By GEORGE WOOLSTON | Burlington County Times | Published: May 12, 2021 WILLINGBORO, N.J. (Tribune News Service) A request for federal funding for the project to connect the Fort Dix and Lakehurst sections of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst has gone before a new committee. U.S. Rep. Andy Kim (D-03) recently submitted an $8 million request to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for the Route 539 overpass project. The committee request, Kim said, is potentially a new path toward funding the critical infrastructure project. The trouble we ve had before, there s continued disagreement over who is going to pay for part of it, Kim said. It s holding up a significant issue . I decided to try and come at this from a different direction.
Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would provide states, territories and tribes with $1.4 billion annually to protect important species and their associated habitats.
WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK
Republican Counterproposal. Senate Republicans are crafting a counter-proposal as an alternative to President Joe Biden’s American Jobs Plan (AJP). The package is expected to cost around $600 to $800 billion and consist only of “traditional” infrastructure projects like highways, roads and bridges. When exactly the proposal will be introduced is unclear, but its contents will continue to develop this week.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
White House Infrastructure Meeting. President Biden continued his push to gain support from lawmakers for his infrastructure proposal. Yesterday, he held the second in a series of meetings on the plan, this time with lawmakers that previously served as state or local government officials.
The Ledger
U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, D-Kissimmee, has submitted 11 projects to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for consideration in surface transportation authorization legislation. That legislation builds on the Moving Forward Act, which passed in the House last year, Soto’s office said.
The submissions include four Polk County projects. Soto has requested nearly $1.4 million for Florida Department of Transportation for the widening of Hinson Avenue in Haines City. The representative is also seeking $300,000 to improve the intersection of U.S. 17-92 and County Road 557 in Lake Alfred.
Soto submitted two requests for widening Lucerne Park Road (CR 544)in the Winter Haven area. He requested $5 million to expand the stretch between Martin Luther King Boulevard and Lucerne Loop Road and another $5 million to widen the road from Lucerne Loop Road and State Road 17.
Note
: Congress recently voted on a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA, P.L.117-2). It includes stimulus checks for individuals, expanded unemployment benefits, and funding for vaccines, state and local governments, schools and child care. The ARPA marks a huge win for the Biden administration during its first 50 days in office.
Before the ink is dry, the administration has already pivoted to the second phase of the Biden agenda: Build Back Better. While ARPA was largely a relief bill, the next phase will be about rebuilding the economy, starting with a
mult
itrillion-dollar
plan that includes infrastructure, green energy and incentives to bolster domestic manufacturing. It will also build upon the individual relief provided in the first bill and seek to make those provisions permanent and will likely be paid for by corporate tax rate increases, a repeal of oil and gas tax breaks and increases in taxes on the wealthy.