Earl Blumenauer: “when Congress passed ISTEA, it revolutionized policy and how our transportation dollars are spent. Congress said that we…”

“when Congress passed ISTEA, it revolutionized policy and how our transportation dollars are spent. Congress said that we were not just investing in highways, we were going to fund a broader range of transportation modes that truly help to build more livable communities. Transit, bikes, pedestrian access, a greater role for planning and coordination so that we make sure that we are doing the right thing to improve neighborhoods, protect the environment, provide working families with better access to jobs--these were key elements in the original legislation. I am very happy that TEA-LU continues to move us in the right direction as a nation. The team from Oregon, the entire Congressional delegation, played a critical role in making sure that this bill maintained the funding flexibility and innovative tools that Oregon has come to rely on. We also worked hard to maximize the impact in our State and the Portland Metropolitan area. The most important element is making sure that Oregon gets its fair share, which has been achieved in no small part due to heroic efforts on the part of Peter DeFazio, who played a critical role in negotiating the final elements. The Oregon Senators recently released a joint list of over $100 million of projects of statewide significance with a number in the Portland metropolitan area. We have all worked to make sure that regional highway and transit projects are able to move along in times of difficult funding at the State level.…”