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September "On the Go" shows DOT working hard to keep America moving

Today, I'm happy to share our latest installment of "On The Go with Ray LaHood," and I urge you to watch it and share it with others who are interested in America's transportation system.

I think we can all agree that it's important to keep the lines of communication open between you and your government, and I love having the opportunity to answer your questions.  This month, we received a number of great questions, including many from readers of The Infrastructurist.

 

If you want to know what DOT can do to help create jobs and increase our economic competitiveness, this month's "On The Go" is for you.  If you're wondering what DOT is doing to facilitate more public-private partnerships, this month's "On The Go" is for you.  If you want to see how DOT responds to local communities with common sense, then this month's "On The Go" is for you.

If it sounds like this month's "On The Go" offers a little something for everyone, that's because DOT is working hard in a wide variety of ways to keep Americans and our economy moving safely and effectively.

Do you have a question you'd like me to answer?  You can:

• Post on my Facebook Discussion board;
• Tweet me using the #q4ray hashtag; or
• Leave a comment here on my blog.

Thanks for watching, and check back tomorrow to read a few more of my answers to questions we couldn't get to in this month's video.

At LaGuardia and airports across America, construction workers clamor for Congress to give them back their jobs

Last week began with the hustle and bustle of any other work week at New York's LaGuardia Airport–except among the workers hired to demolish the old air traffic control tower.  Luca Toscano of Paul Scariano, Inc., had to deliver a painful message to his 40 employees: "Congress didn’t do its job. So, you are barred from doing yours."

At airports across America, the same story has been taking place.  With unemployment in the construction sector running in the double digits, Congress' failure to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration forced the FAA to issue stop-work orders on dozens of control tower construction projects already underway.

Meeting with workers at LaGuardia

The result?  As many as 70,000 construction workers and workers in related fields told they cannot come to their jobs.  In addition, 4,000 FAA employees have been sent home without pay in 35 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

This is devastating news for them.  Tens of thousands of American households won’t receive paychecks–while their rent or mortgages, grocery costs, and back-to-school bills continue to pile up.  Contractors will stop buying supplies.  Small business owners will buy fewer goods for their restaurants and stores. 

These are blows America simply can’t afford.  And for what?   As Paul Fernandes of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York said, "We're losing jobs not because of forces beyond our control, but because of political dysfunction in Congress."