Hearing Highlights Federal Role in Infrastructure and Economic Importance of Transportation System

On Febraury 13, 2013, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure began hearings. For more please go to http://transportation.house.gov/press-release/hearing-highlights-federal-role-infrastructure-and-economic-importance-transportation

Washington, DC – The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held its first hearing of the 113th Congress today focusing on the importance of infrastructure to the U.S. economy and examining the role played by the Federal Government in ensuring safe, efficient, and reliable infrastructure. 

Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) highlighted how the quality of the Nation’s infrastructure affects the lives of Americans in many ways on a daily basis, and how the Federal role in ensuring a strong transportation network is firmly rooted in the first days of the Nation.

“Transportation is important,” Shuster said. “It’s about people and how they live their lives. It’s also about business. An efficient national transportation network lowers production costs and enhances productivity and profits. And it is about America. Our national transportation system binds us together. Working together in the 113th Congress, the Committee will focus on strengthening America’s national transportation network to make us more efficient, more competitive and more prosperous. This is an important responsibility of government — especially the Federal government.” 

A panel of three witnesses underscored the need for a continued Federal role and the essential role of transportation to the economy. Building America’s Future Co-Chair and former Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue, and Laborers’ International Union of North America General President Terry O’Sullivan testified today.

Governor Rendell noted “without an overriding national vision and network, America’s transportation infrastructure would resemble a patchwork of disconnected roads and rails; our aviation system would be untenable; goods movement would be greatly hindered; and the electric grid would be a disconnected system in each of the 50 states. And all of this would cost businesses and consumers billions of dollars.”

Donohue highlighted the importance of remaining competitive in the global marketplace. “Markets outside of our borders represent 80% of the world’s purchasing power, 92% of its economic growth, and 95% of its consumers,” Donohue said. “They are accessed through transportation networks. More than 38 million American jobs depend on trade. 

“The bottom line is that the U.S. cannot miss any opportunities to ignite economic growth, improve our global competitiveness, and create jobs,” Donohue said. “Quality transportation infrastructure unleashes competitive advantage by leading to lower production costs making U.S. businesses more efficient, making the United States a desirable location for new and existing businesses, and also making U.S.-produced goods and service more competitive in the global economy.”

O’Sullivan noted that infrastructure is not a partisan issue. “Taking care of America’s infrastructure is a core function and responsibility of the federal government with its origins in the Constitution and I congratulate and commend this committee for addressing these issues at its first hearing. It’s a responsibility we must live up to,” O’Sullivan said. “This isn’t a Republican issue or a Democratic issue. There isn’t a single American who doesn’t benefit from and doesn’t want good roads and safe bridges, clean drinking water and efficient airports, waterways, abundant energy and good jobs.”