As the clock continues to tick on the current surface transportation authorization, the FAST (Fixing America’s Surface Transportation) Act, which is set to expire on September 30, 2020, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR) this week released text for a new long-term authorization, entitled Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America (INVEST in America) Act.
This legislation is a key component of the five-year, $760 billion outline, entitled “Moving Forward Framework,” which was released in January, with House Democrats saying at the time that its objective is to get the country’s “existing infrastructure working again and fund new transformative projects that will create more than 10 million jobs, while reducing carbon pollution, dramatically improving safety, and spurring economic activity.
“The bulk of our nation’s infrastructure—our roads, bridges, public transit and rail systems, the things that hundreds of millions of American families and businesses rely on every single day— is not only badly outdated, in many places it’s downright dangerous and holding our economy back,” DeFazio said in a statement. “Yet for decades, Congress has repeatedly ignored the calls for an overhaul and instead simply poured money into short-term patches. The result? We’re still running our economy on an inefficient, 1950s-era system that costs Americans increasingly more time and money while making the transportation sector the nation’s biggest source of carbon pollution…The INVEST in America Act is our opportunity to replace the outdated systems of the past with smarter, safer, more resilient infrastructure that fits the economy of the future, creates millions of jobs, supports American manufacturing, and restores U.S. competitiveness.”
The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure said that the INVEST in America Act enables the completion of critical projects through long-term, sustainable funding and authorizes nearly $500 billion over five years, while also accounting for the economic downturn, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The key freight transportation and supply chain components of the bill include:
The INVEST in America Act was soundly endorsed by Elaine Nessle, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors.
“The September 30 expiration of the FAST Act is swiftly approaching and there are many factors challenging a timely reauthorization,” said Nessle. “I commend Chairman DeFazio and his subcommittee Chairs for developing a five-year reauthorization proposal for consideration. The INVEST in America Act includes several programs that stand to benefit the movement of goods, including both competitive grant and formula funds available for multimodal supply chain infrastructure. As the reauthorization process moves forward, we look forward to working with House and Senate leaders to support a bipartisan proposal that includes a robustly funded freight program.”
And co-chair of Building America’s Future and former U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said, in a statement, that with the September 30th expiration of the FAST Act rapidly approaching it is gratifying to see such a comprehensive and robustly funded transportation proposal being put forth.
“However, it is imperative that Republicans and Democrats work together to craft policies that will put our nation back on track, provide good paying jobs for our friends and neighbors and ensure that our nation regains its economic competitiveness,” he added.