[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 151 (Thursday, September 19, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H7780]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               ADDRESSING AMERICA'S INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS

  (Mr. HIGGINS of New York asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. HIGGINS of New York. Mr. Speaker, the American Society of Civil 
Engineers estimates that, by 2025, the cost of addressing America's 
infrastructure needs will reach $4.6 trillion. With Federal 
transportation funded at $305 billion this year, we aren't even coming 
close.
  With each day that passes, the need grows. Safety is threatened; 
opportunity is lost; and the cost of getting the job done only 
increases.
  According to the Federal highway data, in the Buffalo Niagara region 
alone, 1 out of every 13 bridges is structurally deficient. Our roads 
are crumbling; our water infrastructure is breaking; and our transit 
systems are inadequate and outdated. The situation couldn't be more 
urgent, and the opportunity couldn't be more obvious.
  Numerous economic reports indicate investment in infrastructure 
delivers real jobs and real growth in the American economy. It is time 
to deliver on the substantial investment in infrastructure. There is a 
great deal of work to be done, and there are Americans prepared to do 
that work.

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