Press Releases

Today, US Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement after testifying to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit about his priorities for transportation initiatives that will create jobs in the Pacific Northwest.

“Last week, I spoke with local private sector engineers who said that the single biggest action Congress could take to save and create jobs in their industry would be to pass a 6 year transportation reauthorization bill.

“In the Pacific Northwest, transportation investment means jobs.

“In my district, this means making key investments in: the state ferry system, the largest in the country; highway safety to protect people on dangerous highways like Highway 2; and freight mobility to create jobs in the Pacific Northwest.

“I cannot emphasize enough how we need to consolidate federal transportation programs as first proposed two years ago. Currently there are 108 separate federal surface transportation programs administered by five separate federal agencies.

“The current program structure is fragmented and stove-piped. There is little relation between our national transportation goals and this complicated decision-making process.

“These measures will not fill the funding gap, contrary to Republican claims – but they are necessary reforms important for the future of transportation funding.”

The full text of Larsen’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, follows:

REP. RICK LARSEN
TESTIMONY BEFORE THE HIGHWAYS AND TRANSIT SUBCOMMITTEE
“POLICY PROPOSALS FROM MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO REFORM THE NATION’S SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS”

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to testify before the subcommittee on my policy proposals for the next surface transportation bill.

I look forward to working with you and Ranking Member DeFazio to invest in our nation’s transportation infrastructure and create jobs as we rewrite the federal surface transportation legislation.

As we write the next surface transportation bill, it is clear that our nation needs a significant investment in our transportation infrastructure to create private sector construction jobs; invest in the repair and maintenance of highways, roads, bridges and transit; and set the foundation for future economic growth.

In the Pacific Northwest, transportation investment means jobs.

Local private sector engineers were in my office last week and said that the single biggest action Congress could take to save and create jobs in their industry would be to pass a 6 year transportation reauthorization bill.

The Committee Chair has indicated that we should not expect a bill that calls for more funding than the Highway Trust Fund can sustain – in other words, a bill that contains less funding than SAFETEA-LU.

I support innovative financing mechanisms, but I will be clear: innovative financing mechanisms are supplements to the Highway Trust Fund, not substitutes. It is hard to see how innovative financing bridges the gap between the current Trust Fund levels and the amount that most transportation experts believe we need to simply maintain the transportation system we have.

If this committee is going to write a $250 billion bill, we should all be clear on what that means: states and localities will do less with less. Fewer private sector construction jobs will be created, fewer highways, roads, and buses will be maintained, and even fewer new capacity-building projects will be built.

On the issue of the consolidation, I support consolidating federal transportation programs as Democrats first proposed in the 2009 Surface Transportation Authorization Act and streamlining the federal permitting process. These measures will not fill the funding gap – but they are simply necessary reforms important for the future of transportation funding.

Currently there are 108 separate federal surface transportation programs administered by five separate federal agencies. The current program structure is fragmented and stove-piped. There is little relation between our national transportation goals and this complicated decision-making process.

Then-Chairman Oberstar’s Surface Transportation Authorization Act proposed consolidating or terminating more than 75 programs. It would have transformed the current structure into a performance-based framework designed to achieve specific national objectives.

The GAO recently concurred with Oberstar’s approach in their March 2011 report on Opportunities to Reduce Potential Duplication in Government Programs, Save Tax Dollars, and Enhance Revenue. The GAO argues that “this fragmented approach impedes effective decision-making and limits the ability of decision makers to devise comprehensive solutions to complex challenges.” They conclude that “a fundamental re-examination and reform of the nation’s surface transportation policies is needed.” I urge the Committee to heed the GAO’s advice.

Next, I’d like to discuss the top transportation priorities for my district in the reauthorization bill: ferries, highway safety, and freight mobility.

Meeting these priorities will mean jobs in the Pacific Northwest.

Ferries are top priority for my district and Washington state. Washington State Ferries is the largest ferry system in the United States and carries over 25 million riders annually. Ferries are integral to the transportation infrastructure of Washington State: they are an extension of the highway system and provide public transportation to help thousands of my constituents get to work and to return home.

I encourage the Subcommittee to improve and expand the overall federal investment in ferry transportation.

Next month, Senator Murray and I will introduce the United States Ferry Systems Investment Act of 2011. Our legislation would make a robust investment in the federal ferryboat program. It would also mandate that half of those funds be distributed by formula to help ensure that significant funding is directed to the largest and most important public ferry systems. Half of the program funds would continue to be distributed on a discretionary basis, which would help initiate and expand ferry services throughout the country.

These changes will significantly improve the current program and provide our nation’s ferry systems with the resources they need to improve public safety, meet growing demand and create jobs to keep our economy moving.

Highway safety is a top priority for my district. My district includes US Highway 2, a stretch of highway where there have been over 50 fatal accidents since 1999.

I support the inclusion of a robust safety program in the next surface transportation bill that could direct more resources toward particularly dangerous highway corridors.

Freight mobility is a priority for my district and Washington State. In 2007, Washington State freight systems supported over 1 million jobs in freight-dependent industry sectors. Washington State’s transportation infrastructure – including our northern border crossings; Interstate 5; Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific rail lines; the Ports of Everett, Seattle and Tacoma; and intermodal connectors – is critical to supporting the movement of freight.

Investment in freight mobility is important because the more freight we move, the more jobs we create.

I support the creation and funding of a national freight transportation program that will work with states and local governments to invest in highway, rail and port projects that eliminate chokepoints and increase efficiency. Since a program should be built around existing freight corridors, leverage private participation, and encourage active coordination among states, MPOs and localities.

Mr. Chairman, thank you for this opportunity to present my policy requests for the next surface transportation authorization. I look forward to continuing to work with you and the rest of the Subcommittee to invest in our nation’s transportation infrastructure to create jobs.

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