Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I want to associate myself with the words of my colleagues, who just spoke obviously on the need to do this and the need for a long-term transportation bill.

I remember Chairman Oberstar working diligently to try to do that in the six, seven extensions, I think, that we had at this time and never did come up with a transportation bill. That is why we are working so hard to make sure we have a good bipartisan bill.

I do rise in support of H.R. 3038. It is going to extend the current transportation law until December 18, 2015, until we can get that long-term bill in place.

As chairman of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, I believe it is critical for Congress to come together on this bipartisan, long-term, surface transportation reauthorization bill.

In my home State of Missouri, we have nearly 35,000 highway miles and over 10,000 bridges that are begging for our attention.

Last month, I had a hearing focusing on the transportation needs of rural America. Our roads and bridges demonstrate why we need a strong Federal highway program. A network of efficient, interconnected roads is critical to moving people and goods and to the overall health of this economy.

That is why I am committed to working with Chairman Shuster, Chairman Ryan, and others to get a reauthorization bill done.

Federal surface transportation programs are set to expire at the end of this month, and Congress has to act to ensure that these programs continue and that the solvency of the highway trust fund is addressed.

State and local governments need to be able to plan for projects with confidence. They need certainty not just for the next 5 or 6 months, but for the next 5 or 6 years.

This bill enables us to continue our bipartisan efforts on a reauthorization bill, which we hope to accomplish by the end of the year.

We have a tremendous opportunity to secure that bill that is going to improve, rebuild, and modernize our Nation's transportation system, and it is time that we come together to do that.

I want to thank both of the chairmen on their work on H.R. 3038.

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