RLC Weekly: Celebrating Infrastructure (Decade)

May 17, 2024
In The News

Dear Colleagues,

Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration and Congressional Democrats, 56,000 infrastructure projects have been announced to date, including funding to:

  • Improve 165,000 miles of road
  • Kickoff 9,600 bridge repairs
  • Remove 1.7 million lead pipes from America's water infrastructure
  • Deploy 5,000 clean school buses in 600 communities
  • Bolster 450 port and waterway projects
  • Produce 300 airport projects to modernize and expand terminals
  • And so much more!

This #InfrastructureWeek, House Democrats and the Regional Leadership Council (RLC) celebrated the robust implementation of the Investing in America agenda by sharing success stories from every corner of the country. Here are a few highlights from the week:

Celebrating Infrastructure Breakthroughs

Many House Democrats celebrated infrastructure progress happening in their communities by sharing pictures and videos on their social media. Reps. Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03) and Hilary Scholten (MI-03) spoke directly to constituents about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the FAA Reauthorization Act, and more. RLC Leader Rep. Darren Soto (FL-09) posted this list of investments on his social media to highlight actions that have been taken to reduce traffic congestion, modernize local airports, and kickstart clean energy in Central Florida. In addition, House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (WA-02) shared this video of Sid Roberts, the Mayor of Stanwood, Washington, who spoke about the importance of building federal partnerships and delivering results to small towns. The RLC encourages you to reach out to your RLC Leader with your digital ideas as we work to ensure Americans across the country feel the impact of the Investing in America agenda.

Addressing Legacy Pollution

House Democrats held district events to show how infrastructure investments are removing toxic pollution from their community. RLC Leader Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-04) joined by EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz and local residents to applaud the EPA's ongoing work to clean up trichloroethylene (TCE) contamination at Crossley Farm. More on this story here. Rep. Jennifer Wexton (VA-10) joined constituents in Sterling to tout clean-up efforts at the Hidden Lane Superfund site. Rep. Wexton shared the impact of this action on her social media, saying that "we're making our community safer and healthier." Read more from Rep. Wexton here.

Leaving No One Behind

Thanks to the investments made by Democrats in the last Congress, millions of hardworking Americans now have the tools they need to get ahead in their hometowns. This week, Rep. Sanford Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) welcomed U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to his district to highlight what the Investing in America agenda is doing for rural America. The meeting allowed Georgians to hear directly from the Biden-Harris Administration about investments that are helping build workforce development programs and empower entrepreneurs in rural areas. The event followed the Biden-Harris Administration's announcement Monday that they will create a Rural Innovators Initiative to "highlight stories of extraordinary rural leaders who are taking action and ensuring their communities thrive for generations to come." More on this initiative can be found here.

Additionally, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (CA-33) hosted the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) Isabel Casillas Guzman for a roundtable discussion with local businesses in the Inland Empire. The Investing in America agenda is promoting American innovation and growing the middle class. 

What Else?

  • The U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released guidance this week on the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) domestic content bonus, which boosts American manufacturing and iron and steel production. See this guidance here.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced over $154 million in federal funding for the Forest Legacy Program to support working forests and rural economies across 17 states. This partnership will protect nearly 168,000 acres of forestlands across the nation. Read more about it here.
  • In New Mexico, Acting Deputy Secretary of the Interior Laura Daniel-Davis announced $25 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to clean up legacy pollution from orphaned oil and gas wells. The award was part of a $660 million formula grant funding that will be released on a rolling basis. Read more about the Acting Deputy Secretary's visit here.

For more updates on how to help implement the Investing in America agenda locally, please follow us on social media and share your story on how these investments are making a difference in your community. You can also visit our website for additional resources that will help track these historic investments.