WASHINGTON, DC (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Virginia’s two U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine joined their colleagues in writing a letter urging newly-confirmed U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to immediately take action to resolve looming staffing shortages at the National Park Service. The two Virginia Democrats say national parks have an immense impact on Virginia’s economy. In 2023, Virginia attracted over 23 million park visitors, which helped 21,000 jobs and generated over $2 billion in economic output in the Commonwealth.

The letter follows President Trump’s hiring freeze, his cancellation of thousands of job offers for seasonal National Park Service employees, and his buyout offers made Kaine and Warmer say without clear legal authority. The letter contends these actions pave the way for a damaging loss of staff at national parks—which threatens emergency response times, park safety, and local economies across the nation. Click here for the entire letter.