Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
August 10, 2021
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and Chairman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, on Tuesday released the following statement after the United States Senate passed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act:
“Joe Biden ran on the promise of bipartisanship, and today he delivered as Republicans and Democrats in the Senate passed a $550 billion dollar infrastructure bill,” said Murphy. “This is the first step in the biggest one-time infrastructure investment in our nation’s history—and it’s widely popular in Connecticut and across this country. Passage of the bipartisan bill today, including $30 billion for the Northeast Rail Corridor as well as important federal dollars for the Long Island Sound, coastal resiliency and the Coast Guard, is huge for Connecticut.”
Murphy continued: “As we look towards the next phase of infrastructure investments, I’ll keep pressing for the necessary federal dollars to transform the Northeast Rail Corridor, along with investments in our workforce development programs, community violence prevention and other initiatives that will positively improve the lives of people in my state.”
Click Here to Watch Senator Murphy Explain the Top 10 Wins for Connecticut
Murphy worked hard to secure the following money for Connecticut:
· $30 billion for the Northeast Rail Corridor: These dollars will fund much needed maintenance and upgrades to Connecticut rail infrastructure, including repair of major bridges and station upgrades;
· $106 million for EPA Long Island Sound Geographic Program to protect the Long Island Sound watershed
· $1 billion for FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant, which will help communities become more resilient against natural disasters;
· $489 million for United States Coast Guard, that includes all the projects in Connecticut:
o Failing Steam System Replacement at Coast Guard Academy ($25M)
o Chase Hall Renovation at Coast Guard Academy ($28M)
o City Pier Improvements in New London ($6M)
· $3.5 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs;
· $561 million for bridge replacement and repairs over five years;
· $1.3 billion over five years to improve public transportation options;
· $53 million over five years to support the expansion of an EV charging network;
· A minimum allocation of $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state, including providing access to the at least 27,000 people who currently lack it;
· 654,000 or 18.7% of people in Connecticut will be eligible for the Affordability Connectivity Benefit.
Murphy’s BuyAmerican.gov Act was also included in passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
· The BuyAmerican.gov Act will establish a centralized online hub to increase transparency and ensure federal agencies prioritize the purchase of American-made goods in compliance with existing law.
###