Kaine Statement On Vote To Avert A Shutdown And Fund Government Through April 28

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement on his vote for a spending bill to fund the government through April 28 and avert a government shutdown:

“I voted in favor of this short-term spending measure because the alternative—a government shutdown—would be disastrous for Virginia. But the default to a continuing resolution rather than a long-term appropriations package is a Congressional failure that has real-world consequences across the Commonwealth. While I’m pleased the CR will allow a 2.1 percent pay raise for military servicemembers and that it contains an exception providing the necessary funding and authorities for the Ohio Replacement Submarine Program, many other important defense priorities included in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act will go unfunded for months. I am particularly dismayed that this resolution will delay funding for the construction of a new aircraft carrier in Newport News and will only preserve the health benefits of retired mine workers and their families for four months. I urge my colleagues to abandon such backward-looking budgeting and commit to passing full-year appropriations bills forged by bipartisan compromise.”

In recent weeks, Senator Kaine wrote to Defense appropriators to request procurement funding for the Ohio Replacement Program.

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