A majority of both Republicans and Democrats have signed a letter initiated by Reps. Reid Ribble, R-Wisc., Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., and Tom Reed, R-N.Y, to Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., urging quick action to develop a long-term sustainable revenue source for maintaining the nation’s roads, highways and bridges. The letter, signed by 285 House members, calls on Congress to “move a responsibly paid-for, multiyear surface transportation bill that will support much needed economic growth throughout the nation.”
The chief legislative priority of NSSGA is the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund. Congress passed a “patch” last summer that is expected to pay for the program through May 2015. In order to avoid another funding crisis and the uncertainty that has plagued the nation’s surface transportation infrastructure over the past several years, Congress needs to act to address the issue sooner rather than later.
The National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) worked to obtain support for the effort through a series of Capitol Hill visits and strategic communications targeted at members and their staff.
“The aggregates industry leveraged the relationships with Congress that NSSGA has developed over the years to urge representatives to sign this letter. In the end, this was important to achieving the signatures of a majority of House Republicans and House Democrats – building the chorus of those calling for action.” NSSGA Senior Vice President Pam Whitted said.
“America is the best place in the world to do business, and that is partially because of our superior, if aging, infrastructure,” Rep. Ribble said in a statement. “My constituents in northeast Wisconsin and Americans all over our country in the manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and distribution sectors rely especially heavily on our roads and bridges to move people and goods from place to place – and the certainty that they will be able to continue to do so in the future.
Long-term funding for our roads and bridges would provide the security that our country needs to ensure that our infrastructure remains safe, reliable and serviceable for years to come.”