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Rep. Chris Van Hollen

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the motion to move the previous question to allow for debate and a vote on the Senate transportation bill.

With millions of Americans still unemployed through no fault of their own, what is the House considering today? In the Budget Committee, we are discussing a budget that slashes targeted investments in transportation, scientific research, and education to give additional tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans. The proposed budget also dismantles the Medicare guarantee, transferring rising costs of care to seniors. And on the House floor, we have another attempt to repeal parts of the Affordable Care Act, this time targeting a provision in the law that would address real, systemic health care costs. This is not an agenda that creates jobs or grows our economy.

Instead, we should bring forward the Senate transportation bill that received an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 74 22 last week. This bill would invest in critical infrastructure projects, supporting over 1.8 million jobs nationwide and over 28,000 in my home state of Maryland. It would help revive the construction industry, which continues to face 17.1 percent unemployment. And it would make our Nation's transportation system safer and more efficient.

Mr. Speaker, we must focus our agenda on improving the economy and putting Americans back to work. We have a bipartisan solution to do just that--let's bring it to the Floor.