{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-warner-and-mcguire-applaud-committee-passage-of-wintergreen-emergency-egress-act", "Kaine, Warner, & McGuire Applaud Committee Passage of Wintergreen Emergency Egress Act", "2025-12-15", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", "kaine", "https://www.kaine.senate.gov/news", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark R. Warner (both D-VA) and U.S. Representative John McGuire (R-VA-05) applaud the advancing of the Wintergreen Emergency Egress Act, bipartisan legislation to issue a right-of-way to add an additional emergency route and road to enhance public safety in Wintergreen, Virginia\u2014a popular tourist destination off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Nelson County. The Wintergreen community currently has only one entrance and exit route, presenting a significant safety concern if there were to be an evacuation due to a natural disaster. This legislation would direct the Secretary of the Interior to finish a new emergency route\u2014ensuring residents and visitors have an alternative evacuation route\u2014while minimizing disturbance to federal land.\n\n\u201cThere is currently only one road for entry to and exit out of Wintergreen, and residents have shared their concerns with me about the risks that poses if there is an emergency,\u201d said Kaine. \u201cI\u2019m proud to be introducing this bipartisan legislation to support the construction of a new road and enhance public safety.\u201d\n\n\u201cCurrently, there is only one road in and out of Wintergreen, posing a great risk to residents and first responders in the event of an emergency,\u201d said Warner. \u201cThis legislation takes the first step towards fixing this potentially life-threatening problem and prioritizing public safety during a natural disaster or emergency situation.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am proud to introduce this legislation which will help solve an over 25-year problem for the town of Wintergreen and puts public safety first,\u201d said McGuire. \u201cThe danger posed by limited evacuation routes is well documented. The difference between survival and catastrophe comes down to whether there is more than one way out during times of emergency. I\u2019m proud to have the support of seven of my House colleagues in the Virginia Delegation and both of Virginia\u2019s Senators on this straightforward bill that prioritizes public safety.\"\n\nWintergreen is home to the very popular Wintergreen Resort, but it has only one entrance and exit road, creating a serious safety risk for the thousands of residents and visitors who rely on it. Without an additional emergency evacuation route, lives could be endangered during a natural disaster or crisis. The Wintergreen Emergency Egress Act would authorize the construction of a crucial emergency exit on National Park Service land, providing the community with a safe, reliable way out when it matters most.\n\nFull text of the legislation is available here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-warner-and-mcguire-applaud-committee-passage-of-wintergreen-emergency-egress-act"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.0817220211029053, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}