By Matt Sepic/KWMU
St. Louis – Senator Jim Talent, R-Mo., hopes to improve the nation's transportation infrastructure and create jobs by selling $50 billion worth of bonds.
The Republican calls them "Build America Bonds," and says they'll help fix all forms of transportation, including roads, aviation facilities, locks and dams, and railroads.
Talent says the country needs infrastructure upgrades on par with the interstate highway construction of the 1950s.
"We need a major investment in America now, and the only way you're going to do that is a substantial bond issue," Talent said. "You really can't do that by dribbling out a little more money every year in the federal highway bill, and I'm for that, but that is not going to take care of the accumulated needs."
Talent says if Congress approves, the plan will create millions of construction jobs around the country and thousands in Missouri.