Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik today voted against Democrats’ so-called “infrastructure” package that would prioritize large, Democrat cities over rural America as part of Democrats’ radical agenda to impose the largest tax increase in our nation’s history.
“Democrats have made their priorities clear, and their so-called ‘infrastructure’ plan fails to meet the needs for rural America,” Stefanik said. “This Far-Left plan prioritizes Green New Deal policies over traditional infrastructure, such as roads and bridges. These radical policies show Democrats’ priorities are for large, Democrat cities, not for the hardworking people of the North Country. Democrats’ out-of-control spending is to blame for the highest inflation rates in 30 years and the most expensive Thanksgiving in the history of the holiday, but they are still trying to spend trillions more of taxpayer dollars. I have worked with my colleagues to deliver critical, targeted results on broadband and infrastructure for the North Country, but House Democrats have failed in this effort.”
Stefanik is currently pushing to preempt New York’s state fee on fiber optic broadband distribution, which is disincentivizing rural broadband buildout in the North Country. In March, she cosponsored the BOOST Act to increase internet access for homeowners in rural areas.
Last year, Stefanik worked with the Federal Communications Commissioner Ajit Pai to allow New York to be eligible for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to expand broadband to the North Country. Additionally, she worked to expand the Northern Border Regional Commission grant program to make it more accessible and able to support more critical development projects for the North Country.
In Democrats’ so-called “infrastructure” plan, only a small fraction of their proposal would fund roads, bridges, and traditional infrastructure. Instead, it would prioritize Green New Deal priorities and provide funds for charging stations only benefitting electric car owners. It also would hamper broadband buildout with burdensome social justice requirements and give broadband regulators oversight to decide where and when broadband expansion occurs, instead of serving rural communities who need it most.
Democrats have consistently linked the passage of this so-called “infrastructure” legislation with their additional multi-trillion package full of Socialist spending. Democrats’ $1.2 trillion Trojan Horse “infrastructure” package is part of Democrats’ radical agenda and directly tied to Democrats’ radical tax and spend spree, which would impose the largest tax increase in our nation’s history.
