[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 136 (Wednesday, September 14, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1627-E1628]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SURFACE AND AIR TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS EXTENSION ACT OF 2011

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 13, 2011

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the Surface and Air 
Transportation Programs Extension Act, which would authorize surface 
transportation programs through March and the Federal Aviation 
Administration through January.
  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction sector 
faced 13.5 percent unemployment in August. The programs we authorize in 
this bill create the projects to help put this industry back to work--
to rebuild roads and bridges, renovate airports, and expand mass 
transit options. These are good jobs, here at home, that improve 
efficiency and economic competitiveness.
  But this bill is not enough. We cannot continue short-term extensions 
and stop-gap

[[Page E1628]]

measures to make these critical investments. States need more certainty 
to plan their projects and industry needs to know that we are committed 
to rebuilding our infrastructure so they have the confidence to hire 
back employees who have been laid off.
  Additionally, this bill does not include relief for those FAA 
employees who were furloughed through no fault of their own when 
Congress failed to extend authorization this summer. It is important to 
make these workers whole, and we should work quickly to provide 
retroactive pay.
  Mr. Speaker, we need an ambitious agenda of investment that will put 
Americans back to work, repair our crumbling infrastructure, and 
jumpstart our economy. We need a long-term reauthorization of these 
critical programs. The American people are waiting--it's time to get 
the job done.

                          ____________________