WASHINGTON, DC— Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issued the following statement in response to passage of the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012 (H.R.4348):
“The House of Representatives made the right decision today when it put a myriad of ideological interests aside in favor of moving toward negotiating a jobs-creating, economy-boosting surface transportation bill with the Senate.
“The Senate-passed bill (MAP-21) is a bipartisan effort that will create jobs and boost our economy and must form the basis for a final surface transportation bill.
“Passage of H.R.4348 gives us a chance to complete the biggest jobs bill pending in this Congress at a time when our transportation system is collapsing and millions are still out of work. This bill also leaves behind the divisive measures that weighed down earlier versions of the House surface transportation bill, H.R.7.
“We will work vigorously against attempts to reintroduce any of those controversial measures in conference. We will also make the case for common sense provisions that help transit systems avert service and job cuts and fare hikes during economic downturns.
“And we will mobilize to ensure the amendment offered by Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA), which was adopted today by voice vote, is retained. It is time to use dedicated federal harbor maintenance funds to invest in actual harbor maintenance projects that will make America more competitive.
“Passage of H.R.4348 now gives both chambers a clear path to confer on a comprehensive surface transportation reauthorization that will create or maintain 2 million jobs, make vital investments in our decaying transportation infrastructure and boost the overall economy.”
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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 www.ttd.org or on Facebook and Twitter.