The Hill News

With President Obama’s budget scheduled to be released on Monday, I am eager to hear his views of our nation’s priorities. As Congress moves forward with the budget process, it is important to focus on the needs of our communities and constituents. While unemployment has dropped to the lowest rate since 2009, we must create a budget that rides on the coattails of this success by continuing to fuel employment opportunities. There is no better way to create jobs than through infrastructure investment which also improves economic opportunities in surrounding communities.

As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and a representative from the most densely populated state in the nation, I am most concerned about providing adequate funding for transportation and infrastructure expansion. Transportation affects every facet of everyone’s life, and it is important that our nation improve and strengthen the safety, reliability, and effi! ciency of our transportation system. Next week, the House of Representatives is expected to vote on H.R. 7, the America Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act. While a multiyear surface transportation authorization bill is sorely needed, H.R. 7 is not the comprehensive solution that our country needs.  H.R. 7 blatantly ignores the transportation needs of Americans by cutting funding and eliminating jobs. Sufficient funding for mass transit, Amtrak, and competitive grants such as the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program are necessary to meet the transportation needs of our constituents.

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