Moulton Remarks at Presidential Event Celebrating Logan Airport Terminal E Investment
SALEM, Mass.— Today Congressman Seth Moulton will deliver remarks at an event with President Biden, the Massachusetts congressional delegation, and state and local officials to celebrate a $62 million federal investment to modernize Boston Logan International Airport's Terminal E.
The remarks below are prepared for delivery and subject to change:
Good morning everyone. I’m thrilled to be here with the Massachusetts congressional delegation, as well as colleagues like Mayor Wu, to celebrate this momentous occasion.
Like my delegation colleagues who also fly in and out of this airport almost weekly, it’s extraordinary to be here with President Biden – and not just be running to my gate to catch a flight to D.C.! Massachusetts is a world-class destination for many, many different reasons. For tens of millions who visit our state year, this airport is the first impression.
When Terminal E was built in 1974, it served fewer than one-and-a-half million passengers. Almost five decades later, it serves more than three-and-a-half times that number.
The funding we are celebrating today is leading to much-needed improvements so that locals and visitors alike will have a better experience flying in-and-out of Boston. But it also means good construction and contracting jobs, and more economic output for our economy.
US commercial airports contribute more than $1.4 trillion to the U-S economy. Logan alone provides more than $16 billion in economic output back into Massachusetts and employs more than 160,000 people. Improvements to Logan are a net benefit for Massachusetts. But Investments like this should just be the start.
It’s no secret that we have some of the oldest infrastructure around. We’re a state of countless “firsts”... People travel from all over the world to take in our history. But our old infrastructure shouldn’t be part of that history lesson.Instead, I can envision a future for Massachusetts where our first-in-class economy is powered by first-in-class infrastructure and transit options. As the current challenges with the T remind us, we still have a long way to go.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law affords us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to realize this bold vision. To bring our state’s – and the rest of the country’s – infrastructure into the 21st Century. But we have to think big and raise the bar higher. We can’t just fill potholes and expand highways. We can’t be satisfied with simply keeping our 125-year old subway system running.
We need to build high-speed rail transportation that is efficient and attractive enough to get people out of their cars. We need to build sustainable infrastructure and transit systems that connect and build equitable communities, promote healthy living, create more job opportunities, and have a lower impact on the environment.
I look forward to working with President Biden, the other members of the delegation, and our partners to make this a reality.
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