“Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, criticized the slow rollout of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure law, or Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), that he voted against. He gave it a D grade.
“The infrastructure law, or the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, was approved about 18 months ago. All six members of Arkansas’ Congressional delegation voted against it. (…)”
Crawford is chairman of the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee.
“We’re just not seeing the money flowing as expected,” said Crawford, adding that regulatory challenges, higher interest rates and inflation weren’t accounted for on how they’d affect the infrastructure projects and that grant money was provided more quickly in previous federal programs.
“It may be a rural and urban divide. I don’t have any largely urban areas in my district at all…The biggest town in my district happens to be my hometown, Jonesboro…We would certainly like to see the process expedited so that we can get those funds where they can do some good in areas that need it. I think a lot of it is regulatory and maybe just that the administration may be dragging their feet….”
READ MORE about Crawford’s Committee work and his take on the infrastructure bill at TalkBusiness.net