U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Statement on the Failure of the Joint Select Committee to Reach Agreement on Deficit Reduction:

Nov. 22, 2011
"The American people want commonsense, bipartisan solutions that take a balanced approach to reducing the deficit while protecting critical transportation investments that create jobs and allow our economy to grow."

When times are tough, Americans have always come together to accomplish big things.  It’s disappointing that some in Congress haven’t been willing to do the same.  Because the supercommittee failed to reach an agreement, we now face across-the-board cuts to programs that are critical to rebuilding our crumbling transportation infrastructure and putting Americans back to work.  

“The American people want commonsense, bipartisan solutions that take a balanced approach to reducing the deficit while protecting critical transportation investments that create jobs and allow our economy to grow.  When Congress comes back next month, I urge them to set aside politics and get to work on a bipartisan plan that will allow us to live within our means, while also meeting our responsibility to rebuild America’s critical transportation infrastructure.”