Building America’s Future, a national coalition chaired by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA) and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) dedicated to working on bipartisan infrastructure solutions, praised the selection of Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL) as transportation secretary.
"We congratulate Congressman LaHood on his nomination as U.S. Secretary of Transportation,” the group said. “Congressman LaHood has a long and distinguished career in the U.S. House of Representatives with a reputation for working across the aisle and supporting common sense approaches to problem-solving, and we look forward to working with him to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure.
“Infrastructure investment is critically needed to help create jobs and long-term economic prosperity and to promote energy security and a healthy environment. Too many of our families waste hours stuck in traffic or delayed at airports because of overcrowded runways. We simply must do more to repair and modernize our crumbling schools and bridges, overcrowded railways, inadequate levees, and aging power grids and waterways to ensure a high level of safety and quality of life for all Americans.
The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) also applauded the choice of LaHood. "The selection of Representative LaHood to lead the Department of Transportation reflects an astute understanding of the challenges he soon will face,” said Stephen Sandherr, AGC CEO. “The Congressman is ready to ensure the ambitious but necessary stimulus investments to put Americans back to work and money back into the economy. He has the right mix of experience, skills and savvy to restore confidence in the value of investing in infrastructure and to reach across partisan divides to get vital legislation passed. We are ready to stand with Rep. LaHood to ensure his swift confirmation and immediate success.”
