Kaine Applauds Congress for Passing Transportation, Student Loan Package

From the Kaine campaign:

TIM KAINE STATEMENT ON PASSAGE OF TRANSPORTATION, STUDENT LOAN, FLOOD INSURANCE PACKAGE

Richmond, VA – In response to the passage of the legislative package including two years of transportation funding, a five-year flood insurance program, and a one-year extension of current Stafford student loan rates, Tim Kaine released the following statement:

“I applaud the House and Senate for coming together today to pass important pieces of legislation that will mean more access to higher education for our young people, more roads to drive on, more certainty for our businesses, and more jobs created and saved in our economy. I have continually advocated a long-term transportation bill that is necessary to allow localities and contractors to plan, and enable our country to move people and goods at the speed of a global economy. A two-year transportation bill does just that and I am hopeful this will spur a new commitment to investments in a 21st century infrastructure.

“I am also pleased Congress has found common ground to avert the disastrous effects that would result if interest rates on Stafford student loans had doubled. As our country continues to slip in degree attainment compared to the rest of the world, this is no time to increase the cost of post-secondary education.

“While the passage of the transportation, flood insurance, and student loan bills has not been a smooth process, today’s action demonstrates what can be done when we put aside partisanship and do what’s right for Virginia and the rest of the country. And it is a reminder that attaching unrelated social riders like Senator Paul’s personhood provision will only further gridlock the political process at the expense of Virginia taxpayers.

“As governor, I worked with all parties and constituencies to pursue strategies that created jobs and raised our platform for economic growth, and that’s exactly what I will do as Virginia’s next Senator.”