Infrastructure investment has been made a top priority for his new administration by President-Elect Donald Trump. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has now weighed in on the subject, telling reporters that such a bill could be a priority for Congress next year.
“I think the infrastructure of America is lagging far behind. I think this is one that can be a priority,” he told a reporter. “I also believe it can be a bipartisan issue.”
Trump has proposed a US$1 trillion, 10-year infrastructure spending package that relies predominantly on private financing and calls into question how lawmakers could ensure the legislation does not run afoul of congressional budgetary rules.
Republicans historically have had concerns about how quickly infrastructure projects can be realised, McCarthy said, indicating at a minimum that members may seek to build on changes made to the federal permitting process in the FAST Act. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said last week, however, another infrastructure bill would not be a priority for the Senate given that the 2015 infrastructure bill runs through 2020.
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