GOP congressman hails passage of bipartisan bill

Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., hailed the passage of a bill that would modernize the nation's water infrastructure in the weekly Republican address Saturday.

That bill, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act, would "improve the ports, harbors and waterways essential to the flow of trade and commerce," Shuster said. "At its core is a foundation for long-term job growth - not just jobs in construction, but also jobs that depend on and are created by a modern, efficient transportation system."

The congressman warned that the country's water infrastructure is becoming obsolete, which could raise the cost of doing business and make the U.S. less globally competitive.

Shuster noted that the bill was passed without earmarks, and he said it's an "example of what we can accomplish when President Obama and Senate Democrats work with us to address your priorities."

The final bill was passed on a broad bipartisan basis by the the House and Senate this week, and Shuster said he expects the president to sign it "soon."