January 15, 2008

INFRASTRUCTURE BILL AUTHOR DODD: VITALLY IMPORTANT TO RENEW, REBUILD NATION’S INFRASTRUCTURE

Reacts to National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission Report on America’s Transportation Needs

Washington, D.C. – Senator Chris Dodd, D-Conn., Chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, made the following statement in reaction to a report issued today by the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission on America’s transportation needs: “This is an important report. I look forward to examining and studying its recommendations in greater detail. Each and every day millions of Americans rely on our nation’s roads, bridges, and transit and rail systems and it is vitally important that we maintain a strong federal commitment to investing in our nation’s infrastructure. As one way to maintain this commitment, I have authored legislation, along with Senator Hagel, to help renew and rebuild our nation’s infrastructure and I intend to continue to work to build support for this measure in the coming year. It is essential that we find innovative ways to address our nation’s infrastructure needs. Our nation’s economic prosperity and future depends on it.” Senator Dodd and Hagel introduced the National Infrastructure Bank Act of 2007 on August 1, 2007. It would create an independent national bank that would identify, evaluate and help finance infrastructure projects of substantial regional and national significance. Infrastructure projects that can be funded by the Bank include mass transit systems, roads, bridges, drinking and wastewater systems, and publicly-owned housing properties.