[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 12014]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         INVEST IN AMERICAN WORKERS AND NATION-BUILDING AT HOME

  (Mr. HIGGINS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, today, the House will consider 
legislation to prevent the highway trust fund from going broke. This 
action is critical, as a broke highway trust fund will result in no 
highway trust fund and will further result in the loss of hundreds of 
thousands of jobs this construction season. Unfortunately, the measures 
under consideration in the House and Senate are weak, temporary fixes.
  To effectively address America's crumbling infrastructure, the 
American Society of Civil Engineers estimates the need for $3.6 
trillion by 2020. Historically, this type of bold investment has 
created jobs and transformed the American economy. When the American 
Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law, only 7 percent of 
the funds dealt with infrastructure projects. These projects accounted 
for nearly two-thirds of jobs created under the Act.
  Congress is failing the American people by not making the investments 
we need to stay globally competitive. Let's invest in American workers 
and American manufacturers and make a real commitment to nation-
building right here at home.

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