Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative John D. Dingell released the following statement today after the House passed the Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act, authorizing continued funding for highway and transit construction initiatives through March 31, 2012, and for the Federal Aviation Administration through January 31, 2012:

“I am disappointed to vote yet again for an extension of our federal aviation programs and federal highway and transit programs, as I prefer to pass a permanent extension.  However, I find some consolation in the fact that Congress is taking action now to prevent another shutdown which affected at least 70,000 construction-related jobs, furloughed about 4,000 agency employees and prevented the FAA from collecting about $30 million a day in certain airline ticket fees.   Funding was shut off for almost two weeks until a temporary funding deal was reached.  I urge my colleagues, in particular my colleagues on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to act swiftly to produce long-term bills reauthorizing these programs.

“Without a long-term bill, construction projects cannot move forward, contracts cannot be bid on, and communities across the country cannot plan much needed work to improve their roads or airports.  Infrastructure projects such as these are immediate sources of economic stimulus that will protect up to one million jobs in our country.  Congress should act immediately on long-term authorizations that will provide the funding necessary to allow these projects to move forward.”
 

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