In the News

Bacon hits back at Republican fury over his 'yes' vote for infrastructure

OMAHA, Neb. — If some Congressional Republicans have their way, Rep. Don Bacon would lose his spots on the armed services and agriculture committees after voting 'yes' on the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill.

Punchbowl News first reported the plan for political payback Tuesday, about 48 hours after Bacon and 12 other House Republicans lent their support to the bi-partisan legislation that had already passed the Senate with GOP support from Nebraska's Deb Fischer, Iowa's Chuck Grassley and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.

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The infrastructure plan provides money to update roads and bridges, airports, public transportation, clean drinking water and the electric grid, along with expanding rural high-speed Internet access.

"To say that a bill is right for your district, right for your state, something you helped write and then you have to vote against it because you don't want to give the other side a victory, that is a sign of what's broken," Bacon, R-Neb., said in a KETV NewsWatch 7 interview. "I don't want to be a part of that."

Nebraska stands to receive a windfall of money for critical infrastructure upgrades. Among the highlights: $2.5 billion for roads and bridges, $100 million for rural broadband expansion and $200 million for replacing lead pipes that deliver drinking water.