April 19, 2021 3:20 a.m.
Congressman Peter DeFazio, Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has highlighted a new fact sheet from the White House which he says outlines “the current imperative” to address critical infrastructure needs across Oregon.
DeFazio said, “For far too long, we have kicked the can down the road and neglected Oregon’s critical infrastructure needs”. DeFazio said that Oregon loses billion in untapped economic potential every year and is falling behind the rest of the world. He said in order to catch up, America needs to build up the systems and structures that support the modern economy. DeFazio claims the American Jobs Plan is “…a once-in-a-lifetime chance to create millions of good-paying union jobs while bringing our infrastructure into the 21st century and addressing the existential threat to climate change”.
DeFazio said Oregon received a C- grade on its Infrastructure Report Card from the American Society of Civil Engineers, facing many deficiencies that require immediate attention. DeFazio said the report indicated that:
*More than 1,287 miles of road and 395 bridges are in need of repair
*19 percent of trains and other transit vehicles in the state are past their useful life
*9.8 percent of households are without access to broadband
*Oregon needs $6.3 billion to upgrade its infrastructure to ensure safe drinking water
DeFazio said the American Jobs Plan will make historic investments in improving the nation’s infrastructure and put millions of people back to work. As Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, DeFazio said he is a principal author and key negotiator of that plan.
A fact sheet from Chair DeFazio and President Biden is available: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/AJP-State-Fact-Sheet-OR.pdf