After weeks of deliberations, the Senate on Tuesday approved a $1 trillion infrastructure plan that aims to modernize the nation’s roadways, bridges, broadband and fund new climate initiatives.
The bill, which is the nation’s largest investment in infrastructure ever, passed with bipartisan support in a 69-30 vote. The bill will now head to the House for approval before making its way to the president’s desk.
The bill proposes $550 in new spending be allocated over the next five years to rebuild roads and bridges, shore up coastlines and modernize the electric grid. It also includes funds to improve public transport and modernize the nation’s airports.
President Joe Biden praised the Senate’s approval during a press conference Tuesday at the White House.
The bill is the first of two infrastructure measures the president is aiming to pass during his term, the second of which is a proposed $3.5 trillion plan to invest in child care, elder care and other programs that he has dubbed “human infrastructure.”
“Today, we proved that democracy can still work,” President Biden said at the White House Tuesday after the vote. “We can still come together to do big things, important things for the American people.”
The measure received praise from the California Construction and Industrial Materials Association on Tuesday, and officials noted that the bill would provide $30 billion in additional funding for dedicated transportation programming.
“This bill is critical to helping our economy crawl out of the COVID realities that have decimated so much of our economy,” CalCIMA said in a statement. “We applaud their leadership and encourage the House to move forward and pass this infrastructure package as soon as possible so we can stimulate the economy and get more of our skilled workforce back to work.”
email: mhirneisen@newspress.com
