Rep. Corrine Brown: “I want to thank the entire leadership of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for being so diligent in…”

“I want to thank the entire leadership of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for being so diligent in bringing the issue of investment in our Nation's infrastructure to the attention of the American people. You should be commended for all of your efforts in getting this bill to the floor for a vote, despite the strong opposition of H.R. 842 by powerful Members of the House. As a cosponsor of H.R. 842, the Truth in Budgeting Act, I believe that moving the trust funds off budget is vital to ensuring that we will be able to meet the vast infrastructure needs of our Nation's transportation systems, provide adequate funding for the National Highway System, and ensure that ISTEA is fully funded. The current, documented, unmet transportation infrastructure needs of our Nation are enormous. Those needs are $212 billion to fix 265,000 miles of highways which are below acceptable engineering standards; $78 billion to fix 238,000 bridges which are rated as structurally deficient; and $80 billion in public wastewater treatment facility needs. I represent Florida's Third Congressional District which includes four interstate highways, two international airports, eight regional or commuter airports, a major seaport, and a river used extensively for intrastate commerce. Every year, I assist these Florida transportation facilities in getting Federal dollars. But there is never enough money to meet all of their needs.”