Date: 2011-03-02
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. I rise today in support of H.R. 662 the Surface Transportation Extension Act. This legislation would provide a necessary short term extension of surface transportation programs through September 20. 2011. I strongly prefer more comprehensive. multiyear appropriations legislation that more adequately funds the transportation and infrastructure projects that we as Members have identified in our districts as crucial to our economic recovery. The bridges. highways. rail systems necessary to our economic recovery and sustained economic growth and global competitiveness are not built in a year. However. I cannot support letting the sun set on necessary funding of critical surface transportation and infrastructure projects while we pursue longer term solutions in the face of a misplaced focus on spending cuts. I will not allow this on my watch. My colleagues here in Congress must not allow this to occur either. We must work together to forge a bipartisan longterm solution to our nations transportation and infrastructure needs. Economic experts universally agree that funding the critical and necessary infrastructure projects nationwide creates jobs for America and increases our level of global competitiveness. There is an intense competition between fiscal responsibility and investment in job growth and infrastructure. We must make investments in job creating infrastructure projects in order to grow the U.S. economy. We must be winners in contest for economic change now and for our childrens future. We cannot be the losers. We must catch the wave of economic growth or be crushed by it. China. India and Europe understand this because they have committed to greater investments in their infrastructure. As I think of my home District. the 18th Congressional District in Houston. Texas and its busy port. much like the other ports around this great nation. I am compelled to urge my colleagues to consider the pressing national necessity of decongesting the surface transportation. both rail and highway. that moves the goods in and out of those ports. We must improve this surface transportation system in order to accommodate national economic health. global competitiveness. and to avoid harm to agriculture industry. maritime jobs and manufacturing jobs. Maritime jobs and construction jobs for infrastructure provide a good middle class wage. allow workers to get educations at night. and lower crime rates in our cities. We must invest in High Speed Rail. We have about 500 miles of high speed rail in process. but China has about 10.000 miles being built. We need to have a domestic talent pool with the required knowledge. skills and trained workers to do projects like high speed rail or we will be paying for skilled Chinese companies to do it for us. Infrastructure Investment is a NonPartisan Issue: If the AFLCIO and U.S. Chamber of Commerce have teamed up to promote infrastructure investment. then surely the Democrats and Republicans in this Congress can do the same. Moreover. now is the time for us to consider the creation of a long overdue National Infrastructure Bank and PublicPrivate partnerships to shift our infrastructure improvement into full gear. We should not shy away from this issue when a nation is waiting for us to do our part to restore our economy through fortification of our infrastructure. It is time for another large. bold. national forward thinking infrastructure project like interstate highway system. Governors and Mayors at ground level around this nation will quickly confirm that Infrastructure investments create jobs. help balance budgets. and grow both state and national economies. We must listen to our local elected officials who must fix the potholes. repair the crumbling bridges and tunnels or be held directly accountable by their constituents on every street corner. Our local elected officials will quickly tell us that infrastructure investment creates jobs. because it attracts business. The American Association of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gives U.S. Infrastructure the Grade of "D" in its 2009 Report Card. Infrastructure Investment equals Jobs. But. the U.S. is falling behind its competitors in infrastructure development (especially China. India and Europe). The bottom line is that Transportation and Infrastructure Investment is needed for a Strong Economy. So. I say to my colleagues that we must pass H.R. 662. A delay in enactment of this extension will shut down more than $800 million next week in highway reimbursements and transit grants to States and urban areas. endangering more than 28.000 jobs and multimillion dollar construction projects across the country. I must say that I am very disturbed that we cannot get our colleagues to cooperate in a bipartisan manner to pass essential appropriations bills and must instead resort to shortterm measures. However. for the good people of the 18th Congressional District of Texas. the State of Texas. and our national well being. I cannot let time expire on critical transportation and infrastructure funding. It is imperative that we pass H.R. 662 to continue to fund transportation and infrastructure programs without interruption. We must keep this nation moving forward toward progress. I would also urge my colleagues in the House and the Senate chambers to reconsider the local transportation and infrastructure expenditures that Members have identified in the 111th Congress and in the 112th Congress for inclusion in appropriations measures. Members of Congress are in a front line position to identify useful and necessary projects in their districts that require funding. These projects create jobs. rebuild our infrastructure and benefit our districts. our states and our country. as well. Though. I recommended funding for critical transportation and infrastructure projects in Houston. Texas. during the 11 1th Congress. this funding was excluded from the Continuing Resolution passed in December 2010 and an opportunity to improve our national economy was lost. As we move forward. it is my hope that both chambers in the House and Senate will take a bipartisan approach to moving vitally important appropriations legislation which includes useful. necessary. job creating and economybuilding projects from our districts. This is the fiscally responsibly course and grows and strengthens our economy in the long run. In summation. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this H.R. 662 as we continue the work of funding our nations critical transportation and infrastructure projects.