00:00Thank you, Madam Chair. Our debate about this surface transportation bill must
00:06begin with the question, what do Americans want out of their surface
00:12transportation system? And I think it's fair to say they want it to be safe, they
00:18want it to be affordable, and they want a system that does not further
00:21exacerbate the climate crisis. So let's evaluate how we're performing in these
00:29categories. On the topic of safety, our transportation system is a disaster. 40,000
00:36people are dying every year on our roads, and this is no accident. Many of our roads
00:44are designed only for fast-moving cars, not for pedestrians, for cyclists, or for
00:50public transit, all of which are safer modes of travel with the right
00:55infrastructure in place. So that's a failure. Now let's examine transportation
01:00affordability. On this fund, too, we are failing. The Department of Transportation
01:06estimates its costs on average Americans are $12,000 a year to own and operate one
01:14automobile. $12,000 a year. Many communities are left without other viable
01:20transportation options requiring family to travel by way of car for almost every
01:26trip, increasing their costs. That is a failure. And then, of course, when it comes
01:33to sustainability, our system is performing poorly. The transportation sector is the
01:42largest contributor to greenhouse gases in our country. We have a system that invests more
01:48money in expanding highways than it does in building sustainable infrastructure. That
01:55is a failure. Our communities feel these failures every day in higher cost, worse air
02:03quality, a deteriorating climate, and the loss of loved ones in car crashes. So, Mayor
02:11Gallego, do you agree that local communities most directly feel the pain of our failing
02:18transportation system? And we'd just love to get your expert view on that issue.
02:24Thank you. We are faced with a climate crisis right now in Phoenix. We had a month straight
02:32above 110 last year. We hit 118 this month. Your constituents might put mittens on their
02:40children in the winter. We sometimes do it in the summer because a seatbelt buckle can burn
02:45your hand. So, we need to make sure 118 is hot enough. It is too hot. And we have to make
02:51sure that we address this. We have to design a transportation system that is resilient. We
02:57need the right building materials for our roads. We need to make sure our transit hubs have
03:01shade and are comfortable so that people can be safe while using it. So, we really appreciate
03:05your leadership on this. Yep. And we're seeing it as well in New England. The Gulf of Maine, we call it
03:11Boston Harbor. After the Arctic, it's the second fastest warming body of water in the world. So,
03:21we're seeing it. And it's setting up conditions for a catastrophic storm, for absolute disaster. So,
03:31we're seeing it. No one can escape this. So, I agree with your testimony. And that is why I'm soon
03:39going to be reintroducing my Green Streets Act, which would reimagine how we prioritize transportation
03:46infrastructure investments. The bill would require states to invest in infrastructure like walking and
03:53biking and public transit that will reduce emissions, bring down costs, and prevent more loss of life. The bill
04:01would also require states to maintain their facilities in a state of good repair before expanding highways
04:09further. Well-maintained roads are safer. They're better for emissions. And they mean fewer potholes,
04:15flat tires, broken axles for American travelers. The Green Streets Act is, of course, a climate bill,
04:22but it is also a safety and it is also an affordability bill as well. Because research
04:29indicates a 20 percent reduction in the number of miles traveled by car in this country would reduce
04:35vehicle fuel and maintenance costs for the average American family by roughly $2,000 annually. Even more
04:42importantly, the same reduction in miles traveled by car would save 180,000 lives by the year 2050 in our country.
04:51If there's anything more American than an automobile, it's consumer choice. And American families deserve
04:58a publicly funded transportation system that affords them the choice to travel safely, affordably,
05:05and sustainably. And I look forward to working with my colleagues on this committee, with you,
05:10Madam Mayor, with all concerns of citizens in our country to ensure that the next surface transportation bill
05:19addresses these issues. Thank you, Madam Chair.
05:22Well, thank you. I think we're coming to the end of our
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