Polis to GOP: End Zombie "Bridge to Nowhere"
Press Release
Continuing his push to hold Republican leadership accountable for their promise to reduce waste in government spending, Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) today offered an amendment pointing out hypocrisy in GOP spending and urging Republican Leadership to finally stop funding Alaska's infamous "bridges to nowhere" in H.R. 662 - Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011. Every Republican in the House voted to preserve the earmark funding the "bridges to nowhere."
"When something is killed it stays dead," said Polis. "But just like in a bad zombie movie, Alaska's earmarked bridges to nowhere refuse to die and have returned to life in the GOP's wasteful spending. If Alaska wants to build a bridge to nowhere or a road to nowhere--go right ahead--just don't do it with our tax dollars."
Our nation's most infamous earmarks, Alaska's "Bridges to Nowhere," are synonymous with government waste. In 1995, Congress provided a total of $454 million to the state of Alaska through eight separate earmarks in SAFETEA-LU for use on the Gravina Island and Knik Arm Bridges. Despite claims that the "Bridges to Nowhere" earmarks were eliminated, Alaska has spent more than $71 million of federal funds to proceed with these bridge projects and accompanying access roads over the past six years.
Polis offered a motion to recommit that would rescind all remaining funds -- approximately $183 million -- provided for the planning, design, and construction of the two bridges under SAFETEA-LU. The motion would prohibit the use of any funds provided under the Surface Transportation Extension Act to finance these bridge projects. According to the Congressional Budget Office, eliminating funding for these two bridges would reduce the deficit by approximately $160 million over the next 10 years.
"Will continuing projects like these solve our deficit problems or responsibly reduce spending?" said Polis. "For us to have the creditability as a Congress to make the tough cuts we need and balance the budget, Congress must have moral standing. Continuing to provide funding that can be used for these bridges, which most Americans thought were already dead, is not the way for Congress to build trust with the American people."
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