Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014

Floor Speech

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Ms. BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, Surface Transportation Programs are too critical to our economy to become a political issue. The short-term Highway Trust Fund extension that the House is voting on today will keep workers on the job this summer and fall fixing our bridges, operating our transit systems and making our highways safer.

Unfortunately, we're already behind the 8 Ball in preparing for surface reauthorization and have some serious work to do in deciding how we are going to fund the future of transportation in this country.

Developing a bill based on strong policy is always the best way to write legislation, but the most critical part of developing this next reauthorization bill is clearly finding a way to pay for it. Without that everything else is just talk.

As we prepare for reauthorization of MAP-21 we need to get serious about funding our nation's transportation system. We can't continue to provide grossly inadequate funding for our nation's infrastructure. We're failing to keep pace with our international competitors who are investing heavily in infrastructure, particularly rail infrastructure to move people, goods, and services in their countries. I agree we need to squeeze out every bit of efficiency we can through improved technology and innovation, but we are kidding ourselves if we don't think it will take a significant investment in our nation's infrastructure to truly solve the congestion problems we are facing.

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee needs to take the bull by the horns and decide how we are going to fund all forms of transportation for the future. Our committee needs to have all possible options on the table to address our current shortfalls. The American Society of Civil Engineers has given our nation infrastructure a D grade. That is unacceptable for the greatest country in the world.

Transportation and Infrastructure funding is absolutely critical to the nation, and, if properly funded, serves as a tremendous economic and job creator. In fact, Department of Transportation (DOT) statistics show that for every $1 billion invested in transportation infrastructure, 44,000 jobs are created, as is $6.2 billion in economic activity.

So, as the Transportation & Infrastructure committee prepares the next transportation reauthorization bill, I hope we can develop a long term bill with dedicated funding source for all modes of transportation so we can improve our nation's infrastructure, create jobs and improve the economy, and provide new and innovative transportation options for the traveling public.

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