WASHINGTON, DC – Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, issued the following statement today on the Senate GOP’s decision to block the Rebuild America Jobs Act:
“Today, a minority of Senators voted to block legislation that would boost the economy, put hundreds of thousands to work, modernize our badly deteriorating transportation system, and be fully paid for through a modest surtax on millionaires and billionaires. The legislation is overwhelmingly supported by the general public. And yet, proving once again they are out of touch with voters, Senate Republicans – in the face of a stalled economy – voted as a block to kill this jobs bill.
“Americans once again saw their Senators curry favor with millionaires and billionaires who are being asked in this legislation to pay a little more so our economy can turn around.
“The state of transportation infrastructure in the United States is poor and only worsening. A recent World Economic Forum report ranked US infrastructure an embarrassing 16th best in the world, down from 6th just a few years ago. This is a disgrace. America can and must do better than simply standing still while the backbone of our economy, our transportation system, collapses.
“The Rebuild America Jobs Act will invest $50 billion in transportation projects, with an additional $10 billion to support an infrastructure bank and leverage significant private sector transportation investments. Together, these programs will stimulate business growth by funding public transit, aviation, rail, highway and port investments, and provide jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans who ask for nothing more than an opportunity to work and support their families.
“The 14 million unemployed Americans are tired of waiting for Congress to act. For the sake of our economy, our crumbling infrastructure and their own constituents, obstructionists in the Senate must do better.”
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The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, represents 32 member unions in the aviation, rail, transit, motor carrier, highway, longshore, maritime and related industries. For more information, visit us at ttd.org or on Facebook and Twitter.
