Whereas public works infrastructure, facilities, and
services have far-reaching effects on the United States economy and the
competitiveness of the United States in the world marketplace;
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 administrators, 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 systems, 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;
Whereas the public waterways, including locks and dams
constructed, operated, and maintained by the Corps of Engineers, 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 a recent analysis of the state of the
infrastructure of the United States garnered an overall grade of
D
;
Whereas every $1 invested in public transportation
generates as much as $6 in economic returns to the economy of the United
States;
Whereas the public transportation systems of the United
States experienced record ridership levels in 2008, the last full year for
which data is available, with 10,680,000,000 passenger trips taken;
Whereas, in the 2008 Conditions &
Performance
report of the Department of Transportation, the Department
confirms that investment in United States highway, bridge, and transit
infrastructure has not kept up with growing demands;
Whereas, in the 2008 Conditions &
Performance
report of the Department of Transportation, the Department
found that an additional $27,000,000,000 per year in capital investments is
needed to sustain highway conditions and performance and an additional
$96,000,000,000 per year in capital investments is needed to make
cost-effective highway improvements and eliminate the existing bridge
maintenance backlog;
Whereas capital expenditures in highways, bridges, and
public transportation from all levels of government and the private sector are
over $91,450,000,000 annually;
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 United States has invested more
than $300,000,000,000 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
Administration is charged with the safe and secure movement of almost 1,200,000
daily shipments of hazardous materials by all modes of transportation and
oversees the safety and security of 2,300,000 miles of gas and hazardous liquid
pipelines, which account for 64 percent of the energy commodities consumed in
the United States;
Whereas the National Railroad Passenger Corporation
annually provides more than 27,100,000 people with intercity rail
service;
Whereas the National Surface Transportation Policy and
Revenue Study Commission estimates that the total capital cost of
reestablishing the national intercity passenger rail network by 2050 is
approximately $357,200,000,000 (or $8,100,000,000 annually for the next 40
years);
Whereas 21 airfield projects have opened at 18 of the 35
busiest airports in the United States since fiscal year 2000, including 15
runways, 3 taxiways, one runway extension, one completed airfield
reconfiguration, and one airfield reconfiguration that is two-thirds completed,
and these airfield projects have provided the airports with the potential to
accommodate 1,900,000 additional airfield operations each year and decrease
average delay per operation by approximately 5 minutes;
Whereas 3 airports have airfield projects under
construction, and an additional airport will begin construction this fiscal
year, and these 4 airfield projects will provide the airports with the
potential to accommodate an additional 110,900 airfield operations each year
and decrease average delay per operation by approximately 1.5 minutes;
Whereas transparency and accountability information
relating to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law
111–5) demonstrates successful implementation of highway, transit, and
wastewater investments under the Act;
Whereas $30,000,000,000, or 79 percent of the
$38,200,000,000 provided for highway, transit, and wastewater infrastructure
formula programs under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
(Public Law 111–5), has been put out to bid on 14,063 projects as of December
31, 2009;
Whereas, across the United States, as a result of the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111–5) work has
begun on 10,348 projects totaling $22,800,000,000, or 60 percent of the total
available for highway, transit, and wastewater infrastructure formula programs
under the Act;
Whereas the 10,348 highway, transit, and wastewater
infrastructure projects on which work has begun have created or sustained
approximately 300,000 direct jobs as of December 31, 2009;
Whereas total employment from the 10,348 highway, transit,
and wastewater infrastructure projects on which work has begun, which includes
direct, indirect, and induced jobs, totals more than 938,000 jobs;
Whereas direct job creation from highway, transit, and
wastewater infrastructure projects under the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act of 2009 (Public Law 111–5) has resulted in payroll expenditures of
$1,500,000,000; and
Whereas public works professionals are observing National
Public Works Week from May 16 through 22, 2010: Now, therefore, be it
That the House of Representatives—
(1)supports the goals
and ideals of National Public Works Week;
(2)recognizes and
celebrates the 50th anniversary of National Public Works Week; and
(3)urges citizens and
communities throughout the United States to join with representatives of the
Federal Government in activities and ceremonies that are designed to pay
tribute to the public works professionals of the United States and to recognize
the substantial contributions that public works professionals make to the
United States.
March 12, 2010
Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be
printed