Spanberger Votes to Pass Bipartisan Physical Infrastructure Bill, Send to President’s Desk

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger tonight voted with a bipartisan majority of the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a historic, job-creating, and bipartisan infrastructure package. The bill now advances to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

According to a report from the American Society of Civil Engineers, failing to act on infrastructure could cost the average American family more than $3,000 per year. And over the next two decades, the U.S. economy could lose $10 trillion in projected GDP and lose more than $23 trillion in business productivity without major investments in physical infrastructure.

The Spanberger-supported, bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act marks the largest investment in America’s physical infrastructure in generations. Among its provisions for Virginia, the legislation includes an estimated $7 billion for Virginia highways and more than $530 million for Virginia bridge replacement and repairs over five years. Additionally, Virginia is expected to receive a minimum of $100 million to support its ongoing efforts to expand high-speed broadband internet access throughout the Commonwealth, as well as an expected $738 million over five years to improve Virginia’s pipes and water infrastructure. Click here for a White House fact sheet outlining the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s Virginia-focused provisions.

Last month, Spanberger and Virginia Governor Ralph Northam joined representatives from several Virginia labor and business organizations to highlight the transformational and job-creating benefits of the bipartisan infrastructure package awaiting action in the U.S. House of Representatives — and to call for its swift passage.

“As I meet with Central Virginians, I hear common priorities: rebuilding from the pandemic, keeping Virginia’s economy strong, and creating new jobs. The bipartisan infrastructure deal — which was the result of weeks of negotiations between Congress and the White House — delivers on these priorities,” said Spanberger. “This long overdue moment demonstrates that Democrats and Republicans can work together to deliver on the common priorities of the American people. Investing in our physical infrastructure is not a partisan issue — it’s an issue of good governance and an issue of doing our jobs.”

Spanberger continued, “For Virginia, this bill means historic investments in our roads, rail systems, bridges, broadband internet, water systems, and electrical grid. Tonight’s passage of this bill means we are on course towards creating thousands of good-paying jobs, fostering long-term economic growth, and staying competitive with nations like China. This legislation will be truly transformative, and I am confident in its ability to have a game-changing impact on Central Virginia’s economy and keep our state the best in the nation for business. However, I will also be working in Congress to ensure proper oversight of the bill’s implementation and funding distribution — and I will make sure Central Virginia receives the resources and support it deserves through this package.”

The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would create thousands of new jobs and support physical infrastructure projects in Central Virginia and across the country, including through an estimated:

ROADS & BRIDGES

• $7 billion for Virginia highways and $537 million for Virginia bridge replacement and repairs over five years. In Virginia, there are 577 bridges and more than 2,124 miles of highway in poor condition.
• $40 billion nationwide for bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation. This investment marks the single-largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the federal interstate highway system. 

TRANSIT

• $1.2 billion over five years to improve public transportation in Virginia.
• $66 billion nationwide in passenger rail to upgrade speed, accessibility, efficiency, and resilience. This investment includes $22 billion in grants to Amtrak, $24 billion as federal-state partnership grants for Northeast Corridor modernization, $12 billion for partnership grants for intercity rail service including high-speed rail, $5 billion for rail improvement and safety grants, and $3 billion for grade crossing safety improvements. This funding is expected to support ongoing projects in Virginia — including several announced with CSX, Norfolk Southern, Amtrak, and VRE.

AIRPORTS, PORTS, & WATERWAYS

• $25 billion to improve the nation’s airports — including investments in runways, gates, terminals, and concourses.
• $17 billion for port infrastructure to fund waterway and coastal infrastructure, inland waterway improvements, and land ports of entry.

BROADBAND INTERNET

• $65 billion for broadband internet deployment nationwide to increase access and lower costs associated with connecting to the internet.
• A minimum allocation of $100 million for broadband internet expansion in Virginia. Under this bill, more than 1.9 million Virginians will be eligible for the expanded Affordability Connectivity Benefit, which will help low-income Virginia families afford high-speed internet access.

CLIMATE & RESILIENCE

• $47 billion nationwide for climate resilience measures that will help our communities weather increasingly severe storms, droughts, floods, fires, heat waves, and sea level rise. This investment will also support FEMA flood mitigation grants, make infrastructure investments to increase coastal resilience, and improve mapping and data so that households and businesses can better protect themselves from future flood events.
• $238 million for the Chesapeake Bay Program to support its ecosystem resiliency and restoration efforts.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING

• $106 million for Virginia over five years to support the expansion of an electric vehicle (EV) charging network in the Commonwealth. Virginia will also have the opportunity to apply for the $2.5 billion in nationwide grant funding dedicated to EV charging included in the bill.

BACKGROUND

Passing a bipartisan, physical infrastructure-focused bill has been one of Spanberger’s major priorities this Congress.

In April 2021, the Congresswoman joined fellow Members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus at the White House to discuss a path forward on these much-needed investments. Later that month, Spanberger met with a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators, U.S. Representatives, and Governors — including Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, to discuss shared physical infrastructure priorities in several U.S. states.

Following the successful bipartisan negotiation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in July 2021, Spanberger spoke in support of the legislation at a Problem Solvers Caucus press conference outside the U.S. Capitol. Click here to watch her remarks.

And in August 2021, Spanberger hosted U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm in Central Virginia to highlight the economic benefits of the bipartisan infrastructure legislation following its passage in the U.S. Senate, as well as to amplify ongoing, community-focused efforts to create clean energy jobs in the region.

Spanberger has pushed for large-scale, commonsense investments in physical infrastructure since arriving in the U.S. House.During her first month in office, she called on U.S. House leadership to pursue bipartisan legislation that would invest in critical infrastructure improvements in Central Virginia and across the country.

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