Smucker: ‘The Time is Now’ to Repair America’s Crumbling Infrastructure System
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Monday, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.) announced his subcommittee assignments on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for the 116th Congress.
Smucker will sit on three subcommittees: the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials and the Subcommittee on Aviation.
Smucker highlighted the need to find a long-term solution for the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which prioritizes infrastructure through two subaccounts: the Highway Account and the Mass Transit Account. The Highway Account is responsible for the construction and maintenance of highways and bridges in the U.S while the Mass Transit Account pays for buses, rail, subways, ferries and other modes of mass public transit.
In recent years, the HTF has faced funding shortfalls in part due to a lack of agreement on structural fixes. The Congressional Budget Office estimates funding for both the Highway Account and the Mass Transit Account will be exhausted by 2022.
"Our infrastructure system used to be the envy of the world," Smucker said. "Unfortunately, it's fallen behind due to time and a lack of long-term funding solutions. We need to work together to ensure we invest in this industry which is crumbling before our eyes. We can't keep putting this off and saying ‘We'll fix it later.' The cost of doing nothing is too high a price for the American people. The time to act is now."
Ranking member Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) welcomed Smucker to the committee, highlighting his leadership, vision and commitment to the people of Pennsylvania's 11thDistrict and to the country.
"Congressman Smucker is a proven member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee," said Graves. "He knows how important these issues are to the constituents and small businesses throughout his district – and he knows how to be an effective leader and see things through to find real solutions for the American people. I'm looking forward to working with him to improve America's infrastructure."
Bipartisanship, Smucker said, would be key for this committee and pledged to work with members on both sides of the aisle to address the country's infrastructure needs.
"We have a chance to improve our infrastructure together on this committee, which already has a track record of bipartisanship," Smucker said. "I'm looking forward to continuing that tradition and I'm ready to get to work."