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Pennsylvania State Senate
04/24/2024 03:07 AM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20190&cosponId=30756
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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2019 - 2020 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: December 4, 2019 04:05 PM
From: Senator Lisa M. Boscola
To: All Senate members
Subject: Resolution to Congress Advocating for a National Infrastructure Bank
 

I intend to introduce a resolution urging the United States Congress to enact legislation to establish a new National Infrastructure Bank. Currently, the state of our Commonwealth’s infrastructure mirrors that of much of the nation. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave the country a D+ grade in it’s 2017 report card and estimated that the nation needs to spend $4.6 trillion to bring the current infrastructure up to a state of good repair. Similar numbers, all within close range of the $4 trillion cost, were reported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the North American Building Trades Union.

In 2018 ASCE gave Pennsylvania an overall grade of C in its 2018 report card. Despite the ‘fair’ grade, numerous key components of our state’s infrastructure are lower. These include:
  • D+ rating for roadway surfaces and traffic congestion;
  • D+ rating for bridges classified in poor condition;
  • D- rating for wastewater collection and sewage treatment;
  • D rating for stormwater collection and treatment; and,
  • D rating for public water systems.

Only the U.S. Congress can enact legislation to establish a National Infrastructure Bank to capitalize the estimated $4 trillion needed to bring our state and national infrastructure up to par. The financing of these projects and needs could repair and rebuild infrastructure not touched since government action during the Great Depression. This action not only built a vast amount of our country’s infrastructure, but also paved the way for the continued operation of our country’s industrial might, which was well prepared for massive demands and output in World War II.

Action has to be taken, and it is well beyond the capabilities of any one or several states to undertake on their own to address this growing problem. I urge you to join me in supporting this resolution, which will be disseminated to the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation, the Governor, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and the President of the United States.

Introduced as SR338