Several congressional lawmakers on Capitol Hill are on board with plans by President Joe Biden to use millions of construction, skilled trades and engineering workers to rebuild the nation’s deteriorating transportation infrastructure into one that is modern, sustainable and jumpstarts a clean energy economy.
“It’s no secret that our infrastructure is in desperate need of additional investment,” said U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL), who recently introduced a bipartisan bill with U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) that aims to help cover the upgrade costs for America’s transportation infrastructure, which currently faces a funding gap of more than $1.1 trillion by 2025.
Their bill, the Building United States Infrastructure and Leveraging Development Act — also known as the BUILD Act, H.R. 451 — would double the national limitation amount for qualified highway or surface freight transfer facility bonds from $15 billion to $30 billion, according to the text of the bill, which would boost the nation’s road, rail, bridge, and freight improvements via public-private investment partnerships.
“I look forward to working with lawmakers in Congress to pass the BUILD Act and other critical infrastructure legislation,” Davis said last week when introducing H.R. 451.
Specifically, the BUILD Act authorizes funding through Private Activity Bonds (PABs), which allow state or local governments to issue tax-exempt debt with the approval of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for infrastructure improvements. PAB’s right now are capped at $15 billion, and as of Dec. 1, 2020, no surface transportation PABs remained available because the entire $15 billion statutory cap had been issued or allocated by DOT, according to Davis’ office.
The most-recent BUILD Act was introduced in February 2019 by U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Mark Warner (D-VA) in their chamber, and in May 2019 by Reps. Davis and Blumenauer. That measure would have raised the federal cap on PABs for surface transportation and freight improvement projects by $5.8 billion. Both measures stalled in committee during the 116th Congress.
“We have to get serious about investing in our future. Our nation’s roads and bridges are crumbling while our global competitors are making significant infrastructure investments,” said Rep. Blumenauer at the time. “Public-private partnerships are one of a myriad of tools the nation needs to bridge the… infrastructure investment gap. I am hopeful that this bipartisan legislation will be part of any upcoming effort to rebuild and renew America.”
In fact, newly confirmed DOT Secretary Pete Buttegieg does envision a plan to rebuild and renew America’s infrastructure to meet the nation’s modern transportation needs.
“We have a real chance to deliver for the American people — to build our economy back, better than ever, and the @USDOT can play a central role in this,” Buttegieg tweeted last month during his Senate confirmation hearings, adding that he’s excited for “the opportunity before us to build infrastructure and create a transportation policy that will allow us to tackle the climate crisis.”
Supporters of the newly introduced BUILD Act include the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the American Council of Engineering Companies, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the Association for the Improvement of American Infrastructure (AIAI), the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), the International Union of Operating Engineers, Laborers International Union of North America, the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA) also last week proposed a package of transportation bills.
“As we deal with the devastating impacts that the coronavirus pandemic has wrought on our nation, we have the unique opportunity to advance transportation initiatives that can address the climate crisis, improve safety standards, all while creating more high quality, good paying jobs and strengthen our local economies,” said Brownley, who serves on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
The Support Local Transportation Act, H.R. 510, which Brownley sponsored on Jan. 28, would ensure that more federal transportation dollars are sent directly back to local communities and transportation planners by increasing the sub-allocation for local communities under the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program.
The sub-allocation would be increased from the current 55 percent to 61 percent in fiscal year 2022, and then increased by 1 percent annually to 65 percent in FY 2026.
Brownley said that local communities use the funding for myriad transportation improvement projects, such as highways, bridges, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and safety improvements.
“Sending more federal dollars directly to the local level is the best way that Congress can ensure these resources are spent on local community priorities,” she said. “Local transportation planners and local governments know their communities’ needs best, so it makes sense to give them greater control over how these resources are allocated.”
Brownley also sponsored the National Multimodal Freight Network Improvement Act, H.R. 511, which would require DOT to make a policy change to improve the delivery of freight goods at small and mid-sized ports. “These ports are key drivers for our national economy, and businesses of all shapes and sizes rely upon these ports for goods movement in their supply chains,” she said.
Also on Jan. 28, Brownley sponsored the Safe and Friendly for the Environment (SAFE) Streets Act, H.R. 508, which would require state and local transportation agencies to assess safety among vulnerable road users, like pedestrians and bicyclists. If enacted, H.R. 508 would direct more federal funding toward safety improvements in areas with high numbers of fatalities and serious injuries among pedestrians and bicyclists, the congresswoman said.
“Making our roads safer for all users is a win-win,” Brownley added. “Improving pedestrian safety and biker accessibility will have a tremendous positive impact throughout our neighborhoods and communities, ensuring our children get to and from school safely and improving options for all commuters.”
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) agrees and on Tuesday called on Buttigieg and Congress to secure greater investment in transportation infrastructure this year, particularly on building connected walking and biking routes that provide safe, clean, healthy, affordable and equitable transportation systems within and between communities.
“This year has found more Americans than ever walking, biking and using trails, accelerating a growth in trail use, outdoor recreation and active transportation that has been building for years,” said RTC Vice President of Policy Kevin Mills. “We now have an unprecedented opportunity to work with federal policymakers to put Americans to work building the strategic connections that enable healthy and resource-saving habits, and unlock billions of dollars for the U.S. economy.”