H.R. 7 is a departure from that philosophy, and it does not need to be. While there is a great deal of bi-partisan support for streamlining transportation programs and the approval process for projects, the bill text was presented to Democrats on the Committee less than a week before we marked it up, with no substantive input before then. The bill needlessly jeopardizes transit funding, severely cuts state formula funds and would result in significant job loss, and undermines safety – not exactly a blueprint for bi-partisanship. This approach stands in stark contrast to the Senate, where Senators Boxer and Inhofe have stressed the collaborative process used to produce their bill. 

{mosads}Pretending that H.R. 7 is a real attempt to address the infrastructure needs of the nation, rather than the message piece that it is – further reduces public confidence in our ability to legislate.  There is still time to work together on the highway bill, but we need a new map to get to where we want to go.

Representative Costello (D-Ill.) has served in Congress for over 23 years, sitting on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Subcommittee on Aviation as the Ranking Member.