Sen. Tim Kaine begins Shenandoah Valley swing

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine joined Roanoke Mayor Dave Bowers and members of the local business community today to tour the city’s downtown and discuss economic development in the region. During the discussion, Kaine expressed his support for the Marketplace Fairness Act that will level the playing field for small businesses in Roanoke and across Virginia that are a major source of job creation.

“I support the Marketplace Fairness Act for two reasons,” said Kaine. “First, it will correct the unfair system that puts small businesses at a disadvantage compared to large online retailers. But this bill is also especially important for Virginia because it will yield important revenues for our transportation system.”

The Senate is expected to vote on final passage of the Marketplace Fairness Act when it returns from the state work period next week. Last week, the Senate voted to end debate and move the bill forward by a bipartisan vote of 63 to 30.

In the afternoon, Kaine, a member of the Armed Services Committee, visited the Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton where he spoke with a group of female cadets about his support for the recent decision by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to allow women to serve in combat units and his hopes for increased leadership by women in the military.

“Women have been serving in combat for a long time and the military’s decision to remove barriers to their service is an important recognition of their sacrifice,” said Kaine. “I’m excited about the work the Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership is doing to train the next generation of military and civilian leaders.”

Kaine also emphasized the importance of attracting talented young people to serve in the military and how he is working to ensure they receive the support they need during and following their service. Kaine’s first Senate bill, the Troop Talent Act of 2013, will help ease the transition of active duty servicemembers into the workforce by improving the translation of specialty military skills into civilian credentials.

On Thursday, Kaine will travel to Harrisonburg for a roundtable discussion with women business leaders, followed by an economic development tour in Waynesboro and Virginia Bio’s 20th anniversary celebration in Charlottesville.