The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SHORT-TERM EXTENSION OF TRANSPORTATION FUNDING” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1207 on July 23, 2014.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SHORT-TERM EXTENSION OF TRANSPORTATION FUNDING
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HON. SUZANNE BONAMICI
of oregon
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Highway and Transportation Funding Act. There are few issues that have united such a diverse group of constituents as the need to maintain funding for federal transportation programs. Construction projects serve as a strong form of economic stimulus not just in Oregon, but across the country. From the workers who build our roads to the companies who use them to transport their goods, many of our constituents have emphasized their concern about the pending depletion of the Highway Trust Fund. Those constituents are frustrated and don't understand why Congress can't act to support such a clear national priority as the need for safe and reliable transportation infrastructure.
Although I do plan to support the Highway and Transportation Funding Act, this 8-month fix is far too short. We must develop a long-term solution to the fund's insolvency. I, and many like me in Congress, voted to support today's short-term legislation because it protects funding for current construction projects and current jobs. But we do so knowing that more comprehensive, substantive action is needed to ensure that projects in 2015 and beyond are not in jeopardy. In Oregon, we recently received notice from the state's Department of Transportation that eliminating funding in 2015 would cost our state roughly $470 million in transportation funding and would reduce the construction workforce by an estimated 4,700 jobs.
Passing a temporary fix to the Highway Trust Fund creates uncertainty among states, local governments, and contractors, all of whom may be less likely to take on new projects and in turn less likely to hire workers. Not only does the uncertainty hurt our constituents who work in the industry and the long-term transportation planning undertaken by state and local governments, it also hurts our economic competitiveness. When groups like the America Society of Civil Engineers give our infrastructure a near failing grade of D+, as they did in their 2013 scorecard, companies considering relocating their business operations to the United States may think twice. This is an unacceptable situation.
With an economy still working to regain its full strength, another short-term fix is an economic risk we should not take. Millions of people rely on our roads, bridges, and ground transportation to get to work and transport goods. Businesses in Oregon increasingly raise concerns about the ability of our freight infrastructure to support the high volume of goods they are transporting to market. This legislation represents the bare minimum we can do. Our constituents deserve a more comprehensive, long-term solution so that our infrastructure can support a growing and thriving economy.
Therefore, I will vote yes on this legislation with caution, and I urge my colleagues to take a long-term look at the need to stabilize our transportation funding source.
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