Donohue Praises Transportation Infrastructure Commission Analysis

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, released the following statement on the Report of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission:

"The National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission made clear that America's surface transportation network is in trouble. Congress, the business community, the American people, and all users of the transportation system should pay close attention to this warning.

"We wholeheartedly agree that continued underinvestment and business-as-usual transportation policies and programs will have a detrimental impact on the ability of the United States to compete in the world economy and on the everyday lives of Americans.

"I am pleased that the Commission proposes sweeping changes in surface transportation policies and programs. In the coming weeks, we will examine the recommendations closely and evaluate whether these changes will enable the U.S. transportation system to adapt and meet the needs of an evolving global economy.

"While every level of government has obligations in this endeavor, we concur with the Commission that the federal government must bear a significant part of the responsibility to ensure that national needs are met, roads, bridges, transit systems, and other assets are maintained and improved, and infrastructure investment is increased in proportion to the demands of global trade and the flow of interstate commerce.

"When it comes to funding, every option must be considered to address the enormous problems of the aging transportation infrastructure. It is clear that chronic underinvestment is a major contributing factor to the problems across all modes of transportation. The nation must also address rampant earmarking, misuse of funding, lack of resource prioritization, and poor comprehensive planning that marks current Federal transportation programs.

"As we all prepare for SAFETEA-LU reauthorization, we encourage Congress to examine ways to spend infrastructure dollars more wisely, to ensure that states do not divert Federal or state transportation funding away from intended uses, to invest in new technologies, to attract more private investment for projects, and to encourage public-private partnerships at the state and local levels.

"The Chamber applauds the Commission's work and wholeheartedly agrees: now is the time to move on a robust, thoughtful, and comprehensive plan to build, maintain, and fund a world-class 21st century infrastructure. We cannot afford to delay."

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

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08-03