Congressman Cleaver Votes for Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, Including More than $9 Billion to Modernize Missouri Infrastructure

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted in favor of the Senate Amendment to H.R. 3684, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, otherwise known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal. The legislation was passed in the House of Representatives with bipartisan support by a vote of 228-206. Included in the landmark legislation is more than $9 billion for the state of Missouri to upgrade roads, bridges, public transit, electric vehicle infrastructure, water infrastructure, airports, ports, broadband access, weatherization, cyber security, and more. The $1.2 trillion investment to modernize our national infrastructure also includes billions of dollars in competitive grant programs to help localities transition to clean energy manufacturing, zero-emission transit, electrified school buses, and a more resilient electric grid—all of which is a critical first step in combating the climate crisis.

"If you had told me at this time last year that President Biden would be able to corral Democrats and Republicans in Congress to come together and pass a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package—something that has been discussed for years now but never realized—I would have offered to drive you to the nearest mental health professional," said Congressman Cleaver. "The passage of this landmark legislation is truly historic and a credit to the ability of President Biden to bring Congress and the American people together. With this long-overdue investment in our national infrastructure, we're going to replace all of our nation's lead pipes, ensure every American has access to reliable internet, modernize our public transit systems, take critical steps to address the climate crisis, and rebuild our crumbling roads and bridges—all while creating millions of good-paying union jobs and accelerating our economic recovery. This is a major win for the country, and I'm proud to have helped pass this transformative piece of legislation."

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, Missouri was given a C- on its most recent infrastructure report card, with 2,190 bridges and over 7,576 miles of highway in poor condition. On average, each driver in Missouri pays $743 per year in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair, and Missourians who take public transportation spend an extra 79.6% of their time commuting, including non-White households, who are 10 times more likely to commute via public transportation. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will help save Missourians time and money by implementing new and improved roads, bridges, and transportation systems.

According to estimates from the White House, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will help Missouri:

• Repair and rebuild our roads and bridges by providing $6.5 billion over five years for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and $484 million for bridge replacement and repairs;
• Deliver clean drinking water and remove lead pipes by providing $866 million over five years to replace every lead pipe in the state and improve drinking water and wastewater infrastructure;
• Improve public transit with sustainable transportation options by providing $674 million over five years to update and upgrade public transit;
• Upgrade our airports and ports by providing $246 million over five years for airport and port infrastructure;
• Connect every Missourian to reliable internet by investing a minimum of $100 million to expand broadband coverage for the 15% of Missouri households who do not have an internet subscription, including 5% of Missourians who live in areas with no broadband infrastructure at all;
• Transition to electric vehicles by providing $99 million over five years to build a state-wide network of electric vehicle chargers;
• Strengthen our infrastructure to handle extreme weather and cyber-attacks by providing $21 million over five years to prepare Missouri's infrastructure to better withstand extreme weather events, which have cost the state roughly $20 billion in damages since 2010. It will also provide $19 million for cybersecurity improvements to protect the state's infrastructure from increasingly common cyber-attacks.

The Fifth Congressional District of Missouri will also be eligible to compete for tens of millions more federal dollars through a wide variety of competitive grant programs that will help electrify school buses and other government vehicle fleets; build bridges that are economically significant; fund major projects that deliver significant economic benefits; create electric vehicle charging stations; enhance grid flexibility and resiliency; connect households to clean drinking water infrastructure; and more.

"The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is giant step forward for the state of Missouri and the Fifth Congressional District," said Congressman Cleaver. "Not only will this generational infrastructure bill prepare our nation to compete and continue to dominate in the 21^st century, but it will also create good-paying jobs that will strengthen the middle-class and our economy as a whole. I look forward to working with local stakeholders to take advantage of the numerous opportunities this legislation will bring to carry out critical projects and build our congressional district back better than ever before."

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.