Sam Graves: “I also want to thank, in addition to this patch, I want to thank Chairman Shuster and Chairman Ryan for their very hard…”

“I also want to thank, in addition to this patch, I want to thank Chairman Shuster and Chairman Ryan for their very hard work towards a long-term reauthorization of the Federal highway bill. Mr. Speaker, my home State of Missouri has nearly 35,000 highway miles and over 10,000 bridges that are practically begging for our attention. As chairman of the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, every single day I hear about the need to improve and repair our roadways in this country. As you can imagine, this isn't a simple task. This is a job that is going to take years to complete. It requires the hard work and cooperation of thousands of men and women and relies on partnerships between the stakeholders, local governments, and Washington. Most importantly, though, a task of this magnitude requires that those responsible for planning each project, the State and local governments, are able to do so with confidence. They need certainty not only in this year's budget, but also the budgets for the next 5 or 6 years. This 2-month extension does not come under ideal circumstances, but it is going to ensure that States are reimbursed for their expenses on Federal projects, and it is going to give us the time to craft a bipartisan long-term reauthorization that we so desperately need. Long-term reauthorization is critical for everyone who plays a role in improving our Nation's highways and bridges.…”