Click here to watch Chairman Barrasso’s remarks.  

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), delivered the following remarks on the House Democrats’ partisan infrastructure legislation. 

Senator Barrasso’s remarks: 

“Yesterday, the Democrats in the House passed their 100 percent partisan version of a highway infrastructure bill. 

“They co-opted a bipartisan issue and completely cut Republicans out of the conversation. 

“Not only that, but House Democrats added a laundry list of left-wing proposals in what they passed. 

“In a sense, it’s ‘Groundhog Day’ for the Green New Deal.

“This far-left fantasy has become a recurring nightmare, and we saw it yesterday on the floor of the House of Representatives. 

“The Democrats must be taking their cue from Joe Biden. 

“The Biden campaign is promoting the Green New Deal as ‘a crucial framework.’ 

“Biden has put the Green New Deal author Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in charge of his climate task force. 

“This is where the Democrats want to take the country. 

“The truth is, Joe Biden has just now become a Trojan horse for the far, far-left. 

“And House Democrats’ partisan highway bill is a road to nowhere. 

“It is going to see no light of day in the United States Senate. 

“Infrastructure must be bipartisan – especially now. 

“The House should follow the Senate’s lead.

“Senate Republicans, in the majority, have worked across the aisle with our Democrat colleagues to make this serious issue into policy that is good for all of America. 

“Our bipartisan bill is ready to go. 

“America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act passed the Senate Environment and Public Works committee unanimously – 21 to 0. 

“This landmark legislation will fix our nation’s roads, bridges and tunnels. 

“We invest $287 billion in our highways over five years. 

“That’s a 27 percent increase over current highway funding. 

“It is especially critical to our economic recovery today. 

“We still have close to 20 million Americans out of work due to the coronavirus-related lockdowns. 

“Jumpstarting highway projects will speed the recovery, and it will help fuel job creation.

“Our bill benefits the entire country – both urban and rural areas. That’s why we’ve worked together in a bipartisan way. 

“And you know it’s overwhelmingly bipartisan because we have both Senator Bernie Sanders and President Trump supporting it. 

“In fact, President Trump called on Congress to pass the Senate highway bill in his State of the Union address. 

“No question, it’s the right medicine for our roads. 

“It cuts red tape to speed up construction. 

“It makes our roads safer, stronger as well. 

“And it sends money directly to states so people can get back to work. 

“Americans deserve a safe, reliable, efficient transportation system.

“So the Democrats in the House of Representatives need to get serious.

“Their partisan bill is going nowhere. 

“It does seem the Democrats in the House are all about politics, and nothing about progress – the progress we need to make as a country. 

“They are over there pushing socialism, and right here, we are pursuing solutions.

“The country needs less grandstanding, and it needs more governing. 

“I am going to continue to work across the aisle. 

“I will work with the administration. 

“I will not quit until our bipartisan highway infrastructure bill passes and becomes law. 

“Together, we can rebuild America.”

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