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Time for Long-Term Transportation Bill is Now

July 15, 2015
Speeches

WASHINGTON -- Sixteen days away from the latest expiration of the Highway Trust Fund, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) urged his colleagues to pass a long-term transportation bill that will grow our economy and create jobs.

Below is a video and transcript of the speech.

Mr. Speaker, we are 16 days away from the latest expiration of the Highway Trust Fund.

This is nothing new. Over the last six years, Congress has passed 33 stop gap funding bills to extend transportation funding. Today, we'll vote on the 34th.

Congress has repeatedly failed to provide the long term investments in transportation that we so badly need.

Without serious long-term investments we simply will not be able to compete in today's global economy.

Europe now invests twice as much as we do in transportation. China invests four times as much.

Our crumbling infrastructure, rated a D- by the American Society of Engineers, is slowing our economic growth.

State and local governments are being forced to cut back on their construction projects.

Private sector companies are being forced to stop hiring workers and investing in capital.

It is time to provide American businesses and American workers with transportation funding certainty.

It is past time to pass a long term transportation bill that will grow our economy and create jobs!

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