House Passes Sweeping Highway and Infrastructure Package

House Passes Sweeping Highway and Infrastructure Package

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Wednesday, Congresswoman Kendra Horn (OK-5) voted to pass the Moving Forward Act, legislation which would invest in rebuilding America’s highways, bridges, transit, energy infrastructure, high-speed internet access, and more. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave Oklahoma’s infrastructure a C minus grade, reporting that the state’s infrastructure requires “immediate attention.”

“Infrastructure investment in Oklahoma is long overdue,” said Congresswoman Kendra Horn. “Crumbling roads and bridges, inadequate internet access, and outdated water and energy infrastructure are hurting our state’s economy and slowing job growth during an economic crisis. The Moving Forward Act would create millions of jobs nationwide that cannot be exported. This legislation would make critical updates to our nation’s infrastructure that would help our families live better, make our communities safer, and help our workforce compete globally. It’s time we invest in our future by making smart updates to our infrastructure that are built to last.”

Over the past year, Congresswoman Horn has called for a bipartisan infrastructure package, urging the President and congressional leaders to work together. Congresswoman Horn has worked to pass legislation aimed at closing the digital divide by mapping broadband internet availability. In a recent bipartisan op-ed in USA Today, Congresswoman Horn called for infrastructure investment that would bring high-speed internet to all American families, regardless of their zip code.

“The Moving Forward Act will have a significant impact on public transit systems in Oklahoma,” said Mark C. Nestlen, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Transit Association. “We applaud the passage of this critical legislation in the House and thank Congresswoman Horn for her work to strengthen transit infrastructure in our state. This legislation includes measures to address two long-standing problems faced by Oklahoma’s transit systems — the charter regulations and the sale of vehicles past their useful life.” Nestlen also noted that there were foundational changes in a number of the federal transit programs that will benefit both rural and urban transit systems in Oklahoma. “H.R. 2 modifies the means by which funding is determined for federal transit programs and those changes will place Oklahoma transit systems on an equal footing with systems across the nation. The provisions of the bill complement efforts being made at the state level to enhance the Oklahoma transit system statewide and will help to provide the necessary funding to meet the mobility needs of all Oklahomans,” he concluded.

The Moving Forward Act includes provisions to:

• Rebuild highways, bridges, transit, rail, and airports, by investing nearly $500 billion to improve safety, reduce gridlock, and more

• Protect American jobs with strong Buy America provisions and labor protections.

• Invest in our children’s futures by helping safely reopen and rebuild schools with a $130 billion investment in school infrastructure 

• Modernize our energy infrastructure 

• Invest boldly in affordable housing by directing over $100 billion to reduce housing inequality, create jobs, stimulate the economy, and improve living conditions

• Expand affordable high-speed Internet to underserved communities 

• Upgrade hospital and health care infrastructure 

• Ensure all communities have clean water by removing dangerous contaminants from our drinking water and investing in new, safe wastewater infrastructure.

There is overwhelming support for the Moving Forward Act from industry, consumer, conservation, and labor groups including Transportation for America, American Public Transportation Association, Teamsters, Carpenters-Operating Engineers, National League of Cities, NRDC, ITS America, National Parks Conservation Association, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy, National Audubon Society, Pew Charitable Trusts and Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) among others.