Washington, D.C. (July 10, 2015) – Terry O’Sullivan, General President of LIUNA – the Laborers’ International Union of North America – made the following statement today on the introduction of the ‘Queen of the Hill’ rule:

It’s long past time for Congress to address our nation’s infrastructure through a long-term, fully funded Highway Bill. The proposal by Representatives Welch (D-VT) and Ribble (R-WI) to force Congress to select a financing mechanism for our nation’s roads and bridges is progress and should be commended.

LIUNA is open to any practical options to address the crisis facing our infrastructure, however, adjusting the gas tax remains the most realistic, viable, and sustainable solution. A modest adjustment to the gas tax would go a long way towards addressing the crisis and would be far less painful for drivers than the pothole penalty they are already paying.

A long-term Highway Bill is the key to protecting motorists’ safety, creating good jobs and rebuilding a transportation infrastructure to keep our nation competitive. Congress should practice some self-discipline by adopting the ‘Queen of the Hill’ procedure, and then get to work on a long-term, robust Highway Bill.