Allred Secures North Texas Priorities as Transportation Package Passes House

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32) today voted to pass H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, a bill that provides a comprehensive investment in our nation's transportation infrastructure. Allred is a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and helped secure many provisions in the bill that would help North Texas, including his bipartisan legislation with Senator John Cornyn called the RAPID Act.

"With our region's rapid growth, it is clear that we need common-sense investments as part of a national strategy to repair, rebuild and strengthen our nation's infrastructure," said Allred. "This isn't something that is a choice for North Texas, this is something we must do so our region can continue to succeed. This bill is a good first step, and I urge leaders in both parties to work together so we can get something done and make progress on necessary projects that will help North Texas."

Last month, Allred helped pass the bill out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Watch Allred's opening remarks during the committee markup and hearing here.

The bill includes:

• The text of Allred's bill, the RAPID Act, which he introduced with Congressman Mike Gallagher (R-WI-08), Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA). It will improve TIFIA loans and will help accelerate and improve Public-Private Partnerships so North Texas can get investments into its infrastructure system and projects can move faster.
• Access to more funding for public high-speed rail projects through the Prime Grant Program. Private entities like Texas Central, which is trying to build a high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston, would also be eligible for financing through the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing program. Allred led the effort in Congress to support the high-speed rail project.
• A provision doubling funding for Transit Capital Investment Grants, which would help transit agencies like DART, which recently earned $60 million in similar grants.
• Active Transportation Connectivity Grants, which will help North Texas cities by providing $250 million for pedestrian and bicycle networks and related planning, including safe routes to school planning.
• Provisions to increase access to affordable high-speed broadband internet to all parts of the country by promoting competition for broadband internet infrastructure to unserved and underserved rural, suburban, and urban communities. Estimates say one-third of Dallas families are without stable internet at home.

Read a summary of the Moving Forward Act by downloading a fact sheet from the Transportation Committee here.