Joe Biden hails passage of Infrastructure Bill as 'monumental step'

US President Joe Biden, on November 6, hailed Congress’ passage of US$1 trillion Infrastructure Bill as a “monumental step forward for the nation.” A day earlier, the House passed the ‘once-in-generation bill’ by 228-206, a close win for the proponents of the bill that majorly deals with refurbishing roads, bolstering internet availability and tackling climate crisis across America. The Senate had already okayed the bill back in August and it now only requires Biden’s signatures to be brought into manifestation.

On Saturday, an exuberant President Biden told White House reporters that the bipartisan bill will not only create millions of jobs in a country that is battling COVID related economic slowdown but also turn the climate crisis into an opportunity and “put America on a path to win the economic competition for the 21st Century”. Advocating the bill further, he said that it will allow America to develop and export new technologies, electric vehicles, solar panels, wind farms among other things. The historic Bill is also expected to bolster the replacement of lead water pipelines and make high-speed internet affordable for all. 

“Jobs that will transform our transportation system with the most significant investments in passenger and freight rail, roads, bridges, ports, airports, and public transit in generations,” he said.

The American leader emphasized that the bill will also aid the country’s commitment to tackle the climate crisis. According to the White House, the Bipartisan infrastructure and Jobs Act will make historic impacts in environment cleanups and remediation. “It will build up our resilience for the next superstorms, droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes that cost us billions of dollars in damage each year,” it said.

White House' fact sheet 

As per a fact sheet provided by the White House, "this Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will rebuild America’s roads, bridges and rails, expand access to clean drinking water, ensure every American has access to high-speed internet, tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice, and invest in communities that have too often been left behind. The legislation will help ease inflationary pressures and strengthen supply chains by making long-overdue improvements for our nation’s ports, airports, rail, and roads. It will drive the creation of good-paying union jobs and grow the economy sustainably and equitably so that everyone gets ahead for decades to come. Combined with the President’s Build Back Framework, it will add on average 1.5 million jobs per year for the next 10 years". 

(File Image: AP)