Home Election 2024: Tim Kaine begins ‘Salute to Service’ tour, marks 30 years in elected office
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Election 2024: Tim Kaine begins ‘Salute to Service’ tour, marks 30 years in elected office

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Sen. Tim Kaine kicks off a ‘Salute to Service’ tour today to celebrate and thank public servants in every corner of the Commonwealth.

Kaine’s public service career began when he volunteered with Jesuit missionaries in 1980 to 1981, teaching welding and carpentry to schoolchildren in Honduras. After an 18-year career as a civil rights lawyer fighting discrimination, he has spent 30 years serving Virginians in local, state and national elected office.

Today marks the 30th anniversary of Kaine’s first term in elected office when he represented Virginians in District 2 on the Richmond City Council.

Kaine has stood up for Virginia public servants, including military members and their families, veterans, teachers, enforcement and health care workers, at every step along the way. He has passed important legislation to protect our troops, guard against government shutdowns, provide mental health resources for frontline health care workers and adequately fund law enforcement.

As a member of the Armed Services Committee, Kaine helped pass the PACT Act, the largest expansion of veterans benefits in decades. He fixed a disastrous provision of the Trump 2017 tax cuts imposing extra taxes on Gold Star families and has been a champion of efforts to bring down the unemployment rate among veterans and military spouses.

“I honor all who serve our communities, Commonwealth and nation,” Kaine said. “As we celebrate our nation’s independence, I want to make sure that we honor their sacrifices and find new ways to support them going forward.”

The tour begins in Petersburg and make stops in Charles City, Highland Springs, Amelia, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Woodbridge, Great Falls, Fairfax, Dale City, Virginia Beach and Portsmouth.

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca J. Barnabi is the national editor of Augusta Free Press. A graduate of the University of Mary Washington, she began her journalism career at The Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star. In 2013, she was awarded first place for feature writing in the Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia Awards Program, and was honored by the Virginia School Boards Association’s 2019 Media Honor Roll Program for her coverage of Waynesboro Schools. Her background in newspapers includes writing about features, local government, education and the arts.