Buckner Attends ‘Communities in Action: Building a Better Illinois and Indiana’ at White House

CHICAGO – State Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, joined other lawmakers at the ‘Communities in Action: Building a Better Illinois and Indiana’ event at the White House to explore new solutions to local challenges and meet with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to hear about new federal infrastructure and transportation projects

“Billions of new dollars coming to Illinois are going to create thousands of good-paying jobs, revamp miles of roads and bridges, and ensure that more Illinoisans have access to high-speed internet that is such an essential tool in the modern world,” Buckner said. “In addition to the already substantial efforts Illinois has undertaken to address these challenges, I am hopeful for the major contributions this funding will make towards building a stronger Illinois.”

Buckner met with Secretary Buttigieg and other high-ranking federal officials to discuss the future of federal action in this area. Some federal investments will include:

• $1.5 billion for better access to high-speed internet
• $11.3 billion for highway and bridge improvement
• $751 million for new water infrastructure
• $4.5 billion for expanded public transit systems
• $14.1 billion for 365 miscellaneous local infrastructure projects

“I believe that building a better public transit system can be the key to tackling obstacles that hinder working people in Chicago, and I have made those improvements one of my priorities as a lawmaker,” Buckner said. “It is deeply encouraging that our partners at the national level feel strongly as well, and we are going to reap the benefits of billions towards faster, cheaper and more environmentally friendly public transit.”