Will the May 23 collapse of part of Washington state's Skagit River Bridge spark more federal funding for bridges? A senior House Democrat is seeking to boost bridge aid over two years. But intense federal budget pressure is likely to make a near-term hike a tough sell in Congress, particularly in the Republican-controlled House. Still, the Skagit bridge accident may at least amplify the call for more infrastructure aid, perhaps in the next big highway-transit bill, due in 2014.
一位委新利18备用员会消息人士称，众议院运输和基础设施委员会的最高民主党众议员尼克·拉哈尔（Nick Rahall）在新闻稿中，正在准备提出一项法案，在2013 - 14财年期间为桥梁增加55亿美元的桥梁。Rahall是否会为他的账单赢得共和党同事的赞助商尚不确定。
There is plenty of bridge work to do. The number of deficient bridges has declined by 23,357 since 2002, but 151,497 bridges—25% of the nation's total—remain subpar, according to the Government Accountability Office and the Federal Highway Administration.
Greg Cohen, American Highway Users Alliance president, says, "It's good that Congressman Rahall is bringing attention to the very serious bridge needs we have in the country. … Whether it can get through the House and the Senate and be signed ... is unclear."
高级主管Brian Deerythe Associated General Contractors' highway and transportation division, says, "I think there's good impetus [for the bill]. ...Whether or not there's enough political push to get it through right now, I don't know."
2007年，在明尼阿波利斯州的35W桥坠落之后，参议院交通运输拨款小组委员会主席Patty Murray（D-wash。）是迈特推销员，在获得10亿美元的注入桥梁的货币上，是一位主要推动者。
随着斯卡吉特桥的崩溃，她的家乡穆雷仍然主席小组委员会主席，于6月13日举行了关于桥梁问题的听证会。即时的桥梁资助徒步之类的话题，例如2007年的一次，在那届会议上没有出现。
Asked after the hearing about the possibility of new federal bridge aid, Murray told ENR, "We're exploring all of our options on this appropriations committee as we move forward." She added, "Clearly, this hearing has defined—as I know from personal experience now—[that] we have a critical infrastructure need in this country. And in very tight budget times, we have to figure out how we're going to fund it and what policies need to be in place to make sure it's there."
美国运输部副部长政策副部门对参议院小组委员会的说法，奥巴马政府“有其他关于我们可以为运输资助的不同方式的思想”告诉参议院小组委员会。但是，她补充说：“显然，在预算和税收大修的背景下，我们将需要成为我们进行的更大两党讨论的一部分。”
Pam Whitted, National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association senior vice president for legislative and regulatory affairs, says the Skagit bridge collapse is "just one more incident that piles on others that are building this call for increased attention [to transportation funding], and Congress is going to have to act on it."
