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Alameda County committee forwards support for federal National Infrastructure Bank bill
Summary
The County’s personnel and legislation committee voted to forward a support position on HR 5356, the National Infrastructure Bank Act, to the full Board after public comment from two infrastructure advocates and brief discussion; the motion passed on roll call.
The Alameda County Personnel Administration and Legislation Committee voted Monday to forward a support position on HR 5356, the National Infrastructure Bank Act, to the full Board.
A committee member moved to advance the request and the Chair seconded; the clerk called the roll and announced the motion passed. The action follows public comment from two advocates who urged the county to endorse the measure.
John Cephas, an advisory board member of the Coalition for the National Infrastructure Bank, told the committee the bill would create a publicly owned financing mechanism to back local projects. “We have at least $4,000,000,000,000 of unfunded infrastructure projects ready to go in The United States,” Cephas said, attributing the estimate to the American Society of Civil Engineers. He urged Alameda County to support the county’s legislative position request on HR 5356, saying the bank could provide low‑cost financing for affordable housing, lead abatement and coastal protection projects.
Jeff Beeman, a retired scientist who now works on the bank initiative, said Alameda County could gain jobs and capital for housing and transportation upgrades if the county endorses the bill. “Alameda County really has nothing to lose by supporting us and it has a lot to gain,” Beeman said.
Committee discussion before the motion was procedural and brief. The clerk recorded the motion, the Chair’s second and subsequent aye votes; the committee then directed the support position to the full Board for consideration.
The committee also thanked the presenters and public commenters for their time. The full Board will receive the committee’s recommendation at a future meeting; no final Board action on HR 5356 occurred at the committee meeting.
