**The full Committee hearing is available HERE**
**Rep. Kuster’s full remarks are available HERE**
**Kuster is a member of the House Rural Broadband Task Force**

Concord, N.H. — Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02), a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and House Rural Broadband Task Force, joined a full-committee hearing entitled, "LIFT America: Revitalizing our Nation's Infrastructure and Economy." The full Committee hearing focused on the Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow's America Act, or the Lift America Act, to modernize our infrastructure for the future, while also revitalizing our economy and creating good-paying jobs.

“Today’s hearing on infrastructure could not be more timely as our country works to build back better and rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Kuster. “Much of our nation’s critical infrastructure is crumbling, posing a serious public safety risk in New Hampshire and across the country. In the Granite State, we know the challenges that red-listed roads and bridges present. When we fail to invest in local and regional infrastructure systems, Americans feel the impact. Often, they are left unable to participate fully in the digital economy or remote learning because of a bad internet connection or are left sitting in the cold and dark while they wait for the lights and heat to come back on after a storm.”

“The LIFT America Act makes important investments to improve America’s infrastructure, energy, and transportation systems, and helps to ensure these networks work for all Americans,” Rep. Kuster continued. “I am excited to support this legislation and to continue pushing for new investments in 21st-century clean energy projects to improve the vitality of our nation’s infrastructure system. I will continue working in Congress, through my role on the Energy and Commerce Committee and on the House Rural Broadband Task Force, to promote a robust economy that’s accessible for all. In particular, I look forward to working with my colleagues to provide the resources our country needs to rehabilitate, retrofit, and remove our dam infrastructure to improve the health of our nation’s rivers and increase clean energy production to combat climate change."

Witnesses at today’s hearing included:

Hon. Ernest J. Moniz

President and Chief Executive Officer, Energy Futures Initiatives, Former Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy

Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H.

President and CEO, Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies, Former Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Hon. Michael O'Rielly

Principal, MPORielly Consulting, LLC, Former Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission

Hon. Tom Wheeler

Visiting Fellow, Brookings Institution, Senior Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School, Former Chairman, Federal Communication Commission

Rep. Kuster, a member of the House Rural Broadband Task Force, has been a leader in Congress to revitalize and bolster our nation’s infrastructure system, especially for rural communities. This month, Kuster helped to introduce the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act, which authorizes over $94 billion to ensure unserved and underserved communities have affordable high-speed internet access. Last year, Kuster led a bipartisan letter to Congressional Leadership urging them to prioritize the long-term reauthorization and additional infrastructure funding for community health centers (CHCs).

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