Thomas E. Petri: “Mr. Speaker, I join in support of the resolution before us. It is appropriate and important that we honor the…”

“Mr. Speaker, I join in support of the resolution before us. It is appropriate and important that we honor the hardworking men and women who make our infrastructure the envy of the world. Investment in the Nation's highway, bridge and transit infrastructure has not kept up with growing demands on the system. Our Department of Transportation found that to maintain highway bridge and transit networks, governments at all levels would need to invest nearly $95 billion per year for each of the next 20 years, and to improve highway, bridge and transit networks, that level of investment would need to increase to nearly $154 billion per year. Recently, the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, a bipartisan commission made up of representatives from various transportation sectors appointed by leadership in both parties and from the executive branch, reported to the Congress that the United States needs to invest up to $340 billion annually for the next 50 years to upgrade the Nation's existing transportation network to a good state of repair and to build the more advanced facilities that our people will require to remain competitive with other emerging economic powers around the world.”