"While this canceled grant likely wouldn't have completed construction in time to mitigate the flood damage we're seeing now, it underscores not only the urgent need for federal investment to make these communities more resilient, but also the importance of reducing the amount of bureaucracy and red tape small communities like Kipnuk must cut through. Whether you call it climate change or "once-in-a-generation" extreme weather, no community in the wealthiest country on earth should lack the basic infrastructure needed to keep its people safe.

That's why I prioritized funding for essential infrastructure in the IIJA as an author, and why I'll keep fighting to unfreeze these awards. The best time to prepare our communities was twenty years ago; the next best time is now."