On Friday, Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-31) took to the House floor to fight for funding to improve California transportation and infrastructure. With only four legislative days left until the Highway and Transit Trust Fund expires, Rep. Aguilar urged House leadership to take action to address funding for transportation projects and crumbling infrastructure throughout California and the nation.

“We have just four legislative days until the Highway and Transit Trust Fund expires on May 31^st. Once again, we’ve been pushed to the brink because of Republican leadership choosing to continue small, short-term patches rather than a comprehensive and decisive planning document. We cannot gamble with our infrastructure and transportation network—our streets, our roads, our bridges, our railways are crumbling and aren’t up to par. We can’t afford to wait any longer for a long-term plan,” said Rep. Aguilar.

He continued, “The Highway Trust Fund supports critical projects in our communities. In my district in San Bernardino County, it would help fund the Devore Interchange, one of three routes in and out of Southern California, improving transportation and increasing efficiency for channeling goods in and out of the region. The American people deserve better—they deserve safe streets and roads, dependable transit to get to and from work, and the opportunity for local businesses to grow and expand. Without a long-term plan, Congress is part of the problem, not part of the solution.”

The Highway and Transit Trust Fund will expire on May 31^st if Congress does not act, which will jeopardize the future of approximately 660,000 jobs and 6,000 projects throughout the country. Rep. Aguilar’s remarks can be viewed here.