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I am very fortunate to sit on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Central Illinois is a hub for rail, highway, and air transportation. Rail transportation carries soy beans, corn, and other agriculture products across the country to American citizens as well as to ports where it travels across the world. Our network of state, local, and federal highways connects both people and ideas from many different towns and cities. Our airports keep our businesses connected to their clients and allow families to travel beyond the horizons on vacation.
Transportation is not limited to highways or railways. Transportation also includes bicycling and walking, creating trails that families can enjoy and looking at our transportation needs for the future. Developing a multi-faceted transportation system to accommodate changing transportation methods is not a partisan issue. As a senior member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I have advocated for funding for biking and walking programs, including the Safe Routes to Schools program. This program encourages students to walk to school while providing adequate means to ensure their safety.
Transportation is important for more than just the people and goods that benefit from it. State and local governments, as well as numerous small businesses, such as construction companies, engineering firms, and the companies that manufacture the supplies and equipment used to build transportation infrastructure, also rely on that very transportation as. These businesses and local governments require stability in the transportation arena so that they can plan equipment purchases, manage their workforce, and prioritize projects.
As the 112th Congress continues, I will work with my colleagues toward sensible transportation policies that encourage economic growth, connect our country, and keep the United States at the forefront of transportation development.
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