House Democrats Unveil $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Plan

The $500 billion five-year transportation bill making its way through the House is only part of the package.

1 minute read

June 25, 2020, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


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Ian Taylor / Geograph

House Democrats have unveiled a $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill called the Moving Forward Act (H.R. 2), which includes the $500 million included in the Invest in America five-year transportation bill that passed out of a House committee, with partisan support, earlier this week.

Kim Slowey provides details on the Moving Forward Act:

The bill, an expanded version of the Moving Forward Act proposed earlier this year, would also provide: $300 billion for structurally deficient bridges; $100 billion for facility upgrades at high-poverty schools; $100 billion for affordable housing infrastructure; $100 billion in broadband internet; $40 billion for wastewater infrastructure; $70 billion for the electric grid for more renewable energy and upgrades; $30 billion for hospitals and other healthcare infrastructure; and $3 billion for "shovel-ready" Great Lakes, coastal and marine projects.

With an infrastructure proposal like this on the table in Congress, it's hard not to recall the ambitious promises made by the Trump administration, both before and after being elected to office, for a major federal investment in the nation's infrastructure. After numerous examples of "Infrastructure Week" and even a short-lived moment of bipartisan cooperation, the Democrats in the House are now taking up this mantle during an election year and a historic economic crisis.

Wednesday, June 24, 2020 in Smart Cities Dive

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