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Congress approves massive infrastructure bill

By: The Associated Press//November 9, 2021//

Congress approves massive infrastructure bill

The Associated Press//November 9, 2021//

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President Joe Biden delivers remarks at NJ Transit Meadowlands Maintenance Complex to promote his "Build Back Better" agenda, Monday, Oct. 25, 2021, in Kearny, N.J. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Last month, President Joe Biden spoke at the NJ Transit Meadowlands Maintenance Complex in Kearny, N.J. Biden plans to sign the $1 trillion infrastructure bill into law next week. (Evan Vucci/The Associated Press)

By Mary Clare Jalonick

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON 鈥 The $1 trillion infrastructure plan that now goes to President Joe Biden for his signature has money to repair and improve roads, bridges, ports, public transit, water service, the power grid, broadband internet and more.

The House聽passed the bipartisan plan Friday night聽and Biden said Saturday he will hold a signing ceremony when lawmakers return from a week鈥檚 recess.

The new law promises to reach almost every corner of the country. It鈥檚 a historic investment that the president has compared to construction of the transcontinental railroad and Interstate Highway System. The White House is projecting that the investments will add, on average, about 2 million jobs per year over the coming decade.

The bill cleared the House via a 228-206 vote, ending weeks of intraparty negotiations in which liberal Democrats insisted the legislation be tied to a larger, $1.75 trillion social spending bill 鈥 an effort to press more moderate Democrats to support both.

The Senate passed the legislation, 69-30, in August after rare bipartisan negotiations, and the House kept that compromise intact. Thirteen House Republicans voted for the bill, giving Democrats more than enough votes to overcome a handful of progressive defections.

The five-year spending package would be paid for by tapping $210 billion in unspent COVID-19 relief aid and $53 billion in unemployment insurance aid some states have halted, along with an array of smaller pots of money, like petroleum reserve sales and spectrum auctions for 5G services.

In this image from House Television, Democrats celebrate on the House floor late Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Washington, after the House approved a $1 trillion package of road and other infrastructure projects after Democrats resolved a months-long standoff between progressives and moderates, notching a victory that President Joe Biden and his party had become increasingly anxious to claim. (House Television via AP)
Democrats celebrated on the House floor on Friday after a 228-206 vote to approve a $1 trillion package that will provide money for construction projects throughout the U.S. (House Television via AP)

Here鈥檚 a breakdown of the bill:

Roads and bridges

$110 billion would be allocated for repairs of the nation鈥檚 aging highways, bridges and roads. According to the White House, 173,000 total miles of America鈥檚 highways and major roads. Nearly $40 billion more for bridges (45,000 are in poor condition, the White House states) is the single largest dedicated bridge investment since construction of the national highway system, according to the Biden administration.

Public transit

The $39 billion for public transit would expand transportation systems, improve accessibility for people with disabilities and provide state and local governments with money to buy zero-emission and low-emission buses. The Transportation Department estimates that the current repair backlog is more than 24,000 buses, 5,000 rail cars, 200 stations and thousands of miles of track and power systems.

Passenger and freight rail

To reduce Amtrak鈥檚 maintenance backlog, which has worsened since Superstorm Sandy struck nine years ago, $66 billion would be used to improve the rail service鈥檚 Northeast Corridor (457 miles), as well as other routes. It鈥檚 less than the $80 billion Biden 鈥 who famously rode Amtrak from Delaware to Washington during his time in the Senate 鈥 originally asked for, but it would be the largest federal investment in passenger rail service since Amtrak was founded 50 years ago.

Electric vehicles

The investment in electric vehicle charging stations would be $7.5 billion. These stations are vital to accelerate the use of electric vehicles and help curb climate change, the administration says. Another $5 billion would pay for purchases of electric school buses and hybrids, reducing reliance on school buses that run on diesel fuel.

Internet access

The $65 billion for broadband access would aim to improve internet services for rural areas, low-income families and tribal communities. Most of the money would be made available through grants to states.

Electric grid modernization

To protect against the power outages that have become more frequent in recent years, $65 billion would be used to improve the reliability and resiliency of the power grid. It would also boost carbon capture technologies and more environmentally friendly electricity sources like clean hydrogen.

Airports

Airports would receive $25 billion for improvements at their terminals, runways, gates and taxiways. The money would also be used to upgrade aging air traffic control towers.

Water and wastewater

$55 billion would go toward water and wastewater infrastructure. Of that amount, $15 billion would be used to replace lead pipes and $10 billion to address water contamination from polyfluoroalkyl substances 鈥 chemicals that were used in the production of Teflon and in firefighting foam, water-repellent clothing and many other items.

Editor鈥檚 note: Associated Press writers Alexandra Jaffe, Kevin Freking and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.



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