July 16, 2021

New Democrat Coalition Members Urge Congressional Leadership to Include NDC Priorities in Final Bipartisan Infrastructure Package

Today, New Democrat Coalition (NDC) Leadership and Infrastructure Task Force Members, led by NDC Infrastructure Task Force Co-Chairs Carolyn Bourdeaux (GA-07) and Norma Torres (CA-35), NDC Chair Suzan DelBene (WA-01), and NDC Policy Vice Chair Scott Peters (CA-52) sent a letter to House and Senate leadership urging for the inclusion of NDC-endorsed priorities in the final infrastructure bill. The priorities include 15 NDC-endorsed bills that were included in the House-passed, bipartisan Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation (INVEST) in America Act.  

The letter reads in part:  

“The bipartisan infrastructure framework announced by President Biden and a bipartisan group of Senators and the House’s bipartisan INVEST in America Act both represent historic investments in our nation’s infrastructure which would generate substantial economic growth and position the United States to compete in the global economy for decades to come. As Congress moves forward with finalizing the legislative text underpinning the bipartisan infrastructure framework, we respectfully request that you work with the New Democrat Coalition and our members to include NDC priorities in the final bill, including several NDC-endorsed bills which passed the House as part of the INVEST in America Act earlier this month.”

In addition, NDC Infrastructure Task Force Members led a letter to President Biden today expressing strong support for including a national infrastructure bank in the bipartisan infrastructure package. The NDC has long supported the establishment of a national infrastructure bank to leverage private investment and supplement the demands not met by traditional infrastructure funding sources.

As Congress moves forward with finalizing the legislative text underpinning the bipartisan infrastructure framework, the NDC is committed to advancing legislation to build funding and financing to last; build resilient, innovative infrastructure for the future; and build with smart and inclusive planning, zoning, and development. The NDC will continue to work with senior Biden administration officials, House and Senate Leadership, and Committee Chairs to advance legislation to make historic investments to repair and modernize our nation’s infrastructure.  

Most recently, NDC Members joined their colleagues in passing the INVEST in America Act, which includes fifteen NDC-endorsed bills. Earlier this Congress, the NDC launched its Infrastructure Task Force and outlined the New Dem priorities for infrastructure investment. These priorities 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 and below. 

 

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Dear Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi, and Minority Leader McCarthy, 

As members of the New Democrat Coalition (NDC), a coalition of 95 Members in the U.S. House of Representatives focused on pro-growth, pro-innovation, and fiscally responsible policies, we write to express our strong support for advancing legislation to repair and modernize our nation’s infrastructure, grow the economy, create jobs, and combat climate change. These investments are critical to ensuring the U.S. economy, workers, and businesses can meet the opportunities and challenges of the 21st century, and that every American has access to opportunities and resources to succeed.  

The bipartisan infrastructure framework announced by President Biden and a bipartisan group of Senators and the House’s bipartisan INVEST in America Act both represent historic investments in our nation’s infrastructure which would generate substantial economic growth and position the United States to compete in the global economy for decades to come. As Congress moves forward with finalizing the legislative text underpinning the bipartisan infrastructure framework, we respectfully request that you work with the New Democrat Coalition and our members to include NDC priorities in the final bill, including several NDC-endorsed bills which passed the House as part of the INVEST in America Act earlier this month.  

Specifically, we believe the final package should: 

Build Funding and Financing to Last 

We must invest in our long-term infrastructure needs and fiscal health by shoring up our infrastructure trust funds with sustainable funding, providing flexible financing tools for communities, including municipal bonds, private activity bonds, and enhancements to TIFIA and WIFIA, and leveraging federal and private capital with a self-sustaining national infrastructure bank. 

The NDC-endorsed bills to build funding and financing to last are: 

  • H.R. 2683, the Helping Communities Invest in Infrastructure Act, Rep. Sharice Davids (KS-03) 
    • Included in Sec. 7001 of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act 
  • Η.R. 3651, the Revitalizing American Priorities for Infrastructure Development (RAPID) Act, Rep. Colin Allred (TX-32) 
    • Bipartisan, bicameral: S.353, Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) & Tim Kaine (D-VA) 
    • Included in Sec. 7001 of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act. 
  • H.R. 2474, the Invest in American Railroads Act, Reps. Annie Kuster (NH-02), Chris Pappas (NH-01), and Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) 
    • Included in Sec. 9101 of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act 
  • H.R. 2634, the Local Infrastructure Financing Tools (LIFT) Act, Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) 
  • H.R. 451, the Building United States Infrastructure and Leveraging Development (BUILD) Act, Reps. Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) and Rodney Davis (IL-13) 
    • Bipartisan, bicameral: S.881, Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) & Mark Warner (D-VA) 

 

Build Resilient, Innovative Infrastructure for the Future  

As we repair and modernize our nation’s infrastructure, we must build for the future by embracing innovations like high-speed rail and smart technology and materials, strengthening our communities with preparedness and resilience against threats including climate change, and supporting expansion of transportation and infrastructure development that reduces congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.  

The NDC-endorsed bills to build resilient, innovative infrastructure for the future are: 

  • H.R 3566, the National and Regional Greenways Act, Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux (GA-07) 
    • Included in Sec. 1309 of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act 
  • H.R. 2991, the Connecting America’s Active Transportation System Act, Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01) 
    • Bipartisan, bicameral: S.684, Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA) & Dan Sullivan (R-AK) 
    • Included in Sec. 1309 of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act 
  • H.R. 1845, the American High-Speed Rail Act, Reps. Seth Moulton (MA-06), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), and Brendan Boyle (PA-02) 
    • Included in Sec. 9102 of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act 
  • H.R. 512, the Green Bus Act, Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26) 
    • Included in Sec. 2403 of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act 
  • H.R. 3334, the Building Up the Suburbs (BUS) Act, Reps. Carolyn Bourdeaux (GA-07), Lucy McBath (GA-06), and Carlos Gimenez (FL-26) 
    • Bipartisan; included in Sec. 104 of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act 
  • H.R. 611, the Rebuilding Our Communities by Keeping Aggregates Sustainable (ROCKS) Act, Reps. Gregory Stanton (AZ-09) and Troy Balderson (OH-12) 
    • Bipartisan, bicameral: S.1672, Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) & Rob Portman (R-OH) 
    • Included in Sec. 1613 of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act 
  • H.R. 2053, the Resiliency Enhancement Act, Rep. Stacey Plaskett (VI-At Large) ), Ted Lieu (CA-35), and Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (PR-At large) 
  • H.R. 382, the Bikeshare Transit Act, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Ayanna Pressley (MA-7), and Vern Buchanan (FL-16) 
    • Included in Sec. 2102 of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act 
  • H.R. 867, the High Speed Rail Corridor Development Act, Rep. Jim Costa (CA-16) 
    • Included in Sec. 9102 of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act 
  • H.R. 3386, the Smart Cities and Communities Act, Rep. Suzan DelBene (WA-01) 
    • Bicameral: Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), pending reintroduction 

 

Build with Smart and Inclusive Planning, Zoning, and Development 

In order to promote widely-shared economic growth, access to opportunity, and equity and inclusion, we should streamline and align planning and permitting processes, reform zoning and land-use policies including transit-oriented affordable housing development, and support communities with capacity building and regional planning efforts.  

The NDC-endorsed bills to build with smart and inclusive planning, zoning, and development are:  

  • H.R. 2483, the Build More Housing Near Transit Act, Reps. Scott Peters (CA-52), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5) 
    • Bipartisan; included in Sec. 2703 of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act 
  • H.R. 2177, the Fair Transportation Act, Rep. Norma Torres (CA-35) 
    • Included in Secs. 1631, 5109, and 5505 of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act 
  • H.R. 2833, the Reconnecting Communities Act, Reps. Anthony Brown (MD-04) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-At Large) 
    • Bicameral: S.1202, Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) 
    • Included in Sec. 1311 of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act. 
  • H.R. 1615, the Maximizing Our Redevelopment and Efficiency for Transit Oriented Development Act, Rep. Anthony Brown (MD-04) 
    • Included in Sec. 2701 of H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act 
  • The Sustainable Communities Act, Rep. Norma Torres (CA-35) (pending reintroduction, 116th H.R. 927)  
  • H.R. 3198, the Yes in My Backyard (YIMBY) Act, Reps. Derek Kilmer (WA-06) and Trey Hollingsworth (IN-9) 
    • Bipartisan, bicameral: S.1614, Sens. Todd Young (R-IN) & Brian Schatz (D-HI) 
  • H.R. 2573, the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, Reps. Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Jackie Walorski (IN-02), Don Beyer (VA-08), and Brad Wenstrup (OH-02)? 
    • Bipartisan, bicameral: S.1136, Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) & Todd Young (R-IN) 

We thank you for your consideration of these NDC-endorsed priorities and look forward to working with you to advance a bipartisan infrastructure package which embraces innovation, is built to last, promotes equity and inclusion, and creates widely-shared economic growth and good jobs.  

Sincerely, Reps. Carolyn Bourdeaux, Norma Torres, Suzan DelBene, Scott Peters, Ami Bera, Stacey Plaskett, ChrissyHoulahan, Kathy Manning, Derek Kilmer, Colin Allred, Cheri Bustos, Sean Patrick Maloney, Seth Moulton, Chris Pappas, Terri Sewell, Mikie Sherrill, Marilyn Strickland 



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