Providing for Consideration of H.R. 5973, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013; and Providing for Consideration of HR. 5972, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013

Floor Speech

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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose the rule because we are set to adjourn this week without finishing our critical work on transportation.

We need a long-term surface transportation bill that puts Americans back to work. Mr. Speaker, this House only builds roads in order to find cans to kick down those roads. We cannot have a ``big league'' economy with ``little league'' infrastructure in this country. We need a long-term investment to repair our roads, bridges, and highways, and to maintain our transit systems.

Leaders of our country have always recognized this fact. Three years after Lewis and Clark left for the West, President Jefferson secured funding for the Cumberland Road. If Jefferson recognized the importance that transportation can have in linking this country, uniting the States in a shared economy and trade, surely we can show that same recognition today by staying here to ensure that the work of job creation is done. The question before us is whether this body recognizes that transportation projects create jobs and set the stage for economic growth.

A bipartisan bill passed out of the Senate. It was forged out of compromise. It is a bipartisan solution. It means immediate job creation. It means jobs for private sector contractors, laborers, and engineers.

A conference committee is meeting right now to bring us a long-term authorization to create real jobs. We should not adjourn without a long-term, robust, and bipartisan investment in transportation and jobs.

I urge my colleagues to vote against this rule so we can finish this work.

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