(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today the House of Representatives passed the Moving Forward Act (H.R.2), a $1.5 trillion plan to rebuild America’s infrastructure. Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) voted in support of the legislation, which was passed on a bipartisan basis. The bill provides funding for roads, bridges and transit systems, as well as schools, housing, broadband access, clean energy, water infrastructure, modernizes the Postal Service, and provides a long-term investment in American manufacturing and job creation.
“This is first and foremost a jobs bill. It will protect people’s jobs and create thousands of new ones at a good wage. It will hire Americans to build roads, fix bridges and do other critical work using American steel. This is money well spent at a time when we need to invest in our future.”
The Moving America Forward Act will:
- Rebuild highways, bridges, transit, rail, airports, ports and harbors by investing nearly $500 billion to improve safety, reduce gridlock and put the U.S. on a path toward zero emissions from the transportation sector, all while protecting American jobs with strong Buy America provisions and labor protections;
- Invest $130 billion in school infrastructure to rebuild old and crumbling schools;
- Modernize the country’s energy infrastructure by investing more than $70 billion to transform our electric grid, promote new renewable energy infrastructure and strengthen existing infrastructure, help develop an electric vehicle charging network, and support energy efficiency and climate resilience;
- Invest in affordable housing by directing over $100 billion to reduce housing inequality, create jobs, stimulate the economy, improve living conditions and increase environmental sustainability and climate resilience;
- Expand affordable high-speed Internet to underserved communities with a $100 billion investment that promotes competition, connects children to remote learning, closes broadband adoption and digital skills gaps and improves affordability;
- Upgrade hospitals and health care infrastructure by investing $30 billion to increase capacity and strengthen care, help community health centers respond to COVID-19 and future public health emergencies, improve clinical laboratory infrastructure, support the Indian Health Service’s infrastructure, and increase capacity for community-based care;
- Ensure all communities have clean water by investing tens of billions to remove dangerous contaminants from drinking water and invest in new, safe wastewater infrastructure;
- Deliver a 21st Century Postal Service by modernizing infrastructure and pursuing a zero-emissions postal fleet; and
- Promote investments in communities by spurring private investment through the tax code through a revitalized Build America Bonds program, expansion of Private Activity Bonds, and significant enhancements to the New Markets Tax Credit and the Rehabilitation Tax Credit.
A member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Lamb fought for multiple provisions, including five amendments and one bill, that were included in the INVEST in America Act. It passed out of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, and is the foundation for H.R. 2. On the House floor, Lamb offered several amendments which were included prior to the legislation’s final passage, including a study of the safety performance of cargo vans in the delivery industry, and a requirement for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other relevant agencies to assist communities in the Ohio River region with planning and preparing their infrastructure for the impact of climate change.
Prior to the development and consideration of H.R. 2, Lamb sent a letter to the Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee outlining his priorities for PA-17. In the letter, Lamb called for significant investment to address structurally deficient bridges, highways, public transit research and innovation, and rail. He also outlined the need for strong Buy America provisions as well as support for American workers.