Carper and Capito Applaud Committee Passage of Bipartisan Surface Transportation Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va), the Committee’s Ranking Member, today applauded unanimous Committee passage of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act (STRA).

 “I’m proud that we’ve advanced a robust, bipartisan investment in our nation’s highways, roads, and bridges that will make a vital first down payment on President Biden’s American Jobs Plan,” said Chairman Carper. “This legislation is an important first step in the critical work needed to upgrade our nation’s infrastructure in a way that creates jobs, combats climate change, and lifts up all Americans for a brighter future.”

 “The EPW Committee is setting the standard for bipartisan leadership in the Senate. The Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act is the product of months of good-faith negotiations with a lot of back and forth. The quality of the bill and today’s overwhelmingly bipartisan vote are a testament to the care, time, and effort of both Republicans and Democrats. STRA takes meaningful steps to repair our country’s crumbling roads and bridges, creates jobs, simplifies the permitting process, and expands the climate title. The bill is flexible to states’ unique needs and responsive to the urgent need for investment. Just as we did with the water infrastructure legislation, Chairman Carper and I stayed laser focused on producing a bill that can actually become law. STRA is further proof that a bipartisan infrastructure deal is possible. I’m hopeful this bipartisan product can be the anchor of a larger infrastructure package moving forward, and I look forward to moving this across the finish line on the Senate floor soon,” Ranking Member Capito said.

 The Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021 sets a new baseline funding level at a historic high of $303.5 billion for Department of Transportation programs for highways, roads, and bridges. This marks an increase of more than 34 percent from the last reauthorization to pass Congress, the FAST Act, in 2015.

 The prior authorization for surface transportation programs expired in 2020; Congress passed a one-year extension that will expire on September 30, 2021.

 Full text of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act approved today be found here. Additional materials include a one-pager and tables for apportionments and authorizations.