The surface transportation bill and water infrastructure package both advanced from the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee with Pappas-led provisions to reimagine active transportation, fund commuter rail, address PFAS, and protect waterways
Represents a 34% increase in funding for roads and bridges in New Hampshire and with substantial increases in transit funding
WASHINGTON, DC - Two key pieces of bipartisan infrastructure legislation that Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) helped craft as a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and that contain several provisions Pappas fought to include, have passed a final Committee vote - paving the way for a full House vote.
H.R. 3684, the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America (INVEST in America) Act is a five-year, $547 billion surface transportation reauthorization that will secure over $1.2 billion in highway funding for New Hampshire. This represents a 34% increase in funding for roads and bridges in New Hampshire along with substantial increases in transit funding.
H.R. 1915, the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2021, authorizes $51.2 billion in federal funds for the construction, repair, and replacement of America's network of wastewater and stormwater conveyance and treatment facilities.
"Smart investments in our infrastructure will allow us to rebuild our country, create good-paying jobs, and pave the way for America's continued future as a world leader," said Congressman Chris Pappas. "As a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I have been focused on crafting infrastructure legislation that addresses America's urgent needs including repairing our roads and bridges, revitalizing our water infrastructure, and ensuring resiliency, and I'm pleased these landmark bills have cleared this hurdle with key provisions that I fought for including active transportation, commuter rail, and addressing PFAS contamination. There is broad, bipartisan support for these priorities, and I urge my Republican and Democratic colleagues to pass these bills and deliver on the commitments we've made to the American people."
INVEST in America Act
The Invest in America Act contains several provisions that Pappas introduced and fought to include:
Connecting America's Active Transportation Networks. The INVEST In America Act includes legislation authored by Rep. Pappas, the Connecting America's Active Transportation Systems, which will provide $1 billion in federal grants to connect walking, biking, and running paths in the Granite State and throughout the country to knit communities together, support recreation, and drive economic development.
Requiring Federal Transportation Projects to be Built with Resiliency in Mind. The surface transportation bill infuses climate resilience throughout the legislation - something Pappas has been a leader on in Congress - to ensure that transportation projects are built to adapt and withstand the impacts of a changing climate and keep Americans safe.
Increasing Investment In Rail Funding and Streamlining Process for Projects like Capitol Corridor. Pappas fought to include provisions that increase investment in passenger rail and streamline the process of receiving competitive federal grants - called New Starts - to develop rail projects like the Capitol Corridor.
The INVEST In America Act alleviates financial burdens on states by increasing the federal cost-share for New Starts up to 80%, and increases the federal cost cap for these projects.
The legislation also includes key portions of the Invest in American Railroad Act, which Pappas introduced with Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) which improves financing conditions and reduces borrowing risk to help states fund rail projects.
Preserving New Hampshire's Exit Numbers. New Hampshire is one of the few states that still uses consecutive exit numbers, rather than exit numbers based on mileage as is mandated by the federal government. This legislation allows New Hampshire to keep the exit numbers we know without facing federal penalties. This will save the State of New Hampshire, as well as local businesses and attractions that market-based on exit numbers, from having to do costly and unnecessary updates to our signage.
Addressing Drug-Impaired Driving. Rep. Pappas offered a bipartisan amendment with Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) to gather data and improve our understanding of serious drug and alcohol-related accidents. The provision was included in the legislation that passed the Committee.
Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act
The Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act includes two key provisions that Pappas introduced and fought to include:
Addressing PFAS contamination by helping communities pay for water upgrades. The Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act includes a provision based on Pappas's legislation, the Clean Water Standards for PFAS Act, which authorizes $1 billion in grants to municipalities to address or eliminate discharges of emerging contaminants, including PFAS chemicals, into the nation's waters.
Protecting America's waterways from stormwater and sewer overflow. This legislation authorizes funding and includes key language from the Stop Sewer Overflow Act, which Pappas helped introduce, that requires states to provide a greater federal share of construction costs to disadvantaged communities participating in EPA's sewer overflow and stormwater grant program.
Original source can be found here.
