This article is the second of a three-part series that walks readers back through Biden’s campaign platform to explore the incoming administration’s stance on Housing, Taxation, and Infrastructure, with the goal of exploring how these pre-election promises might translate into tangible federal policy.
“Our nation’s infrastructure is literally crumbling. It is unacceptable that one in five miles of our highways are in “poor condition,” that tens of millions of Americans lack access to high-speed broadband, and that our public schools have repeatedly earned a D+ grade from the American Society of Civil Engineers. We are the world’s richest nation, but rank just 10th in the overall quality of our infrastructure, according to the World Economic Forum.” (JoeBiden.com)
Experts point to infrastructure as President-elect Biden’s best chance for an early win. A largely bipartisan issue that is long overdue a political victory, it’s now being framed as a potential path to boost jobs and restore a post COVID-19 economy.
The Moving Forward Act which has already passed the house with a price tag of $1.5 billion is one option that would allow the President’s team to move quickly on direct funding. Regardless of whether it’s standalone legislation or as part of a larger economic stimulus bill, it’s projected to be one of the first major priorities for the new administration.
What does this mean for you?
The incoming administration has laid out a comprehensive path to infrastructure improvement, including:
Transportation
The Biden team has proposed to spend an initial $50 billion to kickstart the repair of existing roads, highways, and bridges. New roads, bridges, and publication transportation projects would in turn be funded by the Highway Trust Fund – a program long underfunded – for which the Biden team had committed to stabilize funding.
The President- elect has also pledged a public transportation overhaul with a focus on municipalities of 100,000 people or more. This includes a new Community Restoration Fund which would spread a total of $10 billion over 10 years specifically for transit projects that serve high-poverty areas with limited transportation options.
Broadband
A disparity in high-speed internet was brought into sharp focus by a pandemic that required many Americans to work and learn from home, and continues to be a high priority for politicians and voters heading into 2021. The incoming administration plans to invest over $20 billion in rural broadband infrastructure to bring broadband into every American household.
In this same vein, they hope to pass the Digital Equity Act which was Introduced to the Senate in 2019, and would establish grant programs for (1) promoting digital equity, (2) supporting digital inclusion activities, and (3) building capacity for state-led efforts to increase adoption of broadband by their residents.
City Revitalization
Biden’s administration has proposed a new fund coined the Cities Revitalization Fund which would equip the Department of Housing and Urban Development with $10 billion for creative revitalization projects across the country. This would work in tandem with projects like the Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge, a $1 billion competitive grant program that promotes new smart tech solutions.
Infrastructure-based Jobs
In an effort to marry infrastructure investment with job creation, Biden plans to work with Congress and the Department of Labor to outline and fund a new Apprenticeship Readiness Program that would focus on construction trades. This same mindset will be applied to bolster community college apprentice programs that are already in place.