Fallin, Ridley Discuss Stimulus Funding At Congressional Hearing

Press Release

At a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing, Congresswoman Mary Fallin (OK-05) was joined by Oklahoma Department of Transportation Director Gary Ridley to evaluate the impact of the $787 billion stimulus bill on infrastructure improvement and economic recovery. While Fallin applauded Oklahoma's success at efficiently implementing transportation projects with the $465 million the state received, she said the massive spending bill should have been better managed and prioritized at the federal level.

"Oklahoma is one of the top five states to most effectively get its stimulus money out into our communities. These infrastructure projects should have been a major source of new jobs throughout the county," Fallin said. "Instead, we wound up with just a fraction of this massive spending bill dedicated to projects that would immediately affect our economy and the quality of our infrastructure."

In the past, Fallin has called the stimulus bill a major "missed opportunity," noting that only 5 percent of the massive spending bill actually went to infrastructure improvements. While Oklahoma received a critical $465 million for state projects, it still faces a daunting $12 billion backlog of projects. "This is $12 billion in needed safety upgrades and lost job opportunities in our state," said Fallin.

"A one-time cash infusion was helpful but we're hopeful Congress will move quickly to pass a long-term highway reauthorization bill to ensure a reliable funding source," Ridley said. "There is a great need in Oklahoma and additional projects could be completed if more funding was available."

"This administration's pursuit of higher taxes and more government mandates won't create the jobs Americans need now. Reliable funding for infrastructure projects will," Fallin said. "That is why I am working hard to ensure Congress focuses on passing a long-term highway funding bill instead of more piecemeal spending bills."

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