Investing in A New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. SMUCKER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this partisan infrastructure bill.

This House can work together and can accomplish things for the American people. It wasn't long ago that Members from both parties came together in the face of an unprecedented pandemic to pass the CARES Act. That act of bipartisanship saved thousands and thousands of jobs-- millions of jobs--and preserved the livelihoods of small business owners all across this country.

Now, in the face of a new challenge, repairing our infrastructure, Democrats have chosen a different path. They have chosen to go it alone with a messaging bill that is not a serious effort to improve our roads, bridges, and railroads.

I offered a number of amendments to improve the underlying bill, including some bipartisan proposals, which I offered with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. While I appreciate that one of those was adopted, the fact is this legislation was drafted with no consultation with Republicans.

This bill will cost taxpayers an astounding $1.5 trillion, disproportionately favoring urban centers at the expense of rural America. But the real cost of this bill is the missed opportunity. What better time to address our infrastructure needs, when interest rates are as low as they are now and when we want to see the economy begin to boom again.

Mr. Speaker, I remain committed to supporting legislation which would effectively invest in improving our transportation infrastructure in a way that would provide States additional flexibility to meet their unique needs without onerous mandates. Yet this bill doesn't do that. This bill kicks the can down the road rather than advancing those badly needed priorities.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source