Kaine Hails Final Passage of Defense Bill

Statement

U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today hailed final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2014 -- 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.

"With passage of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014, I'm pleased we will be able to provide our nation's 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 to tackle the serious and longstanding problem of sexual assault in the military.

"I'm also proud that key provisions of the first piece of legislation I introduced, the Troop Talent Act, were 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' unemployment -- particularly among those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan - and I remain committed to exploring all avenues to address this issue."

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