LYNCHBURG, Va. – Senator Tim Kaine says now that Vice President Kamala Harris has been sworn in, giving Democrats the majority, confirmation hearings should move quickly.
Kaine believes hearings may stretch into February, but he’d like to see the core security positions approved by next week.
“I’m going to get these [men and women] at these hearings to give us goals we can hold them accountable for. The Trump administration wouldn’t because they didn’t want to be measured against the goals. But the only way you ever get to a target is you have to paint the bullseye that you’re shooting for.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic senator says vaccine distribution is another top priority -- but equity should be just as big.
Kaine plans to hold the Biden administration accountable for their goal -- 100 million vaccinations during the first 100 days in office.
“If you do 45 million in California, and Illinois, and New York -- and 47 other states don’t have much -- that’s not going to satisfy us even if you get to 100 million. So, we’re going to try to press them on benchmarks about deployment” Kaine said.
Kaine also plans to press about vaccine distribution to minority communities.