Chamber Urges Support of Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal
June 29, 2021
June 28, 2021
The Chamber submitted testimony urging support of the bipartisan physical infrastructure investment deal on both scope and funding. In reaching a compromise, President Biden and Congress demonstrated collaborative leadership. Such bipartisan support is both practical and necessary for improving the state of our physical infrastructure and restoring confidence in our government.
The need for physical infrastructure investment is undeniable. The most recent Infrastructure Report Card from the American Society of Civil Engineers rates national infrastructure a C-, and notes that 43 percent of public roadways in the US are in poor or mediocre condition. The same study rates transit infrastructure a D-, bridge infrastructure a C, and energy infrastructure a C-.[1] The bipartisan compromise will provide a route to address these infrastructure needs. We recognize and support the plan to also consider human infrastructure investments, though in separate legislation.
The proposed compromise presents Congress with an opportunity not just to invest in infrastructure, but also to begin unifying a country that has been polarized for too long. Widespread support from both parties will send a strong message to Americans, and to the world, that our leaders are committed to investing in our country, its residents, and its success. This compromise is about more than infrastructure; it is about the core values we hold as a country. It demonstrates that our leaders are willing to work together and find solutions. Most importantly, it signals that leaders are capable of ending the hardline rhetoric from both sides that only serves to inflame division and create weaknesses in our country that others can exploit.
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