Largest federal employee union applauds Clinton pick of Senator Tim Kaine as running mate

Kaine has been strong advocate for government workers and programs, AFGE president says

News provided by

The American Federation of Government Employees

Jul 23, 2016, 12:17 ET

WASHINGTON, July 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --In response to the announcement that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has selected U.S. Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate, American Federation of Government Employees National President J. David Cox Sr. today issued the following statement:

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton campaigns with U.S. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia during a rally in Northern Virginia on July 14. On Friday, Clinton announced she has selected Sen. Kaine as her vice presidential running mate. American Federation of Government Employees National President J. David Cox Sr., who heads the nation's largest federal employee union, called Kaine a strong advocate for government workers and public sector programs. "Federal employees and all public servants will have two strong allies in the White House in a Clinton-Kaine administration," Cox said.

"While representing Virginia in the U.S. Senate, Tim Kaine has been a vocal advocate for government workers and the programs we deliver to the American public. Like Hillary Clinton, Tim Kaine understands the vitally important role of government in ensuring our safety, security, prosperity, and democracy.

"Hillary Clinton is a fighter who will stand up to the anti-worker forces that want to dismantle public social programs, outsource government jobs to the lowest bidder, abolish labor unions, and drive down wages for working families. Federal employees and all public servants will have two strong allies in the White House in a Clinton-Kaine administration.

"Senator Kaine spoke out against the unprecedented 16-day federal government shutdown in 2013, which occurred due to a partisan stalemate over Obamacare funding, and fought to ensure that federal employees would be paid once the government was reopened. In 2015, Kaine went to bat for federal employees in the Department of Homeland Security who were facing unpaid furloughs due to yet another partisan fight in Congress.

"Last year, Sen. Kaine helped secure additional credit monitoring and identify theft protection for the more than 20 million federal employees, retirees, and job applicants whose personal information was compromised by two data breaches into computer systems maintained by the Office of Personnel Management.

"This summer, Sen. Kaine called for increasing TSA's funding to reverse years of budget cuts that have resulted in longer wait times for airline passengers at security checkpoints. And he has been fighting to prevent the Department of Defense from privatizing military commissaries that are vital source of discounted groceries for our military families and retirees, as well as a source of income for the many veterans and military spouses who work there.

"Tim Kaine believes in supporting and defending a strong public service and we look forward to continuing our positive working relationship with the senator once he becomes vice president."

AFGE President J. David Cox Sr. will be attending the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia to cast his vote for presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton as a Maryland delegate. To arrange a media interview with him, contact Cory Bythrow at 202-765-4976 or [email protected].

Click here for online version of this release.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 670,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center.

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SOURCE The American Federation of Government Employees