(March 6, 2018) - The Senate began formal consideration of the White House infrastructure proposal last week, with a hearing in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Elaine Chao, Secretary of the Department of Transportation, and R.D. James, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, provided testimony in support of the proposal outlined by President Trump. Members of Congress used the opportunity to question how the proposals would be paid for, which the White House has said will be the responsibility of Congress to determine.

Little new ground was covered in the testimony. While the hearing did underscore the strong interest from both Republicans and Democrats in addressing infrastructure, it also highlighted the differences in preferred approaches and priorities, and the challenges that lie ahead for advancing water legislation.

A similar hearing is scheduled in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee this week. NACWA will continue urging for continued progress on a bipartisan infrastructure package with clean water as a core component as Congress considers development of an infrastructure bill. Contact Kristina Surfus, NACWA’s Legislative Director, to discuss.