Issue Position: Infrastructure

Issue Position

It's no secret that our region faces serious challenges when it comes to our infrastructure. I see it first hand as I commute from Montross to Washington every day that Congress is in session. It is imperative that we fix our roads. In 2015, I voted in favor of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act, which provided long-term funding for the Highway Trust Fund and brought critical dollars to the First District, particularly the I-95 corridor and HOV lane interchanges. I support the increased of commuter rail such as the Virginia Railway Express along with public-private partnerships to invest in transportation infrastructure.We must expand access to broadband internet, especially in rural areas. Broadband expansion should be part of any long-term infrastructure package as it is critical to closing the gap between rural and urban job growth opportunities in Virginia. There is so much untapped human capital in the unserved and underserved areas of our district. We cannot continue to leave these rural areas behind. Last fall I hosted a roundtable on broadband expansion with key stakeholders from the telecommunications industry, small business, and federal government, including FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. We discussed the importance of eliminating the labyrinth of red tape and regulations, defining prescriptive easements, establishing dig once policies, and strengthening public-private partnerships.

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