Congresswoman Escobar has proudly fought to secure critical investments as our community focuses on upgrading our outdated infrastructure with particular care given to innovation and customer service. In November of 2021, Congresswoman Escobar was the only representative in our region to vote for the Bipartisan Infrastructure law which has created and will continue to create millions of good-paying union jobs with a once-in-a-century investment in rebuilding infrastructure in Texas, including roads and bridges, ports of entry, clean drinking water and wastewater systems, electric grid, and high-speed broadband networks.
With $35 billion in new spending over 5 years in Texas, this bipartisan legislation is working to repair and modernize crumbling and outdated infrastructure across the nation, ensuring communities like El Paso have the infrastructure to succeed in the 21st century economy.
Additional Investments Secured by Congresswoman Escobar
$30 Million from the USDOT’sLow and No Emission grant to allow Sun Metro to purchase new compressed natural gas buses to replace older buses that have exceeded their useful life and construct new bus canopies.
$24 Million from the Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) and Airport Terminal program for the El Paso International Airport to invest in essential upgrades, repairs and expansions.
$15 Million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law with an additional $3.75 Million from El Paso Electric to design and install over 74 EV charging stations at publicly accessible locations throughout the city, including two in Ft. Bliss, four at Ports of Entry and many more.
$1.7 million to introduce new and modern weather instruments to the Fabens Airport while also creating a way to offer jet fuel to aviation customers
$850,000 to fund the design and reconstruction of the Terminal Bridge, the primary exit from El Paso International Airport.
$750,000 from the USDOT’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grants to fund a feasibility study for the expansion of Sun Metro's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service along the Montana Brio Corridor.
$720,000 to fund the purchase of electric micro-transit vehicles and charging infrastructure for Sun Metro’s Micro Transit program.
Funding for Modernizing International Ports of Entry
$650 Million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for Bridge of the Americas (BOTA) project which removes all commercial cargo operations and modernizes the bridge. After years of work from the Congresswoman, BOTA focuses on customer service and environmental justice.
$12 Million from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program to be used for pedestrian improvements and to modernize the port’s infrastructure.
$2 Million in Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation grants for innovation and development at the six international ports of entry in El Paso.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure is investing $550 billion over 5 years:
Roads, Bridges, and Major Projects: Invest $110 billion as part of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act and Surface Transportation Investment Act. Funds new, dedicated grant program to replace and repair bridges and increases funding for the major project competitive grant programs. At the same time, the package preserves the 90/10 split of federal highway aid to states.
Public Transit: This $39.2 billion investment will fund our nation's transit system repair backlog, which DOT estimates is more than 24,000 buses, 5,000 rail cars, 200 stations, and thousands of miles of track, signals, and power systems. Expands transit systems, supports clean transit options, and increases accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities.
Broadband: Grant $65 billion to states for broadband deployment, makes broadband access more affordable for low-income families, expands eligible private activity bond projects to include broadband infrastructure, and supports middle-mile deployment efforts.
Ports and Waterways: Provide $16.6 billion for port infrastructure, and land ports of entry, waterway and coastal infrastructure, and inland waterway improvements through the Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Transportation, Coast Guard, General Services Administration, and Department of Homeland Security.
Safety: Provide $11 billion for highway and pedestrian safety programs, as well as pipeline safety and repair.
Airports: This $25 billion investment will increase funds for Airport Improvement grant program for runways, gates, and taxiways as well as a new Airport Terminal Improvement program for terminals, concessions, and multimodal connections. Improves Air Traffic Control infrastructure.
Water Infrastructure: This $55 billion investment includes $23.4 billion for the bipartisan Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021. Provides a historic $15 billion for lead service line replacement and $10 billion to address Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). Supports water infrastructure in Tribal communities by providing $3.5 billion for the Indian Health Service Sanitation Facilities Construction program, in addition to providing funding to complete all currently- authorized Indian Water Rights Settlements.
Power and Grid: This $65 billion investment includes the bipartisan, ENR-passed Energy Infrastructure Act, which includes funds for grid reliability and resiliency and support for a Grid Deployment Authority; critical minerals and supply chains for clean energy technology; key technologies like carbon capture, hydrogen, direct air capture, and energy efficiency; and energy demonstration projects from the bipartisan Energy Act of 2020.
Resiliency: Provides $47.2 billion in funding for cybersecurity to address critical infrastructure needs, waste management, flood and wildfire mitigation, drought, and coastal resiliency, ecosystem restoration, heat stress, and weatherization.
Clean School Buses, and Ferries: Includes historic $5 billion for the replacement of existing school buses with zero emission and clean school buses, with a priority on low income, rural and Tribal schools. Provides $2.5 billion for the replacement of existing ferries with low carbon ferries and to assist states with operational costs for essential rural ferries.
Electric Vehicle Charging: Provides $7.5 billion to fund for alternative fuel corridors and to build out a national network of electric vehicle charging infrastructure to facilitate long-distance travel and to provide convenient charging where people live, work, and shop.
Reconnecting Communities: Provides a total of $1 billion between contract authority and new appropriations. Funds for projects that remove barriers to opportunity caused by legacy infrastructure. The program will provide dedicated funding for planning, design, demolition, and reconstruction of street grids, parks, or other infrastructure.
Addressing Legacy Pollution: Provides $21 billion to clean up brownfield and superfund sites, reclaim abandoned mine lands, and plug orphan oil and gas wells, improving public health and creating good-paying jobs.
Western Water Infrastructure: Provides $8.3 billion for Bureau of Reclamation western water infrastructure, including for aging infrastructure, water storage, water recycling and reuse, waterSMART, and drought contingency plans, among other things.
Passenger and freight rail: The $66 billion investment provides funding for the Amtrak National Network for new service and dedicated funding to the Northeast Corridor, which has incurred a severe repair backlog after Hurricane Sandy. Increases funding for freight rail and safety.
