Sen. Kaine weighing in on issues in Washington, D.C.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - There’s a lot of action in Washington, D.C.: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is getting closer to being confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and bills are being introduced to help those suffering from long COVID-19.

“I think her public defender role is not only a strong asset of hers, but it would really needed on the court right now,” U.S. Senator Tim Kaine said Wednesday, April 6.

Sen. Kaine believes Judge Jackson is a solid addition to the Supreme Court for many reasons: “Stellar academic credentials, prestigious clerkship, strong track record as a public defender, and a member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission,” the senator said. “I think people underestimate the difficulty of being a good trial judge, but when you find a good trial judge then they’re worth their weight in gold and again, if you think about the Supreme Court docket so much of it is cases that are designed to be instructions on how to fairly try cases in court.”

While this happens, Kaine is also working on a bill that will help people suffering from long COVID-19. He says it would help gather patient information, propel research, and help with relief.

“It’s to help somebody to determine whether they can make a claim for Social Security Disability or what kind of treatment or maybe there might be a medical trial that they can participate in to see if they can get relief. How can we support patients,” Kaine said.

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