Congressman García Votes to Pass Historic Infrastructure Investment

Statement

Last night, Congressman Jesús "Chuy" García, a member of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, voted to pass the Senate Amendment to H.R. 3684, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The bill makes $1.2 trillion in federal investment, including $550 billion in new spending towards our country's infrastructure, and supports our communities by creating nearly 2 million living wage jobs every year for the next ten years and making our economy more sustainable and resilient. Congressman García issued the following statement:

"Yesterday's vote is a major step to advance the Democratic Party's agenda. Although I'm disappointed, we did not advance the Build Back Better Act tonight, Progressives secured the support of the full Democratic Caucus, including the President and moderate House Democrats, to advance the transformative Build Back Better Act later this month.

"The bill passed last night makes historic investments in our nation's crumbling infrastructure and creates millions of new jobs. For communities like Chicago, America's transportation hub, these resources are a lifeline for working-class, immigrant neighborhoods and our region's economy. This vote is about more than roads and bridges. It means expanding and modernizing public transportation like CTA, Pace Buses, and Metra. It also means billions of dollars to ensure clean drinking water and clean air by removing lead pipes and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.

"I still believe this crucial infrastructure funding must be paired with additional investments in health care, childcare, housing, and lasting protections for immigrants. I took this vote with my colleagues in the Progressive Caucus to begin that process, with the word of the President and a signed commitment from moderate Democrats to pass the Build Back Better Act out of the House no later than the week of November 15."

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