The U.S. House Ways & Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures is holding a hearing on whether the U.S. should create a national infrastructure bank. The hearing will start at 10 am on Thursday, May 13th in the Longworth House Office Building.
A bank has several potential advantages, but also could become a quagmire of political patronage if not structure properly. Bob Poole has discussed the bank previously noting the importance of making it politically independent and ensuring objective criteria are used to evaluate proposals, not wishful thinking on meeting social goals.
Among the experts giving testimony will be:
- U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, author of H.R. 2521, “The National Infrastructure Development Bank Act”;
- U.S. Rep. Pete DeFazio, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
- Penn. Gov. Ed Rendell, co-Chair of Building America’s Future;
- Stanton Hazelroth, executive director of the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank;
- Michael Replogle, Global Policy Director, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy;
- Los Anegeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa;
- Sam Staley, Robert W. Galvin Fellow and Director of Urban and Land Use Policy, Reason Foundation