Sen. Carper Applauds Bipartisan Step Forward for Transportation Bill

WASHINGTON- Today, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), chairman of the Environment & Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, released the following statement after the Environment & Public Works Committee unanimously approved S.2322, the MAP-21 Reauthorization Act, a long-term bipartisan bill to reauthorize the nation’s transportation programs for six years.

“Today the Environment and Public Works Committee took an important step forward on the way to passing a long-term transportation bill. I thank Chairman Boxer and Ranking Member Vitter for leading a thoughtful and bipartisan process as this committee drafted and reported out this critical piece of the legislation. I understand that the other Senate committees with jurisdiction on the transportation package are also working diligently on their respective pieces of the bill. This is particularly important for those of us who also serve on the Senate Finance Committee. We need to work in a similar bipartisan fashion to quickly come to agreement on a fiscally responsible way to fund these crucial investments in our nation’s infrastructure.
 
“I have had productive conversations with many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the Senate Finance Committee about the funding for this bill and I am confident we can coalesce around a common sense solution. But we cannot wait much longer. Our states and cities are counting on us to get the job done. If we choose not to address the funding shortfall with a long-term solution, we will be undermining the ability of our states to do new multi-year projects that are important to local economies and private sector businesses. I know of more than a dozen projects in Delaware that could be at risk or experience delays if we don’t act.
 
“As a glass-is-half-full kind of guy, I believe Congress will do what it must and act to shore up the Highway Trust Fund and provide the long-term certainty that will benefit nearly every business and resident across the country.”