An internal Senate memorandum has brought to light attempts by the Biden administration to link infrastructure funding to social justice policies. This move has sparked criticism, with detractors arguing that taxpayer dollars are being misused.
The memo, which was circulated among Senate offices, reveals that the administration is trying to connect federal highway funding to what critics are calling “woke” priorities. The document also points to a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) notice issued in February 2021 as evidence of this shift in focus.
The notice in question outlines policies that contradict those negotiated in the bipartisan law, according to critics. They argue that such a move marks an overreach by the administration and an attempt to enforce a socially progressive agenda through infrastructure funding.
Senator Ted Cruz is one of the leading voices challenging this approach. He is set to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution aimed at contesting the perceived ‘anti-highway’ policy in Department of Transportation (DOT) grants.
Furthermore, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) appears to be siding with Cruz and other critics. It has reportedly agreed that the funding notice constitutes a rule, which opens the door for Congress to sever partisan ties on $5.5 billion in funding.
This issue has added fuel to the ongoing debate around the Biden administration’s approach to policy-making, particularly in relation to infrastructure spending. Critics contend that the administration is forcing its ‘woke’ agenda into the infrastructure law, a claim that this internal Senate memo seems to support.
