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Bipartisan Infrastructure Reform

Thom believes infrastructure is one of government’s fundamental responsibilities, which is why he has made modernizing North Carolina’s infrastructure among his top priorities in the Senate. Thom worked across the aisle to write and pass bipartisan infrastructure legislation that secures numerous long-term transportation and infrastructure projects that will make our roads, ports, airports, and highways safer, ease traffic congestion and encourage more economic investment in North Carolina.

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THE FACTS ON THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL

What’s in the Bill?

Contrary to some misinformation, the bipartisan infrastructure bill is exclusively focused on funding real infrastructure like roads, bridges, airports, broadband, water infrastructure, and our electric grid.

How is it Paid For?

The $550 billion bill is paid for in a responsible way without raising taxes, and will generate billions in economic growth for decades to come. The bill is funded in part by using unspent unemployment insurance and unspent COVID-19 recovery funding.

How will North Carolina Benefit?

    • $7.2B
      Roads and Highways
      Funding will be used to repair and rebuild roads in NC, including the more than 3,000 miles of highways in "poor condition."
    • $457M
      Bridges
      NC has nearly 1,500 bridges considered in “poor condition” and this funding will be used for bridge construction and repair.
    • $440M
      Clean Water
      NC families need safe and clean drinking water, and this funding would be used by the state to ensure they do.
    • $911M
      Public Transit
      Public transit is vital for reducing traffic congestion, and funding will be used to build and improve public transit systems across North Carolina.
    • $100M
      Broadband
      This funding will help provide broadband services to the more then 400,000 North Carolinians who still don't have access.
    • Coastal Resiliency
      North Carolina will be eligible for its fair share of funding to ensure the state is protected from hurricane and storm damage. The nationwide allocation is $7 billions, with priority for states like North Carolina impacted by multiple recent natural disasters.
    • Airports
      This funding will help provide broadband services to the more then 400,000 North Carolinians who still don't have access.
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Securing Billions of Disaster Relief for North Carolinians and Communities

Hurricane Florence

Days before Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina in 2018, Thom was already working behind the scenes with Congressional leaders to ensure the state would have the federal resources it needed to respond to the devastating storm in the short-term and the federal resources it would need to recover in the long-term.

Thom led the North Carolina Congressional Delegation’s request for federal long-term financial assistance and successfully advocated for a $1.14 billion down payment of Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Program funding. The CDBG-DR grants will support a variety of disaster recovery activities in North Carolina, including housing redevelopment and rebuilding, business assistance, economic revitalization, and infrastructure repair.

Hurricane Matthew

Before Hurricane Matthew even made landfall in North Carolina in October 2016, Thom was already at work, contacting Congressional leaders to ensure North Carolina would receive recovery funding and resources in a timely manner.

Thom spearheaded the state’s Congressional Delegation’s efforts and delivered, securing more than $400 million in the form of Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding which was authorized by large bipartisan majorities in Congress. This federal assistance provided Hurricane Matthew victims with housing redevelopment and rebuilding, business assistance, economic revitalization, and infrastructure repair.

Thom also successfully secured tens of millions of dollars of Federal Highway Administration funds for the repair and reconstruction of roads that were damaged by Hurricane Matthew and the subsequent flooding.