Ontario Construction News staff writer
The U.S. Congress has passed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, a major pillar of President Joe Biden’s agenda, after months of internal deliberations and painstaking divisions among Democrats.
Dubbed a “once-in-generation bipartisan infrastructure bill” is expected to create millions of jobs, turn the climate crisis into an opportunity, and put the US on a path to win the economic competition for the 21st Century.
“It will create good-paying jobs that can’t be outsourced,” Biden said. “Jobs that will transform our transportation system with the most significant investments in passenger and freight rail, roads, bridges, ports, airports, and public transit in generations.”
The bill will create jobs replacing lead water pipes so every family can drink clean water and make high-speed internet affordable and available everywhere in America.
“This bill will make historic and significant strides that take on the climate crisis. It will build out the first-ever national network of electric vehicle charging stations across the country.
“We will get America off the sidelines on manufacturing solar panels, wind farms, batteries, and electric vehicles to grow these supply chains, reward companies for paying good wages and for sourcing their materials from here in the United States, and allow us to export these products and technologies to the world,” the president said.
There will also be historic investments in environmental clean-up and remediation to build resilience for superstorms, droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes that cost billions of dollars in damage each year.
Biden’s ‘Build Back Better Act’ has also been approved and is expected to lower bills for healthcare, child care, elder care, prescription drugs, and preschool and reduce taxes for middle class families.
“I look forward to signing both of these bills into law,” he said. “Generations from now, people will look back and know this is when America won the economic competition for the 21st Century.”