Iowa Third District Congresswoman Cindy Axne held an infrastructure roundtable in Clive Wednesday morning to discuss funding priorities from the bipartisan infrastructure law.
Axne met with mayors and city officials from Altoona, Clive, Des Moines, Greenfield, Griswold, Johnston, Runnells, Urbandale and Waukee. Axne says Iowa has already received more than $700 million from the infrastructure law, and noted that over the next five years it?s expected to deliver at least $100 million to expand access to high-speed internet in rural areas.
?I truly believe that with the combination between what you all are doing at local levels, what we?re doing at a state level, with what we?re going to be receiving here in Iowa on that broadband connectivity, between all of those things we?re really going to be able to wrap this up finally,? said Axne. ?After I don?t know how long we?ve been talking about connectivity for every single person in Iowa, it?s been years.?
During the roundtable, Griswold City Manager Ted Marciniak thanked Axne for voting in favor of the infrastructure bill but expressed concern over fears of small rural communities getting overlooked during grant allocations. Axne responded by saying she would look into the possibility of having ?set-asides? for rural towns.
?If we do not support rural America, it means we are not supporting urban America either because rural America is key to success for every city in this country,? said Axne. ?We are, rural Iowa, a success for Des Moines. I think about our John Deere factory and all of the good jobs they are producing for farm and agriculture. Well, if we didn?t have our farmers out here and across America ? we need rural. Let me see what we can do because it?s a really good point you bring up.?
The hour-long event concluded with Axne thanking all city officials for attending. She explained the importance of local government.
?I know how local your jobs are,? said Axne. ?I know when I go the grocery store I get a lot of questions about what things are happening, and I know you guys do too constantly. You are always feeling there is something else you can be doing for your community. I know you go to bed thinking that, and I know you wake up thinking that because I do. So, I?m anxious to work with you all on this. Let?s get this done as quickly as we can. I hope when you leave here today that you will make those initial connections, even if it?s just dropping a voicemail with someone.?
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is expected to deliver Iowa more than $5 billion over the next five years.
