Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today announced the endorsements of 23 national organizations for his amendment to make several categories of infrastructure investments eligible for unspent Coronavirus Relief Fund and State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund dollars. It would also extend the deadline to utilize coronavirus relief funding if budgeted for eligible infrastructure projects.
“State and local transportation capital budgets were especially hard hit during the pandemic, as changes in travel patterns caused user-based revenue sources to dwindle. Many projects were delayed or canceled, however states and localities remain unsure as to whether the ARP funding can be used for highway and other surface transportation projects,” they wrote. “The Cornyn-Padilla amendment #2155 to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) would amend the ARP to provide states and localities the flexibility to use the funds as Congress intended.”
Background:
This amendment would give state and local officials the flexibility to responsibly spend extra funds from the American Rescue Plan and the CARES Act on infrastructure projects. Under this legislation, any project currently eligible for funding under the following programs would now be eligible for financing with COVID relief dollars.
The legislation is endorsed by the:
- American Road & Transportation Builders Association
- National League of Cities
- Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations
- American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
- American Public Transportation Association
- Associated General Contractors of America
- National Association of Development Organizations
- Associated Equipment Distributors
- American Subcontractors Association
- American Highway Users Alliance
- Government Finance Officers Association
- Design-Build Institute of America
- National Association of Surety Bond Producers
- National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association
- American Traffic Safety Services Association
- American Public Works Association
- American Concrete Pipe Association
- National Ready Mixed Concrete Association
- Institute of Makers of Explosives
- National Association of County Engineers
- American Concrete Pavement Association
- American Foundry Society
- National Association of Regional Councils