Tom Emmer: “On Minnesota's U.S. Highway 12 between the cities of Independence and my hometown of Delano, in just the last 5 years…”

“On Minnesota's U.S. Highway 12 between the cities of Independence and my hometown of Delano, in just the last 5 years, there have been 811 crashes in which 239 people have been injured and 24 people have lost their lives. Several of those lost have been high school classmates of my own children. In fact, this past March, Marleena Dieterich, a senior honor student at Delano High School and the child of Thom and Deb, lost her life as she was trying to get home. Recently, Deputy Administrator for the Federal Highway Administration Brandye Hendrickson visited Minnesota on behalf of Secretary Chao. Following a bus tour of the most dangerous stretches of U.S. Highway 12, we held a roundtable with community leaders and residents to discuss possible solutions and the need for action. {time} 1030 The accidents and fatalities on this road are avoidable. We continue to urge Secretary Chao to visit and see firsthand the danger this highway presents. Congress must do its part to provide long-term Federal transportation funding for needed infrastructure repairs and improvements. We must find innovative and long-term solutions to address these sorely needed improvements, like the need on U.S. Highway 12. I thank Deputy Administrator Hendrickson and everyone who participated in our roundtable. Together, we will continue fighting for improvements on U.S. Highway 12 until we see the changes that will prioritize the safety of our neighbors, our friends, and our fellow Minnesotans.…”