Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) praised the recent announcement that legislation will be introduced in the House of Representatives in the coming weeks that will link domestic energy production with the funding for transportation related programs. Since September, Congressman Schock has been advocating aggressively for a highway bill that is paid for by using revenues from domestic energy production from new oil and gas leases combined with the current motor fuel tax.

“I commend Speaker Boehner for his leadership on this issue. Moving forward with a bill that ties our domestic energy production to efforts to fund a more robust highway bill is an innovative way to help job creation and fuel our domestic energy production at the same time,” said Schock. “The American Society for Civil Engineers (ASCE) gives our transportation infrastructure a grade of “D.” This is exactly why I have been so vocal for the passage of a more robust highway bill and one that is linked to domestic energy production. We need to reinvest in both a national energy strategy as well as our infrastructure.”

The announcement that a bill will soon be introduced with the goal that it will be brought up for vote by the end of the year is good news for the infrastructure community and job creators who will benefit from the certainty that will be provided by a more robust highway bill.

“What America’s infrastructure needs is not another one time shot in the arm, but rather a highway bill that will create jobs now and help grow our economy in the future,” said Doug Whitley, President of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. “I am pleased the House will soon introduce legislation that will provide a way forward for a larger highway bill. On top of that, I am excited that such a bill will be linked to domestic energy production that Congressman Schock has been pushing for months. ”