Voinovich on Obama's Ohio Visit

Statement:

WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich (R-OH), ranking member of the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, released the following statement regarding President Obama’s scheduled visit to Lorain, Ohio tomorrow:

“Last November when it was announced that the president would be hosting a jobs summit and visiting struggling communities across the nation, I wrote a letter to President Obama advocating a way to both create additional jobs for Americans and rebuild our nation’s crumbling infrastructure. Passing a surface transportation reauthorization bill is the best way to create jobs and provide an immediate stimulus for the economy. When the federal government spends money, it is our responsibility to ensure we are getting the biggest job-growth bang for our tax dollars – states have identified 9,500 infrastructure projects valued at more than 69.5 billion that are ready to go. A transportation reauthorization bill would put people to work and create lasting infrastructure projects around the country, including funding shovel-ready projects in Ohio like the Brent Spence Bridge, I-75 and the Innerbelt Bridge.

“I spoke to the president about the importance of passing a surface transportation reauthorization bill earlier this week. I reminded him of the tough decisions President Ronald Reagan made in 1983 when he faced a similar economic crisis, and asked him to use that success as a path towards paying for a robust new highway bill. I am very encouraged the president has recognized that our federal spending is out of control, and following President Reagan’s example would ensure that the new highway bill is paid for.

“Our increasing national debt is one of the biggest challenges facing our country today. It harms our economy, our footing in the international community, and the ability of America to do business and create much-needed jobs. I have asked President Obama to provide his leadership as momentum builds towards the creation of a debt reduction commission with teeth, and publically endorse the passage of the statutory commission currently being debated in the U.S. Senate. I look forward to him doing so, and to seeing long-overdue, truly bipartisan Congressional action on this issue in the coming days.”