Tim Kaine: “I do rise for multiple purposes. The first is to acknowledge that earlier this week, on Monday, December 12, we marked…”

“I do rise for multiple purposes. The first is to acknowledge that earlier this week, on Monday, December 12, we marked the historic bicentennial of diplomatic relations between the United States and Mexico. Our two countries share a 2,000-mile border, an extensive trade, security, economic, cultural, and familial ties. Our cultural ties are particularly deep. Forty million Americans have Mexican heritage, many of whom are proud residents of Virginia. People of Mexican origin represent nearly 60 percent of our Nation's Hispanic population, and 2 million Americans live in Mexico. These people-to- people ties are invaluable. The two countries share an important tradition of democracy, and those traditions require consistent work and maintenance to ensure strong and independent institutions, rule of law, and democratic freedoms. We know that upholding democracy in both our nations isn't always easy, but it is a vital endeavor, and it is the bedrock of our partnership. As we celebrate the bicentennial, it is crucial that the Senate and the U.S. Government as a whole continue all efforts to advance this relationship. I want to commend the Biden administration for working side by side with Mexican leaders and taking on the many challenges we face together.…”