It feels as if Americans have been hearing about repairing and updating our infrastructure every month for years. It has been an unfulfilled promise that has been so important to us in order to maintain and improve the country’s foundation and create jobs. Today was a rare example of old-school Washington.
Biden noted that the infrastructure bill did not include some of his proposals. Still, he firmly endorsed the deal. With refreshing bipartisanship, he and a group of broadly smiling senators stood for the announcement. The president said:
‘We have a deal.
‘I think it’s really important, we’ve all agreed that none of us got all that we wanted. I clearly didn’t get all I wanted. They gave more than I think maybe they were inclined to give in the first place.’
Back to his tactile self, the president put his hand on Senator Rob Portman’s (R-OH) shoulder and said:
‘But this reminds me of the days we used to get an awful lot done in the United States Congress, we actually worked with one another. Bipartisan deal means compromise.’
There will be $579 billion in new spending, $973 billion over five years, and $1.2 trillion over eight years. It allocated $312 billion for transportation, including roads, bridges, airports, and electric vehicle infrastructure. The remaining $266 billion would pay for “infrastructure, broadband, environmental remediation, power infrastructure, and other issues,” reported MSNBC temporary host of Katy Tur Reports show, Geoff Bennett:
They will pay for it with “new investments, reducing the tax gap, redirecting unused unemployment insurance relief funds, and repurposing unused funds from COVID-19 relief legislation.” States can also sell or buy “unused toll credits for infrastructure, extending expiring customs user fees, and 5G spectrum auction proceeds.”
Senator Portman said:
‘I appreciate the fact that the president came out today to express what we all believe, which is we didn’t get everything we wanted but we came up with a compromise that is going to help the American people. I’m pleased to see today we were able to come together on a core infrastructure package.’
‘President Biden on #infrastructure: “We had a really good meeting…we have a deal.” [The] full video [is available] here [on C-Span]: c-span.org/video/?512933-
President Biden on #infrastructure: “We had a really good meeting…we have a deal.”
Full video here: https://t.co/U970zd6DRR pic.twitter.com/4pMjJIcNH1
— CSPAN (@cspan) June 24, 2021
Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) did not hide his happiness:
‘American Leadership is back.’
During the White House announcement, Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) said it took weeks of negotiations to get the needed votes. They reached an agreement on the cost, scope, and method of paying for the bill:
‘It was not easy to get agreement on all three, but it was essential. It was essential to show the American people the Senate can function, that we can work in a bipartisan way.’
President Biden said following the meeting with the senators:
‘We’ll see what happens in the reconciliation bill and the budget process. [Legislation will move in a]dual track [alongside the infrastructure bill].’
Krysten Sinema (D-AZ) added:
‘We all gave some to get some because what we did was put first the needs of our country. [It was an] historic investment [in America’s infrastructure].
Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) described the bill:
‘[A] tremendous opportunity for us to show the rest of the world that we can still get big things done in a bipartisan way.’
Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah) added that he is confident the bill can get through Congress, pointing toward Biden’s support behind it:
‘America works, the Senate works, and we can work together.’
Featured image is a screenshot via YouTube.
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