June 24, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hannah Muldavin, Hannah.Muldavin@mail.house.gov

 

Trone Announces Big Wins for Western Maryland in Infrastructure Bill 

Sweeping Bill Invests More Than $1.5 Trillion to Create Jobs Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure

 

WASHINGTON, D.C — Today, Congressman David Trone (MD-06) announced that two of Western Maryland’s top infrastructure priorities were included in a sweeping $1.5 trillion bill introduced in the House of Representatives this week. 

The bill, H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, includes historic funding for two of Trone’s top infrastructure priorities in Western Maryland — $100 billion for broadband investment and the Advancing Infrastructure Development (AID) in Appalachia Act, which will help states complete their Appalachian Development Highway System, including Highway 219 in Western Maryland.

“Too many Western Marylanders lack affordable, high-speed broadband and drive on crumbling, sometimes incomplete roads. For too long we’ve left Western Maryland behind,” said Congressman David Trone. “It’s time we take bold action to address the infrastructure divide that prevents Western Marylanders from accessing the tele-work, tele-medicine, and tele-education that they need to be healthy and thrive. That’s why I’m proud to announce that the Moving Forward Act includes investment in these critical priorities and makes a long-overdue investment in Western Maryland’s infrastructure.”

This legislation follows over a year of action from Trone that has resulted in millions of federal dollars invested in Western Maryland infrastructure. 

Broadband

• In September, Trone convened a roundtable on rural broadband in Washington County with 43 stakeholders including FCC Commissioner Starks to discuss how we can expand broadband access in Western Maryland. 
• Trone announced Garrett County would receive nearly $3 million in federal broadband investment.
• The House passed Trone’s amendment that would help spur high-speed broadband deployment across Western Maryland.
• The House passed a bipartisan Trone amendment that would increase funding for grants by $5 million to expand broadband deployment into rural communities that are underserved by private sector investment.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, Trone led an effort of 83 Members of Congress to request significant broadband investment in the next Congressional stimulus package.
• This week, Trone joined Majority Whip Jim Clyburn’s Rural Broadband Task Force in introducing legislation to make an historic $100 billion investment in our nation’s broadband infrastructure. 

Roads, Highways, and the Appalachian Development Highway System

• Trone introduced the AID in Appalachia Act and bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Appalachian Regional Commision (ARC) and promote economic development in Appalachia.
• Trone announced $170 million in funding for the Appalachian Regional Commission.
• Trone announced $1 million in funding and 100 new jobs for Wright Road construction in Washington County.
• Trone announced $1 million in federal funding to construct an access road in Garrett County connecting two major roadways, US 40 and US 219 N. The project was projected to yield an additional $6 million in private investments.

The Moving Forward Act also includes infrastructure investments for schools, safe drinking water, and affordable housing. Some of the critical provisions of the Moving Forward Act include:

• The INVEST in America Act, a $500 investment to rebuild and revamp transportation infrastructure, fix aging roads and bridges, improve safety, reduce gridlock, and put the United States on the path to zero emissions.
• School investment through the Reopen and Rebuild America’s Schools Act, including $130 billion in school infrastructure to rebuild high-poverty schools in underserved communities and create nearly 2 million jobs.
• Investing nearly $100 billion to expand affordable, high-speed broadband Internet access to urban deserts and rural communities, such as Western Maryland, to connect children and families to tele-learning, telework, telemedicine, and the expanding online economy.
• Protecting and expanding access to safe, clean drinking water by investing $25 billion to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
• Addressing the crumbling affordable housing infrastructure by funding the creation of nearly 1.8 million affordable homes to keep children and families in safe, stable living conditions
• Modernizing the nation’s health care infrastructure by investing $30 billion to expand hospital and health care facilities’ capacity and ensure that the U.S can respond swiftly to the COVID-19 pandemic and future public health emergencies.
• Transforming the nation’s electric grid to accommodate and expand renewable energy, strengthen existing infrastructure, and help develop an electric vehicle charging network to promote the increased usage of environmentally-friendly vehicles. 
• Redeveloping and strengthening the United States Postal Service by investing $25 billion to develop a zero-emissions postal vehicle fleet, processing equipment, and other goods.
• Promoting renewable energy by incentivizing the development of wind and solar on public lands, and building a workforce to harvest offshore wind. 
• Spurring private investment in our communities through the tax code through a revitalized Build America Bonds program, expansion of Private Activity Bonds, and significant enhancement to the New Markets Tax Credit and Rehabilitation Tax Credit. 

A fact sheet on the Moving Forward Act is available here.

Congressman David Trone was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018 to serve the 6th District of Maryland, which includes all or part of Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties. Trone serves on the Education and Labor, Foreign Affairs, and Joint Economic Committees, where he is fighting to make progress on issues that matter to Marylanders, including the opioid epidemic, criminal justice reform, and funding for medical research. 

             

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