[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 313 Engrossed in House (EH)]

H. Res. 313

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                           May 5, 2009.
Whereas public works infrastructure, facilities, and services have far-reaching 
        effects on the United States economy and the Nation's competitiveness 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 United States infrastructure 
        garnered an overall grade of ``D'';
Whereas every $1 invested in public transportation generates as much as $6 in 
        economic returns to the Nation's economy;
Whereas the Nation's public transportation systems experienced record ridership 
        levels in 2008 with 10,680,000,000 passenger trips taken;
Whereas infrastructure investment from all levels of government and the private 
        sector is currently $85,000,000,000 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 Nation has invested more than $250,000,000,000 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 
        28,000,000 people with intercity rail service;
Whereas 15 new runways, 2 end-around taxiways, and 1 reconfigured runway have 
        opened at the Nation's busiest airports since 2001;
Whereas 3 of the Nation's busiest airports currently have airfield projects (1 
        new runway, 1 taxiway, and a reconfiguration) under construction to 
        provide an additional 110,900 annual operations and to decrease average 
        delays by approximately 1.5 minutes per operation;
Whereas in the report of the Department of Transportation entitled ``2006 Status 
        of the Nation's Highways, Bridges, and Transit: Conditions & 
        Performance'', the Department confirms that investment in the Nation's 
        highway, bridge, and transit infrastructure has not kept up with growing 
        demands on the system;
Whereas the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission 
        report estimates that the United States needs to invest up to 
        $340,000,000,000 annually for the next 50 years to upgrade the Nation's 
        existing transportation network to a good state of repair and to build 
        the more advanced facilities the Nation will require to remain 
        competitive;
Whereas the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission 
        report estimates that, without changes to current policy, revenues 
        raised by all levels of government for capital investment will total 
        only 36 percent of the $200,000,000,000 necessary each year to maintain 
        and improve United States highways and transit systems;
Whereas the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission 
        report also finds that there is a growing investment gap in the Nation's 
        infrastructure that will total nearly $400,000,000,000 in the years 2010 
        through 2015 and $2,300,000,000,000 in the years 2010 through 2035; and
Whereas public works professionals are observing National Public Works Week from 
        May 17 through 23, 2009: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Public Works Week;
            (2) recognizes and celebrates the important contributions that 
        public works professionals make every day to improve the public 
        infrastructure of the United States and the communities that those 
        professionals serve; 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 Nation and to recognize the substantial 
        contributions that public works professionals make to the Nation.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.