[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7007]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  NATIONAL DEFENSE TRANSPORTATION DAY AND NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LAURA RICHARDSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 16, 2012

  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National 
Defense Transportation Day and National Transportation Week. America 
has always been a leader in transportation development from the 
submarine to the steam engine that connected two great oceans and the 
first flight at Kitty Hawk to the mighty interstates that connect our 
cities. Transportation is our nation's lifeblood and has been a driving 
force of our economy. On May 18 is National Defense Transportation Day 
and May 13-19 is National Transportation Week.
  A nation's ability to transport first responders, servicemembers, and 
materials to the front lines of any crisis is the key to saving lives 
and protecting our freedoms. Our transportation networks have enabled 
us to react with speed and efficiency during a crisis.
  Our roads, rails, runways, and shipyards have formed the foundation 
for a thriving global marketplace. Letting these vital infrastructures 
diminish in quality hampers our ability to maintain a thriving global 
marketplace. Recommitting to investing and building modern day 
infrastructure, as we did in the 1950s, we can once again galvanize our 
economy and soar to new heights like that of the eagle.
  Transportation has a high priority for me as a member of Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure and ranking member of Subcommittee on 
Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications. Crumbling bridges 
put our safety at risk, and antiquated infrastructure limits our 
capacity to respond to threats, emergencies, and hazards at home and 
abroad. These situations diminish our security, our prosperity, and our 
resilience, and we must do more to address them.
  The need for strong and sustainable transportation networks has never 
been greater. The state of our roads and railways creates a competitive 
disadvantage that discourages investment and slows the pace of 
progress. Our nation invests only 2.4 percent of our GDP where as 
Europe and China invests 5 percent and 9 percent respectively into 
creating competitive infrastructure. We are greatly lagging behind and 
investing would save 1.8 million jobs and create up to 1 million more 
jobs.
  Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the 
Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) 
Discretionary Grant program, all 50 States have launched new highway 
and infrastructure projects, and many have funded passenger rail 
development that will modernize our cities and help put more 
construction workers back on the job. But this is not enough; I remain 
committed to upgrading our infrastructure, ensuring the safety and 
security of our transportation systems, bringing diverse, sustainable 
transit opportunities to communities across our country, and investing 
in innovative solutions to address the transportation challenges of 
today and tomorrow.
  On National Defense Transportation Day and during National 
Transportation Week, we celebrate that rich legacy and recommit to 
building robust infrastructure that will accelerate our economy in the 
years ahead. An economy built to last depends on a world-class 
infrastructure system. I call upon all Members to recognize the 
importance of our Nation's transportation infrastructure and to 
acknowledge the contributions of those who build, operate, and maintain 
these critical infrastructures.

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