Political Quotes

“As early as this afternoon, the Senate debates transportation funding. It is not just about the money to stop the summer slowdown that is impacting projects and jobs all across America because we have not adequately funded our transportation needs. It is an opportunity to focus our response to the larger infrastructure crisis which is no longer just looming but is upon us. America is literally falling apart. The American Society for Civil Engineers has famously rated our transportation with a D-plus, with an overall dismal scorecard for other infrastructure categories. We can no longer afford to maintain our existing system in a state of good repair. Eleven percent of our bridges are obsolete or functionally deficient. Ongoing operations, to say nothing of strategic new investments, are increasingly difficult. This is sad because the Federal Government used to play an essential role for infrastructure throughout our history, from Benjamin Franklin's postal roads to Abraham Lincoln's transcontinental railroad to Dwight Eisenhower's interstate highway system. The ability to even imagine such accomplishments is increasingly a thing of the past. This means we are losing our competitive edge to be able to move goods efficiently. Our families are losing mobility. Our low level of investment is being dwarfed by competitors overseas: Europe, India, Japan, and especially China.…”