Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure and member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement on the U.S. House of Representatives passing the bipartisan infrastructure package without passing the partisan Build Back Better plan:
“The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is the right thing to do for North Dakota and our country, as it confronts the inflation and supply chain problems facing every American. Unlike the Democrat’s wasteful, partisan tax and spending spree, the hard infrastructure deal makes long overdue investments in the roads and bridges every American uses and is fully paid for. Washington has long promised to prioritize our nation’s vast infrastructure needs, yet partisan politics have stood in the way of common sense. House Democrats should have never held hard infrastructure hostage, and they should have never linked it to their sprawling, socialist wish list. These two bills are separate and yesterday’s votes proved it. Bipartisan common sense prevailed while House Democrats were unable to cobble together the votes to pass a proposal they know does not have the full support from their own party, not to mention the American people. Thankfully, one will now become law, while the other will have to stand on its own flimsy merits. President Biden and moderate Democrats should take the win and move away from the socialist, unserious proposals the American people do not want, do not need, and cannot afford.”
The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a $1.2 trillion bill with $550 billion in new spending over the next five years, which includes:
- $413.5 billion for road, bridge, and highway projects.
- $66 billion for passenger and freight rail.
- This investment is in addition to Senate Commerce Committee’s $78 billion Surface Transportation Investment Act which the committee passed earlier this year with strong bipartisan support.
- $65 billion for broadband grants to states for the expansion of broadband infrastructure.
- $47.2 billion for cybersecurity and flood and drought mitigation.
- $18 billion for carbon capture technology and reliable, emission-free nuclear power.
- $16 billion for ports and waterways.
- $11 billion for highway safety programs and pipeline repair.
- $2 billion grant program set aside for rural communities.
- A new apprenticeship program to allow 18 year olds with Commercial Driver’s Licenses to drive across state lines, which will help address the severe shortage of truck drivers and requisite supply chain problems.
Benefits for North Dakota
Specific to North Dakota, the bill authorizes over $2 billion for the state’s roads and highways and over $200 million for clean water. It also funds projects to support construction, maintenance, and repair of bridges, many of which are considered structurally deficient in the state. North Dakota Department of Transportation Director (NDDOT) Bill Panos issued a statement touting the bill’s benefits for the state and thanking Senator Cramer for his work to secure its passage.
“Enactment of this bill will increase funding for ND roads and bridges by about $125 million per year, approximately a 50% increase over the next 5 years,” said Director Panos. “This legislation will allow the NDDOT to address real transportation needs throughout North Dakota. It will enable us to make more road, bridge, and safety improvements, and make them sooner than anticipated. This bill also provides much needed funding for ND’s Transit Providers. It will help us make our systems more resilient as we move toward the future. The passage of this bill will create good paying jobs for North Dakotans, strengthen our state’s economy, benefit businesses, farmers, individuals, and families along with every citizen of North Dakota. We are very appreciative of the work that was done by Senator Cramer and Senator Hoeven to support this package, which also includes benefits beyond transportation.”
Cramer Priorities Secured
- Distributing more than 90 percent of the transportation funding via the current funding formula so state and local governments have guaranteed funding and flexibility to meet their constituents’ needs, and
- Codifying permitting reforms like the Trump Administration’s One Federal Decision rule which will allow transportation infrastructure projects to be completed in a much more expeditious manner. It also allows for expedited permitting of gathering lines on federal land and energy-producing tribal land for those who choose to participate.
The bill also limits the expansion of urban transit programs and includes three of the senator’s bipartisan bills:
- REGROW Act supporters issued statements thanking Senator Cramer for his work to secure the REGROW Act’s passage.