Walsh: White House Transportation Plan "Misguided" and Fails to Meet Rural America Needs

Press Release

In his role on the Senate Commerce Committee, Senator John Walsh this week heard testimony from U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, causing him to express concern over the Obama Administration's lack of attention to the transportation needs and concerns in rural states like Montana. Walsh says the White House's proposed Highway Bill places far too high a priority on urban areas and large cities and sets up a system for new tolls to be placed on federal highways.

"Highway funding helps keep food on Montana's tables by ensuring that the products we grow can be delivered across the state and country -- but this misguided proposal is a disservice to our state and other rural communities across the country," Walsh said. "We need to make responsible investments in our infrastructure that will continue to improve our roadways and create good-paying jobs, not create tolls that would leave Montanans paying for other states' transportation."

Walsh is calling into question how the Department of Transportation plans to support rural transportation, including maintaining and improving highways. Walsh is skeptical of how the President plans to pay for the highway bill and opposes tolls on Montana federal interstate highways.

"It is essential that we invest in the Highway Trust Fund and the 13,500 jobs it supports in Montana alone," said Walsh. "The Highway Bill generates $400 million each year in Montana, building and repairing highways used to transport Montana products to market."

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