POSTPONED: U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Comes to PA
PHIA Vice President Thomas Lawson was invited by the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to be a part of a special committee “listening session” to discuss the deep transportation funding problem in Pennsylvania. The committee is coming to Pennsylvania in conjunction with PA congressmen Patrick Meehan, Bill Shuster, Jim Gerlach, and Lou Barletta.
The meetings have been postponed due to pending votes by Congress in Washington. PHIA will provide new details when they become available.
The committee said the hearings are being conducted with stakeholders to help them better draft a long-term reauthorization bill which previously expired in September 2009. The committee plans to focus on how to consolidate and improve the performance of programs, cut government red tape and streamline the project delivery process, increase private sector investment in our infrastructure, and identify creative financing alternatives.
The hearing presents an excellent opportunity to continue to stress the importance of the enactment of a long-term, comprehensive funding solution now. Additionally, presenters will tell committee members that any innovative tool used in developing this comprehensive plan will not replace the need for additional federal and state revenue in order to bridge the $3.5 billion funding gap in our state’s highway, transit and local government infrastructure needs.
After making the two Pennsylvania stops, the committee plans to travel to Rochester, New York; Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; Chicago, Illinois; Vancouver, Washington; Fresno, California; Los Angeles, California; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Jonesboro, Arkansas; and Memphis, Tennessee.
