Rep. Sherrill Passes Historic, Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, Bringing Critical Investments, Jobs to New Jersey
Bill will modernize America’s crumbling infrastructure, fund the Gateway Tunnel, and improve economic competitiveness

Washington, DC –– Today, Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) voted for H.R. 3684, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This once-in-a-generation, bipartisan legislation includes a significant number of policy priorities Rep. Sherrill has advocated for since her first day in office and provides significant investments for New Jersey.

Having already passed the Senate with strong bipartisan support, including from Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, this critical bill is now heading to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

After the vote, Rep. Sherrill released the following statement: 

“Today’s vote on this bipartisan infrastructure legislation is a culmination of years of work and advocacy. This legislation will fund critical investments in New Jersey’s infrastructure. For too long, New Jerseyans have endured tough commutes – described by some as ‘hell’ and a ‘daily nightmare.’ It takes them away from their families and makes the daily commute a constant guessing game of whether or not they will arrive at a meeting or kid’s soccer game on time.

“We have also struggled in North Jersey with aging water infrastructure and lead pipes.  This bill will fund lead pipe remediation and removal of PFAS contaminants from water systems, ensuring we have safe drinking water but without doing so on the backs of New Jersey taxpayers.

“Finally, as the most densely populated state in the nation, our cars have been our largest carbon emitter. With this infrastructure legislation we will expand our electric charging network and bring down commuting costs for our citizens while mitigating the effects of climate change.

“The jobs that this bill will create and the improvements in our national transportation network will maintain New Jersey’s competitiveness here at home and across the globe.  They will boost our economic efficiency and help fuel our economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The broad bipartisan support this legislation received is also a positive sign to the American people that, despite divisions across the nation, many of us in Congress are working to unite the country and serve the people.

“Delivering this legislation, which will improve the daily lives of American families everywhere, makes me immensely proud. These investments will not only provide jobs and expand our economy in North Jersey, they will also ensure a bright future for our children.”  

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes the following critical priorities for New Jersey and the nation:

• Passenger Rail Funding to Complete the Gateway Tunnel Project
  • Provides $66 billion for passenger rail expansion and improvements, including $22 billion for Amtrak and $24 billion for Northeast Corridor Modernization Grants.
  • That $46 billion for Amtrak and the Northeast Corridor can directly be used to finance the completion of the Gateway Project, including the Hudson River Tunnel.
• Water Infrastructure
  • Invests $55 billion to remove and replace water pipes/infrastructure to eliminate lead and PFAS contaminants in water supplies.
• Electric Grid Modernization and Resiliency
  • Invests $65 billion to build thousands of miles of new power lines and expand renewable energy electricity transmission and storage.
  • Provides $50 billion to make the electric grid (alongside water and transit infrastructure) more resilient to droughts, floods, and cyber attacks.
• Expanding Access to High-Speed Broadband
  • Provides $65 billion to expand high-speed, affordable broadband to millions of families nationwide.
• Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
  • Invests $7.5 billion to build a nationwide network of electric vehicle chargers and spends an additional $7.5 billion to electrify school buses and ferries.
• Public Transportation
  • Provides $39 billion to public transit agencies (such as NJ Transit) to expand and modernize rail and bus lines.
• Road, Bridge, and Highway Modernization
  • Provides $110 billion for the repair, replacement, and rehabilitation of road, bridge, and highway infrastructure.
• Other Major Wins 
  • $21 billion for hazardous site cleanup, including for Superfund and brownfield sites and abandoned mines.
  • $11 billion for transportation safety to help states and localities reduce crashes and fatalities and to improve highway, truck, pipeline, and hazardous materials safety.
  • $25 billion for airport infrastructure
  • $17 billion for ports and waterways infrastructure
    
    

###