Kirk Watson: “America's roads are coming to a standstill because of ever-increasing congestion. The latest research shows that the…”

“America's roads are coming to a standstill because of ever-increasing congestion. The latest research shows that the average American wastes almost 2 full days a year in traffic. Measured in dollars, the cost of congestion is now $63 billion per year. My own hometown of Los Angeles is again ranked as the most congested city in America, with congestion delays and costs twice the national average. With this congestion causing such a drag on our economy, the American public might expect their Congress to be rushing to resolve such a problem. But we are now almost 2 years past the deadline for passing a new transportation bill, and the administration is still blocking Congress from passing new transportation funding. The issue is, as always, money. The President, after having racked up the largest deficits in American history, is fighting to block this needed investment in roads and transit. Mr. Speaker, my constituents are as fed up with government gridlock as they are with freeway gridlock. America needs transportation relief now.”