DeFazio Blasts Bipartisan Senate Infrastructure Plan
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Rep. Peter DeFazio blasted the Senate’s bipartisan infrastructure deal, saying there are “extraordinary deficiencies” in the plan that is backed by President Joe Biden.
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DeFazio, the Democratic chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said July 20 during a press conference organized by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety that the Senate plan is “essentially status quo on safety, and status quo on highway building and will not deal with fossil fuel pollution and carbon reduction.”
The Oregon lawmaker rejected the idea that the House would merely accept the Senate plan.
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“I’m not taking it,” DeFazio said. “We cannot miss this opportunity to deal with safety issues in a meaningful way.”
A bipartisan Senate group is working to finalize a $1.2 trillion eight-year infrastructure plan that includes $559 billion in new federal spending.
While highway funding is expected to be part of the infrastructure plan, Congress is still working on a standalone bill to take the place of a five-year, $305 billion measure that was extended until Sept. 30. DeFazio has championed a five-year, $547 billion surface transportation bill that has been approved by the House.
DeFazio told the safety advocates to “push the White House, push the Senate, push my leadership in the House on these issues” to oppose the bipartisan infrastructure plan.
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