Two years ago, Donald Trump announced, with great fanfare, his plan to fix America‘s infrastructure. It wasn’t a very good plan—focused mostly on old-style infrastructure development typical of half a century ago—and was grossly underfunded, so maybe it’s a good thing that he lost interest in it, and nothing has happened since.
Now, on January 29, 2020 House of Representatives Democrats released the Moving Forward Framework, a five-year, $760 billion investment in infrastructure that could create 10 million jobs while addressing some of the country’s vast infrastructure renewal deficit.
“It is long past time we make critical investments to fix America’s crumbling infrastructure. This framework is a jumping off point that will revitalize our economy, fix our country’s crumbling roads, bridges, and transit systems, and create good-paying jobs while addressing the climate crisis in the process,” said California Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village).
From addressing the massive maintenance backlog, to designing safer streets, to putting the U.S. on a path toward zero emissions from the transportation sector and increasing resiliency, the framework would bolster the federal government’s role in order to help communities around the country undertake transformative projects that are smarter, safer, and made to last.
The Moving Forward Framework outlines major investments, including those in highways, rail, and transit systems, airports, ports and harbors, wastewater and drinking water infrastructure.
Also, the framework:
- Brings existing infrastructure into a state of good repair and enables the completion of critical projects through long-term, sustainable funding;
- Sets a path toward zero carbon pollution from the transportation sector, creating jobs, protecting our natural resources, promoting environmental justice, and increasing resiliency to climate change;
- Ensures a transportation system that is green, affordable, reliable, efficient and provides access to jobs;
- Provides safe, clean, and affordable water and wastewater services;
- Prioritizes the safety of the traveling public;
- Helps combat climate change by creating good-paying jobs in clean energy, investing in energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas pollution;
- Expands broadband internet access, adoption for unserved and underserved rural, suburban, and urban communities;
- Modernizes 9-1-1 public safety networks;
- Creates family-wage jobs with Davis-Bacon and other strong worker protections; and
- Supports U.S. industries, including steel and manufacturing, through strong Buy America protections
Photo of St. Louis, Missouri riverfront by TréVoy Kelly from Pixabay.