By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorWhile looking at a map — whether for locating highways, railroads or rivers — suddenly you’re looking at your house and where you live.That was the analogy U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt used while describing the need to make sure infrastructure improvements remain a priority. No matter where we live, infrastructure is badly needed, the longtime Republican lawmaker said.Blunt visited Warrenton last Thursday and met with elected and other officials during a stop at the Boonslick Regional Planning Commission. He was promoting a bill he is co-sponsoring, “Partnership to Build America Act,” a proposal that could help aging infrastructure that is in need of replacement or repair.The legislation would create a $50 billion American Infrastructure Fund (AIF) that would allow state and local governments to improve transportation, water and other similar types of projects.The fund would provide low-cost loans to state or local governments. The AIF would be financed through the sale of $50 billion worth of bonds, which would have a 50-year term and a fixed interest rate of 1 percent. No federal funds would be appropriated for the program.At least 35 percent of the projects financed through the AIF must be for public-private partnerships, with at least 10 percent of the project’s financing to come from private capital.“It’s an interesting solution to a problem that everybody knows needs to be solved,” Blunt said. “It’s money you otherwise wouldn’t get.”According to Blunt, the bill encourages U.S. companies to purchase the bonds by allowing them to exclude a certain portion of their overseas earnings from being taxed. The amount that a company is permitted to repatriate would be determined by a competitive auction.“Two positive things happen, you get the money back here and spent here,” Blunt said. “Two, you use it for a purpose and something everybody knows. There is $2 trillion overseas, they pay taxes there.”He added, “There is nothing wrong with being part of the international marketplace. We should want to have it here. This is a way to bring part of it back.”The “Partnership to Build America Act” was introduced by Blunt along with Michael Bennett (D-Colo.) in January. Since then, nearly a dozen senators have signed on to co-sponsor the bill, including Missouri’s other senator, Claire McCaskill.A similar piece of legislation in the House currently has the backing of 30 Republicans and 30 Democrats, according to Blunt’s office.

BLUNT VISITS- Boonslick Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Mike Sutherland, left, introduces U.S. Senator Roy Blunt during a visit to Warrenton on Thursday, April 17.