FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 24, 2008

Contact: Eddie Zavala Press Secretary (956) 725-0639

CONGRESSMAN HENRY CUELLAR VOTES TO IMPROVE HIGHWAYS, BRIDGES
Measures authorize $8 billion for the Highway Trust Fund, additional $1 billion for reconstruction of deficient bridges

WASHINGTON, D.C. –

In the last two days, U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar has supported two key pieces of legislation that directly affect the transportation system in Texas: H.R. 6532, the Highway Trust Fund Restoration Act, and H.R. 3999, The National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted separately on both measures on Wednesday and Thursday. H.R. 6532, which restores $8 billion to the Highway Trust Fund, passed on Wednesday by a vote of 387-37.

H.R. 3999, which will make $1 billion available to ensure that bridges on the National Highway System are adequately inspected and repaired, passed Thursday by a vote of 367-55.

“By Congress acting to restore money to the Highway Trust Fund, the Texas Department of Transportation retains $859,420,893,” said Congressman Cuellar. “Additionally, this revenue saves as many as 29,900 jobs in Texas.”

H.R. 6532 is intended to prevent a reduction in funding for federal-aid highway programs that could result from a projected shortfall of money in the Highway Trust Fund. The trust fund collects receipts from federal gas taxes and other sources, and the money is then used to finance highway projects. In the last decade, revenue generated from federal gas tax receipts have decreased significantly, and if action is not taken to restore the Highway Trust Fund, 380,000 jobs could be lost nationwide due to a decrease in transportation infrastructure projects.

The second piece of legislation, H.R. 3999 invests an additional $1 billion in the reconstruction of structurally deficient bridges that are part of the National Highway System, while at the same time strengthening bridge inspection standards. The legislation also requires the National Academy of Sciences to review the process for assigning risk-based priorities.

“As a Congressman, I take the safety of my constituents very seriously and will do everything I can to prevent a tragedy like the one that occurred last year in Minneapolis, when the I-35 W Bridge collapsed,” said Congressman Cuellar.

According to the U. S. Department of Transportation, of the 599,731 bridges in the National Bridge inventory, 71,604 are structurally deficient and 80,793 are functionally obsolete. Currently, one bridge in the 28th Congressional District located in McAllen is listed as structurally deficient, and would immediately benefit from this infusion of funds should this legislation be signed into law.

Other bridges in the 28th Congressional District that are on the National Highway System will also benefit from this legislation.

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Congressman Henry Cuellar is a member of the House Homeland Security, Small Business, and Agriculture Committees in the 110th Congress.  Accessibility to constituents, education, health care and economic development are his priorities. Congressman Cuellar is also a Senior Whip.