richmond with his wife, Anne Holton.

1987: Became a Director at Mezzullo & McCandlish, P.C.

In 1987, Tim Kaine became a director of the law firm Mezzullo & McCandlish, P.C., where he continued to practice law in Richmond.

1988: Started Teaching Legal Ethics

In 1988, Tim Kaine began teaching legal ethics as an adjunct professor at the University of Richmond School of Law.

1991: Co-sponsored legislation to end 1991 congressional resolutions

In 2023, Tim Kaine and Todd Young co-sponsored legislation to end the 1991 and 2002 congressional resolutions that authorized the use of military force.

1994: Elected to Richmond City Council

In 1994, Tim Kaine was elected to the Richmond city council.

July 1, 1998: Elected Mayor of Richmond

On July 1, 1998, Tim Kaine was elected mayor of Richmond, becoming the city's first white mayor in over a decade.

2000: Renovated and Reopened Maggie L. Walker High School

In 2000, as mayor, Tim Kaine used a sale-leaseback arrangement to obtain funds to renovate and reopen the historic Maggie L. Walker High School as a governor's school.

September 10, 2001: Resigned from Richmond City Council

On September 10, 2001, Tim Kaine resigned from the Richmond City Council.

2001: Project Exile Touted

In 2001, Tim Kaine touted Project Exile during his campaign for lieutenant governor.

2001: 2001 lieutenant gubernatorial election

In 2001, Tim Kaine was part of the lieutenant gubernatorial election.

2001: Won Democratic Nomination for Lieutenant Governor

In 2001, Tim Kaine won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor of Virginia.

January 12, 2002: Inaugurated as Lieutenant Governor

On January 12, 2002, Tim Kaine was inaugurated as Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, sworn in by his wife Anne Holton.

2002: Co-sponsored legislation to end 2002 congressional resolutions

In 2023, Tim Kaine and Todd Young co-sponsored legislation to end the 1991 and 2002 congressional resolutions that authorized the use of military force.

2004: Conservation Efforts

From 2004 to 2009, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation protected more land than it had in the previous 40 years.

2005: Promise Made

In 2005, Tim Kaine promised to protect Virginia land from development.

2005: Ran for Governor of Virginia

In 2005, Tim Kaine ran for Governor of Virginia against Jerry W. Kilgore.

2005: Statement on Adoption by Married Couples

In 2005, Tim Kaine stated that only married couples in Virginia should be allowed to adopt.

2005: 2005 gubernatorial election

In 2005, Tim Kaine was part of the gubernatorial election.

January 14, 2006: Sworn in as Governor of Virginia

On January 14, 2006, Tim Kaine was sworn in as governor of Virginia at the colonial Capitol in Williamsburg.

January 31, 2006: Gave Democratic Response to State of the Union Address

On January 31, 2006, Tim Kaine gave the Democratic response to President George W. Bush's State of the Union address, criticizing the Bush administration's policies on education, spending, and the Iraq War.

October 2006: Signed Executive Order Banning Smoking

In October 2006, Tim Kaine signed an executive order banning smoking in all government buildings and state-owned cars, effective January 1, 2007.

2006: Became Governor of Virginia

In 2006, Tim Kaine assumed the office of Governor of Virginia, a position he held until 2010.

2006: Campaign against ban on same-sex marriage

In 2006, Tim Kaine campaigned against an amendment to the Virginia State Constitution that sought to ban same-sex marriage.

January 1, 2007: Smoking Ban Effective

Effective January 1, 2007, Tim Kaine's executive order banning smoking in all government buildings and state-owned cars went into effect.

2007: Secured Increases in State Funding for Nursing

In 2007, Tim Kaine secured increases in state funding for nursing and announced a 10% salary increase for nursing faculty in Virginia, plus funds for scholarships for nursing master's programs, to address a shortage of practicing nurses.

2007: HPV Vaccine Legislation

In 2007, Tim Kaine signed a bill requiring girls to receive the HPV vaccine before entering high school, with an opt-out provision.

2008: Chairman of the Southern Governors' Association

From 2008 to 2009, Tim Kaine served as chairman of the Southern Governors' Association.

2008: Supported Coal-Fired Power Plant Project

In 2008, Tim Kaine supported a coal-fired power plant project in Wise County, leading to clashes with environmentalists.

2008: 2008 financial crisis

In January 2019, Tim Kaine was one of six Democratic senators to introduce the American Miners Act of 2019, a bill that would amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to swap funds in excess of the amounts needed to meet existing obligations under the Abandoned Mine Land fund to the 1974 Pension Plan as part of an effort to prevent its insolvency as a result of coal company bankruptcies and the 2008 financial crisis.

March 2009: Signed Legislation Banning Smoking in Restaurants and Bars

In March 2009, Tim Kaine signed legislation banning smoking in restaurants and bars in Virginia, making it the first Southern state to do so.

2009: Conservation Efforts Touted

From 2004 to 2009, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation protected more land than it had in the previous 40 years. Kaine touted this conservation fact as his term drew to a close

2009: Chairman of the Southern Governors' Association

From 2008 to 2009, Tim Kaine served as chairman of the Southern Governors' Association.

2009: Expressed Support for Tighter Restrictions on Coal Mining

In 2009, Tim Kaine expressed support for stricter regulations on mountaintop removal coal mining imposed by the Obama administration.

2009: White House Roundtable Discussion on High-Speed Rail

In 2009, Tim Kaine participated in a White House round-table discussion on high-speed rail.

2009: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009 (Obamacare)

Tim Kaine supports the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009 (Obamacare).

2011: Shift in Position on Adoption

In 2011, Tim Kaine shifted his position on adoption.

2012: Advocacy for License for Committed Couples

In 2012, Tim Kaine advocated for a license that would entitle a committed couple to the same rights as a married couple.

2012: Support for Raising the FICA Payroll Tax Cap

In 2012, Tim Kaine supported raising the cap on income subject to the FICA (Social Security) payroll tax to cover a similar percentage of income as it did in the 1980s under President Reagan, which would greatly extend the solvency of the Social Security program.

2012: Expressed support for Affordable Care Act

In 2012, Tim Kaine voiced his continued support for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).

2012: 2012 U.S. Senate election

In 2012, Tim Kaine was part of the U.S. Senate election.

March 2013: Announced Support of Same-Sex Marriage

In March 2013, Tim Kaine announced his support of same-sex marriage.

2013: Criticized Republicans for threatening government shutdown

In 2013, Tim Kaine agreed that changes to the Affordable Care Act should be debated, but he criticized Republicans for "wrapping them up with the threat" of a federal government shutdown.

November 2014: Emphasized necessity of congressional authorization against ISIL

In November 2014, Tim Kaine, along with John McCain, emphasized the necessity of congressional authorization for the U.S. military intervention against ISIL, highlighting that military action requires Congressional approval to be considered a national mission.

December 11, 2014: Approved measure authorizing military force against ISIL

On December 11, 2014, after a five-month campaign by Kaine, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved by 10–8 a measure authorizing military force against ISIL but barring the use of ground troops.

2014: Appointment of Anne Holton as Virginia's Secretary of Education

In 2014, Anne Holton was appointed by Governor Terry McAuliffe to be Virginia's secretary of education, a position she held until July 2016.

2014: Introduced War Powers Consultation Act of 2014

In 2014, Tim Kaine and Senator John McCain introduced the War Powers Consultation Act of 2014, aimed at replacing the War Powers Act of 1973 to reinstate Congressional involvement in decisions concerning the deployment of U.S. military forces.

2014: Opioid-overdose-reversing device Evzio priced at $690

In February 2017, Tim Kaine and 30 other senators signed a letter to Kaléo Pharmaceuticals regarding the price increase of the opioid-overdose-reversing device Evzio from $690 in 2014 to $4,500, requesting a detailed price structure, the number of devices set aside for donation, and the totality of federal reimbursements received in the previous year.

October 2015: Criticized Obama's approach to the Syrian Civil War

In October 2015, Tim Kaine criticized President Obama's approach to the Syrian Civil War, suggesting that the establishment of humanitarian no-fly zones would have alleviated the humanitarian crisis in Syria.

July 2016: Stepping Down as Secretary of Education

In July 2016, Anne Holton stepped down as Virginia's secretary of education after her husband, Tim Kaine, was nominated for vice president.

July 2016: Remarks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement

In July 2016, Tim Kaine said the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement was "an improvement of the status quo" and an "upgrade of labor standards... environmental standards... intellectual property protections", but maintained that he had not yet decided how to vote on final approval of the agreement, citing "significant concerns" over TPP's dispute resolution mechanism. Later that month, Kaine said that he could not support the TPP in its current form.

July 27, 2016: Nominated for Vice President

On July 27, 2016, Tim Kaine was nominated for Vice President at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

October 2016: Vice-Presidential Debate

In October 2016, Tim Kaine participated in the vice-presidential debate. During Kaine's debate preparations, lawyer Robert Barnett played the role of Republican nominee Mike Pence. Pence was criticized for not defending Trump's comments, while Kaine was criticized for being too aggressive and interrupting.

November 8, 2016: Clinton-Kaine Ticket Lost Election

On November 8, 2016, the Clinton-Kaine ticket, despite winning the popular vote, lost the Electoral College and the election to Donald Trump and Mike Pence.

December 2016: Signed letter to Trump on prescription drug costs

In December 2016, Tim Kaine was among 17 senators who signed a letter to Trump, urging him to fulfill his campaign pledge to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.

2016: Wrote essay on foreign policy philosophy

After the 2016 presidential campaign, Tim Kaine wrote an extensive essay in Foreign Affairs outlining his underlying foreign policy philosophy, noting that American foreign policy has suffered a lack of direction since the 1990s.

2016: First Presidential Ticket Member to Deliver Speech in Spanish

During the 2016 campaign, Tim Kaine became the first member of a presidential ticket to deliver a speech in Spanish.

2016: Position on Same-Sex Marriage and the Catholic Church

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Tim Kaine acknowledged that his position on same-sex marriage was "at odds with the current doctrine of the church that I still attend," and expressed his prediction that the Roman Catholic Church would eventually adopt his view.

2016: Endorsed Hillary Clinton for president

In 2016, Tim Kaine endorsed Hillary Clinton for president and actively campaigned for her in seven states during the primaries. He was considered a possible running mate for Clinton.

2016: 2016 vice presidential election

In 2016, Tim Kaine was part of the vice presidential election.

2016: Praise from the National Organization for Women

In 2016, after Hillary Clinton selected him as her running mate, Tim Kaine was praised by the National Organization for Women for supporting the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.

February 2017: Signed letter to Kaléo Pharmaceuticals on Evzio price increase

In February 2017, Tim Kaine and 30 other senators signed a letter to Kaléo Pharmaceuticals regarding the price increase of the opioid-overdose-reversing device Evzio from $690 in 2014 to $4,500, requesting a detailed price structure, the number of devices set aside for donation, and the totality of federal reimbursements received in the previous year.

April 2017: Said there is no legal justification for missile strike in Syria

After the April 2017 Shayrat missile strike in Syria, ordered by Trump, Kaine said, "There is no legal justification for this. He should not have done this without coming to Congress."

July 2017: Expanded on grand strategy proposal

In July 2017, Tim Kaine expanded on the grand strategy proposed in his essay during an interview at the Brookings Institution with international relations scholar Robert Kagan.

July 2017: Voted for Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act

In July 2017, Tim Kaine voted in favor of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, which imposed sanctions on Iran, Russia, and North Korea.

November 2017: Cosponsored Military Domestic Violence Reporting Enhancement Act

In November 2017, Tim Kaine cosponsored the Military Domestic Violence Reporting Enhancement Act, designed to create a domestic violence charge under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and mandate the reporting of convictions to federal databases, restricting abusers from purchasing firearms.

February 2018: Signed letter arguing against preventative strike on North Korea

In February 2018, Tim Kaine was one of 18 senators who signed a letter to Trump asserting that a preemptive U.S. military strike on North Korea would lack constitutional and legal basis without Congressional approval.

March 2018: Signed letter requesting hearing on mass shootings

In March 2018, following the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, Tim Kaine was one of ten senators who signed a letter to the Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Lamar Alexander, and ranking Democrat Patty Murray, requesting a hearing on the causes and possible solutions for mass shootings.

April 2018: Criticized Trump for authorizing military strike on Syria without Congress

In April 2018, Tim Kaine criticized Trump for authorizing the launch of a precision military strike on Syria without consulting Congress, calling the strike an "illegal military act".

October 2018: Letter Urging Reversal of Visa Denial Policy for Same-Sex Partners of LGBTQ Diplomats

In October 2018, Tim Kaine and 19 other senators signed a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging him to reverse the State Department's policy of denying visas to same-sex partners of LGBTQ diplomats whose unions were not recognized by their home countries.

December 2018: Argued administration improperly using Section 1332 of the ACA

In December 2018, Tim Kaine was among 42 senators who signed a letter to Trump administration officials arguing that the administration was improperly using Section 1332 of the ACA to authorize states to "increase health care costs for millions of consumers while weakening protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions."

2018: Proposed creation of Medicare X

In 2018, Tim Kaine and Senator Michael Bennet proposed the creation of "Medicare X"—a public health insurance option modeled after Medicare. It would be available on ACA health insurance marketplaces along with private options.

2018: Called U.S. missile strikes on Syria illegal

In 2018, Tim Kaine criticized the U.S. missile strikes Trump ordered against the Syrian government, calling them illegal because they were undertaken without congressional approval.

2018: Fiscal Year 2018 national security appropriations bill

In 2018, Tim Kaine urged Trump to reconsider cuts to U.S. foreign aid to the Northern Triangle countries of Central America in the Fiscal Year 2018 national security appropriations bill.

2018: 2018 U.S. Senate election

In 2018, Tim Kaine was part of the U.S. Senate election.

2018: 2018 coal company bankruptcies

In January 2019, Tim Kaine was one of six Democratic senators to introduce the American Miners Act of 2019, a bill that would amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to swap funds in excess of the amounts needed to meet existing obligations under the Abandoned Mine Land fund to the 1974 Pension Plan as part of an effort to prevent its insolvency as a result of coal company bankruptcies and the 2008 financial crisis.

January 2019: Introduced American Miners Act of 2019

In January 2019, Tim Kaine was one of six Democratic senators to introduce the American Miners Act of 2019, a bill that would amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.

February 2019: Signed letter to insulin manufacturers on increased insulin prices

In February 2019, Tim Kaine was one of 11 senators who signed a letter to insulin manufacturers Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi, expressing concern about increased insulin prices and their impact on patients' access to life-saving medication.

April 2019: Bipartisan Letter Supporting HUD's Section 4 Capacity Building Program

In April 2019, Tim Kaine and 40 other senators signed a bipartisan letter in support of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Section 4 Capacity Building program, a program authorizing HUD to partner with nonprofit community development groups to provide support to community development corporations.

June 2019: Letter Requesting Explanation for Lack of Pride Month Commemoration

In June 2019, Tim Kaine and 17 other senators signed a letter to Pompeo requesting an explanation for the State Department's decision not to issue an official statement commemorating Pride Month or issue the annual cable outlining activities for embassies commemorating Pride Month. The senators also inquired about the vacant LGBTI special envoy position.

June 2019: Cosponsored Help Empower Americans to Respond Act

In June 2019, Tim Kaine was among four senators who cosponsored the Help Empower Americans to Respond (HEAR) Act, legislation that proposed banning the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of suppressors, establishing a silencer buyback program, and including exceptions for law enforcement personnel.

July 2019: Introduction of Protecting Sensitive Locations Act

In July 2019, Tim Kaine and 15 other Senate Democrats introduced the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, a bill to mandate that ICE agents get supervisor approval before undertaking immigration raids at sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals, places of worship, and courthouses, and would also require agents to receive annual training and ICE to submit an annual report on enforcement actions in those locations.

July 2019: Letter Opposing End to Protection from Deportation for Families of Active-Duty Service Members

In July 2019, Tim Kaine and 21 other senators signed a letter led by Tammy Duckworth arguing against the Trump administration's plan to end protections from deportation for spouses, parents, and children of active-duty service members, asserting that the program allowed service members to focus on their duties without worrying about their families' deportation.

August 2019: Letter to Treasury Secretary and HHS Secretary on Affordable Care Act

In August 2019, Tim Kaine and 18 other Democratic senators signed a letter to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar requesting data from the Trump administration on the consequences for healthcare if Texas prevailed in its lawsuit seeking to gut the Affordable Care Act.

September 2019: Letter Advocating for Retired Coal Miners' Healthcare and Pension Benefits

In September 2019, Tim Kaine and five other Democratic senators signed a letter to congressional leadership advocating legislation that would permanently fund healthcare and pension benefits for retired coal miners, as families in several states would start receiving notifications of healthcare termination by the end of the following month.

2019: Co-sponsored the South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act

In 2019, Tim Kaine co-sponsored the South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act, a bipartisan bill reintroduced by Marco Rubio and Ben Cardin. The Act aimed to disrupt China's consolidation or expansion of its jurisdictional claims over the sea and airspace in the disputed South China Sea zones.

2019: Signed letter urging reconsideration of cuts to U.S. foreign aid

In 2019, Tim Kaine, along with 33 other Senate Democrats, signed a letter addressed to Trump, urging him to reconsider cuts to U.S. foreign aid for the Northern Triangle countries of Central America within the Fiscal Year 2018 national security appropriations bill.

January 2020: Introduced war powers resolution against Iran

In January 2020, Tim Kaine introduced a war powers resolution to prohibit the U.S. from engaging in hostilities against Iran within 30 days unless responding to an imminent threat. Although the Iran War Powers Resolution passed the Senate the following month, Trump vetoed it, and the Senate failed to override the veto.

2020: Support for Continued Funding for Section 4

In 2020, Tim Kaine supported continued funding for Section 4 in Fiscal Year 2020.

2022: Voted for Inflation Reduction Act

In 2022, Tim Kaine voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, designed to cap the price of insulin and allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices.

2022: Vote for the Respect for Marriage Act

In 2022, Tim Kaine voted for the Respect for Marriage Act.

December 30, 2023: Criticized Biden's emergency weapon sale to Israel

On December 30, 2023, Tim Kaine publicly criticized President Biden's emergency sale of weapons to Israel amid the Israel–Hamas war, questioning the administration's decision to bypass Congressional approval. Kaine expressed concern that this circumvention kept the American public uninformed and signaled pressure from Senate allies for Biden to alter his tactics in Gaza.

2023: Co-sponsored provision on NATO withdrawal approval

In 2023, Tim Kaine and Marco Rubio co-sponsored a provision in the annual National Defense Authorization Act stipulating that a U.S. president cannot withdraw the U.S. from NATO without Congressional approval.

2023: Co-sponsored legislation to end AUMF

In 2023, Tim Kaine and Todd Young co-sponsored legislation to end the 1991 and 2002 congressional resolutions that authorized the use of military force. The bill, which repealed the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) in Iraq, passed with a bipartisan majority.