Transportation and Infrastructure
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More on Transportation and Infrastructure
Earlier this week, I had the privilege of attending the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new City of Hot Springs Water Plant that will be responsible for delivering clean, reliable, and safe drinking water for thousands of Arkansans.
Exciting celebrations like these are timely reminders of just how important – and vital – water infrastructure is to the wellness of our local communities. For thousands of years, civilizations have been built around abundant water sources. A key element in urban growth, water still plays a vital role in shaping and sustaining our modern-day society.
Today, the House of Representatives passed several funding packages to fund the government for Fiscal Year 2026 for the Departments of Defense, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), Labor, Health and Human Services (Labor -HHS), and Education as well as other related agencies. Within the THUD provisions were several Westerman-backed wins for the Fourth District of Arkansas. Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) released the following statement:
In a historic moment for our nation’s farmers, ranchers, small businesses, and landowners, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Zeldin announced a new proposed ruling to define Waters of the United States (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act. This common-sense regulation protects our state’s waters while also unleashing American economic prosperity, and it was an honor to be in attendance and provide a few words of my support.
The deadline is fast approaching for Congress to reauthorize surface transportation legislation, with the current bill expiring on September 30, 2026. Regular, continued reauthorization of our nation’s surface transportation programs is integral to maintaining the safety and integrity of our local infrastructure. Without essential repairs and improvements, our roadways and bridges will continue to take on more wear and tear, leading to major issues down the road.
Some say it's hard to see the forest for the trees. But Arkansans see the forest and its potential – materials to build homes, a bioenergy resource, and an industry that employs thousands of Arkansans, sustaining families across the Natural State. Serving as an engineer and forester in Congress, it is a privilege to represent a district and state where forestry is a time-honored way of life and advocate for policies that affect an industry with profound impacts on the Natural State.
Last week, it was a privilege to attend the Arkansas Good Roads Foundation’s annual summer meeting in Hot Springs. As a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee, it was deeply encouraging to connect the work our committee does in Congress to the needs of our roads and infrastructure projects across the Natural State. This time spent with transportation industry stakeholders provided an excellent opportunity to reflect on the numerous accomplishments made so far within the T&I Committee.
After the 119th Congress was sworn in on January 3, House Republicans hit the ground running to deliver on their promise to the American people to lower the cost of living, reduce frivolous government spending, secure our borders, and unleash energy dominance. Since then, every House committee has been working diligently to meet those demands and this week, we kicked off one of the most important steps in the reconciliation process with full committee markups.
Nearly three years ago, far-left Democrats in Congress greenlit a $7.5 billion investment of taxpayer funds for electric vehicle charging nationwide. As a part of the Biden Administration's radical Green New Deal agenda, President Biden vowed to utilize these funds to establish 500,000 electric vehicle chargers by 2030. Since the announcement in 2021, Federal Highway Administration data reveals that only a mere eight charging stations have been completed.