On Friday, Governor Ron DeSantis called attention to the impacts congressional inaction and dysfunction are beginning to have on all types of transportation projects in Florida.
Congress has failed to pass a timely authorization to fund the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), halting federal support for construction on federal highway projects as well as furloughing most of the agency’s employees.
Contained in the infrastructure package, which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has refused to hold a vote on, is $110 billion for roads, bridges, and other projects, as Federal authorization expired yesterday.
While Congress continues to fail to do its job, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is not ending work on transportation projects because the Department understands that any undue delay on these projects will directly impact hundreds of thousands of Floridians.
However, work that is currently being done on these projects will not receive federal funding or support, and may not be reimbursed – forcing Florida taxpayers to cover for the ineptitude of Washington.
“Yet again, the delays in Washington are impacting the lives of Floridians,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “It is unacceptable that Congress or the Biden Administration would use highway construction as a bargaining chip and leave Florida taxpayers to foot the bill. This is even more proof that the Democrats in leadership don’t want to help people, they don’t want to get anything done, they just want to follow a political agenda.”
“Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, we have implemented a robust program that improves transportation throughout the state”, said FDOT Secretary Kevin J. Thibault, P.E. “We will continue to develop these highway and transit projects as long as we can – recognizing that this state’s focus on transportation funding has positioned us to be able to do this longer than our peer states.”
Of the estimated nearly 3,000 federal employees being furloughed as a result of Congressional inaction, many work and reside in Florida. Florida currently receives over $2 billion annually from the FHWA program, funding numerous projects currently underway across the state.
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