NORFOLK, Va. — Mental health resources for military members, voting, and concerns over Tik Tok are just some of the issues business and community leaders shared with U-S Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner.
They met in Norfolk for a Senatorial Forum, which was hosted by the Hampton Roads Chamber, Monday morning.
The end-of-the-year government spending bill is top of mind for the senators. Warner says he’s hoping to avoid a continuation of last year’s budget.
“If we did what was called a continuing resolution where we simply continue last year’s budget, what that does to Shipbuilding, what that does to new projects at military installations, what it does in terms of not giving folks the 4.6 percent pay raise they get in the military would be a disaster,” Warner said.
Kaine said the government spending bill on the table will fund several projects in Hampton Roads.
“We have $30 million for Craney Island expansion which would enable the Port of Virginia to pursue its path of being the most active port on the east coast,” he said.
He said it will also include $25 million to save Tangier Island.
At the same time, they are also working on another massive bill that focuses on military spending. Warner said he’s included items to address clean housing and food insecurity.
“If you’re deployed and you got a spouse and kids here at home that can’t put food on the table, that is wrong," Warner said.
"And this military bill, this defense bill helps us solve that.”
With an end-of-the-week deadline to decide on the government spending bill, Kaine anticipates it will take a few days after the deadline to get it done.
“It is a really solid spending bill for the country, for our national defense and especially for Hampton Roads." Kaine said.