STATEMENT: Rep. Ruben Gallego on President Biden Signing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07) released the following statement celebrating President Biden signing into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, otherwise known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal.
Statement from Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07):
“Infrastructure week has finally arrived. I was proud to join President Biden at the White House today as he signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal into law. This law makes critical investments that will improve the everyday lives of Arizonans, who for too many decades have frustratingly dealt with inadequate roads, bridges, and public transit, experienced historic droughts and lack of access to clean water, and been unable to access reliable broadband in their homes and businesses.
“I am humbled that provisions I introduced, such as investments in urban Indian health clinics and a new program that will make our city streets and transit safer and more accessible, were included in the final package. These provisions will increase capacity at local clinics like NATIVE HEALTH and Native Connections to provide care to Native American and other vulnerable populations and it will help reduce pedestrian deaths in Arizona’s seventh district, which has the highest fatality rate of this kind nationwide.
“With the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act now law and these critical funds on their way to our communities, I am ready to get the Build Back Better Act through Congress and to the President’s desk.”
As a member of the House Natural Resources Committee and a leader on the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States, several provisions introduced by Rep. Gallego were included in the final Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. These provisions include:
- H.R. 3496, the Urban Indian Health Care Providers Facilities Improvement Act. H.R. 3496 paves the way for investment in health infrastructure by urban Indian health clinics that provide care to vulnerable populations in cities across the country.
- H.R. 1289, the Complete Streets Act. H.R. 1289 is partially included in the final infrastructure package. The final language of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act requires that states and metropolitan planning organizations set aside 2.5 percent of their highway planning funding for designing “complete streets” projects and policies that will improve safety and accessibility for all users of the road.