America's Transportation Infrastructure Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. CRAMER. Mr. President, I rise in support of America's Transportation Infrastructure Act, a bill we on the Environment and Public Works Committee passed today with broad bipartisan support.

Our bill contains the largest funding commitment in highway authorization history. It grows our economy, enhances roads and bridges, improves transportation safety, provides funds for necessary projects, eliminates burdensome regulation, promotes innovation, and invests in our Tribal lands.

Our EPW chairman said the bill would ``enhance quality of life for the American people.'' Our ranking member believes it ``can endure the test of time and keep up with the evolving demands of a 21st century global economy.'' I agree with their assessments, and as a member of EPW, I want to thank them for listening to our priorities and collaborating with each of us.

Since joining the Senate, I have expressed my belief that divided government presents an opportunity for us to achieve mutually beneficial goals and shared priorities. President Trump, myself, and my colleagues in Congress agree on the importance of investing in our Nation's infrastructure. This bill is proof that we can work together in a bipartisan manner on behalf of the American people.

More important to me than anything else, our bill also reflects the needs of my great State of North Dakota. As a large, rural State built on agriculture and natural resources, we are heavily dependent on our extensive infrastructure to get our goods to market.

With that in mind, I reached out our stakeholders at the very beginning of this process to glean their perspective. We received input and comments from city, county, and State leaders all across North Dakota, expressing their desire for a highway bill reauthorization that works best for our State.

Their feedback and priorities are very important to me. While not all of their requests were met, I want them to know their voices were heard. I therefore ask unanimous consent for the letters they sent us to be printed in the Record following my remarks. Full versions of each of these letters can be found on my official website.

I would also like to take a moment to highlight some of the bright spots in this legislation.

First, at $287 billion, this is the largest highway bill in history. North Dakotans made it clear: They want a real, long-term reauthorization that does more than the status quo and actually invests in our Nation's roads and bridges.

Second, 90 percent of these funds will be distributed to the States via formula. That is incredibly important to large, rural States like North Dakota. The main point for the formula is that it is not discretionary, so it is stable, predictable funding. We have vast stretches of highway system that contribute greatly to our Nation's economy and interstate commerce. Despite our low population, rural States contribute much more to the highway trust fund per capita than the rest of the country. In fact, North Dakota contributes the second-highest amount in the country, roughly three times more than the national average. Maintaining the current formula ensures that our State's contribution is acknowledged and paid back to us in a consistent, unbiased manner, giving North Dakota steady funding and flexibility to prioritize our State's transportation needs. Under this bill, transportation funding has increased by 27 percent, and North Dakota will receive nearly $1.6B over the next 5 years, which is welcome news to communities back home.

Third, America's Transportation Infrastructure Act cuts duplicative bureaucracy and delays. For example, it establishes a 2-year goal for completing environmental reviews, a 90-day timeline for related project authorizations, and an accountability system for these projects. The days of half-finished, never-ending projects must come to an end. This bill acknowledges that. In addition, it creates incentives to lessen carbon emissions and reduce methane and energy waste.

Lastly, this bill includes multiple provisions I have cosponsored. The bipartisan USE-IT Act, which incentivizes carbon capture and sequestration technology, is included in this package; as is the Addressing Underdeveloped and Tribally Operated Streets Act, also known as the AUTOS Act. The AUTOS Act, sponsored by my fellow North Dakota Senator John Hoeven, would enhance the safety of roads on Indian lands by streamlining existing federal procedures and increasing funding to repair roads and bridges in Indian country.

These just a few of the many aspects of our bill that I support. As I have demonstrated, this is an economically and environmentally responsible bill. It is a win for both sides of the aisle and a win for our country. I am grateful our committee was able to take this first step today. I encourage my colleagues in the House to be proactive and to avoid procrastinating until the last minute. Let's work together in a timely fashion to deliver a significant investment for the constituents we serve.

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