DeFazio, T&I Democrats Introduce GROW AMERICA Act to Set Robust Long-Term Surface Transportation Investment Levels

Press Release

Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), together with 19 Committee Democrats, introduced H.R. 2410, the Administration's GROW AMERICA Act, a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill that provides robust funding and sustainable solutions to our Nation's infrastructure crisis. Democrats offered the six-year, $478 billion bill as a framework, to provide Congress with robust investment targets.

"Congress cannot continue to ignore the serious need for a long-term surface transportation reauthorization and continue to devolve Federal responsibility by default. This afternoon, I offered the Administration's GROW AMERICA Act by request with 19 Democratic colleagues from the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Although I don't support every provision of the bill, the legislation gets two critical issues right -- the long-term length of the reauthorization and the level of investment. We can't sit around and wait for the Ways and Means Committee to dictate how much money they will designate. We need to tell them how much investment America needs to fix our crumbling roads, bridges, and public transit systems. Congress needs to figure out how to fund it, which is why I asked for a joint hearing between the Ways and Means and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committees the week Members return. No more lip-service, no more promises, no more delays. If Congress has two months to figure out a long-term solution, every day counts and we need to begin work today," said DeFazio.

"Without a long-term transportation bill that provides predictable investments for our nation's roads bridges, highways, and transit systems, we are slamming the brakes on the economy and jobs," said Highways and Transit Subcommittee Ranking Member Eleanor Holmes Norton. "Short-term transportation bills continue to prevent billions of dollars in investments, not only for our transportation and infrastructure, but for other economic development projects that depend on roads, bridges, and transit. Standing with Ranking Member DeFazio and other Democrats in introducing the GROW AMERICA Act, we are putting on the table a bill that should start negotiations with our Republican friends for a six-year bill right now."

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