U.S. Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-Minn.) says that he has “no patience for those who have been given” taxpayer money and federal funding and are now complaining about paperwork. (0:36)
The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure discussed how funding for transportation and infrastructure might stimulate the economy.
Infrastructure investments create benefits that radiate throughout the economy, said Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.). The committee pointed out that transportation and infrastructure projects create thousands of jobs domestically and also immediate benefit small businesses, local and state governments.
We have several public transit projects that are “ready-to-go,” said Congressman John Mica (R-Fla.). The discussion centered on creating a stimulus package to fund transportation projects around the country that would begin construction in 90 to 120 days.
John Irons, research and policy director of the Economic Policy Institute, testified that “the investments would go…beyond the construction industry, they would impact a wide range of industries across the country and across industries.”
People are driving like a bunch of idiots, and they’re driving a million miles an hour. That was the statement of Representative Don Young (R-AK), at the House Subcommittee Transportation and Infrastructure hearing on “Rising Diesel Fuel Costs in the Trucking Industry.” His overall sentiment was the United States can never drill the way into total independence, but we can drill our way into more stability. However, Young said, it doesn’t solve the problem. He said that all Congress was doing was sitting around and talking, while we’re misusing the fossil fuels we have left. Congress, Young said as he stabbed his finger into the air, needs to stop pandering to the general public because they’re not looking at solutions. He said he had a solution to make people change their driving habits: he’s going to promote a tax of one dollar on every gallon of gasoline. (more…)
