Pallone on House Passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) released the following statement today after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act:

“With the passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill today, we are modernizing our crumbling infrastructure, revitalizing our economy, and combating the worsening climate crisis. Whether it be investments to expand renewable energy and make our electric grid more resilient and reliable, or funding for electric vehicle infrastructure, we are accelerating the move to clean energy.

“I’m pleased that this bill invests in my home state of New Jersey. The infrastructure bill delivers the funding necessary for the Gateway Project that will ensure long-term reliability for thousands of daily commuters traveling between New Jersey and New York.

“Safe drinking water is a basic human right, yet right now millions of American families cannot trust the water coming out of their taps. That’s why the bipartisan infrastructure bill provides significant funding for our drinking water infrastructure, including funding to remove the toxic lead service lines harming communities across the country and funding to address PFAS contamination. New Jersey has some of the highest levels of contamination in the country. This is exactly why I’ve led the effort at the federal level to address these toxic chemicals and ensure that everyone can trust the water coming out of the tap.

“Superfund sites threaten public and environmental health in New Jersey and across the country, and those sites could be cleaned up faster with adequate funding. I’ve been fighting to make sure that corporate polluters are held accountable. This bill puts people to work cleaning up toxic Superfund sites around the nation while helping ensure that polluters pay the bill by reinstating the Superfund tax on chemical companies.

“Finally, the infrastructure bill’s sweeping investments in broadband access, affordability, and adoption will help us close the digital divide. Every community – regardless of zip code – needs and deserves access to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet, and with today’s action we take a giant step toward making that a reality.

“I’m pleased the bipartisan infrastructure bill is now on its way to President Biden’s desk for signature and look forward to soon passing the Build Back Better Act.”

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill includes:

$110 billion to replace and repair roads, bridges, and highways

• $66 billion for passenger and freight rail, including $30 billion for Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor and the Gateway Tunnel.
• $39 billion for public transit systems to expand transportation systems, improve accessibility for people with disabilities and provide dollars to state and local governments to buy zero-emission and low-emission buses.
• $55 billion for water and wastewater infrastructure, including $15 billion for the replacement of lead water lines and $10 billion to address PFAS contamination.
• $1.2 billion for Brownfields restoration projects.
• A reinstatement of Superfund taxes on chemical companies.
• $65 billion to modernize the country’s power grid and increase resiliency to climate damage.
• $7.5 billion grants for electric vehicle charging stations and alternative fuel infrastructure.
• $65 billion to expand broadband access and build out to create universal access to reliable high-speed internet.