Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, supported the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015 to extend highway and transit programs for two months, but raised concerns with the short-term Highway Trust Fund extension.

“We have known for months that this day was coming, and yet we have made no progress finding a solution to funding highways, transit and other important surface transportation programs,” said Congressman Nadler. “While our infrastructure crumbles around us, House and Senate leadership refuse to come up with the additional $60 billion needed to fill the gap in the Highway Trust Fund just to do a long-term bill at current levels. But this week, they will put on the floor a tax extender that will cost $182 billion over 10 years, completely unpaid for. The priorities of this Congress are completely out of whack.”

Below is the full statement from Congressman Nadler, delivered on the House floor, regarding the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015:

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill to extend highway and transit programs for two months, but with reservations.

“The last surface transportation bill, MAP-21, expired last fall. At that time, we passed an extension to the end of this month to give us time to work on a long-term bill. We have known for months that this day was coming, and yet we have made no progress finding a solution to funding highways, transit and other important surface transportation programs.

“MAP-21 itself was only a two year bill, breaking the tradition of Congress passing 5 or 6 year bills to provide the reliable funding necessary to complete long-term capital plans and projects that require a commitment beyond one fiscal year. The last time we passed a long-term bill was SAFETEA-LU in 2005. That was ten years ago, and that bill was underfunded because of a resistance to raising the gas tax or identifying new revenue sources. 

“For over a decade we have failed to address the funding challenges necessary to break the cycle of underinvestment, and put this country back on a competitive path with the rest of the world. Today, this country spends about 1.7% of GDP on infrastructure, while China spends 9%. According to DOT, there is an $808 billion backlog of investment needs on highways and bridges, including $479 billion in critical repair work. Public transit has an $86 billion backlog of critical maintenance and repair needs, which increases by $2.5 billion each year as bus and rail infrastructure ages.

“While our infrastructure crumbles around us, House and Senate leadership refuse to come up with the additional $60 billion needed to fill the gap in the Highway Trust Fund just to do a long term bill at current levels. But this week, they will put on the floor a tax extender that will cost $182 billion over 10 years, completely unpaid for. The priorities of this Congress are completely out of whack.

"I am concerned that we will pass this two month extension and be right back here in July, having the same conversation. I will support this extension, but only with the understanding that we must spend the next two months, once and for all, making transportation funding a priority.

“Thank you and I yield back the balance of my time.”