Investing in A New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. MEUSER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Missouri for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, we all here agree, as do the American people, that our Nation's infrastructure is in dire need of upgrades and modernization. Yet our House Democrats have brought forth a transportation bill unfortunately destined to go nowhere.

First of all, any bill prepared in such a partisan manner has no chance of becoming law. Why is it that it is done this way? Why is it? I don't want to speculate.

In this Democratic bill, nearly $2 out of every $5 goes to unproven Green New Deal mandates, which, right out of the gate, absolutely puts a seemingly political agenda ahead of creating tangible projects.

We must offer the American people a transportation bill that puts, first and foremost, a focus on safer roads, modern highways, and improved infrastructure projects that are so important to our States and communities.

We also cannot put the burden completely on the taxpayers, which this bill does.

Representative Webster and I recently introduced the Infrastructure Bank for America Act, which would create a mechanism to create public- private partnerships. Other countries, like China, are reaping the benefits of U.S. private investment in their infrastructure, while we fall way behind.

These are serious times. It is time for us to get serious.

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