Floor Statement on Infrastructure Week and Investments
May 15, 2015
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, roughly 35,000 jobs all across the economy for every $1 billion invested.
Let’s get moving. Extend the highway trust fund. Invest in our infrastructure, our long-term infrastructure. Create jobs for the 21st Century.
