• Home
• About Amy
• Serving Minnesotans
• About Minnesota
• Issues/ Legislation
• Media Center
• Contact Amy
• FAQ

News Releases

Senate Passes Klobuchar, Coleman Bill to Create National Infrastructure Commission

Legislation seeks to address the nation's fading public works infrastructure, such as bridges and water facilities

August 2, 2007

Washington, D.C. - Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar and Norm Coleman announced today that the Senate unanimously approved the National Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2007. This legislation was created to address the deterioration of much of our nation’s infrastructure including our roads, bridges, drinking water systems, dams and other public works. The bill would create a National Commission on Infrastructure of the United States to analyze our nation’s infrastructure and report recommendations to Congress. This group would also be charged with aiding in the nation’s economic growth and ensuring the ability of the nation’s infrastructure to meet current and future demands. The measure was co-authored by Senators Tom Carper and George Voinovich (R-OH).

“Today we saw true heroes in the face of unimaginable circumstances,” said Klobuchar. “Unfortunately, it took a tragic situation like this to underscore how critical investment in our nation’s infrastructure is. A bridge shouldn't just fall down. We must take steps now to ensure this doesn’t happen again -- in Minnesota, or anywhere. Senator Coleman and I will continue to work together towards recovery, repair, and a new way of looking at our infrastructure.”

“The I-35W bridge tragedy was proof that this nation is long overdue for an infrastructure overhaul,” said Coleman. “We simply can not allow what happened in Minneapolis to occur anywhere else in this country. But before that can happen, we must take a long and honest look at the condition of our nation’s bridges, dams and public works. We’ve seen what the price is for not addressing the problem, and this bill will put in place a plan to strengthen our national infrastructure over the next thirty years.”

Specifically, this bill would mandate:

• Establishment of the National Commission on the Infrastructure of the United States to ensure that the nation’s infrastructure meets current and future demands and facilitates economic growth;

• Completion of a study by February 2009 that will address all matters relating to the state of the nation’s infrastructure, including capacity of infrastructure improvements to sustain current and anticipated economic development, the age, condition and capacity of public infrastructure, repair and maintenance needs, financing methods and investment requirements;

• Development of recommendations for a federal plan outlining infrastructure priorities; and

• Completion of a report to Congress by February 2009 that will detail infrastructure legislation deemed necessary for the next five, 15, 30 and 50 years.

###