Westerman joins in rural roads bill

U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., joined U.S. Rep. Tom O’Halleran, D-Ariz., in introducing the High Risk Rural Roads Safety Grant Program Act of 2021.

It would authorize $750 million per year for five years to pay for rural road safety improvements; $150 million would be earmarked for tribal governments.

O’Halleran has several American Indian reservations in his largely-rural district, which covers most of eastern Arizona.

Westerman, who is co-chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Road Safety Caucus, said the bill is bipartisan and common-sensical.

“Rural infrastructure is a critical facet of economic growth and quality of life for those who live in rural and tribal communities,” the lawmaker from Hot Springs said. “All Americans rely on safe roads to go about their daily lives, and in rural areas, dangerous roads often cannot be avoided. Investing in road safety has significant potential to save lives.”

Like Arizona’s first congressional district, Arkansas’ fourth congressional district is large geographically, covering all of Southwest Arkansas and stretching from Texarkana to Pine Bluff, with a sliver of Northwest Arkansas also included.

Much of the district is rural.

Westerman also announced last week that he is co-sponsoring legislation known as the American Critical Mineral Independence Act. Among other things, it would streamline the mining permit process and prohibit the Interior Department “from imposing any kind of moratorium or ban on critical minerals mining without congressional approval,” according to a summary of the legislation.

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