03.08.12

Durbin: Bipartisan Senate Transportation Bill is Best Route for Illinois Jobs

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - With Senate Democrats and Republicans having reached an agreement to advance a national transportation funding bill that would protect public transit, highways, and jobs in Illinois and across the country, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today pressed House Republican leaders to take up the Senate’s bipartisan compromise that will create and protect millions of jobs nationwide while preventing crippling cuts to Illinois’ highways and public transit agencies. Reports suggest that the Senate’s transportation compromise could pass the chamber and be sent to the House as early as next week.

“Time and again, when Speaker Boehner has tried to put together a partisan transportation bill, it has fallen apart,” said Durbin. “He should put partisanship aside and work with members of both parties—as has been done for decades—to protect our infrastructure and create millions of jobs. Passing a bipartisan transportation bill in the House and in the Senate will put America back to work, and I hope that the House will move quickly to pass the Senate’s transportation jobs bill.”

Though House Republicans have tried multiple times in recent months to pass partisan transportation bills that would devastate our national infrastructure and economy, all attempts have failed due to widespread bipartisan opposition. Since the Eisenhower Administration, transportation funding bills have traditionally garnered the support of large portions of both parties. The Senate’s bipartisan legislation recently passed a signal vote with 85 votes in favor.