Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014

Floor Speech

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Mrs. NEGRETE MCLEOD. Mr. Speaker, I support efforts by Congress to continue funding the Highway Trust Fund. This fund provides $3.2 billion of necessary resources for building and maintaining California's transportation system and growing the state's economy. With the passage of H.R. 5021, San Bernardino County's Omnitrans will be able to move forward with the purchase of 15 new transit buses to link the cities of Fontana, Ontario, Montclair, and Pomona. Projects like this are crucial to the local economy and construction projects across California's 35th Congressional District will continue through spring of next year.

This short term investment is an important first step, but it is time we make significant long term investments in the country's infrastructure and Congress must now take up The GROW AMERICA Act. This legislation is a four year reauthorization proposal that provides increased and stable funding for our nation's highways, bridges, mass transits, and rail systems. This will provide critical investments to fix our failing roads and crumbling bridges to ensure the safety of our transportation systems. Sixty five percent of America's infrastructure is rated in less than good condition and one in four bridges requires significant repair. Congress must act now by investing in our infrastructure to increase safety, build our nation's transportation workforce, and increase opportunity for the middle class.

This legislation will provide $5 billion in funding over four years for the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Act. The TIGER grant program will continue to be available for another four years, extending successful transportation projects that serve the diverse travel and goods movement to meet the needs or the residents and businesses of California.

The GROW AMERICA Act will also empower regional and local communities to make transportation investments that support the growth of the economy and quality of life of the residents of California's 35th Congressional District. According to the Department of Transportation only 8 percent of federal highway dollars are now controlled by regional and local interests and additional authority over resources at the local level would increase the success of our transportation investments. This will ensure the public and interested parties can participate in the early development of transportation plans and review alternative development scenarios. Lastly, The GROW AMERICA Act will adopt local performance-based decision making to ensure regional priorities drive investment decisions and by implementing measures to reduce the amount of time to break ground on local projects.

This input from local stakeholders is very important for the communities I represent in the 35th Congressional District of California. As a major freight corridor for Burlington Northern-Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroads, San Bernardino County needs additional investment in grade separation projects to reduce traffic congestion. It often loses out on infrastructure grants to larger metropolitan areas. The GROW AMERICA Act will take our role as a freight corridor into account when determining funding for the Inland Empire.

Again, I commend today's efforts to continue funding the Highway Trust Fund, but it is clear that the success of our economy relies on the strength of our infrastructure. I urge Congress take up the GROW AMERICA Act and make the critical transportation investments needed to create jobs and increase opportunity in California.

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