CHESAPEAKE, Va. — U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine and Congressman Bobby Scott met with Hampton Roads leaders Monday to discuss how the Trump administration’s new budget could impact local families and nonprofits.
The discussion, held at the Chesapeake Public Safety Operations Center, brought together elected officials and nonprofit executives who said federal funding cuts are already affecting their ability to serve the community.
President Donald Trump signed the $3.5 trillion budget into law a month ago, calling it “The One Big Beautiful Bill” and claiming it includes historic tax cuts for middle and working-class Americans. But Democratic leaders say the cuts come at a cost—especially to safety-net programs.
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Kaine called the current budget situation “challenging” and said he believes Virginia could be disproportionately affected due to its high number of federal employees.
“A lot of things that folks have relied upon are sort of disappearing,” Kaine said during the roundtable.
One area of concern raised Monday was food insecurity. Christopher Tan, CEO of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, said recent cuts to programs like SNAP have led to a loss of $400,000 in food over the last three months.
“You tell me to cut 5%, I’ll figure it out,” Tan said. “But we’ve lost USDA TEFAP loads. We’re ordering food months in advance. We’re losing loads of food not because we’re told, but because the website says it’s not coming.”
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Tan also noted that many of the families the food bank serves are struggling to access healthy options.
“Our neighbors that we see every day—they’re not seeking shelf-stable food,” he said. “What they can’t afford is produce and protein.”
Kaine said he plans to bring the stories he heard Monday back to Capitol Hill when Congress returns from recess in September, in hopes of pushing back against further cuts.
In a statement, Republican Congresswoman Jen Kiggans criticized the event, saying Democrats are misleading Virginians. She also expressed frustration that Kaine held a political roundtable shortly after the two spent the morning together touring Naval Station Norfolk.
Here's the full statement:
The Congressional Democrats have come to Hampton Roads yet again to mislead the people of Virginia. The truth remains that Senator Tim Kaine and Congressman Bobby Scott voted to give Virginians the highest tax increase in American history, voted against military funding, voted against resources to secure the border, and voted to leave illegal immigrants on Medicaid which takes valuable resources away from people who truly need that program. Jen Kiggans has been fighting for Virginians and policies that benefit all of us by putting money in the pockets of hard working Virginians, protecting our military and defense jobs, supporting our veterans, and keeping our communities safe. Senator Kaine should get his facts straight for his press release.
This morning, Senator Kaine and Congresswoman Kiggans were together for four hours touring facilities at Naval Station Norfolk, talking to Navy sailors on the USS George Bush, and having lunch with Navy leadership at Fleet Forces Command.
She is disappointed that, after she spent the morning with him working together, Senator Kaine chose to do a political roundtable to mislead the people of Virginia in her district.
