Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011: Extension of Remarks

Floor Speech

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Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of this amendment.

The Continuing Resolution on the floor today makes irresponsible and dangerous cuts in transportation and development, doing harm to a construction sector already facing 20 percent unemployment and delaying the investments needed to bring our nation's infrastructure into a state of good repair. These cuts, which are opposed by our business community, come with a price--lost productivity, less safety, and a higher cost for repairs later as our system continues to deteriorate.

Eliminating funding for DC Metro is just one example of the Republicans' penny-wise, pound-foolish approach to deficit reduction. The Federal Government relies on the Metro system to bring thousands of employees to work every day--to the Pentagon, to the Department of Homeland Security, to all the Federal agencies that help provide services to the American people. More than half of Metrorail stations serve Federal facilities. When the Metro does not work, the government cannot work.

This $150 million investment makes the capital improvements that are necessary to make the system safe and reliable. And every dollar is matched by our local partners in Maryland, DC, and Virginia. These funds are budgeted to make critical safety improvements, replace aging rail cars, and rebuild miles of track. Without them, we will see reduced reliability and degraded customer service.

Mr. Chair, short-sighted cuts to infrastructure eliminate home-grown jobs and delay critical improvements that would make transportation safer and more efficient. If we do not make these investments now, we will certainly pay more later. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and oppose these reckless, job-killing cuts to critical infrastructure programs.

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