Comer, Graves Launch Probe into Biden Administration’s Infrastructure Spending

Express concerns about potential for waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement

WASHINGTON — Today, House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) and House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-Mo.) sent a letter to White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu requesting all documents and communications related to the $1.2 trillion in taxpayer dollars authorized in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The Republican lawmakers express concerns the massive and expansive funding creates opportunities for corruption and wasteful spending; steers funding away from traditionally Republican-led states and rural America; and lacks a sufficient, qualified workforce to complete the projects.

“We are conducting oversight to ensure that the $1.2 trillion of taxpayer money authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is not being fraudulently or wastefully spent,” wrote the lawmakers. “This massive spending bill is in large part a combination of lump sums broadly categorizing what money must go towards, which, unfortunately, leaves the door open for the Administration to pursue their ‘woke’ priorities rather than allocating the funds based on states’ actual needs. The expansive purpose for which the funds were allocated, along with the magnitude of the expenditure, create a greater-than-usual opportunity for corruption and wasteful spending.”

Government spending reached a record high in 2021 under President Biden and one-party control in Washington. To date, the Biden Administration has spent over $3.3 trillion taxpayer dollars, including $1.9 trillion under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, and is slated to spend another $1.2 trillion authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The infrastructure law contains broad categories for spending, such as $55 billion for drinking water infrastructure, $65 billion to broadband infrastructure development, and a combined $42 billion to ports, waterways, and airports. Recent reports reveal the Biden Administration is using regulatory restrictions and policies to help steer this funding to their progressive pet projects and away from Republican-led states that need new or improved roads.

“Ensuring that taxpayer dollars are wisely spent is especially important in today’s inflationary economy… If the Biden Administration insists on such unprecedented government spending when Americans’ paychecks are stretched so thin, then the taxpayers deserve to know where their money is going. Likewise, if the money is not going where people actually need it, Americans would likely appreciate a refund. Considering the IIJA’s massive cost coupled with rising inflation rates, it goes without saying that the infrastructure investment should benefit the greatest number of Americans possible,” continued the lawmakers. “Decisions regarding expenditures under the IIJA should rely on states’ need rather than their political leanings.”

The letter to Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu can be found here.