Efficient, reliable infrastructure that safely moves people, goods, and information is the bedrock of our society. As an engineer and entrepreneur, I know firsthand that jobs are created and improvements are made to our communities when we invest in our infrastructure. Regrettably, however, far too many of our roads, bridges, tunnels, and pipes have fallen into a state of disrepair. To successfully move forward in the 21st century our country needs bold and bipartisan efforts to upgrade our nation’s outdated infrastructure and I’m proud to support these actions Notably, I helped get the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) signed into law. This bipartisan package represents a long overdue investment in our Commonwealth’s and nation’s infrastructure. Among other measures, the IIJA provides billions in funding directly to Pennsylvania to upgrade roads and bridges, improve transportation safety, eliminate the Amtrak maintenance backlog, expand rail service, modernize our transit systems, improve the resiliency of our infrastructure, expand our clean energy transmission network, remove lead pipes and service lines, expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and connect every American to reliable, high-speed internet access. These investments are estimated to provide around 2 million jobs per year over the course of the decade. In the IIJA, I was particularly proud to support funding to benefit our community, such as critical stormwater investments to ensure we are better equipped to handle future extreme weather events like Hurricane Ida. The package also includes significant funding to upgrade our nation’s ports which will help address the post-COVID supply chain disruptions, which are uniquely impacting every family and business. Together, these historic, bipartisan investments will create millions of good-paying American jobs and allow our economy to prosper for decades to come. Just two years after it was signed into law, IIJA has already made a huge impact across the Commonwealth. I have also fought for and secured millions of dollars in Community Project Funding to support local infrastructure projects around the district, like the Borough of Sinking Spring Central Business District Infrastructure Improvement Program, environmental and capacity studies to restore commuter rail service to Reading, and many more. While the IIJA being signed into law was one of my proudest moments as a member of Congress, I know the work is just beginning. I understand that robust infrastructure leads to stronger businesses and more equitable access to jobs and opportunities. I was proud to welcome White House Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu, Governor Tom Wolf, and other state and community leaders to the Coatesville Train Station for a site walkthrough. As federal agencies work to implement IIJA programs and send the desperately needed funds to the states, I look forward to continuing to fight alongside our metropolitan planning organizations, Chester and Berks counties, local governments, and transportation agencies like SEPTA for projects to make our roads safer, improve the ability for our infrastructure to allow for the movement of commerce, expand public transportation opportunities for low-income communities, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. I see the tremendous economic potential in repairing, upgrading, and greening our aging infrastructure. As our Representative in Congress, you can count on me to advocate strongly for our infrastructure. |
Transportation & Infrastructure
