[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 13 (Friday, January 27, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E83]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         THE BRIDGE TO JOBS ACT

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                            HON. JANICE HAHN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 27, 2012

  Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, as every American knows already, we have a 
jobs crisis in this country. While unemployment has improved within the 
past year, at 8.5 percent it is still strangling our economy. Over 40 
percent of jobless Americans--who lost their jobs through no fault of 
their own--have been out of work for six months or longer, and the 
longer they wait, they harder it is for them to find jobs. The fact of 
the matter is that we will not see robust economic growth again until 
we put Americans back to work.
  We also have an infrastructure crisis. According to Transportation 
for America, there are 69,223 bridges that have been classified as 
``structurally deficient'' by the Federal Highway Administration. 
Leaving these bridges in their current state of disrepair poses a grave 
threat not only to our safety, but also to our economy. As the 
President noted just a few months ago, ``Our aging transportation 
infrastructure costs American businesses and families about $130 
billion a year . . . And if we don't act now, it could cost America 
hundreds of billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs by 
the end of the decade.'' Additionally, studies have shown that our 
crumbling infrastructure threatens our competitive edge in the world 
economy. As the Washington Post reported this past summer, if nothing 
is done to improve our infrastructure, ``U.S. businesses would pay an 
added $430 billion in transportation costs, household incomes would 
fall by more than $7,000, and U.S. exports will fall by $28 billion.'' 
Mr. Speaker, we can't afford to wait until the end of the decade; we 
need action now.
  Alleviating both of these crises is not a mutually exclusive 
endeavor. That's why I've introduced the ``Bridge to Jobs Act,'' a 
much-needed ``win-win'' for the American economy and public safety. The 
act provides states with grants to put Americans back to work by 
repairing crumbling bridges. Not only will this legislation put 
Americans back to work and bolster our ailing economy, it will also 
ensure the safety of the millions who use these bridges each and every 
day. I urge my colleagues to support this crucial investment in our 
workforce, our economy, and our safety.

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