Rep. Sykes Calls on President Trump to Lift Freeze on More Than $175 Million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding for OH-13
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative and Vice Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Emilia Sykes (OH-13) issued the below statement highlighting the impact of the Trump administration’s Executive Orders halting the funding of important infrastructure investments secured through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). In Ohio’s 13th Congressional District alone, Trump’s order has put $175,960,881.63 for 90 different projects on pause. A complete list of those projects can be found here.
“With many communities already putting this funding to use on construction projects, it is unconscionable that President Trump would abruptly halt this funding,” said Rep. Sykes. “Now is not the time to play partisan politics and allow the High Level Bridge and other infrastructure to be reduced to a state of disrepair and take jobs away from our communities. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has brought investment, innovation, and jobs to Ohio’s 13th District and cities across the nation. I urge the president to release his hold on this critical funding. Local investments and jobs hang in the balance.”
Last week, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Vice Ranking Member Sykes and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (WA-02) led the 29 Democratic Committee Members in a letter urging U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to stem the chaotic effect of President Trump’s Executive Orders halting the funding of important infrastructure investments. The members also urged Secretary Duffy to stem the chaotic effect of President Trump’s actions by:
- Providing clear guidance on DOT’s planned actions to implement the President’s objectives with respect to infrastructure spending and eligibilities;
- Making publicly available, on DOT’s website, an up-to-date list of all grants subject to or under review pursuant to these EOs;
- Communicating to Congress in advance of changes to grant solicitations or grant requirements, including reissuance of Notices of Funding Opportunity; and
- Providing clarity to project sponsors on how to demonstrate compliance with the longstanding and routinely reauthorized DOT Disadvantaged Business Enterprise.
Last week, Reps. Sykes and Shontel Brown (OH-11) hosted a virtual press conference to draw attention to the community programs that will be defunded by President Trump’s Executive Orders and the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) memo freezing federal grants and loans. Since the press conference, OMB has announced that they are rescinding the memo that called for government grants and loans to be frozen. Following that announcement, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement asserting that this rescinded memo did not rescind President Trump’s Executive Orders regarding federal funding, creating more confusion about the status of funding for impacted programs. Last week, U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan temporarily President Donald Trump’s to pause federal funding. Earlier this week, Judge AliKhan extended that order.
Rep. Sykes is collecting the stories of organizations impacted by the federal grant and loan funding freeze. Please complete the survey or call Rep. Sykes’ office at (330) 400-5350 if you are experiencing issues with federal funding.