[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 14, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S930]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             INFRASTRUCTURE

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, on Monday, President Trump unveiled his 
proposal to improve America's infrastructure. Today he will host 
committee chairmen and ranking members at the White House for a 
bipartisan, bicameral meeting on that subject. I am grateful the 
President is prioritizing this and reaching across the aisle.
  Experts agree that America's aging infrastructure needs a lot of 
help. Nationwide, 9.1 percent of our bridges are considered 
structurally deficient, and 13.6 percent are considered functionally 
obsolete. One recent study suggests that road congestion costs us $160 
billion a year--for road congestion. The answer is not simply to throw 
new money at old problems.
  It took American workers less time to build great skyscrapers, start 
to finish, than it now takes bureaucrats to review--not even build, but 
review--proposals for new bridges and roadways. We need to streamline 
regulations, reform the permitting process, and get government out of 
the way wherever possible. Once projects are proposed, they should be 
reviewed in a safe but reasonable amount of time and then completed as 
quickly and cost effectively as possible.
  This is a prime opportunity for bipartisan cooperation. Our last 
three highway bills, our last three WRDA bills, and our last three FAA 
bills all passed the Senate easily, averaging more than 80 votes. I 
hope we can renew that consensus when the time comes.

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