House T&I Committee Dems respond to surface transportation proposal

Written by jrood

Republicans on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unveiled the framework for a controversial multi-year surface transportation proposal to reauthorize highway, highway safety, transit and rail programs. Democratic leaders on the committee responded at an afternoon news conference on Capitol Hill. Excepts from the response follow: "While we have yet to see much of the details of this legislation, based on the funding levels alone, it appears that this bill can best be called the ‘Republican Road to Ruin' because it would take our Nation in the wrong direction," said U.S. Representative Nick Rahall (D-W.V.) "The dramatic, mindless cuts proposed to surface transportation programs will destroy nearly 500,000 American jobs next year alone, undermine our nation's long-term economic competitiveness and jeopardize our economic recovery." The most recent multi-year surface transportation bill (SAFETEA-LU) expired in September 2009, and the program has continued to operate through temporary extensions. Breaking with committee precedent and tradition, the current proposal was drafted by the majority with no consultation or input from the Minority. Rahall warned the "my way or the highway" approach in developing the current reauthorization could undermine efforts to enact a long-term surface authorization. "I have had the privilege of serving on this committee for 34 years now, my entire tenure in Congress, and this is the first time the majority and minority stand apart," said Rahall. "We have always worked together to develop bipartisan surface transportation bills that had the overwhelming support of the committee and the House. Unfortunately, the Republicans are developing a bill, a bill we still have not yet seen, designed to pass the House with only 218 Republican votes. This approach breaks the best traditions of our Committee and is a missed opportunity to enact a long-term surface transportation bill." By cutting $109 billion in surface transportation investments, the Republican bill ignores the well-documented and long-neglected infrastructure deficit. China currently spends nine percent of its Gross Domestic Product per year on infrastructure investments. India spends five percent of its GDP on infrastructure. The United States only invests 1.9 percent. While construction unemployment hovers around 16 percent, Republicans are proposing to slash these family wage jobs by one third. "While our competitors are moving forward, this bill will leave us stuck in a ditch, putting American businesses at a disadvantage with companies around the world," said Rahall.  

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