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House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Peter A. DeFazio on Federal Assistance for Wastewater Infrastructure
Chair DeFazio participates in a February 2020 Members’ Day hearing on the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020.
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ongressman Peter A. DeFazio has represented Oregon’s 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1986. He has served as the chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure since 2019 and before that had been its ranking member since 2015. In this interview, Chair DeFazio tells Municipal Water Leader about his commitment to federal funding for smarter, safer, greener, and more resilient infrastructure and explains the importance of the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act, which he recently reintroduced.
Congressman DeFazio: I have been an active member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee since arriving in Congress. In 2018, I was honored to be elected by my colleagues to serve as the chair of the committee after serving as ranking member since 2015. Additionally, during my time on the committee, I have served as chair or ranking member of four of the six subcommittees. As chair
8 | MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER | May 2021
Municipal Water Leader: Would you describe the connection between water infrastructure and the economy? Congressman DeFazio: Investing in America’s water infrastructure means investing in communities and creating jobs. According to the National Utility Contractors Association, for every $1 billion invested in our water infrastructure, an estimated 28,000 jobs are created or sustained. Unfortunately, the federal government has failed for decades to be a good partner when it comes to addressing state and local wastewater needs. I’m pushing hard to change that. I recently reintroduced the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act, which would provide $50 billion over the next 5 years to address America’s crumbling wastewater infrastructure and local water quality challenges, including billions of dollars for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) municipalwaterleader.com
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF PETER A. DEFAZIO.
Municipal Water Leader: Please tell us about yourself and your role in the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I am committed to moving our country beyond the outdated systems of the Eisenhower era and investing in infrastructure that is smarter, safer, greener, and made to last.
