Rep Quattrocchi calls for immediate House Oversight Hearing

on RI Bridge Maintenance

 

 

State House, Providence – House Representative Robert Quattrocchi (District 41 – Scituate/Cranston) a member of the House Oversight Committee, is requesting to schedule a hearing in regard to Rhode Island bridge maintenance:

 

For the past year, Rhode Island residents and businesses have been dealing with the impacts caused by significant traffic delays as a result of the closure of the Washington Bridge. I have reached out to House Oversight Committee Chair Pat Serpa, requesting a House hearing on the maintenance procedures of the 1200 Rhode Island bridges that are under the control of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT), as concrete communications by this state department and the Administration have been lacking, using the threat of pending litigation as a shield for transparency.

 

How can our residents have confidence in our infrastructure maintenance, when our main transportation artery was shut down literally overnight?   How did we get here? On behalf of our residents, we need to understand the inner workings of RIDOT and how bridge maintenance is handled in Rhode Island.  Our residents deserve to know how their tax dollars are spent on infrastructure projects and most importantly, we deserve to take comfort that our investments are thoughtful, timely, and prudent. Questions need to be asked, and as elected officials, we need answers.

 

President Trump says the tariffs imposed on other countries are having the desired effect, and he's now open to negotiations. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said his initial tariff plan is over, and he's watching it settle in. He said every country has called, asking to cut a trade deal with the U.S. to avoid the tariffs.        Stocks are closing sharply lower one day after President Trump announced sweeping global tariffs. The S&P 500 had its worse day since 2020 as the White House announced a baseline tariff rate of ten-percent against most countries yesterday that will go into effect on Saturday. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 16-79 to 40-545. The S&P 500 lost 274 points to 53-96. The Nasdaq lost 10-50 points to 16-550.        A multi-day severe weather event is unfolding for more than 55-million people. It comes after at least seven people were killed in the South Central U.S. after storms that included several tornadoes hit the region yesterday. Tonight, there is still a tornado threat for the same areas, but forecasters warn there could also be potentially catastrophic flooding in the Mid-South and Midwest.        The Federal Aviation Administration is offering more support to air traffic controllers at Reagan National Airport. The Critical Incident Stress Management team will be meeting with airport personnel sometime early this month. The FAA is also reviewing the arrival rate at the airport and will conduct regular wellness checks.        The Senate has confirmed Dr. Mehmet Oz as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The television personality was confirmed on a party-line vote of 53-45. Oz now assumes a role that provides health insurance to roughly 160 million Americans.        Steven Spielberg and George Lucas top the latest Forbes list of celebrity billionaires. The latest Forbes ranking of the world's wealthiest people includes 18 celebrities, with film director Steven Spielberg topping the list at five-point-three-billion dollars. Star Wars creator George Lucas is in second place with a net worth of five-point-one-billion dollars.