Our transportation network is essential to Americans’ mobility, supports our quality of life, and is vital to our economic competitiveness. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), signed into law in November, 2021, provided $1.2 trillion for infrastructure programs over a five-year period, including $550 billion in new spending, above anticipated baseline levels.
The law was intended to sustain and modernize the nation’s roads, bridges, transit, railroads, and airports, but as with many things in Washington, its focus on key infrastructure was muddied with extraneous matters and funding for the Biden Administration’s pet projects. (This included tens of billions on climate change, not counting more money for buying electric vehicles than for enhancing the safety of vehicles, pipelines, and air traffic control combined; as well as billions for poorly-defined terms like “equity” and “inclusion.”) I voted against the bill for these reasons and others, most notably the massive increase in federal debt this will add to already perilous levels.
Now that it is law, it is essential that Congress conduct vigorous oversight to ensure the dollars are spent as wisely as possible under the circumstances. As Chairman of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee of the House Transportation Committee, I am making this a top priority of our work. Already, stakeholders and members of Congress have raised concerns about the Administration’s overreach in its promulgation of recent DOT rules. Notably, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) was forced to retreat after trying to bully state and local officials to minimize the importance of new road construction in favor of other DOT priorities.
The Department has been slow to roll out some key programs within IIJA that would speed up infrastructure projects. Stakeholders have also raised concerns that persistently high inflation is quickly chipping away at the value of these investments. Record high gas prices also contribute to increased business costs at multiple points in our supply chain and like in many industries across our nation’s economy, construction companies are experiencing workforce challenges. Stakeholders are concerned about the shortage of workers and the impact it is having on building capital projects funded by IIJA.
Last week, the Highways and Transit Subcommittee had the opportunity to hear directly from stakeholders about these issues and other challenges associated with the Biden Administration’s implementation of IIJA. Many highlighted the need for significant permitting reform to ensure projects can move forward expeditiously, particularly given continued inflation pressures. Oversight is not a Republican or Democratic issue, and I am working to make sure it is conducted in a bipartisan manner. Congress must continue to fulfill its oversight role to drive efficient and effective use of taxpayer dollars, and to ensure that the Administration is implementing IIJA consistent with the letter and intent of the law.
