U.S. Chamber and Small Businesses Intensify Push for Transportation Reform and Investment

More Than 100 Business Leaders Attend Fly-in; Advertising Blitz Pushes SAFETEA-LU Reauthorization

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As the expiration of funding for the nation's surface transportation programs approaches, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce today led more than 100 business leaders, association executives, and local chambers of commerce members from 28 states to Capitol Hill for a "Transportation is Your Business" fly-in. They delivered a message to Congress that investment in our highways, bridges, and public transportation systems must not be delayed.

"The Congress and Administration need to make America's crumbling transportation infrastructure a priority," said Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "If done right, comprehensive highway and public transportation will create jobs, speed commerce, enhance safety, and better serve the American people."

SAFETEA-LU authorizes surface transportation spending for a six-year period and is scheduled to expire on September 30. To increase federal transportation dollars, the Chamber is calling on Congress to explore all funding options, including raising user fees, encouraging private investment, and creating an infrastructure bank. The Chamber also supports safeguarding money collected from gas taxes and other fees for transportation-specific projects as well as cutting red tape associated with those projects.

"The Administration and Congress included vital funds for transportation in the stimulus package, but the job isn't done yet," Donohue said.

Transportation infrastructure is more vital than ever to the success of U.S. industries. Adequate transportation infrastructure capacity and cost-effective transportation services are essential to improving economic growth, increasing productivity, and maintaining the competitiveness of American businesses. Further, by creating jobs across construction, engineering, resources, and manufacturing sectors, transportation investment serves as an important economic driver.

As part of an intensified push on this topic, the Chamber is conducting a comprehensive advertising, grassroots, and lobbying campaign in support of SAFETEA-LU reauthorization. The effort includes advertisements on buses and commuter trains, and in magazines and on Web sites; and opinion pieces in local newspapers.

"There has been incredible energy among our members for this effort across the country – everything from advertising and lobbying to grassroots mobilization on the local level," Donohue continued. "We're hitting the ground running from coast to coast."

Today's lobbying blitz included more than 100 executives from Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, DC, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington, who met with their Senators and Representatives to press for reform of federal policies in SAFETEA-LU reauthorization.

The U.S. Chamber 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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