WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) will introduce legislation that would require significant infrastructure bills and joint resolutions to provide at least 50% of funding to programs, initiatives, or projects that directly impact construction or maintenance of highways, roads, bridges, dams, passenger and freight railways, airports, waterways and ports, public schools, and their safety. Any legislation providing these funds in excess of $100 billion would have to comply with this rule if adopted.
The introduction of the No IRRESPONSIBLE Spending Act follows the announcement of President Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure package that allocates less than 6% of its funding to roads and bridges.
“President Biden and Speaker Pelosi’s $2.3 trillion ‘infrastructure’ package allocates less than 6% of its funding to roads and bridges but commits $600 billion to the Green New Deal. As Americans await needed investments in their communities, using the guise of infrastructure to advance a partisan agenda is disingenuous and wrong,” said Turner. “That is why today I am introducing The No IRRESPONSIBLE Spending Act. This legislation would stop ridiculous attempts to redefine infrastructure by responsibly prioritizing investments into our bridges, highways, waterways, and schools. President Biden and Speaker Pelosi should make true on their promise of bipartisanship and get serious about legislation that will tangibly address the infrastructure needs of our communities.”
President Biden’s plan has sparked a debate on what constitutes infrastructure. Democrats like Senator Kirsten Gillibrand have publicly expressed that, “Paid leave is infrastructure. Childcare is infrastructure. Caregiving is infrastructure.”
Currently, the $2.3 trillion “American Jobs Plan” includes priorities deemed by many as unrelated to infrastructure, including $10 billion for a new Civilian Climate Corpsthat will “advance environmental justice,” $213 billion for housing and to increase federal control of local housing markets, and $400 billion to expand Medicaid. Less than 5% of the package goes to broadband and less than 2% goes to waterways, locks, dams, ports, and airports.
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