[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 109 (Tuesday, July 14, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H5123-H5124]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONTINUED INACTION ON THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND AND REAUTHORIZATION OF OUR 
                    SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS

  (Ms. ESTY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, exactly 2 months ago, I came to the floor to 
speak out against this House's reckless inaction on the highway trust 
fund, needlessly endangering hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs. 
Yet here we are again, with only 10 legislative days left before the 
highway trust fund runs out of money. Mr. Speaker, this is harmful and 
it is wrong.
  According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, 73 percent of 
Connecticut's roads are in poor or mediocre condition. These poor road 
conditions cost the average Connecticut

[[Page H5124]]

driver $628 in otherwise unnecessary repairs and expenses every year. 
Thirty-five percent of Connecticut's bridges are structurally 
deficient, functionally obsolete, or both.
  A great nation does not respond to crises with duct tape. A great 
nation leads with bold action. I urge the leadership of the House to 
work with us to pass a long-term highway bill and invest in America's 
infrastructure.

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