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Last week, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) introduced the U.S. Commission on Rebuilding America for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 5976), which proposes to address the nation's infrastructure crisis by providing Congress a mechanism to develop national infrastructure investment guidelines.

The bill would establish a 17-member commission — with members appointed by Congress, the current administration, and state and local governments — to guide investment in the nation's infrastructure. The commission would identify infrastructure challenges and needs, conduct public hearings across the United States to ensure geographic and demographic representation, and develop a "national vision" for infrastructure investments.

The National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission recently determined the pricetag to maintain the nation's transportation system will be $225 billion annually over the next 50 years, said Blumenauer in a prepared statement.

"By making the right investments now in our nation's infrastructure, we can create jobs to stimulate the economy, prepare the nation for global warming — the greatest challenge of our generation — and keep America competitive with other nations that are outpacing our investments," he said.

The next Congress could consider H.R. 5976 in conjunction with reauthorization of a highway spending bill, Blumenauer believes. The highway legilsation could be transformed into an intermodal spending bill that would benefit rail and transit projects in addition to road construction, he said in a news item on the United Transportation Union's Web site.