Today, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching a paid radio advertising campaign in Florida 13th District highlighting David Jolly’s shameful willingness to punt on a long-term funding solution for the Highway Trust Fund. Although Congressman Jolly might talk a good game on transportation, he and his party have failed to insist on a solution that would create and sustain construction jobs in his district and fund much needed repairs to our bridges, highways, and roads.
“With Congressman Jolly’s party in complete control of Congress, it is his responsibility to enact a transportation bill that ensures critical long-term funding for sorely-needed highway construction projects in his district,” said Matt Thornton of the DCCC. “Instead of offering a solution that creates jobs and improves our bridges and roads, House Republicans and Congressman Jolly just kicked the can further down the road, a fact we will be reminding Florida voters of this week.”
Following is the script for a 60-second ad holding David Jolly accountable for this failure of leadership that will be airing throughout the St. Petersburg media market this week:
Summer driving season is here. Did you know that the St. Petersburg area has multiple bridges that have been deemed structurally deficient and in need of significant maintenance, rehabilitation or even replacement? The Republican-controlled Congress and Congressman David Jolly had months to find a long-term solution for our nation’s Highway Trust Fund and to ensure critical dollars for repairing and updating our roads and bridges. Jolly and House Republicans failed to find a long-term solution, instead they just kicked the can further down the road. That’s not a real solution for St. Petersburg’s drivers and Republicans’ political games won’t fix our bridges. Call Congressman Jolly at (727) 823-8900 and tell him we deserve a Member of Congress who will make sure our highways, bridges, and roads are safe.
BACKGROUND
Jolly Voted For Short-Term Highway Transportation Funding Bill. In May 2015, Jolly voted for H.R. 2353, the Highway and Transportation Funding Act. “The House voted Tuesday to extend federal Highway Trust Fund financing for two months, another in a series of short-term extensions that has frustrated business and transportation groups. The temporary reauthorization, which passed 387-35, is expected to clear the Senate later this week.” [HR 2353, Vote #249, 5/19/15; USA Today, 5/19/15]
Saint Petersburg Area Has Multiple Bridges Rated Structurally Deficient – In Need Of Significant Maintenance, Rehabilitation Or Replacement. According to Transportation for America, there are two bridges within 10 miles of Saint Petersburg, FL rated as structurally deficient. “Federal guidelines classify bridges as ‘structurally deficient’ if one of these three key components is rated at 4 or less (poor or worse), meaning engineers have identified a major defect in its support structure or its deck. . . . Deficient bridges require significant maintenance, rehabilitation or replacement. A state may have to restrict heavy vehicle traffic, conduct immediate repairs to allow unrestricted use or close the bridge to traffic until repairs can be completed.” [T4A – Saint Petersburg, FL, accessed 5/27/15; T4A – Definitions, accessed 5/27/15]
Short-Term Extension Postponed For 33rd Time In Six Years Broader Discussion On Sustaining Highway Fund. “Tuesday’s vote postpones, for the 33rd time in six years, a broader discussion about how to sustain the highway fund, which once was supported solely by federal motor fuel taxes. But those taxes remain what they were in 1993, and Congress has transferred about $65 billion in general revenues to the fund since 2008 to keep it solvent.” [McClatchy, 5/19/15]
GOP Sen. Bob Corker: “I Will Be Stunned If The Republicans Deal With The Highway Trust Fund Responsibly.” “Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) had some harsh words for his Republican colleagues Wednesday on highway funding, saying he ‘will be stunned’ if they deal with the issue ‘responsibly.’ ‘I will be stunned if the Republicans deal with the Highway Trust Fund responsibly. It’s not going to happen,’ he told reporters at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast. Corker said the ‘writing is on the wall’ that the Senate will pass a short-term extension before transportation funding expires on May 31.” [The Hill, 5/13/15]