WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 31, 2011) President Obama today called on Congress to extend the Surface Transportation Bill and the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization. The BlueGreen Alliance released the following statement from Executive Director David Foster:

“Today, President Obama called on Congress to extend the federal Surface Transportation Bill. It is critical that Congress fully fund a transportation reauthorization bill, which will allow the United States to begin the work of rebuilding a much neglected transportation and transit system, prepare our nation to compete in the 21st century economy, and is the first and incredibly important step in achieving our number one national priority: putting America to work.

“Currently, the U.S. spends approximately $1 billion a day on foreign oil, while transportation accounts for nearly one-third of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. Investing in American-made cleaner vehicles, roads, bridges, tunnels, rail, transit, and better biking and walking can create millions of jobs in infrastructure, manufacturing, and operations. A cleaner, safer, more efficient 21st century transportation system will reduce pollution and our dependence on foreign oil, create new jobs and opportunity for workers across the nation, and ensure America remains competitive in the global economy.

“We look forward to hearing more of the President’s jobs agenda over the coming days, and hope that he and Congress will look to create and keep good jobs in the industries of the 21st century – renewable energy, energy efficiency, manufacturing, broadband Internet, a smarter electrical grid, recycling, and green chemistry. These are the industries will drive the 21st century; they will reduce pollution and our dependence on foreign oil, protect the environmental and ensure that America leads the 21st century global economy.”