VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The most recent defense budget set aside several million dollars to build more child development centers (CDC) on military installations in Hampton Roads, an initiative Senator Tim Kaine rallied for.
"We say to people thanks for your service but we don’t really mean it if we don’t provide the support they need," said Kaine.
The new CDC on Naval Air Station Oceana will cost $1.2 million. Naval Station Norfolk is also slated to start construction on a new CDC with funding from the most recent defense budget.
Senator Kaine told News 3 this isn't just a childcare issue, for military members, it's an issue of resiliency and mission readiness.
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“We want our troops to be doing the job with 100 percent focus and if we can enable them to do that by making sure that there’s good childcare options available then it’s good for our defense," said Kaine.
Kaine said an even further impact is retention.
"If people feel like they can get good support for their families they’re more likely to stay in the military and if they feel like the support is not there they’re gonna leave," said Kaine.
The senator also told News 3 he is proposing a bill to cap childcare expenses at 7% of a family's total income.
The bill also includes grant money for childcare workers to increase their pay.
