If House Republicans refuse to get on board,0 the current extension of the Federal Transportation Spending Plan and the 18.4 cent per gallon Gasoline Tax that funds it will expire, leaving infrastructure to its continued decay and 4,000 working Americans to job loss.
Political infighting and partisan bickering have allowed this extension to approach. One of the main points of President Obama's jobs speech this passed Thursday, infrastructure spending is a tried and true economic stimulus tool in that it creates jobs at many different levels and creates more efficient transportation across the country.
However, what should be a simple decision to extend the funding we currently have while creating a larger, more ambitious plan is at the mercy of chairman of the House Transportation Committee, Representative John Mica. Mica is the infamous villain of the FAA Shutdown, someone who took the agency hostage to negotiate Tea Party-supported and bust the aviation unions. The decision to extend the current legislation will have strings attached as Tea Party members will see extending the 18.4 cent gas tax as raising taxes. California Senator Barbara Boxer told NJ.com, “I don’t count on anything going smoothly anymore.”
The need for extension is so obvious that one wonders how Rep. Mica can hold it hostage for personal gain. According to NJ.com,
If any spending could move into the left lane, this should be it. The federal government spends approximately $42 billion a year on transportation projects, and without an extension, government workers will lose their pay and jobs will be lost among contractors, manufacturers and suppliers.
This type of game-playing could shove the nation into a double-dip recession.
In a different political climate, Congress could pass a sensible, long-term transportation plan. But for now, we can only root for the status quo. America’s infrastructure needs the money now.
In the long run, a new transportation bill that can meet the needs of America’s dilapidated roadways while building a sustainable national transit system is what is needed to improve our current situation and create jobs. According to the Detroit Free Press,
Current funding levels are clearly inadequate to build a balanced 21st Century transportation system, while rebuilding roads and highways, fixing bridges and improving mass transit. Ten years ago, U.S. infrastructure ranked sixth globally, according to TRIP, a national transportation advocacy group. Today, it ranks 23rd, with only half the investment it had 50 years ago.
For some states, such as Michigan, who are currently working nonstop to maintain their already crumbling roads, a shutdown no matter how brief could cause their situation to worsen.
If nothing changes, Michigan can expect to double the number of roads in poor shape by 2015. On state roads alone, the state falls more than $300 million short of what's needed to maintain them. Practically all of Michigan's 75 transit agencies have had to cut service in the last two or three years, even as demand increased.
Some of the workers who will be affected by this situation have taken to the streets in protest, demanding the GOP pass this common sense extension. Over 8,000 LIUNA member activists have called their local Congressmen, sending the mail and doing what it takes to make their voices heard. They are concerned with both the extension and the future transportation plan and what it will mean to them both as workers and citizens.
Under a proposed extension to the bill released today, investment in the nation’s highways, bridges and transit systems would remain level, blunting an effort to slash investment by a third and destroying hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Even if the proposed extension, supported by Republican and Democratic leaders, is passed and further attempts to cut investment are rejected, a battle still looms to protect investment and jobs in a long-term Highway Bill next year.
LIUNA members want to go to work every day building America and they are ready to continue the fight for transportation investment that keeps our nation competitive, creates good jobs and leaves valuable assets for taxpayers and future generations.
Their activism shows that by confronting Tea Party extremism head on working people can win. This proposed extension means that hundreds of thousands of men and women will be able to keep working and allows for new projects that will support more jobs.