Press Releases

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) released the following statement regarding potential next steps in addressing America’s infrastructure needs:

“It remains to be seen how Congress will address infrastructure in the coming months.  For me, transportation infrastructure should be the priority, and T&I Committee Republicans will be prepared to work in a constructive manner with all our partners to reach agreement – just as we did with the CARES Act.  Importantly, in order to achieve what is best for the country and American workers, we need to avoid partisan objectives while allowing some of the great bipartisan work we just accomplished in the CARES Act to begin taking effect in our economy.

“As we prepare for any next steps, I continue to have discussions with various stakeholders to get their input and potential ideas on infrastructure. 

“I recently talked with high-level business executives who support investments in our transportation infrastructure and, knowing it’s the only way anything will get done, called on Congress to work together across the aisle. 

“We discussed the need to heed lessons from the 2008 stimulus and its focus on supposedly ‘shovel-ready’ projects.  We know now that ‘shovel-ready’ doesn’t work, and that more effective ways to get federal funding into projects and creating jobs is by speeding up the project permitting process and funneling available funding through good existing programs, such as the Federal-Aid Highway Program and the Airport Improvement Program.

“Looking ahead, there is a range of directions Congress can take, and we will be ready to move forward as this process evolves.  Infrastructure always has been and always will be the backbone of our economy.  Congress can help provide a strong economic recovery and a strong economic future by working in partnership – not partisanship – to address America’s infrastructure needs.”