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  • Joint Letter To President Biden Requesting IIJA State Flexibility 1-19-22

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    The governors thank President Biden for the opportunity to invest in infrastructure through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act but express concerns about potential overreach and bureaucracy from the federal government. Specifically, they ask that implementation prioritize state flexibility, remove unnecessary regulations, and not push social agendas. The governors want to partner with the federal government to efficiently implement projects aligned with state priorities in order to maximize economic growth.

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    RGA Letter

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    Joint Letter to President Biden Requesting IIJA State Flexibility 1-19-22

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    The governors thank President Biden for the opportunity to invest in infrastructure through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act but express concerns about potential overreach and bureaucracy from the federal government. Specifically, they ask that implementation prioritize state flexibility, remove unnecessary regulations, and not push social agendas. The governors want to partner with the federal government to efficiently implement projects aligned with state priorities in order to maximize economic growth.

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    9K views3 pages

    Joint Letter To President Biden Requesting IIJA State Flexibility 1-19-22

    Uploaded by

    Anonymous GF8PPILW5
    The governors thank President Biden for the opportunity to invest in infrastructure through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act but express concerns about potential overreach and bureaucracy from the federal government. Specifically, they ask that implementation prioritize state flexibility, remove unnecessary regulations, and not push social agendas. The governors want to partner with the federal government to efficiently implement projects aligned with state priorities in order to maximize economic growth.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 3

    January 19, 2022

    President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.


    The White House
    1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
    Washington, DC 20500

    Dear Mr. President,

    Thank you for the letter your Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu sent all governors on
    January 4, 2022. The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) presents a great opportunity
    for needed infrastructure investment in our states as long as the funds are distributed efficiently, quickly, and
    appropriately. As governors, we understand the importance of long-term planning, balanced budgets, and
    certainty to the projects in our states best suited for investment. We agree that the programs should get
    implemented “without unnecessary bureaucracy and delay to rebuild America’s infrastructure” and that red tape
    should not stand in the way. Therefore, we ask that your Office of Management and Budget (OMB), along with
    the respective federal agencies charged with implementation, draft regulations and guidance that defer to the states
    and confer maximum regulatory flexibility.

    For the IIJA to be implemented successfully, states have to be partners to the federal government. It is critical
    that your administration consider how simplicity, flexibility, and finality will drastically improve states’ ability to
    develop and implement plans. Excessive consideration of equity, union memberships, or climate as lenses to view
    suitable projects would be counterproductive. Your administration should not attempt to push a social agenda
    through hard infrastructure investments and instead should consider economically sound principles that align with
    state priorities.

    As we have seen with the implementation of the American Rescue Plan Act, restrictions on the use of funds not
    authorized by statute are unacceptable and often struck down by the judicial system. In addition, excessive new
    discretionary grant programs would circumvent the planning process and potentially cause a programming and
    oversight nightmare. Further, there should be no overlap or inconsistencies with discretionary grant programs and
    existing funding programs.

    A clear example of federal overreach would be an attempt by the Federal Highway Administration to limit state
    widening projects. Attempts to disallow the use of funding for general purpose widening projects would be biased
    against rural states and states with growing populations. Such a policy fails to recognize the differences in state
    priorities, funding levels, and transportation networks across the 50 states. Future prosperity would be negatively
    impacted if this anti-growth mindset is allowed to become firmly entrenched in transportation policy.

    To truly drive economic growth through the IIJA, your administration should remove any and all burdensome
    regulations and immediately implement the codification of “One Federal Decision.” Wherever possible, eliminate
    January 19, 2022
    Page 2 of 3

    duplicative regulatory reviews and ensure more efficient coordination of reviews at the federal, state, and local
    levels of government. Meaningful reform to the Army Corps of Engineers, National Environmental Policy Act
    (NEPA), and other permitting rules would drastically improve our ability to coordinate successful programs.
    Innovation, not regulation, is the driver of economic growth, and we ask that your administration not burden states
    or private sector partners with needless and unnecessary red tape. In addition to workforce shortages, supply
    chain disruptions, and sky-high inflation, your administration should halt any attempts to put unnecessary
    restrictions on the sourcing of labor or materials that would exacerbate the crises our industries are already facing.

    We stand ready to work with OMB to ensure the IIJA has long lasting improvements to our nation’s infrastructure
    and is not plagued with burdensome, administrative red tape that will counter actual improvements and meaningful
    results.

    Sincerely,

    Governor Bill Lee Governor Kay Ivey Governor Mike Dunleavy


    State of Tennessee State of Alabama State of Alaska

    Governor Asa Hutchinson Governor Brian Kemp Governor Eric Holcomb


    State of Arkansas State of Georgia State of Indiana

    Governor Mike Parson Governor Greg Gianforte Governor Pete Ricketts


    State of Missouri State of Montana State of Nebraska

    Governor Chris Sununu Governor Doug Burgum Governor Kevin Stitt


    State of New Hampshire State of North Dakota State of Oklahoma

    Governor Henry McMaster Governor Kristi Noem Governor Spencer Cox


    State of South Carolina State of South Dakota State of Utah

    Governor Mark Gordon


    State of Wyoming
    January 19, 2022
    Page 3 of 3

    cc: Mitch Landrieu


    Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator
    The White House
    1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
    Washington, DC 20500

    Acting Director Shalanda Young


    Office of Management and Budget
    Executive Office of the President
    725 17th Street NW
    Washington, DC 20503

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