With Congress returning to work after Labor Day, a conflict is brewing between the Obama administration and Republicans in Congress -- and a Florida congressman should be playing a vital role.
On Wednesday, President Barack Obama and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood called on Congress to extend transportation program funding, including for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The White House insists that a million jobs are at risk by not continuing the funding.
At the end of September, if Congress doesnt act, the transportation bill will expire. This bill provides funding for highway construction, bridge repair, mass transit systems and other essential projects that keep our people and our commerce moving quickly and safely. And for construction workers and their families across the country, it represents the difference between making ends meet or not making ends meet, said Obama in a Rose Garden address.
If we allow the transportation bill to expire, over 4,000 workers will be immediately furloughed without pay. If its delayed for just 10 days, it will lose nearly $1 billion in highway funding -- that's money we can never get back. And if its delayed even longer, almost 1 million workers could lose their jobs over the course of the next year.
Obama blamed politics in Washington for risking the funding.
That's just not acceptable, said Obama. "That's inexcusable. It's inexcusable to put more jobs at risk in an industry thats already been one of the hardest hit over the last decade. Its inexcusable to cut off necessary investments at a time when so many of our highways are choked with congestion, when so many of our bridges are in need of repair, when so many commuters depend on reliable public transit, and when travel and shipping delays cost businesses billions of dollars every single year.
Obama slammed Congress for not extending funding for the FAA past Sept. 16.
Just a few weeks ago, Congress refused to act on another bill, typically a routine bill, that would have ended up pulling thousands of aviation workers off the job and delaying necessary airport improvement projects across the country said the president. And when Congress finally got their act together, they only funded the FAA until Sept. 16th. Thats why, when they come back next month, not only do they need to pass the transportation bill but they've also got to pass a clean extension of that FAA bill -- for longer this time -- and address back pay for the workers who were laid off during the last shutdown.
Its time to stop the political gamesmanship that can actually cost us hundreds of thousands of jobs, said Obama. "This should not be a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. This transportation bill has been renewed seven times in the last two years alone.
Obama pointed to the support he was getting from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as well as the AFL-CIO on the issue.
Im calling on Congress, as soon as they come back, to pass a clean extension of the surface transportation bill, along with a clean extension of the FAA bill, to give workers and communities across America the confidence that vital construction projects wont come to a halt, said Obama. After thats done, Im also proposing that we reform the way transportation money is invested, to eliminate waste, to give states more control over the projects that are right for them, and to make sure that were getting better results for the money that we spend.
"We need to stop funding projects based on whose district theyre in, and start funding them based on how much good theyre going to be doing for the American people. No more bridges to nowhere. No more projects that are simply funded because of somebody pulling strings. And we need to do this all in a way that gets the private sector more involved. Thats how were going to put construction workers back to work right now doing the work that America needs done -- not just to boost our economy this year, but for the next 20 years.
Obama called for additional federal funding for infrastructure, as well.
When Congress is back next week, in addition to passing these clean extensions to prevent any halt on existing work, were going to have to have a serious conversation in this country about making real, lasting investments in our infrastructure -- from better ports to a smarter electric grid; from high-speed Internet to high-speed rail, said Obama. And at a time when interest rates are low and workers are unemployed, the best time to make those investments is right now -- not once another levee fails or another bridge falls. Right now is when we need to be making these decisions.
Now is the time for Congress to extend the transportation bill, keep our workers on the job. Now is the time to put our country before party and to give certainty to the people who are just trying to get by," said Obama in conclusion. There is work to be done. There are workers ready to do it. And that's why I expect Congress to act immediately."
U.S. Rep. John Mica, the Florida Republican who chairs the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, weighed in on the matter after Obamas address. Mica said he did not see that extending the highway program would be a problem, though he added that the FAA extension would require touching base with other Republican leaders.
In the interest of getting Americans back to work and moving vital transportation legislation, Republicans are committed to working with the president and congressional Democrats.During their control, they neglected aviation legislation for more than four years and left major transportation legislation in the ditch for more than a year, said Mica. Republicans have offered positive and financially responsible alternatives to get these measures moving. As chairman of the House Transportation Committee, I will agree to one additional highway program extension, this being the eighth of the overdue transportation reauthorization.
I am returning to Washington to also consult with our Republican leadership before granting the 22nd FAA extension, added Mica.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
