Two Democrats Flip-Flop on Using Transportation Funds for Art

Two House Democrats flip-flopped Thursday on a proposal that would have prevented infrastructure funds from being used to fund art projects.

Among other things, the INVEST in America Act would spend roughly half of the bill’s funding on climate change programs, create 41 new government programs, ties states’ hands on how they can spend in the infrastructure provisions, and eliminate the ban on using federal transit funds for art projects.

Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-OH) offered a motion to recommit Thursday to Rep. Pete DeFazio’s (D-OR) INVEST in America Act, or H.R. 3684. If Gibbs’ measures passed, the legislation would have to go back to the bill’s committee of origin and could only be considered for a House floor vote with Gibbs’ amendment attached. Gibbs’ amendment would restore the ban on using transit funds to fund art projects.

Gibbs’ measure failed, with 217 Democrats voting against his proposal and 202 Republicans voting for it.

Two Democrats flip-flopped their stance on funding the arts using transit dollars.

Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) said Wednesday that she tried to pass an amendment to ensure that the transit funds would have the “biggest real-world impact.” She emphasized that funds should go towards infrastructure and not art.

“We all know we need significant federal dollars for infrastructure, but we also have a responsibility to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” the Michigan Democrat wrote. “Before we allocate funding to landscaping & art, we have to make sure our biggest needs are met.”

We all know we need significant federal dollars for infrastructure, but we also have a responsibility to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. Before we allocate funding to landscaping & art, we have to make sure our biggest needs are met.

— Rep. Elissa Slotkin (@RepSlotkin) June 30, 2021

“Even though we came up short, I’ll keep pushing for investments to be efficient & fiscally responsible,” she added.

Despite her concerns over using the transit funds on infrastructure, Slotkin voted against Gibbs’ amendment.

Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-GA) voted for Gibbs’ amendment to retain the ban on using federal transit funds for art projects while the committee marked up the INVEST in America Act.

This raises the question of why Bourdeaux and Slotkin changed their stance on using transit funds for art projects.

Chad Gilmartin, a deputy spokesman for House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), wrote, “What changed for Rep. Bourdeaux, and why does she now believe art counts as infrastructure?”