Congressional Hispanic Caucus Hosts Roundtable Focused on Implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in Latino Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last week, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Vice Chair of Policy Darren Soto hosted a roundtable focused on the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in Latino communities with representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration, members of House Democratic leadership, CHC members, and community stakeholders from various parts of the country.
“The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is proud to continue its work to ensure that all Americans, including Latinos, can access the benefits of the Infrastructure Law,” said CHC Chair Nanette Barragán. “This law made generational investments in our nation that will go on to improve the lives of millions with improved access to broadband, clean water, and improved transportation. It’s vital that historically disadvantaged communities are not left behind as the law continues being implemented. I am proud that Vice Chair of Policy Darren Soto convened this roundtable so that our caucus, and congressional leadership, could hear directly from key stakeholders from across the country on how we can better ensure no American is left behind.”
“The 117th Congress was the most productive in over 50 years—and we have evidence of that through the Infrastructure Law. In Central Florida, we’ve seen billions invested to fix the traffic through improvements to I-4, improve public transportation through the expansion of the SunRail/Brightline, and expand our world-class Orlando International Airport through the creation of a new Terminal C,” said Vice Chair of Policy Soto. “I’m proud to work on the state, local, and federal level to ensure that stakeholders in Central Florida and across the country have access to relevant information and technical assistance where needed.”
“Everyone is entitled to live and work in a place with healthy air and clean water. That is not the reality for many working-class communities, and unfortunately in many areas, Latino community members are disproportionately impacted by pollution,” said Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu. “It was my pleasure to join Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Vice Chair of Policy Darren Soto at a roundtable on how the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is helping to address these issues. It was a productive discussion on the ways in which these infrastructure investments have and will continue to help Latino communities.”
“I was pleased to join the Congressional Hispanic Caucus's Infrastructure Implementation Roundtable led by Regional Leadership Council Member Rep. Darren Soto alongside other Regional Leadership Council Members Rep. Tony Cárdenas and Rep. Lori Trahan," said Regional Leadership Council Chair Steny Hoyer. "It was an important opportunity to speak with local leaders and stakeholders about what President Biden’s Investing in America agenda has done to advance equity and help Americans – including those who have been historically disadvantaged – get ahead. Meetings like this one further demonstrate the transformational impact of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act – whether it’s the replacement of 1.7 million toxic lead service lines for drinking water, the $3.5 billion to reconnect communities that were divided by past transportation projects, the 8,500 clean school buses for America’s schoolchildren, or the 23 million households that saved at least $30 a month on their internet bills through the Affordable Connectivity Program. I thank my friend Rep. Darren Soto for leading this roundtable and advancing the implementation of President Biden’s investments in Central Florida and across the country. Together, we will continue to ensure that Latino Americans see the impact of the Investing in America agenda in their local communities.”
In addition to Vice Chair of Policy Soto, the following Members of Congress were present at the roundtable:
- CHC Vice Chair of Member Engagement Tony Cárdenas
- CHC Whip Sylvia Garcia
- Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu
- Regional Leadership Council Chair Steny Hoyer
- Rep. Salud Carbajal
- Rep. Jim Costa
- Rep. Jesus "Chuy" García
- Rep. Robert Menendez Jr.
- Rep. Delia Ramirez
- Rep. Raul Ruiz
- Rep. Lori Trahan
The roundtable was attended by the following Biden-Harris administration officials:
- Keishaa Austin, Acting Principal Deputy Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of State and Community Energy Programs
- Coral Torres Cruz, Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary of Transportation at the U.S. Department of Transportation
- Zealan Hoover, Senior Advisor to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator
- Alejandra Nunez, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Office of Air and Radiation at the U.S. EPA
- Parul Desai, Congressional Affairs Director for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration
The roundtable was also attended by the following community stakeholders:
- Liz Hurtado, National Field Manager at Moms Clean Air Force — Eco Madres
- Michael Nicholson, Mayor of the City of Gardner
- Shruti Vaidyanathan, Director of Federal and State Transportation Advocacy at NRDC
- Ross Lieberman, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at Hotwire Communications
- Coralette Hannon, Director of Livable Communities at AARP
- Matthew Vining, Policy Analyst at Atlas Public Policy
- JuanPablo Prieto, Director of Diversity Programs at Chicago Transit Authority
- Eric Lopez, Director of Public Works at the City of Long Beach
- Katherine Garcia, Clean Transportation for All Campaign Director at Sierra Club
- Luis D. Dávila Pernas, Executive Director at the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration
- Álvaro Zarco, Senior Legislative Affairs Advisor at UnidosUS
- Yxstian Gutierrez, County Supervisor at Riverside County
- Jairo A Rodriguez, Professional Engineer at Volkert Inc.
- Sara Chieffo, Vice President of Government Affairs at LCV
- Albert De Cardenas, General Counsel at MasTec
- Kevin DeGood, Director of Infrastructure Policy at the Center for American Progress
- Toni Tinoco, Central Valley Deputy Regional Director at California High-Speed Rail Authority
To access the livestream of the roundtable, please click here.
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