Texas gets a $13.9B share of Biden’s big bill

WASHINGTON — Texas has so far received $13.9 billion in funding from the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill Congress passed last year, the White House said last week as it works to promote efforts to improve the nation’s roads, ports and other infrastructure.

The announcement came after a midterm election in which President Joe Biden’s Democratic Party outperformed forecasts, holding control of the Senate and limiting Republican gains in the House.

“This law is laying the foundation not only for an infrastructure decade but a manufacturing decade in America by building a stronger backbone

for American supply chains and American production,” said Brian Deese, director of the National Economic Council.

The $1.2 trillion in spending under the infrastructure bill drew criticism from many Republicans, including Sen. John Cornyn, the Texas Republican who broke with Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell to vote against the legislation.

“It isn’t paid for, will add too much to the debt, and was rushed through the Senate in a week’s time without adequate debate or input,” Cornyn said last year.

Among the funding slated to go to Texas is $10.8 billion for roads and bridges and $645 million for public transportation, along with $345 million for the state’s airports. Texas has also received $173 million to better weatherize the state’s homes and $147 million for electric vehicle chargers.

“The reality is, we’re just at the beginning,” said Mitch Landrieu, senior adviser to the president. “This is the first year of a five- to seven-year rebuild.”