Transportation
![Public transportation train rail Public transportation train rail](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130219221848im_/https://franks.house.gov/sites/franks.house.gov/files/styles/section_front_boilerplate/public/transportation.jpg)
The issue of Transportation is important to our district and to my work in Congress.
As the West Valley’s primary voice in Congress, I realize that one of the most critical transportation issues we face is the traffic congestion and bottlenecks on Interstate 10, which the road was not originally designed to manage. This congestion results in longer commutes, increased safety risks, and deterioration of air quality. I am working in Congress to secure federal funding for this essential project to increase the safety of our residents and lessen the financial impact on West Valley municipalities. Working in a cooperative manner across all levels of government is crucial to this vitally important transportation issue. I look forward to continuing to work with leaders in years to come in addressing our common transportation priorities and to ensure that our infrastructure in the West Valley is safe, efficient, and reliable.
We must make sure, though, that jobs we strive to create in Congress for transportation purposes are based in the “private sector” – not the public sector. That is one of the many reasons I opposed President Obama’s 2009 stimulus package. Although the legislation might have strove to put more people to work on transportation projects across the nation, the jobs created were government-based. This is unacceptable to most Americans, and it is unhealthy for the future well-being of the United States of America.
I oppose most light rail projects. We know that most rail projects operate at a financial deficit. If a city, state, or nation cannot afford to fund the entire system, keeping it solvent for many years to come, the system should not be constructed; it is destined to break the backs of future generations.