Republican members of Alabama’s congressional delegation were quick to praise the $550 million in federal funding announced Friday for the Interstate 10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project in south Alabama.
The new Bayway will replace the existing I-10 Bayway – which is set to be demolished. The newly constructed Bayway will connect Mobile to the U.S. 98 exit in Daphne and span approximately 7.4 miles.
However, none of the Republicans praising the grant announcement actually voted for the 2021 infrastructure bill that bankrolled the project -- a fact called out by Alabama’s lone Democrat in Washington.
“What a great day for south Alabama!,” tweeted Rep. Jerry Carl, who represents the Mobile district where the project is centered. “This project is now one huge step closer to reality, and I’m proud of all the work Team Alabama has accomplished together.”
“Proud to announce that the Mobile River Bridge and Bayway Project will be receiving a $550 million grant from the Department of Transportation. This is a HUGE WIN for Mobile, the state of Alabama, and the entire Southeast region,” tweeted Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.
Rep. Barry Moore, R-Enterprise, called the funding “a major victory for Alabama!”
Tuberville, Moore and Carl were all “no” votes on the bipartisan infrastructure bill that paved the way for the U.S. Department of Transportation Bridge Investment Program grant that will go toward the estimated $3.5 billion I-10 project. Now retired Sen. Richard Shelby voted against the bill, as did Reps. Robert Aderholt, Gary Palmer, and Mike Rogers.
“I fully support funding for infrastructure that is focused on national priorities rather than wasting hundreds of billions of dollars on a Green New Deal wish list and programs under the guise of human infrastructure that simply expand government control of our lives,” Palmer said after he voted against the bill in 2021.
U.S. Sen. Katie Britt was not a senator at the time the upper chamber voted on the bill but said in 2021 she would have been a “firm ‘no’” on the bill had she been in Washington.
“I would have been a firm ‘no’ vote on this bill on its own merits, but knowing it’s simply a means to an end for Democrats to force through their radical $3.5 trillion wish list without any Republican support makes today’s vote even more disappointing,” she told Alabama Political Reporter in a story published Aug. 11, 2021.
“This $550 million investment in the Mobile River Bridge and Bayway Project is a huge win for Alabamians and any American who drives along I-10,” Britt said of today’s I-10 announcement.
“I was proud to help lead Alabama’s entire congressional delegation in support of this well-deserved grant award, and I appreciate Governor Ivey’s continued partnership and the leadership of the MPOs and local officials who have spearheaded this community-driven, crucial project. Returning Alabamians’ hard-earned taxpayer dollars back to our great state is a top priority of mine in the Senate, and I’ll continue fighting to do just that.”
A spokeswoman for Britt said the senator’s opinion “has not changed” on the infrastructure bill.
“She explicitly said at that time that she wanted more money in that bill to go to bridges rather than Democrats’ partisan Green New Deal agenda: ‘We have significant infrastructure needs here in Alabama and across our nation, from roads and bridges to broadband…,’” the spokeswoman said.
“This pot of money now exists, and it’s a competitive grant program,” she continued. “Of course we want the funding to come to Alabama instead of California or New York. Senator Britt has always said her goal is to return Alabamians’ hard-earned taxpayer dollars back home and make strategic, responsible investments in our future like this one.”
Efforts by AL.com to reach spokespeople for Tuberville, Carl and Moore were unsuccessful.
Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, the only Democratic federal lawmaker representing Alabama, retweeted Tuberville’s tweet while mentioning that no GOP member from the state voted for the law.
“My Alabama colleagues like [Tuberville] are right—this is a MAJOR win,” she said. “It’s a shame he voted against the bill that made it possible. As Alabama’s only Member of Congress to vote FOR President Biden’s Infrastructure Law, I’m proud to see these funds coming to our state!”
Tuberville’s touting of the I-10 funding is not the first time he has praised money for Alabama projects he voted against.
Last year, he tweeted was “great” that Alabama received $1.4 billion to expand broadband internet access -- funding that came from the infrastructure bill.
President Joe Biden took a dig at the senator’s tweet at the time, laughing at Tuberville’s seemingly inconsistent position during a speech.
“The distinguished senator from the state of Alabama -- former coach of the university -- strongly opposed the bipartisan infrastructure law [and] is now hailing its passage,” Biden said.
“He said, quote, ‘Great to see Alabama receive critical funds to boost ongoing broadband efforts,” the president said, referring to the Tuberville tweet.
Biden then laughed at Tuberville’s tweet.
“It is great,” the president said. “That’s all right, because I’m one of those guys that believes in conversion.”
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