Carper Statement on Infrastructure Negotiations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today issued the following statement:

“Earlier this year, I worked with Senator Capito on two bipartisan measures––water infrastructure legislation that we reported from our Committee unanimously and passed in the full Senate on a 89-2 vote and the highway portion of a surface transportation reauthorization bill that we also reported from our committee with unanimous support. I’m proud my work with Senator Capito led to these bipartisan accomplishments and believe they form a solid down payment on the President’s American Jobs Plan. Still, I know we can and must do more to fight climate change and we also need to tackle the challenge of finding appropriate pay-fors.

“Over the last 18 hours, I’ve had the chance to discuss the new bipartisan infrastructure proposal with a number of the Senators who developed it and with other colleagues and I look forward to more in-depth conversations in the coming days. As part of achieving our climate and infrastructure goals, we must reauthorize our surface transportation programs, which are set to expire on September 30. I’m grateful that my colleagues are keenly aware of this urgent need. I will continue to talk with Senators on and off of our committee, as well as partnering with the House and the Administration, to finally get the job done and enact this critical legislation.”