Rubio, Florida Republicans Urge Biden Administration to Reconsider Unfair Bridge Repair Funding

Press Release

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) led members of the Florida congressional delegation in urging U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to reconsider Florida's funding allotment for bridge improvements as provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's Bridge Formula Program. The letter follows the administration's announcement that Florida would be allotted $245 million for bridge repairs -- less than one percent of total bridge funding, despite Florida being home to approximately 6.5 percent of the American population. The total amount is also significantly less than Florida normally receives for highway funding and less than other states with smaller populations that have a similar or lower number of bridges in need of repair.

"More transparency in how the Biden Administration is allotting funding would be welcome, as claims that the calculation is based on the number of bridges in disrepair do not hold water," the lawmakers wrote. "States that have similar numbers or even fewer bridges in need of repair, such as Washington and Connecticut, are set to receive larger sums. Any reasonable person can agree that the worst maintained bridges require attention, but the Biden Administration's Bridge Formula Program does nothing to address questions of why other states have historically failed to provide repairs as needed or to encourage a more proactive approach to their transportation infrastructure in the first place."

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