Rep. Wexton Votes for Sweeping Bipartisan Legislation to Rebuild and Modernize America's Infrastructure

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-Virginia, issued the following news release:

Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton voted to pass the bipartisan Moving Forward Act, legislation to invest in modern, sustainable infrastructure while creating millions of good-paying green jobs, combatting the climate crisis, and addressing disparities in urban, suburban, and rural communities across Virginia and the country.

"Improving our infrastructure systems here in Virginia means new jobs, better commutes, and continued economic growth in our communities," said Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton. "We need to invest in infrastructure that is smarter, safer, and built to last. The Moving Forward Act does exactly that -- rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, but also directing much-needed funding towards our schools, affordable housing, and access to broadband. The investments we're making with this legislation will have payoffs right now by helping put Americans back to work, and for generations to come as we prepare for a clean energy future."

The legislation supports many local priorities for Virginia's 10th District, including reauthorizing federal Metro funding for ten years and increasing Metro's funding authorizations. It also includes $1 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to repair and replace air traffic control facilities in need of modernization like the Manassas Regional Airport tower, for which Congresswoman Wexton has been a vocal advocate. The bill also triples funding for Amtrak, extends HOV eligibility for low-emission and energy-efficient vehicles through 2025, and reauthorizes and increases funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program, a regional partnership to restore and protect the Bay.

"I'm proud to have helped secure funding for key priorities in our district in this bill. The long-term federal commitment to Metro will help match the growth of our region, promote equity, and bring jobs to our community. Additionally, replacing Manassas Regional Airport's air traffic control tower continues to be a top priority for me, and I'm pleased to see important funding to upgrade and maintain our air control facilities," Wexton continued.

The Moving Forward Act delivers much-needed investments to fix our nation's crumbling infrastructure and set the path for our recovery from the economic recession due to COVID-19, including:

* A nearly $500 billion investment to rebuild and reimagine transportation infrastructure by fixing crumbling roads and bridges, improving safety, reducing gridlock, and putting the U.S. on a path toward zero emissions from the transportation sector by cutting carbon pollution, funding public transit and the national rail network, and building out fueling infrastructure for low- and zero-emission vehicles.

* $130 billion in funding for school infrastructure targeted at high-poverty schools with facilities that endanger the health and safety of students and educators, helping students get back to school and creating more than 2 million jobs to help workers get back to work.

* Delivering affordable high-speed broadband Internet access to all parts of the country by investing $100 billion to promote competition for broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved communities, getting children connected to remote learning and helping close the "homework gap", and enhancing payment support for low-income households and the recently unemployed.

* A $25 billion investment to modernize the U.S. Postal Service infrastructure and operations, including a zero emissions postal vehicle fleet.

* Creation and preservation of 1.8 million affordable homes by investing over $100 billion in affordable housing infrastructure to reduce housing inequality, improve hazardous living conditions, and increase community and household resiliency in the face of natural disaster.

* Protecting access to safe drinking water by investing over $25 billion in the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and other programs to help remove dangerous chemicals like PFAS from local water systems and supporting new wastewater infrastructure to prevent pollution in local waterways.

* Modernization of our energy infrastructure for a clean energy future by investing over $70 billion to transform the electric grid to accommodate more renewable energy, expand renewable energy, help develop an electric vehicle charging network, and support energy efficiency, weatherization, and smart communities infrastructure.

* Promoting new renewable energy by incentivizing the development of wind and solar on public lands and building a workforce for offshore wind.

* Modernization of our health care infrastructure through an investment of $30 billion to increase hospital capacity and strengthen care, aid community health centers' response to COVID-19 and future health emergencies, improve clinical laboratory infrastructure, and increase capacity for community-based care.

* Upgrades to child care facilities to ensure settings are safe, appropriate, and able to comply with public health directives by leveraging a 5-year, $10 billion federal investment to generate additional state and private investments.

* Promoting investments in our communities by spurring private investment through revitalizing the Build America Bonds program, expanding Private Activity Bonds, and enhancing the New Markets Tax Credit and the Rehabilitation Tax Credit.

A fact sheet on the Moving Forward Act can be found here https://transportation.house.gov/imo/media/doc/Fact%20sheet%20HR%202%20Moving%20Forward%20Act%20FINAL.pdf.