Congresswoman Matsui Statement on House Passage of Short-Term Highway and Transit Trust Fund Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 15, 2014

CONTACT: JONELLE TRIMMER
(202) 225-7163

Congresswoman Matsui Statement on House Passage of Short-Term Highway and Transit Trust Fund Bill

Urges Congress to work in a bipartisan manner to ensure enactment of a multi-year Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill before the end of the year

Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-06) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5021, the Highway and Transportation Funding Act:

"It is essential that Congress moves quickly to replenish the Highway Trust Fund and reauthorize Surface Transportation programs. Without action more than 100,000 transportation projects could be delayed, and as many as 700,000 construction jobs could be put at risk. In Sacramento, drivers pay on average an additional $658 a year in vehicle maintenance due to sub-par road conditions. This is unacceptable, and I am pleased that the House today voted to temporarily avert this crisis.

"This bill only takes our country through May 31, 2015 however, so Congress must now work in a bipartisan manner to ensure enactment of a multi-year Surface Transportation Reauthorization. We cannot continue to andlsquo;kick the can down the road.' The business community, transportation organizations and the American public have made it clear; we need multi-year legislation in place and we need it this year."

H.R. 5021 provides funding for the Highway and Transit Trust Fund to prevent the Highway Account from going bankrupt in August. It also reauthorizes Surface Transportation programs, which expire on September 30, 2014, through May 31, 2015.

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