Rich Neal: “In reference to the point that my friend, Sheriff Reichert, just made, I would note the irony of his advocacy on behalf…”

“In reference to the point that my friend, Sheriff Reichert, just made, I would note the irony of his advocacy on behalf of a plan. I guess, after 35 short-term extensions, we haven't been able to find the time to develop a plan. You need years out to develop a plan. Just weeks ago, in this very Chamber, our friends on the other side made a full-throttled argument about America remaining competitive in the world, and that is why we needed the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Let me think about this for a moment. We want America to be competitive in the world, and we simultaneously allow America's infrastructure to crumble as we speak. Do you know what is going to get Congress to move, sadly enough? That catastrophe that awaits us somewhere across this country. The European Union has a highway system that, in many instances, is the envy of the world; the Chinese are developing high-speed rail that is the envy of the world, and we are doing the 35th short-term extension on a highway bill. Let me relate to our friends on the other side, as you travel across the Federal highway system, there is this great sign everywhere. It says the Dwight D. Eisenhower Federal highway system because a Republican President had the foresight and vision in the aftermath of World War II to develop a first-class Federal highway system. You know what else he had?…”