Long-Term Funding for Highway Trust Fund

Congressman Ruben Gallego
Congressional Record: 114th Congress
July 15, 2015

(Mr. GALLEGO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge the Republican leadership to bring up a long-term funding transportation bill.

Rather than develop a long-term strategy, Republicans again want to pass a short-term extension for the highway trust fund that fails to make the appropriate infrastructure investments that our economy needs.

Our Nation's infrastructure is in a bad state, and it is critical that we make the necessary long-term, predictable investments in our country's roads, transit system, and highways that will create jobs, grow our economy, and offer a certainty for States to invest in larger, much-needed projects.

Mr. Speaker, 42 State chambers of commerce agree that ``Our deteriorating national infrastructure is an issue that directly affects our ability to compete in the global marketplace and provide financial security for millions of middle-class American families.''

It is time for the Republican leadership to stop kicking the can down the road with short-term fixes that are costing us more money in the long run, hurting our economy, and costing jobs.

I call on Republican leadership to bring up a long-term funding bill and stop playing games with America's crumbling infrastructure.