Rep. Delgado Statement on Temporary Surface Transportation Authorization

Press Release

This evening, U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) released the following statement after a bipartisan coalition passed a bill to temporarily extend surface transportation programs:

"This evening, I voted to temporarily extend our surface transportation programs and prevent thousands of federal highway and transit workers from being furloughed. As I've said before -- we can't have government shutdowns. But to be clear, this bill is a temporary stopgap. It's another "kick the can down the road' DC provision that prevents the worst while achieving no meaningful progress.

New York has 1,702 bridges and over 7,292 miles of highway in poor condition. Over a million New York households are not connected to broadband. In the last decade, our state has experienced 31 extreme weather events, costing New York up to $100 billion in damages.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will deliver highway, bridge, transit, broadband, and water infrastructure investments in our communities, protect and conserve the Delaware River, and generate billions in economic activity. It also includes my provisions to strengthen limo safety and promote American-made manufacturing.

Democrats and Republicans must come together to meet the urgency of this moment and find common ground. We all want our families to have safe roads, clean drinking water, internet access, and good-paying jobs. My focus remains on continuing the fight for improved infrastructure and a better economy for our region. But that's not all, we have work to do on many key priorities for our families, children, and seniors -- let's get it done."

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