Known as one of Arizona’s biggest obstacles to prosperity, Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), joined forces with Ranking Member on Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Peter DeFazio, as well as his fellow CPC co-chair Rep. Keith Ellison and the Chairs of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus in sending a letter to Speaker John Boehner arguing that “investments in infrastructure are down payments on prosperity.”
Grijalva and his fellow progressives have requested that the House take up a long-term surface transportation bill when it returns from the May district work period.
“We write to you in order to request that the House take up a long-term surface transportation funding bill when it returns from the May district work period,” the letter states. It continues, “A long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill that comprehensively addresses the Nation’s significant highway and public transit needs must be enacted. Anything less than a long-term reauthorization – which until recent years characterized the way in which Congress legislated in this critical area – will deprive state transportation departments of the predictable funding stream and policy certainty they need to plan and budget effectively for highway, transit, and pedestrian projects.”
Rep. Grijalva said in a statement released last week, “Investments in infrastructure are down payments on prosperity,” said Rep. Grijalva. “More jobs open up to Americans eager to fill them every time we repair a bridge or build a road. And businesses are more empowered to reach new customers with each new broadband line laid. I urge Speaker Boehner to abandon the temporary fixes that have become far too common in our politics, and bring a long-term surface transportation funding bill to the floor before the Highway Trust Fund’s authorization expires at the end of this month.”