Sens. Warner & Kaine Statements on Government Funding Bill

Statement

Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applauded the inclusion of key Virginia priorities in the 2017 fiscal year spending bill, which Congress will vote on this week, but highlighted that the Trump Administration created needless strain on industries across the country after asking Republican leadership to delay a deal in December. The omnibus bill funds the government through the end of the 2017 fiscal year on September 30.

"This bipartisan spending agreement will keep the government funded through the end of September, and I am glad that we have been able to maintain key priorities important to Virginians," Sen. Warner said. "We finally succeeded in securing permanent funding for healthcare for retired miners and their beneficiaries. We still have to fix the miners' pension issue, but I am pleased we won support for keeping the promises President Truman made to the miners back in 1946."

Added Sen. Warner, "The spending agreement keeps federal commitments to help fund the Metro system, which is so important to the capital region. In addition, it rejects the Trump Administration's effort to eliminate all federal funding for important regional priorities like the Appalachian Regional Commission and the federal commitment to the Chesapeake Bay cleanup. While those of us who support these important regional priorities can breathe easier for now, we must remain vigilant to ensure that future funding efforts do not demonstrate the same willingness to abandon federal support for these important programs that President Trump's plan does."

"This spending bill is a good compromise to fix an unfortunate situation we never would have been in if the incoming Trump Administration hadn't stepped in and asked Republican leadership to halt a very similar deal in December," Kaine said. "Budget uncertainty stunts our economy and leaves industries without the certainty needed to grow and sustain their workforce, as we've seen with shipbuilders in Hampton Roads. I'm proud that we were able to protect funding for women's health services and stop President Trump's plan to force American taxpayers to pick up the tab for a wall that won't make us safer. While the additional funding for military readiness is desperately needed and supports some of Virginia's defense industries, the damage inflicted by the unnecessary delay of a full-year appropriation undercuts the benefits of these additional dollars that we should have secured last year. However, I'm very proud of the work that we did to protect retired miners and bring them some certainty by securing funding for the health care benefits they earned."

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