CAGTC Members,
Yesterday, the full House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee held a hearing titled “The Cost of Doing Nothing: Why Investing in Our Nation’s Infrastructure Cannot Wait.” The hearing consisted of two panels. Written testimony, as well as a recording of the hearing, can be found online here.
Witnesses on the first panel included:
- The Honorable Tim Walz, Governor, State of Minnesota and on behalf of the National Governors Association;
- The Honorable Eric Garcetti, Mayor, City of Los Angeles, CA and on behalf of the United States Conference of Mayors; and
- The Honorable Ray LaHood, Co-Chair, Building America’s Future, Former Secretary, United States Department of Transportation.
Witnesses on the second panel included:
- Richard Anderson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Amtrak;
- The Honorable Eric K. Fanning, President and Chief Executive Officer, Aerospace Industries Association;
- Lawrence J. Krauter, Chief Executive Officer, Spokane International Airport;
- Angela Lee, Director, Charlotte Water and on behalf of The Water Environment Federation and The National Association of Clean Water Agencies;
- Rich McArdle, President, UPS Freight and on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce;
- Kristin Meira, Executive Director, Pacific Northwest Waterways Association (PNWA); and
- Larry I. Willis, President, Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO.
Please find a summary of relevant conversation from the hearing here, with a few key takeaways below:
- Members of Congress indicated they were hopeful for an infrastructure bill this Congress and that it would address all types of infrastructure, not just surface transportation infrastructure.
- There was a bipartisan call for increasing funding for infrastructure investment. Suggested sources of funding included increasing the gas tax and developing a vehicle miles traveled tax, but Members remained open to all options.
- Both Members of Congress and witnesses discussed the importance of resiliency.
- The witnesses and Members of Congress called for increased permit streamlining but many also emphasized that environmental and safety measures must be maintained. Congressman Meadows (R-NC) indicated that coupling permit reform with a funding increase could make it easier for those traditionally against tax increases to take a “tough vote.”
Thank you,
Katie Cross
Manager, Member Communications & Policy
Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors
1625 K Street NW
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20006
tradecorridors.org
(202) 828-9100