Virginia

Mid-Atlantic Governors' Agreement on Ocean Conservation to help coordinate 5 states’ policies

June 04, 2009 -- RICHMOND – Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced his participation in the Mid-Atlantic Governors' Agreement on Ocean Conservation, a partnership among the Governors of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia to protect the ocean waters of the Mid-Atlantic.

The new regional partnership will protect and improve the health of ocean and coastal resources through improved coordination and minimized jurisdictional barriers, ensuring the resources contribute to our economic vitality and high quality of life well into the future.    » read more »

June 03, 2009 -- RICHMOND – Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine released the following statement today regarding the Commonwealth's first confirmed death associated with the H1N1 influenza virus commonly known as "swine flu":

"The news today that the Commonwealth has witnessed its first death associated with the H1N1 influenza virus is a sad and sharp reminder that Virginians must remain vigilant against the spread of this potentially fatal illness. My heart goes out to the family and friends of the young woman who passed away this afternoon in Chesapeake.    » read more »

Additional train to provide service during commuter hours

June 03, 2009 -- RICHMOND - Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced that Amtrak and the Commonwealth of Virginia have signed an agreement to operate an additional train between Richmond and Washington, D.C. during commuter hours. This new train, along with previously announced daily service between Lynchburg and Washington, D.C., provides more passenger and freight rail transportation options, and are the first state-supported intercity passenger rail services in Virginia.    » read more »

June 03, 2009 -- RICHMOND – Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine released the following statement today in response to the U.S. House of Representatives' vote to pass the "Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2009" (H.R. 1385):

"Today's vote by the U.S. House of Representatives to recognize six of the Native American Tribes of Virginia is a major step towards reconciling an historic wrong for Virginia and the Nation. While the Virginia Tribes have received official recognition from the Commonwealth of Virginia, acknowledgement and officially recognized status from the federal government has been considerably more difficult due to their systematic mistreatment over the past century.    » read more »

$2,423,986 in grants for four Virginia projects

June 01, 2009 -- RICHMOND – Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine today joined Congressman Bobby Scott, Secretary of Natural Resources L. Preston Bryant and representatives from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Environmental Protection Agency to announce federal grants awarded to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.

The grants, totaling $2,423,986, will fund four projects in the Commonwealth that focus on innovative techniques and technologies to address nonpoint source pollution and environmental education related to the Chesapeake Bay watershed.    » read more »

Recovery Act funds will expand aid for eligible families, improve quality of care and delivery of services

May 28, 2009 -- RICHMOND -- Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced a $38 million infusion into Virginia's Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The increased federal funding will assist low-income families with child care and improve the quality of care and delivery of services.    » read more »

May 26, 2009 -- "Less than three months ago, the U.S. Senate with my support passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), to revive our struggling economy by addressing several long-standing needs throughout the country.

During the development of this crucial legislation, I worked with my colleagues to develop a recovery plan that was truly stimulative, with a set of specific guidelines and benchmarks for economic renewal. As a result, Virginia has received more than $2 billion to help maintain government services, invest in infrastructure, improve public facilities, and create or save more than 93,000 jobs in a range of industries. The Tidewater area has received a healthy percentage of these funds.    » read more »

Application for Part 1 of Virginia's State Stabilization Funds Approved Today

May 22, 2009 -- U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that $806 million is now available for Virginia under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. This funding will lay the foundation for a generation of education reform and help save hundreds of thousands of teaching jobs at risk of state and local budget cuts.

Virginia will be eligible to apply for another $397 million this fall. Today's funding is being made available per Virginia's successful completion of Part 1 of the State Stabilization Application, which was made available on April 1st.    » read more »

May 26, 2009 -- Less than three months ago, the U.S. Senate with my support passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), to revive our struggling economy by addressing several long-standing needs throughout the country.

During the development of this crucial legislation, I worked with my colleagues to develop a recovery plan that was truly stimulative, with a set of specific guidelines and benchmarks for economic renewal. As a result, Virginia has received more than $2 billion to help maintain government services, invest in infrastructure, improve public facilities, and create or save more than 93,000 jobs in a range of industries. Southwest Virginia has received a healthy percentage of these funds.    » read more »

Stimulus Funds Will Save Jobs, Drive Reform

May 26, 2009 -- Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Jim Webb and Mark R. Warner today announced that the Department of Education will release $806 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 to help address the budget shortfall that Virginia’s education system is facing by saving hundreds of thousands of teaching jobs at risk of state and local budget cuts.

Of that funding, $659 million will be used to maintain state support to K-12 education and institutions of higher education and to mitigate the need to raise tuition on in-state students. The remaining $147 million will be put toward other projects, including construction at higher education facilities.    » read more »

21 localities receive 28 grants to fund school resource officers

May 26, 2009 -- RICHMOND - Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced that grants worth more than $1.3 million have been awarded to support programs to improve school safety throughout the Commonwealth. Twenty one localities were chosen to receive a total of 28 grants to fund school resource officers.

"These grants demonstrate Virginia's commitment to providing safe schools where students can learn and teachers can teach," Governor Kaine said. "When students succeed, the entire community succeeds."    » read more »

Encourages Virginians to prepare for emergencies, take advantage of Sales Tax Holiday May 25-31

May 22, 2009 -- RICHMOND – Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine has recognized May 24-30 as National Hurricane Preparedness Week and today reminded Virginians that the Commonwealth will mark its second annual Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday from Monday, May 25, through Sunday, May 31.

"Hurricane season will soon be here and now is a good time to start thinking about what you will need if one of these devastating storms affects Virginia," Governor Kaine said. "These tax breaks should help everyone buy the items they need to see them through the difficult days that follow the storms."    » read more »

Federal funds are major infusion for Commonwealth's program to boost Chesapeake Bay crab population, aid commercial fishermen

May 19, 2009 -- RICHMOND – Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine announced today the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has approved $7.5 million of federal funds for the state's ongoing program to boost the Chesapeake Bay's blue crab population and aid struggling commercial fishermen.

With the first part of Virginia's multi-faceted, three-year blue crab disaster relief plan already underway, the new infusion of federal fishery disaster funds will help ensure the continued success of the statewide effort to reduce harvest pressure on the blue crab, and to continue an innovative marine debris clean-up program using out-of-work crab dredgers.    » read more »

Announces formation of Broadband Advisory Council

May 14, 2009 -- RICHMOND - Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine today unveiled the Commonwealth's first broadband availability map, available online through the Office of Telework Promotion and Broadband Assistance. The map is an important resource that will give policy makers, local government leaders, and service providers a more detailed picture of broadband coverage in Virginia as they work to provide "last-mile" broadband in their communities.    » read more »

11 additional schools receive grants to boost AP enrollment and achievement

May 14, 2009 -- RICHMOND – Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine today joined Virginia Advanced Study Strategies (VASS) to announce the selection of 11 additional schools to receive five-year Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program grants designed to increase students' enrollment and qualifying scores in Advanced Placement courses in mathematics, science and English.

Governor Kaine also commended VASS for its initial success in the 14 schools announced last March. In this first group of schools chosen to participate, student enrollment in AP math, science, and English courses has increased from 1100 in 2007-2008 to more than 2600 in 2008-2009.    » read more »