Statement by CAGTC Executive Director Nessle on BUILD America 250 Act

In advance of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee markup of the BUILD America 250 Act, CAGTC Executive Director Elaine Nessle offered the following statement:

“The Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors thanks Chairman Sam Graves, Ranking Member Rick Larsen, and members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for their bipartisan efforts to develop a five-year surface transportation authorization proposal. While the bill makes important progress in several areas – including identifying the first new revenue contribution to the Highway Trust Fund in 30 years – it fails in its commitment to freight infrastructure investment.

For decades, the nation’s freight assets were overlooked in federal surface transportation programs. The progress achieved through the last two infrastructure laws to prioritize investment in supply chain infrastructure would be significantly weakened under this proposal.

Dedicated federal freight investment is essential. Programs such as the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects Program (INFRA), National Infrastructure Project Assistance Program (Mega), Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, and Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) strengthen the infrastructure that connects communities to commerce, supports economic growth, and enhances America’s global competitiveness. Further, INFRA must continue to receive dependable and long-term funding from the Highway Trust Fund as it has since its creation over a decade ago.

We urge Congress to build on the momentum of recent years and continue making these critical investments in the next surface transportation reauthorization law.”