Investing In America: Senate Democrats Spread Across Country To Announce Major Projects And Good-Paying Jobs Created By Legislation Passed By Democrats And Signed By President Biden
Thanks to the major legislation passed by Senate Democrats and signed into law by President Biden, the American people have seen historic investments in communities across the country. From roads, bridges and broadband to historic new clean energy investments to manufacturing the microchips of the future to a historic expansion of veterans’ benefits, Senate Democrats have spread out across the country to lay out the progress made and build upon the legislation passed.
“These investments and many others are supporting the whole of America – red and blue states, rural and urban communities, everyone, everywhere.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said. “And you can be sure that the best is yet to come.”
Arizona
Sen. Mark Kelly @SenMarkKelly: “Too often, I hear from seniors who are having to decide between buying their groceries and buying their medication. By capping out-of-pocket Rx costs and the price of insulin, we’re making prescriptions more affordable and accessible for Arizona seniors.” LINK
California
Sen. Alex Padilla @SenAlexPadilla: I joined @RepMarkTakano today for a conversation with veterans on the PACT Act, which expands VA benefits to those who experienced toxic exposure while serving. Impacted veterans should apply at http://VA.gov/PACT by August 9th to be eligible for backdated benefits.” LINK
Connecticut
New Britain Herald: Blumenthal in Newington to highlight one-year anniversary of PACT Act for veterans. “U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal visited Newington VA to highlight the one-year anniversary of the PACT Act, legislation signed into law by President Biden that delivers relief to post-9/11 veterans exposed to burn pits and corrects the nearly 80% rejection rate faced by veterans seeking relief. ‘I am very proud of what the VA has done to advance the goals of the PACT Act,’ Blumenthal said Wednesday. ‘I’m proud we passed the PACT Act, one of the major accomplishments of the United States Congress since I’ve been in the Senate, and I helped to lead it.’” [New Britain Herald, 8/11/23]
Colorado
Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo Mayor And US Senator Tout Local Benefits Of Inflation Reduction Act. “Bennet on Friday toured CS Wind, a wind turbine tower manufacturer with factories around the globe, and discussed how it's benefiting from tax breaks made possible by the IRA and Pueblo's role in the nationwide transition to clean energy production. ‘Pueblo is going to play a huge role in that,’ U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet told members of the media after touring CS Wind with Chairman Gim Seong-gon and Pueblo Mayor Nick Gradisar. ‘Partly because of (CS Wind), but also the work you see around solar.’ CS Wind earlier this year broke ground on its expansion plans that will add jobs and increase its facility footprint at its Pueblo location. The IRA, which Bennet championed, prompted that expansion decision and its tax incentives are helping CS Wind's long-term goals in the U.S., Seong-gon told Bennet. One of those goals is to produce 10,000 wind turbines per year in Pueblo by 2028.” [Pueblo Chieftain, 8/30/23]
Colorado Politics: Colorado's federal lawmakers touts water progress, challenges. “Bipartisanship was the buzz word as Colorado's federal lawmakers visited the Colorado Water Congress in Steamboat Springs last week. Both U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper touted the funding coming from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed by President Joe Biden a year ago and some of the projects that will benefit from that allocation.” [Colorado Politics, 8/24/23]
Sen. John Hickenlooper @SenatorHick: “Our Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill is making MAJOR investments in airports like Grand Junction Regional, because we know these smaller airports are a lifeline to Western Colorado” LINK
The Daily Sentinel: Runway Rundown: Sen. Hickenlooper Stops By Airport Project. “U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper was in Grand Junction Monday to announce $13.5 million in funding for Grand Junction Regional Airport from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program.” [Daily Sentinel, 8/22/23]
Alamosa Valley Courier: Sen. Bennet gathers, shares information during Valley visit. “While on a two-day information gathering visit to the San Luis Valley last week, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet engaged in conversations that took place in three different counties about issues that span the scope of 170 years or more. Even in the midst of a packed itinerary, Bennet made time to step aside for a one-to-one conversation with the Valley Courier to share information about his priorities for the farm bill that he’s in the midst of negotiating in present time. The visit concluded with a bike ride along the levee while discussing progress on the proposed pedestrian bridge with staff from Alamosa’s Parks and Recreation Department, Development Services Department, city manager, and SLV Go! Executive Director Mick Daniel. Sen. Bennet was instrumental in the city being awarded the RAISE grant that delivered more than $4.7 million to the project.” [Alamosa Valley Courier, 8/15/23]
Colorado Newsline: Hickenlooper, Polis Hail Clean Energy Investments At New Thornton Battery Plant. “Gov. Jared Polis, U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper and other local elected officials were on hand Monday as Colorado-based battery manufacturer Solid Power showed off its new facility in Thornton, where executives hope the stage is set for a revolution in electric vehicle technology.” [Colorado Newsline, 8/14/23]
Journal Advocate: Hickenlooper Gets Update On Xcel’s Colorado Power Pathway. “Colorado’s junior U.S. senator got a look at the future of the state’s rural energy supply earlier this week when he visited Xcel Energy’s Pawnee Generating Station near Brush. Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., toured the Pawnee plant and met with Xcel officials to talk about long-term plans to meet the increasing power needs of rural Colorado with a project called Colorado’s Power Pathway. Hickenlooper learned that Xcel plans four new substations and as much as 610 miles of new transmission line in eastern Colorado.” [Journal Advocate, 8/11/23]
Colorado Newsline: Colorado Democrats mark 1-year anniversary of Biden climate law. “Some of Colorado’s top Democratic elected officials stopped in Brighton on Wednesday to celebrate the upcoming anniversary of President Joe Biden’s signature climate law. A year ago this month, Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act, which included $369 billion in new spending aimed at incentivizing clean energy and speeding the transition away from fossil fuels. It was, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet told a small crowd in Brighton, ‘the most significant climate legislation that any country has passed on this planet.’” [Colorado Newsline, 8/2/23]
Brighton Standard Blade: Democrats mark Inflation Reduction Act anniversary. “Colorado Democrats wanted to mark the one-year anniversary of the federal Inflation Reduction Act's passage and the boon it's been for investment in green energy so they came to Brighton, site of two major green energy projects announced this year. ‘Colorado had a big hand not only in passing this bill but in shaping it and writing it,’ U.S. Senator Michael Bennet said the press conference, flanked by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Colorado's two first-year Congresswomen, District 8 Representative Yadira Caraveo and District 7 Representative Brittany Pettersen.” [Brighton Standard Blade, 8/2/23]
Delaware
Delaware Business Times: Wilmington-Newport trail gets $23M in fed funds. “For years, politicians and trail advocates have been hoping for a path to connect the 17 miles around the Wilmington area. That dream is one step closer to becoming reality with a $23 million federal grant issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation to build the Newport River Trail. The project includes a 2-mile, shared-use path that would run alongside wetlands and the Christina River… U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, added that while roads and highways have gone miles in making it possible for people to travel the country, it has also divided much of the nation between who can afford to travel via car and who cannot.” [Delaware Business Times, 8/29/23]
Illinois
WLDS: Double Black Diamond Solar Closes on Financing. “The energy company behind the largest solar farm in the region announced earlier this week that it has closed on financing for the project. Swift Current Energy, owner of the Double Black Diamond Solar project in Sangamon and Morgan Counties, announced on Wednesday that it had secured $779 million for the 800 megawatt solar project. Double Black Diamond Solar is expected to be the second largest single phase solar project in the US, and the largest solar project in the MISO energy grid”… “Illinois Senator Dick Durbin toured the project today near Virden. Durbin credits the construction of the solar farm to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act from a year ago: ‘Swift Current Energy’s 600 megawatt bet on Illinois is a testament to our state’s potential as a leader in clean energy innovation. The Inflation Reduction Act triggered a tidal wave of change, with billions of dollars cascading into clean energy projects like Double Black Diamond, creating hundreds of jobs for Illinoisans and underscoring a revolution in American energy production.’” [WLDS, 8/11/23]
Sen. Dick Durbin @SenatorDurbin: “For years, we've discussed the need for infrastructure improvements, & today, thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — these discussions are materializing into tangible progress. $8M for the Franklin Park Grade Separation Project means enhanced safety across the community.” LINK
Sen. Dick Durbin @SenatorDurbin: “The Chicago Hub Improvement Project is not just an investment in our infrastructure; it's an investment in our people, our economy, and our future. I'm proud to lead this effort that will solidify Chicago's position as the premier rail hub in America.” LINK
WLS: State, local leaders pitch $1.1B infrastructure plan to feds in effort to revamp Union Station. “State and local leaders were making a new push Thursday to get federal funding to help improve the rail infrastructure in the Chicago area… Gov. JB Pritzker, along with Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, Congressman Mike Quigley, Mayor Brandon Johnson and other state and city leaders are proposing the $1.1 billion infrastructure plan, called the Chicago Hub Improvement Project, to the U.S. Department of Transportation.” [WLS, 8/3/23]
Sen. Dick Durbin @SenatorDurbin: “I'm in Savoy w/ @RepNikkiB & @SecretaryPete to announce $22.6M in fed funding for the Curtis Road Grade Separation & Complete Streets Project. This project is an example of what we can accomplish when federal, state, & local governments work together to improve our communities.” LINK
WCIA: Buttigieg visits Savoy to highlight new underpass project. “U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg made a visit to Central Illinois on Monday to talk about a major road that will make life safer in Savoy… Senator Dick Durbin and Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski joined Buttigieg. Durbin said all of the work the town put into this project is what got it across the finish line in Washington.” [WCIA, 8/2/23]
FOX2now: Federal officials gather in East St. Louis to welcome huge investment in MetroLink. “At the Emerson Park Station on Monday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke aside Senator Dick Durbin and Congresswoman Cori Bush to announce $28 million allocated to improving public transit, with $196.3 million also going directly to Metro improvements, including a whole new set of rail vehicles.” [FOX2now, 7/31/23]
St. Louis Public Radio: MetroLink gets $223 million in federal funding for upgrades and flooding repairs. “MetroLink will soon get $223 million from the federal government to replace aging light rail cars and repair damage from flooding, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in East St. Louis on Monday… Buttigieg, alongside U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield; U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-St. Louis County, and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, praised the MetroLink investment as the work of President Joe Biden’s administration. The $27 million in disaster relief came from a 2022 appropriation Durbin and Bush helped secure. The other $196 million is part of a program connected to Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, passed in 2021.” [St. Louis Public Radio, 7/31/23]
Massachusetts
Boston Herald (MA): Officials Tout Clean Energy Future In Dorchester. “The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday visited a Dorchester housing complex slated to make the switch to cleaner energy to highlight it as one anecdote in the ‘national story’ of how the United States is preparing to deal with effects of a changing climate. Gov. Maura Healey, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and others joined EPA Administrator Michael Regan in Dorchester, where they showed off the community-based climate project. Markey said the projects at Franklin Field will ‘leverage public dollars to install energy-efficient appliances, cut energy bills, improve quality of life for residents,’ and represents ‘a new era of climate opportunity.’” [Boston Herald, 8/23/23]
Lowell Sun: A river – and $21.4 million – runs through it. “On Monday, the federal delegation of Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan showed up at City Hall with a check for $21.4 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law federal funding for four Mill City bridges that span canals fed by the mighty Merrimack.” … “Both Warren and Markey called the bridge money ‘historic,’ and highlighted the role the Merrimack River and the canals play in the Lowell’s founding and future.” [Lowell Sun, 8/7/23]
Sen. Elizabeth Warren @SenWarren: “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Massachusetts is receiving $21.4 MILLION to make critical repairs to bridges here in Lowell! It was great to join @RepLoriTrahan, @SenMarkey & local officials for this fantastic announcement that will help strengthen our local economy.” LINK
Sen. Ed Markey @SenMarkey: “I was proud to join my colleagues in Lowell today to celebrate $21.4 million in federal funding for the Mill City bridges. Thanks to the RAISE grant program, Lowell and cities across the nation have the resources they need to build a bridge to a stronger, more resilient future.” LINK
Sen. Ed Markey @SenMarkey: “Join us live in Lowell as we celebrate $21.4 million in federal funding for the Mill City’s Bridges. From the Merrimack, Lower Pawtucket, and West Canals to the River Meadow Brook—we need safe bridges for generations to come.” LINK
Maryland
Maryland Matters: Inflation Reduction Act Nears 1st Anniversary; Van Hollen, State Lawmakers Highlight Health And Climate Impacts. “Approaching the one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, Maryland lawmakers and advocates came together Tuesday to highlight provisions of the law aimed at reducing the costs of prescription drugs and providing incentives for renewable energy. U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D) spoke at a press conference hosted by the Maryland Health Care for All! coalition, a health policy advocacy group.” … “Van Hollen and others touted upcoming health care and climate change policies that are results of President Joe Biden’s signing the Inflation Reduction Act into law on Aug. 16, 2022.” [Maryland Matters, 8/16/23]
Michigan
WSGW: Sen. Peters Talks Infrastructure, Lafayette Bridge On Bay City Motorcycle Stop. “U.S. Senator Gary Peters was in Bay City Wednesday during his annual motorcycle tour across Michigan. The Senator was joined by Trevor Keyes, President and CEO of Bay Future and Bay County Road Commission Chair Bill Schumacher to highlight the importance of federal funding through the bipartisan infrastructure law which will help replace the aging 85-year-old Lafayette Street Bridge. Peters helped enact the infrastructure law and secure a $73 million federal grant to support reconstruction of the Bridge.” [WSGW, 8/17/23]
Sen. Gary Peters @SenGaryPeters: “The Lafayette Bridge in Bay City is 85 years old and needs replacing. It was great to see the bridge on my motorcycle tour and talk with local leaders about how funding I helped secured in the bipartisan infrastructure law will upgrade it and boost the economy.” LINK
Fox 17 Online: Sen. Peters Kicks Off Motorcycle Tour, Marks 1 Year Of PACT Act. “U.S. Senator Gary Peters kicked off his annual motorcycle tour with local veterans and leaders in veteran services. The tour started Wednesday afternoon at the USS Silversides Museum in Muskegon. It marks the one-year anniversary of the historic PACT Act, which has delivered VA healthcare and benefits to all generations of toxic-exposed veterans— and their survivors— for the first time in our nation’s history.” [Fox 17 Online, 8/9/23]
Upper Michigan’s Source: Sen. Debbie Stabenow Highlights UP Innovation. “The latest technology, made in America, better than made in America, made in Calumet, Michigan, made in Michigan,” Stabenow said. “The whole effort that we’re doing right now to bring jobs home, to focus on, through the Chips Act, and through science and other manufacturing, is to not depend on other countries for what we need.” [Upper Michigan Source, 8/7/23]
Minnesota
Northern News Now: U.S. Secretary Of Energy Visits Northland To Highlight Solar Gardens. “The nation’s top energy official was in the Northland to highlight the White House’s investments in clean, affordable energy. U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm visited Duluth Wednesday alongside Senator Tina Smith and Mayor Emily Larson to tour the Lincoln Park Solar Garden. For the past three years, the solar panels have provided electricity for a veterans housing unit and other community members struggling to pay their utility bills.” [Northern News Now, 8/30/23]
The Independent: Klobuchar Hails $29M Highway 19 Project. “And on Monday, an important supporter of the project, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, was on hand to learn from city and MnDOT officials the full scope of the project. Klobuchar was instrumental in securing a $15.4 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) federal grant, which will fund more than half of the project’s estimated $29.2 million cost. The rest will come from other federal, state and local dollars, said Jesse Vlaminck, MnDOT project manager.” [The Independent, 8/1/23]
Sen. Tina @SenTinaSmith: “The Inflation Reduction Act is bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States. @SecGranholm and I visited Heliene to celebrate over 100 new, good paying jobs coming to the Iron Range to meet the growing demand for solar panels.” LINK
Sen. Tina Smith @SenTinaSmith: “The shift to clean power is vital for the health of Minnesotans. Take Fergus Falls for example, where leaders are replacing an old coal plant with a new solar array – a prime example of Bidenomics investing in the health of our kids and our planet.” LINK
WXOW: Sen. Smith Promotes Federal Funding For Rural Broadband. “U.S. Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota visited MiEnergy in Rushford on Thursday to highlight the $13.6 million in federal funding being used to expand rural broadband access. Federal funding for MiEnergy Cooperative is part of a federal investment in rural broadband growth, expanding affordable, high-speed internet to all communities across Minnesota.” [WXOW,8/10/23]
Sen. Tina Smith @SenTinaSmith: “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Rochester is building a park-and-ride lot for more Minnesotans to take advantage of public transit. Reducing congestion and making it easier to get to work will make a real impact on working families. That’s Bidenomics.” LINK
Nevada
News3LV: One Year After Inflation Reduction Act, Sen. Rosen Wants To Remind Voters Of Its Nevada Benefits. “One year after the massive Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law by President Biden, Nevada Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen is reminding voters of the benefits she helped bring to the state.” … “‘The Inflation Reduction Act is projected to bring over 30,000 new jobs in the next five years to Nevada, possibly more, as we see more and more factories like this come on board,’ said Rosen. On Monday, the senator toured a Las Vegas clean energy manufacturing plant, Unimacts, located just miles west of the Las Vegas Strip.” [News3LV, 8/7/23]
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto @SenCortezMasto: “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that I helped pass, we're delivering high-speed internet to every corner of Nevada. That means more Nevadans have access to telehealth, telemedicine, workforce development, and so many other opportunities that our communities need.” LINK
Boulder City Review: Cortez Masto tours airport, gets report on improvement projects. “U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) toured the Boulder City Airport to discuss federal funding she’s secured to improve infrastructure and safety at the airport… The secured funding includes a $281,250 share of a nearly $5 million fund that went to 10 Nevada airports funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act that was passed in 2021.” [Boulder City Review, 8/11/23]
Record Courier: Washoe Tribe to receive $1.3 million energy grant. “The Washoe Tribe will receive $1.3 million from the Department of Energy to modernize and strengthen their energy infrastructure and invest in clean energy… Funding comes from the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants program, which was created in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The grant was announced by Nevada’s U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen. The senators are scheduled to join other Nevada and California lawmakers at the 27th annual Lake Tahoe Summit at Kings Beach State Recreation Area on Wednesday.” [Record Courier, 8/8/23]
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto @SenCortezMasto: “I joined Las Vegas veterans and @VALasVegas for a town hall about the PACT Act, and how veterans can start getting access to the benefits they've earned in service to our country.” LINK
New Hampshire
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen @SenatorShaheen: “Thanks to the CHIPS Act, new opportunities to grow and invest in American workers have become more readily available to manufacturers across the nation. Yesterday, I visited GreenSource to see how the CHIPS Act will impact manufacturers here in NH.” LINK
Sentinel Source: Hassan, FCC Chair Connect With Officials And Advocates To Talk High-Speed Internet Access. “State and local officials, telecom leaders and advocates for high-speed Internet gathered at Keene State’s Alumni Center on Wednesday morning to connect with Sen. Maggie Hassan and Jessica Rosenworcel, chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission. At the public meeting, the group of 10 officials and advocates reviewed the state’s efforts to expand the reach of broadband and fiber optic Internet to underserved communities and residents. The effects of the $1 trillion 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill on growth of broadband services were central to the discussion.” [Sentinel Source, 8/10/23]
Nashua Telegraph: Shaheen Visits University Of New Hampshire’s Shoals Marine Lab On Appledore Island. “U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) met with senior officials from the University of New Hampshire (UNH) to visit Shoals Marine Laboratory on Appledore Island to discuss its role in advancing climate research. While touring Appledore Island, Shaheen learned about the ongoing research into marine and environmental science, as well as the innovative green grid that’s being powered by renewable energy, energy conservation and sustainability efforts. She also visited the historic Celia Thaxter Garden. During her visit, Shaheen marked the one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, a landmark law that includes the most extensive climate and clean energy investments in U.S. history.” [The Nashua Telegraph, 8/17/23]
New Jersey
WRNJ Radio: Menendez Joined Under Secretary Of The VA For Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal To Discuss Recently Enacted PACT Act And Veteran Care. “U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) joined with the Under Secretary of the VA for Health, Dr. Shereef Elnahal, this week to tour the East Orange Veterans Affairs Medical Center and discuss the recently enacted Sergeant First Class Health Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, which expands essential VA benefits to cover more than 3.5 million toxic-exposed veterans and includes the Senator’s provision to improve benefits and care for veterans who served in the Gulf War and other wars in the region.” [WRNJ Radio, 8/4/23]
Sen. Bob Menendez @SenatorMenendez: “It was great to meet with the students of the Edison Job Corps Training Center today. From the CHIPS Act to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, in the years to come, the skills they've learned are only going to be more and more in demand. I can’t wait to see all they accomplish!” LINK
New Mexico
ABQ Journal: Solar Project Called Biggest Local Investment Since Intel. “New Mexico landed one of the solar industry’s global Goliaths when Maxeon Solar Technologies announced an immediate, $1 billion investment in a massive manufacturing facility in Albuquerque. The company plans to build a 1.9 million-square-foot plant at the Mesa del Sol master-planned community in south central Albuquerque, where it will open the nation’s first new domestic factory in over a decade to build both solar cells and panels for sale across the country.” [ABQ Journal, 8/12/23]
KRQE News: President Biden Speaks Wednesday In New Mexico. “Senator Martin Heinrich spoke on the recent changes to the New Mexico job market. Heinrich reflected on the year 2020, saying New Mexicans were ready to work hard, but the jobs were not there. The senator touched on how the new Arcosa facility is proof that investing in smaller communities is working.” … “Next, Senator Ben Ray Luján stepped up to speak. The senator focused on the $750 million in tower orders that have been put into the Arcosa facility and how that investment will drive unemployment numbers lower in the state.” [KRQE News, 8/9/23]
Sen. Ben Ray Lujan @SenatorLujan: “Our land’s natural resources are finite. They bless our farmers with bountiful harvests, give oxygen back to our lungs, & keep our families safe. Thanks to the IRA and @POTUS, manufacturing plants like Arcosa in Belen will begin producing wind energy turbines like never before.” LINK
New York
Olean Times Herald: Schumer Touts Wellsville Ljungström Plant As Green-Energy Success Story. “A tour Wednesday of a Southern Tier factory served as a backdrop to a push for more aid for area job training programs. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., met with Ljungström company executives in Wellsville to see firsthand how federal investment is supporting the firm’s pivot to the renewable energy industry, helping to train workers, and he discussed how the Inflation Reduction Act can help fuel the company’s continued growth.” [Olean Times Herald, 8/30/23]
The Evening Tribune: Hiring Boom At Wellsville Manufacturer: Here's How Many Jobs Are Coming To Ljungström. “In a county like Allegany, that’s a big deal. That’s a big, big deal,” said Schumer. “For the first time in a long time, the Southern Tier has the wind at its back in terms of good paying manufacturing jobs. It’s because of the investments we made that are boosting clean energy and infrastructure projects.” [The Evening Tribune, 8/30/23]
The Daily Star: Schumer Touts Funding For Rural Electric Co-Ops. “U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer visited Delaware County Tuesday to push for using federal funds to expand rural electric cooperatives. Specifically, Schumer discussed securing $1.4 million for the Delaware County Electric Cooperative’s (DCEC) new line worker training program.” … “‘The inflation Reduction Act delivers these big wins for rural electric co-ops,’ Schumer said, ‘and could bring millions in federal funding to boost clean energy in the Southern Tier.’” [The Daily Star, 8/8/23]
NY 1: Schumer Visits Electric Vehicle Charging Lot To Tout Infrastructure Law. “Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer visited Revel’s public charging facility in Brooklyn Monday to promote the provisions for electric vehicles in the Inflation Reduction Act, like credits for buyers of new electric vehicles and for companies setting up more charging stations. He also took a ride for the company’s one millionth trip. “Revel is undertaking something very new and exciting and that’s to lay out a charging infrastructure throughout New York,” Schumer said.” [NY 1, 7/31/23]
Brooklyn Paper: The Big Revel: Schumer Hails Ride From Brooklyn-Based Ride-Hailing Company, Emphasizes Importance Of Electric Vehicles. “Brooklyn-based micro-mobility and infrastructure company Revel celebrated its one millionth electric ride-hailing trip Monday, and the lucky passenger was a familiar face. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hailed a ride at Revel’s flagship public fast charging superhub in Bedford-Stuyvesant to mark the upcoming anniversary of the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act — funding from which has helped accelerate the build out of Revel’s public EV fast charging network and zero-emission fleet.” [Brooklyn Paper, 8/1/23]
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) @gillibrandny: “Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, manufacturers like @cummins have been able to invest in cutting-edge green manufacturing. We need to protect the Inflation Reduction Act so that American manufacturers can stay ahead of the global competition and invest in their future.” LINK
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) @gillibrandny: “The @Cummins Jamestown Engine Plant is on the cutting edge of cleaner, greener engine manufacturing. I toured their factory today and talked with them about how they're incorporating a zero-emissions strategy into traditional engine manufacturing to better prepare for the future.” LINK
Ohio
WSYX: Sherrod Brown says Medicare negotiations will save money. Others aren't so sure. “‘The Inflation Reduction Act is going to mean lower drug costs, lower out-of-pocket costs to literally hundreds of thousands of Ohio seniors.’ So declared Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown during a press event Wednesday to mark the naming of the first 10 drugs subject to unprecedented price negotiations on behalf of Medicare recipients.” [WSYX, 8/31/23]
FreshWater: Full Steam Ahead: Irishtown Bend Stabilization Project Breaks Ground. “Last Friday, Aug. 25 at the Cleveland Rowing Foundation, city officials and organizations celebrated the beginning of the vital next step in the Irishtown Bend project—the stabilization of the banks of the Cuyahoga River to continue plans for a 23-acre park between West 25th Street and the river and between Columbus Road and the Veterans Memorial Bridge… Senator Brown noted that bipartisan support for funding from the federal government was a key driver in making the Irishtown Bend stabilization project a reality—ensuring long-term, quality jobs and fair wages for employees working in industries impacted by the improvements.” [FreshWater, 8/29/23]
WEWS: After More Than A Decade Of Planning, Work Begins On $60 Million Irishtown Bend Stabilization Project. “On the banks of the Cuyahoga River, Cleveland leaders gathered Friday to mark the beginning of work to stabilize the hillside at Irishtown Bend. It is a project that has been in the works for more than a decade… More than $14 million in federal dollars are supporting the project, and Friedman credited Senator Sherrod Brown for being a steadfast advocate on behalf of Greater Cleveland. “So many of us have fought for so long to get this project done, and today we finally begin this new chapter for our lake and for Cleveland,” said Brown.” [WEWS, 8/25/23]
Oregon
Sen. Jeff Merkley Participated in a press conference with HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra: Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) @SenJeffMerkley: “Because Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act: ?Medicare can begin to negotiate drug prices ?Out-of-pocket costs are capped at $2,000/year for seniors on Medicare ?Insulin is capped at $35/month for most Americans...and we are just getting started.” LINK
Portland Tribune: First All-Electric Freightliner Heavy-Duty Truck Starts Work In Portland. “The first heavy-duty all-electric Freightliner truck to be put into service in Oregon was celebrated at a Southeast Portland truck yard on Sunday, July 30.” … “‘The answer is simple. All we have to do is electrify everything,’ Merkley said.”[Portland Tribune, 7/30/23]
Pennsylvania
WTAJ: Senator Casey Announces Over $300 Million Loan To Eos Energy Enterprises. “U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that the U.S. Department of Energy made a conditional commitment for a $398.6 million loan to Eos Energy Enterprises. This commitment was made to support the construction and production of next-generation American-made battery systems, through their project AMAZE, at their facility in Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania. Senator Casey helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act to invest in domestic manufacturing, clean energy technologies and good-paying Pa. jobs.” [WTAJ, 8/31/23]
CBS News Philadelphia: $25 million federal grant aims for safer commute for 6 North Philadelphia schools. “City, state and federal leaders announced Friday a $25 million federal grant to create safe school traffic zones around six North Philly schools: Julia de Burgos Elementary School, the Kenderton Elementary School, the KIPP Philadelphia Elementary Academy, the Mary McLeod Bethune School, the Pan-American Academy Charter School and the Potter-Thomas School. "They will have opportunities for learning," Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey said, "but they should also have a right to expect it's safe on the way to school and on the way home."” [CBS News Philadelphia, 9/1/23]
Philly Voice: 6 North Philly schools to receive road and crosswalk safety upgrades with $25 million in federal funding. “In June, a $25 million federal grant to improve pedestrian safety was awarded to six North Philly schools. On Friday, Mayor Jim Kenney, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and city officials announced how that money will be spent.” [Philly Voice, 9/1/23]
Meadville Tribune: Sen. Casey calls for more infrastructure investment in Meadville visit. “The federal government needs to invest more funds in localized improvement projects like the cleanup of French Creek, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey said. Casey was in Meadville on Tuesday afternoon to mark the previously announced awarding of a $1 million federal grant toward ongoing cleanup efforts of an industrial site along French Creek in Meadville.”… “Casey said funding for the project became available through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 which has provided money to revitalize communities suffering from economic and environmental hazards. Casey called passage of the bill the first major infrastructure investment action by the government in about 75 years.” [Meadville Tribune, 8/30/23]
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Eleven locations in southwestern Pa. tapped for federal EV charging station funding. “Eleven projects across southwestern Pennsylvania have been chosen on a conditional basis to receive federal money for building electric vehicle charging stations in the first round of National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure funding. A PennDOT news release on Monday said 54 projects in 35 counties were picked on a conditional basis to receive a total of $33.8 million for expanding access and reliability of EV charging stations. Four federally compliant charging ports will be paid for at each location, the state transportation department said.” [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 8/14/23]
PennWatch: PA to Receive Federal Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Funding for 54 Projects in 35 Counties. “Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll, U.S. Senator Bob Casey, Federal Highway Administration Deputy Administrator Andrew Rogers, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) announced the first round of conditional awards for federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) funding. Fifty-four projects in 35 counties were selected to expand access to, and the reliability of, electric vehicle charging within Pennsylvania. The $33.8 million federal investment is part of the $171.5 million PennDOT will receive and distribute for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure over five years through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).” [PennWatch, 8/14/23]
Times Leader: PennDOT plans to establish EV stations across Pa.; 3 in Luzerne County. “Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll on Monday said the new federal investment of millions of dollars will create good paying jobs and allow Pennsylvanian residents, businesses and visitors to travel across the commonwealth faster, cleaner and more reliably… Carroll was joined by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, Federal Highway Administration Deputy Administrator Andrew Rogers, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to announce the first round of conditional awards for the federal NEVI funding. The event was held at the Scranton Electricians JATC Training Center.” [Times Leader, 8/14/23]
Rhode Island
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse @SenWhitehouse: “As we mark one year of @POTUS’ Inflation Reduction Act, I visited the Barrington and Lincoln Senior Centers to discuss how the historic law is lowering health care costs for our seniors.” LINK
Virginia
WDBJ 7: Sen. Mark Warner Visits Danville To Discuss Economic Development Opportunities With Leaders. “Senator Warner met with city leaders and local officials this morning at Cottontail. He spoke about his efforts to expand broadband and his hopes for everyone in Danville and Pittsylvania County to have high speed internet by the end of 2025. They also discussed the Inflation Reduction Act and how local companies can receive grant funding.” [WDBJ 7, 8/24/23]
WUSA 9: Massive Dulles Solar Project Breaks Ground In Virginia. “Virginia leaders broke ground Tuesday on the Dulles Solar and Storage project. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and other leaders, along with members of Dominion Energy Virginia and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority were all on hand for the event, which is the largest renewable energy project ever developed at an airport in the United States.” [WUSA 9, 8/22/23]
Washington
KOMO: Vice President Addresses Climate Crisis, Defends Inflation Reduction Act During Seattle Visit. “Sen. Maria Cantwell, who took a tour of the McKinstry plant with Harris, also suggested the Act has helped slow inflation. Cantwell argues, like Harris, that the act is directly tied to manufacturing and jobs at McKinstry. ‘This was a great demonstration of the kind of job creation that exists from it,’ said Cantwell in an interview with KOMO News.” [KOMO, 8/15/23]
Sen. Patty Murray @PattyMurray: “Great to visit @BigBendVikings's Workforce Training Center today with @Group14Tech, which recently broke ground on a major battery manufacturing facility here in Moses Lake & are partnering with the college to train students to fill these new, good-paying clean energy jobs.” LINK
Center Square: Sen. Murray touts clean energy, workforce training during eastern WA stops. “Increased clean energy technology, support of workforce training, suppressing wildfires, and the Farm Bill: all were topics of discussion for U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, during stops across eastern Washington state this week.”… “‘We are moving to a clean energy economy,’ said Murray. ‘And what we want is the United States of America to have that economy and not to rely on foreign countries … So, what do we do? We gotta build it here. And here in Moses Lake, we are seeing an opportunity to create that new clean energy economy.’” [Center Square, 8/4/23]
KAYU: Spokane has lift off: Spokane business assists new Artemis mission. “It’s one small step for man, one giant leap for Spokane. Hi-Rel Laboratories Inc. in north Spokane is currently working on the new lunar module… Senator Cantwell said during her visit that the CHIPS act that she was instrumental in getting over the finish line is essential to ensure that high level technology is made in America, adding that Washington’s space economy has more than doubled in four years, supports more than 13,000 jobs and generates $4.6 billion in economic impact.” [KAYU, 8/1/23]
Spokesman-Review: Spokane-based Hi-Rel Laboratories is the only NASA contractor in Eastern Washington to work on new manned mission to the moon. “Spokane-based Hi-Rel Laboratories is one of the few companies contracted by NASA, private defense contractors and a burgeoning commercial space industry to search for these imperfections and put a stop to them before a spacecraft is sent out into the solar system. Touring the north Spokane facility Monday afternoon, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell said Hi-Rel will be critical “to get us back to the moon.” “You want to know you’re not going to have a material failure be the cause of a whole critical system element being taken out of function. And this lab here in Spokane is doing that work,” said Cantwell, who is the chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation… During the tour, the business owner encouraged Cantwell to expand the CHIPS Act, which she helped pass last year. The bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act allocated $280 billion in scientific research and manufacturing, including $52.7 billion in subsidies to boost domestic production of semiconductor chips. The law is intended to boost U.S. manufacturing and make the country competitive with China and the rest of Asia in microchip production.” [Spokesman-Review, 7/31/23]
Sen. Patty Murray @PattyMurray: “As we mark the 1 year anniversary of the PACT Act, I joined local veterans & @DeptVetAffairs officials in Seattle to hear about what the new benefits provided by this law mean for WA state veterans. This law is a big deal & I’m focused on making sure it's implemented as intended.” LINK
West Virginia
WOAY: Manchin Breaks Ground On Raleigh County Memorial Airport Industrial Park Expansion. “Regional airports are the lifeblood of a community, and that has special meaning for Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) a pilot himself. He calls the expansion of the Raleigh County Memorial Airport, that kicked off today’s Beckley groundbreaking — transformative for Southern West Virginia. The $4.5 million he secured in federal investments for the project will develop 105 acres of site-ready property.” [WOAY, 8/21/23]
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Examiner: ‘The internet is no longer a luxury’: $667M from USDA for rural broadband. “Wisconsin’s rural development investment will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to provide high-speed internet to 9,661 people, 319 businesses, 689 farms and eight educational facilities in Richland, Dane, Iowa, Juneau and Sauk counties. In addition, Reedsburg Utility Commission will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program.” [Wisconsin Examiner, 8/21/23]
WDJT: Sen. Baldwin tours lead pipe replacement project in Milwaukee. “Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin stopped in Milwaukee Wednesday, Aug. 16, joining Mayor Cavalier Johnson in a north side neighborhood where crews are replacing old lead water pipes. This is a long-term project, dating back to 2017. Baldwin says there are still about 66,000 lead pipes still in use in Milwaukee, but thanks to investments from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the project is about to move more quickly.” [WDJT, 8/16/23]
WISN: City of Milwaukee to receive millions for lead pipe replacement. “The City of Milwaukee plans to replace nearly 70,000 lead service pipes over the next 20 years. This effort started in 2017, and now, new federal funding will ramp up these efforts. Right now, work is being done on dozens of homes on 38th Street near Nash Street. On Wednesday, Sen. Tammy Baldwin joined Mayor Cavalier Johnson and other city officials to get a firsthand look at the replacements.” [WISN, 8/16/23]
Wisconsin Examiner: V.P. Harris, Tammy Baldwin tout high speed internet project in Wisconsin. “Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Wisconsin Thursday to announce a new project she and the Finnish telecom company Nokia say will create up to 200 new jobs at a Kenosha County manufacturing plant making fiber optic products to be used in a nationwide expansion of high-speed internet. Speaking from a podium inside the Sanmira Corporation electronics manufacturing plant in Pleasant Prairie, a suburb of Kenosha, Harris was joined by Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin.” [Wisconsin Examiner, 8/3/23]
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI): “With the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and @SenatorBaldwin’s Buy America provisions, we are investing ‘in our people, in our economy, and in our future’ and Americans will benefit from more resilient infrastructure—like finally having access to high-speed internet.” LINK
WLUK: Senator Baldwin throws support behind 'Buy America' legislation in Green Bay. “Sen. Tammy Baldwin stopped by Fox Valley Metal Tech in Green Bay to highlight her support of Wisconsin's manufacturing industry. It's part of the Buy America legislation which requires that all iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in federally funded projects for infrastructure must be produced in the United States.” [WLUK, 8/2/23]
Leader-Telegram: Sen. Baldwin visits Cornell, discusses rural broadband. [Leader-Telegram, 8/13/23]
Door County Daily News: Baldwin covers broadband, other issues on peninsula visit. “Senator Tammy Baldwin spent her Wednesday visiting communities in Door and Kewaunee counties to discuss a variety of issues impacting residents while the U.S. Senate is on its August recess. The senator’s day started in Casco where she met with officials from the village and its partners at nSight and Cellcom to bring fiber internet to the area.” [Door County Daily News, 8/2/23]
Wisconsin Examiner: President Leans Into ‘Bidenomics’ With Visit To Milwaukee Wind Turbine Factory. “President Joe Biden flew into Milwaukee Tuesday and addressed cheering union workers at a wind turbine manufacturer to mark the one-year anniversary of legislation to boost renewable energy and address climate change. In a 40-minute stemwinder of a speech the president went far beyond promoting the Inflation Reduction Act that he signed a year ago and leaned into the ‘Bidenomics’ nickname for his administration’s economic policy”… “The four joined the motorcade taking Biden to Ingeteam’s factory, where the president and his party began their visit with a tour of the plant and were joined by Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Attorney General Josh Kaul.” [Wisconsin Examiner, 8/16/23]
WKBT: Tammy Baldwin Touts Lower Prescription Drug Benefits While Touring Gundersen Pharmacy. “Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin is in Onalaska touting federal law that lowers prescription drug costs for seniors. Baldwin toured the Gundersen Pharmacy Wednesday, which has launched a 12-week pharmacy technician training plan. The Wisconsin Democrat is celebrating the Inflation Reduction Act passed last year. Baldwin says she was happy to support that law, because it provides needed financial relief to seniors.” [WKBT, 8/9/23]
WXOW: Sen. Baldwin Highlighting Lower Prescription Drug Costs At A Stop In Onalaska. “Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) made a stop at the Gundersen Pharmacy in Onalaska Wednesday on a bus tour promoting recent federal moves to help lower costs and improve healthcare. In 2020, 33% of Americans saw their out-of-pocket medication costs increase, with higher prescription prices it can be difficult to afford day-to-day costs.” [WXOW, 8/9/23]
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