Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Federal Infrastructure And Climate Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate committee hears SJR 6 urging protection of federal infrastructure, technology and clean-energy funds
Summary
Sen. Dave Cortese presented SJR 6 asking California senators and representatives to preserve funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act; committee took testimony and deferred a vote to a future meeting.
Sen. Dave Cortese urged the Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee on June 9 to adopt SJR 6, a resolution asking the White House and Congress to uphold funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act.
Cortese said those laws have produced “some of the most consequential federal investments” for California, citing figures in the resolution: about $63 billion to California from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, roughly $1.2 billion for clean hydrogen through the Arches project, about $3.1 billion for California high-speed rail, and more than $1 billion to modernize ports. He asked members for an aye vote but the committee did not take action and instead scheduled the measure for a vote-only hearing next week.
Andy Hatala of the Climate Reality Project testified in support, telling the committee that federal investments “expedited the deployment of renewable energy, furthered environmental justice, and created thousands of good-paying union-supported jobs across the state.” Hatala said recent federal budget actions threaten projects and jobs and repeated the request that California publicly urge continued federal funding.
Several senators asked questions or raised concerns. Sen. Strickland said he supports parts of the resolution but opposed its inclusion of the California high-speed rail program, calling that project mismanaged and arguing the funds could be redirected to other “shovel-ready” projects. Sen. Nilo echoed budgetary concerns, noting California’s own budget reductions to greenhouse-gas programs and questioning the balance of fiscal responsibility between state and federal budgets. Sen. Archuleta and others framed the resolution as a bipartisan call to sustain investments that support jobs and economic growth.
The chairwoman told the author she would allow a closing statement and bring SJR 6 back next week for a vote-only item. Cortese reiterated the dollar figure cited for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to California and requested an aye vote when the resolution returns.
The hearing record shows presentation and testimony but no committee vote on SJR 6; the item was continued for a subsequent meeting.
