Remaining Focused on Infrastructure

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I recently met with local and State leaders about the infrastructure needs of our community, which are significant. There is widespread agreement that an investment in our Nation's infrastructure is needed to alleviate traffic, improve flooding conditions, and address other safety concerns.

Imagine my disappointment, Madam Speaker, to learn that less than 10 percent of President Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure package will be spent on roads and bridges. Also of concern, less than 2 percent of the package is allocated for waterways, locks, dams, ports, and airports, which are all very important to the State of Florida; and less than 50 percent is allocated for much-needed broadband expansion, which would help to address the digital divide in our country.

These traditional infrastructure projects, coupled with infrastructure investments that are linked to our Nation's security, such as safeguarding our energy grid, water systems, and other critical assets from cyber and other attacks, are the types of projects my constituents want to see funded.

Unfortunately, President Biden is using the guise of infrastructure spending, which enjoys relatively high support among Americans--it is really a bipartisan issue--to push highly partisan and unpopular policy proposals, such as the Green New Deal. Many of these policies will hurt American consumers and workers.

The vast majority of spending in the bill consists of non- infrastructure expenditures. For example, the bill contains $400 billion in expansion of Medicaid; $213 billion in spending for housing initiatives; $100 billion of additional funding for schools, without any type of requirement for them to reopen; $50 billion for a new office at the U.S. Department of Commerce; $35 billion for climate science; and $10 billion for a new ``Civilian Climate Corps.''

Adding insult to injury, Madam Speaker, this astronomical spending plan would be funded through tax increases. This current proposal fails to address our Nation's most critical infrastructure needs and falls short of meeting my constituents' expectations.

We can do better, Madam Speaker, if we work together. My constituents want their elected officials to work together to get things done, improving opportunities for our families and our community. They do not want to see us use our time in Washington to play political games. Please be assured I will remain focused on this paramount objective.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source