Washington, D.C.– House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) today released the following statement after the Obama Administration unveiled its comprehensive plan to invest $556 billion in a six-year surface transportation bill:
“I strongly support the President’s plan to invest $556 billion in America’s future to create jobs in the U.S., build a transportation system for the 21st Century, and keep our economy on the road to recovery. By infusing an additional $50 billion up-front, we can jumpstart the creation of hundreds of thousands of good-paying American jobs right away while making long-term transportation investments that are critical for enabling private-sector growth.
“To keep pace with our international competitors, America must strive to have the safest and most efficient rails, roads, and runways in the world.
“The Committee this morning kicked off a national series of field hearings in my hometown of Beckley to hear firsthand about the transportation challenges facing the Nation. It is important that the Congress hear directly from the folks on the ground as we work to craft legislation that will create jobs and ensure that businesses are able to move goods, people, and information quickly, safely, and efficiently.
“I look forward to working with Secretary Ray LaHood, Chairman John Mica, and Members of the Committee as we craft a job-creating surface transportation bill to keep America moving throughout the 21st Century.”
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