Congressman Joe Neguse Applauds Introduction of INVEST in America Act to Provide Bold Investments in Infrastructure, Transit and Climate Resiliency

June 10, 2020

The legislation would invest in roads and bridges, EV vehicles and charging stations and put climate change at the forefront of the infrastructure agenda

Washington D.C.—Today, Congressman Joe Neguse applauded the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on the introduction of the INVEST in America Act, legislation to reauthorize surface transportation investments in America’s infrastructure, and plan for COVID-19 recovery and response. The bill appropriates $494 billion over 5 years for highway, transit and rail investments, invests in green infrastructure and climate resiliency and authorizes $83.1 billion in FY21 to help states, localities and transit agencies recover from the coronavirus pandemic. House Democrats plan to mark up the bill in Committee and bring it before the full House for a vote this month. The current surface transportation authorization expires September 30th.

“In northern Colorado and across the country, increasing investments in infrastructure is a top priority. Coloradans want to know that they can rely on their highways, roads and bridges, they want to see investments in climate resiliency through our infrastructure, public transit and disaster management, and they want assurances that safety will always prioritized for commuters, pedestrians and drivers alike,” said Congressman Joe Neguse. “The INVEST in America Act lays out a plan for our future to ensure we are building strong, effective and green infrastructure that will support future generations and can always be relied on.”

“The INVEST in America Act is our opportunity to replace the outdated systems of the past with smarter, safer, more resilient infrastructure that fits the economy of the future, creates millions of jobs, supports American manufacturing, and restores U.S. competitiveness,” said Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chair DeFazio.

Specifically the INVEST in America Act, would:

Prioritize Climate Action by

requiring states and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to consider climate change and emissions as they create their asset management plans;
exponentially increasing investments in zero-emission buses and charging infrastructure grants;
creating a new Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program that would fund infrastructure resiliency projects identified in state transportation plans;
creating a new Carbon Pollution Reduction Program to provide funds for transportation projects that reduce emissions; and
establishing a new Community Climate Innovation Grant program to support local greenhouse gas reduction efforts.

Invest in Electric Vehicles by

providing $350 million a year for the Electric Vehicle Charging and Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program, with priority given to projects that will have the highest emission reduction and those in alternative fuel corridors; and
requiring all EV charging stations that receive Title 23 funds to be usable by the majority of EV drivers and accessible to the public.

Fix Highways and Roadways by

authorizing $257.4 billion for the Federal-Aid Highway Program to be distributed in Fiscal Years 22-25 to provide funding for critical state highway projects;
requiring National Highway Performance Program funds to focus on fixing our current highway system before building new highway capacity;
investing $250 million per year in the new Rebuild Rural Grant Program to invest in rural infrastructure projects— focusing on high-risk rural roads, wildlife crossings, safety, and increasing access to critical services; and
authorizing $600 million per year in a new Community Transportation Investment Grants program to fund infrastructure projects focused on improving traffic safety and repairing damaged infrastructure, with a 25% minimum set-aside for rural projects.

Invest in Transit by

authorizing $66.3 billion in contract authority for FY22 through FY25 for the Federal transit program;
authorizing $1.7 billion for Zero-Emission Bus grants;
authorizing $1.6 billion for bus facility and fleet expansion grants;
authorizing $5 billion in bus formula grants and an additional $327 million for rural bus funds;
investing $100 million a year to increase bus frequency and ridership by redesigning bus routes and roadways;
creating a grant program to reduce transit costs and provide reduced fair for low-income riders; and
creating the National Transit Frontline Workforce Training Center to provide new technical, safety, emergency preparedness training to transit workers.

Invest in Safety by

prohibiting stopped freight trains from blocking public crossings for more than ten minutes, which can sometimes block first responders and emergency personnel from getting through town and doing their jobs;
increasing the emphasis on high risk rural roads within the Highway Safety Improvement Program;
requiring states to complete an assessment of areas that are of high risk to bicyclists and pedestrians and identify strategies and projects to reduce those risks; and
reauthorizing a grant program to enforce the prohibition of racial profiling amongst highway law enforcement.

Congressman Neguse led a letter to House Appropriators with 28 of his colleagues in March, advocating for an additional $100 million to be invested in the Low or No Emission Bus Grant Program at the Federal Transit Administration for Fiscal Year 2021. The Low or No Emission Program is renamed the Zero Emission Grant Program in the INVEST in America Act, and the bill provides $1.7 billion over four years for the grant program—an average annual increase of 500% over current surface transportation funding levels in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.

In 2019, Congressman Neguse helped secure federal grant funding for both Grand County’s Lift system and for zero-emission buses in Breckenridge.