Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) questions Michael Whitaker, of Vermont, during his nomination hearing to be administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, in Washington. Mariam Zuhaib/AP

Biden administration looks to tie highway funding to DEI: Senate GOP memo

Jack Birle November 21, 04:22 PM November 21, 04:22 PM Video Embed

Republicans on the Senate commerce committee circulated a memo accusing the Biden administration of tying highway funding to initiatives including “equity” and climate change.

The memo, obtained by Fox News, is led by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), ranking member on the Senate commerce committee, and it claims that “billions” in infrastructure funding are being tied to “woke initiatives.”

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“Billions upon billions of taxpayer dollars meant for infrastructure projects are tied to woke initiatives that are more focused on dismantling America’s infrastructure in the name of ‘equity’ and ‘climate change’ than building roads, bridges, and highways to connect the country,” the memo said.

“Congress must not allow the Department of Transportation to push the absurd concept of ‘racist roads’ to prevent Americans from getting much-needed improvements to their highways,” the memo continued. “The funding notices issued by DOT should focus on the law as written, not woke priorities.”

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has alleged there is “racism physically built into some of our highways.” He has also pushed racial equity initiatives in his role as transportation secretary, but many activist groups have said he has not gone far enough with the funding.

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Cruz said in the memo he will be “challenging ‘woke’ anti-highway policy in DOT grants” via a Congressional Review Act resolution soon, saying they “severely deviate from the criteria in law.”

“Taken together, these additions, which severely deviate from the criteria in law, will favor states seeking to expand mass transit and bike paths over states wanting to build roads,” the memo said. “The added requirements on grant agreements, which are necessary for money to be paid after awards are announced, are particularly pernicious.”

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