Republicans to White House: Limit infrastructure spending to roads and bridges

‘Catch-all’ highway bill will lose support, GOP lawmakers warn

American Shipper

By John Gallagher March 4, 2021

As the Biden administration looks ahead to the “recovery” portion of its Build Back Better plan while the $1.9 billion COVID-19 relief bill is considered in the Senate, Republicans are drawing a line across the road when it comes to infrastructure investment.

After a White House meeting Thursday that included President Joe Biden and Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Rep. Sam Graves, R-Missouri, the ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said he made it clear that for an infrastructure bill to happen, Republican priorities had to be considered. “It cannot be a ‘my way or the highway’ approach like last Congress,” Graves said.

“First and foremost, a highway bill cannot grow into a multitrillion-dollar catch-all bill, or it will lose Republican support. We have to be responsible, and a bill whose cost is not offset will lose Republican support. Second, a transportation bill needs to be a transportation bill that primarily focuses on fundamental transportation needs, such as roads and bridges. Republicans won’t support another Green New Deal disguising itself as a transportation bill.”

View the full article: FreightWaves.com