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STEUBEN COUNTY, N.Y. -- Congressman Tom Reed says the United States currently has about five million acres of land within the federal highway system that is underutilized and it's time for a change.

Reed announced Thursday in Hornell that the Maximize our Highways Act has been introduced in Washington. It calls for the Federal Department of Transportation to complete a study within the next six months of how to better use the roughly five million acres.

Reed says there are various options for the land that the government on both the state and federal levels can explore, with the ultimate goal of producing revenue from the land.

"Once we maximize that use and use it in an economic way, the money that is generated from utilizing that five million acres will be put to infrastructure needs and to pay off the debt," Reed said.

Congressman Reed is looking for re-election this November and will be opposed on the ballot by Democrat Nate Shinagawa.