HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — Virginia Senator Tim Kaine is celebrating the Senate’s passage of a national defense bill.
He helped write the 2024 fiscal year defense budget. It aims to give service members a pay raise, expand mental health resources, and give millions of dollars to military construction projects in Hampton Roads.
The senate version would green light a 5.2% pay raise for both military service members and the DOD civilian workforce.
In the wake of local service member suicides, the bill would expand mental health counseling services to service members and dependents.
The measure would also increase federal attention to fentanyl trafficking to disrupt Mexican cartel activity.
Senator Kaine’s plan would also include $590 million for military construction – much of that is focused in Hampton Roads.
Senator Kaine told News 3 that he’s hopeful members of the house will pass these provisions. But the house’s version includes controversial amendments, like restrictions for transgender healthcare and repealing the current DOD policy that reimburses service members who travel for lawful abortions.
