Tim Kaine knows that our economy is strongest when workers and families have access to good-paying jobs, higher wages, and the skills to succeed and get ahead. When Tim was Governor, Virginia was ranked the best state for business. As Senator, he’s working to ensure that every Virginia family has a fair shot at the American dream. He strongly believes Virginia has the best workforce in the country, and has authored bipartisan legislation to give Virginia workers even more tools to succeed.
In 2021, Tim was a deciding vote to pass the American Rescue Plan, which ushered in the strongest jobs recovery on record. This legislation expanded the Child Tax Credit, a tax cut for working families in Virginia that benefited 1.7 million Virginia children and cut child poverty to its lowest rate ever. He’s working to bring that tax cut back and make it permanent.
Tim was also a deciding vote to pass the landmark Inflation Reduction Act. The energy-efficiency provisions in this legislation will save the average new homeowner in Virginia 17.9 percent on their utility bills—$426 annually. The IRA is also projected to create 1 million good-paying jobs per year.
Tim helped pass the CHIPS and Science Act, a historic law to boost domestic manufacturing, shore up supply chains, lower costs, create jobs, and ensure that we outcompete China. The CHIPS and Science Act created the Tech Hubs program, which has already brought two Tech Hubs to Virginia that will help supercharge the Commonwealth’s manufacturing sector.
Tim is working to raise the federal minimum wage to $17 per hour, and he sponsored the Raise the Wage Act so Virginians can afford to put more food on the table. Raising the minimum wage to $17 per hour would secure higher pay for 776,000 Virginians and nearly 28 million workers nationwide.
