Costa Statement on Passage of Short-Term Transportation Funding Extension
Washington, DC - Rep. Costa released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2353, the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015.
"While I am extremely disappointed that the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015 only provided a two-month funding extension, I could not risk jeopardizing the safety and well-being of our nation's traveling public.
"The priority must be developing a long-term funding solution that better connects people, goods, and services. We are living off of the investments of our parents and grandparents, and now it is our turn to bring U.S. infrastructure into the 21st century by passing a multi-year, multi-modal transportation bill. Whether it is expanding access to transit in Fresno, establishing safe walkways to school for students living in Dos Palos, or renovating Highway 99, there are dozens of necessary projects in California's 16th district that rely on access to federal funding. The short-term funding bills currently used to run our government fail to meet the challenge of our nation's crumbling roads and bridges.
"It is high time that Congress moves forward with a long-term reauthorization of the Highway and Transportation Funding Act that will give our local Valley leaders the certainty they need to plan for their communities. In the next two months, I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to determine how best to improve our nation's infrastructure in a fiscally responsible and sustainable way."
Earlier this year, Rep. Costa and the Blue Dog Coalition sent a letter urging Committee on Ways and Means leadership to explore long-term funding solutions for a comprehensive infrastructure package.
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