America Needs a Six Year Highway Bill

Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) released a YouTube video this week as he continues his push for a long-term transportation and infrastructure bill. Schock issued the following statement regarding his effort:

“We need to focus on investing in our nation’s rails, roads, highways, bridges and infrastructure. We need to pass a fully funded and paid for six year highway bill – this is something that has been done by every President for the last 25 years.

“I say ‘fully funded’ and ‘paid for’ because this bill must be both. For the last couple of years the highway bill has been funded for only short increments, which does nothing to create the certainty employers need as they consider a new project. Secondly, it would be irresponsible to pass such a bill without paying for it. I believe we can find the money to pay for a long-term bill by using the revenues from new oil and gas leasing combined with the current revenues people already pay at the pump – motor fuel tax. This would help boost the demand of American-made energy, lower the cost and at the same time ensure we have money to pay for these vital investments to our country’s highways and infrastructure.

“A highway bill not only will put people back to work now, but will also help reduce the burdens and lower the costs to businesses who manufacture goods and transport their merchandise to reach worldwide customers. If we can lower the cost of doing business here in the United States, we can help attract more high paying manufacturing jobs in this country. With the passage of the Panama, Colombia and South Korean free trade agreements, its now more important than ever to ensure we are investing in our infrastructure to help move U.S. products to new markets.”