{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where state = \"VA\" and year = 2013 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/give-virginia-the-gift-of-strong-ethics-laws", "Give Virginia the gift of strong ethics laws", "2013-12-31", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Give Virginia the gift of strong ethics laws\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n                Washington Post Op-Ed\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Tuesday, December 31, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            The new year presents a superb opportunity to fix a major Virginia weakness: our lax ethical laws. Gov.-elect Terry McAuliffe and the state legislature have a clear chance to do something right, popular and necessary. They should strike immediately and achieve a legacy accomplishment early in 2014.\r\nThe principal fix needed is a dramatic restructuring of gift laws. Under current law, anyone can give anything to an elected official so long as it is reported. If the gift is from a \u201cfriend,\u201d it need not be reported. If the gift is to an official\u2019s spouse or other family members, it need not be reported.\r\nVirginia\u2019s wide-open rule is justified by a smug attitude: We can trust ourselves to do the right thing, and transparency is all that is needed to keep the system honest. But since the 2011 prosecution of former Newport News delegate Phil Hamilton for bribery and extortion, the revelation that advocates of uranium mining in the commonwealth flew legislators to France and the recent controversy around gifts to the family of Gov. Bob McDonnell, we can no longer pretend Virginia\u2019s law makes sense.\r\nGifts to elected officials can create a subconscious sense of gratitude in even the most upright public servants. And the public probably will perceive such gifts as creating improper influence, whether or not that happens. With no limit on the amount of such gifts and with the exceptions for friends and family so broad, Virginia\u2019s system is all but guaranteed to create problems. Meanwhile, many people who advocate for important positions and perspectives cannot afford to give gifts to officials. This puts them at a disadvantage when compared with those who can.\r\nI served under the Virginia law for nearly 15 years and received gifts that were duly reported. But serving in the U.S. Senate, I must abide by a much tougher standard. Gifts from lobbyists are banned, as are gifts worth more than $50 from anyone else. All gifts, aside from a narrowly defined exception for friends, must be reported. Most states have similar rules, and some are even stricter.\r\nHaving served under both systems, I can say that the benefits of the federal rule are obvious. I regret that I didn\u2019t propose adopting it when I was governor of Virginia.\r\nIf a bipartisan group of Virginia\u2019s leaders were to propose a gift ban, it would have huge popular support. This would fix a problem that has become embarrassing for the commonwealth. A few legislators who have grown used to the current system may be reluctant to adopt such a ban, but most of them realize that our state\u2019s reputation needs a boost.\r\nThe real benefits of public office are the intangible joys of helping others rather than advancing oneself. Gifts to officials and their families need to be restricted to show that Virginia understands what public service is all about.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-warner-and-kaine-applaud-faas-selection-of-virginia-tech-proposal-to-test-unmanned-aircraft-systems", "Sens. Warner and Kaine Applaud FAA’s Selection of Virginia Tech Proposal to Test Unmanned Aircraft Systems", "2013-12-30", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sens. Warner and Kaine Applaud FAA\u2019s Selection of Virginia Tech Proposal to Test Unmanned Aircraft Systems\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tRegion to be one of six U.S. sites chosen to test and research variety of UAS issues\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, December 30, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released this statement today following the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) selection of Virginia Tech\u2019s proposal to spearhead a regional research effort on \u00a0the safest and most effective ways to incorporate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the existing airspace.\u00a0 Virginia Tech\u2019s proposal, one of six from across the country selected by the FAA today, \u00a0includes a cooperative agreement to work with research institutions and facilities across\u00a0 Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey.\r\n\u201cWe want to congratulate Virginia Tech and its partners for this success. Virginia\u2019s selection provides an opportunity for the mid-Atlantic region to become a major hub for UAS research and testing, leveraging the growing private sector interest in UAS as well as incorporating military and NASA assets across our region. That\u2019s why we have long supported Virginia's selection, and have worked to highlight the strengths of a Virginia-Maryland-New Jersey partnership with the FAA,\u201d Sens. Warner and Kaine said. \u201cWe hope this FAA research and testing also helps sort-out the legitimate public concerns about privacy and air safety as we move toward a safe and responsible integration of unmanned aircraft.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=0d57aa3a-821b-431a-acda-e3e1b79e1e93", "Sens. Warner & Kaine Applaud FAA Selection of VaTech Proposal on Unmanned Aircraft", "2013-12-30", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Mark Warner", "W000805", "www.warner.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released this statement today following the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) selection of Virginia Tech\u2019s proposal to spearhead a regional research effort on the safest and most effective ways to incorporate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the existing airspace. Virginia Tech\u2019s proposal, one of six from across the country selected by the FAA today, includes a cooperative agreement to work with research institutions and facilities across Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey.\r\n\u201cWe want to congratulate Virginia Tech and its partners for this success. Virginia\u2019s selection provides an opportunity for the mid-Atlantic region to become a major hub for UAS research and testing, leveraging the growing private sector interest in UAS as well as incorporating military and NASA assets across our region. That\u2019s why we have long supported Virginia's selection, and have worked to highlight the strengths of a Virginia-Maryland-New Jersey partnership with the FAA,\u201d Sens. Warner and Kaine said. \u201cWe hope this FAA research and testing also helps sort-out the legitimate public concerns about privacy and air safety as we move toward a safe and responsible integration of unmanned aircraft.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=a61cf7b4-5603-49bb-b0b0-9578e6756aa1", "Sen. Warner Calls for Hearing into Target Consumer Data Breach", "2013-12-30", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Mark Warner", "W000805", "www.warner.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today requested a hearing by the Senate Banking Committee to examine whether companies and financial service providers are taking all actions necessary to safeguard consumer data and protect against fraud and identity theft, and whether stronger industry-wide cybersecurity standards are needed.\r\nIn the wake of Target\u2019s recent account data breach affecting some 40 million U.S. customers, Sen. Warner and Banking Committee colleague Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) wrote to Chairman Tim Johnson and Ranking Member Mike Crapo:\u00a0 \u201cWith our economy and financial sector becoming increasingly information-based and data-reliant, consumers depend on the companies and financial service providers with whom they do business to protect their sensitive information.\u00a0 As companies collect, store, and process ever-greater quantities of consumer data, they\u2014and our regulators\u2014must become even more vigilant against breaches and improper use.\u201d\r\nJust days before Christmas, Target announced that a data breach occurred between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15, affecting about 40 million credit and debit card accounts, compromising customers' names, card information and security codes. Target has yet to disclose how the hackers penetrated its data security.\r\nThe Warner/Menendez letter follows:\r\n\u00a0\r\nDecember 30, 2013\r\nThe Honorable Tim Johnson\r\nChairman\r\nSenate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs\r\nWashington, DC 20510\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\nThe Honorable Mike Crapo\r\nRanking Member\r\nSenate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs\r\nWashington, DC 20510\r\n\u00a0\r\nDear Chairman Johnson and Ranking Member Crapo:\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We write to request that the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs hold a hearing as soon as reasonably possible regarding consumer financial data security.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 As you know, earlier this month, Target Corporation announced a data breach that affected roughly 40 million customer credit and debit card accounts \u2013 one of the largest such corporate security breaches in history.\u00a0 Thieves reportedly gained access to information including cardholders\u2019 names, card information, and security PIN codes, potentially exposing millions of consumers to the risk of fraud, identity theft, and other hardships during the peak of the holiday shopping season.\u00a0 Breaches such as this also expose businesses, banks, and card companies to losses from fraudulent charges or withdrawals using stolen information.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 With our economy and financial sector becoming increasingly information-based and data-reliant, consumers depend on the companies and financial service providers with whom they do business to protect their sensitive information.\u00a0 As companies collect, store, and process ever-greater quantities of consumer data, they\u2014and our regulators\u2014must become even more vigilant against breaches and improper use.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We believe it would be valuable for the Committee to examine whether market participants are taking all appropriate actions to safeguard consumer data and protect against fraud, identity theft, and other harmful consequences, and whether we need stronger industry-wide cybersecurity standards.\u00a0 Some industry experts, for example, have called for faster and more uniform adoption of technologies such as EMV \u201csmart\u201d chips to improve credit and debit card transactional security, among other proposals.\u00a0 We also believe it would be helpful for the Committee to hear from our financial regulators as to whether they have the necessary tools, information, and authority to ensure that financial companies and service providers are doing enough to protect consumer data, and, in the event that a breach does occur, to minimize the harm to affected parties and take appropriate enforcement actions.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 When it comes to data security, consumers\u2019 interests must come first.\u00a0 We appreciate your attention to this important matter and look forward to working with you to address it.\r\nSincerely,\r\n\u00a0\r\nMark Warner\r\nUnited States Senator\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nRobert Menendez\r\nUnited States Senator", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/time-to-pass-a-farm-bill", "Time To Pass A Farm Bill", "2013-12-28", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Time To Pass A Farm Bill\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n                Daily News-Record Op-Ed\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Saturday, December 28, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            As we give thanks this holiday season, it\u2019s important to remember the family farms that produce the food we will enjoy with friends and relatives. But farmers\u2019 hard work deserves more than recognition \u2014 Congress owes it to farmers here in the Valley and across the country to swiftly pass a final farm bill.\r\nAmong all sectors of our economy, agriculture, the largest industry in Virginia, is unique for a simple reason \u2014\u00a0 its output supports our very lives. The market may wax and wane, but we will always need food.\r\nA drought or a heavy flood means a bad year for the farmer, whose output is reduced, and a bad year for the consumer, who has to pay more for groceries. In any given year, the impact of unpredictable events on agriculture could send a domino effect of either prosperity or hardship through the economy.\r\nThis inherent volatility means it is in everyone\u2019s interest to ensure there is a stable, predictable market for agricultural goods. That is why farm bills have traditionally maintained a system of payments tailored to the varying needs of different regions and crops along with federal support for crop insurance premiums. Clear flaws in this system have emerged, such as direct payments to millionaires, or to property caretakers who aren\u2019t even farmers but qualify for payments through legal loopholes.\r\nI\u2019m pleased that along with other important reforms, both the Senate and House farm bills end direct payments, expand crop insurance, and restructure the commodity title. But that won\u2019t help if we fail to pass a final bill \u2014\u00a0 or if we pass another one-year extension. Whether it\u2019s peanut and cotton farmers in Southside or poultry growers in the Valley, farmers deserve certainty from their government.\r\nThat\u2019s why I was proud to support a farm bill in the Senate last summer that passed with 66 bipartisan votes. I\u2019m disappointed that negotiators won\u2019t be able to work out the differences between the Senate and House bills before the end of the year, but it\u2019s critical we pass a final package in early January to restore this certainty for Virginia farmers and to protect consumers from possible price increases.\r\nOne major area in which the Senate and House bills differ is in treatment of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly called food stamps. The Senate bill I voted for saves approximately $4 billion by tightening loopholes in the SNAP benefit calculation, while the House bill cuts $40 billion by reducing SNAP eligibility.\r\nThe difference is between curbing program misuse and curbing actual use by the neediest Americans. I hope the final bill maintains SNAP benefits that keep millions of children, disabled, and elderly people out of hunger. Moreover, nutrition support makes economic sense as a way that food commodities produced by American farmers reach hungry people at home and abroad.\r\nAdditionally, the final farm bill will likely contain incentives to bolster support for local food networks. Consumers deserve to know where their food is coming from, and farmers deserve policies that enable them to sell to local consumers and businesses. I support expanding farmers markets and access to local, healthy, and organic foods. This issue resonated with me this year when a report found that my hometown of Richmond contains the most \u201cfood deserts\u201d \u2013 areas without easy access to fresh food \u2013 of any city of its size in the nation.\r\nCongress must do all it can to support farmers as they put quality local food on the tables of Virginians, over the holidays and every day. For the sake of our family farmers and consumers across the country, it is time to pass a farm bill.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365063", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 12.23.13", "2013-12-23", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Faith and Action\nPeople of faith often take bold action.\u00a0 The Christmas season is a time to both notice and highlight the large and small acts of faith that make a difference in this world.\u00a0 I can only note a few, as there are too many such actions to note them all.\nOne of those taking bold action this year is Congressman Frank Wolf (VA-10), who has announced that he will be retiring after having served in the House of Representatives for 17 terms. \u00a0\nFrank has worked hard throughout the years to advance justice, human rights, and religious freedom.\u00a0 He went on a secret mission to Tibet in 1997, traveling not as a Congressman but as a tourist with a home video camera.\u00a0 After returning to the United States, Frank said Tibetans were living \u201c\u2026under unspeakably brutal conditions in the dim shadow of international awareness.\u00a0 I want the world to know what is going on in Tibet.\u201d\u00a0\nHe has continued this work in numerous ways.\u00a0 Frank has traveled throughout Asia and the Middle East advocating for religious minorities such as Coptic Christians, and also has persistently pushed to uncover the truth about the 2012 attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi, Libya.\nFrank is a diligent and tireless advocate for those who may otherwise be passed by.\u00a0 I wish the best to Frank as he continues working on the issues important to him and to his family as they begin the next chapter of their lives.\nReverend Ralph Shelba Horton was another man of deep faith, and I was saddened to learn of his December 19 passing.\u00a0 Reverend Horton served the Lord as Senior Pastor of the Richlands Tabernacle since 1971, but he looked for opportunities outside of his own backyard to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 He was a man of God and a friend to many, and his influence went well beyond Tazewell County.\u00a0 To paraphrase a friend of mine, \u201cWho knows how many souls are in heaven because of the work of Reverend Horton.\u201d\u00a0 My thoughts and prayers to Reverend Horton\u2019s loved ones at this time.\nBut not all people of faith have 700,000 constituents or a large congregation with whom to share their message.\u00a0 But this does not mean that their message is any less worthy of attention.\nWillie Nelson\u2019s Christmas song \u201cPretty Paper*\u201d is rather easily adapted to fit one such person - a lady who hangs out every Thursday near the steps leading to the U.S. House of Representatives.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Crowded street, busy feet hustle by her. \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Busy Congressmen, Christmas is nigh.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 There she stands all alone on the sidewalk,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hoping that you won't pass her by. \u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Should you stop?\u00a0 Better not.\u00a0 Much too busy. \u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 You're in a hurry, how time does fly. \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In the distance the ringing of laughter, \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And in the midst of the chatter she tries.\nFor the last three decades or so, Ms. Rita Warren has been a regular fixture on Capitol Hill.\u00a0 Rain or shine, this gentle octogenarian has served as a \u201clobbyist for God,\u201d playing soft music and setting up a life-size statue of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 As we approach the Christmas season, Ms. Warren sets up a lovely nativity scene.\u00a0 Nearby is her menorah.\nIn my experience, she has been relatively unobtrusive.\u00a0 When I see Ms. Warren and hear her music, I feel uplifted and renewed.\u00a0 \u201cJesus is everywhere,\u201d she knowingly tells me and others who choose to stop and speak with her.\u00a0 \u201cMine is a mission of faith.\u201d\nShe gladly speaks with tourists, lawmakers, and congressional staff to share her message about God and his good works to those who will stop to listen. \u00a0\nMs. Warren and her mission of faith inspire and refresh me throughout the year.\u00a0 It\u2019s a constant reminder that, through all the battles and all the rhetoric, no matter how much power we think rests in the capital city of Washington, D.C., the ultimate power belongs to God.\u00a0 During the Christmas season we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who brought God\u2019s message of forgiveness and grace to mankind.\u00a0 \u201cGod so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).\" Best wishes for a safe and merry Christmas. Please note that, in observance of the Christmas holiday, this column will return on Monday, January 6.\u00a0 As always, if you have concerns or comments or wish to inquire about legislative issues, feel free to contact my offices. You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671. To reach my office via email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\n###\n* \u201cPretty Paper\u201d was written by Willie Nelson and originally recorded by Roy Orbison.\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365076", "Ninth District Traveling Staff Office Hours for January", "2013-12-23", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Griffith\u2019s Ninth District STAFF will be available at the following locations during the month of January.\u00a0 In the event of inclement weather (heavy snow, sleet, icy rain, etc.), traveling office hours may be rescheduled to avoid putting constituents at risk.\u00a0 Please contact the Christiansburg Office at 540-381-5671 or the Abingdon Office at 276-525-1405 with any questions or to confirm that traveling hours are still in effect.\r\nJanuary 3, 2014\r\nMartinsville: \u00a0 11:00 am \u2013 1:00 pm\r\nNCI  \r\nRoom 106 \u2013 Classroom Building  \r\n30 Franklin Street  \r\nMartinsville, VA\r\nLee County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nLee County Sheriff\u2019s Office  \r\nConference Room \u2013 Suite U101  \r\n33640 Main Street  \r\nJonesville, VA\r\nNorton: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nNorton City Council Chambers  \r\n618 Virginia Avenue NW  \r\nNorton, VA\r\nJanuary 8, 2014\r\nRadford: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nRadford Public Library  \r\nMeeting Room  \r\n30 West Main Street  \r\nRadford, VA\u00a0\r\nPulaski County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nPulaski County Library  \r\nMeeting Room  \r\n60 3rd Street NW  \r\nPulaski, VA\r\nJanuary 9, 2014\r\nGrayson County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nGrayson County Administration Building  \r\nBoard of Supervisors Room \u2013 Suite 206  \r\n129 Davis Street  \r\nIndependence, VA\r\nRussell County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nSouthwest Virginia Technology Development Center  \r\n141 Highland Drive  \r\nLebanon, VA\u00a0\r\nTazewell County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nBluefield Town Hall \u2013 Council Chambers  \r\n112 Huffard Drive  \r\nBluefield, VA\r\nGalax: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nGalax Municipal Building  \r\nConference Room  \r\n111 E. Main Street  \r\nGalax, VA\r\nJanuary 14, 2014\r\nGiles County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nPearisburg Town Hall  \r\n112 Tazewell Street  \r\nPearisburg, VA\r\nSalem: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nSalem Library  \r\n28 East Main Street  \r\nSalem, VA\r\nJanuary 15, 2014\r\nHenry County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nBassett Historical Society  \r\n3964 Fairystone Parkway  \r\nBassett, VA\r\nBland County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nBland County Courthouse  \r\nAdmin. Office Room 2  \r\n612 Main Street  \r\nBland, VA\r\nWythe County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nWythe County Sheriff\u2019s Office  \r\nConference Room  \r\n245 South 4th Street  \r\nWytheville, VA\r\nPatrick County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nPatrick County Administration Building  \r\nConference Room  \r\n106 Rucker Street  \r\nStuart, VA\r\nJanuary 16, 2014\r\nScott County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nCommunity Services Building  \r\nCommunity Room  \r\n190 Beech Street  \r\nGate City, VA\r\nJanuary 17, 2014\u00a0\r\nCarroll County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nCarroll County Administration Building  \r\nBoard of Supervisors Room  \r\n605 \u2013 1 Pine Street  \r\nHillsville, VA\r\nFloyd County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nFloyd County Library  \r\n321 W. Main Street  \r\nFloyd, VA\r\nJanuary 21, 2014\r\nTazewell County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nAmerican Legion Building  \r\n226 Central Avenue  \r\nTazewell, VA\r\nBuchanan County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nGrundy Town Hall  \r\n1185 Plaza Drive  \r\nGrundy, VA\r\nJanuary 24, 2014\r\nAlleghany County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nClifton Forge Library  \r\nConference Room  \r\n535 Church Street  \r\nClifton Forge, VA\r\nDickenson County: \u00a0 10:00 am \u2013 12:00 pm\r\nDickenson Center for Education & Research  \r\n818 Happy Valley Drive  \r\nClintwood, VA\r\nWise County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nBig Stone Gap Federal Courthouse  \r\n3rd Floor Room 303  \r\n322 Wood Avenue E  \r\nBig Stone Gap, VA\r\nRoanoke County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\n\u00a0Roanoke Library Hollins Branch  \r\n6624 Peters Creek Road  \r\nRoanoke, VA\r\nJanuary 28, 2014\r\nPulaski County: \u00a0 2:00 pm \u2013 4:00 pm\r\nDublin Town Hall  \r\nRoute 100, 1 mile North of I-81  \r\nDublin, VA\r\n** Please contact the Christiansburg Office at 540-381-5671 or the Abingdon Office at 276-525-1405 with any questions.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131154440/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/483", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON ICE'S REMOVAL NUMBERS", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON ICE'S REMOVAL NUMBERS \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released its removal numbers for Fiscal Year 2013, showing a decrease in the number of illegal immigrants and criminal aliens removed.\u00a0 Specifically, ICE removed roughly 369,000 individuals in FY 2013, which is a 41,000 decrease from the previous year, and the removal of criminal aliens decreased from 225,400 last year to 217,000 this year. Additionally, the removal of fugitives with final orders of deportation has decreased by over 40% and for repeat immigration violators it has dramatically declined by over 15%. Upon closer look, over 60% of the deportations claimed by ICE were actually removals of recent illegal border crossers who were apprehended by the Border Patrol and transferred briefly to ICE custody before removal.\u00a0 \n                      \n                      \tHouse Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte released the statement below on the removal numbers for FY 2013:  \n                      \t\u00a0  \n                      \t\u201cToday\u2019s removal numbers from U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement is just more evidence that the Obama Administration refuses to enforce our immigration laws. Throughout the past five years, President Obama has sought to undermine and dismantle our immigration laws at every opportunity possible.\u00a0 And the results of this comprehensive plan are revealed in this year\u2019s removal statistics: deportations are down and fewer criminals have been deported.\u00a0 And the Administration is padding its already meager removal numbers by including Border Patrol apprehensions. \u00a0  \n                      \t\u00a0  \n                      \t\u201cThe Administration\u2019s fuzzy math undermines the integrity of our immigration system and puts our communities needlessly at risk. While the Obama Administration may gain applause from its political base for its inaction, they will ultimately lose in the court of public opinion.\u00a0 Our immigration laws do need to be reformed but ignoring the current laws on the books is not constructive to fixing our broken system.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131155404/http://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-warner-and-kaine-applaud-nomination-of-hannah-lauck-to-eastern-district-court-of-virginia", "Sens. Warner and Kaine Applaud Nomination of Hannah Lauck to Eastern District Court of Virginia", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Sens. Warner and Kaine Applaud Nomination of Hannah Lauck to Eastern District Court of Virginia\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 20, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement on the White House nomination of Hannah Lauck to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia:\n\u201cJudge Lauck has an exemplary record as a prosecutor and a magistrate judge, and I was pleased to support her nomination to the federal bench,\u201d Sen. Warner said.\u00a0\n\u201cI was proud to recommend Hannah for this position and am pleased the President has chosen to nominate her,\u201d said Sen. Kaine \u00a0\u201cHannah\u2019s many years of experience in the Eastern District \u2013 both as a Magistrate Judge and an Assistant U.S. Attorney has prepared her well for this post. I look forward to doing everything I can to ensure a smooth confirmation process for her in the Senate.\u201d\nLauck has been a United States Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Virginia since 2005.\u00a0 Previously, she worked as a Supervising Attorney at Genworth Financial, Inc. from 2004 to 2005.\u00a0 From 1994 to 2004, she was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia.\u00a0 Judge Lauck worked in private practice at Anderson Kill Olick & Oshinsky from 1992 to 1994 and began her legal career as a law clerk for Judge James R. Spencer of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia from 1991 to 1992.\u00a0 She received her J.D. in 1991 from Yale Law School and her B.A.\u00a0magna cum laude\u00a0in 1986 from Wellesley College.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=498", "Wittman Introduces Legislation to Protect Military Retirees", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) has introduced H.R. 3792 to repeal the provision in the Bipartisan Budget Act, H.J.Res. 59, affecting military retirees.\r\nI strongly believe that we cannot and should not balance the budget on the backs of the servicemembers who have given their all for our country. I was vehemently opposed to the provision in the Bipartisan Budget Act that cuts COLAs for military retirees, and today I have introduced H.R. 3792 to repeal that section.\r\nI have also written a letter to House Armed Services Committee Chairman McKeon, asking for his commitment to address this issue before it goes into effect at the end of 2014. Our retired servicemen and women who served our nation over 20 years deserve the pay and benefits they have earned.\r\nH.R. 3792 strikes Section 403 of H.J. Res. 59, which modifies the annual cost-of-living adjustment for working-age military retirees by making the adjustments equal to inflation minus one percent. This provision provides for an annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) of inflation (measured by the Consumer Price Index) less one percentage point for adjustments starting on December 1, 2015 until the retiree reaches age 62. There would be no alteration to the 2014 COLA. This change would be gradually phased in, with no change for the current year, a 0.25 percent decrease in December 2014, and a 0.5 percent decrease in December 2015. Under this provision, at age 62, the COLA would revert back to the full CPI adjustment.\r\nWittman has also joined House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller in introducing 2 similar bills: 1) legislation that would strike Section 403 and therefore eliminate any cuts to COLAs attached to military retirement payments; and 2) legislation that would clarify and exempt all veterans who medically retire, those who receive Combat Related Specialty Compensation (CRSC), and those who receive Concurrent Receipt Pay (CRDP) from any impact of Section 403 on their disability pension.\r\nCongressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/kainehailspassageofdefensebill", "Kaine Hails Final Passage of Defense Bill", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine Hails Final Passage of Defense Bill\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tKey provisions of Kaine\u2019s first piece of legislation, the Troop Talent Act, will become law\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 20, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today hailed final passage of the\u00a0National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2014 \u2013 the annual defense bill that includes important provisions Kaine advocated for Virginia during committee markup of the legislation in June 2013. The measure was passed, 84-15.\r\n\u201cWith passage of the\u00a0National Defense Authorization Act of 2014, I\u2019m pleased we will be able to provide our nation\u2019s military with budget certainty to maintain readiness, and our servicemembers with the support they deserve. Together with passage of a two-year budget agreement earlier this week, this legislation is a win for Virginia, authorizing full funding for our shipyards in Hampton Roads to continue producing and repairing aircraft carriers, submarines and surface ships. It also includes 36 historic reforms\u00a0to tackle the serious and longstanding problem of sexual assault in the military.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m also proud that key provisions of the first piece of legislation I introduced, the\u00a0Troop Talent Act,\u00a0were included. Providing active duty servicemembers with the tools they need to more easily receive credentials for the skills they acquire through military training will now become law, greatly easing their transition to a civilian career. This is a small but important step to help whittle away at the unacceptably high rate of veterans\u2019 unemployment \u2013 particularly among those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan - and I remain committed to exploring all avenues to address this issue.\u201d\r\nThe following list includes many of the provisions Kaine advocated for Virginia\u2019s defense community that were included in the NDAA:\r\nTroop Talent Act Becomes Law:\u00a0\u00a0Key provisions of Kaine's first bill, the Troop Talent Act of 2013, were included in the authorization act, including the main provision that requires information\u00a0on civilian credentialing opportunities be made available to servicemembers at every stage of military training. It also requires that information on military training and experience be provided upon request to civilian credentialing agencies and other approved entities.\u00a0Kaine's amendment to enhance Department of Defense education assistance standards by requiring\u00a0that participating schools be eligible for federal funding under title IV of the Higher Education Act was also included.\u00a0This provision will ensure that DoD educational programs meet the same standards currently required for other educational federal funding, such as Pell Grants.\r\nShipbuilding and Ship Repair:\u00a0The authorization act supports our shipbuilding priorities and authorizes funding for the USS Gerald R. Ford and USS John F. Kennedy, as well as the submarine fleet. Critical readiness funds were also included for Virginia\u2019s ship repair industry.\u00a0Increased funding, coupled with passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 this week, will increase certainty for shipyard workers and other civilian Department of Defense employees.\u00a0\r\nIncludes Whistleblower Provisions on Sexual Assault in the Military:\u00a0\u00a0The authorization bill includes 36 provisions to enhance sexual assault prevention and response,\u00a0including provisions from the Military Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act that was introduced by Senators Warner and Kaine to help\u00a0servicemembers\u00a0report unwanted sexual contact without fear of retribution.\u00a0Kaine also supported many\u00a0additional measures\u00a0to combat sexual assault that were included in the final bill,\u00a0including the presence of a Special Victims' Counsel in each service and the requirement that any decision not to prosecute is reviewed by the service secretary.\r\nRestores Readiness to Operations and Maintenance Accounts Cut by Sequester:\u00a0\u00a0Kaine has pushed for increased readiness accounts to support ship operations and repairs, many of which are done in Hampton Roads. The bill restores $3.5 billion in critical funding in all Operations and Maintenance (O&M) accounts, which will help all service branches maintain readiness for our national security.\u00a0\r\nNo BRAC Round:\u00a0 A new Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round is not authorized in the defense bill.\r\nReport on Long-term Impacts of Sequestration: Kaine's floor amendment requesting a GAO report on the long-term budgetary costs of sequestration was included in the authorization bill.\u00a0\r\nIncludes STEM assessment:\u00a0Kaine's floor amendment to assess Department of Defense\u00a0\u00a0Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs\u00a0was included in\u00a0the\u00a0authorization bill. Kaine is a longtime advocate of STEM education.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nGuantanamo: Facilitates the transfer of cleared detainees, either to their country of origin or otherwise designated overseas location.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/senate-passes-key-provisions-of-kaines-first-bill-the-troop-talent-act", "Senate Passes Key Provisions of Kaine's First Bill, the Troop Talent Act", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senate Passes Key Provisions of Kaine's First Bill, the Troop Talent Act\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tLegislation increases and streamlines credentialing for veterans\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 20, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Last night, the U.S. Senate passed key provisions of U.S. Senator Tim Kaine\u2019s first bill, the Troop Talent Act of 2013, as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2014. Kaine secured inclusion of the provisions during committee markup of the legislation in June 2013.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m proud that key provisions of the first piece of legislation I introduced, the\u00a0Troop Talent Act,\u00a0were included in the 2014 defense bill that was passed with bipartisan support in the Senate,\u201d Kaine said. \u201cIt will now be the law to provide active duty servicemembers with the tools they need to more easily receive credentials for the skills they acquire through military training, greatly easing their transition to a civilian career. This is a small but important step to help whittle away at the unacceptably high rate of veterans\u2019 unemployment \u2013 particularly among those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan - and I remain committed to exploring all avenues to address this issue.\u201d\r\nThe Troop Talent Act provisions included in the 2014 NDAA are:\r\n1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A requirement that information on civilian credentialing opportunities be made available to servicemembers at every stage of their military training\r\n2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A requirement that information on military training and experience be provided, upon request, to civilian credentialing agencies and other approved entities\u00a0\r\nIn addition, Kaine secured inclusion of an amendment to NDAA that ensures Department of Defense educational programs be eligible for funding under the Title IV Higher Education Act. This provision will ensure DoD programs meet the same standards currently required for other educational federal funding, such as Pell Grants.\r\nThe Troop Talent Act has received praise from editorial boards\u00a0and veterans' groups, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, IAVA, the American Legion, Student Veterans of America, the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) and the Association of the United States Navy (AUSN).\r\n\u201cThe unemployment rate for Veterans who have served in the military since 2001 is nearly 10%,\u201d said Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, the lead sponsor of the Troop Talent Act in the House. \u201cThat number is simply unacceptable. Our Veterans guarantee the quality of their work with their life and civilian employers are in need of that level of dedication and expertise. These provisions of the Troop Talent Act will enable Veterans to make the transition to the private sector more easily and help our businesses thrive at the same time.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe VFW is glad to see that many of the key provisions from Senator Kaine\u2019s Troop Talent Act will now be part of Defense policy moving forward,\u201d said VFW Executive Director Bob Wallace. \u201cHelping civilian credentialing agencies to better understand military training standards and real-life experiences, as well as ensuring service members understand the kinds of opportunities available to them, will better help qualified service members successfully transition into civilian careers.\u201d \u00a0\r\n\u201cOn behalf of the 2.4 million members of The American Legion, I congratulate the Senate for its inclusion of the Troop Talent Act provisions within the National Defense Authorization Act,\u201d said Daniel M. Dellinger, National Commander of the American Legion, the nation\u2019s largest veterans service organization.\u00a0\u201cThe Legion worked closely with Senator Kaine and his staff on this measure and we take pride in its passage\u00a0 as part of our longstanding and ongoing campaign\u00a0 to streamline military to civilian licensing and credentialing for our service members, veterans and their families.\u201d\r\n\u201cSen. Kaine\u2019s provision in the just-passed Defense authorization bill is a needed \u2018next step\u2019 in supporting our nation\u2019s service women and men as they transition from the military to civilian careers by providing them practical information on the acquisition of civilian licenses and certifications,\u201d said VADM Norm Ryan, USN-ret., President of the Military Officers Association of America.\u00a0 The provision also gives our troops confidence that their military-funded educational assistance meets quality standards set by the Department of Education.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\"On behalf of the Association of the United States Navy (AUSN), we are pleased to see the Senate adopt the Troop Talent Act within the Fiscal Year 2014 NDAA,\u201d said Anthony Wallis, Legislative Director of the Association of the United States Navy. \u201cThis bill helps Veterans receive proper recognition/credentials for the skills and experiences they had while serving translate to in careers upon their transition into the civilian workforce. Our nation's Sailors and Veterans seeking employment opportunities deserve nothing less.\"\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-warner-collins-kaine-and-grassley-legislation-to-protect-military-whistleblowers-passes-congress-", "Sens. Warner, Collins, Kaine & Grassley Legislation To Protect Military Whistleblowers Passes Congress", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sens. Warner, Collins, Kaine & Grassley Legislation To Protect Military Whistleblowers Passes Congress \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t~ Bipartisan Military Whistleblower Protection Act will now go the President for his signature ~\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 20, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON - Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) \u00a0to strengthen military whistleblower protection laws to ensure those who report sexual assault and other misconduct are not further victimized by retaliation passed the Senate and will become law. The\u00a0Military Whistleblower Protection Act was passed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on a bipartisan 85-14 vote and will now go to the President for his signature. The\u00a0Military Whistleblower Protection Act is supported by over 50 good government, public health and veterans organizations, including the Service Women\u2019s Action Network, and leading whistleblower protection organizations including the Project on Government Oversight and the Government Accountability Project.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThis legislation is an important first step toward better protecting our military men and women from misconduct, including sexual assault,\u201d Sen. Warner said. \u201cThe Military Whistleblower Protection Act will encourage our service members to report fraud, waste and abuse and provide them with the retaliation-free working environment they deserve. Virginia has a strong military tradition and I am proud that this legislation will now become law.\" \u00a0\r\n\"Whistleblowers play a crucial role in Congressional efforts to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse and to help ensure the effectiveness of government programs.\u00a0 They provide crucial information that Congress needs to conduct proper oversight of the federal government,\" said Sen. Collins.\u00a0 \"This amendment increases whistleblower protections for the military and encourages whistleblowers to report misconduct, especially as it relates to sexual assault. Our military men and women deserve a justice system that protects them while they serve our country.\"\r\n\u201cWith passage of the Military Whistleblower Protection Act, victims and witnesses of sexual assault and other serious crimes will now be better protected from retaliation,\" said Sen. Kaine. \u201cToo many incidents of sexual assault go unreported, and this bill works to change that by enhancing protections for whistleblowers and fostering a safer, more supportive environment for our service members. I was proud to sponsor this legislation and will continue to support measures that tackle the longstanding problem of sexual assault in the military.\"\u00a0\r\n\u201cMilitary personnel have an unbelievably difficult time when blowing the whistle on misconduct, fraud or even sexual assault.\u00a0 Too often, these complaints get tossed into the garbage for no good reason.\u00a0 To make matters worse, retaliation seems to be the norm rather than the exception.\u00a0 There\u2019s a lot left to be done in this area, but inclusion of the Military Whistleblower Protection Act in the Defense Reauthorization is a good step forward for whistleblowers,\u201d Sen. Grassley said.\u00a0\r\n\"Today, Congress finally upgraded the protections for the brave men and women who come forward to report waste, fraud, and abuse---including sexual assault---in the military,\u201d said Angela Canterbury, Director of Public Policy for the Project on Government Oversight. \u201cWe sincerely thank Senators Warner, Collins, Kaine, and Grassley, as well as Representatives Speier and Coffman, for championing these critical reforms to increase accountability and readiness in the military. We look forward to working with them and their dedicated staff in the new year to ensure our troops have the protections they deserve in practice.\"\u00a0\r\n\u201cThis is the first significant advance in military whistleblower rights since they were enacted in 1988, and it is long overdue,\u201d said Government Accountability Project legal director Tom Devine.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTo date the Military Whistleblower Protection Act has created far more victims than it has helped.\u00a0 Our work is not done, but this reform is a giant step toward parity with civilian employees who challenge fraud, waste and abuse.\u00a0 All soldiers and citizens owe special thanks to\u00a0 Senators Mark Warner (D.-Va.), Timothy Kaine (D.-Va.), Susan Collins (R.-Me) and Charles Grassley (R.-Iowa). These senators\u2019 leadership led to the Christmas present of a responsible free speech breakthrough for troops, and badly-needed military accountability for all Americans.\r\n\"At Service Women's Action Network, we've seen firsthand the devastating impacts of retaliation--personal, professional, or both--against survivors of military sexual assault,\" said Anu Bhagwati, Service Women's Action Network executive director and former Marine Corps captain. \"The unfortunate truth is that our current Inspector General investigation process fails many. With this legislation, Senators Warner, Collins, Kaine and Grassley are leading the charge to provide survivors with the relief they need and the justice they deserve.\"\u00a0\r\nThe bipartisan\u00a0Military Whistleblower Protection Act\u00a0expands whistleblower protections to witnesses as well as victims, and ensures action is taken both to provide corrective relief to victims of retaliation and to discipline those who retaliate. It also extends the current 60-day period to file a report to one year, bringing it more in line with other federal and contractor whistleblowers who have longer reporting periods\u2014often up to three years to report misconduct. Additionally it speeds up the process and ensures accountability by compelling the Service Secretary to take action within 30 days of receiving a report from an Inspector General, and requires that the investigations are conducted by an Inspector General at least one organization higher that the individuals\u2019 involved to prevent any conflicts of interest.\u00a0 Finally, it requires the service branches to actively support those with confirmed cases of retaliation by ensuring that their military record is referred to the Board for Military Correction of Records and provides legal assistance to the victim, rather than the current policy of requiring victims to navigate that difficult process on their own. \u00a0\r\nToo often, the fear of retaliation deters service members from coming forward.\u00a0 This legislation addresses that and encourages those who witness or were subject to sexual and other offenses to speak up.\u00a0 A\u00a0Government Accountability Office audit\u00a0reported that more than 60% of service members who reported sexual assaults in 2012 experienced retaliation.\u00a0 Less than 1% of whistleblowers who filed reprisal complaints obtained relief, and only 19% of those whom the Inspector Generals certified had experienced retaliation ever got their records corrected.\u00a0 \u00a0Additionally, a\u00a0Pentagon study\u00a0released in May 2013 and based on a confidential survey sent to more than 100,000 active-duty service members, \u00a0found as many as 26,000 members of the military experienced offenses ranging from sexual harassment to sexual assault last year. However, fewer than 3,400 individuals reported the incidents. The Department of Defense concluded most victims did not step forward because they worried about retaliation and believed that reporting the alleged offense would negatively impact their military careers.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=30af12c6-4486-4f27-bd6c-e7687e2d7ae0", "Bipartisan Military Whistleblower Protection Act Passes Congress", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Mark Warner", "W000805", "www.warner.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON - Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) \u00a0to strengthen military whistleblower protection laws to ensure those who report sexual assault and other misconduct are not further victimized by retaliation passed the Senate and will become law. The\u00a0Military Whistleblower Protection Act was passed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on a bipartisan 85-14 vote and will now go to the President for his signature. The\u00a0Military Whistleblower Protection Act is supported by over 50 good government, public health and veterans organizations, including the Service Women\u2019s Action Network, and leading whistleblower protection organizations including the Project on Government Oversight and the Government Accountability Project.\r\n\u201cThis legislation is an important first step toward better protecting our military men and women from misconduct, including sexual assault,\u201d Sen. Warner said. \u201cThe Military Whistleblower Protection Act will encourage our service members to report fraud, waste and abuse and provide them with the retaliation-free working environment they deserve. Virginia has a strong military tradition and I am proud that this legislation will now become law.\"\u00a0\r\n\"Whistleblowers play a crucial role in Congressional efforts to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse and to help ensure the effectiveness of government programs.\u00a0 They provide crucial information that Congress needs to conduct proper oversight of the federal government,\" said Sen. Collins.\u00a0 \"This amendment increases whistleblower protections for the military and encourages whistleblowers to report misconduct, especially as it relates to sexual assault. Our military men and women deserve a justice system that protects them while they serve our country.\"\r\n\u201cWith passage of the Military Whistleblower Protection Act, victims and witnesses of sexual assault and other serious crimes will now be better protected from retaliation,\" said Sen. Kaine. \u201cToo many incidents of sexual assault go unreported, and this bill works to change that by enhancing protections for whistleblowers and fostering a safer, more supportive environment for our service members. I was proud to sponsor this legislation and will continue to support measures that tackle the longstanding problem of sexual assault in the military.\"\u00a0\r\n\u201cMilitary personnel have an unbelievably difficult time when blowing the whistle on misconduct, fraud or even sexual assault.\u00a0 Too often, these complaints get tossed into the garbage for no good reason.\u00a0 To make matters worse, retaliation seems to be the norm rather than the exception.\u00a0 There\u2019s a lot left to be done in this area, but inclusion of the Military Whistleblower Protection Act in the Defense Reauthorization is a good step forward for whistleblowers,\u201d Sen. Grassley said.\r\n\"Today, Congress finally upgraded the protections for the brave men and women who come forward to report waste, fraud, and abuse---including sexual assault---in the military,\u201d said Angela Canterbury, Director of Public Policy for the Project on Government Oversight. \u201cWe sincerely thank Senators Warner, Collins, Kaine, and Grassley, as well as Representatives Speier and Coffman, for championing these critical reforms to increase accountability and readiness in the military. We look forward to working with them and their dedicated staff in the new year to ensure our troops have the protections they deserve in practice.\"\r\n\u201cThis is the first significant advance in military whistleblower rights since they were enacted in 1988, and it is long overdue,\u201d said Government Accountability Project legal director Tom Devine.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTo date the Military Whistleblower Protection Act has created far more victims than it has helped.\u00a0 Our work is not done, but this reform is a giant step toward parity with civilian employees who challenge fraud, waste and abuse.\u00a0 All soldiers and citizens owe special thanks to\u00a0 Senators Mark Warner (D.-Va.), Timothy Kaine (D.-Va.), Susan Collins (R.-Me) and Charles Grassley (R.-Iowa). These senators\u2019 leadership led to the Christmas present of a responsible free speech breakthrough for troops, and badly-needed military accountability for all Americans.\r\n\"At Service Women's Action Network, we've seen firsthand the devastating impacts of retaliation--personal, professional, or both--against survivors of military sexual assault,\" said Anu Bhagwati, Service Women's Action Network executive director and former Marine Corps captain. \"The unfortunate truth is that our current Inspector General investigation process fails many. With this legislation, Senators Warner, Collins, Kaine and Grassley are leading the charge to provide survivors with the relief they need and the justice they deserve.\"\r\nThe bipartisan\u00a0Military Whistleblower Protection Act\u00a0expands whistleblower protections to witnesses as well as victims, and ensures action is taken both to provide corrective relief to victims of retaliation and to discipline those who retaliate. It also extends the current 60-day period to file a report to one year, bringing it more in line with other federal and contractor whistleblowers who have longer reporting periods\u2014often up to three years to report misconduct. Additionally it speeds up the process and ensures accountability by compelling the Service Secretary to take action within 30 days of receiving a report from an Inspector General, and requires that the investigations are conducted by an Inspector General at least one organization higher that the individuals\u2019 involved to prevent any conflicts of interest.\u00a0 Finally, it requires the service branches to actively support those with confirmed cases of retaliation by ensuring that their military record is referred to the Board for Military Correction of Records and provides legal assistance to the victim, rather than the current policy of requiring victims to navigate that difficult process on their own.\u00a0\r\nToo often, the fear of retaliation deters service members from coming forward.\u00a0 This legislation addresses that and encourages those who witness or were subject to sexual and other offenses to speak up.\u00a0 A\u00a0Government Accountability Office audit\u00a0reported that more than 60% of service members who reported sexual assaults in 2012 experienced retaliation.\u00a0 Less than 1% of whistleblowers who filed reprisal complaints obtained relief, and only 19% of those whom the Inspector Generals certified had experienced retaliation ever got their records corrected.\u00a0 \u00a0Additionally, a\u00a0Pentagon study\u00a0released in May 2013 and based on a confidential survey sent to more than 100,000 active-duty service members, \u00a0found as many as 26,000 members of the military experienced offenses ranging from sexual harassment to sexual assault last year. However, fewer than 3,400 individuals reported the incidents. The Department of Defense concluded most victims did not step forward because they worried about retaliation and believed that reporting the alleged offense would negatively impact their military careers.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=7c294b6b-faef-4177-aedd-7e660978eb3c", "Sens. Warner & Kaine Statement On Nomination Of Hannah Lauck To U.S. Circuit Court For The Eastern District Of Virginia", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Mark Warner", "W000805", "www.warner.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine released the following statement on the White House nomination of Hannah Lauck to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia:\r\n\u201cJudge Lauck has an exemplary record as a prosecutor and a magistrate judge, and I was pleased to support her nomination to the federal bench,\u201d Sen. Warner said.\u00a0\r\n\u201cI was proud to recommend Hannah for this position and am pleased the President has chosen to nominate her,\u201d said Sen. Kaine \u00a0\u201cHannah\u2019s many years of experience in the Eastern District \u2013 both as a Magistrate Judge and an Assistant U.S. Attorney has prepared her well for this post. I look forward to doing everything I can to ensure a smooth confirmation process for her in the Senate.\u201d\r\nLauck has been a United States Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Virginia since 2005.\u00a0 Previously, she worked as a Supervising Attorney at Genworth Financial, Inc. from 2004 to 2005.\u00a0 From 1994 to 2004, she was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia.\u00a0 Judge Lauck worked in private practice at Anderson Kill Olick & Oshinsky from 1992 to 1994 and began her legal career as a law clerk for Judge James R. Spencer of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia from 1991 to 1992.\u00a0 She received her J.D. in 1991 from Yale Law School and her B.A.\u00a0magna cum laude\u00a0in 1986 from Wellesley College.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=497", "Wittman Statement on the Retirement of Representative Frank Wolf", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wittman Statement on the Retirement of Representative Frank Wolf \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, D.C.,\r\n        December 19, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Washington, D.C.  Representative Rob Wittman (VA-01) released the following statement upon the announcement of Rep. Frank Wolf's (VA-10) upcoming retirement at the end of the 113th Congress, after 34 years of service:\r\nVirginia has been well-served by a man who has truly dedicated himself to the Virginia way: selfless service to his community and his country. The news today is bittersweet, as Frank's work can never be replicated; I know he will continue to do great things for the causes he cares about the most. He has been a true friend and mentor to me during my time in Congress. I have enjoyed working with him on the issues important to Virginians, and commend his 34 years of service to our Commonwealth, and to our nation. Frank Wolf is a true statesman and we will be forever grateful for his tremendous service.\r\nCongressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\r\n# # #\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-warner-and-kaine-lead-senate-majority-in-effort-to-allow-rollovers-for-fsa-accounts", "Sens. Warner and Kaine Lead Senate Majority In Effort To Allow Rollovers For FSA Accounts", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sens. Warner and Kaine Lead Senate Majority In Effort To Allow Rollovers For FSA Accounts\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 19, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today,\u00a0U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, joined by their Senate colleagues Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), led an effort in the Senate urging Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Kathleen Archuleta to allow federal workers the opportunity to take advantage of the new Treasury/IRS rule allowing a $500 rollover of unused health Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA) funds towards out-of-pocket health care costs and\u00a0help keep families and consumers in control of their health care decisions. The letter received the support of all 53 Senate Democrats and two Independents and follows a notable change by the Department of the Treasury on October 31that gives employers a choice to roll over their employees\u2019 FSA fund to the following year, or provide a grace period to use available funds in the following year.\r\n\u201cIt is unreasonable to expect health FSA participants to accurately forecast their out-of-pocket medical expenses a year in advance, and it is unfair to penalize them at the end of the plan year should their estimates prove to be inaccurate,\u201d\u00a0the Senators wrote in their letter.\u00a0 According to OPM\u2019s own data, in 2012, 30,940 federal employees \u2013 nearly 10 percent of participating employees -- forfeited an average of $392 each in contributions because of the \u201cuse-or-lose\u201d rule.\r\nThe Senators noted that the U.S. Treasury and IRS have recognized the value of providing a rollover option for employees nationwide. \u201cWe urge you to provide this benefit to federal employees without delay,\u201d they added.\r\nA copy of the letter can be found here and below.\r\nDirector Katherine Archuleta  U.S. Office of Personnel Management  1900 E Street, N.W.  Washington, DC 20415\u00a0\r\nDear Director Archuleta:\u00a0\r\nWe write to urge you to modify the \u201cuse-or-lose\u201d rule for Health Flexible Spending Arrangements available to federal employees through the FSAFEDS program to allow an annual rollover of up to $500 in unspent funds.\r\nThe health FSA is an important financial tool that permits workers to set aside up to $2,500 annually in tax-preferred accounts to pay for unreimbursed health expenses, such as copayments for doctor visits, prescription drugs, and medical supplies. Surveys of eligible participants indicate the primary reason for declining to enroll or for underfunding their accounts I concern about the \u201cuse-or-lose\u201d rule, which requires participants to spend their entire contribution before the end of their plan year or forfeit the unused funds back to their employer.\r\nAccording to OPM data, in 2012, approximately 322,700 federal workers held health FSAs, and the average election amount was $2,050. That year, 30,940 federal employees forfeited an average of $392 each in contributions because of the \u201cuse-or-lose\u201d rule. It is unreasonable to expect health FSA participants to accurately forecast their out-of-pocket medical expenses a year in advance, and it is unfair to penalize them at the end of the plan year should their estimates prove to be inaccurate.\r\nFortunately, on October 31, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service issues a notice modifying the \u201cuse-or-lose\u201d rule for health FSAs, permitting employers to allow participants to carry over up to $500 of their unused balances remaining at the end of a plan year. Some plan sponsors have chosen to adopt the carryover provisions for 2013, but federal employees may only benefit from the Treasury/IRS ruling if your agency takes action. We are told that, as of last week, OPM had not yet decided whether to extend the carryover option to the federal workforce.\r\nWe urge you to provide this benefit to federal employees without delay.\r\nSincerely,\r\nBen Cardin  Barbara Mikulski  Mark Warner  Tim Kaine  Tammy Baldwin  Max Baucus  Mark Begich  Michael Bennet  Richard Blumenthal  Cory Booker  Barbara Boxer  Sherrod Brown  Maria Cantwell  Tom Carper  Robert Casey  Chris Coons  Joe Donnelly  Richard Durbin  Dianne Feinstein  Al Franken  Kirsten Gillibrand  Kay Hagan  Tom Harkin  Heidi Heitkamp  Martin Heinrich  Mazie Hirono  Tim Johnson  Angus King  Amy Klobuchar  Mary Landrieu  Patrick Leahy  Carl Levin  Joe Manchin  Claire McCaskill  Ed Markey  Robert Menendez  Jeff Merkley  Chris Murphy  Patty Murray  Bill Nelson  Mark Pryor  Jack Reed  Harry Reid  John Rockefeller  Bernie Sanders  Charles Schumer  Brian Schatz  Jeanne Shaheen  Debbie Stabenow  Jon Tester  Mark Udall  Tom Udall  Elizabeth Warren  Sheldon Whitehouse  Ron Wyden\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/statement-on-white-house-response-", "Statement on White House Response on Hardship Exemption", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Statement on White House Response on Hardship Exemption\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 19, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following joint statement after Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that some individuals who had their health plans cancelled will be automatically eligible for a hardship exemption that allows them to purchase a catastrophic plan on the health insurance marketplace. The Senators raised the issue in a joint letter to Secretary Sebelius on Dec. 19th. In addition, Secretary Sebelius today announced that the Administration has established a dedicated hotline for consumers with cancelled plans at 1-866-837-0677:\r\n\r\n\u201cWe are pleased that the Administration appears to have responded to the concerns we\u2019ve raised. As a result, this clarifies an option that will help those consumers who have had their plans cancelled this year transition more smoothly into the marketplace.\u00a0 We will closely monitor how the Administration implements this option, and we remain committed to proposing responsible solutions.\u201d \u00a0\r\nThe Senators\u2019 letter to Secretary Sebelius is available here. Secretary Sebelius\u2019s response is available here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=1f5bcea7-7b11-41d9-87d1-1d07c8996947", "Statement of Sens. Warner, King, Shaheen, Landrieu, Heitkamp and Kaine on White House Response on Hardship Exemption", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Mark Warner", "W000805", "www.warner.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following joint statement after Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that some individuals who had their health plans cancelled will be automatically eligible for a hardship exemption that allows them to purchase a catastrophic plan on the health insurance marketplace. The Senators raised the issue in a joint letter to Secretary Sebelius on Dec. 19th. In addition, Secretary Sebelius today announced that the Administration has established a dedicated hotline for consumers with cancelled plans at 1-866-837-0677:\r\n\u201cWe are pleased that the Administration appears to have responded to the concerns we\u2019ve raised. As a result, this clarifies an option that will help those consumers who have had their plans cancelled transition more smoothly into the marketplace.\u00a0 We will closely monitor how the Administration implements this option, and we remain committed to proposing responsible solutions.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=672", "Federal, State, Local Leaders Support GSA/Springfield Site for FBI HQ", "2013-12-18", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Gerald Connolly", "C001078", "connolly.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Gerry Connolly joined Federal, State, and local leaders at a December press conference to show unified, bipartisan support for locating the new FBI headquarters at the GSA site in Springfield, VA. Read more.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Congressman Gerry Connolly joined Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe, Virginia Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, Congressmen Jim Moran and Frank Wolf, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Jim Cheng representing Governor Bob McDonnell, state Senator George Barker, Delegate Vivian Watts, and Fairfax County Supervisor Jeff McKay at a December press conference to show unified, bipartisan support for locating the new FBI headquarters at the GSA site in Springfield, VA. \u00a0\u201cWe're going to win this on the merits, not on politics,\u201d Connolly said. \u201cWe had a number of sites under consideration in Virginia, but we put our parochial interests aside to support the best site for Northern Virginia and for our national security. The GSA site in Springfield meets the FBI\u2019s mission-critical needs.\u201d Connolly also cited the proximity of the FBI\u2019s training facility in Quantico and other locations in Virginia housing federal anti-terrorism offices. \u00a0\u201cThe FBI plays a key role in fighting terrorism,\u201d he said. \u00a0\u201cInteraction with other agencies is critical.\u201dGovernor-elect McAuliffe cited the need to diversify Virginia\u2019s economy and he said, The FBI headquarters means jobs.\u201d \u00a0Senator Warner cited the proximity of the site to transportation including Metrorail, VRE, buses, and I-95. \u00a0Senator Kaine and Congressman Moran both cited the unity of Virginia officials behind the Springfield site.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-applauds-committee-action-on-bill-to-create-special-envoy-for-religious-minorities-in-the-middle-east", "Kaine Applauds Committee Action On Bill To Create Special Envoy For Religious Minorities In The Middle East", "2013-12-18", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine Applauds Committee Action On Bill To Create Special Envoy For Religious Minorities In The Middle East\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tKaine, Chairman of Middle East Subcommittee, cites growing religious persecution across region\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, December 18, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern, Southern and Central Asian Affairs, today applauded committee action on the Near East and South Central Asia Religious Freedom Act of 2013, of which he is a co-sponsor. The bill, introduced by Senators Roy Blunt, Carl Levin and Bob Casey cites growing instances of religious persecution in the Middle East and calls for the creation of a special envoy within the State Department to bring attention to the problem and advocate for religious liberty in the region. It is similar to a House bill sponsored by fellow Virginian, Congressman Frank Wolf, a longtime advocate for religious freedom around the world.\r\n\u201cI was glad to join my Senate colleagues and Virginia Congressman Frank Wolf in promoting the appointment of a full-time special envoy for religious minorities in the Middle East. I\u2019m pleased that the Foreign Relations Committee has recognized the importance of this priority by advancing this legislation today,\u201d said Kaine.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe recent story about the likely kidnapping of Catholic nuns in Syria is just the latest example of an escalating epidemic of religious persecution in the Middle East,\u201d Kaine said, referencing the alleged kidnapping of 12 Lebanese and Syrian Greek Orthodox nuns from the Syrian village of Maaloula earlier this month. \u201cAttacks on Christians, Jews, Baha'I, Ahmadiyya Muslims and other religious minorities are occurring with greater frequency.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom, passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 1787, became the model for our constitutional protection of religious freedom for all,\u201d Kaine continued. \u201cThe United States can and should play a key role in exposing these human rights violations and working to promote religious liberty in a region that is the birthplace for so many of the world's faith traditions.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-with-passage-of-budget-achieved-two-of-my-highest-priorities-for-first-year", "Kaine: With Passage Of Budget, Achieved Two Of My Highest Priorities For First Year", "2013-12-18", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine: With Passage Of Budget, Achieved Two Of My Highest Priorities For First Year\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, December 18, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the bipartisan Budget Conference Committee, released the following statement after the Senate voted to pass the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, 64-36.\r\n\u201cWith Senate passage of a two-year budget agreement tonight, I\u2019m proud to say that we\u2019ve achieved two of my highest priorities for my first year in office \u2013 getting a budget agreement through the House and Senate and offsetting the worst effects of sequestration that have disproportionately impacted Virginia.\u00a0 During the opening meeting of the Budget Conference Committee last month, I called on my fellow conferees to \u2018surprise the cynics.\u2019 I\u2019m so glad we did.\r\n\u201cOver the past 11 months, I witnessed the impact of budget uncertainty and sequestration by visiting military installations, private shipyards, research universities and early childhood educations centers across the Commonwealth. With passage of this compromise budget deal, we\u2019ll replace $63 billion in non-strategic sequester cuts and prevent another government shutdown, restoring much-needed certainty to these Virginians, and to our economy as a whole. It also allows appropriators to write full bills that will give the Department of Defense more flexibility to plan for the future and allow the Navy to continue its critical shipbuilding and repair work.\r\n\u201cThere are provisions in the compromise that I do not support, including a reduction in the cost of living increase (COLA) for certain military pensions. That\u2019s why I co-sponsored legislation this week to replace the $6 billion in cuts by closing a corporate tax loophole that companies use to avoid paying U.S. taxes. I\u2019m hopeful we will be able to undo these changes before they take effect in 2015 and I\u2019ll work in the Senate Armed Services Committee to do so.\r\n\u201cThere is more work to be done to replace the remaining non-strategic sequestration cuts and address our long-term fiscal challenges, but Congress has now shown that we can work together in a bipartisan way, as the American public demands and deserves.\u201d\u00a0\r\nSince taking office in January 2013, Kaine has consistently called for a return to normal budget order and relief from sequestration, even delivering his maiden Senate floor speech in February on the urgent need to find compromise and avert across-the-board sequester cuts.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/senators-warner-and-kaine-introduce-military-retirement-restoration-act", "Senators Warner & Kaine Introduce Military Retirement Restoration Act", "2013-12-18", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senators Warner & Kaine Introduce Military Retirement Restoration Act\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tWill repeal and replace proposed cuts to military retiree benefits\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, December 18, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced legislation to repeal and replace the proposed $6 billion cut to military pensions included in the Bipartisan Budget Act. The compromise budget agreement, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week and is scheduled for a Senate vote today, would cut $6 billion over 10 years by reducing cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) \u00a0for working-age military retirees by 1 percent beginning in January 2015. \u00a0 The\u00a0Military Retirement Restoration Act would replace this provision with new legislation that could raise as much as $6.6 billion over ten years by preventing companies from avoiding U.S. taxes through the use of foreign tax havens.\r\n\u201cWhile the changes to military pension COLA increases may look insignificant to some, this is real money to a lot of families,\u201d Sen. Warner said. \u201cVirginians have served with honor in our military for generations, and I want to assure our servicemen and women that there is ample time to undo these changes before they take effect. I remain committed to pursuing a comprehensive deficit reduction package, but we should not unfairly single out our military families.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe Senate worked hard to pass a budget last March that did not contain reductions in COLA for military pensions because it was not the way we felt we should be dealing with the budget,\u201d said Sen. Kaine. \u201cIt\u2019s my hope that we\u2019ll be able to undo these changes before they take effect in 2015. I\u2019m proud to support this legislation and look forward to further reviewing the provision in the Armed Services Committee early next year, as Chairman Carl Levin has signaled.\u201d\r\nA bill summary and text are copied below.\r\nSummary\r\nMilitary Retirement Restoration Act - The Military Retirement Restoration Act would replace the cuts to military retiree benefits from the Bipartisan Budget Act by preventing companies from avoiding U.S. taxes by abusing tax havens.\r\n \r\nRepeal the provision in the Bipartisan Budget Act (Section 403) that modifies the annual cost-of-living adjustment for working-age military retirees by making the adjustments equal to inflation minus one percent.\u00a0 This provision, which is scheduled to go into effect in December 2015, would result in a benefit cut for working-age military retirees.\u00a0 The Bipartisan Budget Act modifies the annual cost-of-living adjustment for working-age military retirees by making the adjustments equal to inflation minus one percent.\u00a0 At age 62, the retired pay would be adjusted as if the COLA had been the full CPI adjustment in all previous years, and the service members would receive the full COLA from then on.\u00a0 Service members would never see a reduction in benefits from one year to the next.\u00a0 The provision would have saved approximately $6 billion over ten years.\r\n\u00a0Prevent companies from avoiding U.S. taxes.\u00a0 The repeal would be fully offset by stopping companies incorporated offshore but managed and controlled from the United States from claiming foreign status and avoiding U.S. taxes on their foreign income by treating them as U.S. domestic corporations for tax purposes.\u00a0 This provision is identical to Section 103 of the Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act and is expected to raise over $6.6 billion over ten years.\r\n \r\nBill Language\r\nSECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.This Act may be cited as the \u2018\u2018Military Retirement Restoration Act\u2019\u2019.\r\nSEC. 2. REPEAL OF REDUCTIONS MADE BY BIPARTISAN BUDGET ACT OF 2013.Section 403 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 is repealed as of the date of the enactment of such Act.\u00a0\r\nSEC. 3. TREATMENT OF FOREIGN CORPORATIONS MANAGED AND CONTROLLED IN THE UNITED STATES AS DOMESTIC CORPORATIONS.(a) In General- Section 7701 is amended by redesignating subsection (p) as subsection (q) and by inserting after subsection (o) the following new subsection:`(p) Certain Corporations Managed and Controlled in the United States Treated as Domestic for Income Tax-`(1) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding subsection (a)(4), in the case of a corporation described in paragraph (2) if--`(A) the corporation would not otherwise be treated as a domestic corporation for purposes of this title, but`(B) the management and control of the corporation occurs, directly or indirectly, primarily within the United States,then, solely for purposes of chapter 1 (and any other provision of this title relating to chapter 1), the corporation shall be treated as a domestic corporation.`(2) CORPORATION DESCRIBED-`(A) IN GENERAL- A corporation is described in this paragraph if--`(i) the stock of such corporation is regularly traded on an established securities market, or`(ii) the aggregate gross assets of such corporation (or any predecessor thereof), including assets under management for investors, whether held directly or indirectly, at any time during the taxable year or any preceding taxable year is $50,000,000 or more.`(B) GENERAL EXCEPTION- A corporation shall not be treated as described in this paragraph if--`(i) such corporation was treated as a corporation described in this paragraph in a preceding taxable year,`(ii) such corporation--`(I) is not regularly traded on an established securities market, and`(II) has, and is reasonably expected to continue to have, aggregate gross assets (including assets under management for investors, whether held directly or indirectly) of less than $50,000,000, and`(iii) the Secretary grants a waiver to such corporation under this subparagraph.`(3) MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL-`(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall prescribe regulations for purposes of determining cases in which the management and control of a corporation is to be treated as occurring primarily within the United States.`(B) EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT- Such regulations shall provide that--`(i) the management and control of a corporation shall be treated as occurring primarily within the United States if substantially all of the executive officers and senior management of the corporation who exercise day-to-day responsibility for making decisions involving strategic, financial, and operational policies of the corporation are located primarily within the United States, and`(ii) individuals who are not executive officers and senior management of the corporation (including individuals who are officers or employees of other corporations in the same chain of corporations as the corporation) shall be treated as executive officers and senior management if such individuals exercise the day-to-day responsibilities of the corporation described in clause (i).`(C) CORPORATIONS PRIMARILY HOLDING INVESTMENT ASSETS- Such regulations shall also provide that the management and control of a corporation shall be treated as occurring primarily within the United States if--`(i) the assets of such corporation (directly or indirectly) consist primarily of assets being managed on behalf of investors, and`(ii) decisions about how to invest the assets are made in the United States.'.(b) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning on or after the date which is 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, whether or not regulations are issued under section 7701(p)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as added by this section.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=fe38dcb7-1313-4d7f-8303-9af78ce40635", "Statement of Sen. Warner on passage of Bipartisan Budget Agreement", "2013-12-18", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Mark Warner", "W000805", "www.warner.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the House-Senate Budget Conference Committee, made the following comments in a floor speech prior to this afternoon\u2019s Senate passage of the Bipartisan Budget Agreement, which the Senator supported. The legislation passed by a vote of 64 to 36. \u00a0\u00a0\r\n\r\n\u201cMy hope is this afternoon we'll vote on a budget agreement for two years that is not as grand or as comprehensive as I would have liked. But we'll demonstrate to the American people that up here perhaps we have to crawl before we can walk before we can run\u2026 [This bipartisan compromise] says for at least the balance of this fiscal year and for the next, let's take the threat of another shutdown \u2026 and unprecedented furloughs off the table. Let's not relax our focus on deficit reduction. Let's not add to the debt. Let's actually do a little bit more, about $20 billion more, in deficit reduction, but let's show that our institutions can actually put country ahead of partisan interests.\r\n\u201cNow, in this compromise, not everyone got what they wanted. I would have argued strongly that the \u2018big enchilada\u2019 remains, how do we really take on in a major way that $17 trillion debt that clicks up about $4 billion a night? And that means both political parties have to give on their sacred cows. It means we've got to generate additional revenues through meaningful reform of a completely disastrous tax code, and, yes, it means for folks on my side, we\u2019ve got to make sure that the promise of Medicare and Social Security and other entitlements are here 20 and 30 years from now. But some of those challenges will have to be put off to another day. There are many of us in this body, on both sides of the aisle, who may have a chance to surprise some folks next year in laying out some specific ideas on how we can move to that bigger bargain. But we should not underestimate what we do today.\r\n\u201cI've spent a longer time in business than I have in elective office, and what this country is yearning for, what consumers are yearning for, what business leaders are yearning for, is just a little bit of predictability. The single best thing we can do is make sure that we remove the cloud of further disruption caused by Washington. So what we do today is a small step, but it\u2019s a step that we shouldn't underestimate. So I look forward to supporting this bipartisan agreement.\r\n\u201cI\u2019ll vote for this compromise, but there are particular provisions of this compromise that I would not have agreed to and that I do not support. And that is a component that I believe unfairly singles out our military families. Our military families over the last two decade-plus have fought two wars. They have made unprecedented sacrifices. Oftentimes they are the only Americans making sacrifices through many of the last decades. And Virginia is home to the nation's largest concentration of active duty and retired military personnel, and I consider it an honor to represent them here in Congress. And the component of the budget compromise that singles out these military retirees for a decrease in their cost-of-living increase I think was not an appropriate component.\r\n\u201cBut rather than saying, let's flush the whole deal down, I will vote for this deal\u2026 I've got a fix that I have proposed to replace this component going forward. I've been joined in this effort by my friend, the Senator from Virginia as well, Senator Kaine, and my good friend, former governor as well, Senator Shaheen.\u00a0 We introduced legislation that would eliminate this $6 billion hit on our military retirees. Our legislation doesn't add to the debt or deficit. Our legislation would replace this unfair hit to our military retirees by closing certain corporate tax loopholes that generate sufficient revenue to make sure that our military families will not be unfairly affected.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=671", "Connolly Statement on the Retirement of Rep. Frank Wolf", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Gerald Connolly", "C001078", "connolly.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Connolly Statement on the Retirement of Rep. Frank Wolf \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, DC,\r\n        December 17, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Congressman Gerry Connolly issued the following statement today following the announcement by Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) that he will be retiring from the U.S. House of Representatives at the end of his 34th year in Congress and will not seek an 18th term in 2014. Read more.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Rep. Connolly Statement on Retirement of Rep. Frank WolfCongressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) issued the following statement today following the announcement by Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) that he will be retiring from the U.S. House of Representatives at the end of his 34th year in Congress and will not seek an 18th term in 2014.\u201cIt has been an honor and privilege to work with Congressman Frank Wolf, both as a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, and the last five years in Congress,\u201d Congressman Gerry Connolly said. \u00a0\u201cFrank has been a leader on Rail to Dulles, a tireless champion of federal workers, a partner in gang prevention, and a passionate advocate for human rights around the world. Congress and Northern Virginia will forever be grateful for his service.\"\u00a0\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131154818/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/481", "GOODLATTE WELCOMES AREVA INVESTMENT IN LYNCHBURG", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE WELCOMES AREVA INVESTMENT IN LYNCHBURG \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement after attending the announcement that AREVA, Inc. will invest $26.3 million in its operations in the Lynchburg region:  \u201cWe are very fortunate that AREVA has decided to continue to build its presence in the Hill City. Today\u2019s news of a $26.3 million investment further solidifies AREVA\u2019s deep commitment to serving the nuclear power industry and helping to drive economic growth in Central Virginia.\u00a0 The designation of the operations in Lynchburg and Campbell County as the company\u2019s Operational Center of Excellence for Nuclear Products and Services is a clear signal that AREVA will continue to be a leader in meeting the needs of the nuclear industry by providing cutting-edge, reliable services. The nuclear industry is integral to this region\u2019s economic strength, and I look forward to continue working with AREVA as they move forward with this investment.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131155132/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/482", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON RETIREMENT OF CONGRESSMAN FRANK WOLF", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON RETIREMENT OF CONGRESSMAN FRANK WOLF \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement after Congressman Frank Wolf (VA-10) announced that he will not seek reelection in 2014: \u201cIt has been a great honor to work with Frank Wolf throughout my time in Congress. Frank has diligently served the people of the 10th District for over three decades.\u00a0 During this time, he has been a strong advocate for human rights, passionately speaking out for those without a voice. We have also worked on numerous issues together, including preservation of historic battlefields, immigration enforcement, addressing human rights issues in the Sudan, and ensuring there are federal law enforcement resources in the northern Shenandoah Valley to protect our communities. \u201cFrank\u2019s wisdom and spirit will certainly be missed in the House of Representatives. I wish him the best of luck in his retirement and thank him for his distinguished service to our nation and the Commonwealth.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-retirement-of-congressman-frank-wolf", "Kaine Statement On Retirement Of Congressman Frank Wolf", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine Statement On Retirement Of Congressman Frank Wolf\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 17, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on Congressman Frank Wolf\u2019s announcement that he will retire after 17 terms in Congress:\r\n\u201cFor more than 30 years, Frank Wolf has exemplified the best in public service through his dedication to the people of Virginia\u2019s 10th District.\u00a0Frank\u2019s passion has also extended to the global stage through his leadership on the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and longtime support for religious freedom around the world \u2013 an effort that has inspired me to take up the cause of religious freedom in my own work on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s been a sincere honor to work with him this past year, as well as during my time as Governor. His leadership of Virginia\u2019s congressional delegation and his service to the people of Northern Virginia will truly be missed.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/on-senate-floor-kaine-calls-for-passage-of-bipartisan-budget-act-of-2013", "On Senate Floor, Kaine Calls For Passage Of Bipartisan Budget Act Of 2013", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On Senate Floor, Kaine Calls For Passage Of Bipartisan Budget Act Of 2013\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 17, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Speaking on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Budget Conference Committee, called for Senate passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 that reverses many of the across-the-board sequester cuts that have disproportionately impacted Virginia and restores certainty to the U.S. economy, as well as families and businesses across the Commonwealth. Since taking office last January, Kaine has consistently called for a return to normal budget order and relief from sequestration.\r\n\u201cI gave my first speech on the Senate floor in February to urge my colleagues to\u00a0avoid sequester and in the months since I have visited Virginia shipyards, research universities, early childhood education centers and seen the effects that sequester has on Virginians, on Americans and on our economy,\u201d said Kaine. \u201cWhat we've done with this budget deal is take a step back to regular budgetary order to give certainty to the economy. Under the agreement, defense cuts of an additional $20 billion that were scheduled to take effect in January will not go into effect and we will find ways to restore funding and avert sequester cuts to non-defense accounts as well.\u201d\r\nKaine acknowledged that he does not support certain provisions in the deal that were added in order to find compromise with the House, including a reduction in the cost of living increase\u00a0(COLA)\u00a0for certain military pensions \u2013 a measure that was not included in the Senate Budget he voted for in March.\r\n\u201cAn additional weakness is the way we\u2019ve dealt with the cost of living\u00a0increase for military retirees pre-age 62 who are not disabled. I don\u2019t agree with that compromise provision,\u201d said Kaine. \u201cAll the senators currently in the chamber worked so hard to pass a budget in March that did not contain that provision because it was not the way we felt we should be dealing with the budget.\u201d\r\n\"I am pleased\u00a0that\u00a0Chairman Levin\u00a0has signaled his intention to review the COLA provision in the Armed Services Committee next year since it will not be scheduled to take effect until 2015,\u201d said Kaine.\r\nThe two-year, bipartisan agreement will relieve $63 billion of sequester cuts for fiscal year 2014 and 2015 and increase the topline discretionary spending level for fiscal year 2014 to $1.012 trillion and to $1.014 trillion for fiscal year 2015. It will also avert additional defense cuts \u2013 including $20 billion in cuts that were set to take effect in January 2014.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=392e81e9-d79e-4e5e-b12a-8db4a8498c1f", "Statement of U.S. Sen. Warner on Retirement of Rep. Frank Wolf", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Mark Warner", "W000805", "www.warner.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued this statement following today\u2019s announcement by U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10th) that he will retire after 17 terms in Congress:\r\n\r\n\u201cFrank Wolf has been a true friend, and a great partner, both when I served as Virginia Governor and since I\u2019ve joined Congress. He is a tireless and leading advocate for religious freedom around the world.\r\n\u201cWe have worked closely together on Northern Virginia transportation issues, and partnered in consecutive sessions of Congress on bipartisan legislation that would encourage the on-shoring of jobs back to Virginia which have moved overseas in recent years. \u00a0Frank has also been a passionate advocate and reliable ally in my ongoing efforts to find common ground on issues surrounding our nation\u2019s deficits and debt.\r\n\u201cCongressman Wolf\u2019s dedication in over 17 terms in Congress, and his exceptionally high level of service to the constituents he proudly represents in Virginia\u2019s 10th District, will remain a model for all of us who serve.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=97479778-9566-4b67-ba3b-e9547cce3369", "Sens. Warner & Kaine Introduce Military Retirement Restoration Act", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Mark Warner", "W000805", "www.warner.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced legislation to repeal and replace the proposed $6 billion cut to military pensions included in the Bipartisan Budget Act. The compromise budget agreement, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week and is scheduled for a Senate vote today, would cut $6 billion over 10 years by reducing cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) \u00a0for working-age military retirees by 1 percent beginning in January 2015. \u00a0 The\u00a0Military Retirement Restoration Act would replace this provision with new legislation that could raise as much as $6.6 billion over ten years by preventing companies from avoiding U.S. taxes through the use of foreign tax havens.\r\n\r\n\u201cWhile the changes to military pension COLA increases may look insignificant to some, this is real money to a lot of families,\u201d Sen. Warner said. \u201cVirginians have served with honor in our military for generations, and I want to assure our servicemen and women that there is ample time to undo these changes before they take effect. I remain committed to pursuing a comprehensive deficit reduction package, but we should not unfairly single out our military families.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe Senate worked hard to pass a budget last March that did not contain reductions in COLA for military pensions because it was not the way we felt we should be dealing with the budget,\u201d said Sen. Kaine. \u201cIt\u2019s my hope that we\u2019ll be able to undo these changes before they take effect in 2015. I\u2019m proud to support this legislation and look forward to further reviewing the provision in the Armed Services Committee early next year, as Chairman Carl Levin has signaled.\u201d\r\nA bill summary and text is copied below.\r\nSummary\r\nMilitary Retirement Restoration Act - The Military Retirement Restoration Act would replace the cuts to military retiree benefits from the Bipartisan Budget Act by preventing companies from avoiding U.S. taxes by abusing tax havens.\r\n \r\nRepeal the provision in the Bipartisan Budget Act (Section 403) that modifies the annual cost-of-living adjustment for working-age military retirees by making the adjustments equal to inflation minus one percent.\u00a0 This provision, which is scheduled to go into effect in December 2015, would result in a benefit cut for working-age military retirees.\u00a0 The Bipartisan Budget Act modifies the annual cost-of-living adjustment for working-age military retirees by making the adjustments equal to inflation minus one percent.\u00a0 At age 62, the retired pay would be adjusted as if the COLA had been the full CPI adjustment in all previous years, and the service members would receive the full COLA from then on.\u00a0 Service members would never see a reduction in benefits from one year to the next.\u00a0 The provision would have saved approximately $6 billion over ten years.\r\n\u00a0Prevent companies from avoiding U.S. taxes.\u00a0 The repeal would be fully offset by stopping companies incorporated offshore but managed and controlled from the United States from claiming foreign status and avoiding U.S. taxes on their foreign income by treating them as U.S. domestic corporations for tax purposes.\u00a0 This provision is identical to Section 103 of the Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act and is expected to raise over $6.6 billion over ten years.\r\n \r\nBill Language\r\nSECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.\r\nThis Act may be cited as the \u2018\u2018Military Retirement Restoration Act\u2019\u2019.\r\nSEC. 2. REPEAL OF REDUCTIONS MADE BY BIPARTISAN BUDGET ACT OF 2013.\r\nSection 403 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 is repealed as of the date of the enactment of such Act.\u00a0\r\nSEC. 3. TREATMENT OF FOREIGN CORPORATIONS MANAGED AND CONTROLLED IN THE UNITED STATES AS DOMESTIC CORPORATIONS.\r\n(a) In General- Section 7701 is amended by redesignating subsection (p) as subsection (q) and by inserting after subsection (o) the following new subsection:\r\n`(p) Certain Corporations Managed and Controlled in the United States Treated as Domestic for Income Tax-\r\n`(1) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding subsection (a)(4), in the case of a corporation described in paragraph (2) if--\r\n`(A) the corporation would not otherwise be treated as a domestic corporation for purposes of this title, but\r\n`(B) the management and control of the corporation occurs, directly or indirectly, primarily within the United States,\r\nthen, solely for purposes of chapter 1 (and any other provision of this title relating to chapter 1), the corporation shall be treated as a domestic corporation.\r\n`(2) CORPORATION DESCRIBED-\r\n`(A) IN GENERAL- A corporation is described in this paragraph if--\r\n`(i) the stock of such corporation is regularly traded on an established securities market, or\r\n`(ii) the aggregate gross assets of such corporation (or any predecessor thereof), including assets under management for investors, whether held directly or indirectly, at any time during the taxable year or any preceding taxable year is $50,000,000 or more.\r\n`(B) GENERAL EXCEPTION- A corporation shall not be treated as described in this paragraph if--\r\n`(i) such corporation was treated as a corporation described in this paragraph in a preceding taxable year,\r\n`(ii) such corporation--\r\n`(I) is not regularly traded on an established securities market, and\r\n`(II) has, and is reasonably expected to continue to have, aggregate gross assets (including assets under management for investors, whether held directly or indirectly) of less than $50,000,000, and\r\n`(iii) the Secretary grants a waiver to such corporation under this subparagraph.\r\n`(3) MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL-\r\n`(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall prescribe regulations for purposes of determining cases in which the management and control of a corporation is to be treated as occurring primarily within the United States.\r\n`(B) EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT- Such regulations shall provide that--\r\n`(i) the management and control of a corporation shall be treated as occurring primarily within the United States if substantially all of the executive officers and senior management of the corporation who exercise day-to-day responsibility for making decisions involving strategic, financial, and operational policies of the corporation are located primarily within the United States, and\r\n`(ii) individuals who are not executive officers and senior management of the corporation (including individuals who are officers or employees of other corporations in the same chain of corporations as the corporation) shall be treated as executive officers and senior management if such individuals exercise the day-to-day responsibilities of the corporation described in clause (i).\r\n`(C) CORPORATIONS PRIMARILY HOLDING INVESTMENT ASSETS- Such regulations shall also provide that the management and control of a corporation shall be treated as occurring primarily within the United States if--\r\n`(i) the assets of such corporation (directly or indirectly) consist primarily of assets being managed on behalf of investors, and\r\n`(ii) decisions about how to invest the assets are made in the United States.'.\r\n(b) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning on or after the date which is 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, whether or not regulations are issued under section 7701(p)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as added by this section.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364610", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 12.16.13", "2013-12-16", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The ADAPT Act, Fire Hydrants, and the NSA The ADAPT Act Regular readers of this column are aware of my ongoing efforts to improve the quality and safety of our health care system and increase patient choice and control.\u00a0 We have numerous bills that have been introduced, and that the various committees are working on.\u00a0 Among those committees that are working on improvements to our health care systems is the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, on which I serve. Among my efforts are the bipartisan Drug Quality and Security Act (H.R. 3089) to clarify oversight of the compounding drug manufacturing system (which was signed into law) and the Patient Choice Act (H.R. 2090), bipartisan legislation to speed up Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of drugs and give certain patients the option to buy new, innovative, experimental drugs and therapies at their own expense. Last week, I joined with several of my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, in introducing H.R. 3742, the Antibiotic Development to Advance Patient Treatment (ADAPT) Act.\u00a0 The ADAPT Act seeks to advance drug development with the end goal of combating the growing public health threat of \u201csuperbugs,\u201d which are resistant to antibiotics.\u00a0 Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or drug-resistant Salmonella are examples of these superbugs. I believe strongly, when battling deadly diseases, patients and their physicians need more choices. Our nation boasts an array of entities that are working hard to develop new treatments and therapies.\u00a0 The ADAPT Act is a critical next step in working to address antibiotic resistance.\u00a0 This bill develops a new, accelerated pathway for antibiotics and antifungals in limited and specific patient populations.\u00a0 It will further innovation and ultimately will provide new, antibiotic options in the fight against superbugs. I will continue working with my colleagues to improve our health care system and increase the options and control you and your loved ones have over treatment.\u00a0 Further, I will keep you updated on any advancements with the ADAPT Act and our other efforts as well. Update on Fire Hydrants In last week\u2019s column, I wrote about a new bill I introduced that would cut the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) workforce by a reasonable 15 percent over a realistic three- to four-year period.\u00a0 When discussing that bill \u2013 H.R. 3641, the EPA Maximum Achievable Contraction of Technocrats Act \u2013 I mentioned recent EPA guidance that would require fire hydrants installed after January 4, 2014 to be lead-free. Senator Charles (Chuck) Schumer (D-NY) said in a prepared statement, \u201cThe EPA\u2019s absurd interpretation of the reduced lead standards will force municipalities to throw out and replace their current stockpile of hundreds of thousands of dollars\u2019 worth of fire hydrants without any discernible safety benefit.\u201d\u00a0 On this, Senator Schumer and I agree. Over the weekend, I came across a story in which EPA spokeswoman Julia Valentine said, \u201c...the guidance should be revised to exclude fire hydrants if Congress doesn't take action to do so before the January deadline.\u201d It seems that the EPA in this instance may have seen the light.\u00a0 But I must ask: Why even propose these \u201cabsurd\u201d regulations in the first place?\u00a0 Maybe they have too many people looking for solutions to problems that are either miniscule or don\u2019t exist. The House of Representatives recently passed legislation that would add fire hydrants to the list of items exempt from this guidance.\u00a0 I would urge Senator Schumer and his colleagues in the Senate to take action as well. NSA The first court opinion of what I believe will be more has ruled that the National Security Agency (NSA) program that collects the phone data of law-abiding American citizens appears to violate the Constitution.\u00a0 In the case of Klayman v. Obama, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that collecting such metadata is likely unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment, and, in ruling in favor of an injunction against the NSA, found that the plaintiffs were likely to prevail on the merits and will suffer irreparable harm absent injunctive relief.\u00a0 Judge Leon also found that the public interest and potential injury to other interested parties also weigh in favor of injunctive relief.\u00a0 Notwithstanding his concerns, he stayed the injunction pending appeal by the government. I do not know what the appellate courts will do, but I agree with the reasoning of Judge Leon in this case.\u00a0 Liberty and freedom are worth our attention. As always, if you have concerns or comments or wish to inquire about legislative issues, feel free to contact my offices. You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671. To reach my office via email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov. \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/commonwealth-connection/virginia-grown", "Virginia Grown", "2013-12-16", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Monday, December 16, 2013\n\t\t\t\t Virginia Grown \n\t\t\t\t\n                        by Gwen Mason, Regional Director \n                        \n                 \n\t\n\t            \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t  \t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\tEach of us who lives or works in Virginia treasures some wonderful, edible part of the Commonwealth\u2019s history and culture.\u00a0\u00a0 From Smithfield ham, to Chesapeake Bay oysters, Winchester apples, Rockingham and Augusta Counties\u2019 milk and dairy products, Highland County beef, and red and white wine from vineyards across Virginia, the Commonwealth provides a bounty of nutritious, tasty sustenance.\r\nAgriculture is the dominant industry in the Shenandoah Valley.\u00a0 Representing Senator Kaine as his Regional Director from Roanoke on \u201cdown the Valley\u201d to Shenandoah County, I know that agricultural issues are key to the prosperity and growth of this region.\u00a0\r\n\r\nLast week I attended the Virginia \u201cFarm to Table\u201d 2013 Conference held at Blue Ridge Community College.\u00a0\u00a0 The conference was jointly sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s Natural Resources Conservation Service and Virginia Cooperative Extension at Virginia Tech.\u00a0 With support from 30 other organizations, more than 200 attendees from across the state learned about farming techniques that improve social well-being and strengthen the economy.\r\nWe all want to know where our food comes from.\u00a0 Locally grown organic food and sustainable agricultural practices are now important components of the Valley\u2019s economic growth.\u00a0 The U.S. Department of Agriculture is a key partner to communities throughout the Shenandoah Valley, with personnel dedicated to rural development, natural resources conservation, and farm service.\u00a0\u00a0 Knowing how close the partnership is between the USDA and Virginia farms, it is not surprising that the bywords of the Farm to Table conference were \u201ccollaboration, conservation, and community.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\r\nThe most unforgettable aspect of the conference was the delicious, locally grown lunch catered by Harrisonburg\u2019s wonderful organic restaurant, A Bowl of Good.\u00a0 Organically produced pork tacos, creamy and firm cheeses, and tasty baked goods were offered to all the attendees.\u00a0 And of course, we topped it off with Homestead Creamery ice cream.\r\nFarming and agriculture are critically important to Senator Kaine.\u00a0 Stay tuned for his upcoming visits to the Shenandoah Valley, which will include a tasting tour to sample the delicious offerings of our local farmers. In the Shenandoah Valley, it is easy to Buy Fresh, Buy Local, and sample the bounty that is Virginia Grown.\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: Whitney Pipkin", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/tim-kaine-lessons-from-40-years-as-a-richmond-public-schools-parent", "Lessons from 40 years as a Richmond Public Schools parent", "2013-12-15", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Anne and I are now empty-nesters. Combined, our three kids spent 40 school years in the Richmond Public Schools. While we both interact with the school system in our professional lives, we\u2019ve learned even more from back-to-school nights, parent-teacher conferences, attending school events and pulling crumpled notes to parents out of our kids\u2019 backpacks. The lessons learned as parents have made me think about what works and what doesn\u2019t work in Pre-K-12 education. Here are seven changes I\u2019d like to see:\r\nIt\u2019s about the individual!\r\nMost policy debate these days seems to be about charter schools or high-stakes testing. But I\u2019m convinced that the most important reform has been under our noses since 1975, when legislation was passed to guarantee children with diagnosed disabilities receive individualized learning plans tailored to meet their specific needs.\r\nEach child brings a mix of strengths and challenges to the classroom. Let\u2019s use the insight gained through advances in educating kids with disabilities to leverage new technologies and teaching methods that can individualize learning for each child.\r\nEarly childhood education works\r\nMy daughter was able to attend a year of high-quality pre-K in our city schools. This experience made me a believer, and it\u2019s one of the reasons why I greatly expanded pre-K for at-risk 4 year olds when I was governor.\r\nThe research is powerful \u2014 if you invest in high-quality programs that coordinate with K-12 curricula and have mandatory teacher standards, the gains from early education are lasting. It\u2019s also important that we focus on coordinating investments made in early childhood programs \u2014 such as Head Start \u2014 to ensure we are effectively using our funding, eliminating any waste and bolstering the structure of our education system.\r\nSimplify elementary education\r\nBy the time Virginians graduate from high school, they have taken at least 35 state-mandated tests in addition to all the classroom testing that good teachers require.\r\nThis over-testing phenomenon is particularly acute at the elementary level. Borrowing a phrase from Singapore\u2019s educational reform efforts, I\u2019d \u201cteach less and learn more\u201d at the elementary level by focusing the early grades on English and math fluency.\r\nUse social studies and science material to stimulate curiosity about the world while building reading mastery and making basic math concepts more concrete. Save the state testing of science and social studies for later grades. If the early years are intensely focused on language and math, our students will perform better in all areas down the road.\r\nMiddle school as career exploration\r\nI\u2019d reconceive middle school as fundamentally about career exploration. What do kids know about the work world beyond what their parents do? We can make middle school more exciting if we use all parts of the curriculum to expose students to the wide range of available career choices so that, by the time they enter high school, they will be more able to choose the right direction for themselves.\r\nDifferent paths to high school success\r\nAs governor, I created Governor\u2019s Career and Technical Academies to promote the notion that technical education is as important as college preparatory courses. Virginia now offers three diploma types \u2014 standard, modified standard and advanced. Coupled with an increasing variety of other options \u2014 Advanced Placement courses, career certification exams, community college joint enrollment programs, verified online courses \u2014 a high school transcript is now a highly personalized learning r\u00e9sum\u00e9. Gone are the days when kids are \u201ctracked\u201d into a two-tier system of college prep or vocational education. When students are given exposure to all options, they can build their own high school path to the future they want.\r\nValue the unvalued\r\nWhile RPS is an urban system with fiscal challenges, it has resisted pressure to devalue arts education. These experiences enhanced my children\u2019s creativity, confidence, communication skills and teamwork \u2014 all greatly in demand in the adult world. And it\u2019s not just arts. Trained computer professionals are in high demand, yet most states still treat computer science courses as an elective, not allowing them to be used to meet math or science requirements. Many of the things that promote life and career success don\u2019t fit neatly into today\u2019s curricular requirements. Let\u2019s create space for this kind of personal development in our schools.\r\nKeeping good teachers\r\nFinally, a note of gratitude. Our kids were blessed to have many wonderful teachers. There were some weak ones, but RPS teachers were mostly solid, some spectacular and a few life-changing for our children. As I listen to public debate, it often sounds like our main issue is how to get rid of bad teachers. But this problem pales beside the larger issue of how to keep good teachers.\r\nToo many great prospective teachers never enter the profession and too many great teachers leave too early over low salaries, high-stakes testing pressure, discipline challenges and an overall belief that society doesn\u2019t value the profession. We need a robust debate about how to value and attract good teachers.\r\nTim Kaine represents Virginia in the United States Senate. This column is adapted from a longer article published by Education Week.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364405", "Information on the Budget Agreement and Our Military", "2013-12-13", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cThere is much misinformation making its way around the Internet about the contents of the budget agreement that the House passed last night.\u00a0 The budget agreement negotiated between the House and the Senate stops most of the military cuts that were soon to hit the Commonwealth as a result of the sequester.\u00a0 A George Mason University study estimates that the full sequestration\u2019s defense cuts would have resulted in Virginia losing 136,191 jobs.\u00a0 George Mason University has also estimated that the full defense spending cuts in the sequester would have resulted in the Commonwealth losing 65,000 small business jobs. \r\n\u201cFurther, it is important to note that this agreement does not impact pensions for disabled military retirees or those over the age of 62.\u00a0 What it does in fact do is reduce the potential cost of living adjustment (COLA) increase for working-age military retirees by 1 percentage point less than the increase in consumer prices.\u00a0 This would be gradually phased in over three years.\u00a0 This gradual phase-in means that the potential December 2014 COLA would be reduced by .25 percent, the potential December 2015 COLA would be reduced by .5 percent, and the full change would take place with the potential December 2016 COLA.\r\n\u201cAgain, this budget agreement is a compromise.\u00a0 If I had it my way, this agreement would be different.\u00a0 But the Democrats are in control of the Senate.\u00a0 President Obama and Senate Democrats have refused to take serious action to reduce our debt and our deficits, and this agreement is not a complete solution to the problem.\u00a0 But it is a step in the right direction.\u00a0 It contains lower spending levels than in previously-passed House budgets commonly known as the Ryan plan, and would reduce the deficit by $23 billion.\u00a0 This agreement represents the first budget passed by Congress since I was sworn in to the serve Virginia\u2019s Ninth District.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cI am ready and willing to continue the fight for additional reforms, leading to a balanced budget and further reductions in our debt and deficit.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=495", "Wittman Applauds House Passage of 2014 National Defense Authorization Act, Calls on Senate to Approve", "2013-12-13", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-1) applauded House passage of the Fiscal Year 2014 National Defense Authorization Act Thursday evening, after original House passage in June. The House has certainly done its job in moving this critical legislation through in a timely manner, Wittman said. It is now up to the Senate to pass this bill that is vital for the men and women of our armed forces, and for our nation's security. With so many important initiatives lagging, the House has shown true leadership and put aside partisan differences to pass this bill which goes far toward addressing the damaging impacts of sequestration on our national security and, perhaps most importantly, our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines who serve this nation.  Wittman highlighted critical portions of the FY14 NDAA, specifically:  Allocates nearly $3 billion readiness dollars across all three components  Active, Guard, and Reserve  providing needed funds for critical programs including the flying hour program, facilities maintenance and sustainment, depot maintenance, and combat support forces equipment and sustainment;  Boosts DOD's ability to respond to future crises like Benghazi by adding $75 million for unfunded requirements such as the expansion of the Marine Security Guard program at our diplomatic posts and the establishment of a Crisis Response unit;  Prohibits DOD from initiating another round of BRAC at this time to ensure appropriate focus on the withdrawal from Afghanistan and a well-informed assessment of our nation's defense strategy moving forward;  Provides for $11 billion dollars of MILCON for urgently needed base infrastructure improvements; and  Reauthorizes 1.5 million acres of public land for training range access to ensure our forces have the ability to train the way we expect them to fight. Wittman continued, As we work to complete this bill, we need to be mindful that our highest constitutional duty is to provide for a common defense. That starts with ensuring the men and women who volunteer to wear the uniform and are currently deployed around the world are equipped to address every engagement we send them to with overwhelming military superiority -- and that they never enter a fair fight. The Senate must act  and not leave our men and women in uniform out in the cold. Congressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364350", "Griffith Statement on House-Senate Budget Compromise", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement after voting in favor of the bipartisan, bicameral budget compromise.\u00a0 It passed by a vote of 332-94.\r\n\u201cThis budget agreement is a compromise.\u00a0 It is not perfect, nor does not contain everything I would like, but it is on the right track.\u00a0 This budget keeps with spending levels in previously passed House budgets commonly known as the Ryan plan, and this will be the first time since I was elected to the House of Representatives that Congress \u2013 both the House and the Senate \u2013 has passed a budget.\u00a0 This agreement could have been stronger.\u00a0 But in light of the fact that the Senate is controlled by Democrats, this is the best deal possible.\u00a0 Both the Democrats and the Republicans worked together to reach this compromise.\u00a0 Neither political party loved the bill.\u00a0 As I learned in the House of Delegates, when both sides don\u2019t love a compromise bill, it is probably a fair compromise.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cThis compromise bill included a three month extension of programs to help our rural hospitals and seniors, specifically the Sustainable Growth Rate fix and Medicare dependent and low-volume hospital programs.\r\n\u201cI remain of the belief that out-of-control federal spending must be checked in order to avoid further burdening future generations of Americans with excessive debt, and will continue working to decrease our deficits and our debt.\r\n\u201cWhile this budget is not perfect, I commend Chairman Paul Ryan for his work on this agreement.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=669", "Connolly Votes for Bipartisan Budget Agreement Passed by House", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Gerald Connolly", "C001078", "connolly.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Gerry Connolly voted with a majority of House members today to pass the bipartisan budget deal.  Statement follows.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Congressman Gerry Connolly voted with a majority of House members today to pass the bipartisan budget deal. \u00a0Calling it a \u201chold your nose and vote yes\u201d vote, Connolly cited his concern about another cut in benefits for new federal employees after they have already contributed $114 billion to deficit reduction as a result of a 3-year pay freeze, a reduction in retirement benefits for new hires, and lost pay as a result of furloughs.\u201cThankfully, we were able to beat back the worst proposals to further encroach on their benefits, and I believe this bipartisan deal will minimize the prospect of additional furloughs,\u201d Connolly said. \u00a0He vowed to continue fighting efforts by Republicans in Congress to impose further cuts on federal workers.\u201cThe budget plan is by no means a perfect deal, but both sides have made concessions so that we may avert a repeat of the disastrous government shutdown and begin to restore some of the draconian cuts caused by sequestration,\u201d he said.Looking forward, Connolly said, \u201cCongress faces many more serious challenges in the coming weeks and months, including the need to raise the debt ceiling, renew long-term transportation funding, and reform our broken immigration system. Perhaps this bipartisan breakthrough will provide the model we need to avoid the \u201cmy-way-or-the-highway\u201d shutdown brand of politics that has characterized the Republican philosophy of governance for the last three years.\u201dConnolly\u2019s full statement follows:Congressman Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11th)Statement regarding the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to\u00a0H.J.Res. 59 \u2013 Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013\u00a0December 12, 2013This bipartisan budget agreement represents some modicum of compromise, something that has been sorely lacking in this Congress. It is by no means a perfect deal, but both sides have made concessions so that we may avert a repeat of the disastrous government shutdown and begin to restore some of the draconian cuts caused by sequestration.For me, and many of my colleagues, this will be a \u201chold-your-nose and vote yes vote,\u201d given our disappointment and concern about yet another cut in benefits for new federal employees. No other group in America has been asked to make the same sacrifices as the dedicated men and women of our federal workforce.\u00a0Federal employees already have contributed $114 billion to deficit reduction as a result of a 3-year pay freeze, a reduction in retirement benefits for new hires, and lost pay as a result of furloughs. Thankfully, we were able to beat back the worst proposals to further encroach on their benefits, and I believe this bipartisan deal will minimize the prospect of additional furloughs by replacing some of the sequestration cuts.\u00a0Nonetheless, I will continue fighting for our federal employees until they receive the respect they deserve and have earned. I will continue to push back against those in Congress who unfairly impugn federal workers for partisan political gain. And I will continue to protect the rights and dignity of federal workers and the valuable public service they provide to the nation.\u00a0For Northern Virginia, which was disproportionately affected by sequestration, this agreement for the first time will replace a portion of those indiscriminate cuts with a more balanced approach. It will actually increase federal investments in research, innovation, and transportation. That in turn will help unleash business investments, which have lagged due to a sense of uncertainty fueled by the political brinksmanship in Congress.No one got everything they wanted out of this deal. Indeed, I along with many of my colleagues would have preferred to see an extension of long-term unemployment benefits, which has a very direct and significant benefit on more than 1 million families and our national and local economies. Every dollar of assistance generates $1.64 in economic activity in the community. Sadly, it was not addressed here, but we will continue to push the Speaker to bring it up separately to help those still struggling to find work.Congress faces many more serious challenges in the coming weeks and months, including the need to raise the debt ceiling, renew long-term transportation funding, and reform our broken immigration system. Perhaps this bipartisan breakthrough will provide the model we need to avoid the \u201cmy-way-or-the-highway\u201d shutdown brand of politics that has characterized the Republican philosophy of governance for the last three years.# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=670", "Connolly Votes for Bipartisan Budget Agreement Passed by House", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Gerald Connolly", "C001078", "connolly.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Gerry Connolly voted with a majority of House members today to pass the bipartisan budget deal.  Statement follows.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Congressman Gerry Connolly voted with a majority of House members today to pass the bipartisan budget agreement. \u00a0Calling it a \u201chold your nose and vote yes\u201d vote, Connolly cited his concern about another cut in benefits for new federal employees after they have already contributed $114 billion to deficit reduction as a result of a 3-year pay freeze, a reduction in retirement benefits for new hires, and lost pay as a result of furloughs.\u201cThankfully, we were able to beat back the worst proposals to further encroach on their benefits, and I believe this bipartisan deal will minimize the prospect of additional furloughs,\u201d Connolly said. \u00a0He vowed to continue fighting efforts by Republicans in Congress to impose further cuts on federal workers.\u201cThe budget plan is by no means a perfect deal, but both sides have made concessions so that we may avert a repeat of the disastrous government shutdown and begin to restore some of the draconian cuts caused by sequestration,\u201d he said.Looking forward, Connolly said, \u201cCongress faces many more serious challenges in the coming weeks and months, including the need to raise the debt ceiling, renew long-term transportation funding, and reform our broken immigration system. Perhaps this bipartisan breakthrough will provide the model we need to avoid the \u201cmy-way-or-the-highway\u201d shutdown brand of politics that has characterized the Republican philosophy of governance for the last three years.\u201dConnolly\u2019s full statement follows:Congressman Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11th)Statement regarding the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to\u00a0H.J.Res. 59 \u2013 Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013\u00a0December 12, 2013This bipartisan budget agreement represents some modicum of compromise, something that has been sorely lacking in this Congress. It is by no means a perfect deal, but both sides have made concessions so that we may avert a repeat of the disastrous government shutdown and begin to restore some of the draconian cuts caused by sequestration.For me, and many of my colleagues, this will be a \u201chold-your-nose and vote yes vote,\u201d given our disappointment and concern about yet another cut in benefits for new federal employees. No other group in America has been asked to make the same sacrifices as the dedicated men and women of our federal workforce.\u00a0Federal employees already have contributed $114 billion to deficit reduction as a result of a 3-year pay freeze, a reduction in retirement benefits for new hires, and lost pay as a result of furloughs. Thankfully, we were able to beat back the worst proposals to further encroach on their benefits, and I believe this bipartisan deal will minimize the prospect of additional furloughs by replacing some of the sequestration cuts.\u00a0Nonetheless, I will continue fighting for our federal employees until they receive the respect they deserve and have earned. I will continue to push back against those in Congress who unfairly impugn federal workers for partisan political gain. And I will continue to protect the rights and dignity of federal workers and the valuable public service they provide to the nation.\u00a0For Northern Virginia, which was disproportionately affected by sequestration, this agreement for the first time will replace a portion of those indiscriminate cuts with a more balanced approach. It will actually increase federal investments in research, innovation, and transportation. That in turn will help unleash business investments, which have lagged due to a sense of uncertainty fueled by the political brinksmanship in Congress.No one got everything they wanted out of this deal. Indeed, I along with many of my colleagues would have preferred to see an extension of long-term unemployment benefits, which has a very direct and significant benefit on more than 1 million families and our national and local economies. Every dollar of assistance generates $1.64 in economic activity in the community. Sadly, it was not addressed here, but we will continue to push the Speaker to bring it up separately to help those still struggling to find work.Congress faces many more serious challenges in the coming weeks and months, including the need to raise the debt ceiling, renew long-term transportation funding, and reform our broken immigration system. Perhaps this bipartisan breakthrough will provide the model we need to avoid the \u201cmy-way-or-the-highway\u201d shutdown brand of politics that has characterized the Republican philosophy of governance for the last three years.# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131154714/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/479", "HOUSE RFS REFORM LEADERS APPLAUD SENATE REFORM BILL", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "HOUSE RFS REFORM LEADERS APPLAUD SENATE REFORM BILL \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Steve Womack (R-AR) released the following statement today in support of the Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act, which was introduced in the Senate today by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Tom Coburn (R-OK):  \u201cThe Senate joined the House in calling for reform of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) today.\u00a0 The corn ethanol mandate has increased volatility in the corn markets and diverted corn from food and feed uses to fuel production.\u00a0 We have seen costs increase for not only farmers and food producers throughout the nation, but also consumers who purchase these products.\u00a0 Higher volumes of corn ethanol in fuel have also wreaked havoc on small engines, destroying chainsaws, boat motors, and other equipment.\u00a0 We applaud the efforts of Senators Feinstein and Coburn to eliminate this mandate, which is also a provision included in our House bill, the RFS Reform Act (H.R. 1462).\u00a0 We are hopeful that the introduction of this bill in the Senate will help to further propel the growing momentum in the Congress to reform the RFS.\u201d\u00a0 \n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131154733/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/480", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON BUDGET DEAL", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON BUDGET DEAL \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement after voting in support of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives this evening by a vote of 332-94: \u201cTonight\u2019s vote represents the product of hard-fought negotiations between Republicans in the House and Democrats in the Senate.\u00a0 While greater spending cuts moving forward will be required to put our nation back on a path toward fiscal responsibility, this budget deal is a small step towards meaningful deficit reduction.\u00a0 This budget deal lays the groundwork for a federal budget that reduces spending, makes small entitlement reforms, does not raise taxes, ensures military readiness, and restores Congress\u2019 authority to determine how federal tax dollars are spent through the appropriations process. I would have preferred to vote for a continuing resolution at lower levels, but unfortunately there were not the necessary 218 votes for such a measure.\u00a0 This budget deal has advantages, however. By returning to a regular appropriations process, we can bring up each appropriations bill separately, and will no longer cede the power of the purse to unelected bureaucrats.\u00a0 Continuing resolutions provide no opportunity to change or update policies and spending levels. This budget deal lets Members of Congress offer amendments to scrutinize and reform every government program \u2013 for example, this would include an amendment I have offered in the past to stop the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s costly regulatory overreach in the Chesapeake Bay. \u201cOur nation has a President and a Senate who are unwilling to do what really needs to be done to put our fiscal house back in order.\u00a0 They have made it nearly impossible to make meaningful spending reforms and are totally unwilling to address entitlement spending head-on, which represents more than two-thirds of federal spending and continues to add to our debt at an unsustainable rate.\u00a0 The House is prepared to take greater steps toward deficit reduction, and I will continue to work towards this goal throughout the next year. This budget deal is a responsible way to start the process.\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=494", "Wittman: \"Deal is better than no deal, but work remains\"", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Wittman", "W000804", "wittman.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-1) today voted in favor of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, which passed the House 332-94. This deal is better than no deal, but work remains to get our nation's spending under control and properly managed, Wittman said. In recent weeks, I led numerous briefings to educate Members on the effects of sequester cuts to our nation's military. Members learned the devastating effects of these cuts on training and equipping those who serve our nation in uniform. It is the Constitutional duty of the Congress to provide for our nation's defense, and this bill restores some of the indiscriminate cuts decimating our nation's defense budget. In my mind, it does not go far enough, but some is better than none in this case. Our nation's defense leaders support this measure. I have fought for the restoration of funds for our military's readiness and am pleased to support the partial restoration of cuts and will continue to work to that end. I am also pleased this bill does not target our current federal employees, who often find themselves in the middle of political debate. Though I do not agree with every line in this legislation, I must support the overall goal of moving the ball forward while ensuring we reduce the deficit without raising taxes. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 would set overall discretionary spending for the remainder of fiscal year 2014. It restores some of the funding cuts from sequestration for defense, a key provision for Wittman. The sequester relief is fully offset by savings elsewhere in the budget. \"Importantly, this bill also sets a path forward to a return to regular order for passing legislation related to federal spending. I have long-advocated for Congress to do its job, rather than kicking the can down the road again and again. The American people deserve a thorough debate on these critical issues. This agreement will put appropriators on track to bring legislation with detailed spending plans for federal agencies to the floor by the second week of January. Congressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-highlights-story-of-odu-student-from-staunton-at-press-conference-on-aca-benefits-for-children-with-pre-existing-conditions", "Kaine Highlights Story Of ODU Student From Staunton At Press Conference On ACA Benefits For Children With Pre-Existing Conditions", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine Highlights Story Of ODU Student From Staunton At Press Conference On ACA Benefits For Children With Pre-Existing Conditions\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 12, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 At a press conference on Capitol Hill today\u00a0to highlight how the Affordable Care Act ensures up to 17 million children across the country, including 438,000 in Virginia, with pre-existing conditions are guaranteed health insurance,\u00a0U.S. Senator Tim Kaine highlighted the story of Ashleigh Campbell, an 18-year-old Old Dominion University student from Staunton who was born with congenital heart disease and other serious medical conditions.\r\n\u201cAshleigh was born with a number of very serious health conditions,\u201d said Kaine. \u201cShe has been lucky enough to have insurance through her parents and excellent medical care at the University of Virginia. But she was always concerned about where she would go if she ever lost that protection or when it came time for her to get her own health insurance plan.\u201d\r\nKaine explained that while he supports reforms to improve the Affordable Care Act, he strongly opposes efforts to repeal the legislation, which has protected children and young adults like Ashleigh by preventing insurers from denying them health coverage.\r\n\u201cThis is a profoundly important moral issue,\u201d said Kaine. \u201cWe\u2019re going to work to reform anything that needs to be fixed- that\u2019s what legislators do, more than pass new laws what we do is work on improving existing laws\u2026Of all the reasons to support the ACA, there is no reason more powerful than the ban on discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions.\u201d\r\nKaine concluded his speech by sharing a quote from Ashleigh.\r\n\u201cI want people to stop looking at the politics. People like me can\u2019t survive without health care. I wish more people would understand.\u00a0 It would be almost impossible for me to get health insurance without this protection.\u201d Ashleigh said.\r\nPrior to the Affordable Care Act, in the vast majority of states, insurance companies in the individual and small group markets could deny coverage, charge higher premiums, and/or limit benefits to individuals based on pre-existing conditions,\u00a0which are\u00a0health conditions \u2013 like heart disease, cancer, asthma, diabetes or high blood pressure \u2013 that exist before someone applies for or enrolls in a new health policy. Since 2010, thanks to the health care law, up to 17 million children with pre-existing conditions \u2013 including up to 438,000 in Virginia \u2013 can no longer be denied\u00a0insurance coverage\u00a0because of their health. And, beginning in January 2014, this protection will extend to adults.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/local-lawmakers-hope-to-blunt-sequestration-hit", "Local lawmakers hope to blunt sequestration hit", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Local lawmakers hope to blunt sequestration hit\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Bill Bartel\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Thursday, December 12, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            Members of South Hampton Roads' congressional delegation said Wednesday they support a federal budget deal that would reduce the impact of automatic defense cuts over the next two years and salvage lucrative Navy ship repair work that employs thousands in the region.\r\nA day after House and Senate negotiators announced a compromise plan that, if approved, would avoid another government shutdown in January, local Democratic and Republican lawmakers voiced support for the plan. None were happy with all details, but they agreed the measure would avoid deeper damage to Virginia's federally dependent economy and could spark more compromise on other issues.\r\nU.S. Sen. Tim Kaine said the compromise \"will avoid the foolishness of furloughs and shutdowns and brinkmanship that have characterized way too much of the congressional approach to budgeting over the last number of years.\"\r\n\"This a good step,\" U.S. Sen. Mark Warner told the Virginia Chamber of Commerce during a Capitol Hill luncheon, noting that the proposal offers partial relief from the threat of automatic spending cuts, known as sequestration.\r\n\"In many ways, Virginia is ground zero for the sequester,\" he told business executives.\r\nU.S. Rep. Randy Forbes, who has expressed alarm that defense spending has been cut too deeply for several years, told the lunch crowd he supports the compromise but said it doesn't allay his concerns.\r\n\"I don't really think it's a step forward,\" the Chesapeake Republican said. \"I think it's an inch forward, but it's much better to inch forward than a deepening spiral downward.... The good thing about this compromise is it stops the hemorrhaging that we've seen in national defense.\"\r\nForbes, a leader of the House Armed Services Committee, said the spending plan addresses a major complaint of military commanders - that they don't have clarity from Congress about how much money they have to spend.\r\nU.S. Rep. Scott Rigell acknowledged that the proposal makes incremental changes, but he said it's necessary.\r\n\"It's a principled compromise, not a compromising of principles,\" the Virginia Beach Republican said.\r\nU.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, a Newport News Democrat, was unavailable for comment; the day the deal was struck, he was in South Africa for the funeral of former President Nelson Mandela.\r\nThe House is expected to vote on the measure today, a day before its Christmas recess begins; the Senate will vote next week.\r\nThe proposal calls for a fiscal year 2014 budget of $1.012 trillion - about $26 billion more than the government spent in 2013. In 2015, the budget would rise to $1.014 trillion.\r\nAs part of a deal, the government would offset some cuts by raising new revenue and cutting back on other expenses. Among the changes are levying higher security fees on airline tickets, requiring federal workers to contribute more to their pension plans and ending cost-of-living increases on the pensions of working-age military retirees - those between the ages of 40 and 62.\r\nThe deal would avoid $63 billion in automatic budget cuts over the next two years. A chunk of the military cuts - $20 billion worth - was set to begin in January. Navy officials have said the cuts would force it to reduce some military operations and training, cancel some ship construction projects and halt the planned overhaul of Navy ships in private yards in Hampton Roads.\r\nJust over half of the automatic cuts this year - about $30 billion - and most of the reductions for 2015 would still happen. But the deal would change the rules about how the cuts are carried out over the next two years, giving lawmakers more leeway deciding where to cut. Rather than requiring the military services to make across-the-board cuts, Congress's budget writers could make more targeted reductions in 2014 and 2015.\r\nNavy leaders, for example, have said the reductions would be more palatable if they were able to shift money between accounts.\r\nThe current compromise doesn't address mandatory cuts after 2015. Sequestration requires automatic trims through 2022.\r\nWarner and Kaine acknowledged the region could still see reductions in defense spending next year, depending on how Congress decides to allocate Pentagon funds.\r\nThis allows for the \"normal budget battles\" in Congress over how best to allocate defense funds among the service branches, Warner said. \"Sequester was stupidity on steroids... this is a less stupid way to go about cuts.\"\r\nWarner and others have pushed for a broader budget deal that would halt sequestration entirely and - through a combination of entitlement reforms and raising more revenue - trim deficit spending and reduce the fast-rising national debt.\r\n\"This is not a moment to declare victory. This is progress,\" Warner said.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=668", "Connolly Statement on H.R. 2019", "2013-12-11", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Gerald Connolly", "C001078", "connolly.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Connolly Statement on H.R. 2019 \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, DC,\r\n        December 11, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Congressman Connolly released the following statement on H.R. 2019. Read more.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Today House Republicans forced a vote on the cynically misnamed \u201cKids First Research Act.\u201d The bill purports to increase funding for pediatric research by transferring $12.6 million from the public financing for party nominating conventions. That might sound substantial if it weren\u2019t designed to mask the fact that House Republicans have slashed NIH funding by $4.2 billion in the last three years. In fact, their most recent budget proposal would have cut NIH funding by another 20%. It\u2019s one of the most cynical acts I\u2019ve seen in a Congress and reminds me of what my friend, humorist Jim Boren, used to say, \u201cIf you\u2019re going to be a phony, at least be sincere about it.\u201d\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/defense-bill-would-help-vets-turn-skills-into-jobs", "Defense bill would help vets turn skills into jobs", "2013-12-11", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Defense bill would help vets turn skills into jobs\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Maggie Severns\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Wednesday, December 11, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            A young program designed to help members of the military transfer their skills from service into the workforce could get a boost from the National Defense Authorization Act, which Congress is working to pass before the end of the year.\r\nA pilot program allows service members to earn credentials for in-demand jobs in fields in which they may already have specialized skills from their time in the military, such as health care support and aircraft mechanics. Credentials for service members currently in the pilot programs are issued either by the military or an outside party.\r\nThe current NDAA bill would put quality measures into place in an effort to prevent fraudulent or useless credentials from entering the market, chiefly by requiring credentialing institutions to comply with Title IV of the Higher Education Act.\r\n\u201cFor many in the private sector this could be a very lucrative business if it\u2019s done right,\u201d said Steve Gonzalez, assistant director at the American Legion.\r\nPart of the expansion was originally proposed in a bill called the Troop Talent Act introduced earlier this year by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and backed strongly by veterans groups such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. The bill earned 99 cosponsors in the House and 18 in the Senate.\r\nThe bill would also require the military to make more information about credentialing programs available to service members.\r\n\u201cThese provisions will help ensure servicemembers are provided with the guidance and information they need to translate their military skills into a civilian career, as well as give them peace of mind,\u201d Kaine spokeswoman Amy Dudley said.\r\nEarlier versions of the NDAA bill in both the House and the Senate would have gone a step further, expanding the pilot programs further by adding information technology to the list of credentials offered. This provision was stripped from the compromise bill announced by negotiators Monday evening.\r\nThe pilot credentialing program has private-sector companies such as Cisco weighing in on what skills they need, helping to ensure that the credentials are workable on the job market. That\u2019s similar to other white-hot workforce development programs such as P-TECH in New York City, which has a partnership with IBM.\r\nIn the future, everything from cyber security to maintaining drones could be the kind of in-demand jobs in America that veterans would be suited for, Gonzalez said.\r\nThe Department of Defense has good reason to focus on transitioning service members to the workforce: The unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans currently hovers around 10 percent, significantly higher than the workforce overall. The Department of Defense paid $1.7 billion in unemployment benefits in 2012, almost 10 times as much as it did in 2001. Everything from a lack of information about credentials to an inability to complete civilian credential programs are barriers that currently prevent service members from obtaining credentials, according to a recent DoD report.\r\nThe effort has also garnered interest from the Obama Administration, which launched a similar pilot program through the Health and Human Services Department last spring. The programs are very small, serving a combined 2,400 service members so far at an average cost of $248 each.\r\nMoving the program forward rests on Congress passing the NDAA, which sets levels for the defense department\u2019s budget as well as many policies. This year, stalled negotiations and the government shutdown have led to questions over whether Congress will manage to pass the NDAA, which it has done every year for 50 years.\r\nHaving the workforce language in NDAA will help solidify the programs as a part of the Department of Defense, said Ryan Gallucci of Veterans of Foreign Wars. And it will allow advocates to start scaling the pilot programs soon and expanding them to other workforce skills.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/kaine-rigell-press-case-for-budget-compromise", "Kaine, Rigell press case for budget compromise", "2013-12-11", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine, Rigell press case for budget compromise\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Dave Ress\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Wednesday, December 11, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            Lawmakers in Washington have heard a fair amount about a couple of Norfolk-based Navy captains recently \u2013 and likely will continue to in the next couple days as they decide whether to approve a budget compromise hammered out this week, Sen. Tim Kaine admits.\r\n\"I've mentioned them a lot,\" Kaine said Wednesday.\r\nHe said he's been making a case for a budget compromise by repeating comments they made to him during a recent visit to Norfolk about how much they and their sailors rely on civilian Defense Department staff and the workers at BAE Systems Ship Repair.\r\nHis point is that government shutdowns that furlough civilian DoD staff and across-the-board spending cuts that hit defense contractors also hurt men and women in uniform. He's hoping that word leads Congress to approve the compromise reached by the budget conference committee this week.\r\nRep. Scott Rigell, R-Virginia Beach, has been doing much the same.\r\nHe stood up when the GOP House caucus gathered Wednesday morning to relay what sailors from admirals to master chiefs have been telling him about how a lack of a real budget is hurting the nation's defense.\r\n\"I've got colleagues, maybe they come from a place where there's not much military presence, or no bases, and I think it is part of my job to help them understand what we see in Hampton Roads,\" he said.\r\nRigell and Kaine agree that relying on continuing resolutions \u2013 the short-term agreements that say the government can continue spending what it had been spending \u2013 instead of actually writing a budget harms the military's ability to plan.\r\nAnd the automatic across-the-board budget cuts, which Washingtonians call sequester, can be devastating. Those cuts kicked in this spring because Congress couldn't agree on a budget then.\r\n\"They rob us of efficiency,\" Rigell said. \"It's almost like your defense dollar buys you only 70 cents or 80 cents of defense, because of the uncertainty\" and because sometimes the last component of what the military needs to make an entire system work can't be acquired.\r\nThe agreement, which says the U.S. government will spend $1.01 trillion this year and roughly the same in 2015, isn't everything either was hoping for.\r\n\"But that's what compromise is,\" said Kaine, who is disappointed by the cuts in cost-of-living allowances going forward for military retirees younger than 62, as well as by the increased contributions to pensions to be demanded by people the government hires in the years to come.\r\nBut it does prevent another $20 billion of defense spending cuts from kicking in, \"and shows we could find a path to compromise,\" he added.\r\n\"My hope is the budget compromise allows us to step away from the irrational harm of sequestration,\" said Sen. Mark Warner, who like Kaine is a member of the budget conference committee that crafted the compromise.\r\nThe House and Senate must still vote on the agreement.\r\nAnd, warns Rigell, his experience shows compromise isn't always the easiest thing to sell.\r\n\"It's not a slam dunk,\" he said.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/kaine-says-budget-deal-will-help-virginias-economy", "Kaine says budget deal will help Virginia’s economy", "2013-12-11", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine says budget deal will help Virginia\u2019s economy\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Michael Sluss\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Wednesday, December 11, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine said today that the budget agreement struck by House and Senate negotiators will boost Virginia\u2019s economy by averting another round of automatic defense cuts and removing the prospect of another federal government shutdown.\r\n\u201cA two-year budget deal means we\u2019re not going to be doing that kind of brinksmanship,\u201d\u00a0 Kaine said in a telephone interview .\u201dThat is going to have a positive effect on the Virginia economy.\u201d\r\nKaine and fellow Virginia Democrat Mark Warner were on the bipartisan conference committee that struck the deal with House negotiators. The agreement would fund federal agencies through October 2015 and replace automatic defense and discretionary spending cuts with targeted reductions and some fee increases. It also would restore some budget normalcy in a Congress that has lurched from one fiscal crisis to another over the last three years.\r\n\u201cI liked the fact the we got a deal and I like the fact that we stretched it and got a two-year deal,\u201d Kaine said. \u201cI like the fact that we\u2019ve replaced $63 billion of sequester cuts over two years with more targeted cuts and some revenues through fees. The across-the-board cuts make no sense. You should make cuts and all decisions based on priority judgments and performance data rather than across the board.\u201d\r\nKaine noted that the conference committee agreed to a fiscal 2014 spending level of $1.012 trillion, splitting the difference between the House and Senate proposals. And like most compromises, Kaine found some things in the deal he doesn\u2019t like.\r\nThe compromise makes adjustments to military retirement benefits and will require new civilian federal employees to contribute an additional 1.3 percent of their pay to their pensions. It also would end a 14-week extension of the eligibility period for unemployed workers. The Richmond-based Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis projects that 10,000 Virginians could have their unemployment benefits cut off shortly after Christmas.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m disappointed in that,\u201d Kaine said. \u201cThe House position was: \u2018Look, this was supposed to be a temporary kind of extension; it\u2019s already been extended a couple of times, we should go ahead and let it sunset.\u2019 I thought for the good of individuals and, actually, for the good of the economy, it would have been better to extend it.\u201d\r\nKaine predicted that the deal will inject some certainty into the economy.\r\n\u201cWatch the stock market, watch the economic indicators,\u201d he said. \u201cI think if we pass a two budget, companies that have been holding back a little bit on investments will feel some certainty and more able to make them. Companies that have been holding back on hiring will feel some more certainty and will move forward on hiring.\u201d\r\nWarner said in a statement on Tuesday that the compromise \u201callows us to step away from the irrational harm of sequestration, which hits Virginia harder than any other state.\u201d\r\n\u201cThis is a productive step forward that avoids another shutdown and allows the government to operate with more predictability over the short term,\u2019 Warner said.\u00a0 \u201cI have some concerns about the impact on the federal workforce and our military retirees, which is another reason why we need to tackle the larger and more important issues of tax and entitlement reforms to\u00a0 fix our balance sheet over the long term.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=7f7789b9-ea84-4147-b08b-45205440caae", "Warner Leads Bipartisan Group in Introducing Bill to Exempt Volunteer First Responders from Healthcare Mandate", "2013-12-11", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Mark Warner", "W000805", "www.warner.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) led a group of Senators in introducing bipartisan legislation to ensure volunteer firefighters and other first responders can continue protecting communities that rely on them. The Protect Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act, which is cosponsored by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Angus King (I-ME), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Mark Begich (D-AK), amends the Affordable Care Act to make it clear that volunteer emergency service workers are not required to be counted as full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) for purposes of healthcare coverage. Companion legislation has been introduced in the House by Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA-11).\r\nSome volunteer firefighters \u00a0are nominally paid, and most volunteer first responders have other full-time employment. Many emergency response agencies do not have the resources to provide pay or benefits to volunteers, nor do most volunteer first responders expect to receive compensation or health coverage as a result of their \u00a0volunteer public service. An estimated 48,000 volunteer firefighters serve across Virginia and an estimated 454 volunteer EMT's, according to the \u00a0Virginia Department of Fire Programs\u00a0the Virginia Department of Health, respectively.\u00a0 \u201cProperly distinguishing between full-time, paid emergency responders and volunteers is necessary if we want to protect essential emergency response agencies that keep our communities safe and protect over one-third of the U.S. population,\u201d Sen. Warner said. \u201cI\u2019ve said all along that there will be issues that arise with health care reform and we should deal \u00a0with them in a bipartisan manner. I am proud to offer this legislation to protect those who protect us.\u201d\r\n\u201cWe all know that the main goal of the Affordable Care Act is to provide all Americans with accessible and affordable health care coverage,\u201d Sen. Manchin said. \u201cHowever, we also know that there have been many missteps and unintentional consequences during the implementation of this law. Due to a technical error that unintentionally penalizes volunteer fire departments, the law jeopardizes funding for training and emergency response hours by imposing unreasonable burdens on many of our volunteer emergency response agencies. Our bipartisan fix makes sure there is a clear distinction between full-time, paid emergency responders and volunteers so that our emergency response teams can keep our communities safe without the threat of reducing necessary funding for training or emergency response hours. I thank my good friend Senator Mark Warner for his leadership on fixing this problem with the Affordable Care Act.\u201d\r\n\u201cFrom small cities to rural communities \u2013 Pennsylvania has the largest number of volunteer fire departments in the country,\u201d Sen. Toomey said. \u201cThese departments play a crucial role in protecting Pennsylvanians every day.\u00a0 This bipartisan legislation will protect these fire departments from the devastating consequences of Obamacare.\u00a0 Pennsylvania is fortunate to have so many dedicated volunteers willing to risk their lives for their fellow citizens and the least we can do is help them keep their doors open.\u201d\r\n\u201cHundreds of small towns in Maine and thousands more across the nation rely on volunteer firefighters and other emergency first responders to protect our local communities. Our bipartisan legislation will draw an important distinction between those volunteers and full-time, paid staff that will ensure emergency response units can continue to deliver robust services without the fear of having to deal with cumbersome federal regulations. I have always said that I am prepared to work with my colleagues to improve the ACA, and today I am proud to join with Senators Warner, Manchin, Toomey, and Collins in support of this common-sense fix,\u201d Sen. King said.\r\n\u201cMaine boasts one of the highest percentages of volunteer and on-call firefighters in the nation, and these brave men and women play a vital role in keeping our communities safe each and every day,\u201d Sen. Collins said.\u00a0 \u201cIt is unacceptable that an undue burden could be placed on volunteer fire departments across the country, and it is imperative that this ambiguity in the law be clarified and fixed.\u201d\r\n\"Our first responders and firefighters who put their safety on the line to keep our families and communities safe in Alaska and throughout the country need the certainty that they have the necessary resources to keep offering their services ,\" said Sen. Begich. \"I am glad that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle have come together to support this common sense bill and make sure these brave men and women are not faced with an undue burden of providing non-full time employees with health care.\"\r\nThis bipartisan legislation has been endorsed by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, National Volunteer Fire Council, and Congressional Fire Services Institute.\r\n\u201cThe IAFC strongly supports Sen. Warner and Sen. Manchin\u2019s bill to clarify the status of volunteer firefighters under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This is a bipartisan issue which could have serious impacts on staffing at fire departments across the United States,\u201d said Chief William Metcalf, president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. \u201cThe IAFC looks forward to working with Congress and the Administration to help ensure fire departments of all types are able to continue saving lives and serving their communities.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\nThe text of the Protect Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131154839/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/478", "GOODLATTE REFLECTS ON LEGACY OF NELSON MANDELA", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE REFLECTS ON LEGACY OF NELSON MANDELA \n                      \n                      \t\n                      \tWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released the following statement as leaders across the nation gathered in South Africa today for a Memorial Service for Former South African President Nelson Mandela: \u201cToday leaders from across the globe, citizens of South Africa, and those in nations throughout the world came together to honor the memory of Nelson Mandela and celebrate a life that has truly made a mark on history. \u201cIn President Mandela\u2019s 95 years he faced many hardships and injustices.\u00a0 Yet, he turned these struggles into great steps forward in bringing justice and equality to South Africa. \u00a0 \u201cAnd it is only fitting that today\u2019s Memorial Service was marked by skies heavy with rain \u2013 a symbol of blessing.\u00a0 President Mandela was a true man of the people and a source of inspiration and hope.\u00a0 His life was certainly a blessing to many.  \u201cThe world changed tremendously in his lifetime, and his impact will not be forgotten.\u00a0 While I never had the good fortune to meet President Mandela, I think he would agree that we must continue to stand watch over the principles of freedom and democracy for which he fought. \u00a0  \n                      \t\u00a0  \n                      \t\u201cAs the world continues to mourn the loss of this great leader, my prayers remain with the Mandela family and the people of South Africa.\u201d \n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/grassley-kaine-introduce-bill-to-improve-sibling-connections-in-child-welfare-system", "Grassley, Kaine Introduce Bill to Improve Sibling Connections in Child Welfare System", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Grassley, Kaine Introduce Bill to Improve Sibling Connections in Child Welfare System\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 10, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia today introduced legislation to improve sibling connections in the child welfare system.\u00a0\r\n\u201cChild welfare experts tell you and common sense tells you children benefit when they\u2019re kept together and have strong relationships,\u201d Grassley said.\u00a0 \u201cOur bill removes barriers to federal law that prevent families of siblings from knowing when a child is placed in foster care or siblings from losing ties when parental rights are terminated.\u00a0 This will help maintain sibling relationships and in turn help the kids.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\u201cEnsuring that children in the child welfare system remain connected to their siblings provides them with continuity and support,\u201d said Kaine.\u00a0 \u201cMy wife Anne is a longtime advocate for foster children and during my term as Governor we successfully strengthened permanent family connections for older children in foster care through the \u2018For Keeps\u2019 initiative and increased funding to recruit more foster and adoptive parents. Today I\u2019m proud to introduce the\u00a0Sibling Connections Act\u00a0that\u00a0will\u00a0keep brothers and sisters together\u00a0and\u00a0result in fewer emotional and behavioral problems\u00a0down the line.\"\r\nGrassley and Kaine said the Grassley-authored Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 made great strides to improve child welfare but several obstacles impede sibling relationships.\u00a0 The Sibling Connections Act introduced today follows the example of at least five states, including Iowa, that have passed legislation or regulation that recognizes the parents of siblings as \u201crelatives\u201d for foster care placement.\u00a0\u00a0 That means the parents of a child\u2019s siblings are notified when the child enters foster care, allowing the adult guardians to try to maintain the sibling relationships. \u00a0\r\nAlso, the Grassley-Kaine bill would correct the current situation in which siblings lose their status as siblings when their parents\u2019 rights are terminated.\u00a0 The loss of sibling status undermines the requirement of the Fostering Connections law that siblings be placed together whenever possible.\u00a0\r\nGrassley said he is inspired in this effort by parents including Robert and Sharon White of Ames.\u00a0 The Whites are long-time advocates for adoption and quality foster care, including keeping siblings together. The Whites have adopted several children and have recently decided to become foster parents.\u00a0 They also have worked with Iowa state legislators to pass legislation making it easier for children in foster care to be adopted with their siblings.\u00a0\r\nGrassley is a long-time advocate for adoption and improving foster care, especially the challenges facing those who age out of the system.\u00a0 He is the co-founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Caucus on Foster Youth.\u00a0 He has secured several key legislative improvements to promote adoption.\u00a0 More information is available here.\r\nMore information on the value of sibling relationships is available here.\r\n\u00a0###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-budget-deal-", "Kaine Statement On Budget Deal", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine Statement On Budget Deal \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 10, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the bipartisan Budget Conference Committee, released the following statement on the budget deal reached today:\r\n\u201cEver since I took office last January, I made it a mission to do everything I could to replace the across-the-board sequester cuts that have so severely hurt Virginia and return to normal budgetary order. I even delivered my maiden floor speech last February on the urgent need to find compromise and avert sequestration. Tonight, I\u2019m pleased that after passing a Senate budget for the first time in four years and going to conference with the House, a deal has been reached.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m disappointed that reductions in the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for military retirees and cuts to federal employee benefits were included. But the deal goes a long way toward alleviating the most harmful effects of sequestration next year \u2013 cuts that have disproportionately impacted federal employees and the defense community \u2013 and restoring basic economic certainty to businesses and families across the Commonwealth. It also ensures we won\u2019t suffer another damaging government shutdown next month that would have resulted in more negative consequences for federal employees.\r\n\u201cThe two-year, bipartisan agreement will relieve $63 billion of sequester cuts for 2014 and 2015. It will also avert additional defense cuts \u2013 including $20 billion in cuts that were set to take effect in January 2014 \u2013 and replace non-defense cuts over the next two years. We\u2019ve also given appropriators the certainty they need to write full appropriations bills \u2013 a significant step toward ending the dangerous pattern of stopgap, governing-by-crisis measures that have plagued the budgeting process in recent years. \u00a0\r\n\u201cWhile I\u2019m still examining the details of the deal, I am pleased a spirit of compromise and cooperation prevailed.\u201d\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-confirmation-of-patricia-millett-to-dc-circuit", "Kaine Statement On Confirmation Of Patricia Millett To D.C. Circuit", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine Statement On Confirmation Of Patricia Millett To D.C. Circuit\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 10, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement after the Senate voted to confirm the nomination of Patricia Millett, of Alexandria, Virginia, to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit:\u00a0\r\n\u201cWith Pattie Millett's confirmation to the D.C. Circuit, the court gains a supremely qualified jurist with a strong record of bipartisan public service under both Democratic and Republican administrations. Pattie\u2019s career has prepared her well for this post and I was honored to introduce her at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. On top of her impressive career and educational experience, Pattie is a proud military spouse who will represent the unique perspective of military families.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363856", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 12.9.13", "2013-12-09", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On My Christmas List\u2026 Last week, I introduced the EPA MACT (Maximum Achievable Contraction of Technocrats) Act, which would cut the EPA\u2019s workforce by a reasonable 15 percent over a realistic three- to four-year period. Regular readers of this column are aware that I am not the EPA\u2019s biggest fan.\u00a0 However, I do want clean air and clean water, and I will give some credit where it is due.\u00a0 In the past, the EPA has introduced some reasonable regulations in seeking to fulfill its mission of \u201cprotect[ing] human health and the environment,\u201d and to this day it continues overseeing some important programs.\u00a0 In my view, for example, this includes EPA grant programs that help provide underserved areas with clean water. But I believe the EPA is going too far.  \n\u00a0  \nAccording to a Washington TV channel (FOX 5 DC), EPA regulations on newer-model, heavy-duty diesel vehicles (including ambulances and fire trucks) must have an emission control system that would shut the vehicle down in order to \u201cregenerate.\u201d\u00a0 FOX 5 reported that \u201cthe drivers of the rigs and the people who manage them have to stay on top of the warning lights to make sure they don't ever approach the shut down level.\u201d In an actual case in the nation\u2019s capital, FOX 5 DC says a shooting victim in cardiac arrest was being transported via ambulance to a hospital when \u201cthe indicator lights on the emission control system suddenly and unexpectedly jumped from a warning to shut down in a matter of seconds, and as the engine died, [the driver] was able to pull the rig to the side of the road.\u201d\u00a0 A second ambulance arrived minutes later, but the victim was ultimately pronounced dead at the hospital. EPA says that they essentially fixed the issue in 2012, but Harold Boer, head of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturing Association, told the Washington Post, \u201cthe waiver does not fully exempt emergency vehicles and instead allows them to be retrofitted so there is more time between regeneration stops.\u201d\u00a0 He also said that few cities request that their vehicles be retrofitted as it doesn\u2019t eliminate the issue, and that \u201ca request to the EPA for a blanket exemption for all emergency vehicles has been denied.\u201d Though fortunately it doesn\u2019t appear that this has been a widespread problem, is this EPA regulation necessary?\u00a0 Does it \u201cprotect human health and the environment\u201d to have diesel engines like those in ambulances, fire trucks, or large trucks on the interstate potentially shutting down in a matter of seconds?  \n\u00a0  \nI don\u2019t think so. Similarly, should fire hydrants be subject to EPA drinking water regulations that exempt shower valves and bathtub faucets?\u00a0 Communities across the country could have to spend millions of dollars replacing their fire hydrant inventories in order to both keep the public safe and comply with unreasonable EPA guidance that would require fire hydrants installed after January 4, 2014 to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act. The House unanimously passed the bipartisan Community Fire Safety Act that rejects this guidance, but the Senate has yet to act. The EPA also uses the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon dioxide, which we breathe out, despite former Chairman John Dingell saying he hadn\u2019t anticipated the legislation would be used to do so. What other crazy regulatory cards does the EPA have up its sleeve? Did you know that the number of EPA employees increased by nearly 110 percent from 1972 until 2011, while the number of total Federal personnel decreased by 15 percent?\u00a0 Or that, during the recent partial government shutdown, more than 95 percent of all EPA employees were considered \u201cnon-essential\u201d and were furloughed? Surely the EPA has more than enough resources at its disposal to continue overseeing its important programs and enforcing reasonable regulations, and a reduction in forces at the 14 buildings they occupy in whole or in part in Washington, DC might stop some of these unreasonable regulations.\u00a0 That\u2019s why I recently introduced the EPA MACT Act, H.R. 3641, which would cut the EPA\u2019s workforce by a reasonable 15 percent. This is the time of year when folks write up their Christmas lists.\u00a0 The vast majority of people in our area would welcome the inclusion of the EPA MACT Act, cutting EPA employment by 15 percent, on their wish lists.\u00a0 It might be asking a lot of Santa for this bill to become law, but the economy of the Ninth District and our people can\u2019t take any more job-killing, unreasonable EPA regulations. As always, if you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov. \n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/commonwealth-connection/lessons-learned-from-40-school-years", "Lessons Learned From 40 School Years", "2013-12-09", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Monday, December 9, 2013\n\t\t\t\t Lessons Learned From 40 School Years \n\t\t\t\t\n                        by Tim Kaine \n                        \n                 \n\t\n\t            \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t  \t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThis article was posted on\u00a0November 27\u00a0by Tom Segal in the Education Week blog, Reimagining K-12.\r\nMy wife Anne and I are now empty-nesters. Our daughter just left home for college, joining two older brothers out in the wide world. We are experiencing many emotions--pride in our three kids, hope that we've given them the character skills to negotiate life's ups and downs, melancholia over the passage of time, and curiosity about how we'll manage the shift to a kid-free house after 23 years.\r\nEarlier this summer, it also dawned on me that Anne and I are done with our journey through American public education. Our kids all went to Richmond Public Schools (RPS). They attended neighborhood elementary schools, neighborhood and magnet middle schools, and magnet high schools. My youngest even spent a year in our state's recently initiated Pre-K program. They've spent a combined total of 40 years in public pre-K/12 classrooms.\r\nI've worked hard as a public official on educational issues like early childhood programs, career and technical education, and curricular reform. When I was Richmond's mayor, I visited a city school every Tuesday morning. When I was lieutenant governor and governor, I visited at least one school in every one of Virginia's 134 cities and counties. And my wife Anne has interacted intimately with kids and the school system during her career as a juvenile court judge and foster care reform advocate. And yet, despite our professional involvement, our real knowledge of public education comes from back-to-school nights, parent-teacher conferences, helping with homework, pulling crumpled notes to parents out of backpacks, attending plays, band concerts, dance recitals, sporting events, and the countless other interactions that involved parents have with their kids' schools.\r\nSo, what have we learned?\r\nLet's start with the most important thing: we're enormously grateful to the teachers and administrators who have shepherded our children. RPS is a challenged urban system in many ways. More than 75 percent of students are on free and reduced lunch. Eighty-five percent of the students are racial minorities. State and local funding has been stressed during the recession. There are many schools with marginal student performance, at least as measured on standardized tests. The schools are often in the news more for political squabbles among the school board than for student achievement. But for all the challenges, a kid with engaged parents can get a wonderful academic and life-rounding education from dedicated teachers in our city. Parental engagement in their child's education is critical to a child being successful in school.\r\nI've been reflecting on other lessons as well--lessons for policy-makers. We know education is key to both individual success and to the economic success of our nation. And we all read the stories about American slippage, whether in international test score rankings or higher education attainment. We know we have to be stronger, but much of the policy debate seems stale to me. Is better high-stakes testing, or charter schools, or more dollars invested the best we can do in terms of educational innovation? With those questions in mind, I've decided to summarize seven changes I'd like to see in American public education based on lessons learned--not through 17 years in elected office--but through 40 school years of accompanying our three kids through American public education.\r\n1) It's About the Individual!\r\nWhile the most debated current reform trends have been the accountability movement (emphasizing curricular standards and high stakes testing) and charter schools, I have come to believe that the future of education has been right under our nose for nearly 40 years. The 1975 passage of the federal Education for All Handicapped Children Act, which served as the basis for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1990, is an example of how one-size testing for all does not meet the needs of every child, but instead shows us that it is about individualized education.\r\nBefore 1975, only one in five kids with disabilities were accommodated in our nation's public schools. The massive loss in life happiness and productivity because so many children were kept out of school due to disability, or not treated in a way to maximize their success, was tragic and incalculable. But the 1975 Act ushered in a new era, where children with identified disabilities are entitled to individualized education plans that tailor instruction to their own particular condition. And the gains that our young people have experienced as a result have been great.\r\nOne of our children needed an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for one year--focused attention during that year solved a speech deficit. Many children have the same experience of getting a diagnosis, obtaining treatment for a short period of time and then moving away from specialized assistance to success in the mainstream setting. Numerous children who qualify for early intervention services due to a diagnosed disability are able to overcome deficits while three and four years of age and then enter kindergarten without any special assistance. And the parents and children who have benefited from a long-term IEP throughout their schooling are generally great witnesses to the success of the program.\r\nThere are various criticisms of the IDEA and the IEP model, including the unfulfilled promise by the federal government to fund 40 percent of the national average per pupil expenditure; currently the federal contribution is about 17 to 20 percent. For schools, the special education laws are expensive to administer. For teachers, the paperwork surrounding creation and implementation of an IEP can be cumbersome. For parents, there can be tense negotiation with financially strapped schools over the level of service required. And some critics believe that there is an over-diagnosis of disability among minority students.\r\nBut all the criticisms of the program ends up being about how to improve it. Unlike No Child Left Behind, which still has critics who want to abolish it, there is no active effort to undo the basic model for educating students with disabilities.\r\nSo, the natural question is, why don't we personalize learning for every student? Shouldn't we strive for an educational model that involves individualized education for all?\r\nWe don't live in a \"one size fits all\" world and our education system should reflect that. And with new technology tools, we have a much greater ability to have students self-pace with the assistance of teachers who are able to recognize when students achieve mastery of material sufficient to move on to higher levels. As we approach discussions about the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind, a focus on individualized education should be paramount.\r\nI had a very modest experience with this kind of learning when I was principal of a small vocational school in El Progreso, Honduras from 1980 to 1981. Jesuit missionaries had started the school to help teenage boys learn basic carpentry skills. When I arrived, a fine carpenter was teaching the boys, but he was a good craftsman and not a trained teacher. He would give students projects that were too easy or too hard; the students were not developed in a strategic way. I watched him for a few weeks, then made a list of about 60 projects students might be asked to do, did technical drawings for the projects, arranged them from easiest to hardest, and gave the project book to the carpenter. With a simple project book, he could start all students on the first project and allow them to move on to the next project only when they had completed it to his satisfaction. Within a few months, the kids were all working on different projects, but developing at their own pace in a way that was simple for a single teacher to administer. This is a simple example of how individualized learning can work. The advent of computerized learning programs gives today's tech-savvy teachers even greater ability to help students develop in this way.\r\nI think a focus on individualized education also picks up an important insight from the special education world. Just as a child might have a specific identified disability, it is also the case that children have specific abilities different from the kids sitting across the aisle. The curricular world of standardized tests, where excellence is measured in a few limited spheres that a state educational apparatus chooses to test, can overlook specific areas where a student is likely to be a high performer, and thus more fulfilled in school and beyond.\r\nI like the fact that an individualized focus can break down some of the stereotyping that always follows from looking just at subgroup performance. No Child Left Behind's attention to performance of racial minorities and students with disabilities has been generally positive because we've uncovered the tendency of averages to mask educational disparities. But students shouldn't just be treated as part of some meta-group. The variations within demographic groups are huge, based on income, region, family status or other factors. More focus on the individual is more likely to lead to success for the individual and the whole.\r\n2) Early Childhood Education Works\r\nVirginia started a modest early childhood education program after my two sons had already entered elementary school. My daughter, however, was just the right age to experience the program. And while my boys did have a good experience with high quality private child care programs, the value of my daughter's comprehensive pre-K year, with a curriculum coordinated to accelerate K-12 success, made me a believer.\r\nThe research on the effect of high-quality early childhood education is powerful. My favorite writer on the topic is an economist, Nobel laureate James Heckman, who calculates how public investments accelerate economic growth. He concludes that investments in early childhood education have one of the greatest returns of any public investment. Many states, including Virginia, have used this data to dramatically expand early childhood programs.\r\nEarly childhood programs take advantage of brain research showing that 90 percent of brain development is complete before age five. Thus, an earlier start helps brain development at the time when the effects are most likely to be significant. And research shows that the value of the program is most powerful for children who might otherwise have learning barriers like developmental disabilities, lack of access to books or other learning material, a home where English isn't the primary language. Part of this benefit comes from getting parents more engaged in learning so they can supplement their child's educational experience at home. Early diagnosis and educational intervention helps many students who would otherwise be in special education classes to thrive in mainstream classrooms. And there is a demonstrable link between early childhood education and the reduced chance of having to repeat a grade later in school.\r\nWe should do all we can to continue the expansion of high quality early childhood programs, with clear standards, mandated teacher training, and coordination with K-12 curricula. And it's not just about spending more money. We have to better coordinate the money we already spend for early childhood programs. When I was governor, I did spend more money, expanding our statewide pre-K placements by 40 percent even in the midst of a deep recession. But I also found that the state spent money for some early childhood programs, including pre-kindergarten and special education placements, through our Department of Education. Meanwhile other programs, including Head Start and child care placements funded as part of Welfare to Work, were funded separately through our Department of Social Services. Often, the placements funded through Social Services were not required to offer the same educationally-enriching experience as those funded through the state's education agency. And this silo approach to funding was driven by federal policy. I put one leader in charge of the allocation of all the funds, and she mandated greater educational accountability in all settings regardless of where the dollars were coming from. We need to undertake a similar coordination of the educational investment at the federal level.\r\nSomeday soon, a governor will decide to lead a salutary change by adjusting K-12 education downward to begin at age 4, finishing at age 17, instead of the current 5 to 18 age norm that was set before we fully understood patterns of brain development. There is no question that there is a higher public return on investing in education for a student from age 4 to 5 than from age 17 to 18. I predict that we will eventually move to an earlier start to public education and experience great educational improvements as a result.\r\n3) Elementary Education: Teach Less, Learn More\r\nI once visited a Virginia elementary school that had just received notice of its performance on annual state tests. The students had knocked it out of the park. Walking into a meeting with teachers, I assumed they would be elated and began my remarks with a hearty congratulations for their performance. My comments provoked a 45-minute discussion with the teachers about the foolishness of \"test culture\" as applied to elementary school students. Clearly, even in a successful school, I had hit a nerve.\r\nMy children have all attended schools subject to high-stakes tests pursuant to the Virginia Standards of Learning that were adopted in the 1990s as a forerunner of the federal No Child Left Behind law. I have many thoughts about these tests. Unlike some who dismiss the idea of tests out of hand, or shake their fists at federal involvement, I see value in having standards and having periodic assessments to see whether students are meeting standards. And while I hear complaints about how standards and testing rob teachers of the ability to be creative, I have seen many teachers who are able to convey uniform material in fun and creative ways.\r\nBut there are serious problems. The current accountability regime focuses its effort on making sure all students clear a minimum performance standard, without the proper focus on helping students achieve excellence. Minimal performance isn't enough in today's world, yet most state high stakes test regimes make that the benchmark.\r\nAnother serious problem with our testing regime is the tendency to test too much too early. Stealing a phrase from a recent era of education reform in Singapore, I think we should \"teach less and learn more\" in elementary school by simplifying standards.\r\nMost agree that ability to read on grade level and attain basic skills in math should be the hallmark of a solid elementary education. But while math and language fluency are key building blocks for later success in all areas, we foolishly load elementary school kids up with additional curricular requirements. This has the effect of diluting early focus on language and math literacy that is key to later educational success in all areas.\r\nI would summarize elementary education to be simply about attaining math and language literacy. Social studies texts and projects should be used to help students attain more reading fluency; basic science problems should be used to help students with math. But making young kids memorize historical facts and figures or struggle with science concepts so that they can pass subject matter tests in those areas is counterproductive. Science and social studies in the elementary curriculum is fine, but mandated state testing of elementary school kids should be limited to math and language fluency.\r\nThis point about elementary school also has an application to all public education. I often wonder whether testing is really about kids or about the testing companies' bottom lines. A Virginia public school student today--in addition to the tests and quizzes that are always part of the classroom experience--has to take over 30 state exams between 3rd and 11th grades in order to be on track to graduate from high school. When my kids started in school, they were given state tests in the 3rd, 5th and 8th grades to make sure that they were progressing in a way to predict high school success. Now, the mandated tests occur every year, and there are often multiple tests each year. But as our student performance on nationally and internationally normed tests (like NAEP and PISA) show, the fixation over repetitive state testing is not producing better results.\r\n4) Middle School as Career Exploration\r\nThe only bad year we experienced as parents of public school kids was during a first year in middle school. There were many challenges, from school leadership to student attitude. But as we wrestled with it, and talked to friends, it slowly dawned on me that the low point for me and most parents was middle school. It's a tough time for kids. Part of this is just adolescence. But I think part of the middle school blues is an uncertainty about its pedagogical purpose.\r\nElementary school is about trying to master the basics. High school is about preparing for life and career choices. What is middle school really about?\r\nIn keeping with my individualization theme described earlier, I'd re-conceive middle school as fundamentally about career exploration. This is less about a change in curriculum and more about using all pieces of the curriculum to expose students to the wide range of available work and career choices so that, by the time they enter high school, they will be more informed about future paths and what they need to do to pursue them.\r\nThink about this question: what does the average kid know about the world of work? Most know what their parents do and maybe a neighbor or two. But even for kids from advantaged backgrounds, knowledge of the working world tends to be very limited. And if a child is from an impoverished background, their awareness of career possibilities is often very circumscribed.\r\nSo fix the pedagogical muddle that is middle school with an intense focus on exposing students to continuous education about career choices. There should be a real focus on helping students explore their own strengths and preferences and how they match up with likely future careers. Do you want to work with people or do you love being in front of a computer? Do you want to do work with your hands or perform mostly mental tasks? Use the three years of middle school to really explore student personality and talents and help them identify areas where they can be happy and productive as adults. There are an increasing number of schools and online resources that engage middle school students in career planning exercises, often with the involvement of teachers, school counselors and, most importantly, their parents or guardians. These efforts are done with a healthy dose of reality. Most middle-schoolers will not really know what they want to do as an adult. But by presenting students with options, and educating them about what it takes to pursue a desired career path, you get them into a planning mode where they think more about the future and about how the work of today connects with later success.\r\n5) High School: Different Paths to Success\r\nIn the old days, high schools often assigned kids into separate tracks, normally an academic and vocational track. The tracking was done in a way that made kids feel that vocational fields were second best. But in today's world, with so many promising technical fields, there should be multiple tracks with students not assigned, but choosing the path most likely to make them happy and successful in later life.\r\nThere has been a dramatic re-awakening in career and technical education at the high school level. I saw this all over Virginia when I was governor and tried to accelerate the trend with the creation of governor's career and technical academies around the state. Some students chose the technical course options to become work ready and pursue health care, technology, mechanical or construction-related careers. But others, feeling bored by a steady diet of the classroom, found that taking one or two technical courses is a great complement to academic subjects.\r\nAs governor, I met a student who was attending one of the governor's academies in Arlington, Va. His mother pushed him to the front of a room and made him tell his story. He was a mid-level student at his comprehensive high school, not overly interested in the classroom subjects because he didn't see their relevance to life success. His family had the inspired idea to enroll him in an EMT class at the nearby technical center. Suddenly, working with his hands on real life issues, he was engaged and excited. And soon, it started to dawn on him that biology and chemistry were really important and his grades in his traditional classes started to increase as well. I ran into him a few years later and found he was attending a prestigious university and studying to pursue a career in medicine. Now, instead of separate and unequal tracks, technical coursework can enhance academic success and vice versa.\r\nVirginia has embraced the \"different paths\" ethos in high school by creating different diploma types. Taking the basic academic courses will enable you to receive a \"standard\" diploma. The basic courses plus a technical concentration earns a student a \"technical\" diploma. The basic courses plus advanced academic coursework entitles a student to an \"advanced\" diploma. Add technical coursework to the advanced academic curriculum and you can receive the \"advanced technical\" diploma.\r\nThe great thing about these four different diploma types is that they are not the forced academic tracking of an earlier day. They are choices open to all students who are ideally told about the options in middle school and can then set their course as they see fit. Add to the diploma types the myriad of other choices--Advance Placement courses, dual enrollment in community college courses, passage of industry certification exams--and today's high school transcript becomes a highly personalized learning resume.\r\n6) Value the Unvalued\r\nThe Richmond schools are fiscally challenged and beset with state testing mandates. There's no real incentive anymore to offer top quality arts or music instruction. The same goes for physical education. But despite all contrary pressures, our kids' schools held on to arts and music with fierce determination. All three of our children started instrumental music in the 3rd grade and played for at least eight years. One son became impassioned in high school by creative writing, architecture and digital video instructors and is pursuing college studies in filmmaking and photography. Our other son, currently in the military, benefited from musical education by becoming proficient on the trumpet and absorbing important teamwork skills through playing with school bands.\r\nI learned the most about the value of arts education from my daughter. In elementary school it was clarinet, school plays and a wonderful in-school dance program sponsored by the Richmond Ballet. In middle school, it was band, her ongoing dance work and classes in painting, stained glass and cartooning at a neighboring visual arts center. When she wanted to go to an arts magnet high school, I was reluctant, thinking that a more traditional academic curriculum would be perfect for her. But I didn't fully grasp the connection between arts education and important life and career skills. She learned to communicate with confidence, standing repeatedly on a stage before an auditorium full of strangers over the years has given her poise and presence. She learned perseverance through endless practices and teacher critiques. She learned flexibility and problem-solving--the stage manager has to adjust on the fly when a prop breaks mid-act or an actor unexpectedly jumps ahead three pages in the script. And all her work--plays, dance troupes, show choirs--has been done in groups of energetic teenagers who have to harness their own points of view and make them about the group.\r\nCreativity, teamwork, communication--these are real and meaningful skills for life success. Arts and music education promotes these skills. Most organizations hiring employees look for people who can demonstrate these traits. But we don't really place an academic value on them in the traditional high-stakes testing academic focus.\r\nHere's another shocker. We all hear stories about how many jobs are available in fields like computer programming and software engineering. Companies have to hire foreign citizens to fill these jobs because we don't produce enough Americans skilled in these areas. Most states have requirements that high school students take a certain amount of science, but computer science classes generally don't count as core science classes and are instead offered just as electives. How foolish!\r\nThe things that really matter for life success don't all fit neatly into today's public school curriculum. Once again, it's about individualization. But it's also critical for teachers and parents to see education as a matter of exposure to different opportunities so that students can find their own passion. It may not fit neatly into a mandated curriculum. But, let's at least create space for this kind of exploration and personal development in our schools.\r\n7) Keeping Good Teachers\r\nLet me finish with the gratitude I expressed at the beginning about teachers. I am in debt to the teachers my kids were blessed to learn from in the Richmond Public Schools. Of course there were some weak teachers, as well as some new teachers who have no doubt gotten better. But most of my children's teachers were solid, some were spectacular and a few made a life-changing impact on their lives and career choices.\r\nI am amazed at how much good teachers give, in the classroom and out of it. The late hours for theater practices, weekend walking tours for kids around town to see Richmond's architecture in a new way, travel with the band year-in and year-out to music festivals around the state and beyond. Good teachers go well beyond the classroom to touch kids' lives.\r\nWhen I hear policy debate about teachers, it often seems that the fundamental goal is to figure out how to get rid of bad teachers. Evaluation systems get put in place and have no upside, but only the downside of being used to weed out the poor performers. The current trend is to figure out how to link teacher evaluations to individual student performance. Such an effort could make teachers want to avoid serving our neediest kids.\r\nWhile I am a huge supporter for regular teacher evaluation, and believe these evaluations should be used for all manner of actions, I think the right policy focus for our work with teachers is to pay less attention to \"how to get rid of bad teachers\" and instead focus on the more important challenge, how to attract and keep good teachers. Low pay, hard challenges, lack of parental support for so many kids, endless rounds of mandated testing crowding out individual opportunities for creativity in the classroom, all take their toll. In my experience, many great prospective teachers choose other options in college and many others cut short their desired careers to pursue other work.\r\nA policy focus on attracting and keeping good teachers would involve our schools of education. I hope some will choose to be the leaders in the kind of individualized learning that has been the main theme of my suggestions. The pay of teachers is another issue that should be the focus of national discussion. Traditionally, this is a matter for states and local governments and not a federal issue. But, at the national level, we should show how teacher compensation practices in this country stack up to the \"best in class\" education systems worldwide.\r\nA final area is professional development. We want students to be lifelong learners and we should want teachers and other education personnel to be lifelong learners as well. There is a dizzying array of new learning tools and technologies introduced every year and we need our teachers to keep current and redesign their approaches throughout their careers. So we need strong professional development for teachers that will enhance and build on instructional knowledge. Many teachers pursue a rigorous national certification process after they have a few years of classroom experience. The multi-year certification process is a powerful form of professional development. How about a federal commitment to provide a salary enhancement for teachers who achieve this distinction?", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/navy-is-still-vital-in-the-middle-east-kaine-says", "Navy is still vital in the Middle East, Kaine says", "2013-12-08", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Navy is still vital in the Middle East, Kaine says\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Bill Bartel\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Sunday, December 8, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            The Navy's presence in the Middle East isn't going to diminish any time soon even with the war in Afghanistan winding down, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine said Friday.\r\nSpeaking from Manama, Bahrain, where he is attending an international security conference, Kaine said the Navy's 5th Fleet has a vital role in protecting sea lanes for commerce.\r\n\"The transit of oil and other goods through the Strait of Hormuz are going to continue to be very critical,\" he said in a conference call with reporters.\r\n\"The Navy will be here in a very significant way,\" said Kaine, who had lunch with sailors aboard the San Jacinto, a Norfolk-based guided missile cruiser. \"... There would be no strategic reason for us to be reducing presence here.\"\r\nHowever, he said, some \"non-strategic factors\" - including automatic defense budget cuts and Congress's inability to approve a budget - could affect military operations. \"That's the asterisk right now.\"\r\nThe Virginia Democrat is a member of a House-Senate committee attempting to negotiate a budget deal. The committee's leaders are attempting to draft a proposal to bring before both chambers before the House's scheduled adjournment Friday.\r\nKaine, who also serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said his message at the annual Manama Dialogue - a meeting of Middle Eastern nations and their allies - is that the U.S. role in the region is becoming less military-oriented.\r\n\"We are in a time of transition,\" he said. \"The attack of 9/11 gave us a very focused kind of lens through which to view our foreign policy responses... and that was fighting terrorism.\"\r\nThe U.S. is working on a broader foreign policy, Kaine said, that focuses on \"aggressive diplomacy,\" expanding trade and \"the appropriate projection of American values - especially supporting democratic aspirations.\"\r\nBut he cautioned that Americans have to be patient and sensitive to cultural differences as countries move to more democratic systems.\r\n\"It doesn't happen quickly,\" Kaine said. \"It didn't happen quickly in the United States.\"\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/us-not-abandoning-afghanistan-kaine-tells-regional-leaders", "U.S. not abandoning Afghanistan, Kaine tells regional leaders", "2013-12-07", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. not abandoning Afghanistan, Kaine tells regional leaders\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Markus Schmidt\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Saturday, December 7, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            Sen. Timothy M. Kaine, D-Va., assured political leaders and diplomats at a security summit in Bahrain Friday that the United States has no plans to abandon the Middle East and connecting regions, despite a significant reduction of forces in Iraq and President Barack Obama\u2019s vow to end combat operations in Afghanistan after 2014.\r\n\u201cWe are not withdrawing from the region and we are not rebalancing somewhere else,\u201d Kaine said in a phone interview from Manama, the capital and largest city of Bahrain.\r\nKaine said the U.S. is open to negotiate a continuation of an American military presence in Afghanistan beyond 2014.\r\n\u201cWe think that will be helpful to the country. We\u2019ve seen such tremendous gains and we want to continue to be there providing training and assisting. But the question is if Afghanistan wants us to do it or not, that\u2019s for them to decide,\u201d he said.\r\nThe Obama administration last month reiterated its position that there may be no residual force in Afghanistan after 2014 unless President Hamid Karzai signs a new security agreement with the U.S.\r\nAccording to a statement released by the administration in November, National Security Adviser Susan Rice told Karzai that, \u201cwithout a prompt signature, the U.S. would have no choice but to initiate planning for a post-2014 future in which there would be no U.S. or NATO troop presence in Afghanistan.\u201d\r\nKaine traveled to Bahrain Thursday to visit the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet. On Friday, he participated in a panel discussion at the 2013 Manama Dialogue, an annual security summit hosted by the Institute for International Strategic Studies.\r\nKaine said he planned to convey the message that the U.S. must re-evaluate its role in the region and expand its circle of strategic partners.\r\n\u201cThe attack of 9/11 gave us a very focused lens through which to view our foreign policy responsibilities \u2013 and that was fighting terrorism,\u201d Kaine said.\r\n\u201cWhile that topic retains a continuing and significant vitality for us, that is not a broad enough foreign policy for a nation as great as ours. As we are now out of Iraq and drawing down forces out of Afghanistan, it is a good time to have this discussion with our allies in the region,\u201d he said.\r\nAs member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and chairman of the Middle East Subcommittee, Kaine said he is \u201cwrestling with those questions every day.\u201d\r\nKaine said that the U.S. will not only to continue being a military power in the region, but use other means \u2013 such as \u201caggressive diplomacy\u201d and trade \u2013 to protect its interests.\r\n\u201cDiplomacy has been an under-exercised muscle in recent years,\u201d Kaine said. \u201cThe recent announcement of the significant diplomatic work being done with Iran to stop their nuclear program is an example of how importantly we view this region.\u201d\r\nThe U.S. has the strongest military in the world on display in the region and is doing \u201cgreat work right in this neighborhood\u201d to keep the sea lanes open in the Persian Gulf, \u201cso that commerce in this very important part of the world can continue,\u201d Kaine said.\r\n\u201cAnd we have great partners who appreciate what we do. We have demonstrated even in the last couple of years that we are willing to participate in significant military action in the Middle East, in North Africa and Libya, and we were willing to work together with NATO colleagues and the Arab League.\u201d\r\nKaine also said the U.S. played a major role in the \u201cdiplomatic breakthrough leading to the destruction of chemical weapons\u201d in Syria, adding to efforts following the announcement of Nov. 25 that the UN will convene talks in Geneva to look for a negotiated settlement of Syria\u2019s civil war.\r\n\u201cNo one can question the United States\u2019 role in being aggressive about diplomacy in this region, and I think there is a new age of more vigorous diplomacy,\u201d Kaine said.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363727", "Griffith Statement on Virginia Tech President Announcement", "2013-12-06", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) today issued the following statement on the announcement that Dr. Timothy Sands will be serving as the next president of Virginia Tech beginning in June of 2014:\r\n\u201cVirginia Tech is an exceptional university and a wonderful, tight-knit community that in recent years has experienced days of difficulty as well as periods of significant growth and development.\u00a0 To Dr. Timothy Sands, I extend my sincere congratulations.\u00a0 I look forward to working with him, and to Virginia Tech\u2019s continued success under his leadership.\r\n\u201cAlso, I would be remiss if I did not thank Dr. Charles Steger for his service and dedication to the Hokie Nation.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131154807/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/477", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON VIRGINIA TECH PRESIDENT ANNOUNCEMENT", "2013-12-06", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE STATEMENT ON VIRGINIA TECH PRESIDENT ANNOUNCEMENT \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte released this statement following the announcement that Dr. Timothy Sands will become the next president of Virginia Tech, effective June 1, 2014:\u00a0  \u201cVirginia Tech has long been a leader in higher education, promoting the motto Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) throughout the Commonwealth and across the globe.\u00a0 As this new chapter for Virginia Tech begins, Dr. Sands\u2019 experience in higher education will help to guide Virginia Tech\u2019s mission and continue their long tradition of success in innovation, research, and academic excellence.\u00a0 Virginia Tech grew tremendously under the leadership of Dr. Charles Steger.\u00a0 I have enjoyed working with him over the years, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the Virginia Tech community.\u00a0 I wish Dr. Sands the best of luck in his new position.\u00a0 Go Hokies!\u201d\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-joins-31-us-senators-to-urge-reauthorization-of-key-unemployment-insurance-program", "Kaine Joins 31 U.S. Senators to Urge Reauthorization of Key Unemployment Insurance Program", "2013-12-06", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine Joins 31 U.S. Senators to Urge Reauthorization of Key Unemployment Insurance Program\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 6, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013\u00a0In an effort to prevent more than 1.3 million long-term unemployed workers from losing their unemployment insurance at the end of December -- and millions more from having no benefits after their initial 26 weeks of unemployment insurance (UI) are exhausted during the course of 2014 \u2013 U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined 31 U.S. Senators to send a letter urging Congress to preserve federal unemployment insurance for another year.\r\nWith just 23 days before federal UI benefits are set to expire, the Senators wrote:\u00a0\u201cWe are writing to urge the continuation of federal support for unemployment insurance, a critical component of our ongoing recovery and a lifeline to millions of Americans as they search for work in this challenging economy.\u00a0 As it stands now, a few days after the holiday season ends, unemployment insurance will abruptly terminate, cutting off support for 1.3 million Americans.\u201d\r\nThe unemployment insurance system is a partnership between the federal government and state governments that provides a temporary weekly benefit to qualified workers who lose their job and are seeking work. The amount of that benefit is based in part on a worker\u2019s past earnings. \u00a0\r\nThe extended federal UI program was signed into law in June 2008 by President George W. Bush, when the national unemployment rate was 5.6% and the average duration of jobless insurance was 17.1 weeks.\u00a0 It has been reauthorized by Congress a number of times since as America seeks to emerge from the greatest economic recession since the Great Depression.\u00a0 Today, the national unemployment rate is 7% and the average duration of UI benefits is 36.1 weeks, which is much longer than the 26 weeks of unemployment coverage that most states provide.\u00a0\r\nAccording to the non-partisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), the long-term unemployment rate is falling, but it's still at 2.6%, which is twice as high as in any prior month when extended UI benefits were allowed to expire.\u00a0 CBPP economists note that in each of the previous three recessions, federal unemployment assistance didn't end until the long-term unemployment rate had dropped to around 1.3%.\r\nA new study by the Council of Economic Advisers and the U.S. Department of Labor estimates that the failure to renew UI\u00a0 could cost our economy 240,000 jobs in 2014, including 1,284 in Rhode Island.\u00a0\r\nOver the years, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has found that preserving UI benefits during periods of historically high unemployment is among the most cost-effective programs for reducing joblessness and stimulating the economy.\u00a0 Earlier this week CBO reported: \u201cExtending emergency unemployment benefits would raise gross domestic product (GDP) and employment in 2014 relative to what would occur under current law. \u00a0Recipients of the additional benefits would increase their spending on consumer goods and services. That increase in aggregate demand would encourage businesses to boost production and hire more workers than they otherwise would, particularly given the expected slack in the capital and labor markets.\u201d\r\nText of the letter follows:\r\n\r\nDear Majority Leader Reid, Republican Leader McConnell, Chairman Baucus, and Ranking Member Hatch:\r\nWe are writing to urge the continuation of federal support for unemployment insurance, a critical component of our ongoing recovery and a lifeline to millions of Americans as they search for work in this challenging economy.\u00a0 As it stands now, a few days after the holiday season ends, unemployment insurance will abruptly terminate, cutting off support for 1.3 million Americans.\r\nDespite the tremendous uncertainty caused by the brinksmanship over funding the government and near-default, the economy has had 45 straight months of private sector job growth and created a total of 8.1 million jobs over that period.\u00a0 However, we are still far from regaining the ground lost during the Great Recession.\u00a0 The national unemployment rate has hovered around and over 7 percent and 10.9 million Americans are out of work and looking for a job.\u00a0 Unemployed workers continue to face a daunting labor market, where for every one job opening, there are approximately 3 unemployed workers.\u00a0 That\u2019s why it\u2019s imperative that we pass legislation that will get Americans back to work and that we don\u2019t let unemployment insurance terminate at the end of the year.\u00a0\r\nFederal support for unemployment insurance has been a major boon to millions of Americans that have been laid off through no fault of their own.\u00a0 Since July 2008 unemployment insurance has provided over $255 billion in direct support.\u00a0 Over that period of time, we have made significant reforms, like those that avert layoffs and help people find work faster.\u00a0 Our constituents and the economy still need the support; the Economic Policy Institute estimates that the expiration of unemployment insurance will cost the economy 310,000 jobs and slow growth by 0.2 percent over the course of next year.\r\nContinuation of unemployment insurance has traditionally passed on a bipartisan basis because of the tremendous support it provides to the unemployed, their families, and the economy.\u00a0 We urge you to ensure that unemployment insurance is continued before its expiration at the end of the year.\r\nSincerely,\u00a0\r\nJack Reed (D-RI)\r\nTom Harkin (D-IA)\r\nTim Kaine (D-VA)\r\nEd Markey (D-MA)\r\nKirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)\r\nJeanne Shaheen (D-NH)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nSheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)\r\nRobert Menendez (D-NJ)\r\nCarl Levin (D-MI)\r\nBarbara Boxer (D-CA)\r\nChris Coons (D-DE)\r\nMazie Hirono (D-HI)\r\nElizabeth Warren (D-MA)\r\nJeff Merkley (D-OR)\r\nBob Casey (D-PA)\r\nAl Franken (D-MN)\r\nSherrod Brown (D-OH)\r\nRon Wyden (D-OR)\r\nJay Rockefeller (D-WV)\r\nBrian Schatz (D-HI)\r\nPatty Murray (D-WA)\r\nDebbie Stabenow (D-MI)\r\nBernie Sanders (I-VT)\r\nDick Durbin (D-IL)\r\nRichard Blumenthal (D-CT)\r\nAmy Klobuchar (D-MN)\r\nPatrick Leahy (D-VT)\r\nDianne Feinstein (D-CA)\r\nChristopher Murphy (D-CT)\r\nTom Udall (D-NM)\r\nBill Nelson (D-FL)\r\nCory Booker (D-NJ)\r\n\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/photos-kaine-meets-with-virginians-serving-with-fifth-fleet-tours-norfolk-based-uss-san-jacinto-in-bahrain", "Photos: Kaine Meets With Virginians Serving With Fifth Fleet, Tours Norfolk-Based USS San Jacinto In Bahrain", "2013-12-06", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Photos: Kaine Meets With Virginians Serving With Fifth Fleet, Tours Norfolk-Based USS San Jacinto In Bahrain\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 6, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\u00a0\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, during a visit to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet (NAVCENT) in Bahrain, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine toured the Norfolk-based USS San Jacinto and met with Virginians serving with the U.S. Navy\u2019s Fifth Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces.\r\n\u201cI had the chance to board and visit the crew of the USS San Jacinto which deployed out of Norfolk a few months back when the Harry S. Truman deployed. They\u2019re in dock here in Bahrain and I had a chance to visit with them and have lunch with a number of Virginians who serve in the Navy and a couple of folks in the Marines as well,\u201d said Kaine. \"I talked with them about a range of issues, from the bigger picture security challenges facing the region, to how come traffic is still so bad in Hampton Roads. Any time I have a chance to spend time with those who serve and especially those from Virginia who serve, I always walk away with a sense of pride and admiration.\u201d\r\nWhile in Bahrain, Kaine is participating in the\u00a02013 Manama Dialogue, the\u00a0International\u00a0Institute\u00a0for Strategic Studies\u2019\u00a09th\u00a0annual regional security conference.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/kaine-navy-has-long-term-role-in-gulf", "Kaine: Navy has long-term role in Gulf", "2013-12-06", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine: Navy has long-term role in Gulf\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Dave Ress\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Friday, December 6, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            Sailors from Hampton Roads are likely to keep steaming east to the Persian Gulf for some time to come, playing a critical role in keep sea lanes open through the Strait of Hormuz that links the oil-rich area to the rest of the world, Sen. Tim Kaine said Friday, during a break in a visit to the region.\r\nKaine, chairman of the Senate subcommittee that focuses on the Middle East and South Asia, spoke after visiting with U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.\r\n\"I think the Navy will be here in a significant way,\" he said.\r\nHe said the intensity of the naval effort probably will not diminish any time soon.\r\n\"We're doing a better job with energy independence, but even if we get to energy independence by 2020, disrupting oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz would have a significant negative impact on the global economy,\" he said. The effect of that on the United States would be severe, he added.\r\nBut Kaine said while strategic needs dictate a continuing U.S. Navy presence in the Gulf, one thing that could force a pullback was \"this foolish sequestration \u2014 that's the asterisk right now.\"\r\nDuring his visit in Bahrain, Kaine visited the Norfolk-based USS San Jacinto and met with Virginian sailors and Marines stationed there, sharing lunch and fielding questions from them.\r\nThe very first question he got was about the federal budget impasse and whether the conference committee he serves on can hit a Dec. 13 deadline for reaching a compromise to avoid another government shutdown. Kaine said he is still optimistic that the committee will come up with a plan for 2014, and possibly for 2015 as well.\r\nHe said Navy brass in Bahrain said they're concerned about the across-the-board budget cuts \u2014 sequestration, in the Washington jargon \u2014 that went into effect this spring.\r\nAlthough military personnel on the front lines aren't subject to sequestration-linked furloughs, Kaine said top Central Command officers are concerned about how those budget cuts and the prospect of additional ones next year will affect the people who support military operations, including Defense Department civilians and defense contractors.\r\nKaine is in Bahrain to participate in the Institute for International Strategic Studies' ninth annual conference on regional security. He is participating in the opening panel, with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Prince Turki Al Faisal of Saudi Arabia and the former Kuwaiti foreign minister, Sheik Muhammed Al Salem Al Sabah. Conference organizers have asked him to be on a panel about Syria, as well.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363603", "Griffith Statement on Life of Nelson Mandela", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) released the following statement after learning of the passing of former South African President Nelson Mandela:\r\n\u201cI am saddened that the world has lost one of its great leaders.\u00a0 Nelson Mandela was a leader of courage who led South Africa after apartheid.\u00a0 While he could have done like so many other leaders in emerging nations have done and created a country where he became a president or ruler for life, he did not turn his back on the principles of representative government.\u00a0 Nelson Mandela\u2019s journey is over on this earth, but his \u2018Long Walk to Freedom\u2019 will never be forgotten.\r\n\u201cMy condolences are extended to his family, his loved ones, and the people of South Africa.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=667", "Connolly & Moran Oppose GOP Budget Plan to Cut Federal Workers' Retirement", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Gerald Connolly", "C001078", "connolly.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Connolly & Moran Oppose GOP Budget Plan to Cut Federal Workers' Retirement \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, DC,\r\n        December 5, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Representatives Gerry Connolly and Jim Moran said today that they will oppose a budget deal that makes unfair and indiscriminate cuts to federal employee pay or retirement benefits. Read more.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Representatives Gerry Connolly and Jim Moran said today that they will oppose a budget deal that makes unfair and indiscriminate cuts to federal employee pay or retirement benefits.\u00a0 Numerous reports have indicated that Republican negotiators are demanding a reduction in federal employee retirement benefits in an attempt to offset sequestration cuts.The two Virginia Democrats released the following statement:\u201cNo other group has been asked to make the same sacrifice as our federal workforce. To date, they have contributed $114 billion to deficit reduction, endured a 3-year pay freeze, had retirement benefits reduced for new hires, lived through a 16-day shutdown, and lost pay as a result of furloughs.\u00a0 Per capita, that\u2019s nearly $50,000 per employee - far more than any other American has been asked to contribute towards deficit reduction.\u201cEnough is enough. Congress must find a budget deal that protects federal employees, removes sequester level spending caps, and finally acknowledges the value of federal service.\u201d\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131210180841/http://goodlatte.house.gov:80/press_releases/476", "HOUSE PASSES INNOVATION ACT TO MAKE REFORMS TO OUR PATENT SYSTEM", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "HOUSE PASSES INNOVATION ACT TO MAKE REFORMS TO OUR PATENT SYSTEM \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The House of Representatives today approved H.R. 3309, the Innovation Act by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 325-91.\u00a0 This bipartisan bill takes steps to combat the ever increasing problem of abusive patent litigation. House Judiciary Committee Chairman and chief sponsor of the Innovation Act Bob Goodlatte applauded the bill\u2019s passage: \u201cIn recent years, we have seen an exponential increase in the use of weak or poorly-granted patents by so-called patent trolls to file numerous patent infringement lawsuits against American businesses with the hopes of securing a quick payday.\u00a0 Everyone from independent inventors, to start-ups, to mid and large sized businesses face this constant threat. \u201cThe enactment of the Innovation Act is something I consider central to U.S. competiveness, job creation, and our nation\u2019s future economic security.\u00a0 The bipartisan legislation takes meaningful steps to address the abusive practices that have damaged our patent system and resulted in significant economic harm to our nation.\u00a0 I am encouraged by the overwhelming support the Innovation Act received in the House and I look forward to working with the Senate to see that patent litigation reform legislation is signed into law.\u201d  \n                      \t\n                      \tBackground on the Innovation Act: \u00a0 \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Requires plaintiffs to disclose who the owner of a patent is before litigation, so that it is clear who the real parties behind the litigation are. This will ensure that Patent Trolls cannot hide behind a web of shell companies to avoid accountability for bringing frivolous litigation. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Requires plaintiffs to actually explain why they are suing a company in their court pleadings. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Requires courts to make decisions about whether a patent is valid or invalid early in the litigation process so that Patent Trolls cannot drag patent cases on for years based on invalid claims.\u00a0 This prevents invalid patents from being used to extort money from retailers and end users. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0When parties bring lawsuits or claims that have no reasonable basis in law and fact, the Innovation Act requires judges to award attorneys\u2019 fees to the victims of the frivolous lawsuit.\u00a0 The bill allows judges to waive the award of attorneys\u2019 fees in special circumstances.\u00a0 This provision applies to both plaintiffs and defendants who file frivolous claims. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Requires the Judicial Conference to make rules to reduce the costs of discovery in patent litigation, so that Patent Trolls cannot use the high costs of discovery to extort money from small businesses and entrepreneurs. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Creates a voluntary process for small businesses to postpone expensive patent lawsuits while their larger sellers complete similar patent lawsuits against the same plaintiffs, to protect customers who simply bought the product off-the-shelf. \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Requires PTO to provide educational resources for those facing abusive patent litigation claims. The Innovation Act is supported by a wide range of groups that include stakeholders from all areas of our economy representing businesses of all kinds from every corner of our country including independent inventors and innovators.\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131154715/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/475", "GOODLATTE TESTIFIES AT EPA HEARING ON ETHANOL MANDATE", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE TESTIFIES AT EPA HEARING ON ETHANOL MANDATE \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Bob Goodlatte testified today at the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) hearing on the proposed volume requirements of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for calendar year 2014.\u00a0 Congressman Goodlatte was joined by Congressman Peter Welch (D-VT) who also supports reform of the RFS.\u00a0 Congressmen Goodlatte and Welch, along with Congressmen Jim Costa (D-CA) and Steve Womack (R-AR), recently led a letter signed by 169 Members of the House of Representatives to the EPA Administrator requesting a reduction of RFS levels.  Congressman Goodlatte\u2019s full testimony, as prepared, is below: It is my pleasure to join you all today. \u00a0 Since the Renewable Fuel Standard was dramatically expanded in 2007, we saw, almost immediately, the market distorting effects of the RFS on our economy. \u00a0 EPA has the tools to ease this market distortion fueled by the RFS.\u00a0 Members of Congress have asked several times for EPA to use your authority to lower the RFS.\u00a0 Last year we experienced one of the worst droughts in our nation\u2019s history, severely impacting the corn supply.\u00a0 Livestock and food producers were confronted with corn prices as high as $8 a bushel due to the drought and requirements of the RFS.\u00a0 Last year livestock producers were not just left with the concern of price, but also legitimate concerns over having enough corn to feed their animals and fear that livestock herds would shrink.\u00a0 EPA partially acknowledged these concerns.\u00a0 In response to the waiver request, EPA\u2019s own analysis said that a waiver last year would have provided relief of over $80 million to the pork industry in Virginia and North Carolina. Yet action was not taken. This year we are grateful to not be experiencing a drought that compounds the market distorting effect of the RFS, but we are still confronted with the detrimental effects of the RFS.\u00a0 The imposition of the 2014 volumes now threatens to cause economic and environmental harm. Perhaps the newest challenge would be the imposition of the statutory requirement of 18.15 billion gallons of renewable fuels in 2014, of which approximately 14.4 billion gallons will be made up by corn ethanol.\u00a0 In particular, the combination of rising ethanol mandates and declining gasoline demand has exacerbated the onset of the E10 blendwall \u2013 the point at which the gasoline supply is saturated with the maximum amount of ethanol that current vehicles, engines, and infrastructure can safely accommodate. I was pleased to join Peter Welch, and our colleagues Jim Costa and Steve Womack, to lead a letter with 165 of our colleagues asking the EPA to lower the RFS mandate.\u00a0 Despite our frustration that EPA has failed to recognize the detrimental effects of the RFS in the past, we appreciate that EPA has proposed a slight reduction of the RFS for 2014.\u00a0 While this is an acknowledgement that the mandate is unworkable, it is not enough to provide the much-needed relief businesses, farmers, and consumers need. The RFS is clearly unworkable.\u00a0 The mandate drastically manipulates the corn marketplace and increases commodity and food costs across the supply chain.\u00a0 Under the RFS, the federal government is essentially telling a private industry that they must buy one product, ignoring other groups who also depend on that product and creating an artificial supply-and-demand.\u00a0 The RFS is the federal government disrupting the marketplace by putting its heavy thumb on one side of the scale \u2013 tipping it in favor of one side over the other.\u00a0 In the debate over ethanol, the government is picking winners and losers.\u00a0 I urge the EPA to use your authority to provide the maximum relief possible. While it is imperative that EPA provide the maximum relief possible, we must recognize that any band-aid relief that EPA may provide does not fix this broken policy.\u00a0 The volatility that the RFS has imposed on our economy needs fundamental reform.\u00a0\u00a0 Congress created this artificial market that is distorting the food and feed market, and Congress must provide relief from its unintended consequences. \u00a0  \n                      \t\u00a0 \u00a0  \n                      \tEvery one of my constituents, every American has felt the additional cost of the RFS.\u00a0 Every cattle producer who faces higher feed costs, every family who shops in a grocery store or dines at a restaurant, and every motorist who fills up their tank at the gas station pays the price of this unworkable policy.\u00a0 I look forward to working with you to ease the effects of the RFS for these everyday hardworking Americans.\u00a0 Again, thank you for the opportunity to be here today.\n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-passing-of-nelson-mandela", "Kaine Statement On Passing Of Nelson Mandela", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine Statement On Passing Of Nelson Mandela\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 5, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on the passing of former South African President Nelson Mandela:\u00a0\r\n\"The world has lost a great leader and advocate for equality with the loss of President Mandela but his legacy lives on in a democratic and free South Africa. I join millions across the globe in mourning his passing and hope his life will continue to inspire new generations of leaders to fight for more inclusive and just societies.\"\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-kaine-announce-1-million-grant-to-improve-water-quality-in-wise-county", "Warner, Kaine Announce $1 Million Grant To Improve Water Quality In Wise County", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Warner, Kaine Announce $1 Million Grant To Improve Water Quality In Wise County\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 5, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced today that Virginia has received a $1 million grant from the Department of Agriculture to improve water quality in Wise County. The $1 million grant, combined with a $276,000 loan, will help fund a public sewer system in the communities of Osaka and Roda, which have faced public health issues and environmental concerns due to direct sewage discharge into streams. The project will serve 73 households in Wise County.\r\n\u201cExpanding access to clean, reliable public water supplies has been a priority of mine since I served as Governor, when we extended access to more than 70,000 Virginians while also making record investments in Virginia\u2019s Water Quality Improvement Fund,\u201d Sen. Warner said. \u201cThis is a welcome and significant step to promote public health and support improved water quality in Wise County.\u201d\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s critical for\u00a0public\u00a0health\u00a0and quality of life\u00a0that\u00a0every Virginia community\u00a0can depend on reliable water and wastewater infrastructure,\u201d said Kaine. \"I am pleased with this major new investment\u00a0in Southwest Virginia,\u00a0and I am committed to supporting these essential\u00a0infrastructure\u00a0needs even in tight budgetary times, particularly in rural communities.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=4b086f22-f572-4d27-9fb3-7e0a83f2074a", "Statement on the death of Nelson Mandela", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Mark Warner", "W000805", "www.warner.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner released the following statement:\r\n\"So sad to hear the news about Nelson Mandela. Few people in history have represented such a positive, lifelong force for change. Rest in peace.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=5bda471f-3c63-4a14-8df8-2add0ab1f4ab", "Warner, Kaine Announce $1 Million Grant To Improve Water Quality In Wise County", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Mark Warner", "W000805", "www.warner.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced today that Virginia has received a $1 million grant from the Department of Agriculture to improve water quality in Wise County. The $1 million grant, combined with a $276,000 loan, will help fund a public sewer system in the communities of Osaka and Roda, which have faced public health issues and environmental concerns due to direct sewage discharge into streams. The project will serve 73 households in Wise County.\r\n\u201cExpanding access to clean, reliable public water supplies has been a priority of mine since I served as Governor, when we extended access to more than 70,000 Virginians while also making record investments in Virginia\u2019s Water Quality Improvement Fund,\u201d Sen. Warner said. \u201cThis is a welcome and significant step to promote public health and support improved water quality in Wise County.\u201d\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s critical for\u00a0public\u00a0health\u00a0and quality of life\u00a0that\u00a0every Virginia community\u00a0can depend on reliable water and wastewater infrastructure,\u201d said Kaine. \"I am pleased with this major new investment\u00a0in Southwest Virginia,\u00a0and I am committed to supporting these essential\u00a0infrastructure\u00a0needs even in tight budgetary times, particularly in rural communities.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363414", "Griffith Introduces EPA MACT Act", "2013-12-04", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) yesterday introduced the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Maximum Achievable Contraction of Technocrats (MACT) Act, H.R. 3641.\u00a0 More than nine out of every ten EPA employees were considered \u201cnon-essential\u201d and were furloughed during the recent partial government shutdown.\u00a0 Griffith\u2019s EPA MACT Act would require the EPA Administrator to reduce the EPA\u2019s workforce by 15 percent within three years.\u00a0 It also allows the EPA Administrator to have an additional (4th) year if she deemed it necessary to achieve the goal.\r\nAfter introducing the EPA MACT Act, Griffith issued the following statement:\r\n\u201cThis is the time of year when folks make their Christmas lists, or lay out their hopes and aspirations for the new year.\u00a0 The overwhelming majority of citizens of the Ninth District of Virginia would welcome the inclusion of the EPA MACT Act on their wish lists.\u00a0 It may be asking a lot of Santa for this bill to become law, but the economy of the Ninth District and our people can\u2019t take any more job-killing, unreasonable EPA regulations.\r\n\u201cMany in my area and in coal communities across the nation may wish for the complete elimination of the EPA, but the EPA MACT Act is a more balanced approach.\u00a0 It recognizes that the EPA has put forward some reasonable regulations in the past, and that the agency ought to have the resources in order to be able to continue enforcing those reasonable regulations.\u00a0 Our environment and our communities are better because of earlier actions.\u00a0 Further, the EPA oversees some important programs, such as the grant programs that provide clean water to underserved areas.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cBut, for example, should fire hydrants be subject to EPA drinking water regulations that exempt shower valves and bathtub faucets?\u00a0 My kids often will get a drink from the shower or bathtub faucet, but have never had a drink from a fire hydrant.\u00a0 Do you know many people who regularly drink from a fire hydrant?\u00a0 I don\u2019t.\u00a0 But in October, EPA issued guidance saying that fire hydrants installed after January 4, 2014 must comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act.\u00a0 Communities across the country could have to spend millions of dollars replacing their fire hydrant inventories in order to both keep the public safe and comply with this ridiculous guidance.\r\n\u201cJust yesterday, the House unanimously passed a bipartisan bill that rejects this guidance.\u00a0 But when will it stop?\u00a0 The EPA has been worrying over the \u2018pollution\u2019 emitted by cows (methane) for decades,* and they have even deemed carbon dioxide as harmful! \u00a0Carbon dioxide is one of the gases that all humans emit when exhaling.\u00a0 If you were to take their reasoning to an extreme, the EPA might one day claim to have the authority to regulate the number of children we can have.\u00a0 After all, new human beings will obviously emit the \u2018harmful\u2019 gas carbon dioxide when they start their first cry!\u00a0 I\u2019m not suggesting that the EPA is even thinking about doing that now, but former Chairman John Dingell \u2013 who wrote the Clean Air Act \u2013 has said that he never anticipated that the Clean Air Act would be used to regulate carbon dioxide.**\r\n\u201cClearly, EPA regulators are waging a war on common sense, American manufacturers, jobs, and more.\u00a0 There are real businesses that have closed and real people who have lost their jobs as a result of unreasonable EPA actions.\u00a0 The American people need some relief without delay.\u00a0 This bill would give a small measure of hope to those who face the prospects of the business they work for being shuttered and the loss of their jobs because of an overzealous EPA producing massive new unreasonable regulations.\u201d\r\nA copy of the EPA MACT Act is attached.\r\n\u00a0\r\n###\u00a0 \r\n*http://epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/ch4.html\r\n**http://www.mlive.com/opinion/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/06/viewpoint_congress_never_inten.html  \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-discusses-high-tech-manufacturing-and-workforce-development-in-roanoke", "Kaine Discusses High-Tech Manufacturing And Workforce Development In Roanoke", "2013-12-03", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine Discusses High-Tech Manufacturing And Workforce Development In Roanoke\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 3, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Tim\u00a0Kaine\u00a0visited high-tech manufacturing facility PlasticsOne\u00a0Inc. to learn about the growth of manufacturing in the Roanoke Valley and discuss the importance of developing a talented workforce to meet the needs of a 21st century global economy. While at the facility, Kaine tested the\u00a0ORIGOSafeTM\u00a0product, a cell phone dock that\u00a0aims to reduce distracted driving collisions and enhance road safety by limiting drivers to hands-free functions and disabling handheld cell phone features behind the wheel, including text messaging.\u00a0\u00a0ORIGOSafeTM\u00a0components are manufactured by three Roanoke Valley companies and assembled at\u00a0ORIGO\u2019s\u2122\u00a0headquarters in Roanoke.\r\nDuring the tour, Kaine spoke with PlasticsOne\u00a0Inc. employees and members of the manufacturing community about ways to improve local workforce development programs and equip the next generation of workers with the necessary skills to remain competitive. Kaine also discussed the importance of strengthening career and technical training as well as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in the Commonwealth.\r\n\"American manufacturing is becoming much more technologically sophisticated and we're seeing shortages of people with technical backgrounds,\" said Kaine. \"When I was Governor we worked on creating a technical diploma you could get in high school focusing on career and technical education and I look forward to working on similar legislation at the federal level. There are so many technical jobs that produce a great living, but students don't always receive the information that would allow them to choose those career fields.\"\r\nKaine recently wrote an op-ed on the importance of investing in early childhood education programs and cited the positive impact such programs have had on the competitiveness of Virginia\u2019s workforce. Since July, Kaine has also visited Dublin, Bedford County, South Boston, Culpeper and Centreville to discuss new ideas for integrating STEM curriculum into Virginia\u2019s education system and expanding career and workforce training throughout the Commonwealth.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/focus-on-high-tech-manufacturing-and-homegrown-jobs-as-kaine-visits-roanoke-valley", "Focus on high-tech manufacturing and homegrown jobs as Kaine visits Roanoke Valley", "2013-12-03", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Focus on high-tech manufacturing and homegrown jobs as Kaine visits Roanoke Valley\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Joe Dashiell\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Tuesday, December 3, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            First, he turned the key and nothing happened.\r\nBut once Senator Tim Kaine placed the cell phone in the ORIGOsafe docking station, he was able to start the car.\r\nThe ignition interlock system designed by ORIGO doesn't prevent drivers from making or taking a call, but it keeps the phone out of their hands.\r\nIt's a simple solution, the company says, for parents concerned about teenage drivers, or a company with a fleet of vehicles on the road.\r\nKaine took a closer look at the technology Tuesday during a visit to the Roanoke Valley, and ORIGO wasn't the only company in the spotlight.\r\nKaine visited PlasticsOne where components of the device are manufactured. He spoke with executives of Keltech which makes the circuit boards, and leaders of\u00a0 Corrugated Container Corporation, which produces the packaging.\r\nThe Roanoke Valley companies, Kaine said, prove that American manufacturing is alive and well.\u00a0\r\n\"We still do manufacturing with the best of them,\" Kaine told WDBJ7, \"and PlasticsOne and ORIGO here are producing a really innovative product that's unique in the world, that's one of a kind. And it's a really important safety solution. \"\r\nORIGO founder Clay Skelton says the military and many federal agencies could benefit from using his solution for distracted driving, and he's hopeful Kaine's support will help to open doors for the technology.\r\nHe also believes the Virginia General Assembly should tighten state laws that target texting while driving, so that police officers can pull over a car, if they simply see a phone in the driver's hand.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/roanoke-co-company-hopes-to-end-distracted-driving", "Roanoke Co. Company Hopes to End Distracted Driving", "2013-12-03", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Roanoke Co. Company Hopes to End Distracted Driving\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    David Tate\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Tuesday, December 3, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            A Roanoke County company thinks they have solved a problem that kills thousands of Americans every year: distracted driving.\r\nJust three years old, Origo attributes its success to local partners and key legislation pushed by then Governor Tim Kaine.\r\nThere is no shortage of stories involving distracted driving. If the folks behind Origo have their way, it'll be a thing of the past.\r\nSenator Tim Kaine came to Roanoke County to get an idea about a new homegrown product inspired by his legislation making it illegal to text and drive. The legislation passed in 2009.\r\nClay Skelton says his invention, called OrigoSafe, is an easy way to prevent thousands of deaths every year.\r\n\"It's a long time coming and needs to have more teeth in Virginia and the rest of the country and to give the troopers and the sheriff's and the police what they need to enforce that law,\" Skelton said.\r\n\"If you can solve that problem... look, you are helping quality of life. Very, very powerful for the economy, you're helping businesses that rely on driving but you're also creating jobs right here in Roanoke,\" said Senator Kaine.\r\nWhile Senator Kaine's legislation put OrigoSafe on the drawing board, Skelton's dream was also contingent on different industries. He needed an electronics company, a plastics company, and a packaging company to back him.\r\n\"The first place I looked was on the internet and around the world: Who can mold this plastic? Who can make this circuit board... whatever,\" Skelton said.\r\nThe more Skelton researched, the more he realized the three industries he needed were already in the Roanoke Valley.\r\n\"Before you go looking in another state or another country look in your own backyard because you'll be surprised what you find,\" Skelton said.\r\nSkelton invited the Senator to town to have a look at what the future could bring; vehicles that can only start if the driver's cell phone is securely in place in the OrigoSafe, made in Roanoke, Virginia.\r\nOrigo currently has 11 employees, but the company plans to add more as business grows.\r\nThe growth could come soon, as Origo has been demonstrating to major trucking companies as well as various branches of the armed forces, including the U.S. Army with upcoming dates with the U.S. Marine Corps.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363126", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 12.2.13", "2013-12-02", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bipartisan Bill I Worked On Signed Into Law Last week, President Obama signed into law the Drug Quality and Security Act.\u00a0 This win for common sense came after investigations into last fall\u2019s fungal meningitis outbreak tied to tainted injections prepared by Massachusetts\u2019 New England Compounding Center (NECC). Traditional compounding pharmacies are overseen by State boards of pharmacy.\u00a0 They tend to be small mom-and-pop operations, and make custom medications based on a doctor\u2019s order. The NECC had long ago stopped operating as a traditional compounding pharmacy.\u00a0 Instead, the NECC was engaged in large-volume drug manufacturing without proper prescriptions. The NECC claimed that they were exempt from oversight by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which typically regulates the manufacturers of medicines.\u00a0 Despite the NECC\u2019s claim, I believe that the FDA clearly had the authority they needed to have regulated the NECC and prevented the fungal meningitis outbreak. Despite having received complaints from multiple States about the NECC, the FDA did not step in to investigate NECC for illegal manufacturing or share this important information with other States.\u00a0 My colleague, Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), recently wrote that the Colorado State Board of Pharmacy in 2011 identified issues with the NECC, having determined that the drugs being distributed in Colorado lacked proper prescriptions.\u00a0 She continued, \u201cOur state board issued a cease-and-desist order to the NECC, and notified the Massachusetts Board as well.\u00a0 But that was all it could do; ultimately, it was not enough to stop the NECC's actions and prevent the tragic outbreak that swept across the nation a year later.\u201d Because of this oversight failure, the NECC is reported as having shipped more than 17,600 doses of the tainted steroid injection.\u00a0 FDA investigators later uncovered bacteria and mold at the NECC. But more than 750 people throughout the United States were stricken with fungal meningitis resulting from these injections.\u00a0 Nationwide, 64 people were tragically killed as a result.\u00a0 At least two of those killed were from our region, and others continue to suffer. After hearings into the outbreak, Rep. Gene Green (D-TX), Rep. DeGette, and I began working together on a bill to further define a compounding pharmacy and clarify oversight of the compounding drug manufacturing system.\u00a0 In September, after months of negotiations, we introduced the Compounding Clarity Act (H.R. 3089), which would clarify FDA authority over compounding, particularly over large-scale entities like the NECC that act as drug manufacturers. The Griffith-Green-DeGette bill served as the foundation for the compounding pharmacy inspection portion of the Drug Quality and Security Act, which the President signed into law.\u00a0 It is a bipartisan, bicameral first step to ensure the safety of compounded drugs and help save lives, eliminating perceived confusion as to the oversight of pharmacies like the NECC that have worked the system to skirt both FDA and State regulations. I will continue working on areas that need additional clarification, and will oversee the FDA\u2019s interpretation and implementation of this law. Unfortunately, for some, the Drug Quality and Security Act is too little, too late.\u00a0 And as with many proposals, the bill is not perfect.\u00a0 But it does represent consensus and common sense.\u00a0 I believe it would prevent another NECC-type outbreak from occurring. Next Group to be Regulated \u2013 Piano Teachers According to a recent piece in the Wall Street Journal, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been investigating the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) for \u201canticompetitive practices\u201d that potentially increase the price of music lessons. The MTNA is a voluntary nonprofit organization with just under 22,000 members nationwide.\u00a0 It seeks to support music instructors, primarily at-home piano teachers. The organization\u2019s non-binding code of ethics contained a provision that asked teachers to keep from recruiting pupils from other teachers.\u00a0 Apparently, to the FTC, the principle that Piano Teacher A not actively recruit students from Piano Teacher B is an underhanded, unscrupulous effort to rig the price of music lessons. Never mind this voluntary organization had never enforced its aspirational code, nor had it removed any member as a result of the code.\u00a0 Further, the offending provision has since been removed, eliminating any appearance that the organization is violating the law.\u00a0 But no matter \u2013 federal regulators are after the MTNA. I certainly don\u2019t support price-fixing.\u00a0 Are you aware of local piano teachers conspiring to corner the market and prevent cheaper piano lesson pricing?\u00a0 Is this an ill plaguing our society?\u00a0 I haven\u2019t heard of it!\u00a0 Have you?\u00a0 If you know of a similarly-evil trade monopoly trying to take over music lessons, please let my office know. Or could it be that the federal government just has too many employees? As always, if you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov. \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131154753/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/474", "HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARING ON THE PRESIDENT'S CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY TO ENFORCE LAWS", "2013-12-02", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARING ON THE PRESIDENT'S CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY TO ENFORCE LAWS \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 On Tuesday at 10:00 a.m., the House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on \u201cThe President\u2019s Constitutional Duty to Faithfully Execute the Laws.\u201d Throughout President Obama\u2019s tenure, we\u2019ve witnessed a pattern: when the President disagrees with laws, he circumvents them. Now with Obamacare, President Obama is rewriting his own law, even though the law doesn\u2019t provide him the authority to do so. The Constitution is clear: it is Congress\u2019 duty to write our laws and once they are enacted it is the President\u2019s responsibility to enforce them.\u00a0 Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution declares that the President \u201cshall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.\u201d\u00a0 However, President Obama has failed on several occasions to enforce Acts of Congress that he disagrees with for policy reasons. The President has also stretched his regulatory authority to enact policies refused by Congress. Tomorrow\u2019s hearing will specifically focus on Obamacare: the employer mandate delay, waiver for non-compliant health plans, and contraceptive mandate that violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. It will also address the President\u2019s decision to ignore enforcement of our immigration and federal drug laws. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte released the statement below on tomorrow\u2019s hearing: \u201cPresident Obama has blatantly disregarded the Constitution\u2019s mandate to faithfully execute the laws.\u00a0 He has changed key provisions in Obamacare without congressional approval, failed to enforce our immigration and drug laws, and ignored his Constitutional duties for the sake of politics. It is apparent that the President\u2019s vested interest is not in the protected liberties of the American people, but in the advancement of his own agenda and interests.\u201d Witnesses for tomorrow\u2019s hearing include: \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Mr. Michael F. Cannon, Director of Health Policy Studies, Cato Institute;  \n                      \t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Mr. Nicholas Rosenkranz, Professor, Georgetown University Law Center;  \n                      \t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Mr. Jonathan Turley, Professor, George Washington University Law School; and  \n                      \t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Mr. Simon Lazarus, Senior Counsel, Constitutional Accountability Center. All House Judiciary Committee hearings are webcast live at www.judiciary.house.gov. For more information on the hearing, click here. \n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-discusses-efforts-to-end-sequester-at-bae-in-norfolk", "Kaine Discusses Efforts To End Sequester At BAE In Norfolk", "2013-12-02", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine Discusses Efforts To End Sequester At BAE In Norfolk\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, December 2, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013\u00a0U.S. Senator Tim\u00a0Kaine, a member of the Armed Services Committee and the Budget Conference Committee,\u00a0visited\u00a0BAE Systems Ship Repair in Norfolk\u00a0today to meet with shipyard workers and tour the\u00a0facility.\u00a0During the tour,\u00a0Kaine learned more about the toll sequestration has taken on the ship repair industry, putting both the nation\u2019s security and the regional economy at risk.\r\nThroughout the tour, Kaine spoke with BAE employees and shared the latest on his efforts to replace the across-the-board sequester cuts and restore budget certainty for BAE and other companies in the region. As one of 29 conferees on\u00a0the Budget Conference Committee, Kaine is working to resolve differences between the House and Senate 2014 budgets before\u00a0December 13.\r\n\u201cMy role on the Budget Conference Committee is to come up with a deal that replaces as much of the sequester cuts as we can,\u201d Kaine said at the conclusion of the tour. \u201cThe uncertainty over ship repair contracts puts many important jobs across the region at risk. We're working hard to meet our December 13 deadline and I'm optimistic we will get a deal to replace as many of these harmful across-the-board cuts as we can. And if there are areas where we cannot replace them all, we can restructure them to make them less painful.\u201d\r\nSince passage of the Senate budget in March 2013, Kaine has consistently called for a budget conference between the House and Senate in hopes of returning to normal budgetary order and replacing the damaging sequester cuts that have severely impacted Virginia.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/a-very-personal-reflect-on-school-from-sen-kaine", "A very personal reflect on school from Sen. Kaine", "2013-11-29", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cOne of our children needed an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for one year -- focused attention during that year solved a speech deficit,\u201d Kaine remembers. \u00a0\r\n\u201cSo, the natural question is, why don't we personalize learning for every student? Shouldn't we strive for an educational model that involves individualized education for all? We don't live in a 'one size fits all' world and our education system should reflect that.\u201d\r\nIt\u2019s not as daunting to teach child-by-child as you might think, either.\r\nKaine himself tried, working at a small vocational school in El Progreso, Honduras in 1980-81. \u201cWhen I arrived, a fine carpenter was teaching the boys \u2026 \u00a0He would give students projects that were too easy or too hard,\u201d Kaine writes. \u00a0Kaine worked up a list of about 60 projects for the kids, arranged fromeasiest to hardest and \u201cWithin a few months, the kids were all working on different projects, but developing at their own pace in a way that was simple for a single teacher to administer.\u201d\r\nKaine also writes that his daughter\u2019s experience in Virignia\u2019s Pre-K program convinced him of the importance of early childhood education \u2013 a view that Virginians from across the political spectrum have come to agree on, from Kaine himself to Republican former Gov. George Allen, who kicked off the state effort, and now the state Chamber of Commerce, as it unveiled its Blueprint Virginia proposals for the state's economic development at a conference in Williamsburg last week.\r\n\u201cMy children have all attended schools subject to high stakes tests pursuant to the\u00a0Virginia Standards of Learning\u00a0that were adopted in the 1990s as a forerunner of the federal No Child Left Behind law,\u201d Kaine continues.\r\n\u201cUnlike some who dismiss the idea of tests out of hand, or shake their fists at federal involvement, I see value in having standards and having periodic assessments \u2026 But there are serious problems,\" he writes.\r\nOne is that tests make a minimum standard the benchmark of success, rather than anything more ambitious.\u00a0 Another is a tendency to test too much too early.\r\nTests, particularly those elementary school ones were \"young kids memorize historical facts and figures or struggle with science concepts\" can be counterproductive, he writes. But \u201cThe only bad year we experienced as parents of public school kids was during a first year in middle school,\u201d Kaine continues, as he recalls his family\u2019s experience.\r\nThose are tough years, most of his friends agreed as they talked about their kids\u2019 experiecnes. \u201cPart of this is just adolescence. But I think part of the middle school blues is an uncertainty about its pedagogical purpose,\u201d Kaine writes.\r\nHe thinks one answer might to be start kids thinking more about what their lives as adults might be like.\r\n\u201cThink about this question--what does the average kid know about the world of work?\u201d he asks.\r\nThere\u2019s more to school than sitting in a class sweating over an algebra problem or diagramming a sentence, though.\r\n\u201cAll three of our children started instrumental music in the 3rd grade and played for at least eight years. One son became impassioned in high school by creative writing, architecture and digital video instructors \u2026 Our other son, currently in the military, benefited from musical education by becoming proficient on the trumpet and absorbing important teamwork skills through playing with school bands,\u201d Kaine writes.\r\nWhen his daughter wanted to to go to an arts magnet high school, \u201cI was reluctant, thinking that a more traditional academic curriculum would be perfect for her,\u201d he remembers. She went, though. (Kaine is a listener, after all.) \u201cShe learned perseverance through endless practices and teacher critiques. She learned flexibility and problem-solving--the stage manager has to adjust on the fly when a prop breaks mid-act or an actor unexpectedly jumps ahead three pages in the script,\u201d he writes.\r\n\u201cThe things that really matter for life success don't all fit neatly into today's public school curriculum. Once again, it's about individualization.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363022", "Ninth District Traveling Staff Office Hours for December", "2013-11-27", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Griffith\u2019s Ninth District STAFF will be available at the following locations during the month of December.\u00a0 In the event of inclement weather (heavy snow, sleet, icy rain, etc.), traveling office hours may be rescheduled to avoid putting constituents at risk.\u00a0 Please contact the Christiansburg Office at 540-381-5671 or the Abingdon Office at 276-525-1405 with any questions or to confirm that traveling hours are still in effect.\r\nDecember 4, 2013\u00a0 \r\nSmyth County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nTown Council Chambers  \r\n138 West Main Street  \r\nMarion, VA\r\nCovington: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nCovington City Hall  \r\nCity Hall Conference Room  \r\n333 W. Locust Street  \r\nCovington, VA \r\nCraig County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nCraig County Administration Building   \r\n108 Court Street  \r\nNew Castle, VA\r\nBristol: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm \r\nBristol VA Public Library  \r\nUpstairs Conference Room  \r\n701 Goode Street  \r\nBristol, VA\r\nDecember 6, 2013\r\nMartinsville: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a011:00am \u2013 1:00pm\r\nNCI  \r\nRoom 106 \u2013 Classroom Building  \r\n30 Franklin Street  \r\nMartinsville, VA\r\nScott County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nCommunity Services Building  \r\nCommunity Room  \r\n190 Beech Street  \r\nGate City, VA\r\nNorton: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nNorton City Council Chambers  \r\n618 Virginia Avenue NW  \r\nNorton, VA \r\nDecember 11, 2013\r\nRadford: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nRadford Public Library  \r\nMeeting Room  \r\n30 West Main Street  \r\nRadford, VA\r\nPulaski County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nPulaski County Library  \r\nMeeting Room  \r\n60 3rd Street NW  \r\nPulaski, VA\u00a0\r\nDecember 12, 2013\r\nGrayson County:\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nGrayson County Administration Building  \r\nBoard of Supervisors Room  \r\nSuite 206  \r\n129 Davis Street  \r\nIndependence, VA \r\nRussell County:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 10:00am \u2013 12:00pm  \r\nSouthwest Virginia Technology Development Center  \r\n141 Highland Drive  \r\nLebanon, VA \r\nTazewell County:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2:00pm \u2013 4:00pm  \r\nBluefield Town Hall \u2013 Council Chambers  \r\n112 Huffard Drive  \r\nBluefield, VA \r\nGalax: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nGalax Municipal Building  \r\nConference Room  \r\n111 E. Main Street  \r\nGalax, VA\u00a0 \r\nDecember 13, 2013\r\nWise County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nBig Stone Gap Federal Courthouse  \r\n3rd Floor Room 303  \r\n332 Wood Avenue E  \r\nBig Stone Gap, VA\r\nAlleghany County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nClifton Forge Library  \r\nConference Room  \r\n535 Church Street  \r\nClifton Forge, VA 24422\u00a0 \r\nDickenson County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nDickenson Center for Education & Research  \r\n818 Happy Valley Drive  \r\nClintwood, VA\r\nRoanoke County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\u00a0\u00a0 \r\nRoanoke Library Hollins Branch  \r\n6624 Peters Creek Road  \r\nRoanoke, VA\r\nDecember 17, 2013\u00a0 \r\nGiles County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nPearisburg Town Hall  \r\n112 Tazewell Street  \r\nPearisburg, VA\r\nTazewell County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nRichlands Town Hall  \r\n200 Washington Square  \r\nRichlands, VA Buchanan County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm  \r\nGrundy Town Hall  \r\n1185 Plaza Drive   \r\nGrundy VA Salem: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nSalem Library  \r\n28 East Main Street  \r\nSalem, VA\u00a0 \r\nDecember 18, 2013\r\nHenry County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nBassett Historical Society\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0   \r\n3964 Fairystone Parkway  \r\nBassett, VA\r\nBland County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nBland County Courthouse  \r\nAdmin. Office Room 200  \r\n612 Main Street  \r\nBland, VA\r\nWythe County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nWythe County Sheriff\u2019s Office  \r\nConference Room  \r\n245 South 4th Street  \r\nWytheville, VA\r\nPatrick County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nPatrick County Administration Building  \r\nConference Room  \r\n106 Rucker Street  \r\nStuart, VA\u00a0\u00a0\r\nDecember 19, 2013\r\nLee County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nLee County Sheriff\u2019s Office  \r\nConference Room  \r\n33640 Main Street \u2013 Suite U101  \r\nJonesville, VA\r\nDecember 20, 2013\r\nCarroll County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a010:00am \u2013 12:00pm\r\nCarroll County Administration Building  \r\nBoard of Supervisors Room   \r\n605 \u2013 1 Pine Street  \r\nHillsville, VA\u00a0 \r\nFloyd County: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a02:00pm \u2013 4:00pm\r\nFloyd County Library  \r\n321 W. Main Street  \r\nFloyd, VA\r\n**Please contact the Christiansburg Office at 540-381-5671 or the Abingdon Office at 276-525-1405 with any questions.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/lessons-learned-from-40-school-years", "Lessons Learned from 40 School Years", "2013-11-27", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Lessons Learned from 40 School Years\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n                Guest post by Tim Kaine, senator and former governor of Virginia.\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Tom Segal\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Wednesday, November 27, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            Guest post by Tim Kaine, senator and former governor of Virginia.\r\nTom's note: Inarguably, there is no single sector of the economy that influences the rest quite as directly and profoundly as K-12 education. This is the sector that prepares our future generations of leaders, innovators, producers, consumers, mothers, fathers, and citizens. As taxpayers, we all play a role in financing the K-12 education system, but a select few possess the power to heavily influence where those funds are allocated and how that system is constructed. As such, I thought it might be a valuable exercise to give these folks at the top of the public policy food chain a place to voice their education-related opinions (edpinions?), a place to recall their own observations of the K-12 education system, so that you, the loyal reader, might better understand the experiences and beliefs that are at the core of our national (and global) progress.\r\nAmazingly, somebody with legitimate influence agreed with me. With that, allow me to present the following words from\u00a0Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.)\u00a0on the things he has learned as a parent, consumer, and participant within the K-12 education system. Many thanks to Sen. Kaine and his team for facilitating this blog post. Sen. Kaine, the floor is yours:\r\n  My wife Anne and I are now empty-nesters. Our daughter just left home for college, joining two older brothers out in the wide world. We are experiencing many emotions--pride in our three kids, hope that we've given them the character skills to negotiate life's ups and downs, melancholia over the passage of time, and curiosity about how we'll manage the shift to a kid-free house after 23 years.\r\nEarlier this summer, it also dawned on me that Anne and I are done with our journey through American public education. Our kids all went to Richmond Public Schools (RPS). They attended neighborhood elementary schools, neighborhood and magnet middle schools, and magnet high schools. My youngest even spent a year in our state's recently initiated Pre-K program. They've spent a combined total of 40 years in public pre-K/12 classrooms.\r\nI've worked hard as a public official on educational issues like early childhood programs, career and technical education, and curricular reform. When I was Richmond's mayor, I visited a city school every Tuesday morning. When I was lieutenant governor and governor, I visited at least one school in every one of Virginia's 134 cities and counties. And my wife Anne has interacted intimately with kids and the school system during her career as a juvenile court judge and foster care reform advocate. And yet, despite our professional involvement, our real knowledge of public education comes from back-to-school nights, parent-teacher conferences, helping with homework, pulling crumpled notes to parents out of backpacks, attending plays, band concerts, dance recitals, sporting events, and the countless other interactions that involved parents have with their kids' schools.\r\nSo, what have we learned?\r\nLet's start with the most important thing: we're enormously grateful to the teachers and administrators who have shepherded our children. RPS is a challenged urban system in many ways. More than 75 percent of students are on free and reduced lunch. Eighty-five percent of the students are racial minorities. State and local funding has been stressed during the recession. There are many schools with marginal student performance, at least as measured on standardized tests. The schools are often in the news more for political squabbles among the school board than for student achievement. But for all the challenges, a kid with engaged parents can get a wonderful academic and life-rounding education from dedicated teachers in our city. Parental engagement in their child's education is critical to a child being successful in school.\r\nI've been reflecting on other lessons as well--lessons for policy-makers. We know education is key to both individual success and to the economic success of our nation. And we all read the stories about American slippage, whether in international test score rankings or higher education attainment. We know we have to be stronger, but much of the policy debate seems stale to me. Is better high-stakes testing, or charter schools, or more dollars invested the best we can do in terms of educational innovation? With those questions in mind, I've decided to summarize seven changes I'd like to see in American public education based on lessons learned--not through 17 years in elected office--but through 40 school years of accompanying our three kids through American public education.\r\n1) It's About the Individual!\r\nWhile the most debated current reform trends have been the accountability movement (emphasizing curricular standards and high stakes testing) and charter schools, I have come to believe that the future of education has been right under our nose for nearly 40 years. The 1975 passage of the federal Education for All Handicapped Children Act, which served as the basis for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1990, is an example of how one-size testing for all does not meet the needs of every child, but instead shows us that it is about individualized education.\r\nBefore 1975, only one in five kids with disabilities were accommodated in our nation's public schools. The massive loss in life happiness and productivity because so many children were kept out of school due to disability, or not treated in a way to maximize their success, was tragic and incalculable. But the 1975 Act ushered in a new era, where children with identified disabilities are entitled to individualized education plans that tailor instruction to their own particular condition. And the gains that our young people have experienced as a result have been great.\r\nOne of our children needed an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for one year--focused attention during that year solved a speech deficit. Many children have the same experience of getting a diagnosis, obtaining treatment for a short period of time and then moving away from specialized assistance to success in the mainstream setting. Numerous children who qualify for early intervention services due to a diagnosed disability are able to overcome deficits while three and four years of age and then enter kindergarten without any special assistance. And the parents and children who have benefited from a long-term IEP throughout their schooling are generally great witnesses to the success of the program.\r\nThere are various criticisms of the IDEA and the IEP model, including the unfulfilled promise by the federal government to fund 40 percent of the national average per pupil expenditure; currently the federal contribution is about 17 to 20 percent. For schools, the special education laws are expensive to administer. For teachers, the paperwork surrounding creation and implementation of an IEP can be cumbersome. For parents, there can be tense negotiation with financially strapped schools over the level of service required. And some critics believe that there is an over-diagnosis of disability among minority students.\r\nBut all the criticisms of the program ends up being about how to improve it. Unlike No Child Left Behind, which still has critics who want to abolish it, there is no active effort to undo the basic model for educating students with disabilities.\r\nSo, the natural question is, why don't we personalize learning for every student? Shouldn't we strive for an educational model that involves individualized education for all?\r\nWe don't live in a \"one size fits all\" world and our education system should reflect that. And with new technology tools, we have a much greater ability to have students self-pace with the assistance of teachers who are able to recognize when students achieve mastery of material sufficient to move on to higher levels. As we approach discussions about the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind, a focus on individualized education should be paramount.\r\nI had a very modest experience with this kind of learning when I was principal of a small vocational school in El Progreso, Honduras from 1980 to 1981. Jesuit missionaries had started the school to help teenage boys learn basic carpentry skills. When I arrived, a fine carpenter was teaching the boys, but he was a good craftsman and not a trained teacher. He would give students projects that were too easy or too hard; the students were not developed in a strategic way. I watched him for a few weeks, then made a list of about 60 projects students might be asked to do, did technical drawings for the projects, arranged them from easiest to hardest, and gave the project book to the carpenter. With a simple project book, he could start all students on the first project and allow them to move on to the next project only when they had completed it to his satisfaction. Within a few months, the kids were all working on different projects, but developing at their own pace in a way that was simple for a single teacher to administer. This is a simple example of how individualized learning can work. The advent of computerized learning programs gives today's tech-savvy teachers even greater ability to help students develop in this way.\r\nI think a focus on individualized education also picks up an important insight from the special education world. Just as a child might have a specific identified disability, it is also the case that children have specific abilities different from the kids sitting across the aisle. The curricular world of standardized tests, where excellence is measured in a few limited spheres that a state educational apparatus chooses to test, can overlook specific areas where a student is likely to be a high performer, and thus more fulfilled in school and beyond.\r\nI like the fact that an individualized focus can break down some of the stereotyping that always follows from looking just at subgroup performance. No Child Left Behind's attention to performance of racial minorities and students with disabilities has been generally positive because we've uncovered the tendency of averages to mask educational disparities. But students shouldn't just be treated as part of some meta-group. The variations within demographic groups are huge, based on income, region, family status or other factors. More focus on the individual is more likely to lead to success for the individual and the whole.\r\n2) Early Childhood Education Works\r\nVirginia started a modest early childhood education program after my two sons had already entered elementary school. My daughter, however, was just the right age to experience the program. And while my boys did have a good experience with high quality private child care programs, the value of my daughter's comprehensive pre-K year, with a curriculum coordinated to accelerate K-12 success, made me a believer.\r\nThe research on the effect of high-quality early childhood education is powerful. My favorite writer on the topic is an economist, Nobel laureate James Heckman, who calculates how public investments accelerate economic growth. He concludes that investments in early childhood education have one of the greatest returns of any public investment. Many states, including Virginia, have used this data to dramatically expand early childhood programs.\r\nEarly childhood programs take advantage of brain research showing that 90 percent of brain development is complete before age five. Thus, an earlier start helps brain development at the time when the effects are most likely to be significant. And research shows that the value of the program is most powerful for children who might otherwise have learning barriers like developmental disabilities, lack of access to books or other learning material, a home where English isn't the primary language. Part of this benefit comes from getting parents more engaged in learning so they can supplement their child's educational experience at home. Early diagnosis and educational intervention helps many students who would otherwise be in special education classes to thrive in mainstream classrooms. And there is a demonstrable link between early childhood education and the reduced chance of having to repeat a grade later in school.\r\nWe should do all we can to continue the expansion of high quality early childhood programs, with clear standards, mandated teacher training, and coordination with K-12 curricula. And it's not just about spending more money. We have to better coordinate the money we already spend for early childhood programs. When I was governor, I did spend more money, expanding our statewide pre-K placements by 40 percent even in the midst of a deep recession. But I also found that the state spent money for some early childhood programs, including pre-kindergarten and special education placements, through our Department of Education. Meanwhile other programs, including Head Start and child care placements funded as part of Welfare to Work, were funded separately through our Department of Social Services. Often, the placements funded through Social Services were not required to offer the same educationally-enriching experience as those funded through the state's education agency. And this silo approach to funding was driven by federal policy. I put one leader in charge of the allocation of all the funds, and she mandated greater educational accountability in all settings regardless of where the dollars were coming from. We need to undertake a similar coordination of the educational investment at the federal level.\r\nSomeday soon, a governor will decide to lead a salutary change by adjusting K-12 education downward to begin at age 4, finishing at age 17, instead of the current 5 to 18 age norm that was set before we fully understood patterns of brain development. There is no question that there is a higher public return on investing in education for a student from age 4 to 5 than from age 17 to 18. I predict that we will eventually move to an earlier start to public education and experience great educational improvements as a result.\r\n3) Elementary Education: Teach Less, Learn More\r\nI once visited a Virginia elementary school that had just received notice of its performance on annual state tests. The students had knocked it out of the park. Walking into a meeting with teachers, I assumed they would be elated and began my remarks with a hearty congratulations for their performance. My comments provoked a 45-minute discussion with the teachers about the foolishness of \"test culture\" as applied to elementary school students. Clearly, even in a successful school, I had hit a nerve.\r\nMy children have all attended schools subject to high-stakes tests pursuant to the Virginia Standards of Learning that were adopted in the 1990s as a forerunner of the federal No Child Left Behind law. I have many thoughts about these tests. Unlike some who dismiss the idea of tests out of hand, or shake their fists at federal involvement, I see value in having standards and having periodic assessments to see whether students are meeting standards. And while I hear complaints about how standards and testing rob teachers of the ability to be creative, I have seen many teachers who are able to convey uniform material in fun and creative ways.\r\nBut there are serious problems. The current accountability regime focuses its effort on making sure all students clear a minimum performance standard, without the proper focus on helping students achieve excellence. Minimal performance isn't enough in today's world, yet most state high stakes test regimes make that the benchmark.\r\nAnother serious problem with our testing regime is the tendency to test too much too early. Stealing a phrase from a recent era of education reform in Singapore, I think we should \"teach less and learn more\" in elementary school by simplifying standards.\r\nMost agree that ability to read on grade level and attain basic skills in math should be the hallmark of a solid elementary education. But while math and language fluency are key building blocks for later success in all areas, we foolishly load elementary school kids up with additional curricular requirements. This has the effect of diluting early focus on language and math literacy that is key to later educational success in all areas.\r\nI would summarize elementary education to be simply about attaining math and language literacy. Social studies texts and projects should be used to help students attain more reading fluency; basic science problems should be used to help students with math. But making young kids memorize historical facts and figures or struggle with science concepts so that they can pass subject matter tests in those areas is counterproductive. Science and social studies in the elementary curriculum is fine, but mandated state testing of elementary school kids should be limited to math and language fluency.\r\nThis point about elementary school also has an application to all public education. I often wonder whether testing is really about kids or about the testing companies' bottom lines. A Virginia public school student today--in addition to the tests and quizzes that are always part of the classroom experience--has to take over 30 state exams between 3rd and 11th grades in order to be on track to graduate from high school. When my kids started in school, they were given state tests in the 3rd, 5th and 8th grades to make sure that they were progressing in a way to predict high school success. Now, the mandated tests occur every year, and there are often multiple tests each year. But as our student performance on nationally and internationally normed tests (like NAEP and PISA) show, the fixation over repetitive state testing is not producing better results.\r\n4) Middle School as Career Exploration\r\nThe only bad year we experienced as parents of public school kids was during a first year in middle school. There were many challenges, from school leadership to student attitude. But as we wrestled with it, and talked to friends, it slowly dawned on me that the low point for me and most parents was middle school. It's a tough time for kids. Part of this is just adolescence. But I think part of the middle school blues is an uncertainty about its pedagogical purpose.\r\nElementary school is about trying to master the basics. High school is about preparing for life and career choices. What is middle school really about?\r\nIn keeping with my individualization theme described earlier, I'd re-conceive middle school as fundamentally about career exploration. This is less about a change in curriculum and more about using all pieces of the curriculum to expose students to the wide range of available work and career choices so that, by the time they enter high school, they will be more informed about future paths and what they need to do to pursue them.\r\nThink about this question: what does the average kid know about the world of work? Most know what their parents do and maybe a neighbor or two. But even for kids from advantaged backgrounds, knowledge of the working world tends to be very limited. And if a child is from an impoverished background, their awareness of career possibilities is often very circumscribed.\r\nSo fix the pedagogical muddle that is middle school with an intense focus on exposing students to continuous education about career choices. There should be a real focus on helping students explore their own strengths and preferences and how they match up with likely future careers. Do you want to work with people or do you love being in front of a computer? Do you want to do work with your hands or perform mostly mental tasks? Use the three years of middle school to really explore student personality and talents and help them identify areas where they can be happy and productive as adults. There are an increasing number of schools and online resources that engage middle school students in career planning exercises, often with the involvement of teachers, school counselors and, most importantly, their parents or guardians. These efforts are done with a healthy dose of reality. Most middle-schoolers will not really know what they want to do as an adult. But by presenting students with options, and educating them about what it takes to pursue a desired career path, you get them into a planning mode where they think more about the future and about how the work of today connects with later success.\r\n5) High School: Different Paths to Success\r\nIn the old days, high schools often assigned kids into separate tracks, normally an academic and vocational track. The tracking was done in a way that made kids feel that vocational fields were second best. But in today's world, with so many promising technical fields, there should be multiple tracks with students not assigned, but choosing the path most likely to make them happy and successful in later life.\r\nThere has been a dramatic re-awakening in career and technical education at the high school level. I saw this all over Virginia when I was governor and tried to accelerate the trend with the creation of governor's career and technical academies around the state. Some students chose the technical course options to become work ready and pursue health care, technology, mechanical or construction-related careers. But others, feeling bored by a steady diet of the classroom, found that taking one or two technical courses is a great complement to academic subjects.\r\nAs governor, I met a student who was attending one of the governor's academies in Arlington, Va. His mother pushed him to the front of a room and made him tell his story. He was a mid-level student at his comprehensive high school, not overly interested in the classroom subjects because he didn't see their relevance to life success. His family had the inspired idea to enroll him in an EMT class at the nearby technical center. Suddenly, working with his hands on real life issues, he was engaged and excited. And soon, it started to dawn on him that biology and chemistry were really important and his grades in his traditional classes started to increase as well. I ran into him a few years later and found he was attending a prestigious university and studying to pursue a career in medicine. Now, instead of separate and unequal tracks, technical coursework can enhance academic success and vice versa.\r\nVirginia has embraced the \"different paths\" ethos in high school by creating different diploma types. Taking the basic academic courses will enable you to receive a \"standard\" diploma. The basic courses plus a technical concentration earns a student a \"technical\" diploma. The basic courses plus advanced academic coursework entitles a student to an \"advanced\" diploma. Add technical coursework to the advanced academic curriculum and you can receive the \"advanced technical\" diploma.\r\nThe great thing about these four different diploma types is that they are not the forced academic tracking of an earlier day. They are choices open to all students who are ideally told about the options in middle school and can then set their course as they see fit. Add to the diploma types the myriad of other choices--Advance Placement courses, dual enrollment in community college courses, passage of industry certification exams--and today's high school transcript becomes a highly personalized learning resume.\r\n6) Value the Unvalued\r\nThe Richmond schools are fiscally challenged and beset with state testing mandates. There's no real incentive anymore to offer top quality arts or music instruction. The same goes for physical education. But despite all contrary pressures, our kids' schools held on to arts and music with fierce determination. All three of our children started instrumental music in the 3rd grade and played for at least eight years. One son became impassioned in high school by creative writing, architecture and digital video instructors and is pursuing college studies in filmmaking and photography. Our other son, currently in the military, benefited from musical education by becoming proficient on the trumpet and absorbing important teamwork skills through playing with school bands.\r\nI learned the most about the value of arts education from my daughter. In elementary school it was clarinet, school plays and a wonderful in-school dance program sponsored by the Richmond Ballet. In middle school, it was band, her ongoing dance work and classes in painting, stained glass and cartooning at a neighboring visual arts center. When she wanted to go to an arts magnet high school, I was reluctant, thinking that a more traditional academic curriculum would be perfect for her. But I didn't fully grasp the connection between arts education and important life and career skills. She learned to communicate with confidence, standing repeatedly on a stage before an auditorium full of strangers over the years has given her poise and presence. She learned perseverance through endless practices and teacher critiques. She learned flexibility and problem-solving--the stage manager has to adjust on the fly when a prop breaks mid-act or an actor unexpectedly jumps ahead three pages in the script. And all her work--plays, dance troupes, show choirs--has been done in groups of energetic teenagers who have to harness their own points of view and make them about the group.\r\nCreativity, teamwork, communication--these are real and meaningful skills for life success. Arts and music education promotes these skills. Most organizations hiring employees look for people who can demonstrate these traits. But we don't really place an academic value on them in the traditional high-stakes testing academic focus.\r\nHere's another shocker. We all hear stories about how many jobs are available in fields like computer programming and software engineering. Companies have to hire foreign citizens to fill these jobs because we don't produce enough Americans skilled in these areas. Most states have requirements that high school students take a certain amount of science, but computer science classes generally don't count as core science classes and are instead offered just as electives. How foolish!\r\nThe things that really matter for life success don't all fit neatly into today's public school curriculum. Once again, it's about individualization. But it's also critical for teachers and parents to see education as a matter of exposure to different opportunities so that students can find their own passion. It may not fit neatly into a mandated curriculum. But, let's at least create space for this kind of exploration and personal development in our schools.\r\n7) Keeping Good Teachers\r\nLet me finish with the gratitude I expressed at the beginning about teachers. I am in debt to the teachers my kids were blessed to learn from in the Richmond Public Schools. Of course there were some weak teachers, as well as some new teachers who have no doubt gotten better. But most of my children's teachers were solid, some were spectacular and a few made a life-changing impact on their lives and career choices.\r\nI am amazed at how much good teachers give, in the classroom and out of it. The late hours for theater practices, weekend walking tours for kids around town to see Richmond's architecture in a new way, travel with the band year-in and year-out to music festivals around the state and beyond. Good teachers go well beyond the classroom to touch kids' lives.\r\nWhen I hear policy debate about teachers, it often seems that the fundamental goal is to figure out how to get rid of bad teachers. Evaluation systems get put in place and have no upside, but only the downside of being used to weed out the poor performers. The current trend is to figure out how to link teacher evaluations to individual student performance. Such an effort could make teachers want to avoid serving our neediest kids.\r\nWhile I am a huge supporter for regular teacher evaluation, and believe these evaluations should be used for all manner of actions, I think the right policy focus for our work with teachers is to pay less attention to \"how to get rid of bad teachers\" and instead focus on the more important challenge, how to attract and keep good teachers. Low pay, hard challenges, lack of parental support for so many kids, endless rounds of mandated testing crowding out individual opportunities for creativity in the classroom, all take their toll. In my experience, many great prospective teachers choose other options in college and many others cut short their desired careers to pursue other work.\r\nA policy focus on attracting and keeping good teachers would involve our schools of education. I hope some will choose to be the leaders in the kind of individualized learning that has been the main theme of my suggestions. The pay of teachers is another issue that should be the focus of national discussion. Traditionally, this is a matter for states and local governments and not a federal issue. But, at the national level, we should show how teacher compensation practices in this country stack up to the \"best in class\" education systems worldwide.\r\nA final area is professional development. We want students to be lifelong learners and we should want teachers and other education personnel to be lifelong learners as well. There is a dizzying array of new learning tools and technologies introduced every year and we need our teachers to keep current and redesign their approaches throughout their careers. So we need strong professional development for teachers that will enhance and build on instructional knowledge. Many teachers pursue a rigorous national certification process after they have a few years of classroom experience. The multi-year certification process is a powerful form of professional development. How about a federal commitment to provide a salary enhancement for teachers who achieve this distinction?", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/warner-kaine-call-on-administration-for-sustained-ceo-leadership-to-fix-healthcaregov", "Warner, Kaine Call on Administration for Sustained CEO Leadership to Fix Healthcare.Gov", "2013-11-26", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Warner, Kaine Call on Administration for Sustained CEO Leadership to Fix Healthcare.Gov\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tAs technical problems with healthcare website continue, Senators urge President to swiftly appoint leadership to oversee fixes through 2015 enrollment period\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, November 26, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 As Americans continue to experience technical difficulties with federal and state health insurance enrollment, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine joined a coalition of Senators in calling on President Obama to quickly appoint a long-term replacement for Jeffrey Zients, who is departing to become director of the National Economic Council on January 2, to oversee the technical repair of healthcare.gov.\r\nIn a letter delivered to the Administration today, the Senators called on President Obama to appoint an individual who would report directly to the president and be \u201cempowered with the authority to ensure that healthcare.gov is fixed quickly, completely, and permanently.\u201d\r\n\u201cWhile we cannot go backward and correct mistakes made, we must now work together to fix the law so that it works for all Americans,\u201d the letter read.\r\nThe Senators continued,\u00a0 \u201cA project of this size and scope demands the sustained leadership and day-to-day management of a chief executive officer \u2013 someone whose sole responsibility would be an unrelenting focus on healthcare.gov and who has experience overseeing large and complex consumer-facing technology projects.\u201d\r\n\u201cSustaining the steady management focus that this position has already brought to the project would go a long way toward earning back the trust jeopardized by last month\u2019s deeply flawed rollout,\u201d the Senators added.\r\nThe full text of the Senators\u2019 letter is below:\u00a0\r\nNovember 25, 2013\r\nPresident Barack Obama  The White House  1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.  Washington, DC 20500  Dear Mr. President:\r\nAs supporters of the Affordable Care Act, we have been deeply disappointed and frustrated with the many problems surrounding the law\u2019s rollout, including the initial failure of the healthcare.gov website.\u00a0\r\nThese early missteps are all the more unfortunate because of the potential benefits of the Affordable Care Act.\u00a0 An effective implementation of this law would mean that millions of Americans would no longer be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions, have to worry about caps on lifetime benefits, or pay a co-pay or deductible to receive preventive services.\u00a0 Women will no longer be charged higher premiums simply because of their gender, young adults can stay on their parents\u2019 plans until they are 26, and those without employer coverage can purchase affordable health insurance on the exchange with subsidies for low and middle-income families.\r\nWhile we cannot go backward and correct mistakes made, we must now work together to fix the law so that it works for all Americans.\u00a0 To that end, we appreciate that your administration is making a concerted effort to improve the functionality of healthcare.gov, and we commend your decision to appoint Jeffrey Zients to manage this critical project.\u00a0 He has a record of success and strong leadership in the federal government and the private sector, and we agree that Mr. Zients is the right person to lead these efforts.\u00a0 But with Mr. Zients departing to become director of the National Economic Council on January 2nd, we urge you to quickly appoint a replacement and extend the duration of the position until after the 2015 open-enrollment period concludes.\r\nA project of this size and scope demands the sustained leadership and day-to-day management of a chief executive officer \u2013 someone whose sole responsibility would be an unrelenting focus on healthcare.gov and who has experience overseeing large and complex consumer-facing technology projects.\r\nThe position should report directly to you and should be empowered with the authority to ensure that healthcare.gov is fixed quickly, completely, and permanently.\r\nLike you, we want the Affordable Care Act to succeed and for every American to enjoy the health and cost benefits it can provide, but the law\u2019s success is inextricably tied to the confidence of the American people.\u00a0 Sustaining the steady management focus that this position has already brought to the project would go a long way toward earning back the trust jeopardized by last month\u2019s deeply flawed rollout.\r\nSincerely,\r\nSignatories:\r\nJeanne Shaheen (D-NH); Richard Blumenthal (D-CT); Mark Warner (D-VA); Christopher A. Coons (D-DE); Mary Landrieu (D-LA); Mark Udall (D-CO); Tim Kaine (D-VA)\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/va-senators-hope-for-plan-to-delay-some-defense-cuts", "Va. senators hope for plan to delay some defense cuts", "2013-11-26", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Va. senators hope for plan to delay some defense cuts\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Bill Bartel\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Tuesday, November 26, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            Virginia's two U.S. senators predicted Monday that a committee attempting to reach a budget deal and avoid another government shutdown may be able to provide relief from some automatic defense cuts - but not all of them.\r\nSens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine aren't expecting the panel to draft a long-range plan to address deficit and spending issues, but they hope to see a one- or two-year budget that gives some certainty to federal spending.\r\nThe two Democrats are part of the 29-member House and Senate committee formed in October, in the wake of the government shutdown, tasked with drafting an annual budget. Congress approved a temporary spending plan to reopen the government after the 16-day shutdown.\r\nThe bipartisan group has until mid-December to draft a plan for the consideration of the entire Congress before Jan. 15, when the government runs out of money.\r\n\"The 'big deal' is probably not going to happen this time,\" Warner said in a radio interview in Charlottesville. \"What may happen - and what I hope will happen - is we at least get a budget for the rest of this year and maybe next year and get rid of the worst parts of sequestration.\"\r\nSequestration, a mandatory, decadelong reduction of $1.2 trillion from defense and domestic programs that began earlier this year, will likely not be stopped entirely but could be slowed, the senators predicted. If no changes are made, the Pentagon is required to cut $52 billion over the next 11 months.\r\nThe defense cuts are particularly worrisome for many in Hampton Roads, where the Navy has said it would have to scale back ship repairs and other contract work and curtail some military operations. Kaine and Warner also have noted that the non-defense cuts mean significant reductions in research, education and other programs.\r\nThe task facing Congress: find a way to blunt the planned cuts by approving new revenue, substituting other cuts or a combination of the two, without adding to the federal deficit.\r\n\"This is not talking about spending additional money and adding additional deficit,\" Warner said. \"If we're going to get relief from the spending cuts, it has to be paid for. It means we have to cut somewhere else.\"\r\nKaine said it's possible the automatic cuts could be \"restructured\" so that some are postponed, giving defense officials and others more time to plan.\r\n\"Some of the sequester cuts are most dangerous because without being able to plan in advance, you just kind of have to make them in an ugly way,\" he said.\r\nThe House-Senate committee has met twice publicly, with the bulk of the work and negotiations being conducted privately by its senior leaders, Sen. Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat, and Rep. Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, who lead the budget committees in the two chambers.\r\nKaine said committee members, both Democrats and Republicans, share a desire to reach some kind of deal.\r\n\"I think everybody realized the shutdown was bad for the country and generally bad for the politics of anybody who was on the pro-shutdown side,\" he said.\r\nWarner said in a telephone interview that he's \"cautiously optimistic\" a deal can be reached, but he's \"not in the room\" for the private talks.\r\nIt's a work in progress.\r\n\"Nothing is done until it's done,\" he said.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=71b782a2-8b03-4cc1-8d0a-65537b3d001c", "Warner, Kaine Call on Administration for Sustained CEO Leadership to Fix Healthcare.Gov", "2013-11-26", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Mark Warner", "W000805", "www.warner.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 As Americans continue to experience technical difficulties with federal and state health insurance enrollment, U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine joined a coalition of Senators in calling on President Obama to quickly appoint a long-term replacement for Jeffrey Zients, who is departing to become director of the National Economic Council on January 2, to oversee the technical repair of healthcare.gov.\r\nIn a letter delivered to the Administration today, the Senators called on President Obama to appoint an individual who would report directly to the president and be \u201cempowered with the authority to ensure that healthcare.gov is fixed quickly, completely, and permanently.\u201d\r\n\u201cWhile we cannot go backward and correct mistakes made, we must now work together to fix the law so that it works for all Americans,\u201d the letter read.\r\nThe Senators continued,\u00a0 \u201cA project of this size and scope demands the sustained leadership and day-to-day management of a chief executive officer \u2013 someone whose sole responsibility would be an unrelenting focus on healthcare.gov and who has experience overseeing large and complex consumer-facing technology projects.\u201d\r\n\u201cSustaining the steady management focus that this position has already brought to the project would go a long way toward earning back the trust jeopardized by last month\u2019s deeply flawed rollout,\u201d the Senators added.\r\n\u00a0\r\nThe full text of the Senators\u2019 letter is below:\r\n\u00a0\r\nNovember 25, 2013\r\n\u00a0\r\nPresident Barack Obama\r\nThe White House\r\n1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.\r\nWashington, DC 20500\r\n\u00a0\r\nDear Mr. President:\r\nAs supporters of the Affordable Care Act, we have been deeply disappointed and frustrated with the many problems surrounding the law\u2019s rollout, including the initial failure of the healthcare.gov website.\u00a0\r\nThese early missteps are all the more unfortunate because of the potential benefits of the Affordable Care Act.\u00a0 An effective implementation of this law would mean that millions of Americans would no longer be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions, have to worry about caps on lifetime benefits, or pay a co-pay or deductible to receive preventive services.\u00a0 Women will no longer be charged higher premiums simply because of their gender, young adults can stay on their parents\u2019 plans until they are 26, and those without employer coverage can purchase affordable health insurance on the exchange with subsidies for low and middle-income families.\r\nWhile we cannot go backward and correct mistakes made, we must now work together to fix the law so that it works for all Americans.\u00a0 To that end, we appreciate that your administration is making a concerted effort to improve the functionality of healthcare.gov, and we commend your decision to appoint Jeffrey Zients to manage this critical project.\u00a0 He has a record of success and strong leadership in the federal government and the private sector, and we agree that Mr. Zients is the right person to lead these efforts.\u00a0 But with Mr. Zients departing to become director of the National Economic Council on January 2nd, we urge you to quickly appoint a replacement and extend the duration of the position until after the 2015 open-enrollment period concludes.\r\nA project of this size and scope demands the sustained leadership and day-to-day management of a chief executive officer \u2013 someone whose sole responsibility would be an unrelenting focus on healthcare.gov and who has experience overseeing large and complex consumer-facing technology projects.\r\nThe position should report directly to you and should be empowered with the authority to ensure that healthcare.gov is fixed quickly, completely, and permanently.\r\nLike you, we want the Affordable Care Act to succeed and for every American to enjoy the health and cost benefits it can provide, but the law\u2019s success is inextricably tied to the confidence of the American people.\u00a0 Sustaining the steady management focus that this position has already brought to the project would go a long way toward earning back the trust jeopardized by last month\u2019s deeply flawed rollout.\r\n\u00a0\r\nSincerely,\r\n\u00a0\r\nSignatories:\r\nJeanne Shaheen (D-NH); Richard Blumenthal (D-CT); Mark Warner (D-VA); Christopher A. Coons (D-DE); Mary Landrieu (D-LA); Mark Udall (D-CO); Tim Kaine (D-VA)", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362866", "Congressman Griffith's Weekly E-Newsletter 11.25.13", "2013-11-25", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Many children are taught that America\u2019s First Thanksgiving took place in 1621 at Massachusetts\u2019 Plymouth Plantation.\u00a0 But it is Virginia, and not the Bay State, that has the right to claim ownership of the First English settlement Thanksgiving.  \n\u00a0  \nIn 1619 \u2013 around a year before the pilgrims even arrived at Plymouth \u2013 a group of English colonists arrived at Berkeley Plantation and established the Thanksgiving tradition.\u00a0 In accordance with instructions sent by the London Company, upon arriving at Berkeley, Captain John Woodlief and fellow colonists prayed*: \n\u201cWe ordain that this day of our ship's arrival, at the place assigned for plantacon, [meaning plantation], in the land of Virginia, shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.\u201d\nOf course, it is true that the colony at Plymouth held a three-day festival to celebrate their safe travels, a successful growing season, and the assistance of the Native Americans.\u00a0 The relationship between these new settlers and the Native Americans did not end with this meal. \u00a0Obviously, Native Americans and European settlers would engage in numerous wars, acts of treachery, and atrocities, but when our nation was threatened from powers across the seas, Native Americans were proud to defend these United States.\nAs written in the Washington Post, \u201cDuring the dark, early days of World War II, American military commanders were desperate for a code that could not be cracked by the Japanese.\n\u201cThe solution rested in the obscure languages spoken by Native American tribes, unfathomable to the Japanese.\u00a0 Native American code talkers, as they became known, were able to transmit messages quickly and securely, giving American forces a critical edge.\u201d\nThe first recorded use of code talkers as a part of our Armed Forces was in October of 1918.\u00a0 They thwarted our enemies, using their native language to communicate securely and secretly.  \n\u00a0   \nAccording to the Defense Department, more than 400 code talkers served during World War I and World War II.\u00a0 Navajo code talkers served in the largest numbers, and were recognized for their service in a 2001 ceremony featuring President George W. Bush.\u00a0 However, many Native American code talkers of different tribes were not given the same recognition.\nIn 2008, Congress passed a bill that would authorize gold medals for other tribes and, because there are no central records regarding code talkers, the Pentagon researched for the last several years to determine which tribes were eligible for recognition.\u00a0 Perhaps complicating matters further is the fact that, because code talkers were sworn to secrecy, many of them passed away without having revealed their heroic actions, even to those they loved.\nJust last week, I joined other members of the House and the Senate in the Capitol Visitor Center\u2019s Emancipation Hall for a ceremony honoring Native American code talkers from 33 tribes throughout the United States with the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress\u2019 highest expression of gratitude.\nThe tribes being recognized at this moving ceremony received Congressional Gold Medals of a unique design befitting that tribe.\u00a0 Also, more than 200 silver medals were presented to living code talkers or a surviving family member.\nAs Speaker John Boehner said of code talkers, \u201cThey mobilized the simplest weapon \u2013 language \u2013 to thwart the fiercest enemy free people have ever known.\u201d  \n\u00a0   \nAttending the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony was the Robinson family from Roanoke County.\u00a0 Mr. Robinson\u2019s uncle, Mr. Harold W. Morgan, was a code talker, and a member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma.\u00a0 Speaking with the Robinsons after the ceremony about their family heritage and about Mr. Morgan, his service to our nation, and the Pawnee Nation\u2019s Congressional Gold Medal was humbling.\u00a0 I will never forget it.  \n\u00a0  \nThis season, more than any other, is the time in which we gather together in thanksgiving, in recognition of our blessings, and in praise.\u00a0 Along with being thankful for the blessings bestowed upon me and my family, I will express my deep gratitude this Thanksgiving for heroes like Mr. Harold W. Morgan, his fellow code talkers, and other members of our Armed Forces both past and present.  \n\u00a0   \nMay God bless these heroes, may God bless you and your loved ones, and may God bless these United States.\u00a0 Best wishes for a safe and happy Thanksgiving.  \n\u00a0  \nAs always, if you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.\u00a0 To reach my office by email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov.\n###\n \n* http://www.timesdispatch.com/opinion/their-opinion/in-virginia-a-season-of-thanksgiving/article_8c11aad7-9402-5984-8e59-6b4d347f09ab.html\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140131155059/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/473", "GOODLATTE & ESHOO NAMED 2014 CO-CHAIRS OF FIRST CONGRESSIONAL APP COMPETITION", "2013-11-25", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE & ESHOO NAMED 2014 CO-CHAIRS OF FIRST CONGRESSIONAL APP COMPETITION \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Reps. Bob Goodlatte and Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.) released the statements below after the House Administration Committee appointed them as Co-chairs of the first ever House Academic Competition to promote innovation in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). \u201cBecause of your established leadership in this field, the Committee appoints you as co-chairs for the 2014 STEM Competition,\u201d the Committee wrote to Goodlatte and Eshoo. As Co-chairs of the Congressional Internet Caucus, Goodlatte and Eshoo have been at the forefront of promoting education and innovation in the STEM fields, making them ideal candidates to lead the 2014 competition.  The first competition will be formally launched in February 2014 and will be an app competition for high school students in participating Congressional districts.  \u201cThe demand for students educated in engineering and technology continues to rise in the United States but part of the challenge is how to engage students in these subjects and further the understanding of these valuable skills,\u201d said Goodlatte, who is also Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. \u201cThe House Academic Competition is a great opportunity to promote these fields which are driving American innovation. I look forward to working with my Co-Chair Anna Eshoo to oversee this competition which will help to build a workforce equipped with science, technology, engineering and math skills.\u201d \u201cI\u2019m thrilled to be leading such an extraordinary opportunity for our nation\u2019s youth and to help foster interest in science, technology, engineering, and math education,\u201d said Eshoo, who also serves as Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee\u2019s Communications and Technology Subcommittee. \u201cAccording to the President\u2019s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, the next decade will bring approximately 8.5 million STEM job opportunities, but during the same time we will face a shortage of 1 million STEM graduates. We need to address this mismatch by encouraging our children\u2019s innate curiosity and creativity. What better way to do so than through a mobile apps competition?\u201d Eshoo continued, \u201cFrom mobile medical apps that may soon revolutionize the way we seek and receive healthcare, to apps that enable video conferencing and the streaming of online video, our lives have been forever changed by the mobility and economic impact these applications provide. I thank the House Administration Committee for the appointment, and I look forward to the competition.\u201d Background: Earlier this year, the House voted to establish an academic competition that promotes greater innovation among students across the country. The competition, which allows Members to conduct annual contests among students in their district, will encourage greater participation in the STEM fields and help emphasize their importance to our economic success. On November 20th, the House Administration Committee advanced this important initiative by adopting the regulations governing the competition, including rules on administration, contestants, judges, and resources. \n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-nuclear-deal-with-iran", "Kaine Statement on Nuclear Deal with Iran", "2013-11-24", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine Statement on Nuclear Deal with Iran\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tSunday, November 24, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tHALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA \u2013 U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs, released the following statement from the 2013 Halifax International Security Forum on the first step agreement reached on Iran\u2019s nuclear program. Kaine is leading a U.S. Congressional delegation to the forum with Senator John McCain:\r\n\u201cAs we commemorate the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy\u2019s death, I recall his wise commencement speech delivered at American University in June of 1963. He spoke of the hard work of peace-making during the midst of disarmament talks with the Soviet Union. Many challenged the talks and whether there was any possibility of working toward peace with an enemy. But President Kennedy reminded us that \u2018we can reduce tension without relaxing our guard\u2019 and advocated the need for nations to take concrete steps along a path to total disarmament.\r\n\u201cI look forward to reviewing the P5+1 (United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, China + Germany) first stage deal with Iran in the coming days. We will not tolerate an Iran with nuclear weapons because that will make the region \u2013 and the world \u2013 dramatically less safe. If this interim deal reduces stockpiles of enriched uranium to levels appropriate only for civilian use, halts uranium enrichment above dangerous levels, reduces technology that can be used to enhance enrichment, and imposes intrusive daily inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency that can give the world immediate warning if Iran plans to move toward nuclear weapons, it will be an important trust building step toward our ultimate goal.\r\n\r\n\u201cThis deal could bring us closer to a world less threatened by weapons of mass destruction. We should now press forward to do even more in pursuit of peace.\u201d\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/starting-strong-the-case-for-pre-k", "Starting strong: The case for pre-K", "2013-11-23", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Starting strong: The case for pre-K\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n                Virginian-Pilot Op-Ed\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Saturday, November 23, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            With our daughter now in college, my wife Anne and I have reached the end of our journey through Virginia public education. As a parent I have learned many lessons from my children's combined total of 40 years in public pre-K through 12 classrooms, and one of the most significant is the importance of early childhood education programs.\r\nVirginia started a modest early childhood education program after my two sons had already entered elementary school. My daughter, however, was just the right age to experience the program. And while my boys had a good experience with high-quality private child-care programs, the positive impact that a public, comprehensive pre-K year had on my daughter made me a true believer in the power of early childhood education.\r\nI don't have to look far outside my own home to see the other ways expanding early childhood education has made an impact. Virginia is a perfect example of how investments in education will ensure that we have a skilled workforce ready to compete in a global economy.\r\nAs governor, I had to make tough decisions to invest in early childhood education programs while cutting nearly $6 billion in spending to balance the budget during a recession. Even in a time of tough cuts, I worked with legislators, educators and business leaders to expand the Virginia Preschool Initiative, improving the quality of pre-K programs and increasing the number of children they served by 40 percent.\r\nLast week, I was proud to join eight of my U.S. Senate colleagues in introducing legislation to expand access to high-quality early education programs for children all over the country.\r\nThis legislation, the \"Strong Start for America's Children Act,\" is a 10-year federal-state partnership to expand and improve early childhood education for 4-year-old children from families earning below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.\r\nWhile there is bipartisan support for early learning programs, many argue that to get our fiscal house back in order we need to slash spending across the board, including early childhood programs and other education priorities.\r\nWhile I believe that everything should be considered when we look for cost savings, it is tough to identify an educational program with a higher return on investment than early childhood education.\r\nA primary argument for pre-K programs is a scientific one - 90 percent of brain development occurs before a child's fifth birthday. Without early education programs that serve children under the age of five, our education system neglects children during the years its effects could be most significant.\r\nPre-K is also good for the economy. Nobel laureate James Heckman, an economist who calculates how public investments accelerate economic growth, has concluded that early childhood education has one of the greatest returns of any public investment.\r\nEarly learning programs make it more likely that children will do well in elementary school, less likely they will have to repeat a grade and more likely they will be successful in the future.\r\nThe return on investment may be even higher when children from low-income families gain access to pre-K programs. Research shows that the value of the program is most powerful for children who might otherwise have learning barriers - developmental disabilities, lack of access to books or other learning material, or a home where English isn't the primary language.\r\nPart of this benefit comes from getting parents more engaged in learning so they can supplement their child's educational experience at home. Providing low-income families with access to pre-K education helps close the achievement gap between children of all backgrounds.\r\nAs governor, I learned that the commonwealth was funding certain early childhood programs through the Department of Education and others through the Department of Social Services, an approach that limited accountability and efficiency. I made changes to coordinate these investments in Virginia, and I support similar changes at the federal level to eliminate waste and bolster the structure of our education system.\r\nPre-K investments will pay huge dividends, both in the lives of individual children and for our nation as a whole. The \"Strong Start for America's Children Act\" is one of the smartest investments we can make.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=666", "Congressman Connolly Named Tech Champion of the Year", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Gerald Connolly", "C001078", "connolly.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Connolly was named \"Tech Champion of the Year\" Thursday night at an awards ceremony featuring leaders from the federal and private sector information technology community. Read more.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) received the Tech Champion of the Year award, presented by Fedscoop CEO Goldy KamaliCongressman Gerry Connolly was named \u201cTech Champion of the Year\u201d Thursday night at an awards ceremony featuring leaders from the federal and private sector information technology community.Connolly (D-VA) was the sole recipient of Fedscoop\u2019s Tech Champion award. \u00a0The award recognized Connolly \u201cas a leader whose passion for tech made us all think out of the box.\u201d \u00a0Connolly and winners of the Fedscoop 50 awards were selected by a voting process that involved members of the public and private sector IT community and the general public.As Congressman for Virginia\u2019s 11th District, Connolly represents the heart of the technology community on the East Coast. \u00a0He represents tens of thousands of federal IT contracting employees and federal workers who live in the district.As a senior member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, Connolly has been a leading voice on IT issues in Congress since taking office in 2009. \u00a0His background working for two IT companies and his tenure as Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors gave Connolly a unique understanding of federal IT issues which has helped him drive legislation in Congress on the issues impacting IT inside and outside the federal government.This year, Connolly and House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) coauthored a major federal IT reform bill \u2013 the Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) \u2013 which would overhaul federal IT procurement, increase transparency, efficiency, and management of federal IT, and save taxpayer dollars. \u00a0The legislation has already passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is pending in the Senate as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.\u201cI am honored to be named Tech Champion of the Year and I will continue to work to enhance and reform the federal IT system working with the many dedicated individuals in the federal government and in our thriving private sector tech community,\u201d Connolly said.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131210102409/http://goodlatte.house.gov/press_releases/472", "GOODLATTE: HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARING ON ASYLUM ABUSE", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Robert Goodlatte", "G000289", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "GOODLATTE: HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARING ON ASYLUM ABUSE \n                      \n                      \tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The House Judiciary Committee today announced that it will hold a hearing on our nation\u2019s asylum laws by the end of the year.\u00a0 According to an internal Customs and Border Protection document obtained by the House Judiciary Committee, and as reported by the Washington Times today, many people claiming a \u201ccredible fear\u201d of persecution at our ports of entry have a direct or indirect association with drug trafficking and other illegal activity such as human smuggling. Since there are intelligence gaps and loopholes in the system, the asylum process \u2013 which was designed to help innocent victims of persecution \u2013 is being abused by individuals who would otherwise be subjects of interest or subjects of criminal investigations. Once these unscrupulous individuals falsely claim a \u201ccredible fear\u201d of persecution, there is virtually no investigation by U.S. authorities. Because the Obama Administration refuses to detain most of them, criminals and those who pose national security threats are then able to live and work in the U.S. for many years before their cases are ever heard by immigration judges.  Below is a joint statement from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, Immigration and Border Security Subcommittee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), and Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), a fellow Judiciary Committee member who is also chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, on this upcoming hearing. \u201cIt\u2019s outrageous that members of Mexican drug cartels and others involved in illicit activity are so easily able to exploit our asylum laws and live in the U.S. virtually undetected.\u00a0 Our asylum laws are in place to help individuals who are facing truly serious persecution in their countries.\u00a0 However, dangerous criminals are gaming the system by claiming they have a \u2018credible fear\u2019 of persecution when often they\u2019ve been the perpetrators of violence themselves. Their claims almost always get rubberstamped by the Obama Administration and once these individuals are in the U.S., the illegal activity doesn\u2019t stop.  \n                      \t\u00a0  \n                      \t\u201cUnfortunately, it appears the Obama Administration is compromising our national security and the safety of our communities for its political agenda. The House Judiciary Committee plans to hold a hearing soon to closely examine this egregious abuse to see what can be done to put an end to it.\u201d  \n                      \t\u00a0  \n                      \tBelow are some examples cited in the document obtained by the House Judiciary Committee: \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Two families involved in drug trafficking came to the U.S. claiming \u201ccredible fear\u201d of persecution, then began targeting each other once they were here.  \n                      \t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Two women made a claim of asylum and three months later were apprehended at a Border Patrol checkpoint with more than $1 million in cocaine.  \n                      \t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Cartel hit-squad members came to the U.S. after they \u201cfell out of grace\u201d with their employers.  \n                      \t\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0An ex-Mexican military soldier and his family claimed \u201ccredible fear\u201d and settled in Colorado.\u00a0 When U.S. authorities followed up on them, they were linked to an open investigation involving the seizure of 3,000 pounds of marijuana.\u00a0 \n                      \n                      \t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/advisory-senators-john-mccain-and-tim-kaine-to-lead-us-delegation-to-the-halifax-international-security-forum", "Advisory: Senators John McCain And Tim Kaine To Lead U.S. Delegation To The Halifax International Security Forum", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Advisory: Senators John McCain And Tim Kaine To Lead U.S. Delegation To The Halifax International Security Forum\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, November 22, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) will lead the U.S. Congressional delegation to the 2013 Halifax International Security Forum and hold a press conference at 4:00 p.m. AST tomorrow, Saturday, November 23, 2013. Other members of the delegation include Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-16). Delegation members will also participate in Halifax Forum panel discussions.\r\nPRESS CONFERENCE \u2013 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23,\u00a0 2013\r\nWHO:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ)  \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA)   \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0U.S. Delegation Members\r\nWHAT: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Press Conference\r\nWHEN: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a04:00 p.m. AST \u2013 Saturday, November 23, 2013\r\nWHERE: \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Halifax International Security Conference  \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Harbour Room A   \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The Westin Nova Scotian   \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a01181 Hollis Street   \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Halifax, NS B3H 2P6, Canada\u00a0\r\n*Watch livestream of the press conference at http://www.halifaxtheforum.org.\r\nHALIFAX FORUM PANEL DISCUSSIONS \u2013 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2013\r\nWHO:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA)\r\nWHAT: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Panel Discussion: Bloody Autocracy, Religious Kleptocracy, Unstable Democracy:\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0In Search of Better Choices for the Middle East (and Beyond)\u00a0\r\nWHEN: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 8:30 a.m. AST \u2013 Saturday, November 23, 2013\r\nWHERE: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Halifax International Security Conference  \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The Westin Nova Scotian   \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a01181 Hollis Street   \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Halifax, NS B3H 2P6, Canada\u00a0\r\n*Watch livestream of the panel at http://www.halifaxtheforum.org.\r\nWHO:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Senator John McCain (R-AZ)\u00a0\r\nWHAT: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Panel Discussion: If Democracies Won't, Alternatives Will: Reviving Global Responsibility\u00a0\r\nWHEN: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 10:15 a.m. AST \u2013 Saturday, November 23, 2013\r\nWHERE: \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Halifax International Security Conference  \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0The Westin Nova Scotian   \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a01181 Hollis Street   \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Halifax, NS B3H 2P6, Canada\u00a0\r\n*Watch livestream of the panel at http://www.halifaxtheforum.org.\r\n**For logistical information please contact Ren\u00e9e Filiatrault at 613-406-5394 or communications@halifaxtheforum.org.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/political-doubt-poses-risk-to-honduras-battered-by-coup-and-violence", "Political Doubt Poses Risk to Honduras, Battered by Coup and Violence", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Political Doubt Poses Risk to Honduras, Battered by Coup and Violence\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Elisabeth Malkin\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Friday, November 22, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras \u2014 When police officers arrived last week after the murder of Felipe Nery Aguilar and his daughter Gladys, they seized on what appeared to be a clue: a childish scribble on a broken television set. A message from local gangs, the officers figured, demanding protection money, known here as a \u201cwar tax.\u201d Case closed.\r\nBut for the victims\u2019 family, the explanation made no sense. A second daughter, Rosa Alba Aguilar, 35, agonized over why anybody would kill a 73-year-old fruit seller.\r\n\u201cIt was just pure evil,\u201d Ms. Aguilar said. Nobody was extorting her father. It was one of his grandchildren who had scrawled over the television screen.\r\n\u201cThe police come here asking stupidities,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat are the laws for?\u201d\r\nThat question is at the center of elections on Sunday, when Hondurans will choose a new president four years after a coup expelled a previous one. The rule of law, which was never sturdy to start with, has all but evaporated since then.\r\nThe coup upended the political landscape here, and the outcome of the vote in one of Latin America\u2019s poorest and most unequal countries is unpredictable. Honduras\u2019s fraying social fabric may not withstand a new bout of political uncertainty.\r\nDrug traffickers and street gangs act unimpeded as the National Police look the other way, or even run their own criminal rackets. Dozens of human rights activists, journalists, lawyers, and peasant and labor leaders have been killed. The country is believed to have the highest peacetime murder rate in the world.\r\nThe combustible mix of drugs, gangs, arms and impunity has created a \u201cvery violent element\u201d that will \u201ckill anybody for any reason,\u201d said Leticia Salom\u00f3n, a security expert at the National Autonomous University of Honduras. \u201cThey don\u2019t care anymore.\u201d\r\nWashington is watching closely, because greater instability could add to the flow of migrants trying to reach the United States and open space to drug traffickers, who have turned Honduras into a way station for South American cocaine flights.\r\nIn a Nov. 13 letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia and a dozen other senators wrote that the \u201cdifficult and dangerous climate\u201d in Honduras raises \u201cserious concerns over the Honduran government\u2019s ability to conduct free and fair elections.\u201d\r\nAgainst this backdrop, the question is whether politicians will respect the results after what most expect will be a very close race for president and a fractured vote for Congress.\r\nThe ousted former president, Manuel Zelaya, known to everyone as Mel, is back. He leads a new left-wing party, Libre, that could seize the presidency from the two parties that have swapped political power and its spoils for decades. His wife, Xiomara Castro, is the party\u2019s candidate, because the Constitution prevents him from running again.\r\n\u201cTrust me,\u201d Ms. Castro said at a noisy closing rally in the market town of Siguatepeque last week. \u201cYou trusted Mel, and he never let you down.\u201d\r\nAfter Mr. Zelaya won the presidency in 2005 as a candidate of the Liberal Party, he broke with the political establishment and tacked left toward Venezuela, embracing its interventionist economic policies.\r\nNow the former presidential couple is running on a promise to rewrite the Constitution to give a greater share of the country\u2019s wealth and power to its dispossessed citizens. \u201cWe will break the chains that tie us,\u201d Ms. Castro declared in Siguatepeque.\r\n\u201cXiomara owes the people,\u201d said Alex Isidro Turcios, 46, who owns a small hardware store. \u201cThe other candidates all have debts to the oligarchy, the power groups, the elite bourgeoisie, not to the people.\u201d\r\nOpponents describe the couple as a stalking horse for Latin America\u2019s left. \u201cSomebody who is desperate and who does not have support at home has to appeal to foreigners,\u201d said Mauricio Villeda, the presidential candidate for the Liberal Party.\r\nBut even some in the conservative establishment acknowledge that it is time for change. \u201cI see what\u2019s happening here as a flowering of democracy,\u201d said Adolfo Facuss\u00e9, the head of one of the country\u2019s main business associations and an outspoken supporter of the coup.\r\nThere have been no polls for a month, but the front-runners are Ms. Castro and Juan Orlando Hern\u00e1ndez, the former president of the Congress.\r\nMr. Hern\u00e1ndez, the candidate of the governing National Party, has focused on law and order. At the center of his campaign is the military police, a new force approved by Congress to patrol the streets and fight crime.\r\nBut many analysts worry about the growing role of the military in a country that endured years of military dictatorship. The coup \u201cshowed that the armed forces were capable of \u2018maintaining order,\u2019 \u201d said Leo Valladares Lanza, a former human rights commissioner and law professor. \u201cNow they have much more control over the political process.\u201d\r\nThere are eight presidential candidates, but political analysts believe that only Mr. Villeda, who has a rare reputation for probity and is the son of a popular president, and Salvador Nasralla, a television host campaigning on an anticorruption platform, have enough support to pull off an upset.\r\nMr. Hern\u00e1ndez is widely seen as having accumulated enormous power in Congress, crushing all opposition. When the Supreme Court threw out several new laws he had pushed through, Congress simply replaced four justices late last year.\r\nIn his last campaign appearance on Monday, Mr. Hern\u00e1ndez led a couple of hundred supporters in a candlelight vigil for a peaceful vote. It was a none-too-subtle reminder that the rival Libre emerged from the protests against the coup.\r\n\u201cIf there is political unrest after the election, what will be the role of the military police?\u201d asked Carlos Hern\u00e1ndez, the president of the Association for a More Just Society, which works on justice, labor and security issues. (He is not related to the candidate.)\r\nViolence has marred the campaign. A study by the national university released Thursday found that 17 members of Libre \u2014 among them candidates, activists and relatives \u2014 had been killed since May 2012 and that the party had faced threats and armed attacks. Sixteen people from the two traditional parties have also been killed.\r\n\u201cAlmost all the violence has gone unpunished,\u201d said the report\u2019s author, Blas Enrique Barahona.\r\nPolitics may be behind the killing of Mr. Aguilar, the fruit seller, who was a Libre activist in his neighborhood of Santa Cecilia. His daughter Gladys was a Liberal supporter.\r\nCampaign financing is opaque, leading many to assume that candidates have taken money from traffickers. \u201cThere is drug money in the majority of the big parties,\u201d said Osman Aguilar, a Liberal Party congressman who is a security specialist.\r\nAmerican collaboration with Honduras on fighting drug trafficking has been uneven under the government of President Porfirio Lobo, who cannot seek re-election.\r\nWashington has suspended some security programs over human rights violations, and it has not supported the new military police. \u201cIn democracies, police are used to enforce the law and the military is used to protect the borders,\u201d Ambassador Lisa J. Kubiske told a Honduran television station in August.\r\nThe United States government also ended financing for a unit set up to purge the Honduran National Police, because it got no results.\r\n\u201cRemoving the dirty police officers should not be difficult; everybody knows who they are,\u201d said Mr. Hern\u00e1ndez the security expert. \u201cBut they are associated with politicians \u2014 they know things about politics.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/senators-introduce-bill-to-add-acreage-to-petersburg-national-battlefield", "Senators introduce bill to add acreage to Petersburg National Battlefield", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senators introduce bill to add acreage to Petersburg National Battlefield\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Louis Llovio\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Friday, November 22, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            Virginia\u2019s two U.S. senators are looking to secure more than 7,000 acres for the Petersburg National Battlefield, an addition that would make it the largest Civil War battlefield in the country.\r\nU.S. Sens. Timothy M. Kaine and Mark R. Warner, both Democrats, have introduced legislation that would allow the U.S. National Park Service to acquire the land.\r\nThe bill would allow the secretary of the Interior to obtain the land \u201cfrom willing sellers only, by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated funds, exchange or transfer.\u201d\r\nThe bill also allows for a small land transfer between Fort Lee and the battlefield.\r\nIn 2011, Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., and Rep. J. Randy Forbes, R-4th, introduced similar legislation that failed to gain traction.\r\n\u201cThis legislation will preserve the story of one of the Civil War\u2019s most decisive engagements, the Siege of Petersburg, while aiding the local economy and boosting regional historic tourism,\u201d Kaine said in a statement Wednesday.\r\nWarner noted that the battlefield \u201cdraws visitors from all across the country and adds $11 million annually into the Petersburg economy.\u201d\r\nThe park is currently about 2,500 acres.\r\nIn 2005, the National Park Service recommended modifying the Petersburg National Battlefield to include 7,238 acres \u201cof significant core battlefield land,\u201d according to Warner\u2019s office.\r\nThat includes the site of 18 major battles during the Civil War that are in danger of being lost to development.\r\n\u201cThese sites are not currently protected within the National Battlefield and have been identified by the Civil War Trust as one of the most endangered group of historic battlefields in the country,\u201d Warner\u2019s office said in the statement.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/joint-statement-by-us-sens-warner-and-kaine-on-the-sccs-finding-on-continuation-of-existing-health-policies", "Joint Statement By U.S. Sens. Warner & Kaine On the SCC’s Finding On Continuation Of Existing Health Policies", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Joint Statement By U.S. Sens. Warner & Kaine On the SCC\u2019s Finding On Continuation Of Existing Health Policies\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, November 21, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released this statement following the announcement by the Virginia State Corporation Commission\u2019s Bureau of Insurance approving renewal of existing health insurance plans in the individual and small business markets, allowing policyholders to continue existing coverage through the end of 2014. In a letter to the SCC last week, Sens. Warner and Kaine urged state regulators to take action to help those Virginians who had concerns about the loss of their existing health coverage:\r\n\u201cThis determination by the State Corporation Commission is welcome news to those Virginians who recently have seen their existing healthcare plans cancelled by insurance carriers,\u201d Sens. Warner and Kaine said in a joint statement. \u201cWe strongly support the SCC\u2019s decision encouraging insurers to provide the option of extending transitional coverage through the end of next year. This action will help smooth the transition to the new system.\u00a0 We appreciate the prompt analysis and decision by the Bureau of Insurance. We remain committed to working together to see that the implementation of the Affordable Care Act works more effectively for Virginia families, small businesses and employers.\"\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-joins-19-senators-in-bipartisan-effort-to-grant-temporary-protected-status-to-filipinos-in-wake-of-typhoon-haiyan", "Kaine Joins 19 Senators In Bipartisan Effort To Grant Temporary Protected Status To Filipinos In Wake Of Typhoon Haiyan", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine Joins 19 Senators In Bipartisan Effort To Grant Temporary Protected Status To Filipinos In Wake Of Typhoon Haiyan\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, November 21, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Tim Kaine joined 19 of his Senate colleagues in calling on President Obama\u2019s administration to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Filipino nationals currently residing in the United States and to consider additional avenues of relief for certain Filipinos with U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident family members in the U.S.\u00a0 TPS is granted to foreign nationals who cannot safely return to their native country.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cTyphoon Haiyan has wrought unparalleled destruction and tragic loss of life in the Philippines,\u201d the Senators wrote. \u201cVictims of Typhoon Haiyan clearly meet the eligibility requirements for TPS, and we urge you to extend this designation as soon as possible. The United States has demonstrated its commitment to assisting the Philippines with the recovery effort through foreign aid, military assistance and relief supplies, but we must alsoassist the victims\u2019 families in whatever way possible.\u201d\r\nA complete copy of the letter is available here.\u00a0\r\nThe letter was also signed by Senators Robert Menendez (D\u2013NJ), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), John McCain (R-AZ), Harry Reid (D-NV), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL),\u00a0Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY),Chris Coons (D-DL), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Dean Heller (R-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ).\r\nCurrently, the United States grants Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan, and Syria. As the program is designed, TPS would only be available to Filipinos already living in the United States who pass a background check and meet related eligibility requirements.\u00a0\r\nBelow is the full letter.\u00a0\r\nThe Honorable Rand Beers  Acting Secretary  Department of Homeland Security  3801 Nebraska Ave, NW  Washington, D.C. 20528\u00a0\r\nActing Secretary Beers:\r\nIn light of the tremendous devastation suffered by the Philippines as a result of Typhoon Haiyan, we write to express our deep concern about the impact of this tragedy on Filipinos in the United States. We ask that you consider granting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to eligible Filipino nationals within the United States and additional avenues of relief for certain Filipinos with U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident family members in the U.S.\r\nAs you know, Typhoon Haiyan has wrought unparalleled destruction and tragic loss of life in the Philippines. The U.S. Joint Typhoon Warning Center estimated the storm\u2019s sustained winds at 195 miles per hour at landfall, which if confirmed would make Haiyan one of the most powerful storms in recorded history. Hundreds of thousands of people are displaced with no shelter or clean water and millions face food shortages.\r\nThe United States has granted TPS to other nationals after similarly traumatic events. Following Hurricane Mitch in 1999, the United States granted TPS to Honduran and Nicaraguan nationals; following several earthquakes in Central America in 2001, the United States granted TPS to Salvadorans; and following the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, the United States granted TPS to Haitians. Victims of Typhoon Haiyan clearly meet the eligibility requirements for TPS, and we urge you to extend this designation as soon as possible. Providing TPS is critical to humanitarian relief efforts as it both protects individuals who would be endangered by returning to their country of origin and it allows the home country more time to recover before accepting returnees.\r\nIt is important to note that granting TPS to Filipino nationals will not endanger our security.\u00a0 An alien is ineligible for TPS if he has a criminal background or poses a threat to national security.\u00a0 The decision to deny, withdraw or terminate TPS is in the sole discretion of the government; there is no judicial review of such a determination.\u00a0 Moreover, TPS is not a backdoor to U.S. citizenship.\u00a0 TPS does not make a beneficiary eligible for legal permanent resident status or U.S. citizenship. When the TPS designation of a country is terminated, beneficiaries revert to the same immigration status they maintained before the designation.\u00a0\r\nWe also ask that you consider humanitarian parole and expedited visa processing for Filipinos who have U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident relatives in the U.S. and approved or pending family petitions, especially Filipinos who have been orphaned, lost relatives in the storm or suffer other serious hardships. We also ask that you consider an automatic extension of visas, in categories where an extension is feasible, for Filipinos currently present in the U.S. Lastly, we ask that you consider temporarily suspending deportations to the Philippines and utilizing alternatives to detention in appropriate cases.\r\nThe United States has demonstrated its commitment to assisting the Philippines with the recovery effort through foreign aid, military assistance and relief supplies, but we must also assist the victims\u2019 families in whatever way possible. Therefore, we respectfully request that you extend TPS to Filipino nationals residing in the United States and support the reunification of U.S. citizens and their Filipino family members.\r\nThank you for your consideration.\r\nSincerely,\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-praises-passage-of-bipartisan-battlefield-protection-bill-out-of-committee", "Kaine Praises Passage Of Bipartisan Battlefield Protection Bill Out Of Committee", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine Praises Passage Of Bipartisan Battlefield Protection Bill Out Of Committee\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, November 21, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, the\u00a0American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act,\u00a0a bill introduced by U.S. Senator Tim Kaine to preserve\u00a0historical\u00a0battlegrounds, was passed out of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee\u00a0on a voice vote.\u00a0\r\n\"Committee passage of this bipartisan bill is an important step toward preserving our nation's battlefields for future generations to enjoy,\" said Kaine. \"This legislation will benefit Virginia and all states that are home to historic battlegrounds by boosting tourism, supporting local economies, and maintaining battlefields as living reminders of American history.\"\u00a0\r\nIn May, Kaine introduced the American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act with Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS), along with 13 other cosponsors \u2013 seven Democrats, five Republicans, and one independent. This legislation\u00a0reauthorizes the National Park Service\u2019s American Battlefield Protection Program, which offers competitive federal grants to match non-federal and private donations to preserve Civil War battlefields.\u00a0 The bill extends the program, which expired last month, for five more years at the current $10 million funding level and also makes Revolutionary War and War of 1812 sites eligible for these grants.\r\nAdditionally, this week Kaine joined Senator Mark Warner to\u00a0introduce a bill authorizing the expansion of Petersburg National Battlefield, making it the largest Civil War battlefield in the nation. \u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-statement-on-senate-rules-change-to-end-gridlock", "Kaine Statement On Senate Rules Change To End Gridlock", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine Statement On Senate Rules Change To End Gridlock\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, November 21, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today after voting to ensure judicial nominees get an up-or-down vote on confirmation by eliminating the filibuster on all judicial nominations other than Supreme Court nominees:\r\n\u201cToday I joined a majority of my Senate colleagues in taking an important step to ensure highly-qualified, non-controversial judicial nominees, including Virginia\u2019s own Pattie Millett, are given the up-or-down vote they deserve.\r\n\u201cWhat we have witnessed in the Senate in recent months is unprecedented. The only explanation for blocking the consideration of a nominee like Ms. Millett \u2013 a military spouse who has served under both Democratic and Republican Solicitor Generals, has argued more cases before the Supreme Court and circuit courts than all but a handful of attorneys and is uniformly praised by bar groups \u2013 is that Republicans have committed to pursuing a strategy of nullifying the law to achieve their goals. Their decision to block four highly-qualified nominees to the D.C. Circuit since I took office eleven months ago \u2013 three in the last three weeks alone \u2013 is proof that the goal was to nullify the law that says the D.C. Circuit has eleven judges.\r\n\u201cToday\u2019s rules change will end this unprecedented abuse of the filibuster and allow us to begin to break through the gridlock that has frustrated Virginians and prevented us from tackling so many important issues facing our country.\u201d\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/sens-warner-collins-kaine-and-grassley-introduce-legislation-to-protect-military-whistleblowers", "Sens. Warner, Collins, Kaine & Grassley Introduce Legislation To Protect Military Whistleblowers", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sens. Warner, Collins, Kaine & Grassley Introduce Legislation To Protect Military Whistleblowers\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tMilitary Whistleblower Protection Act will ensure victims of sexual assault  and other misconduct are protected from retaliation\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, November 21, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced proposals today to strengthen military whistleblower protection laws to ensure those who are courageous enough to report sexual assault and other misconduct are not further victimized by retaliation. \u00a0The Military Whistleblower Protection Act is supported by over 50 good government, public health and veterans organizations, including the Service Women\u2019s Action Network, the Project on Government Oversight and the Government Accountability Project.\r\n\u201cI am proud to offer this bipartisan legislation to protect our military whistleblowers, who serve our country bravely and deserve our respect and protection,\u201d Sen. Warner said. \u201cImproving the military\u2019s whistleblower system is an important step toward encouraging whistleblowers to report fraud, waste, and other misconduct, especially sexual assault. Our military men and women should trust that our justice system will protect them and provide an environment free of retaliation.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\u201cWhistleblowers play a crucial role in Congressional efforts to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse and to help ensure the effectiveness of government programs.\u00a0 They provide crucial information that Congress needs to conduct proper oversight of the federal government,\u201d said Sen. Collins.\u00a0 \u201cThis amendment increases whistleblower protections for the military and encourages whistleblowers to report misconduct, especially as it relates to sexual assault. Our military men and women deserve a justice system that protects them while they serve our country.\u201d\r\n\u201cTo effectively combat sexual assault and other serious misconduct in the military, we must create an environment where whistleblowers feel comfortable coming forward with a complaint,\u201d said Sen. Kaine.\u00a0 \u201cThis legislation would work to increase reporting while protecting victims of sexual assault and other crimes from retaliation and would strengthen the Senate\u2019s bipartisan efforts to tackle the serious and longstanding problem of sexual assault in the military.\"\r\n\u201cThere\u2019s plenty of evidence that military personnel have an unbelievably difficult time when blowing the whistle on misconduct, fraud or even sexual assault.\u00a0 Too often, these complaints get tossed into the garbage for no good reason.\u00a0 Retaliation seems to be the norm rather than the exception.\u00a0 These are simple changes that can make a big difference for whistleblowers,\u201d Sen. Grassley said.\r\n\"Better protections for those seeking to fix what\u2019s wrong in our military will increase accountability for those who undermine our military readiness,\u201d said Angela Canterbury, Director of Public Policy for the Project on Government Oversight. \u201cWith authentic protections for those who report wrongdoing, problems will more often be addressed as they arise, and many will be averted altogether.\u00a0We are grateful for the leadership of these Senators in advancing much-needed protections for the brave service members who blow the whistle on waste, fraud, and abuse, importantly including sexual assault.\"\r\n\"At Service Women's Action Network, we've seen firsthand the devastating impacts of retaliation--personal, professional, or both--against survivors of military sexual assault,\" said Anu Bhagwati, Service Women's Action Network executive director and former Marine Corps captain. \"The unfortunate truth is that our current Inspector General investigation process fails many. With this legislation, Senators Warner, Collins, Kaine and Grassley are leading the charge to strengthen Inspector General requirements to provide survivors with the relief they need and the justice they deserve.\"\r\nThe bipartisan Military Whistleblower Protection Act would extend whistleblower protections to witnesses as well as victims, and ensures action is taken both to provide corrective relief to victims of retaliation and to discipline those who retaliate. It also extends the current 60-day period to file a report to one year, bringing it more in line with other federal and contractor whistleblowers who have longer reporting periods\u2014often up to three years to report misconduct. Finally, it requires the service branches to actively support those with confirmed cases of retaliation by submitting their request to clean up their records to the Board for Military Correction of Records, rather than leaving that responsibility solely on victims to accomplish on their own.\r\nA Government Accountability Office audit reported that more than 60% of service members who reported sexual assaults in 2012 experienced retaliation, and less than 1% of whistleblowers who filed reprisal complaints obtained relief, and only 19% of those who the Inspector Generals\u2019 certified had experienced retaliation ever got their records corrected.\u00a0 \u00a0Additionally, a Pentagon study released in May 2013 and based on a confidential survey sent to more than 100,000 active-duty service members, \u00a0found as many as 26,000 members of the military experienced offenses ranging from sexual harassment to sexual assault last year. However, fewer than 3,400 individuals reported the incidents. The Department of Defense concluded most victims did not step forward because they worried about retaliation and believed that reporting the alleged offense would negatively impact their military careers.\r\nA copy of the Military Whistleblower Protection Act is available here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/state-department-diplomatic-security-training-needs-are-best-met-using-fort-pickett-facility-", "State Department: Diplomatic Security Training Needs Are Best Met Using Fort Pickett Facility", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "State Department: Diplomatic Security Training Needs Are Best Met Using Fort Pickett Facility \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, November 21, 2013\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04) released a letter today from the U.S. Department of State detailing how Fort Pickett, Virginia remains the most suitable location for a Foreign Affairs Security Training Center (FASTC), which provides critical training for U.S. diplomatic personnel serving in high-risk environments abroad.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nIn response to a November 5 letter from Senator Kaine and Congressman Forbes to Secretary of State John Kerry requesting a status update on the potential placement of a FASTC at Fort Pickett, the Department noted that the important missions conducted at a FASTC \u201care best addressed using the Fort Pickett location.\u201d Furthermore, the State Department revised its original proposal and now estimates that the cost of locating a FASTC at Fort Pickett has been reduced to $461 million.\r\n\u00a0\u201cWe are so pleased that the State Department continues to believe that Fort Pickett is the ideal location for its security training,\u201d said Senator Kaine and Congressman Forbes. \u201cAs the 2012 tragedy in Benghazi and more recent threats to a number of U.S. embassies around the world have underscored, there are few missions more important than providing the men and women who represent our country abroad with the training they need to successfully promote U.S. interests and return home safely. A FASTC at Fort Pickett is well-suited to meet this need for years to come.\u201d\r\nIn 2008, the State Department informed Congress of the need for one consolidated training facility to improve efficiency, decrease operating costs, and provide diplomats and other personnel with necessary training before serving in some of the most high-threat, high-risk countries in the world. Studies to determine the best site for such a facility were conducted in 2011 and 2012 and Fort Pickett has consistently shown to be the ideal location for a FASTC.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/tim-in-the-news/a-battlefield-bill-that-wasnt-a-battle-kaines-historic-site-bill-wins-committee-approval", "A battlefield bill that wasn't a battle; Kaine's historic site bill wins committee approval", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "A battlefield bill that wasn't a battle; Kaine's historic site bill wins committee approval\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                    By:\u00a0\r\n                    Dave Ress\r\n                \r\n            \r\n            \r\n                \r\n                \r\n                \r\n            Thursday, November 21, 2013\r\n            \n\t\n\r\n            \r\n            Some Washington legislation that hasn\u2019t been a battle? The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has given the nod \u2013 on a voice vote, no less \u2013 to Sen. Tim Kaine\u2019s amendments to the American Battlefield Protection Program.\r\nKaine\u2019s bill will make Revolutionary War and War of 1812 sites eligible for the National Park Service program that has long focused on preserving Civil War battlefields. It extends the program for another five years, at the current $10 million funding level for federal grants to match state and private donations to purchase and preserve battlefields at risk of being lost to development.\r\nKaine joined up with Sen Thad Cochran, R-Miss., to introduce the bill. Seven Democrats, five Republicans and one independent signed up as co-sponsors.\u00a0 Voice vote, sponsors from both sides (all three sides?) of the aisle. Hmm \u2026 almost sounds like a Revolutionary idea doesn\u2019t it? Or as shocking as when the British burned Washington in the War of 1812?\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=9715abb8-2dc5-4197-bffa-fbfc175a8969", "Joint Statement by Sens. Warner & Kaine on SCC Finding on Transitional Health Coverage", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Mark Warner", "W000805", "www.warner.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released this statement following the announcement by the Virginia State Corporation Commission\u2019s Bureau of Insurance approving renewal of existing health insurance plans in the individual and small business markets, allowing policyholders to continue existing coverage through the end of 2014. In a letter to the SCC last week, Sens. Warner and Kaine urged state regulators to take action to help those Virginians who had concerns about the loss of their existing health coverage:\r\n\u201cThis determination by the State Corporation Commission is welcome news to those Virginians who recently have seen their existing healthcare plans cancelled by insurance carriers,\u201d Sens. Warner and Kaine said in a joint statement. \u201cWe strongly support the SCC\u2019s decision encouraging insurers to provide the option of extending transitional coverage through the end of next year. This action will help smooth the transition to the new system.\u00a0 We appreciate the prompt analysis and decision by the Bureau of Insurance. We remain committed to working together to see that the implementation of the Affordable Care Act works more effectively for Virginia families, small businesses and employers.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 733, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"state\" = :p0 and \"year\" = :p1 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "VA", "p1": "2013"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=VA&year=2013", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 490, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=VA&year=2013&party=Democrat", "selected": false}, {"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 243, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=VA&year=2013&party=Republican", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=VA&year=2013", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 733, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=VA&year=2013&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=VA&year=2013", "results": [{"value": "VA", "label": "VA", "count": 733, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?year=2013", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=VA&year=2013", "results": [{"value": "2013", "label": "2013", "count": 733, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=VA", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2013-11-21,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ewarner~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fpublic~2Findex~2Ecfm~2Fpressreleases~3FContentRecord_id~3D9715abb8-2dc5-4197-bffa-fbfc175a8969", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=VA&year=2013&_next=2013-11-21%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ewarner~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fpublic~2Findex~2Ecfm~2Fpressreleases~3FContentRecord_id~3D9715abb8-2dc5-4197-bffa-fbfc175a8969&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 279.3665989302099, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}