Senator highlighted positive impacts of her bipartisan infrastructure law on rural Arizona communities, pledged to work with local leaders to implement historic funds to lower prices and reduce supply chain challenges
SAFFORD – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema convened local leaders and community members from Graham and Greenlee counties to highlight the historic investments her bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law – which she co-authored and championed into law – makes in Eastern and rural Arizona. Sinema discussed with regional leaders how she’ll work hand-in-hand to ensure they’re able to access every dollar they’re due to help their economy grow and thrive.
“Our roundtable provided an important opportunity to hear from local leaders in rural and Eastern Arizona about their top infrastructure and economic priorities. My team and I are working with Arizonans on the ground to get our historic infrastructure investments to the projects that need them in Graham and Greenlee counties and help their communities’ economies continue to grow and thrive,” said Sinema, co-author and lead negotiator of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law.
Roundtable participants included Pima Mayor Dale Rogers, Thatcher Mayor Randy Bryce, Clifton Mayor Luis Montoya, Duncan Mayor Anne Thurman, Safford Councilman Mike Andazola, Graham County Board Of Supervisors Paul David, John Howard, and Danny Smith, and Greenlee County Board of Supervisors David Gomez, Ron Campbell, and Richard Lunt.
During the roundtable, regional leaders shared infrastructure priority projects in Graham and Greenlee counties. Sinema pledged to work hand-in-hand with regional leaders to implement the landmark funds for Arizona efficiently and effectively.
Sinema hosted her discussion at the Safford Regional Airport to discuss the once-in-a-generation investment her bipartisan infrastructure law provides for aviation infrastructure in Arizona and across the country. Arizona airports alone are expected to receive a total of at least $360 million in additional federal support over the next five years from Sinema’s law.
The bipartisan infrastructure law also provides $110 billion to repair bridges and roads, including unsafe rural roads, and build new major highway projects. In January, Sinema announced $45 million for Arizona this year from her bipartisan infrastructure law to help repair and replace over 130 bridges in poor condition across the state.
Additionally, Sinema’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law makes the strongest investment ever in American public transit with $39.2 billion to expand transit systems, increase accessibility, and fund the nation’s transit system repair backlog, estimated at more than 24,000 buses; 5,000 rail cars; 200 stations; and thousands of miles of track, signals, and power systems—and the biggest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak. In April, Sinema announced that $176 million will be invested in Arizona public transportation this year alone from Sinema’s bipartisan infrastructure law, fueling jobs, and creating more economic opportunities.