Freedom First Society

Issue: H.R. 3684, As Amended, INVEST in America Act. A bill to authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, highway safety programs, and transit programs, and for other purposes (commonly referred to as the bipartisan Senate infrastructure deal).  Question:  On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 3684, As Amended).

Result:  Passed in Senate, 69 to 30, 1 not voting.  (Back to House: Passed by the House, Roll Call 369, 11-5-21).  Became Public Law No. 117-58 (signed by the President, 11-15-21).

Freedom First Society:  A massive federal spending bill, including unconstitutional spending to manage us re the myth of man-made climate change, including getting us out of gasoline powered automobiles.

We give red x’s to the 19 GOP senators who voted for this measure, which was unanimously supported by the Democrats.

We have assigned (good vote) to the Nays and (bad vote) to the Yeas. (P = voted present; ? = not voting; blank = not listed on roll call.)

Congressional Research Service Summary:

Shown Here:
Introduced in House (06/04/2021)

Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act or the INVEST in America Act

This bill addresses provisions related to federal-aid highway, transit, highway safety, motor carrier, research, hazardous materials, and rail programs of the Department of Transportation (DOT).

Among other provisions, the bill

  • extends FY2021 enacted levels through FY2022 for federal-aid highway, transit, and safety programs;
  • reauthorizes for FY2023-FY2026 several surface transportation programs, including the federal-aid highway program, transit programs, highway safety, motor carrier safety, and rail programs;
  • addresses climate change, including strategies to reduce the climate change impacts of the surface transportation system and a vulnerability assessment to identify opportunities to enhance the resilience of the surface transportation system and ensure the efficient use of federal resources;
  • revises Buy America procurement requirements for highways, mass transit, and rail;
  • establishes a rebuild rural bridges program to improve the safety and state of good repair of bridges in rural communities;
  • implements new safety requirements across all transportation modes; and
  • directs DOT to establish a pilot program to demonstrate a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee to restore and maintain the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund and achieve and maintain a state of good repair in the surface transportation system

Freedom First Society Analysis:

Here is how the measure’s sponsor Rep. Peter DeFazio touted the triumph:

Here are a few things from the White House fact sheet on that bill. It makes the largest Federal investment in public transit ever; makes the largest Federal investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak; makes the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the Interstate Highway System; makes the largest investment in clean drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in American history, delivering clean water to millions of Americans; ensures every American has access to reliable high-speed internet; tackles climate change with the largest investment in clean energy and EV infrastructure, electrifying thousands of school and transit buses; reconnecting communities; safe streets; $17 billion for ports; $25 billion for airports.

This is what the President managed to negotiate with the recalcitrant Senate and get around the filibuster and get 19 Republican votes.

Note the promotion of “clean energy” — the Left’s effort to control us using the false claim of manmade climate change.

 

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