[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7893]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCING THE U.S. COMMISSION ON REBUILDING AMERICA FOR THE 21ST 
                              CENTURY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 6, 2008

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing the United 
States Commission on Rebuilding America for the 21st Century Act. The 
challenges of the 21st century require a renewed national focus on the 
infrastructure that is essential to our cities, our rural communities, 
our economy, and the health of our planet. We have neglected the 
foundations of America's communities, threatening our environment and 
our future economic prosperity.
  This Act will provide a mechanism for Congress to reach out to the 
American people and develop a national vision to guide infrastructure 
investment for the twenty-first century. The legislation creates a 
commission of 17 members appointed by Congress, the Administration, and 
State and local governments, to synthesize existing reports to identify 
challenges and needs; to commence a thorough set of public hearings on 
infrastructure conducted in not fewer than 50 Congressional districts 
across the United States to ensure geographic and demographic 
representation; and to articulate a national vision for infrastructure 
investments.
  Those challenges are both myriad and significant. Consider:
  To avoid the worst effects of climate change, we must greatly reduce 
our carbon emissions. Transportation is the second largest--and fastest 
growing--source of U.S. CO2 emissions. Personal vehicle use 
accounts for nearly 60 percent of these emissions.
  The National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study 
Commission recently calculated that maintaining our existing 
transportation system over the next 50 years will require $225 billion 
annually.
  The American Society of Civil Engineers has given our nation's public 
infrastructure--water, sewer, and transportation systems--a grade of D-
minus, estimating that it will cost $1.6 trillion over the next 5 years 
merely to repair our existing infrastructure.
  More than 72,000 miles of municipal water and sewer pipe are more 
than 80 years old, threatening the health, environment, and economy of 
communities large and small.
  From 1999 to 2009, the Nation's electricity demand rose nearly 20 
percent while our transmission capacity grew only 3.5 percent.
  By 2050, we will build 89 million new or replaced homes as well as 
190 billion square feet of new offices and other non-residential 
buildings. Strategic development choices could reduce total 
transportation-related CO2 emissions by 7 to 10 percent.
  The American people, it should be noted, have met similar challenges 
in the past. This year marks the bicentennial of the Gallatin Plan, 
crafted by President Jefferson's Secretary of the Treasury, Albert 
Gallatin, to develop the infrastructure needed by our new nation. One 
hundred years later, President Theodore Roosevelt invited every state 
and territorial governor to join members of his Cabinet and Congress, 
professional organizations, and government bureaus in a National 
Conference at the White House to plan for the infrastructure needs for 
the 20th century. Today, a new national vision and plan is necessary to 
meet the challenges of the 21st century.

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