T4America Blog

We lost a good one: T4America reacts to the passing of former Chairman Jim Oberstar

Last Saturday we lost former U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar of Minnesota, a champion of a strong, smart federal transportation program who served as chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee before leaving Congress in 2011. John Robert Smith, chairman of Transportation for America, issued this statement in response:

Jim Oberstar

“ ‘Public servant’, is a title quickly embraced by so many elected officials, yet it is so rarely earned. With the death of Chairman Oberstar, Minnesota and the entire nation have lost a true servant of the people. Although elected from Minnesota, for whom he worked tirelessly, he embodied the meaning of United States congressman, serving the best interests of an entire country’s people.

While he put his stamp on many issues, it was in the arena of transportation that his vision shone. He was a tireless advocate for a sound, multimodal investment strategy for America’s roads, bridges, transit and bicycling infrastructure. When the I-35W bridge collapsed in 2007 he immediately went to work find funds to replace it, and to promote policies to ensure people in other states would not meet the same fate. Even after leaving office he remained a vocal, omnipresent force in championing a forward-looking approach to preserving and improving our nation’s transportation infrastructure.

James Oberstar, congressman and public servant, titles earned by selfless service. Adieu.”