NEW: Cicilline Rips GOP on Transportation Bill
Thursday, February 16, 2012
U.S. Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI) stood up in favor of amendments to protect the environment during consideration of H.R. 3408, a bill that forms part of the House Republican transportation package.
“Rather than spending time on divisive, controversial, and highly partisan policies, we should be working on commonsense legislation that will put Rhode Islanders and middle class families across our country back to work,” said Cicilline. “Rhode Island cannot afford the consequences of these ideological proposals. I will continue fighting against these reckless anti-environment poison pills so we can pass a commonsense transportation bill that creates jobs, supports mass transit, and helps rebuild our crumbling roads and bridges.”
Since its unveiling, the Republican transportation proposal has received harsh criticism, with former Republican Congressman, and current Secretary of Transportation, Ray Lahood denouncing it as “the worst transportation bill I've ever seen during 35 years of public service.” Traditionally, transportation bills in the House have been written in a bipartisan fashion, but the House Republican leadership’s proposal for Fiscal Year 2013 contains several divisive proposals. These include, according to some estimates, a $15.8 billion cut in highway investment (including a reduction of more than $228 million for Rhode Island over five years), continuing loopholes that permit the offshoring of surface transportation jobs, and extraneous anti-environment poison pills, including provisions that would open up a broad swath of the Atlantic Coast, including Rhode Island, to lease sales for drilling.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAs written, the bill under consideration by the House on Wednesday would expand oil and gas drilling to new areas in order to help pay for some of its controversial provisions. Even Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) has rebuffed this approach, saying, “I think it’s not realistic that you can fund any size bill – let alone a six-year bill – with proceeds from increased [energy] production.” Even as energy companies continue to enjoy record profits and pass on their costs to customers at the pump, House Republicans have consistently refused to consider ending tax breaks for big oil – a measure Cicilline supports.
“I have heard from constituents across the First District of Rhode Island who are opposed to this legislation,” added Cicilline. “We need a comprehensive transportation bill that will put Rhode Islanders to work and address our urgent infrastructure needs. Instead, a much-needed transportation bill is being held hostage by members seeking to open areas off the coast of Rhode Island to drilling, while at the same time protecting billions of dollars in subsidies for big oil as they realize record profits and leave hardworking Americans feeling the pain at the pump. This approach does not make sense for job creation, the good repair of our roads and bridges, the health of our environment, and our long-term energy independence.”
Last night, Cicilline voted for several measures that would have helped mitigate the worst elements of the Republican proposal on the floor last night, including an amendment offered by Congressman Tim Bishop (D-NY) to prohibit oil and natural gas lease sales in the northeast United States – Bishop’s amendment failed to pass the House. The House is scheduled to vote on H.R. 3408 today.
