U.S. House Passes New Infrastructure Package

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a roughly $760 billion infrastructure package they hope will be incorporated into the bipartisan infrastructure framework currently being negotiated.

The INVEST in America Act includes several climate provisions, including funding for electric-vehicle charging infrastructure, railways, and measures to make infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather. It also extends federal highway legislation, currently set to expire Sept. 30, and funds road and bridge repair, as well as updates to water infrastructure like wastewater and drinking water plants.

All but two Republicans voted against the bill even though it included earmarks some had requested that would help their constituents. Some Republicans criticized the bill for its inclusion of climate measures.

“I heard from my Republican colleague in [the Rules Committee] last night, ‘climate change provisions don’t belong in a transportation bill.’ Seriously? The largest source of fossil fuel pollution in the United States is transportation,” said Rep. Peter DeFazio, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Sources: CBS, Reuters, The Hill, CNN, USA Today, New York Times $, Politico, Washington Post $

This is a quick news brief from Nexus Media (images added by editor).