House Republicans today rolled out their “Commitment to America” framework, which outlines their legislative plan to effect positive change for the American people under a Republican-led House in the next Congress.
Republicans’ wide-ranging commitment to rebuild the American economy includes a five-year surface transportation reauthorization to fix the Nation’s surface transportation infrastructure, as well as a plan to significantly reduce the project permitting process.
“House Republicans understand the importance of a modern infrastructure to every state in America and our economy, which is why the ‘Commitment to America’ includes a five-year surface transportation reauthorization,” said Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO). “This critical long-term bill will be based on the STARTER Act, which Committee Republicans introduced earlier this year once it became clear that a bipartisan surface transportation bill was not in Speaker Pelosi’s plans.
Graves continued, “Republicans will provide a reasonable, commonsense approach to improving our infrastructure that reforms the infrastructure project review and delivery process, focuses on traditional core transportation needs, emphasizes investment in rural America’s often neglected infrastructure, prepares our system for future transportation technologies, and fixes the Highway Trust Fund. Unlike the Speaker’s partisan agenda to defund, destroy, and dismantle, improving our Nation’s infrastructure is a key pillar of House Republicans’ plan to rebuild the greatest economy in history.”
“New and long-term investments in our Nation’s infrastructure are a critical component to our economic recovery,” said Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Ranking Member Rodney Davis (R-IL). “A five-year reauthorization of the surface transportation bill, combined with expedited permitting for major projects and other transportation reform measures, will create new and sustained jobs while laying the groundwork for the American economy to thrive. We can’t let our Nation’s pressing infrastructure needs be hijacked by the House Democrats’ Green New Deal fantasies. In 2021, a Republican majority in Congress will make new investments in our Nation’s infrastructure while ensuring our existing infrastructure receives the maintenance and funding it needs.”
“The STARTER Act is a commonsense transportation reauthorization and a stark contrast from the Democrats’ bill that prioritizes their far left agenda rather than helping restore American’s infrastructure,” said Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Ranking Member Rick Crawford (R-AR). “Transportation workers need certainty, states need flexibility, and Americans need a Highway Trust Fund that is sustainable. This legislation delivers on these needs and secures the future of our Nation’s transit systems.”
