Arizona Rep. Tom O’Halleran, who represents Arizona’s largely rural 1st Congressional District, championed the new federal bipartisan infrastructure package as a victory for rural Arizonans in a press call on Thursday.

Joined by state Sen. Jamescita Peshlakai, D-LD7, and state Rep. Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren, D-LD7, the congressman predicted that the bill could reach the House floor within a week.

“Arizona will receive $5 billion” from this new infrastructure package, said O’Halleran. He said that he is committed to ensuring that those funds are distributed fairly and equitably.

Rural broadband investment

Having worked for years on the issue of rural broadband access, O’Halleran seemed relieved that the bill includes investments in broadband. 

“We [project] that about 14% [of Arizonans], and I think more, live in areas with no broadband infrastructure,” he said.

The current 2,700-page draft of the bipartisan infrastructure proposal includes at least $100 million in broadband investment for Arizona. The bill also allocates $2 billion across the nation to investment in tribal community broadband access. 

“Just as the federal government made a historic effort to provide electricity to every home in America nearly 100 years ago, this infrastructure package will work to ensure every household in Arizona has access to high-speed and reliable internet,” O’Halleran said.

State Rep. Blackwater-Nygren said she is confident that this package could finally answer tribes’ calls for infrastructure investment that Arizona tribal communities have long sought. 

Blackwater-Nygren said tribes have been “Asking for adequate infrastructure investment for decades. Not for years, but for decades.” 

Tribal lands can often lack cell service, “let alone internet,” said O’Halleran. 

“This digital divide is even sharper on tribal lands, which can often lack basic, solid coverage, let alone broadband,” he said. “Only half of the residents who live on tribal lands have fixed home internet service — half. That’s not acceptable.”

Twenty-five percent of CD1’s population is American Indian, with his district encompassing the Navajo Nation, the Hopi reservation, and the Gila River Indian Community.

Climate change

“Monsoons and flash floods have exposed cracks in our infrastructure,” Blackwater-Nygren said, citing an incident several weeks ago in which a tribal member drowned in a flood.

As climate change becomes more severe, O’Halleran believes that investments in infrastructure will become even more critical. He said the country must “address… climate change in the process,” of investing American infrastructure.

Massachusetts Senator Joe Markey, D, an architect of the Green New Deal, that the proposed package is “a good start,” but that Democrats will “deal with the climate crisis in the magnitude, scope and scale that’s required” in a follow-up $3.5 trillion infrastructure package.

O’Halleran emphasized climate, as well as other interests. 

“We need to make sure we have good-paying jobs to support our families, what’s needed to support our children and their children, and address climate change in the process,” he said. “I commend the president and his leadership and steady hand in helping the deal get across the finish line in a bipartisan way.”

Bipartisan action

The infrastructure package is the product of bipartisan negotiations led by Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman and Arizona Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. 

A member of the , which is “an independent member-driven group in Congress, comprised of representatives from across the country – equally divided between Democrats and Republicans – committed to finding common ground on many of the key issues facing the nation,” Rep. O’Halleran was excited about the bill being bipartisan.

He called on members of both parties in the House and the Senate to support the package when it goes up for a vote. 

“I know Democrats and Republicans alike have shown, either quietly or publicly, that there is an obligation to get this done. And I’m calling on my colleagues in the House of both parties to support the bill when it arrives in our chamber.”

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With the Arizona primary election less than one week away, voters are looking closely at intraparty races that will shape the future of the state House and Senate. 

Due to the partisan makeup of many legislative districts, the occupants of many districts’ legislative seats come January 2021 will likely be decided on August 4th.

Of the state’s 30 legislative districts, fewer than 10 are expected to feature even marginally competitive general election races. 

Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ endorsements

In June, the Arizona Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ of Commerce and Industry announced its bipartisan slate of endorsements. “We believe we have endorsed a slate of outstanding candidates who are all committed to advancing public policy that makes Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ore economically competitive,” said Glenn Hamer, president and CEO of the Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­.

In the Senate, the Arizona Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ of Commerce and Industry endorsed the following challengers and incumbents:

Karen Fann, LD1, Republican

Sonny Borrelli, LD5 Republican

Sylvia Allen, LD6 Republican

T.J. Shope, LD8 Republican

Vince Leach, LD11 Republican

Warren Petersen, LD12 Republican

Sine Kerr, LD13 Republican

David Gowan, LD14 Republican

Heather Carter, LD15 Republican

J.D. Mesnard, LD17 Republican

Sean Bowie, LD18 Democrat

Lupe Contreras, LD19 Democrat

Rick Gray, LD21 Republican

David Livingston, LD22 Republican

Lela Alston, LD24 Democrat

Tyler Pace, LD25 Republican

Kate Brophy McGee, LD28 Republican

Tony Navarette, LD30 Democrat

And in the House, the Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ backed the following:

Selina Bliss, LD1 Republican

Steven Sensmeier, LD1 Republican

Daniel Hernandez, LD2 Democrat

Alma Hernandez, LD3 Democrat

Regina Cobb, LD5 Republican

Leo Biasiucci, LD5 Republican

Walter Blackman, LD6 Republican

Frank Pratt, LD8 Republican

David Cook, LD8 Republican

Bret Roberts, LD11 Republican

Mark Finchem, LD11 Republican

Travis Grantham, LD12 Republican

Jake Hoffman, LD12 Republican

Joanne Osborne, LD13 Republican

Timothy Dunn LD13 Republican

Becky Nutt, LD14 Republican

Gail Griffin, LD14 Republican

Jarret Hamstreet, LD15 Republican

Steve Kaiser, LD15 Republican

Jeff Weninger, LD17 Republican

Jennifer Pawlik, LD17 Democrat

Bob Robson, LD18 Republican

Jennifer Jermaine, LD18 Democrat

Diego Espinoza, LD19 Democrat

Lorenzo Sierra, LD19 Democrat

Anthony Kern, LD20 Republican

Shawnna Bolick, LD20 Republican

Kevin Payne, LD21 Republican

Frank Carroll, LD22 Republican

Ben Toma, LD22 Republican

John Kavanagh, LD23 Republican

Jay Lawrence, LD23 Republican

Jennifer Longdon, LD24 Democrat

Amish Shah, LD24 Democrat

Rusty Bowers, LD25 Republican

Michelle Udall, LD25 Republican

Debbie Nez-Manuel, LD26 Democrat

Reginald Bolding, LD27 Democrat

Catherine Miranda, LD27 Democrat

Cesar Chavez, LD29 Democrat

Robert Meza, LD30 Democrat

Vote on Aug. 4 or before at a Voting Center

It’s important that voters know when, where, and how to cast their vote.

Reminder: if you are a registered PEVL (Permanent Early Voting List) voter and have yet to mail in your ballot, drop your ballot off at an eligible voting location, as detailed below, before 7:00pm on August 4th.

• Maricopa County: Visit the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office website to find voting locations and which dates they are open.
• Apache County: Visit the Apache County Recorder’s Office website to find voting locations and which dates they are open.
• Cochise County: Visit the Cochise County Recorder’s Office website to find voting locations and which dates they are open.
• Coconino County: Visit the Coconino County Recorder’s Office website to find voting locations and which dates they are open.
• Gila County: Visit the Gila County Recorder’s Office website to find voting locations and which dates they are open.
• Graham County: Visit the Graham County Recorder’s Office website to find voting locations and which dates they are open.
• Greenlee County: Visit the Greenlee County Recorder’s Office website to find voting locations and which dates they are open.
• La Paz County: Visit the La Paz County Recorder’s Office website to find voting locations and which dates they are open.
• Mohave County: Visit the Mohave County Recorder’s Office website to find voting locations and which dates they are open.
• Navajo County: Visit the Navajo County Recorder’s Office website to find voting locations and which dates they are open.
• Pima County: Visit the Pima County Recorder’s Office website to find voting locations and which dates they are open.
• Pinal County: Visit the Pinal County Recorder’s Office website to find voting locations and which dates they are open.
• Santa Cruz County: Visit the Santa Cruz County Recorder’s Office website to find voting locations and which dates they are open.
• Yavapai County: Visit the Yavapai County Recorder’s Office website to find voting locations and which dates they are open.
• Yuma County: Visit the Yuma County Recorder’s Office website to find voting locations and which dates they are open.

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Arizona’s U.S. Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally are among the top scoring lawmakers to receive awards this week from the U.S. Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ of Commerce for their bipartisan leadership to support small businesses and entrepreneurs.

They and other national lawmakers received the awards at the chamber’s First Annual Governing with Distinction Ceremony. Recognizing those who are not afraid to stand up to partisan pressure is the main point behind the new awards, U.S. Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ President Suzanne Clark said during the virtual awards Tuesday. 

“If you want effective legislation, you need the right leaders, not political posturing,” 

said Clark, who leads the world’s largest organization representing business. 

The awards are intended to herald lawmakers’ accomplishments and encourage them to continue their bipartisan efforts, Clark said. Now more than ever, the country needs them.  

“This event is taking place at a time when our country is being tested by three significant challenges: a public health crisis, a devastated economy that’s showing some signs of life but is still in a very precarious place, and long overdue efforts to address inequality in our society,” Clark said. 

“The decisions that our elected officials make now will have significant bearing on how quickly and how effectively we rebuild our economy and how businesses bounce back, help restore jobs and opportunities, and create hope for all Americans during this really challenging time.”

To determine the winners, the chamber analyzed members’ voting records to measure bipartisan leadership in the two award categories: 

-The Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award recognizes members of Congress who demonstrate the leadership required to advance policies that support free enterprise.

-The Jefferson-Hamilton Award for Bipartisanship recognizes members who demonstrate a willingness to work across the aisle and find common ground, even with those with whom they disagree.

Part of U.S. Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­â€™s move to “middle ground”

The ceremony comes as the U.S. Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ is making a concerted effort to foster a governing coalition of the political center for the sake of industry. 

Political gridlock in Washington has hurt progress on some major issues important to industry, said Neil Bradley, executive vice president and chief policy officer at the chamber. 

Arizona senators both natural leaders 

Sen. Sinema, who was elected in 2018, received both the Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson-Hamilton awards.

She also was the only honoree to score 100 percent in both categories, earning a 100 percent rating for her legislative record on jobs and the economy and for the number of bills introduced by a member of the opposite party. 

Among her accomplishments, Sinema led the charge to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank that  is important to Arizona’s manufacturing sector. This helps Arizona businesses reach new customers around the globe. In the last six years the bank has financed $2 billion in exports with 80 percent from small businesses.  

“Working across the aisle is how I get things done and deliver for Arizona, and I remain committed to working with anyone to fuel innovation, cut red tape, and create jobs in Arizona,” Sinema said. 

Sen. McSally, who was the first female pilot to fly in combat and the first to command a fighter squadron, received the Abraham Lincoln Leadership award for her bipartisan leadership in promoting a strong economy. 

McSally led bipartisan efforts last year to ensure Arizona has the water resources needed to support the state’s population growth and economic development. She successfully shepherded the seven-state Drought Contingency Plan through Congress to avert a water crisis in the Southwest.   

After receiving the award, McSally said she was honored to receive recognition for her bipartisan record of “pro-job, pro-free enterprise” work in Congress.

“Now more than ever, we need to work together to revitalize the economy, get people back to work, and create more jobs for Americans and Arizonans,” McSally said. “I will keep fighting for common sense pro-growth policies including low taxes, deregulation, and incentives to bring manufacturing home from China.”

Arizona industry benefits from their leadership

Arizona and the nation have benefited from the senators’ ability to lead, said Glenn Hamer, president and CEO of the Arizona Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ of Commerce and Industry. 

Both helped pass some of the most important bipartisan legislation coming out of Congress, including the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act to help small businesses harmed by COVID-19. 

“Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally may be freshmen, but they are quickly distinguishing themselves for their hard work and leadership. And though they hail from different parties, they are following in the footsteps of the late Sen. John McCain, who put Arizona’s and the country’s interests above partisan politics,” Hamer said. 

Other lawmakers who received top scores include: 

Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award

Rep. Donald Bacon (R-Nebraska) 

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota) 

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas)

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina)

Jefferson-Hamilton Award for Bipartisan Leadership

Sen. Susan M. Collins (R-Maine) 

Rep. Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania) 

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-New Jersey)

Rep. Joe Cunningham (D-South Carolina)For a complete list of winners or to view the ceremony, go to:.

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With the challenges of an enduring pandemic and an economy just starting to recover, America needs strong leadership more than ever.

Last week, we saw that leadership in action when the U.S. Senate approved the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act. This bipartisan legislation will expand loan forgiveness and adds much-needed flexibility for the small businesses that have been hard hit by the economic shutdown.

Thankfully, Arizona is blessed to have two effective and principled leaders in the U.S. Senate who helped make this happen.

Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally may be freshmen, but they are quickly distinguishing themselves for their hard work and leadership. And though they hail from different parties, they are following in the footsteps of the late Sen. John McCain, who put Arizona’s and the country’s interests above partisan politics.

These accomplished women have a few things in common. Both have worked hard on COVID-19 relief legislation and implementation. Both support the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which is critical for Arizona’s economy. Both are deeply concerned about what job creators care about and work in close partnership with the business community.

Here is another commonality: Both were honored with  that seek to elevate the work of members of Congress who are committed to growing the economy and to working in a bipartisan manner.

The Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award recognizes those members of Congress who have demonstrated leadership critical to advancing policies that support American enterprise, while the Jefferson-Hamilton Award for Bipartisanship recognizes those members of Congress who have demonstrated a willingness to work across the aisle in support of common objectives.

Senator Sinema, elected in 2018, earned both awards. In fact, she was the only honoree to score 100% in both categories. She earned a 100% rating for her legislative record on jobs and the economy, as well as a perfect rating based on the number of bills — except those formally opposed by the U.S. Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ — that are introduced by a member of the opposite party.

For instance, Senator Sinema led the charge to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank, which is critically important to Arizona’s manufacturing sector. This has helped Arizona businesses reach new customers around the globe. In the last six years, the Export-Import Bank has financed $2 billion in exports, 80% of them small businesses.

Senator McSally, whose leadership as the first female pilot to fly in combat and the first to command a fighter squadron has been well documented, was also awarded the Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award. Her support for a strong national and Arizona economy has been unwavering.

She has led efforts to ensure Arizona has the water resources needed to support the state’s population growth and economic development. Last year, Senator McSally successfully shepherded the Drought Contingency Plan through Congress to keep water flowing to Arizona. After two years of negotiations among the seven Colorado River Basin states, it took only six days for Congress to pass it. Much of this was due to Senator McSally’s leadership.

The public service excellence of Senator McSally and Senator Sinema goes beyond legislation. They both have dedicated, thoughtful, and resourceful staff who listen to constituents’ issues and help them find solutions. No problem is too big or too small – a posture that is especially important in helping the people and businesses of Arizona deal with the pandemic and economic crisis. That nitty-gritty, day-to-day effort doesn’t make newspaper headlines, but it means a lot to Arizonans.

The bipartisanship we’ve seen from Senators Sinema and McSally will be needed as our nation  through education, employment, entrepreneurship, and criminal justice reform.

These well-earned awards demonstrate the importance of leadership and hard work right now. At a time when American desperately needs a governing center, Arizona is fortunate that both of our senators are part of it.

Glenn Hamer is president and CEO of the Arizona Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ of Commerce and Industry. Thomas J. Donohue is the CEO of the U.S. Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ of Commerce.

This article was originally published in the Arizona Capitol Times.

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Host Garrick Taylor sat down with Roy Herrera and Courtney Shadegg on the latest episode of Request to Speak to discuss why we see politicians change their minds on different issues, the relevancy of ideological identifiers and their book recommendations.

Read/Watch/Listen:

• Roy Herrera recommends a book: “Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration” .
• Courtney Shadegg recommends a book: “Ship of Fools: How a Selfish Ruling Class is Bringing America to the Brink of Revolution” .
• Garrick Taylor recommends a graphic novel: “A Fire Story” .

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