[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 7041]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  INFRASTRUCTURE WEEK AND INVESTMENTS

  (Ms. EDWARDS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, once among the world leaders in quality 
infrastructure, now, we rank just 16th, according to the World Economic 
Forum. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, the 
overall assessment of our Nation's infrastructure ranks the United 
States at a whopping D-plus.
  We have just 4 legislative days until the highway trust fund expires. 
As we wait for the majority party to end their dysfunction and come to 
some--any--kind of agreement on extending the highway trust fund, 
660,000 jobs hang in the balance.
  I know now that in Maryland, 5,305 bridges are in complete disrepair. 
That is nearly 27 percent of the bridges in our State. Just a few 
months ago, a woman was driving down the highway, minding her own 
business, when a chunk of cement fell down because it is in disrepair.
  I am not really sure how many lives the majority party is prepared to 
lose to dysfunctional and underfunded infrastructure. I am not sure how 
much economic insecurity we are willing to cause the American people, 
but it is time for us to invest in our Nation's infrastructure, create 
good-paying jobs, $1 billion, 35,000 jobs all across the economy.
  Let's get moving. Extend the highway trust fund. Invest in our 
infrastructure, our long-term infrastructure. Create jobs for the 21st 
century.

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