December 03, 2015

CASTRO STATEMENT ON PASSAGE OF LONG-TERM TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 22, the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which guarantees federal transportation infrastructure funding for the next five years:

"Today, after years of inadequate, short-term measures, the House finally passed multi-year transportation infrastructure funding legislation. Thousands of construction projects can now proceed with certainty that federal funding will not dry up in the next five years, and hundreds of thousands of workers can rest easier knowing their jobs are no longer on the chopping block.  

"A strong, safe transportation infrastructure is vital for our entire nation, but it's particularly important for Texas, one of the fastest growing states in the country. Our roads and bridges need to have the capacity and structural soundness to support our increasing population and expanding economy. If Texas, and San Antonio in particular, hope to continue attracting booming businesses and the best and brightest talent the United States has to offer, our infrastructure must be up to the job. We can't let deficient bridges and crumbling roads stymie our state's success. The measure passed in the House today equips Texas with $18 billion in federal highway funding to ensure motorists' safety and support upticks in economic activity for the next five years.

"An added benefit of this bill is its four-year reauthorization of the Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank, an agency that helps more than 1,600 Texas exporters compete with businesses overseas. More than 135,000 Texas workers can breathe a sigh of relief that their employers will continue to receive the vital financing assistance the Ex-Im Bank provides.  

"The FAST act is a smart, much-needed investment in America's future prosperity. I look forward to working on additional long-term solutions to strengthen and grow our nation's infrastructure and economy."

H.R. 22 passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 359 to 65.

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