Kaine Continues Four-Day Swing Through Virginia In Hampton Roads

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Continuing his four-day swing through Virginia today in Hampton Roads, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine hosted a Citizen Day service project focused on oyster reef restoration with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Citizen Days are an opportunity for Kaine to share his passion for public service by bringing Virginians together to participate in service projects. 

"I'm a big supporter of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the work it does to keep the Bay clean. As governor, we did a lot of work on oyster restoration. The native Virginica oyster was in steep decline," Kaine said. "We've had some real success in the last 10 years bringing them back. But, a lot of that success has been because of organizations like CBF, local citizens, and school groups that do oyster gardening and then plant oysters like we did today. You restore oysters not only because you want to save the environment. You do it because oysters are the greatest filter of water quality ever invented. The healthier your oyster population is, the cleaner your water sources are." 

Later in the afternoon, Kaine delivered the keynote address at the CIVIC Leadership Institute’s Founders’ Luncheon in Norfolk. CIVIC is an organization of more than 600 executive-level leaders from Southeastern Virginia who are interested in tackling major issues and making Hampton Roads an even better place to live. Guests of the Founders’ Luncheon have closely followed Kaine’s calls for Congress to pass a new Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against ISIL. Kaine ended the day with a tour of Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Kaine has been a strong advocate for improving veterans' care and servicemember benefits, maintaining high-levels of readiness to meet national security challenges, and funding programs that benefit Virginia's shipbuilding industry and defense community.  

"Being on the Armed Services Committee, I feel like every time I'm out in Virginia I need to go see something that I haven't seen before. In any zip code in Virginia – whether it's a base, a veterans’ cemetery, a VA hospital, or a military contractor – there is always something I haven't seen that I should see," Kaine said. "This is the oldest Navy hospital in the country, open since 1830, and it provides a tremendous amount of care every year.  That care is provided not just to the Navy, but to active duty and their family, and not just to Hampton Roads. There are some specialty areas here where patients are referred to from all over the country. It was important for me to see what they do here so I can be a better advocate for them." 

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