House Infrastructure 'Ready to Move' on Spending Package, DeFazio Says
House Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said Friday he’s working with President Joe Biden’s administration to tweak a coming infrastructure spending package but is “ready to move pretty quickly.” The Biden administration appears to “like the thrust” of the…
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Moving Forward Act infrastructure bill the House passed last year (see 2007010071) but may “want to go bigger” in some aspects or “modify parts” before its refiling, DeFazio told The Hill's webcast Friday. The act included $100 billion in broadband and next-generation 911 funding (see 2006180062). House Infrastructure ranking member Sam Graves, R-Mo., said he remains interested in an infrastructure package but is concerned by proposals to increase the gas tax and other avenues to pay for the extra spending. U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue said an infrastructure package should include a broadband element and suggested a 25 cent gas tax increase could be used to pay for the overall measure. Joint Economic Committee member Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., suggested lawmakers consider alternatives to traditional fiber deployments to increase broadband connectivity as they consider infrastructure spending. Rep. Stacey Plaskett, D-V.I., emphasized the need for broadband spending, noting the federal government has “waited an inordinate amount of time for the private sector to take up the slack.”