[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 29, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H5514-H5515]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1045
                TIME IS NOW TO INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Costa) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, the time is now to make historic 
investments in families, workers, and communities across the country.
  Everyone, no matter who they are or where they live, deserves access 
to modern, dependable infrastructure to maintain the quality of life 
for Americans in the 21st century. That is why we must pass the 
President's bipartisan infrastructure package tomorrow.
  We are living off the investments our grandparents and parents made 
generations ago. In many communities, that is no longer sustainable.
  In my home State of California, we are suffering from the devastating 
effects of climate change, historical fires, and droughts.
  Farmers in the San Joaquin Valley, which I represent, also need an 
infrastructure that reflects their ability to put food on America's 
dinner table every night. The devastating dry conditions and the lack 
of water have led many of them to fallow their fields, hundreds and 
thousands of acres of productive farmland.
  It is as simple as this: Without food from our farmers, Americans 
don't eat. It is a national security issue. Therefore, we must fix our 
broken water infrastructure system.
  The only way to ensure farmers have the water they need to feed our 
Nation is to build and improve more conveyance and storage facilities.
  This infrastructure package will help that, as well as efforts that 
we are pursuing under the reconciliation package. We need to capture 
and improve and store water for times such as now.
  In addition to that, we need to make other critical investments in 
rural and underserved areas by expanding broadband. Broadband access 
today is just like rural electrification was in the 1930s. No American 
should be without broadband.
  We also learned from the COVID-19 crisis that access to quality 
healthcare is critical. It is critical that we have ample physicians 
and nurses. We can make more protective equipment, but we can't make 
more doctors and nurses. Therefore, we have a serious shortage of 
healthcare professionals, and that is why a part of this effort to 
build back America better is to provide medical schools and underserved 
areas improved access to our broadband. That is critical. We must do 
that.
  In addition, investing in public transportation for our economy is 
just as essential. The United States is trailing other nations when it 
comes to investments in modern infrastructure and transportation like 
high-speed rail. It is time that we bring our system into the 21st 
century.
  Finishing California's high-speed rail efforts, along with four other 
corridors in the country, will help our climate, improve traffic 
gridlock, and reduce emissions that pollute the air.
  Climate change is an important part of this essential package of 
investing in our infrastructure. We know, with the results of droughts, 
fires, floods, and hurricanes, that the climate is changing, and we 
need to provide tools to address that.
  Without critical investments in this infrastructure package that we 
will vote on tomorrow, our Nation will suffer. Making life better for 
our constituents is my top priority and should be the priority of 
Congresspeople throughout the country. It requires us to focus on the 
health and development of our communities, and the economy needs us to 
support this effort.
  Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has 1\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, as we talk about building back better, let 
me also note that we must pass a continuing resolution to ensure that 
government stays operating.
  Shutting down the government is not an option, and we should act upon 
this in the next 24 hours to whatever extended date is agreed as well 
as lifting the debt ceiling.
  In the 17 years I have been here, I have never, under Republican and 
Democratic administrations alike, voted to shut down government. That 
is irresponsible, and therefore, we must also lift the debt ceiling. 
This is, in fact, to pay bills that Congress in the previous 
administration has already created, and we don't want to be deadbeats.
  The impacts on our economy would be devastating in terms of even 
contemplating shutting down government or not lifting the debt ceiling.


                       Honoring Sherwood Boehlert

  Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I was saddened to learn of our colleague 
Congressman Sherry Boehlert's passing. I served with him during his 
last term, as he was chair of the Science, Space, and Technology 
Committee.

[[Page H5515]]

  Sherry was terrific. Sherry's focus on making sure that Americans 
address the needs of science in a changing world was always at the 
forefront as chairman of the committee. I went with Sherry on an 
incredible trip to Antarctica to explore the impacts of climate change.
  Beyond his contributions to the Congress and to the people of our 
country, Sherry was an avid baseball fan. Sherry loved representing 
Cooperstown and had the best baseball collection I have ever seen.
  God bless you, Sherry, and your family.

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