WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), along with Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08) and Senators Bob Casey (PA) and Debbie Stabenow (MI), introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to strengthen standards for federally funded infrastructure projects by ensuring that critical corrosion prevention work is done by qualified workers using proven techniques. The legislation would also build on a recommendation from the National Transportation Safety Board and direct the Department of Transportation to study and generate best practices for inspecting and addressing corrosion on bridges made of weathering steel.
“In 2021, the nation’s Infrastructure Report Card rated the bridges in Pennsylvania with a D+ grade and the bridges across the U.S. with a C grade,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick. “Seeing our infrastructure literally crumble and corrode, Congress came together to enact the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to renovate, rehabilitate, and rebuild our America’s physical infrastructure. Today, I am proud to lead the bipartisan, bicameral Bridge Corrosion Prevention and Repair Act, which will ensure that the standards are raised, structural conditions are improved, and communities are made safer.”
“Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Congress and the Biden Administration is making the largest federal investment to modernize our nation’s infrastructure since the Interstate Highway System was established. Our legislation requires all federally funded bridge projects to use certified contractors for any corrosion control work and employ industry-recognized standards for corrosion mitigation and prevention,” said Congressman Garamendi. “America’s corrosion professionals and union painters are ready, willing, and able to do the job, especially those who have completed federally registered apprenticeship programs. I am thrilled to work with my colleagues to pass this critically important legislation.”
“The Fern Hollow Bridge collapse underscored the importance of taking corrosion prevention seriously. We need strong federal standards to make sure that we are using properly trained workers and leveraging existing expertise when performing this vital work on our Nation’s bridges,” said Senator Casey. “The Bridge Corrosion Prevention and Repair Act will ensure we invest Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act dollars responsibly—using proven practices and experienced workers who make Pennsylvania’s bridges safer and stronger.”
The bill is endorsed by the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) and the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT).
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