# # #

Approve bill that allows the I-74 Bridge project to advance

Washington, DC - Congressmen Bobby Schilling (IL-17) and Dave Loebsack (IA-02) today joined 371 of their colleagues in supporting H.R. 4348, legislation to reauthorize federal surface transportation programs.  The last transportation authorization expired in 2009, and since that time has operated on a series of nine short term extensions.  The reauthorization passed the House today in a bipartisan vote of 373-52.  

Schilling and Loebsack, representing the Quad Cities area, have worked in a bipartisan fashion to push for the longest possible transportation bill, and successfully called on the members in the House and Senate who negotiated the comprehensive highway legislation to include funding for large interstate bridge projects.  H.R. 4348 authorizes $500 million for Projects of National and Regional Significance, an important program to advance the Quad Cities' I-74 Bridge.  This provision provides the tools for the governors of Iowa and Illinois, the states' Departments of Transportation, and the states' bipartisan congressional delegation to make the case for the I-74 Bridge for inclusion in the Projects of Regional and National Significance report that will be put together by the United States Secretary of Transportation on projects to be included in this program.

"Today's transportation bill is a win for communities in Illinois and throughout America," Schilling said. "I'm pleased that the bill we voted on today provides certainty to states, communities, and the construction community of continued federal support for transportation projects, and am particularly pleased that it includes Programs of National and Regional Significance.  Dave and I have been working hard on this, and I'm hopeful that we can continue working across the river and across the aisle to move the I-74 Bridge project  and other transportation priorities forward.  Preserving our roads and bridges isn't a Republican issue or a Democrat issue, but a red, white and blue issue."

"Since the beginning of debate over the transportation bill, we have been working together to ensure a large projects initiative, which may help the I-74 bridge move toward completion, was included," said Loebsack. "Additionally, we have already started working together to best position I-74 to take advantage of this funding.  I am pleased a transportation bill has finally been passed and although it could have been done faster and it could have been longer, it will help create much needed jobs in Iowa and give Iowa communities certainty to invest in much needed infrastructure improvements and economic development initiatives."

Schilling and Loebsack in April sent letters in support of the I-74 Bridge to the Federal Highway Administration Administrator Victor Mendez and United States Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who in May joined the Congressmen in the Quad Cities to view the Bridge.  They sent a letter of support to House/Senate conferees in April, and reiterated their support for the longest-term bill possible and Projects of National and Regional Significance in a letter on Friday June 22.  

"The Quad Cities region has aggressively advocated for a federal transportation bill to fund nationally significant infrastructure projects, such as the new I-74 Bridge, that will strengthen the region's and nation's economic competitiveness," said Tara Barney, Quad Cities Chamber CEO. "The Chamber thanks our Congressional delegation for passing a transportation bill with bipartisan support.  We're optimistic this will result in a major federal investment to construct the new I-74 Bridge and maintain the Quad Cities' integrated transportation system, a competitive advantage that allows people and goods to move quickly and affordably by road, rail, air, water, and transit."  

In 2005, the I-74 Bridge became the most traveled bridge in the Quad Cities with an average of 77,800 vehicles crossing daily.  This is despite the fact that it was built for 48,000 such crossings.  The Bridge itself is functionally obsolete, however, and has never met Interstate standards.  The I-74 Bridge project would also spur economic growth, create construction jobs, reduce traffic backups, and improve air quality.

# # #

Votes to stop tax increase on Canton's Cook Medical, other device manufacturers

Washington, DC - June 7, 2012 - Congressman Bobby Schilling (IL-17) today joined 269 of his colleagues from both sides of the aisle in passing H.R. 436, the Health Care Cost Reduction Act.  This legislation repeals the health care reform law's 2.3 percent excise tax on medical devices and its prohibition on using flexible health spending accounts to pay for over-the-counter drugs, and also allows individuals to recoup unused contributions made to flexible health spending accounts.  The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service has found that the excise tax on medical devices would be passed on to consumers, raising health care costs, and could discourage investment in developing new innovative devices.  

"Last Friday, the American people received more bad news when the unemployment report said that unemployment rose to 8.2 percent and our economy added only 69,000 jobs in May," Schilling said. "Good, high-paying jobs at companies like Canton's Cook Medical will be impacted if Congress and the President don't work together to repeal this tax.  While efforts continue to repeal the health care law in its entirety and replace it with policies that actually address the rising cost of health care, it is important that we keep focused on repealing some of the most damaging pieces of the massive law - job-killing provisions like the 1099 tax reporting requirement and the medical device tax."

"We are pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives has acted with a bipartisan vote to repeal the onerous device tax and hope that the U.S. Senate will quickly follow in a bipartisan manner.  This tax will lead to U.S. technology and jobs being relocated outside the U.S., the loss of future jobs that come with innovations being located outside the U.S., and delays in the latest medical innovations being available to American patients.  Americans want their critical devices manufactured in the U.S. and to have access to the latest medical technologies,"  said Steve Ferguson, Chairman of Cook Group, Inc.

Beginning in 2013, the health care reform law institutes a 2.3 percent excise tax on the manufacture or import of medical devices  - devices like those produced by Cook Medical in Canton, Illinois.  Canton is a community in Illinois' 17th Congressional District that would be harmed by the medical device tax.  Cook Medical has 70 employees, and has aspirations to expand and increase its number of employees by 300 percent in its two Canton facilities by this time next year.  The health care reform law's medical device tax will not only raise health care costs and stifle research and development on innovative new medical devices at companies like Cook Medical, but will also destroy jobs in an industry that employs more than 400,000 Americans throughout the country - 70 in Canton alone. 

Kevin Meade, the Mayor of Canton, last month wrote Speaker of the House John Boehner in opposition to the medical device tax and the impact it would have on his community.  That letter can be seen by clicking here. Cook Medical joined a number of organizations, companies, and manufacturers in writing Congress to urge for the repeal of the medical device tax.  That letter can be found by clicking here.