WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Leaders presented a comprehensive infrastructure plan that would invest $760 billion over five years and create 10 million new jobs. The “Moving Forward” framework identifies critical investments in America’s roads, bridges, transit systems, railways, airports, ports, waterways, wastewater and drinking water systems, brownfields and broadband.
“Arizona is one of the fastest growing states in the country—we need to invest now in smart, sustainable infrastructure that will support our communities in the future,” said Rep. Greg Stanton, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “From reliable public transportation to safe roadways to modern water systems, Arizonans deserve robust infrastructure that is built to last.”
Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke at the press conference about the importance of bringing everyone to the table for the conversation on infrastructure. She highlighted the role of former mayors in Congress noting, “Mr. Neal [Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee] was a mayor. And Mr. Stanton was a mayor, and infrastructure was a very important part of his leadership then and is now and will be as we go forth.” She said the committees working on the plan were “especially invigorated” by their new members.
The plan emphasizes an investment in American workers by creating family-wage jobs and putting people to work on transformative projects in urban, rural and tribal communities. It includes funds for workforce development and apprenticeship programs in water utility jobs—an initiative aligned with a bill introduced by Stanton last year.
The Moving Forward framework directs additional resources to a number of priorities for tribal communities, including transportation and highways and clean water projects.
It also includes multiple initiatives to reduce carbon pollution, improve energy efficiency and advance renewable energy systems.
“We’re at the point where the cost of inaction is too great for our communities to bear,” said Stanton. “The choice to prioritize infrastructure investment shouldn’t rest solely on our local governments. We’re stepping up to make sure Congress does its part to bring our infrastructure into the 21st century.”
Stanton has long advocated for transportation and infrastructure investment. During his time as Phoenix mayor, he led one of the most ambitious transportation initiatives in the country—a bipartisan, voter-backed plan to extend Phoenix’s light rail system, expand bus service, and improve thousands of miles of roadways over the next 35 years.
Move Forward Framework Investments
The Move Forward framework includes $760 billion in investments over five years including:
- $434 billion for states, cities, counties, transit agencies and regional transportation organizations to undertake transformative transportation investments
- $10 billion for safety and enforcement programs
- $55 billion in passenger rail transportation
- $30 billion in airport and airway infrastructure
- $10 billion in water resources
- $7 billion in transformative water resources investments, including funds to address a backlog of development projects
- $3 billion to transform inland waterways
- $50.5 billion for clean water infrastructure
- $17.5 billion to local governments to fund energy efficiency and conservation projects to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, reduce costs for consumers and put people back to work
- This priority aligns with a bill Stanton introduced last year to reauthorize and increase funding for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program.