RICHMOND, Va. — Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) addressed the ongoing war in Iran, Israel's military actions in southern Lebanon, and the congressional battle over Department of Homeland Security funding in Richmond on Monday.
Speaking to a group of reporters after voting early on Virginia's redistricting referendum, Kaine criticized the potential for a $200 billion supplemental funding request from the White House for the war in Iran, calling the conflict illegal and unwise.
"That obviously would suggest that this war, which I think is both illegal and profoundly unwise, is going to go on a lot longer than what they've been telling us," Kaine said.
Kaine noted the president is expected to send the fiscal year 2027 budget this week, but it remains unclear if supplemental war funds will be included or sent separately. He stated he would vote against supplemental funding if it serves as an effective break on the war.
"I have been leading a charge in Congress by filing more powers resolutions against this war," Kaine said. "Illegal because the President started a war without coming to Congress, unwise because Iran posed no imminent threat."
He said gas prices have risen by more than $1 a gallon since the war began. He said Virginians buy 8 million gallons of gas daily, costing them an additional $8 million a day. He added that higher oil prices benefit Russia's war efforts in Ukraine.
"Any attack on more oil infrastructure in the region, whether it's by Israel or the United States, is going to increase costs more and prolong this cost effect," Kaine said.
Kaine also addressed Israel's invasion of southern Lebanon.
"Israel is going to make the decisions they make for themselves, but standing outside and looking at it, I think it's really unwise, because Hezbollah is a threat to Israel, no doubt about it, but the current Lebanese government is the most stable civilian government that Lebanon has had for some time," Kaine said. "So, massive use of the Israeli military in Lebanon ends up poisoning what could be a better chapter in Israeli-Lebanese relations, and I view that that's going to have a destabilizing effect long term."
Kaine also discussed the ongoing fight over funding the Department of Homeland Security. He said the Senate passed a bipartisan bill early Friday morning to fully fund DHS agencies, excluding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, which were already pre-funded.
"I'm not 100% sure why the speaker decided not to put it up for a vote," Kaine said. "If he put it up for a vote, it would have passed."
Kaine described the situation as a fight among Republicans, noting that both House and Senate Republican leadership claim Donald Trump supports their opposing positions.
"I think until the Republicans get their act together, we're kind of waiting to see what they do," Kaine said.
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