New Dems Outline Infrastructure Priorities for American Jobs Plan
WASHINGTON – The House New Democrat Coalition on Wednesday endorsed several bills its members say will modernize the nation’s infrastructure, create jobs and grow the economy.
The coalition, led by Infrastructure task force co-chairs Carolyn Bourdeaux, of Georgia, and Norma Torres, of California, NDC Chair Suzan DelBene, of Washington, and Vice Chair for Policy Scott Peters, of California, also sent a letter to Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., urging the inclusion of the coalition’s priorities in upcoming infrastructure packages.
“The NDC is focused on growing the economy, creating good jobs and ensuring every American has the opportunity to earn a good life, and modernizing our infrastructure is one of the best investments we can make for our future,” the coalition leaders wrote.
“As the House continues to develop a legislative package in response to the president’s American Jobs Plan, New Dems believe our infrastructure package must build funding and financing to last, build resilient, innovative infrastructure for the future, and build with smart and inclusive planning, zoning, and development,” they said.
Last month, DelBene and the Infrastructure Task Force outlined the Coalition’s priorities for an infrastructure package and underlined the urgent need for robust investment.
The coalition has vowed to continue to work with the Biden administration, congressional leadership, and committees to advance policy solutions that embrace innovation and resilience and combat climate change; develop more affordable housing and promote equity and inclusion; prioritize smart planning, zoning, and development; invest in our long-term infrastructure needs and fiscal health; establish a national infrastructure bank; and create good jobs and widely-shared economic growth and opportunity.
The bills the coalition is endorsing are:
- H.R.2683, the Helping Communities Invest in Infrastructure Act, Rep. Sharice Davids;
- H.R. 3651, the Revitalizing American Priorities for Infrastructure Development Act, Rep. Colin Allred;
- H.R. 2474, the Invest in American Railroads Act, Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas;
- H.R. 512, the Green Bus Act, Rep. Julia Brownley;
- H.R. 1845, the American High-Speed Rail Act, Reps. Seth Moulton, Suzan DelBene, and Brendan Boyle;
- H.R. 867, the High Speed Rail Corridor Development Act, Rep. Jim Costa;
- H.R. 3334, the Building Up the Suburbs Act, Reps. Carolyn Bourdeaux and Lucy McBath;
- H.R 3566, the National and Regional Greenways Act, Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux;
- H.R. 2991, the Connecting America’s Active Transportation System Act, Rep. Chris Pappas;
- H.R. 611, the ROCKS Act, Rep. Gregory Stanton;
- H.R. 382, the Bikeshare Transit Act, Rep. Earl Blumenauer;
- H.R. 2053, the Resiliency Enhancement Act, Rep. Stacey Plaskett;
- H.R. 2483, the Build More Housing Near Transit Act, Reps. Scott Peters and Marilyn Strickland;
- The Sustainable Communities Act, Rep. Norma Torres (pending reintroduction, 116th H.R. 927)
- H.R. 2177, the Fair Transportation Act, Rep. Norma Torres;
- H.R. 1615, the More TOD Act, Rep. Anthony Brown;
- H.R. 2833, the Reconnecting Communities Act, Reps. Anthony Brown and Lisa Blunt Rochester .
Expanded descriptions of the bills can be found here.
Earlier this Congress, the NDC launched its Infrastructure Task Force and these endorsements build on the NDC’s 100 Day agenda and Second Pillar: Modernize our infrastructure, combat climate change, and create jobs.
The full letter can be found here.
