Score one for Joe Biden
It seems hard to believe, but President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (“Bipartisan Infrastructure Law”) into law one year ago Tuesday. Under Trump, “infrastructure week” was a “punchline,” as the White House has called it, coming and going without meaningful progress. This past year, however, has shown what a remarkable success this landmark piece of legislation has already proven to be.
Within just one year since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law took effect, the Biden administration has announced over $183 billion in funding and over 6,900 specific projects, reaching over 4,000 communities across the entire United States. The law passed in a bipartisan manner, with the 19 Republican Senators and 13 Republican House members who joined the Democrats getting called “traitor” by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and receiving death threats.
Among other achievements, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has addressed the repair or replacement of 2,800 bridges, awarded funds for more than 5,000 new clean transit and school buses, and approved state plans for water funding, EV charging networks, and expanding high-speed internet services. Addressing accessibility, $1.75 billion has been announced to adapt transit stations that were constructed before the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).
To make sure America succeeds in the 21st century, an Affordable Connectivity Program has already brought low-cost, high-speed internet plans to more than 14.8 million households, in addition to providing up to $100 toward the purchase of a computer. Launched in May, the $45 billion “Internet for All” initiative is on track to offer fast, reliable, and affordable internet service to all Americans by the end of this decade.
To celebrate the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s first successful year, the White House just published updated state and territory fact sheets about “the largest long-term investment in our infrastructure and competitiveness in nearly a century.” Thanks to Biden’s leadership, America is getting rebuilt in a way that’s stronger and cleaner, bringing increased affordability and accessibility, and creating jobs. With laws like this, all Americans win.
Ron Leshnower is a lawyer and the author of several books, including President Trump’s Month