Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and 15 other Republican governors have penned a letter to President Joe Biden asking for more state control in how funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) are implemented.
Gov. Lee and other GOP governors signed on to the letter issued by the Republican Governors Association (RGA). The letter calls on President Biden and federal agencies to "draft regulations and guidance that defer to the states and confer maximum regulatory flexibility."
The letter argues in order for the bipartisan law to be successful, states and the federal government must work together to make sure funds are used in the best manner for states while also avoiding "red tape."
"Excessive consideration of equity, union memberships, or climate as lenses to view suitable projects would be counterproductive," the letter states. "Your administration should not attempt to push a social agenda through hard infrastructure investments and instead should consider economically sound principles that align with state priorities."
Gov. Lee is joined on the letter by governors from the states of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
Click here to see the full letter.
