Issue Position: Investing in our Infrastructure

Issue Position

Transportation is absolutely critical to our economic competitiveness and the safety of Minnesotans. Congress gave us hope last December when they passed a bipartisan, long-term transportation bill (the FAST Act) to increase transportation funding -- especially in Minnesota.

In the decade before the FAST Act passed, Congress had issued 15 stopgap measures to address this serious problem.

Minnesotans know all too well how a crumbling infrastructure can lead to tragedy. In August 2007, the I-35 W Bridge in Minneapolis collapsed, killing 13 people and injuring many more. When we fail to update our transportation infrastructure, we jeopardize the health and safety of our families--and miss an opportunity to put thousands of Minnesotans to work in high-paying construction jobs. When I'm elected to Congress, I will fight to increase investment in our transportation infrastructure. Transportation safety remains a concern in Minnesota. Last year, inspectors declared 71 bridges in "poor" condition, a rating considered the equivalent of structural deficiency. In Congress, I'll fight to increase federal funding for critical transportation projects.

Upgrading our infrastructure enhances our ability to get goods to market, boosts economic development, and helps ensure our state remains competitive in a global economy.

We also must do more to improve our broadband infrastructure. Too many Minnesotans living in rural areas don't have access to the high-speed Internet they need. Students need the Internet to complete their education; businesses need to be able to sell their goods online; and healthcare providers need to be able to send patient records from hospital to hospital on short notice. As your representative, I'll fight to ensure that every Minnesotan has access to a 21st Century broadband infrastructure.

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