Reagan, Clinton star in push for transportation bill

“Common sense tells us that it will cost a lot less to keep the system we have in good repair than to let it disintegrate and have to start over,” Reagan says at the conclusion of the spot. “Clearly this program is an investment in tomorrow that we must make today.” 

Clinton chimes in too. The ad splices together comments from speeches he made during his eight years as president with comments made by Reagan.

Together, Clinton and Reagan say in the ad: “By modernizing and building roads, bridges, transit systems and railways, a network of highways of mass transit that has enabled our commerce to thrive, connecting millions of Americans to the economic mainstream, our country to grow, ushering in two decades of unparalleled growth.”

The ad concludes with announcer saying if Reagan and Clinton could be on the same page about transportation spending, so can today’s Republicans and Democrats.
 
“Ronald Reagan understood it. Bill Clinton too,” the announcer says. “Transportation makes America work.”

The groups say a television spot is also being produced.

Congress recently passed a short-term extension of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), which funds highways and public transportation through September. House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman John Mica (R-Fla) has criticized the short-term extensions and supports a six-year bill.
 
The Obama administration has proposed spending $556 billion on transportation over that period, but Republicans in both chambers have indicated that amount is unlikely to be appropriated.

The commercial be heard here.

This post was corrected at 9:51 a.m. to include the American Public Transportation Association.