Rep. Mike Thompson calls on House Majority to pass long-term transportation authorizations
Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-1) today called on the House Majority to pass long-term reauthorizations for both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and national highway and transit programs in order to put Americans back to work and to modernize our nation's crumbling transportation infrastructure. Instead, the House passed today its 23nd short-term FAA extension and its 8th short-term surface transportation programs extension since the last long-term authorization of these programs expired.
“It is time for the House Majority to stop playing political games in Washington,” said Rep. Thompson. “Passing clean, long-term reauthorizations of the FAA and highway and transit programs are common sense ways to get construction projects moving and put folks back to work right away.”
In July, Congress's failure to pass a long-term FAA reauthorization unnecessarily forced a shutdown of most FAA programs, resulting in more than $250 million in lost revenue for needed airport improvements, furloughed more than 4,000 FAA employees, and put tens of thousands additional Americans out of work. A long-term FAA reauthorization would ensure that critical FAA funding would not lapse in the near future, and aviation construction projects across the country could finally begin.
A long-term reauthorization of surface transportation programs will allow California and states across the county, to put people to work repairing roads, and bridges, and updating out of date infrastructure. Since the last surface transportation authorization expired in September, 2009, Congress has been unable to set long term transportation funding levels which has removed the stability States' need for transportation project planning.
“For too long, our country's aging infrastructure has gone without the critical upgrades and support that it needs,” Rep. Thompson continued. “We can no longer afford to kick this can down the road. Now is the time to invest in our country's infrastructure while putting American workers back on the job. Not January 2012, Not March 2012, but right now.”
Tuesday's legislation, H.R. 2887, will temporarily extend FAA funding through January 31, 2012 and surface transportation funding through March, 31, 2012. This bill is expected to be taken up by the Senate later this week before being sent to the President for his signature to prevent additional program shutdowns.
Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 1st Congressional District, which includes the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, and Yolo. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and sits on the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.