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U.S. Senator from Virginia

Tim Kaine

Democrat · Virginia

Former Governor and DNC Chair. Hillary Clinton's 2016 running mate. Focus on military AUMF reform, gun safety, and bipartisan solutions.

Record

Moderate-progressive Democrat. Persistent advocate for congressional authorization of military force (AUMF reform). Focus on gun safety, college affordability, and foreign policy oversight.

Legislative Record

Recently sponsored bills (8 on record)

  • S.5206 — A bill to repeal the joint resolution entitled "A joint resolution to promote peace and stability in the Middle East". (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
  • S.5175 — A bill to amend the Arms Export Control Act to address third party transfers of certain defense articles for Ukraine, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
  • S.5041 — Advancing Research for Chronic Pain Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jul 21, 2026)
  • S.5046 — A bill to prohibit the transfer of certain offices and functions of the Department of Education to other Federal agencies, and for other purposes. (Reported, Jul 21, 2026)
  • S.5012 — Welcome Back to the Health Care Workforce Act (Introduced, Jul 16, 2026)
  • S.4900 — North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jun 24, 2026)
  • S.4899 — Securing Partner Supply Chains Act (Introduced, Jun 24, 2026)
  • S.4889 — Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act (Introduced, Jun 24, 2026)

Notable votes

  • Voted Nay on S.Res. 817 — S. Res. 817 (Resolution Agreed to, Jul 30, 2026)
  • Voted Nay on S.Res. 817 — Motion to Invoke Cloture: S. Res. 817 (Cloture Motion Agreed to, Jul 29, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on H.R. 6644 — Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 6644 with an Amendment (SA 5823) (Cloture Motion Agreed to, Jun 18, 2026)
  • Voted Nay on S. 2 — S. 2, As Amended (Bill Passed, Jun 5, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on S. 2 — Cortez Masto Amdt. No. 5463 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on S. 2 — Padilla Amdt. No. 5808 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on S. 2 — Gallego Amdt. No. 5813 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
  • Voted Yea on S. 2 — Peters Amdt. No. 5763 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)

Recently cosponsored bills (12 on record)

  • S.5201 — A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to protect more victims of domestic violence by preventing their abusers from possessing or receiving firearms, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
  • S.5186 — A bill to eliminate asset limits employed by certain federally funded means-tested public assistance programs, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
  • S.5169 — A bill to expand the boundaries of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District, to recognize and enhance the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District partnership model, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 29, 2026)
  • S.J.Res.181 — A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress. (Introduced, Jul 28, 2026)
  • S.4844 — PFAS Alternatives Act (Introduced, Jul 27, 2026)
  • S.3589 — RISE Act (Reported, Jul 23, 2026)
  • S.5108 — A bill to protect and expand nationwide access to assisted reproductive technology, including in vitro fertilization. (Introduced, Jul 23, 2026)
  • S.5116 — A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the standards for accreditation of an institution of higher education to assess the institution's adoption of admissions practices that refrain from preferential treatment in admissions based on an applicant's relationship to alumni of, or donors to, the institution, to authorize a feasibility study on data collection, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 23, 2026)

Voting analysis

Tim Kaine has spent years arguing that Congress rather than the president should decide when the country goes to war, and the argument is visible in what he files: one of his displayed bills would repeal a standing joint resolution authorising force in the Middle East.

651
Bills sponsored
2925
Bills cosponsored

Of the 8 most recent of those, 7 currently sit at Introduced.

The filings

Alongside the repeal sit an amendment to the Arms Export Control Act covering third-party transfers of defence articles for Ukraine, chronic pain research, a prohibition on moving Education Department functions to other agencies, and a measure returning clinicians to the health workforce. Three of the five concern who holds a power rather than how it is used.

Sponsored bills carry the Congressional Research Service's own subject classification. Tim Kaine's cluster into: Health (2), International Affairs (2), Education (1), Social Welfare (1).

Where he broke ranks

One spending bill accounts for four departures: he backed it at passage, twice on cloture, and on an amendment written into it. Two more are an aviation measure he opposed at both passage and cloture. The rest are scattered: a joint resolution he backed, another he declined, and a Republican amendment he supported.

Supporting one bill through every gate and blocking another at every gate, in the same period, is the pattern of a senator voting bill by bill rather than by disposition.

6.0%
Votes against the Democrat majority
218
Roll calls where a party majority formed
22 of 45
Rank among Senate Democrats, most defections first
The 10 most recent of 13 roll calls where Tim Kaine voted against the Senate Democrat majority.
Roll callDateOutcomeTheir vote
H.R. 7148
H.R. 7148, as Amended
On Passage of the Bill H.R. 7148 · roll call 119		Jan 30, 2026Bill PassedYea (party: Nay)
H.R. 5371
H.R. 5371, As Amended
On Passage of the Bill H.R. 5371 · roll call 119		Nov 10, 2025Bill PassedYea (party: Nay)
H.R. 5371
Motion to Invoke Cloture: H.R. 5371, As Amended
On the Cloture Motion H.R. 5371 · roll call 119		Nov 10, 2025Cloture Motion Agreed toYea (party: Nay)
H.R. 5371
Collins Amdt. No. 3937
On the Amendment S.Amdt. 3937 to H.R. 5371 (No short title on file) · roll call 119		Nov 10, 2025Amendment Agreed toYea (party: Nay)
H.R. 5371
Motion to Invoke Cloture: Collins Amdt. No. 3937
On the Cloture Motion S.Amdt. 3937 to H.R. 5371 (No short title on file) · roll call 119		Nov 10, 2025Cloture Motion Agreed toYea (party: Nay)
S. 2296
Curtis Amdt. No. 3697
On the Amendment S.Amdt. 3697 to S.Amdt. 3748 to S. 2296 (No short title on file) · roll call 119		Oct 9, 2025Amendment RejectedYea (party: Nay)
H.J.Res. 61
On the Joint Resolution H.J.Res. 61 · roll call 119		May 6, 2025Joint Resolution PassedYea (party: Nay)
H.R. 3935
H.R. 3935, As Amended
On Passage of the Bill H.R. 3935 · roll call 118		May 9, 2024Bill PassedNay (party: Yea)
H.R. 3935
Motion to Invoke Cloture: Cantwell Amdt No. 1911 as Modified to H.R. 3935
On the Cloture Motion H.R. 3935 · roll call 118		May 9, 2024Cloture Motion Agreed toNay (party: Yea)
S.J.Res. 62
On the Joint Resolution S.J.Res. 62 · roll call 118		Mar 21, 2024Joint Resolution PassedNay (party: Yea)

Below the Virginia average

Virginia's two Democratic senators both depart fairly often, and Kaine is the lower of the pair.

Among the 2 Democrats in the Virginia delegation, the average rate of voting against the party majority is 7.0%. Tim Kaine is below that average at 6.0%.

Tenure and attendance

He is ranking member of the armed services seapower subcommittee and of a foreign relations subcommittee covering the Western Hemisphere. In the Senate since the start of the last decade, he misses few votes.

First elected in 2013, now serving across 7 terms. Tim Kaine falls in the veteran cohort.

0.9%
Roll calls recorded as not voting
220
Roll calls eligible to vote on
2
Recorded as not voting

By the numbers

In the 119th Congress, Tim Kaine has 651 bills sponsored, 2925 cosponsored, 8 recent floor votes recorded.

Committee assignments

  • Senate Committee on Armed Services
  • Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
  • Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
  • Senate Committee on the Budget
  • Senate Committee on Armed Services: Emerging Threats and Capabilities
  • Senate Committee on Armed Services: Readiness and Management Support
  • Senate Committee on Armed Services: Seapower (Ranking Member)
  • Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism
  • Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: State Department and USAID Management, International Operations, and Bilateral International Development
  • Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues (Ranking Member)
  • Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Education and the American Family
  • Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Employment and Workplace Safety

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