H. Res. 1137 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
May 21, 2008. 
Whereas public works infrastructure, facilities, and services 
have far-reaching effects on the United States economy 
and the Nation’s competitiveness in the world market-
place; 
Whereas public works infrastructure, facilities, and services 
play a pivotal role in the health, safety, and quality of 
life of communities throughout the United States; 
Whereas public works infrastructure, facilities, and services 
could not be provided without the skill and dedication of 
public works professionals, including engineers and ad-
ministrators, representing State and local governments 
throughout the United States; 
Whereas public works professionals design, build, operate, 
maintain, and protect the transportation systems, water 
supply infrastructure, sewage and refuse disposal sys-
tems, public buildings, and other structures and facilities 
that are vital to the citizens, communities, and commerce 
of the United States; 
Whereas the Corps of Engineers, in partnership with public 
port authorities, provides navigational improvements that 
link United States producers and customers with national 
and international markets;
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Whereas the public waterways, including locks and dams con-
structed, operated, and maintained by the Corps of Engi-
neers, provide a safe, energy efficient, and cost effective 
means of transporting goods and services; 
Whereas the Corps of Engineers, in partnership with local 
public entities, provides levees, reservoirs, and other 
structural and nonstructural flood damage reduction 
measures that protect millions of families, homes, and 
businesses; 
Whereas highway investment by all levels of government sup-
ported a total of 2,140,000 jobs in 2007; 
Whereas every $1 invested in public transportation generates 
as much as $6 in economic returns to the Nation’s econ-
omy; 
Whereas the capital asset program of the General Services 
Administration is authorized annually to provide Federal 
employees with necessary office space, courts of law, and 
other special purpose facilities; 
Whereas since 1972 the Nation has invested more than 
$250,000,000,000 in wastewater infrastructure facilities 
to establish a system that includes 16,000 publicly owned 
wastewater treatment plants, 100,000 major pumping 
stations, 600,000 miles of sanitary sewers, and 200,000 
miles of storm sewers; 
Whereas the Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Ad-
ministration is charged with the safe and secure move-
ment of almost 1,000,000 daily shipments of hazardous 
materials by all modes of transportation and oversees the 
safety and security of 2,300,000 miles of gas and haz-
ardous liquid pipelines, which account for 64 percent of 
the energy commodities consumed in the United States;
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Whereas the National Railroad Passenger Corporation annu-
ally provides more than 25,000,000 people with intercity 
rail service; 
Whereas 8 airfield projects are under construction, including 
3 new runways, 2 airfield reconfigurations, 1 runway ex-
tension, 1 end around taxiway, and 1 center taxiway, pro-
viding some of the busiest airports in the Nation with the 
potential to accommodate more than 400,000 additional 
annual operations and improve airport safety and effi-
ciency while decreasing the average delay per operation 
at these airports by almost 2 minutes; 
Whereas in the report of the Department of Transportation 
entitled ‘‘2006 Status of the Nation’s Highways, Bridges, 
and Transit: Conditions & Performance’’, the Depart-
ment confirms that investment in the Nation’s highway, 
bridge, and transit infrastructure has not kept up with 
growing demands on the system; 
Whereas the National Surface Transportation Policy and 
Revenue Study Commission report estimates that the 
United States needs to invest up to $340,000,000,000 
annually for the next 50 years to upgrade the Nation’s 
existing transportation network to a good state of repair 
and to build the more advanced facilities the Nation will 
require to remain competitive; and 
Whereas public works professionals are observing National 
Public Works Week from May 18 through 24, 2008: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the goals and ideals of National Public 
Works Week;