Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio says the bridge that collapsed in Minnesota has become a poster child for a maintenance backlog he's been complaining about for years. The Democrat from Springfield chairs a key subcommittee in the U.S. House that oversees road projects in the nation.DeFazio doesn't blame the Bush administration for the bridge collapse. But he says the federal government isn't spending enough to repair bridges. Peter DeFazio: "We need more investment. And this bridge is a horrible wake up call. It's a horrible tragedy for the people on that bridge. But most Americans today, many people who will be listening to this broadcast, are at this moment are driving across a bridge in the federal system or the state system which has been rated as deficient."The House Transportation committee is pushing a bill to increase the amount of money available for emergency bridge repairs in the wake of the Minnesota bridge collapse.