Source: United States Senator for Ohio Rob Portman
November 5, 2021 | Press Releases
WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) issued the following statement today after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act by a bipartisan vote of 228-206. The bipartisan bill, which Portman played a lead role in crafting, represents a long overdue investment in our nation’s core infrastructure. Portman also criticized the second bill advanced by the House today, President Biden’s massive tax and spend proposal that is proceeding under a partisan process called reconciliation.
“America’s infrastructure is in desperate need of repair, and today, Congress made good on our promise to the American people to improve it for future generations. While I’m disappointed it took the House of Representatives nearly three months to pass the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act following bipartisan passage in the Senate, I’m pleased this historic legislation is now ready for the president’s signature.
“I am proud that the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act will provide a $9.2 billion investment in Ohio’s roads and highways. Ohio will also receive nearly half a billion dollars to assist with our bridge repairs, including the Brent Spence Bridge in Cincinnati, with another $12.5 billion available in competitive grants. While some Democrats have tried to tie this bipartisan infrastructure bill to the partisan reconciliation bill, which I strongly oppose, this important legislation passed on its own, with Republican support.
“The infrastructure bill will make our economy more efficient and make us more productive and competitive against other countries like China. Importantly, by making long-term investments in capital assets, it is counter-inflationary at a time when inflation remains a serious concern for American families.
“Nationwide, it represents a historic $542 billion investment in the roads, bridges, ports, waterways, railroads, electrical grids, broadband networks, and more. It will create hundreds of thousands of good paying jobs, and it does all of this without raising taxes.
“Unfortunately, the House is continuing to advance a reckless tax and spending bill that is estimated to cost nearly $4 trillion and will raise taxes in order to try and pay for it. This is the kind of tax and spend agenda that the American people rejected at the polls on Tuesday and the Senate should reject it as well if and when it is time for us to vote.”
Portman thanks U.S. Senators Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Mark Warner (D-VA) for their work in crafting the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
A summary of the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act can be found here and its benefits for Ohio can be found here.
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