U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken have introduced a bill to rename the U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters in memory of former U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar. Oberstar, who passed away May 3, devoted his career to improving transportation and infrastructure and was regarded as an expert on public works and transportation issues.
As chairman and longtime member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Oberstar championed support for highways, shipping channels, bridge and airport construction, as well as bike lanes, sidewalks, biking and hiking trails across Minnesota and the country.
“Representative Oberstar’s fingerprints can be found on just about every major federally funded transportation project during the last five decades — roads, bridges, tunnels, rails, locks and dams, bike paths,” Klobuchar said. “Every American who flies in an airplane or drives our federal highways can thank Jim Oberstar. Every American who bikes their bike trails, who hikes places like the beautiful Lake Superior trail in northern Minnesota or drives on our national highways and bridges should remember him. It is only fitting that the Department of Transportation building would honor his legacy.”
“The people of Minnesota and the entire nation lost a true giant when Jim Oberstar passed away,” Franken said. “By the time Jim rose to chairman of the House Transportation Committee, he knew more about transportation than anyone in this country. It’s only fitting that the federal building dedicated to the safe and efficient movement of the cars, trucks, bikes, planes, trains, and ships that Jim cared so much about be renamed in his honor.”
Leave a Reply