Last updated on November 14, 2021
Let’s face the facts: America’s infrastructure is crumbling.
With the ASCE giving America’s infrastructure a D+ on its report card and the U.S. Department of Transportation reporting that 65% of roads are in “less than good” condition, infrastructure is no longer a Republican or Democrat issue. This isn’t a state or federal issue. This is not a private or public sector issue. This is an American issue.
Well-developed infrastructure has the potential to bind us together as a country and to improve trade and communication across the board. On the other hand, America’s current infrastructure only creates a lack of efficiency in our commercial ecosystems.
So on June 24, 2021, President Biden’s administration proposed a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure framework. This plan would holistically improve America’s general infrastructure but also emphasize “clean transportation infrastructure, clean water infrastructure, universal broadband infrastructure, clean power infrastructure, remediation of legacy pollution, and resilience to the changing climate” (The White House).
And on November 5, after months of negotiations, the House approved the plan.
13 Republicans voted for the proposition and 6 Democrats voted against it.
So what exactly is going to happen?
$1.2 trillion will be spent over the next 8 years to improve all aspects of infrastructure.
$550 billion will be spent immediately to remediate the worst of the worst.
Of this $550 billion, notably…
- $110 billion will be spent on bridges and roads
- $73 billion will be spent on electric grids and power
- $21 billion will be spent on environmental remediation expenditures
- $7.5 billion will be spent on electric vehicle investments
As other developed nations such as Singapore and South Korea pull ahead in modern technology, it’s clear that the U.S. desperately needs an update. However, too many, Biden’s plan is more than that. To many, it’s a symbol that America’s hyperpolarized democracy can come together to do what is needed when it truly needs to, and it seems very close to doing so.
Be First to Comment