Area Legislators Discuss St. Croix River Crossing With Key Members of Cabinet

The U.S. congressional delegations from Minnesota and Wisconsin met in Washington Wednesday with two of President Barack Obama's Cabinet secretaries to discuss the St. Croix River Crossing project.

The following individuals were present at the meeting:

• U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood
• U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar
• Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
• Sen. Al Franken (D-MN)
• Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI)
• Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)
• Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) - by phone
• Rep. Tom Petri (R-WI)
• Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI)
• Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI)
• Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner Tom Sorel
• Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Mark Gottlieb
• Park Service Director Jon Jarvis
• Federal Highway Administrator Victor Menendez

According to a press release put out by McCollum's office, LaHood used the meeting as an opportunity to propose the formation of a working group to find consensus on the scope and size of the St. Croix River Crossing project.

Just before the meeting, McCollum and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) introduced the Fiscally Responsible St. Croix River Crossing Authorization Act, which threatens to scuttle the current legislation that has passed committee in both chambers of Congress. The McCollum-Ellison bridge bill includes further environmental regulations and federal funding caps, according to a press release from McCollum’s office.

REACTION

Bachmann issued the following statement is a press release after Wednesday's meeting:

“First, I extend my appreciation to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar for taking time today to have a conversation with me and my Congressional colleagues about the status of the St. Croix River Crossing Project. This discussion shows their commitment to solving this long-term, unresolved issue for residents in Minnesota and Wisconsin." 

“Bipartisan agreements can be rare in Washington, but this project has the support of both Republicans and Democrats at all levels. Supporters include Minnesota’s Governor Mark Dayton (D), Wisconsin’s Governor Scott Walker (R), Minnesota’s Senators Amy Klobuchar (D) and Al Franken (D), Wisconsin’s Senators Herb Kohl (D) and Ron Johnson (R), Minnesota’s Representative Chip Cravaack (R) and Wisconsin’s Representatives Sean Duffy (R) and Ron Kind (D). In addition, state and local leaders have repeatedly given their support for a new crossing over the St. Croix River."

“There is so much support for the proposed, four-lane crossing. We must continue moving forward get this project started.”

McCollum issued the following statement in a press release after Wednesday's meeting:

"Secretary LaHood has exactly the right approach in bringing Members of Congress together in a working group to build consensus on constructing a new St. Croix River bridge.  If we embrace Secretary LaHood’s proposal, we can get a bridge built that is fiscally responsible, appropriately scaled and meets the area’s transportation needs." 

"Finding consensus is clearly important because today’s meeting revealed Minnesota is now at risk of losing millions of dollars in federal transportation funding.  With more than a thousand structurally deficient bridges, in addition to the Lift Bridge, those scarce dollars and the jobs they create must not be lost."

Kind issued the following statement in a press release after Wednesday's meeting:

"There is clearly widespread agreement that a new bridge needs to be built. I am pleased that both Secretary LaHood and Secretary Salazar see the urgency of the situation and understand that building this bridge helps meet the transportation needs of the community.  Along with the bipartisan support of both governors as well as my colleagues in Congress, this meeting adds momentum to getting this project across the finish line."