News · Press Release

DCCC Launches Radio Ads Calling Out French Hill’s Failure of Leadership on Highway Trust Fund

Today, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching a paid radio advertising campaign in Arkansas 2nd District highlighting French Hill’s shameful willingness to punt on a long-term funding solution for the Highway Trust Fund. Although Congressman Hill might talk a good game on transportation, he and his party have failed to insist on a long-term solution that would create and sustain construction jobs in his district and fund much needed repairs to our bridges, highways, and roads.

“With Congressman Hill’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 Hill just kicked the can further down the road, a fact we will be reminding Arkansas voters of this week.

Following is the script for a 60-second ad holding French Hill accountable for this failure of leadership that will be airing throughout the Little Rock media market this week:

Summer driving season is here. Did you know that the Little Rock area has an estimated 30 bridges that have been deemed structurally deficient and in need of significant maintenance, rehabilitation or even replacement? The Republican-controlled Congress and Congressman French Hill 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. Hill 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 Little Rock’s drivers and Republicans’ political games won’t fix our bridges. Call Congressman Hill at (501) 324-5941and tell him we deserve a Member of Congress who will make sure our highways, bridges, and roads are safe.

BACKGROUND

Hill Voted For Short-Term Highway Transportation Funding Bill.  In May 2015, Hill 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]

Little Rock Area Has Estimated 30 Bridges Rated Structurally Deficient – In Need Of Significant Maintenance, Rehabilitation Or Replacement. According to Transportation for America, there are an estimated 30 bridges within 10 miles of Little Rock, AR 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 – Little Rock, AR, 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.’”

 





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