LaHood joins infrastructure group with Bloomberg, Rendell

Former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is joining a bipartisan group focused on improving infrastructure whose members include Michael Bloomberg and Ed Rendell. 

LaHood (R) is joining Building America’s Future as a co-chairman, the group announced Wednesday. Former New York Mayor Bloomberg (I) and former Pennsylvania Gov. Rendell (D) also share the same title.

{mosads}Actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a founding co-chairman of the organization. 

“I am delighted to join Building America’s Future as a co-chair and am excited to work together with some of the nation’s most innovative public leaders,” LaHood said in a statement. 

“While there is widespread agreement that our nation’s aging roads, bridges, transit and aviation systems are woefully inadequate, Washington has failed to show leadership in making the tough decisions to increase revenue to fund these critical investments. With the Highway Trust Fund just months away from insolvency, it is time for action.”

The Highway Trust Fund is a law that uses the gas tax to fund federal transportation projects. It’s due to expire this September.  

LaHood served as President Obama’s transportation secretary from 2009 until he stepped down last year. Anthony Foxx took over the cabinet post in July.