Foxx calls on Congress to pass GROW AMERICA funding bill

In comments posted on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) website on Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx said there is an overwhelming demand for Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants.

Foxx said this indicates a widespread need for additional resources to fund infrastructure projects across the country.

The 2015 TIGER grant program will make $500 million available for innovative and transformative transportation projects across the country, but nearly $14.5 billion in federal funds would be needed to fund the 950 pre-applications from large cities and small towns across the U.S. for transformative and innovative capital projects.

Foxx said TIGER funds innovative projects that leverage investment, provide Americans with jobs and help companies get their goods to market, but that every year, DOT has to turn away many high-quality projects because the agency lacks the funds.

“That's why the GROW AMERICA proposal -- a $478 billion, six-year, surface transportation reauthorization bill that we sent to Congress in March -- would increase TIGER funding to $7.5 billion over six years and expand the number of highly rated projects awarded grants," Foxx said.

“We look forward to reviewing final applications, which are due Friday, and we look forward to the even more fierce TIGER envisioned in GROW AMERICA," Foxx said.