Cindy Axne: “My amendment is to increase funding for the Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief program. As we have just…”

“My amendment is to increase funding for the Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief program. As we have just discussed, I have toured the flood zones in my district, and I have experienced firsthand how badly the floodwaters have eroded and impacted our roads. The flooding was so severe that as of only just this past Wednesday of this week did our major interstate I-29 finally fully reopen, and this comes nearly 2 months after the flooding began. The closing of I-29 cut off the major north-south artery in Iowa that connects the Omaha-Council Bluffs area to Kansas City. Drivers are forced to travel hours out of their way and find smaller two-lane roads and highways to get to where they need to be. The resulting truck and traffic damage on our secondary roads is already apparent. Residents have suffered as traffic has suddenly doubled and tripled, and we still have roads that aren't open yet. Mr. and Mrs. Patel, motel owners in Fremont County, are dependent on I-29 being open and traffic coming through the area to keep their business open, and that is not going to happen without functional roads. If our roads remain closed, children can't get to school, community members cannot patron local businesses, and grandchildren can't spend time with their grandparents. The Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief program will help Iowa address our immediate highway repair needs, restore traffic, and help restore our facilities.…”