CCAGW Annual Ratings

Transportation and Infrastructure Authorization – Passage

Description: 

Passage of the bill, as amended, that would reauthorize federal-aid highway, public transit, and surface transportation safety and research programs for five years, through fiscal 2025. It would authorize approximately $1.5 trillion for infrastructure projects, including $494 billion for federal highway and surface transportation programs, $100 billion for grants to upgrade facilities for schools with high percentages of low-income students, and over $100 billion for affordable housing development. It would appropriate $100 billion to expand broadband access, particularly for underserved areas and low-income individuals. It would transfer more than $145 billion from the Treasury general fund to the Highway Trust Fund, including $38.6 billion for mass transit. Of funds authorized for surface transportation, it would authorize $257.4 billion for federal-aid highway programs and over $29 billion for Amtrak, through 2025. It would also authorize $40 billion through fiscal 2025 for an Environmental Protection Agency revolving fund that provides grants to states for water infrastructure projects; $25 billion until expended to modernize U.S. Postal Service infrastructure and operations; and $10 billion through fiscal 2025 to upgrade hospital infrastructure, prioritizing projects that emphasize public health emergency preparedness or cybersecurity. It would authorize $20 billion from the aviation trust fund and appropriate an additional $17.5 billion for airport improvement projects, through fiscal 2025. Among other provisions, it would establish a number of grant programs for "green" transportation technologies, including for the procurement of zero emission buses and other vehicles, purchase and installation of zero emission equipment at U.S. ports, and development of electric vehicle charging and hydrogen fueling infrastructure. It would authorize $700 million annually through fiscal 2025 for Energy Department electric grid modernization and security projects. It would reinstate "Build America" bonds to provide subsidies for state and local bond issuers to offer lower interest rates for infrastructure investments. It would provide a number of tax incentives for infrastructure investment, including to expand the low-income housing tax credit program by increasing its base allocation to states and establishing a permanent minimum 4% credit rate for projects financed using tax-exempt bonds. As amended, the bill would require the Transportation Department to expand certain safety protections to passenger, freight, and cargo transportation workers with high exposure risk during the COVID-19 pandemic; grant Transportation Security Administration employees the same collective bargaining rights as other federal employees; and require contractors and subcontractors for certain projects funded by the bill to meet prevailing wage requirements for laborers and mechanics; and prohibit the use of funds for contracts or funding to any entity connected to a foreign company based in certain countries subject to existing trade restrictions, tariffs, and sanctions, including China.

Vote Number: 
House Vote 138
Bill Number: 
HR 2
CCAGW Position: 
Nay
Vote Results: 
Passed 233-188: R 3-185; D 230-2; I 0-0; O 0-1.