Congress needs our motivation to act on infrastructure!

America's infrastructure has seen better days. The Teamsters have stressed that point repeatedly as part of our "Let's Get America Working" (LGAW) campaign. But too many in Congress seem to be content not moving forward on a plan to rebuild, maintain and repair the nation's transportation network.

Since 2008, Congress has used more than $62 billion in taxpayer dollars to keep the Highway Trust Fund afloat, and it has been over a decade since lawmakers have passed a long-term highway bill. At the same time, the transportation system continues to crumble and the safety of those who work and travel along the roads and rails is being jeopardized.

One thing could change lawmakers' minds, however, is if they saw pictures of deteriorating infrastructure in their own districts. And that's where you come in. As part of LGAW, the Teamsters have received several photos from our members and friends showing the dire state of infrastructure in their areas. But we need more.

If you spot decrepit examples of roads and bridges in your travels, please send them to teamsterphotos@gmail.com. It will help the union in our push to get Congress to focus on improving infrastructure that will help workers and businesses alike.

Infrastructure investment is key to creating new, better-paying jobs and getting the U.S. economy back on track. Let's show our elected officials why they should be focusing on the issue now!

Congress needs to prioritize infrastructure

The Teamsters have been (and will continue to be) leading advocates in the need for the U.S. to improve its transportation infrastructure. It starts with coming up with a long-term funding plan. But right now, Congress is failing in its duties.

More money is needed to repair rail and roads.

Right before lawmakers adjourned for the August recess, Capitol Hill whiffed on its latest attempt at a multi-year agreement. The House and Senate could not reach a deal on a possible six-year proposal, and instead chose yet another three-month fix that allows current work to continue through the end of October.

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said it is time for a united front on the issue that gets people working and improves road and rails for workers and travelers alike:

Yet again, too many lawmakers are not devoting the necessary effort to move a long-term transportation bill through Congress that will address this nation’s broad transportation infrastructure needs. Those on Capitol Hill must move past their ideological differences and find solutions that help the American people and the economy.

The problems this nation faces are truly serious. Whether it is a lack of positive train control for passenger rail or up-to-date bridges that won't crumble due to weather, the needs cannot be discounted. But elected officials don't seem to be taking the problem seriously.

Part of the problem could be that the same wealthy forces who stir the pot to make sure money is spent on items they value don't see it as a priority. As noted in the book "Injustice: While Social Inequality Still Persists," the rich in the U.S. are now more likely to live in cities, and thus don't value road spending. They also don't generally use mass transit. Meanwhile, infrastructure suffers.

Whatever the reason, it needs to stop. Investing in transportation would not only help people, it would help the economy. It would bring items to market quicker and more safely. It would boost American spending by creating new jobs. It's a win-win for everyone.

There are simply no more good excuses, When Congress returns to Washington after Labor Day, it's time to get it done. Let's get America working!

Abridged funding for infrastructure upgrades hurts all of us

Our nation's infrastructure is rickety, outdated and desperately needs upgrades. America's roads are in dire need of repair, costing the economy over $100 billion annually in lost fuel and time. The country's railroads are laughably obsolete and plans to upgrade them are pigeon-holed in a bureaucratic nightmare. Worst of all, the levees that surround our most vulnerable coastal regions are so decrepit that even the worst storm they've seen in 400 years should be viewed as better than a worst-case scenario, because the levees were weak enough to allow more damage. Why is this situation so severe?

The I-35 Bridge in Minneapolis after its sudden collapse in 2007.

The most important reason for this is the policy surrounding infrastructure dollars is significantly outdated. The gas tax, the primary financial mechanism for this, is just over 18 cents per gallon and has not been raised since 1993. Fuel efficiency in vehicles has been rapidly increasing, thus fewer coins are going into the Department of Transportation's coffers since we are using far less gas than a few decades prior. The fiscal elephant on the road won't get any smaller though: it is estimated that our infrastructure needs an investment of $3.6 trillion dollars by 2020.

Another roadblock to solutions lies in how transportation funding is implemented. Recently, Congress has taken up the disgusting practice of funding the very basic functions of government at the last possible minute. This also applies to transportation funding, which is absolutely crippling for any positive momentum in terms of infrastructure. Real infrastructure improvements rely on long-term planning, timelines that stretch over multiple years, rather than just lurch from month to month. Without stable funding, it is impossible to plan projects that are sorely needed.

Potholes on a road in New Orleans.

Investment in this area of our society is a wonderful idea. The return on investment is massive and it's easy to see why -- safer roads will lower insurance costs for drivers, putting more money in their pockets and the regional and national economies. Likewise for individuals in areas prone to severe storms or flooding, strong levees mean their home insurance will be much less expensive. Regional rail systems save folks money on their commute and drives up property values, increasing property tax intake for the municipality of residence. It creates scores of American jobs. The list of economic benefits goes on and on.

Unions like the Teamsters take a great deal of pride in our country. We're proud to build what makes America work and we would be thrilled to get more workers on the job making our infrastructure the best in the world. It's time for a bipartisan solution to do so.