[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 10325-10326]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   AMERICA'S DECAYING INFRASTRUCTURE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, America faces many challenges at home 
and abroad. We are watching deterioration in the Middle East. We are 
watching the problems dealing with climate change and global warming. 
Many of the problems seem beyond our control.
  They are hard and complex. Some are political fodder, where the two 
parties are in a pitched battle and one denies fundamental science. 
This is what concerns our constituents: Why can't we get along and get 
something done?
  Well, there are many issues that are not so hard, not so complex, not 
so controversial. One of the areas that has historically been a subject 
of people coming together in this Chamber and getting something done 
deals with our infrastructure.
  America, sadly, is falling apart. Our infrastructure used to be the 
finest in the world, from rail passenger transportation, highways, 
sewer, and water. Now, it is slowly, steadily failing and has been 
rated 14th in the latest global rankings from the experts that analyze 
infrastructure, and it is falling further.
  Our investment, as a percentage of our gross domestic product, is 
less than 2 percent--1.7 percent, the lowest it has been in 20 years. 
It is costing American families now.
  Mr. Speaker, AAA estimates that the average car owner loses almost $1 
a day from damage to their cars from inadequate roads. The American 
Society for Civil Engineers has projected that if we don't undertake 
the necessary repairs between now and 2020, that cost per family is 
going to be over a $3,000-per-year impact on each and every American 
family.
  At the same time, it is understood that investment in infrastructure 
pays huge returns. For a $1.3 billion investment in road and sewer and 
transit, we create almost 30,000 jobs. The S&P latest report indicated 
that a $1.3 billion investment will produce $2 billion in economic 
benefit that spreads throughout the economy, and it will reduce the 
American budget deficit $200 million.
  This is also an area where actually the public is ahead of us. 
Politicians here on Capitol Hill have not addressed long-term road 
funding for 21 years. That was the last time the gas tax was increased; 
yet the American public understands and supports--according to a AAA 
poll from last week, two-thirds of Americans support user fees to 
support our infrastructure.
  Sixty-six percent say that a user fee is the right approach and 
should be utilized. Fifty-two percent say they would be willing to pay 
more.
  It is time for Congress to stop this dancing around on the issue of 
adequately funding American infrastructure. We have a transportation 
bill that is expiring September 30.
  We couldn't do a full-fledged reauthorization last time; we could 
only extend it for 27 months because Congress wouldn't face the funding 
challenge, and even that inadequate money is going to run out before 
September 30.
  The Federal Department of Transportation is going to have to start 
withholding payments later this summer, which means State and local 
governments are having to begin to cut back now. So instead of an 
investment that would grow the economy and improve the quality of life 
in our communities, we are seeing further deterioration.
  Luckily, there is starting to be some movement here. If Congress will 
move with a small amount of money to keep the system afloat through 
after the election, avoid the summer shutdown, hopefully, we can come 
together after all of the Tea Party primaries are over and the 
elections are done.
  When we are dealing with important cleanup legislation in the 
lameduck session, this should be at the top of the list. America wants 
it. America needs it.
  It will improve our economy. It will strengthen job opportunities for 
people from coast to coast, and it will make our communities more 
livable and our families safer, healthier, and more economically 
secure.

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