President Joe Biden signed a $1.75 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill into law Monday afternoon. The bill is a big win for the Democratic Party’s economic agenda. The historic signing comes after many attempts to overhaul infrastructure that Democrats argue is long overdue to create jobs and significantly improve the economy.
“To rebuild the economy from the bottom up and the middle out, this law delivers on that long overdue promise,” President Joe Biden said at the signing.
Breakdown
The bill allocated $1 billion to reconnect communities, including disproportionately affected Black neighborhoods — that had been divided by highways and other infrastructure, according to the White House. Funds will go to planning, designing, demolition, and reconstructing street grids, parks, and other infrastructure.
The bill’s package puts $550 billion into transportation, $65 billion investment into broadband (internet access) improvement, and utilities. In addition, $55 billion will fund the replacement of lead pipes, and the improvement of water systems.
“The legislation will put $110 billion into roads, bridges and other major projects,” said Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg. “It will invest $66 billion in freight and passenger rail, including potential upgrades to Amtrak. It will direct $39 billion into public transit systems.”
The package included $7.5 billion for building a nationwide network of plug-in electric vehicle chargers. The bill also allocates $11 billion for transportation safety, including a program to help states and localities reduce crashes, according to the White House.
“They’ll see the effects of the bill probably starting within the next two to three months,” Biden said.
Funding will be dispersed over a five-year period.
“Most of all the bill does something truly historic,” Biden said before signing the law. “I ran for President believing it was time to rebuild the backbone of this nation which I characterize as working people in the middle class. They are the ones who built the country. And to rebuild the economy from the bottom up and the middle out, this law delivers on that long overdue promise in my view. It creates better jobs for millions of Americans.”
