Party lines held in the Florida delegation last week as the U.S. House passed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill backed by the Biden administration.
The bill passed on a 228-206 vote as 13 Republicans joined the Democratic majority while six Democrats voted against the measure.
Democrats from the Sunshine State praised the bill.
“This package will create millions of good paying jobs, modernizing our bridges, roads, and public transportation systems while making historic investments in broadband, electric vehicles, green infrastructure and clean drinking water,” said U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla. “I look forward to passing the rest of President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda to create an economy that works for all Americans.”
“Robust investment in America’s crumbling infrastructure — safeguarding our drinking water, repairing our roads and bridges, upgrading our ports – is long overdue,” said U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla. “With this blockbuster bill, we’re creating millions of good-paying jobs, investing in Florida’s future, and Building Back Better. This historic, bipartisan bill will also deliver new infrastructure for the 21st century: high-speed rail, solar-powered mass transit, and other innovations that will reduce traffic and protect the environment. It’s about delivering tangible results that will benefit day-to-day life for all Americans.”
Republicans in the Florida delegation weighed in on why they opposed it.
“Just after midnight I voted against Speaker Pelosi’s latest plan to greenlight trillions of dollars in new spending to transform America. The legislation doubles down on key policy failures that have produced rising food and gas prices, disruptions in the nation’s supply chain, a crisis at our southern border and out-of-control vaccine mandates. People are tired of being dictated to by Washington and are frustrated by the disconnect between them and this radical agenda to remake the country and restructure their lives,” said U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Fla.
“Last night, I voted against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act because it does not provide the infrastructure investment our economy needs and because it will set our country on the path to financial ruin. From the start, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made clear that this infrastructure bill was tied to the so-called Build Back Better plan. While the infrastructure bill has some good aspects wrapped in a lot of bad, the Build Back Better plan is disastrous. Had the vote on the infrastructure bill failed, we could have stopped the BBB in its tracks. Now, I’m concerned that it has a stronger chance of becoming law,” said U.S. Rep. Scott Franklin, R-Fla., on Saturday.
“The American people do not want sneaky backroom deals and votes cast in the middle of the night just so Speaker Nancy Pelosi can boast about a win to her European friends. Americans want real infrastructure investment that will return our country to energy independence, help us compete with China, and secure our economic prosperity for decades to come. Congress could have done just that if Speaker Pelosi brought Senate Bill 3011 up for a vote. This bill would free up $121 billion of COVID-19 relief funding for infrastructure projects, including more than $6 billion for Florida alone. Instead, Speaker Pelosi mortgaged our prosperity to score political points and left struggling Americans with the bill. Our people deserve better,” Franklin added.
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