KAINE

United States Senate

Washington

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fri., April 3, 2026

NEW REPORT: TEN VIRGINIA HOSPITALS AT RISK OF CLOSURE DUE TO REPUBLICANS’ MEDICAID CUTS

WASHINGTON – Following a new report finding that Medicaid cuts have put ten hospitals in Virginia at risk of closure, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) underscored the devastating effects of the Republican budget law on communities across the Commonwealth.

“From Southwest to Northern Virginia, hospitals across the Commonwealth are now at risk of closure because of Republicans’ tax giveaway bill for the ultra-wealthy,” said the senators. “While the rich got trillions in tax breaks, hard-working Virginians are left paying the price. This latest report shows just how cruel and reckless this law is. Virginians, and Americans across the country, deserve reliable access to affordable, quality care.”

The report shows the Virginia hospitals at risk of closure are:

• Bon Secours Southern Virginia Regional Medical Center (Emporia, Va.)

• Buchanan General Hospital (Grundy, Va.)

• Carilion Tazewell Community Hospital (Tazewell, Va.)

• Dickenson Community Hospital (Clintwood, Va.)

• Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital (South Boston, Va.)

• Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center (Woodbridge, Va.)

• Southside Community Hospital (Farmville, Va.)

• Twin County Regional Hospital (Galax, Va.)

• VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital (South Hill, Va.)

• VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital (Tappahannock, Va.)

The report also highlighted how Farmville’s Centra Southside Community Hospital was forced to close labor and delivery and OBGYN surgical services, as well as outpatient care with its affiliated women’s center, because it “like other rural health care providers, must adapt to significant financial and operational challenges, including recently enacted reductions in federal health care funding.”

Warner and Kaine strongly opposed the Republican law because it makes massive cuts to health care, nutrition assistance, and other critical programs that Virginians rely on in order to cut taxes for the ultra-wealthy. While the bill was being considered in the Senate, Warner and Kaine introduced a series of amendments in an attempt to improve the legislation, but Republicans blocked them.

WARNER

One Month Into Iran War, Virginians Have Paid $254 Million for Gas

Apr 02 2026

WASHINGTON – A new congressional analysis finds that Virginians have already paid $254 million more at the pump as a result of President Trump’s war of choice in Iran, part of a broader nationwide increase in gasoline costs totaling an estimated $8.4 billion for American families. The report shows the national average price of gasoline has now risen above $4 a gallon, with fill-up costs reaching $145 for the top-selling pickup truck, $58 for the top-selling SUV, and $52 for the top-selling sedan.

“We’ve said it countless times: there was no imminent threat to the U.S. when President Trump entered this war with Iran. Trump went in with no clear plan, goals, or objectives, and now working families are stuck footing the bill,” said U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA). “Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz was a predictable response that the administration was embarrassingly unprepared for. Now, Virginians are paying hundreds of millions more at the pump, while costs are rising for groceries, air travel, fertilizer, aluminum, and more. Even if the Strait reopened tomorrow, the chaos Trump has caused for global markets means these increased costs are here for the long haul.”

To calculate gas cost changes, the analysis used AAA, Federal Highway Administration, and Energy Information Administration data in order to estimate the increase in gasoline spending since February 28 and data from Edmunds on the top-selling gas vehicles in the United States. It found that fill-up costs are now 35% higher, which means that:

1. The cost to fill up the top-selling pickup truck is now $144.65, an increase of $37.29 

2. The cost to fill up the top-selling SUV is now $58.26, an increase of $15.02

3. The cost to fill up the top-selling sedan is now $52.23, an increase of $13.46 

Trump campaigned on lowering the cost of gasoline and pulling the U.S. out of foreign wars. Instead, he has made the choice to enter the U.S. into a conflict that is dramatically spiking costs across the Commonwealth and country. Increased prices as a result of the war in Iran are hitting American households and businesses at a time when families are already struggling with rising health care, energy, and grocery costs due to Trump’s senseless tariffs and chaotic economic policies.

KAINE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 1, 2026

KAINE STATEMENT ON TRUMP’S IRAN WAR UPDATE

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 regarding President Donald Trump’s update on the Iran war:

“Tonight, more than a month into an illegal and unwise war against Iran, President Trump decided to finally attempt to offer the American public an explanation. That attempt fell way short. Having apparently learned nothing from 25 years of tragic wars in the Middle East, Trump started this war on his own—without a clear rationale, without a well-considered plan, without the support of allies, and without the constitutionally-required authorization from Congress. And now, with mounting U.S. casualties, rapidly escalating expense, widening chaos in the region, and economic punishment of Americans already burdened by fast-rising energy, health care and housing prices, the President tries to both claim victory and blame others for his own ineptitude.

“American troops always perform bravely and with distinction. But they have been too often betrayed by poor decision-making by civilian leadership, and this sad pattern is repeating itself here.

“The solution is not more war. It’s time for Congress to end the President’s war-making, remove our troops from harm’s way, restore our ties with allies rather than destroy them, prioritize defense and diplomacy rather than juvenile boasting about war, and finally focus on helping Americans here at home by tackling the affordability crisis.”

Kaine has been a leading voice against unauthorized wars during his time in the Senate. So far this year, Kaine has helped force three votes in the Senate on War Powers Resolutions to block the use of the U.S. Armed Forces for hostilities against Iran. Senate Republicans have blocked each resolution.

SPANBERGER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 2026
Contact: press@vademocrats.org

 

Governor Abigail Spanberger Signs Executive Order to Rejoin ERIC and Strengthen Virginia’s Election Integrity

Executive action reverses Virginia’s 2023 withdrawal from ERIC and reinstates a key tool for maintaining accurate voter registration records across the Commonwealth.
 

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA - On Tuesday, Governor Abigail Spanberger signed Executive Order 13, which works to strengthen Virginia’s approach to protecting the integrity of elections across the Commonwealth, enhance election security processes, and rejoin the 26-state Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC). 

ERIC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of 26 states that share voter registration and identification data, in an effort to maintain accurate and up-to-date voter rolls. Virginia was one of the founding states of ERIC when it was established in 2012, under former Governor Bob McDonnell. In 2023, Governor Glenn Youngkin withdrew Virginia from ERIC, a move that made it more challenging for election officials to track voters who have relocated out of Virginia, changed their contact information, hold duplicate registrations, or are deceased. 

“Virginia’s decision to rejoin ERIC restores proven tools that work to keep our voting systems fair and secure, and marks a critical step toward strengthening trust in our democratic processes,” said Virginia Democratic Party Chairman Senator Lamont Bagby. “This program will provide election administrators with the information they need to maintain accurate voter rolls and ensure our elections run smoothly across the Commonwealth.” 

To read the full text of Governor Spanberger’s Executive Order 13, visit: https://www.governor.virginia.gov/EO-13.pdf