Senators Warner and Kaine discussing possibility of a government shutdown

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are discussing the looming possibility of a government shutdown.

“It feels like lurching towards the potential government shutdown at the end of next week,” Sen. Warner said Thursday, September 21. “We know in Virginia that will have an enormous effect to our service members.”

The Democrat says the hardest hit area of the commonwealth would be Hampton Roads, but all of Virginia would feel the impact.

“Virginians who want to get passports, that will come to a grinding halt. NIH research will come to a grinding halt during the midst of of a shutdown, air traffic control. We’ve already seen record delays,” Sen. Kaine said. “It makes people nervous who are interacting with the IRS about maybe getting a tax refund: Wil their phone calls be answered? Or will they have to delay veterans who are waiting to get a veteran’s benefit application approved?”

Sen. Kaine says sticking to the budget deal from May will work.

“Keep spending at the levels that were indicated in that deal as we work between now and the end of the year to come up with a full year budget,” he said.

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