U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert is under scrutiny for announcing that she had secured over $51.4 million for the South Bridge project, despite her attempts to block the legislation responsible for the funding in 2021. Boebert had opposed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which supplied the South Bridge project with its primary funding source.
The act, notably the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program, faced opposition from nearly 200 Republican representatives, including Boebert. Regardless of the opposition, the bill passed, allowing the South Bridge project to benefit from the financial support.
Boebert later tweeted a picture with a Glenwood Springs city councilor, unveiling almost $30 million in cost savings. The photo was seen as a symbol of their effective partnership despite Boebert’s inconsistencies in political stance.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg had challenged Boebert over her involvement after the funding from the opposed infrastructure bill came in. Boebert defended herself by saying that allocating infrastructure funds has been a bipartisan effort over the years.
In December 2023, the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program announced a $645.3 million allocation to improve rural bridges and roads.
Boebert’s involvement in contentious infrastructure bill
The Department of Transportation expressed its commitment to improving rural transportation and improving connectivity. This included addressing aging bridges, paving roads, and more.
Funds will be distributed amongst states based on rural road mileage and the number of rural bridges, ensuring equitable distribution of resources. The intention is to rectify longstanding imbalances in infrastructure allocations in rural areas.
Amid these conflicting events, Boebert has announced her intention to run in the November 2024 elections. She has been criticized for supporting the probable 2024 Republican presidential nominee, who is facing allegations of silencing witnesses with payoffs during his trial.
