Davids Applauds Passage of INVEST in America Act, Inclusion of Kansas Infrastructure Priorities

Today, the INVEST in America Act, a comprehensive federal surface transportation bill, passed the House, bringing it one step closer to becoming law. It includes federal funding for two infrastructure projects in the Third District, as well as two bills introduced earlier this year by Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS). Davids spoke on the House Floor ahead of the passage of the INVEST in America Act, sharing why US 69 is an example of the dire need to make long-overdue investments in our infrastructure.

WATCH Rep. Davids' speech on the US 69 project and the INVEST in America Act here:

Rep. Davids delivers a floor speech in support of the INVEST in America Act.

The INVEST in America Act will create jobs by reauthorizing many important transportation programs that keep our highways, bridges, and transit open for business. It also makes historic investments in water and infrastructure needs across the country, including several Kansas priorities:

• $15 million to improve the U.S. Highway 69 interchange at 167th St, a longtime priority for the Third District.
• $10.5 million for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) to purchase electric buses, a joint effort with Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO).
• Davids' Resilient Repairs Act, requiring the U.S. Department of Transportation to rebuild damaged highways, roads, and trails with resiliency in mind—reducing the likelihood of recurring future repairs and minimizing the cost to taxpayers.
• Davids' Helping Communities Invest in Infrastructure Act, helping local communities access infrastructure financing for their projects through existing, but underutilized programs.
• A five-year reauthorization of many important highway and public transportation programs set to expire September 30^th of this year.

As Vice Chair of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Davids joined her colleagues to consider the bill at a marathon 19-hour markup earlier this month, where it passed with bipartisan support. It has now passed 221-201 out of the House and moves to the Senate, who passed their Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act in May. A full list of the transformative investments included in the INVEST in America Act to create jobs and bring our infrastructure into the modern era can be found here.

WATCH Rep. Davids share the needs of the Third District at a press conference on the INVEST in America Act with Chair DeFazio, Speaker Pelosi, and others here.

"The Third District of Kansas has waited a long time for these investments, and I am glad the House passed the INVEST in America Act, including the funds I requested for US Highway 69 and KCATA electric buses. Both projects would make lasting improvements to safety and bring good-paying, stable jobs to our region," said Davids. "I am also proud to see that two bills I introduced have been passed, both of which advance smart, sustainable, and affordable infrastructure policy. This is a solid step towards the type of investment that we need to create a system that works for everyone and is built to last. I urge the Senate to move quickly on this legislation."

"Kansans are well-served by Representative Davids' leadership on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee," said Chair DeFazio. "As Vice Chair of the full Committee, Representative Davids brings a fresh perspective and is key to making sure we are addressing the infrastructure needs of communities of all sizes. I look forward to working with her closely as we move the INVEST in America Act through Congress to bring our infrastructure into the 21^st century and beyond."

"Thanks to the leadership of Representative Davids on the T&I Committee, I'm thrilled to see our joint effort to obtain over $10 million for the KCATA to purchase zero fare electric buses was successful," said Congressman Cleaver. "Not only will this funding help our communities transition to cleaner, more sustainable transit infrastructure, but it will help to generate significant economic activity by allowing Kansas Citians to commute throughout the metro area for free and KCATA to invest in other projects that will create good-paying jobs. Investing in America is never a bad decision—and investing in infrastructure that is sustainable, resilient, and made for the 21st century is exactly what's needed to help our communities build back better from the coronavirus pandemic."

"The resiliency of our transportation network is essential to keep the Kansas economy moving. As we explore how to future-proof our infrastructure investments, resiliency considerations for increasingly affected infrastructure becomes more important every year," said Kansas Secretary of Transportation Julie Lorenz. "Additionally, one of the guiding principles of the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation program (IKE) is to leverage partnerships to deliver infrastructure investments. Adjustments to TIFIA that benefit rural states and create opportunities to save state taxpayers money would be another tool to assist in funding IKE."