At a hearing of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit at the House of Representatives this week, lawmakers were chided by U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), ranking Democrat of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, concerning Congressional infrastructure efforts.
DeFazio took his fellows to task over failure to actively engage in bipartisan politics instead of “just talking” about it.
“All we are doing is just talking while the country crumbles,” DeFazio said. “Let’s get to work. The Republicans took a very substantive step last week on transportation and infrastructure—they cut it $25 billion [per year] in their budget. So why are we even here pretending…It’s time for somebody to take the lead, and this Committee should take the lead. It’s time to put proposals out and force the House to act.”
DeFazio reminded attendees of modern infrastructure’s roots in the policies of President Dwight Eisenhower, with the national highway system that resulted. Transportation, DeFazio said, does not end at state lines, and that a federal investment is needed.
In total, DeFazio has put forth three proposals that would invest more than $500 billion into roads, harbors, and airports.