Statement by CAGTC President Blakey on passage of FY ’22 Consolidated Appropriations Act

The Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors applauds the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022. The legislation allows the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to fully implement critical funding increases and new programs established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Moreover, the Appropriations Act increases funding for popular competitive grant programs – such as RAISE, CRISI, and PIDP – above BIL funding levels, including an additional $2.7 billion for programs available to multimodal freight projects.

Against the backdrop of national and international supply chain disruptions, swift and efficient implementation of BIL programs is essential. The Coalition looks forward to collaborating with USDOT toward its goal of investing BIL funds into freight infrastructure projects of national and regional significance that support supply chain efficiency and our economy.

The Coalition commends Congressional leadership for increasing much-needed federal transportation infrastructure funding through both the BIL and the Appropriations Act. These historic funding levels will benefit our nation’s infrastructure for years to come – but our work is not done yet. The Coalition encourages USDOT to move forward expeditiously with BIL implementation and the distribution of formula and discretionary funding to critical infrastructure projects across the country.

Notable elements of the Appropriations Act that contain eligibility for goods movement projects are:

• An additional $775 million for fiscal year 2022 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grants. Combined with the $1.5 billion provided by the BIL, these awards will fund a wide range of multimodal transportation projects.
• The Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program will receive $625 million in addition to the $1 billion made available by the BIL for passenger and freight rail improvements.
• The Appropriations Act provides $234 million in additional funding for the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) for investments in coastal seaport and inland port facilities as well as intermodal connections. The BIL provided $450 million for FY22 PIDP grants.
• The legislation includes $1.1 billion for a Bridge Formula Program to replace and rehabilitate bridges in poor condition. A similar formula program received $5.5 billion under the BIL.