[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6750]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     HIGHWAY TRUST FUND EXPIRATION

  (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in just 5 
legislative days, the highway trust fund authorization will expire. 
Transportation projects all across the country will come to a 
screeching halt. Thousands of workers will be unnecessarily laid off.
  Despite the Republicans now having a majority in both House and 
Senate, we continue to find ourselves legislating by crisis.
  Today, 65 percent of our Nation's roads are rated as less than good 
condition. Twenty-five percent are in poor condition. In Texas alone, 
we have over 300,000 miles of public roads, almost 10 percent of which 
are rated poorly.
  I urge my colleagues to commit to a long-term plan that will provide 
certainty, increase transit revenues, and keep workers in our 
construction industries on the job, especially during this upcoming 
construction season.
  As our roads erode and our transit system decays, it is imperative 
that we do our jobs and be responsible legislators. I urge my 
colleagues to enact a long-term bill as soon as possible.

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