A $715 billion surface transportation and water infrastructure bill was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday.
The bill entails authorization for spending on roads, safeguarding highways, rail, transit, bridges, electric vehicle charging stations, drinking, and wastewater infrastructure, in addition to the $2.3 trillion infrastructure proposal. The bill will also fund an $11.6 billion project to connect New Jersey and New York’s Penn Station in midtown Manhattan via four modern transportation tubes beneath the Hudson River.
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The bill has dedicated $343 billion for roads, bridges, and safety and $4 billion for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. $109 billion has been approved for transit and $95 billion for rail, including tripling the funding for the U.S. passenger railroad Amtrak. $117 billion were authorized for drinking water infrastructure and more than $51 billion for wastewater infrastructure.
The legislation is sent to the Democratic-led Senate.
The bill is the first time that the House has voted to pass legislation containing earmarks since the practice of allowing lawmakers to allow pet projects to bill was added this year.