House Dems Repel GOP Attempt To Cut Environmental, Alt-Energy & Mass Transit From Highway Bill
House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) plans to beat back several Republican amendments at today's marathon markup of a nearly $500 billion surface transportation bill. The session is one part of House Democrats' broader push for an infrastructure package that will include clean energy legislation and see floor debate June 30. A water projects bill is also on the agenda for next month.
GOP amendments aimed at striking transit and environmental provisions from the highway bill are a "non-starter," DeFazio told E&E News in a phone interview yesterday, where he detailed other House plans on infrastructure.
The Oregon Democrat bashed proposals from Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) that would eliminate support for mass transit, noting Perry offered similar amendments when the GOP-led Congress debated major transportation legislation in 2015. "Mr. Perry, during the FAST Act, when the Republicans were in charge, attempted to decimate transit, as I recall. It's a longtime agenda of his, and it's a non-starter," DeFazio said, referring to the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act.
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When T&I Democrats released the text of the bill two weeks ago, Republicans on the panel complained that they weren't involved in crafting the measure, which they said contained "extreme" environmental provisions. But the chairman defended his actions, saying he was left with no choice because of the GOP's refusal to address fossil fuel use. "They could not work with us on developing the surface bill because we have interwoven in grant programs to states and requirements to reduce fossil fuel pollution," he said. "They don't agree with that."
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https://www.eenews.net/stories/1063402219
