LANSING, Mich., March 24, 2022 — House Democrats voted today to pass Senate Bill 565 and invest nearly $5 billion in infrastructure projects throughout the state, over $4 billion of which comes from federal funds. House Democrats have been pressuring the Republican majority for months to allocate federal dollars into Michigan communities, as the impact of this supplemental spending will be felt for generations.

State Rep. Padma Kuppa (D-Troy) voted in support of the bill, highlighting the $4 million investment for sound walls along Interstate 75 in Troy.

“I am relieved that the concerns of my constituents are being heard and that steps are being made to ensure that much needed work can finally be done for I-75 noise abatement,” Kuppa said. “I have been championing this project since my first day in office, and I know we would not be where we are today without the work of other advocates, like State Sen. McMorrow, who have always put the welfare, safety, and quality of life of our community first.”

The supplemental budget bill also invests $2.2 billion in water infrastructure projects throughout the state. Earlier this week, Kuppa introduced a resolution to declare March 22 as World Water Day in Michigan. World Water Day is celebrated to bring awareness to water-related issues such as conserving freshwater resources and helping people learn about how they can come together to take action.

“It’s only fitting that we address the need to prioritize our water infrastructure during the same week as World Water Day,” she said. “Today, we were able to take real action to make sure everyone in Michigan has clean water, pipes free of lead, and pump stations that mitigate highway floods.”