With Four Rouda Provisions, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Passes INVEST in America Act
LAGUNA BEACH, CA – Today, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure passed H.R. 2, the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation (INVEST) in America Act, a 5-year, nearly $500 billion investment in our nation's infrastructure, with four Rep. Rouda (CA-48) provisions.
"The INVEST in America Act is a strategic and cost-effective bill that empowers businesses, protects families, and creates quality American jobs — all while addressing the climate crisis," said Rouda. "My provisions, which increase competition and overhaul outdated regulations, would improve Southern California's transportation and energy systems while saving taxpayer dollars.”
“Finding smarter solutions to finally repair, rebuild and modernize our country’s infrastructure is key to driving economic growth and securing a better future for everyone. Congressman Rouda has done a tremendous job working with his colleagues to find ways to help communities stretch the limited resources that are available to fund infrastructure projects. We support Congressman Rouda’s amendment for a study of how taxpayer dollars are spent, and we hope it will eventually lead to the elimination of outdated restrictions that prevent communities from considering a full range of cost-effective and resilient materials,” said Chris Jahn, President & CEO of the American Chemistry Council.
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Rep. Rouda INVEST in America Act Provisions:
SMART Infrastructure Amendment (Rouda 105): Would direct the U.S. Department of Transportation to initiate a review of procurement practices for transportation construction materials on federally-funded highway projects to encourage the use of resilient materials and improve the use of taxpayer dollars.
Household Goods Amendment (Rouda 101): Would direct the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to update regulations regarding the interstate transportation of household goods to protect consumers and support innovative technologies.
Transit-Supportive Communities Amendment (Rouda 107): Clarifies that metropolitan planning organizations can participate in the programs administered by a newly created Office of Transit-Supportive Communities.
Metro Performance Program Amendment (Rouda 108): Would ensure Southern California entities could participate in the bill's Metro Performance Program, which would provide $750 million over five years to advance locally-selected projects.
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“For too long, outdated material preference regulations and procurement practices have inhibited asset owners from deploying the best material for the job. To adequately address America's infrastructure needs, it is time to fully open the consideration of all materials and technologies to enable innovative, resilient, sustainable, and cost-effective investments. We commend Congressman Rouda for leading the way by calling for a study to identify those practices that inhibit maximizing the performance of our built environment," said Kevin Barnett, President & CEO of the American Composites Manufacturers Association.
"Safe and affordable housing strengthens the well-being of families, communities and the nation. Yet buying a home affordable home is increasingly out of financial reach for many households. The cost of housing is determined by several factors involving labor and material prices including those mandated by state and local regulations. We commend Congressman Rouda for calling for a closer examination of regulatory mandates that unnecessarily limit our choice of materials, which hinders our ability to innovate and drives up housing costs for home buyers," said Ken Gear, CEO of Leading Builders of America.
“Monopolies are unfair and inefficient. More choices lead to lower costs and better results. But because of outdated laws, many federally funded infrastructure projects are closed to competition among construction materials. This makes no sense at a time when public funds are stretched so thin. Including more materials in the bidding process could save taxpayers up to 30% on water projects, as much as $371 billion nationwide. More durable plastic piping would save ratepayers money, too, as service providers pass on the costs of inferior materials over time. Congressman Rouda’s amendment to study the potential benefits of open competition is a major step in the right direction, and we appreciate his leadership," said Tony Radoszewski, President & CEO of Plastics Industry Association.
The Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) has been a consistent proponent of material competition in construction practices. Data has shown that unit bid prices decrease when competing materials are allowed to bid against one another. We strongly support a federal study into competitive bidding practices and the value it can bring constituents in cost savings and product innovation. Implementing material competition as the default expectation for federally funded construction will help stretch resources and optimize service life as we seek to improve our nation’s infrastructure," said David Fink, President of Plastics Pipe Institute.
“Finding the $2 trillion dollars that the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates will be necessary to rebuild our nation’s aging infrastructure has been a challenge for a long time. Unfortunately for taxpayers, outdated single source procurement practices across the country make those scarce resources even more limited. We applaud Representative Rouda for working with his colleagues to gain their support for federal review of the procurement processes of state departments of transportation and how flexibility and competitiveness impact project costs. Other studies at the state level have consistently demonstrated that when there is a menu of material options - every material - including legacy materials - become more cost competitive and as a result there are more resources to do more projects for the public good," said Ned Monroe, President & CEO of Vinyl Institute.
"Investments in water and sewer piping represent 60 percent of the total investment needed to upgrade our underground infrastructure, so it is here that open procurement practices can be focused to achieve cost-savings. Closed procurement practices stifle competition among pipe materials and rote reliance on preferential pipe materials has the effect of raising the price point at a time when scarce public resources are available. Competition is a critical prerequisite to achieve improved cost structures and system performance. Alternative pipe materials have been developed to improve safety, performance and extend system design life. Savings accrue from less replacement and repair of more resilient pipe materials. Piping materials which meet current standards and technical specifications should be included in water and sewer projects," said Bruce Hollands, Executive Director of the PVC Pipe Association.