Walorski, Blumenauer, Fitzpatrick, Maloney Introduce Move America Act to Boost Infrastructure Investment

Washington, D.C. - October 3, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Reps. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.), Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), and Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) on Monday introduced the Move America Act (H.R. 3912) to strengthen public-private partnerships and boost investment in America’s infrastructure. Through expanded private activity bonds and infrastructure tax credits, this bipartisan legislation would attract billions of dollars in capital and give state and local governments greater flexibility to fund critical infrastructure projects.

“A strong American economy depends on a modern infrastructure built for the 21st century,” Congresswoman Walorski said. “Public-private partnerships are among the most cost-effective ways to revitalize our aging infrastructure and invest in our nation’s future. The bipartisan Move America Act will give state and local governments the tools and flexibility they need to leverage private dollars for the infrastructure projects most important to our communities.”

“American infrastructure is falling apart and we’re falling behind. It is critical that we consider every approach to fixing our crumbling infrastructure,” said Blumenauer. “The Move America Act will support billions of dollars in much-needed investment to help rebuild and renew our country.”

“This bipartisan bill will help jumpstart our local economies and create a ton of good-paying jobs for people all across the country,” said Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18), a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “It will help make real investments in our aging infrastructure and allow us to get a lot done by teaming up with the private sector and that’s just good sense.”

The Move America Act would allow states to issue tax-exempt Move America Bonds to expand public-private partnerships and lower borrowing costs. Incentives for state and local governments to offer these bonds include flexible ownership and management arrangements, favorable tax treatment, and up to five years of unused bond carry-over. They would be allocated to states based on population.

The bill would also create Move America Tax Credits to leverage additional private investment by enabling smaller states to trade in some or all of their bond allocation for tax credits at a 25 percent rate. Credits could be attached to direct investment in a project or used to capitalize state infrastructure banks or revolving funds.

Eligible infrastructure projects include roads, bridges, airports, rail, transit, ports, freight transfer facilities, waterways, sewers, and broadband. The Move America Act would leverage $8 billion in federal funding into an estimated $226 billion worth of bond authority or $56 billion in tax credits over the next decade.

The legislation was introduced in the Senate (S. 1229) earlier this year by Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).