A roundup of news on the planning-related consequences of the reported demise of the Build Back Better Act—a $2 trillion social spending bill intended to accompany the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act approved earlier this year.
By now you have probably seen the news that the $2 trillion social spending bill known as the Build Back Better Act (BBB) has been dealt what appears to be a final defeat by U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia). The bill, once included as a portion of a larger budget reconciliation bill, was split off from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to ensure the latter's approval in November, but with the promise of a consensus on BBB by the end of the year.
The demise of BBB means hundreds of billions in potential projects and programs directly related to the field of planning have suddenly vanished. Planetizen will continue to monitor the news for more insight into the consequences of BBB's failure for planners around the country, but a roundup of what we have found so far follows. So far, articles can be organized into two categories: climate change and political intrigue. As of this writing, there is not yet post-Manchin news and commentary on the placed-based initiatives, affordable housing programs, and zoning reform programs proposed in BBB.
Climate Change
- Joe Manchin may have doomed American climate policy (Vox, December 19)
- Manchin Rejects Landmark Legislation, Putting Biden’s Climate Goals at Risk (The New York Times, December 19)
- Manchin says Build Back Better's climate measures are risky. That's not true (NPR, December 19)
- Manchin’s opposition to Build Back Better bill undercuts Biden’s climate agenda (The Washington Post, December 19)
- Manchin killing Build Back Better is ‘devastating’ to climate change action, experts say (Yahoo News, December 20
- 'I'm kind of speechless': Democrats scramble to salvage climate provisions after Manchin sinks Build Back Better (CNN, December 20)
Politics
- Joe Manchin Kills the Build Back Better Bill (The New Yorker, December 19)
- Joe Manchin Just Tore Out the Heart of Biden’s Agenda (Rolling Stone, December 19)
- Schumer vows vote on Build Back Better legislation despite Manchin’s opposition (The Washington Post, December 20)
Bipartisan 'Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act' Passes the Senate
A final vote of 69-30, with 19 Republicans joining their Democratic colleagues in the Senate, will send the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to the House.
Year in Review: Urban Planning in 2021
Part one of two of Planetizen's review of 2021—re-assessing failed predictions and daylighting the biggest planning stories of the year.
Key Details of the $1.2 Trillion Federal Infrastructure Bill
With President Joe Biden scheduled to sign the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act today in Washington, D.C., Planetizen shares insight into the fine print of the historic bill.
Federal Railroad Administration Proposes New Midwest Rail Network
If built, regional high-speed rail networks could provide an alternative to uncomfortable air travel and prevent travelers from becoming stranded at airports during extreme weather.
New Leadership at New York Department of City Planning
With a new mayoral administration comes new planning leadership in the Big Apple.
'15-Minute City' To Be Built in Utah
A community that focuses on reducing the need for car ownership and providing effective multimodal transportation and diverse land uses will be built from scratch on the site of the decommissioned Utah State Prison.
Experts Express Pessimism Over Housing Costs
Although the current housing crisis has been compared with the housing crash of the late 2000s, experts caution that affordability issues could plague the U.S. housing market for years to come.
Annual Google Scholar Citation Data for Planning Faculty
Publish or perish?
What the Microchip Shortage Reveals About Housing
The microchip shortage facing the automotive industry illustrates the significant impact that supply has on the cost of durable goods.
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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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