The publication is reproduced in full below:
{time} 1030
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Garcia) for 5 minutes.
Ms. GARCIA of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the critical investments coming to my home State of Texas.
This week, the President signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This bipartisan bill is bringing over $35 billion to Texas for important projects that will rebuild our communities. The fact is, Mr. Speaker, that this is long overdue.
When I was a Harris County commissioner, I built a few roads. I saw firsthand how badly our roads and bridges had deteriorated. We regularly scored Cs and Ds on infrastructure that my precinct relied on every day, creating extra costs and putting lives in danger. In fact, roads in terrible condition have forced Texas drivers to pay over $700 in extra costs each year. Since 2011, Texans have seen their commute increase to about half an hour because our roads haven't kept up with our growth.
In that same time, Texans were hit with 60 extreme weather events that cost taxpayers over $200 billion. More than that, crumbling infrastructure has taken the lives of thousands in our great State. Just this February our electric grid nearly collapsed, and over 200 people--many of them seniors--froze to death in their homes.
We are past due in the work to improve our State's infrastructure. That is why I am proud to have voted for this jobs bill and for all of the investments coming to Texas.
The bill that we passed is over $3.5 billion to weatherize our grid and prepare it for future crises. We also invest $27 billion in our State's highways and bridges. We will also get $3 billion to bring safe, clean water to every Texan, especially in our rural communities. This is not small potatoes.
We know how dangerous lead pipes are for growing children. Lead contamination can cause developmental problems, mental health issues, and serious medical emergencies. Because of this funding, we can remove lead pipes from Texas schools and ensure that every child can drink clean, safe water.
Thanks to all of these investments, Texans will have safer commutes, cleaner water, and lower bills for reliable electricity.
But this law does not solve just today's problems. It prepares us for tomorrow's opportunities. Thanks to this law, Texas will receive nearly half a billion dollars to expand the electric vehicle charging network. We will also receive over $1 billion to improve our State's airports which are some of the Nation's busiest. We can also expect over $100 million to bring internet access to 1 million Texans who currently lack it. This is especially important to rural Texans like my sister who has to drive all the way into town to get to the library to access the internet.
Mr. Speaker, it is time to solve these problems and create jobs for our community. That is what this law is going to do. The bill will create thousands of jobs in my State from construction workers and laborers to engineers and scientists, and all of these are good-paying jobs. For every mile of road that is repaved from Houston to El Paso, we will be supporting roadway workers and construction workers. For every electrical line that is repaired to be more reliable in the cold, we will be supporting electricians and engineers. And for every lead pipe that is replaced to keep our children safe, we will be supporting plumbers, laborers, and other workers.
Altogether, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is just about that: rebuilding our infrastructure, investing in the future, and bringing jobs, jobs, jobs to our communities.
I am looking forward to seeing these projects come together in my home State, and I am grateful for the leadership of our President and this Congress in making sure that this can get to all communities in our country.
Together we will truly build back better for Texas.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 200
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
House Representatives' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
Alerts Sign-up