Senate Environment & Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer and ranking Republican Sen. James Inhofe are the urging the “super” deficit reduction committee to identify long-term revenue in order to continue federal highway and transit funding at current levels or greater.

Here are excerpts of the bipartisan letter (and a link to the complete letter):

“Given the vital role that a strong infrastructure plays in the U.S. economy and job creation, Congress must, at a minimum, maintain current transportation funding levels. . . .There is strong bipartisan support for addressing the nation’s transportation needs while resolving our debt crisis. The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Debt Reduction Task Force, and the Senate’s gang of six all have included provisions in their final recommendations to ensure robust long-term federal spending on transportation. . . .

“[I]t is essential to fund our roads and bridges not only for jobs and businesses, but also because over 70,000 of our bridges are structurally deficient and 50% of our highway miles are in less than ‘good’ condition. Our committee has a bipartisan highway bill that, if enacted, would dramatically reform the current highway program and would do a great deal to foster short and long-term economic growth and create jobs.”