Jackson Purchase News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) expressed concerns regarding the Biden Administration's latest mandate, as he emphasized the need to address the issue through legislative action. McConnell stated, “This week, the Senate will get yet another chance to pull the emergency brake on a particularly harmful piece of the Biden Administration’s federal regulatory state."

McConnell highlighted the specific rule introduced by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which he described as problematic. He pointed out, “The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) finalized a rule late last year that would force states and local planning agencies to set declining greenhouse gas emissions targets and require them to meet those targets."

The Senator criticized the mandate for imposing a uniform approach to infrastructure development across the country, stating, “The idea is to make the entire country build its infrastructure the way the bluest coastal cities, like San Francisco, do. Subway stops, electrical vehicle chargers, and bike lanes in rural places like North Dakota."

Describing the mandate as a one-size-fits-all approach, McConnell raised concerns about its impact on Middle America's infrastructure priorities. He remarked, “It’s a one-size-fits-all mandate. In other words, it forces Middle America to say goodbye to urgent projects on the sort of transportation infrastructure that actually makes sense for them."

Furthermore, McConnell criticized the FHWA for lacking the authority to implement such a rule, stating, “What’s more: the FHWA lacks the authority to implement this rule." He also highlighted that Congress had previously debated and rejected similar provisions, emphasizing, “Congress explicitly debated and rejected language to authorize this type of target during the lead up to the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act."

In conclusion, McConnell expressed gratitude towards Senator Kevin Cramer for introducing a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to address the issue. McConnell urged his colleagues to support the resolution, stating, “So, I’m very grateful to my colleague Senator Cramer for taking the lead on this CRA. And I urge all of my colleagues to support it on the floor this week."