Good afternoon, and thank you for joining me in Livingston today for the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee hearing on relieving traffic congestion and improving the flow of commerce for small businesses.

I would also like to thank our witnesses for being here today:

• Mr. Larry Collins, President and CEO, Livingston Economic Development Council

• Mr. Wayne Dugas, Director of Dealer Sales, Lard Oil

• Mr. Randy Guillot, President, Triple G Express, Inc., Southeastern Motor Freight, Inc.

• Mr. Donald Rouse Jr., Managing Partner, Rouse's Enterprises, LLC

Today we will discuss ways to that we can cut down traffic to make it easier to carry out our day-to-day tasks without wasting unnecessary time in our cars. We’ll also talk about how improving our roads and bridges will aid small businesses in their economic competitiveness. We will also discuss a number of issues, like my efforts to pass a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill that would help to maintain and update our transportation infrastructure.

Improving and modernizing our transportation infrastructure is not bound by party lines. Accordingly, I have been working with my Republican and Democrat colleagues on a bipartisan bill that will help start the process of updating our nation’s crumbling roads and bridges. I also serve as the Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, and last month I introduced a long-term highway bill, entitled the Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy Act – or the DRIVE Act – that will relieve traffic congestion and ultimately increase the flow of commerce.

Just a few weeks ago, my colleagues and I unanimously voted the DRIVE Act out of the Environment and Public Works Committee. Now it’s awaiting action by other committees, but I am encouraged we will have a positive vote on the legislation before the month, if not the end of the year. The unanimous passage speaks volumes to the confidence and pride I have in the bill to advance our everyday lives and the movement of goods. I am committed to ensuring that the DRIVE Act is voted through the Senate and that its reforms are implemented for both the benefit of the American people and our economy.

Those of you here today are quite familiar with the major issues affecting traffic and our roads in Louisiana. In fact, Louisiana’s highway system ranks as No. 40 in the nation, and the conditions on our interstate roads are ranked No. 48. That’s why I’m devoted to ensuring that the new highway bill includes targeted funds to build additional lanes and improve the flow of commerce, especially where there is heavy traffic and more wear and tear on the roads.

Louisiana’s bridges also need major repairs and updates. Currently, our state ranks 10th in the nation in the most deficient bridges. I worked on provisions in the DRIVE Act that will give locals more flexibility to “bundle” projects together. This bundling will streamline approval process, consolidate unnecessary paper work, and maximize efficiency to complete projects ahead of time.

We also need to make sure that major projects like I-49 South, LA 1, and a solution to relieve gridlock on I-10 around the Mississippi River Bridge have the resources they need to be completed on time.

All of these deficiencies are draining money from our economy and potential GDP. The numbers show that traffic congestion alone robbed the U.S. economy of $120 billion in 2013. Of the 2013 total, $78 billion was time and fuel wasted in traffic and $45 billion was the sum of costs businesses passed onto consumers. Without significant action to alleviate congestion, this cost is expected to increase 50 percent to $186 billion by 2030.

That’s why I’m working to prioritize funding for highway and infrastructure projects. Our families and small businesses cannot afford to keep spending money on unnecessary time in the car.

These are just a few of the major traffic issues Louisiana is facing today, and I look forward to discussing concrete and helpful solutions with our expert witnesses today.

Thank you again for joining me.

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