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supporting cspan, as a public service, along with these other television providers, giving you a front row seat to democracy. >> twenty is now is jim and executive director of the called the american association of state highway and transportation reofficials, who you represent. >> we represent the state department of transportation across the country so 52 state devotees. >> and i mean people does not involve pretty; involves thousands of career employees but our board of directors is made up of the directors of the 50 state department of transportation including district of columbia and court of organ. it. >> so the roadbuilding issues and things like that, correct pretty. >> more tha' just road believe in highways, work multi- organization involved in all modes of transportation, because

every state department transportation in the country right now is involved in transportation, not just roads and highways and that's how we began 107 years ago as an organization just focused on highways bridges roads and now we are truly an organization to reflect our members and the state department transportation. >> in those multimodal weights, which is currently being spent on the infrastructure in our transportation intersection without adding any more money. >> i think that the important point is here not enough, the states and localities over the last several years have stepped up and increased funding for the transportation infrastructure and the federal government has not for the most part, the funding from the federal government for infrastructure has remained pretty consistent for the last 15 or 20 years, adjusted for inflation rated with the congress is considering now is really the first time in the last 20 or so years that we have seen a significant increase

in investments in our nation's transportation infrastructure. >> what is federal government taken per year on this pretty. >> on the highway site is about 45 - $50 million in the public transit site, it is about 12 - $15 million predict.wo >> what it would a state like california do pretty. >> venture specifically and that peter, but i will tell you that the cornea is the largest state in the country and you are saying california has a lot more of its own dollars from the state of california than the federal government provides transportation pretty. >> suppressant bite inside another extension of the transportation funding bill, what is it mean for you guys. >> it's an extension through the end of this month and is frustrating and since the beginning of december and providing only 30 or 40 days for the federal funding for the state devotees, and does not

allow the state devotees in the local transit agencies to be able to plan for the large projects that are usually taking on so they only know that they are getting it 30 days with hern funding from the federal government as article author and commit to a project that will take two or three years to build and that's why is so important for congress to get a long-term infrastructure built done. that provides state and localities with five or six years of finding predictability in this way they can take on those large projects that the america people want us to be able to take on. >> we are looking at the new bill that is still being considered, he may come of this week for a most, 1 trillion-dollar interest victorville, 100 billion for the roads and bridges and 66 billion for freight passenger rail and d65 billion for broadband internet and 36 million for

severe weather resilience operations and 39 billion for transit and 25 million for airports. what does that give us. >> hopefully it will allow us to improve the state of good repair for patients infrastructure and allow us tore create new jobs. it is really important given where we are with the economy right now, for us to be able to invest in our nations infrastructure and then have something for it when we are done so not only we are able to spend federal money here on upgrading the state of our nations infrastructure, but also able to create jobs for people that need it. >> we are talking about the nations infrastructure and where it should go and how it should be spent in the type of thing. and short-term to talk with jim who has been in this business for quite a while in the numbers are up on the screen and if you can't get through and phone numbers and you want to participate you can do so i text, or via social media will

put those up as well here in just a minute. when it comes to broadband internet and $65 billion, are you supportive of that from your position. >> absolutely and i think this is one of the things that the pandemic has proven is that is extremely afford it us to make sure that the entire country whether you're in an urban area or a rural area or suburban area, has access to the internet. and by providing federal funds, to improve the broadband access, will be able to make sure that we are able to bridge the information gap. you saw that during the pandemic withnd people relying on accesso the internet for work and for school and for healthcare in someom instances. it's really important toes make sure that we address these gaps in the station with access to the internet through improved access in and broadband access.

>> does the american association of state highway and transportation officials support an increase in the federal gas tax. >> we support additional revenue into the keeping it solvent and the spending more from the f federal highway trust funds and we are bringing in revenue for the past 15 years. and that highway trust fund it is funded through primarily entered primarily the federal gas tax and has not been increasing more than 25 years. so what we want to see us revenue sources trust fund, a match up what the federal government has been spending and increasing the gas tax is one of those sources but we also recognize that as vehicles start to be powered by different sources in different than gasoline and diesel whether it's electricity or if these are hybrid vehicles, they recognize that the gas tax is going to

have essentially less and less purchasing power and provided s&s revenue in the highway trust fund overtime as these vehicles change braided we will have to look at other options as well and other option for us to look at is a potential vehicle miles traveled feet so there a bunch of options that we would like. f transportation but a lot of companies across the country. as it relates to trying to get anybody that is a commercial drivers license and i think that one of the things that at the top concern for the state devotees moving into the winters weather season here, is the ability to make sure that we

have enough drivers to be able to drive the snowplows out there in these northern states as we start to see snow move-in. so then shortage of trump drivers is an important issue for us and you are saying the numbers and people having a lot of different options for jobs to choose from and we are hopeful that were still able to attract good men and women to be able to drive the trucks in this nation. >> let's hear from our viewers, were talking about infrastructure, rick and go ahead. >> tran systems safety and that is most important thing and in the wintertime and gravel in summertime, but we do have an idea what is going to get here today the infrastructure highway bill and what is called stacking in each governor should submit. [inaudible]. soub it's parental and that's going to give you a grand total of oned of her region will in r

infrastructure as far as highway construction. we did the sand and gravel and drain in the summertime and but in the wintertime, you might want to consider these eastbound and westbound and southbound and 35 and seven and nine, and assisting - >> rick, going to put a stop to the now, we will have jim interpret what rick was talking about there, there was a lot of technical talk predict. >> i'm not 100 percent sure what he was talking mother but i can tell you that if we are talking with aar pie plan of the projecs out there, across the states and local and federal government, there's clearly enough work to be done and i know that there is some concern think out theree with this margin for such a bill

that congress as to whether that money can get out there and be good in the streets and invested quickly. i can say absolutely yes, whether it's our nations roads and bridges or in our nations transit systems. there are a lot of projects out there that the devotees in the localities and transit systems are ready to go to work on and we just need congress to get out there and pass this bill. it's a little frustrating because they've got a bipartisan bill in the infrastructure investment in the jobs act that the senate acted on about three months ago and is pending in the house and were really hopeful that the house come together and able to get this bill done this week. because the state dot and the localities and public transit agencies need those dollars now. >> in brentwood, maryland please go ahead with r your questions printed the transportation officials organization. >> good morning peter the great

and good morning jim and michael is related to the quality of the work that is being done as a relates to infrastructure and a notice since his influx of a lot of important work is doing construction. the work is charlie nancy the roads is being repainted and redone and maybe it will last two and half years and then there are potholes again and that is not weather related in the unevenness of attend the water spots and a personal note, and they did that great sidewali down from the training office close to you, they're out therei working any overtime at night but there is water spots and puddles everywhere. so i am concerned about our inspections now, it is being with his influx of new workers rated it as a relates to our streets, is also relating to our buildings that are going up. the work is just not being somehow inspected before the concrete is parted iet before te rebar mean install did the

quality of work again is just not up to speed and i'm sorry so i think it has something to do the inspections and the lack of skilled construction workers coming into this country to do this work and i think something needs to be t done to sure that up. hopefully, some citizens can we talk about jobs being created and hopefully some will be given to our citizens. the people economically deprived from appalachia to the inner-city pretty. >> okay richard, thank you for calling i think we get your point. >> look at, i will send by the work that is done by our state dot center contractor partners and road builders out there. i think there protocols in place to make sure that the quality his retained in the work they do whether it's laying new concrete or asphalt or constructing

rehabbing average. the inspections are part of the process of making sure that the materials used by the appropriate materials and work that is donels is done to last d this is an investment in infrastructure, such as funding infrastructure, and we want toto make sure that we are getting weentered getting a return on tt investment and that is lasting as long as it should. i am confident that the state devotees in the transit agencies are making the decisions that are important for us to consider this investment grade. >> is stem education important in this field. >> absolutely is and i think we talked a little bit about the workforce issues is important for us to start young and making sure that schooling these children they know the value of what it takes to be involved in science and engineering and we have a program actually the

american association of the statee highway officials. and it focuses on school age children in high school kids and trying to teach them the difference things that go into the road in the bridge buildingt and looking at engineering issues and really trying to peak their interest to get involved into the sector and there are a lot of options because have these days when they're looking at different professions to go into and we want to make sure that they are aware that there are some great jobs in the transportation industry and again it doesn't necessarily have to be on the engineering side. note there are also great jobs on highway construction jobs he can make a career out of and we are working closely with thehi highway administration and the associated general contractors. and to make sure we getting the word out there there great careers out there in

transportation. see mccarthy jobsse high-tech protect jobs more than they are construction and manuals or we need them all and it is across-the-board. it's engineers and planners but also construction workers and again, these are great jobs for people across the whole spectrum pretty. >> stephen is next and he is in new york, go ahead stephen read. >> yes, read and help us if we took our transportation system is farms trucking and put them back on the freeway system would try 19 it will also bring down the cost. [inaudible]. it will make them more competitive against everything and have our a country grow. >> i'm not sure about the postal service but i can tell you as we look ata the network as a whole,

think that we need to look at all of those transportations weather is moving people are our freight, we need all of the above approach we need to invest more in our nations roads, our nations transit system as well as provided people be able to walk or bike where they need to go so we need to be investing in all of those different options in the face, the same is true predict we need to make sure the tracks have the ability to travel the way that they need to to get from point a to point b we need to make sure we have good access for the r transportations and need to make sure the operating efficiently we need to be able to have all those transportations that we will make sure that our economy is running the way that it should pretty. >> usually we hear from the truckers and a little surprisedr that we not heard from hr. yes we did, the first call, that was from a tracker but we also

often hear from several of them and you have been in this industry is from washington perspective policy perspective haveve you regarding this prett. >> i am not in this one of the things on my bucket list is a b great opportunity for me to go out there and give my pedialyte driven trucks and i think that rises to the level that you need your skill for reading. >> what is the number one complaint ratio of concern from the truckers. >> i think the safety is one of the issues that truckers are certainly concerned about as normal drivers are interacting w with the trucks out of the road read mean to make sure that safety is the top priority for all of the drivers and certainly is for the dot. but certainly we need to be mindful as we are driving out there, that we are mindful where our trucks are in that there mindful of where we are as just normal passenger vehicles pretty

last week regarding safety, secretary was speaking in our annual conference out in san diego and he mentioned it the new numbers that just came out for the first at of this calendar year for roadway fatality and truly disturbing trend that we are saying, we are seeing more and more people died in our nation's highways than we have in recent years. that is something that we all need to take responsibility fory the safety is our top priority. and were looking at a full approach of comprehensive approach for how we looking at how we safety and whether it is looking at education and of our drivers out there and better enforcement of our existing laws and their engineering, our facilities to make sure that we are providing a platform for our drivers and cyclists in

pedestrians that enables them to be as safe as possible that we are really having to double down on safety right now because the numbers were sing in the first half off this year, are just unacceptable. >> wayne from pennsylvania. >> i like to know i'm wondering at the hands. [inaudible]. i don't mean to offend nobody right but he mostly white guys on the highway and i am a carpenter. it was very much in minority and when you hire like mexicans and hispanics or something, the company don't pay you know right amount of money and i want to know how to be correct that situation pretty. >> are you talking about highway workers are truckers or what you talking about mckay we workers.

>> are there any comments for him. >> no i would just think that the state devotees and construction they're looking to hire great workers regardless of race or ethnicity in one thing that i do want to mention as well as organization just elected a new president for the year doctor john wilson the secretary of the louisiana apartment transportation and development and he is the first black african-american president and one of his emphasis in the area this year is the pathway to equity andto make sure that we e working too make sure our state dot communities and the roadbuilding and contracting community that we work better reflect the communities we serve so we are lookingo to make sure we are doing better outreach to all the communities that we

serve so that our organizations can better reflect those communities that we are working. >> joe, you are on with jim talking about infrastructure. transportation infrastructure. joe, go ahead. >> yes, i would like to i am from fremont, california, we had part of the ridge that was burnout and spend just like two years of not that we were overbudget and could not finish it and then they had a private contractor and he came in and within one month, he finished it under budget. that is my problem with this, spending taxpayers money, year after year after year braided >> we often hear about projects

like this going overbudget why is this. >> first of all i will say the men and women out by caltrans in the directory there does phenomenal work in each individual project is going to have a different story to tell and do think that where we have seen over the years, is that more and more contractors are coming in ahead of schedule and under budget because it's been a priority for the state dot for a number of years now and working with our private sector partners that are building most of these projects to make sure these projects come in on time or on budget and even better, and of schedule and under budget. >> finally, this text from wisconsin, why can't you use electric lines like tennessee for broadband, lines are already there across the country rated. >> i think that is a great comment, one of the things in

many state devotees across the country are doing is laying conduit, every time and that they are doing a road construction project, so if you are out there and you are building a new stretch of roadway or reconstructing an existing stretch of roadway, although states are bearing conduit within that roadway so they can come back at a later date and put fiber or broadband access to that conduit either at the time and they're doing construction or laying empty conduit so they can l come back and put fiber in their and a later date of the need to read ... ...

schools and businesses went virtual and we powered a new reality. because at media, we are built to keep you ahead. >> media come support c-span along these other television providers giving a front row seat to democracy. president biden is attending the global climate summit and glasco scotland meeting with world leaders to discuss climate change. during the summer he's given a number of speeches on reducing methane gas and green job creation. here are the president's remarks from throughout the day. >> during my first week in office i issued an executive order at least 30% of all. 's protections