The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has announced recipients of nearly $84 billion in grant funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), said Pete Buttigieg, Transportation Secretary, during a hearing Tuesday of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The hearing reviewed the implementation of the IIJA.
Amtrak and high-speed rail programs, the rollout of electric vehicles and the future of the Highway Trust Fund were major areas of questioning for Buttigieg.
Rep. Rodney Davis questioned the state of Amtrak's intercity corridor plan which could connect more cities with 30 new routes while providing increased service on existing lines. Buttigieg explained that the plan consists of “a mix of things that could be done relatively quickly and things that would take more extensive work.” Rep. Greg Stanton said he was optimistic about Amtrak’s proposal to connect Phoenix and Tucson with rail service, while Rep. Steve Cohen asked about the possibility of passenger rail service connecting Memphis and Nashville.
Rep. Seth Moulton asked whether any potential corridors for high-speed trains have been identified for IIJA support. Buttigieg referred only to existing public- and private-sector projects: the publicly funded Los Angeles-San Francisco line in California, Texas Central’s proposed Houston-Dallas project, and Brightline West’s Las Vegas-Victorville, California plan.
Moulton responded, “We’ve got to pick a couple of high-speed rail projects that will succeed and so that Americans can see the value of high-speed rail.”
Rep. Thomas Massie questioned the power of the nation’s power grid to handle the increase in the number of electric vehicles. “Do you think by 2030, which is when Biden says 50% of cars sold should be electric, do you think the grid will be capable of handling electric cars?” he asked Buttigieg.
Buttigieg replied, “It’s going to need to be, and we are working with the Department of Energy every day.” He said the two cabinet departments established the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation “to map out some of the needs.”
Rep. Scott Perry asked Buttigieg about the cost of new electric vehicles: “I’m wondering what the administration and you are doing other than subsidizing ... to lower the cost.” Buttigieg responded, “Nobody I know, certainly not me, thinks that all or even most Americans can easily afford electric vehicles.” He continued to note that some vehicles are available at more moderate prices and that used EVs are also an option for some buyers.
Sam Graves and Rep. Daniel Webster asked about ways to keep the Highway Trust Fund solvent. Funded primarily by federal fuel taxes, shortfalls have required Congress to fill the gap through general fund appropriations, including a $118 billion transfer included in the IIJA.
Buttigieg said, “As we continue the transition toward electric vehicles and zero-emitting vehicles, it means that we’re going to need to have other means for filling gaps in the Highway Trust Fund.”
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Source: USDOT
