News from the South - Virginia News Feed

Kaine pushes bill to reverse veteran layoffs, slams Trump’s federal workforce policies

Published

3 months ago

March 12, 2025

Staff Editor

virginiamercury.com – Markus Schmidt – 2025-03-12 04:29:00

Kaine pushes bill to reverse veteran layoffs, slams Trump’s federal workforce policies

by Markus Schmidt, Virginia Mercury
March 12, 2025

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., is one of three Democratic lawmakers spearheading a legislative effort to reinstate thousands of veterans who were fired from federal jobs as part of President Donald Trump administration’s mass layoffs of government employees.

Kaine, whose home state of Virginia has one of the highest populations of veterans in the country, introduced the Protect Veteran Jobs Act alongside U.S. Sens. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Andy Kim, D-NJ, in an effort to reverse what they called an indiscriminate and unfair dismissal of those who have served.

The proposal comes in response to layoffs through billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that disproportionately affected veterans, who make up nearly 30% of the federal workforce. According to federal data compiled by Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee, DOGE has fired more than 6,000 veterans from federal positions.

“President Trump has fired more veterans in his first few weeks in office than any U.S. President. This is unacceptable,” Kaine said in a statement. “These men and women have made tremendous sacrifices in service to our nation, and now they are being kicked to the curb by a president who has previously called service members and veterans losers and suckers.”

Kaine has been one of the most vocal critics of Trump’s federal workforce policies, particularly those affecting veterans. Last week, he invited Fairfax resident Jason King, a disabled veteran fired from his position in the Federal Aviation Administration’s safety division, as his guest to Trump’s joint address to Congress to highlight the issue.

The Protect Veteran Jobs Act seeks to reinstate veterans who lost their jobs in these layoffs, ensuring they regain access to stable employment and benefits. Additionally, it mandates the White House submit a quarterly report to Congress detailing the number of veterans removed from the federal workforce and providing justifications for their dismissals.

The legislation has gained the support of several Senate Democrats, including Dick Durbin, Ill., Richard Blumenthal, D-Ct., Mark Kelly, D-Az., Amy Klobuchar, D-Mn., and Cory Booker, D-NJ, among others. In the House, a companion bill was introduced by U.S. Rep. Derek Tran, D-Ca.

Co-sponsor Duckworth, a combat veteran, has also strongly condemned the firings, saying that veterans deserve opportunities to transition into the civilian workforce without fear of politically motivated dismissals.

Several advocacy groups have also lined up behind the bill. VoteVets, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), AMVETS, the Union Veterans Council, AFL-CIO and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) have all endorsed the legislation, calling the mass dismissals an injustice to those who have served.

“Firing veterans who perform essential duties isn’t government efficiency, it’s cruel,” VoteVets said in a statement. “Service members deserve opportunities to transition back into the workforce and should be guaranteed support — not the added stress of unemployment.”

Virginia, home to the Pentagon, multiple military bases, and one of the largest veteran populations in the country, has been particularly affected by the federal layoffs. Many veterans in the state take on federal civilian jobs as a continuation of their public service, making job security in the sector a critical issue for Virginia’s economy.

The AFGE, which represents federal workers, blasted the mass firings and called for urgent action.

“We should be celebrating Americans willing to wear a second uniform in service to their country. Instead, they are being treated to insults, chaos, and pink slips,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said in a statement.

With strong backing from veterans’ organizations and Democratic lawmakers, the legislation now faces the challenge of gaining bipartisan support in a divided Congress. Its fate will likely depend on whether Kaine and his co-sponsors can convince Republican colleagues that reinstating these veterans is a necessary step in honoring their service and stabilizing the federal workforce.

YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.

SUPPORT

Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.

The post Kaine pushes bill to reverse veteran layoffs, slams Trump’s federal workforce policies appeared first on virginiamercury.com

Up Next

Employees react to Department of Education cuts | NBC4 Washington

Don't Miss

NTSB calls for safety changes near DCA | NBC4 Washington

News from the South - Virginia News Feed

Flood watch remains in effect; more scattered storms with potential for torrential downpours

Published

2 days ago

June 14, 2025

Staff Editor

www.youtube.com – WTVR CBS 6 – 2025-06-14 11:47:32

SUMMARY: A flood watch remains in effect through tonight for much of the area, with potential for torrential downpours, especially north and west of Richmond. Storms today may produce rainfall rates up to 2–3 inches per hour and gusts near 40 mph. Scattered storms are likely mid-to-late afternoon and into the evening. Sunday, Father’s Day, will be muggy with highs near 80 in Richmond, cooler to the north and east. A marginal risk of strong storms exists south of I-64. Rain chances ease midweek as temps rise to the 90s. A front Thursday brings brief relief before heat returns next weekend.

We’re tracking more scattered storms for Saturday. Showers and storms will increase from mid-afternoon into the evening. Due to the muggy air, torrential downpours will occur, and localized flooding is possible. Some spots could pick up multiple inches of rainfall. A few storms could have some gusts in excess of 40 mph.

Source

News from the South - Virginia News Feed

State high school semifinals

Published

3 days ago

June 13, 2025

Staff Editor

www.youtube.com – 13News Now – 2025-06-13 19:23:36

SUMMARY: Several area high schools competed in state semifinals across baseball, softball, and soccer. In Class 5 baseball, Cox edged Independence 2-1 with MJ Lemke closing the game, advancing to face Ocean Lakes in an all Beach District final. In softball, Great Bridge fell 1-0 to Mills Godwin despite strong pitching by Bailey Blevin. Gloucester, York, and Western Branch advanced to the finals. In boys’ Class 5 soccer, Hickory lost 2-0 to Lightridge, while Kellam beat Riverside to reach the finals. Northampton Boys and Kellam Girls won, but West Point Boys and Lafayette Girls were eliminated from title contention.

Several area high schools punched their ticket to the championship game that included the Cox Falcons baseball team.

Source

News from the South - Virginia News Feed

Capital region gears up for protests during military parade | National

Published

3 days ago

June 13, 2025

Staff Editor

www.thecentersquare.com – By Morgan Sweeney | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-06-13 18:44:00

(The Center Square) – As Washington, D.C., gears up for an historic military parade coinciding with Flag Day and President Donald Trump’s birthday, with projected costs between $25 million and $45 million, the capital region is also mobilizing a protest response.

There are dozens of locations in Northern Virginia and Maryland within an hour’s drive of Washington where protesters can gather as part of the official nationwide ‘No Kings’ Day of Defiance.

No Kings is a movement supported by more than 100 partner organizations opposing Trump’s “authoritarian overreach” and gathering in “[defense] of democracy.”

There are over 2,000 cities and towns hosting No Kings events Saturday, where in some cases local or state leaders will speak, and “millions” that have RSVP’d, according to event communications.

Some events in the capital region were at capacity as of Friday evening. One event in Kingstowne, Va., was expecting 250 people, according to an email from an organizer.

The group is not holding a protest in the district itself, however.

“Real power isn’t staged in Washington. It rises up everywhere else,” its website reads. “Instead of allowing this birthday parade to be the center of gravity, we will make action everywhere else the story of America that day.”

However, the district is also in a state of heightened security, as the parade has been designated a National Special Security Event by the Department of Homeland Security. Extra security measures were installed throughout the week leading up to the event and some will be in place through the days immediately following the event, as well. The president also told reporters that any protests in D.C. during the parade would be met with “very big force.”

No Kings says it is committed to nonviolence.

“A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events,” its website says.

The flagship event will be held in Philadelphia.

The post Capital region gears up for protests during military parade | National appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents information on both the planned military parade and the associated protests without adopting an overt ideological stance. It accurately reports the logistical and security aspects of the parade and describes the protest movement’s messaging and scale. While the article references phrases like “authoritarian overreach” and “defense of democracy,” these are clearly attributed to the protest organizers rather than the article itself. The tone remains factual and avoids emotionally charged or opinionated language. The article provides balanced coverage of actions from both the Trump administration and its critics, maintaining journalistic neutrality throughout.