Today, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., the vice chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, joined Kansas Secretary of Transportation Julie Lorenz and dozens of local leaders to celebrate passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which is expected to bring $3.8 billion to Kansas for infrastructure needs from roads and bridges to high-speed internet and public transit.
The Davids-backed bipartisan infrastructure bill passed into law last week marks the largest investment in America’s physical infrastructure in generations, creating an estimated 2 million jobs a year for the next decade.
The bill is paid for through a combination of new revenues and savings and has been called the most fiscally responsible infrastructure bill in at least a decade by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Among its provisions for Kansas include:
• $2.6 billion for highways
• $225 million for bridge replacement and repairs
• $272 million to improve public transportation options
• a minimum of $100 million to help provide broadband coverage
• access to $3.5 billion flood mitigation assistance program
• $454 million to improve water infrastructure and ensure clean drinking water across the state
• $109 million for airports
“I’ve been working towards this for a while, and I’m proud to say that we passed historic, bipartisan infrastructure legislation that’s going to create good-paying jobs, make strides against climate change, and set the foundation for long-term growth here in the Kansas Third,” Rep. Davids said. “I’m not stopping there—I’m going to keep pushing to bring new investments to projects across our region, like U.S. 69 and the KCATA electric bus expansion, just like I worked to bring this bill across the finish line.”
“By working with Kansans, we will make our roads safer, drive down transportation costs for people and goods and generate economic growth all across Kansas,” said Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz. “I want to thank Rep. Davids for supporting the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which combined with our IKE program, will allow us to deliver the game-changing results Kansans deserve.”
The news conference in Overland Park was attended by members of the local labor community, business leaders, climate advocates, and elected officials —all applauding Davids’ work to pass this much-needed infrastructure legislation and joining the group of more than a dozen Kansas City-area leaders who backed the bill prior to its passage.
Unified Government District 5 Commissioner and LiUNA Local 1290 Public Affairs Director Mike Kane and Overland Park Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President of Public Policy Kevin Walker joined Davids and Secretary Lorenz to speak.
Additionally, today’s event followed the first installment of Davids’ “State of Our Systems” report series on the most pressing infrastructure needs in the 3rd District, which examined bridges. The report noted that 6 of the top 10 most-travelled structurally deficient bridges in Kansas are in the 3rd District and more than 730 local bridges need repairs.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was passed by the House last Friday with 228 votes, including 13 Republican votes. It was passed by the Senate with 69 votes in August. For more information on the expected impact on Kansas, see the fact sheet at
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/KANSAS_Infrastructure-Investment-and-Jobs-Act-State-Fact-Sheet.pdf.