Speaker-designee Todd Gilbert issued the following statement Tuesday morning:

“The situation on Interstate 95 is untenable. Travelers are trapped – some for nearly 24 hours. But now isn’t the time to place blame for what went wrong. It’s time to get help to those in need.

“Local first responders are doing everything they can, but with so many people stranded, the Commonwealth needs to bring all of its resources to bear. It’s not enough for the men, women, and the heavy vehicles of the Virginia National Guard to be ‘available.’ They need to be activated to bring aid to those who need it and to help get the Interstate open again. The best time to do this was last night. The second best time is now.

“Keeping our citizens safe and our highways open are two core functions of government at which we must not fail.”