Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act of 2011

Floor Speech

* Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act, which would authorize surface transportation programs through March and the Federal Aviation Administration through January.

* According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction sector faced 13.5 percent unemployment in August. The programs we authorize in this bill create the projects to help put this industry back to work--to rebuild roads and bridges, renovate airports, and expand mass transit options. These are good jobs, here at home, that improve efficiency and economic competitiveness.

* But this bill is not enough. We cannot continue short-term extensions and stop-gap measures to make these critical investments. States need more certainty to plan their projects and industry needs to know that we are committed to rebuilding our infrastructure so they have the confidence to hire back employees who have been laid off.

* Additionally, this bill does not include relief for those FAA employees who were furloughed through no fault of their own when Congress failed to extend authorization this summer. It is important to make these workers whole, and we should work quickly to provide retroactive pay.

* Mr. Speaker, we need an ambitious agenda of investment that will put Americans back to work, repair our crumbling infrastructure, and jumpstart our economy. We need a long-term reauthorization of these critical programs. The American people are waiting--it's time to get the job done.

Source