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Senator secured commitment from Secretary that implementation of historic infrastructure funds will be fair and consistent with provisions of the law
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema spoke with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg about the Department of Transportation’s crucial role in disbursing funds from the Sinema-led Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law to priority projects across Arizona. Sinema detailed the importance of ensuring effective and efficient implementation, and heard updates from Buttigieg about the status of aviation infrastructure programs.
“The Department has a crucial role to play in disbursing these funds from the bipartisan infrastructure law to make sure the money is distributed equitably and consistent with the provisions of the law. I look forward to working with you and with my colleagues on this committee to continue to advance implementation of the bipartisan infrastructure law to help Arizona families and small businesses get ahead,” said Sinema, a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and co-author of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law.
Sinema honed in on implementation of her Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law’s historic funding in three key areas: highway, aviation, and transit – each of particular relevance to the Department of Transportation.
Specifically, Sinema identified the expansion of Arizona’s Interstate-10 on the 26 miles that the highway passes through lands belonging to the Gila River Indian Community as a priority project for the state, citing severe congestion and delays for motorists. Buttigieg shared with Sinema his approach to distributing this type of funding, and gave his commitment to distribute highway funding consistent with provisions in Sinema’s law.
Under Sinema’s historic infrastructure law, Arizona airports are expected to receive $348 million for crucial upgrades over the next five years. Last November, Sinema hosted Buttigieg at Phoenix Sky Harbor to see firsthand the kinds of improvements Sinema’s infrastructure law will make in passenger convenience, safety, and experience. During the hearing, Buttigieg provided a detailed update on the status of aviation infrastructure programs, like the airport terminal and air traffic control programs.
During the hearing, Sinema and Buttigieg underscored the importance of her bipartisan infrastructure law’s increased investment in public transit in communities of all sizes across Arizona, and her role in advancing a provision in the bipartisan infrastructure law that specifically benefits transit projects in Arizona cities with fewer than 200,000 residents, such as Flagstaff and Yuma.
Sinema has been holding regular meetings with local and Tribal leaders across Arizona about the implementation of her bipartisan infrastructure law. Recently, Sinema toured Southern Arizona highlighting her work to ensure local and tribal communities get their fair share of funds from Sinema’s infrastructure law.