U.S. President Barack Obama, seeking to preserve jobs in a tough economy, urged Congres on Wednesday, August 31st to not hold up temporary funding measures for aviation and highway spending.
Obama said in remarks at theWhite Housethat it would be "inexcusable" for lawmakers to not act immediately on those measures when they return from their summer recess next week.
"It’s time to stop political gamesmanship," Obama said, referring to partisan wrangling that temporarily shut down funding of airport construction projects last month and cost the U.S. Treasury $400 million in tax receipts.
Transportation spending is a key driver of economic activity and construction employment. The construction industry was hit hard by the housing downturn and joblessness in the sector exceeded 13 percent in July.
Obama’s remarks on transportation presaged his plans next week to lay out a broad strategy for creating jobs.
The law authorizing airport construction funding under theFederal Aviation Administrationexpires on Sept. 16 while the one permitting theTransportation Departmentto award grants for highway projects ends on on Sept. 30.
Both must be extended to continue funding while lawmakers attempt to craft legislation authorizing those programs over longer periods.
Obama also said he would instruct certain federal agencies to identify high priority infrastructure construction projects to speed them through the bureaucracy, a recommendation of theWhite House Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.
