“At tonight’s State of the Union, we hope that the President seizes on the opportunity to push for passage of a robust, multi-year transportation reauthorization bill. In a time of continued high unemployment, this bill – which is critical to our state and our nation – is now more than two years overdue, feeding Americans’ frustration with Washington. We understand that investing in critical infrastructure projects to improve our ailing transportation system will create jobs in Illinois and across the country, both in the near-term and in the long-term by reducing congestion and increasing efficiency for workers and for businesses. The President should call for a transportation reauthorization that is responsibly and fully funded, and recognizes the deep need to improve our roads, highways, bridges, public transit and rail system. This should be a bipartisan issue that unites the House, the Senate, and the White House, and we believe that it can be. Recently, after a five-year delay, a compromise was announced that finally paves the way for passage of a multi-year Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization. It’s time to build on that breakthrough and pass a robust, multi-year surface transportation bill.”

(January 24, 2012)

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