Kaine Receives Distinguished Public Service Award from Secretary of the Navy

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), was awarded the Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service (DPS) Award for his dedication to ensuring the highest quality of service and quality of life for servicemembers during his decade-long tenure on SASC and for outstanding contributions to the Navy and the Marine Corps. Awarded by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, the DPS award is the highest award the Secretary can bestow on a civilian outside of the Department of the Navy.

The award includes the following citation: "For exceptional public service to the Department of the Navy as a Member of Congress and the Senate Armed Services Committee, from 2013 to 2024. Senator Kaine's dedicated service to our Sailors and Marines ensured they were provided the resources necessary to support and defend the Nation's interests around the globe. His leadership on personnel and readiness policy focused on Quality of Service, ensuring Service Member access to health care, child care, and education. Senator Kaine's efforts in support of the Australia-United Kingdom-United States Agreement and the revitalization of the defense industrial base to support shipbuilding, have ensured that the Navy-Marine Corps team remains the most capable force in history. With grateful appreciation for his many years of public service to the Nation and his outstanding contributions to the Navy and Marine Corps, the Honorable Tim Kaine is awarded the Department of the Navy's Distinguished Public Service Award."

Click here to download the above photo of Del Toro and Kaine

In 2017, Kaine received a distinguished civilian award from Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning, following his advocacy to strengthen religious inclusivity in the Army.

As a member of SASC, Kaine serves as the Chair of the Subcommittee on Seapower and as a member of the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support. Kaine has successfully worked to secure key Virginia priorities, including authorizing over $800 million for military construction projects in Virginia in the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) as it passed out of the committee and securing over $590 million for Virginia military projects in the Fiscal Year 2024 NDAA. Kaine is also a leading advocate for the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) partnership, which strengthens U.S. alliances in the Indo-Pacific region and brings job creation and economic growth to Hampton Roads through increased production of Virginia-class submarines.

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