Governor Larry Hogan issued the following statement on final congressional passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill:
“For seven years, Maryland has been leading on rebuilding crumbling infrastructure and advancing vital investments for the future like cyber security, broadband, and resiliency. Now, this bipartisan bill will put America’s infrastructure on the right track to grow jobs and make our economy competitive for the twenty-first century without raising taxes or adding to the debt, including $6 billion for Maryland to improve transit systems, railways, clean water systems, roads, bridges, and tunnels.
“After decades of gridlock, I’m proud to have helped push the federal government to finally act. When Washington had given up on getting anything done, we rallied all 50 governors in support of common sense principles for federal action. When the conventional wisdom said that a bipartisan infrastructure bill was a pipe dream, we hosted the Annapolis infrastructure summit with a bipartisan group of governors, senators, and members of the House Problem Solvers Caucus where we hammered out a compromise on the scope of this bill.
“This legislative success proves that it’s still possible for leaders of goodwill to overcome toxic politics and work together to solve serious problems, but it does not fix what is broken in Washington. The extreme partisan tax hike and spending bill currently being debated by the House represents the very worst of Washington. The last thing our nation needs while inflation is rising and the national economic recovery is stalling is this massive grab bag of tax hikes, Democratic wish list items, and handouts to special interests.
“Let’s not squander the momentum from the bipartisan infrastructure bill. I urge the Congress to reject this divisive and reckless legislation.”
Timeline of Governor Hogan’s National Infrastructure Efforts:
July 26, 2019: As chairman of the National Governors Association (NGA), Governor Hogan launches a year-long national initiative focused on rebuilding America’s crumbling infrastructure. Throughout the initiative, Governor Hogan convenes summits and study tours across the country and the world.
March 5, 2020: Governor Hogan meets with House Problem Solvers Caucus and their Senate allies to brief them on his NGA initiative and to urge bipartisan action on a federal infrastructure bill.
August 5, 2020: Governor Hogan releases a series of recommendations for a federal infrastructure bill, including investing in roads, bridges, waterways, cyber security, and broadband, strengthening public-private partnerships, and eliminating red tape.
February 12, 2021: Governor Hogan meets with President Biden in the Oval Office. During the meeting, Governor Hogan repeatedly urges President Biden to support a bipartisan infrastructure approach.
February 24, 2021: Governor Hogan, joined by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, testifies at a U.S. Senate hearing on the importance of passing a bipartisan infrastructure package.
March 12, 2021: Governor Hogan writes USA Today op-ed urging President Biden to focus on a bipartisan infrastructure bill.
April 23, 2021: Governor Hogan convenes the Annapolis Infrastructure Summit with a bipartisan group of governors, senators, and members of the House Problem Solvers Caucus. At the summit, the group agrees on the scope of the package.
May 10, 2021: Governor Hogan writes CNBC op-ed outlining a bipartisan infrastructure compromise.
June 22, 2021: Governor Hogan leads No Labels, Chamber of Commerce, and Business Roundtable campaign urging President Biden to embrace the bipartisan agreement.
August 26, 2021: Governor Hogan writes a Fox News op-ed calling out President Biden and Speaker Pelosi for holding the infrastructure bill hostage to the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill.
September 25, 2021: Governor Hogan writes a USA Today op-ed urging Congress to “just get [the bipartisan infrastructure bill] done.”