Political Quotes

“earlier this week, the conference committee on the surface transportation reauthorization--more commonly known as the highway bill--met for its initial meeting. In the opening remarks that were made on Tuesday, it was encouraging that there seemed to be a general agreement on how important that Transportation bill is to our Nation. As I will describe later, it is 2.9 million jobs that are associated with this bill. I should be specific and say 2.9 million jobs a year, since those jobs do not extend for eternity. But it is the most important piece of jobs legislation we could consider. I appreciated hearing from the Senator from Utah about the jobs concern of his energy proposal. Those are real jobs, they are immediate jobs. They are jobs that everybody understands, building our roads, highways, and bridges. These local construction jobs are not only important in and of themselves, but they also help to maintain the transportation infrastructure that lowers the cost of goods and helps our economy across the board. We have had to close a bridge where I 95 crosses over the Blackstone River in Pawtucket. It is reopening. In the meantime people have to drive around 295. That costs time and fuel for shippers--and delays. It was an economic cost. This is the real jobs bill that we can do something about. It is pending right now in conference. So it is imperative not only that the conference get this bill done but that they get it done as soon as possible.…”