Tim Kaine talks defense, energy

U.S. Senate candidate Tim Kaine has been crisscrossing the state the past couple of days – held a roundtable with defense contractors on Wednesday in Sterling, meeting with the American Federation of Government Employees in Arlington to discuss his strategies to avoid the impending sequestration defense cuts, and then on Thursday touring the Water Pollution Control Plant in Roanoke to highlight his energy agenda.

On the defense leg of his stops,  Kaine emphasized the point that if Congress fails to come together to reach a long-term solution to reduce the deficit, the scheduled cuts would devastate Virginia’s economy.

“These sequestration cuts are the wrong cuts,” Kaine told defense contractors in Sterling. “It is essential that our leaders in Congress cross the aisle to hammer out a solution that puts us on the path of sustained economic growth. Our defense contractors deserve predictability and stability as they make new hires and grow.”

The stop in Roanoke on Thursday was the third in a series of events Kaine will hold across the state to discuss his energy approach with manufacturers, stakeholders, employees of energy facilities, and other parties.

“I have been a huge promoter of alternative energy and techniques like this that are innovative. It’s really important to promote energy innovation and the Roanoke Valley has some great examples,” said Kaine. “My opponent often ridicules wind and solar as unproven technology. Its not unproven, it’s working. We need policies that promote the use of innovation.”